The World Cup has come and gone. For many, it was the best yet, even though it was not short of controversial moments that will remain open for debate down the years.

France were deserved winners on this occasion, with Didier Deschamps becoming part of a rare breed to have won football’s greatest prize as a player and as a manager.

It is here that the first of several talking points, which could influence betting on international football for years to come, comes to light

Vive La France

For France, the twenty years between the nation’s two World Cup wins to date have been tumultuous, to say the least.

In a sad indictment of how wrong the French project went after an additional triumph at Euro 2000, many people will most readily remember the ‘Zidane incident’ as the standout moment of French football in the past two decades.

That has now changed, but a World Cup win may have the opposite effect amongst the more superstitious punter.

It was a run broken in emphatic fashion by the French this year, but until 2014, ‘Les Bleus’ had a curious tendency to alternate ‘bad’ World Cups with good ones.

In 2002, as defending champions, France failed to score a single goal and finished bottom of the group.

Four years later, they reached the final made infamous by Zinedine Zidane, before finishing bottom of their group again in 2010. 2014 was another strong World Cup for France.

While the class of 2018 proved able to break the cycle, the cautionary tale remains. Four out of the last five World Cups have seen the champions fall at the first hurdle.

A German side fancied to storm through a group containing South Korea, Mexico and Sweden was the latest victim of this alarming trend.

Thus, the more cynical neutral may consider putting a lay bet against France progressing from the group stage in the 2022 World Cup. The Qatari climate is like no other and could be potentially disadvantageous to European teams.

 

Betting VAR-kets

Whether in the pub or the studio, no recollection of this year’s World Cup will ever be without some mention of VAR – a.k.a Video Assistant Referee.

Though the technology itself is still relatively young, it is just a question when – not if – VAR will become the norm at club level across the world. For now, it is restricted largely to international football, but VAR-related bets are inevitable and will come sooner than many realise.

Every bookmaker needs a unique selling point, and if ‘Neymar to dive against Costa Rica, but get caught by VAR’ becomes a hot draw, so be it.

Neymar's World Cup dive gives us the top-notch memes we've been waiting for https://t.co/aPSyxa0tYI pic.twitter.com/U56gXPtzfs

— Mashable (@mashable) July 2, 2018

Of course, not everyone is convinced by what VAR brings to the modern game. Ultimately, the final decision lies with the referee, and there are some incidents which remain impossible to judge, even with the multiple replay angles granted by VAR.

In terms of VAR’s influence on international football betting, bookmakers may also need to give their customers a way out of an in-play bet on the occasions it is needed.

Indeed, there have already been isolated offers for money back if VAR rules out a decision that affects payout.

Yet, in the interest of corporate stability, a greater sense of diplomacy is going to be needed in the coming years, as VAR seeps into club level football, such as in the Bundesliga, MLS and the FA Cup.

 

Mbappe vs Neymar: The New Messi vs Ronaldo

Though the exertions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the Champions League make them contenders for the Ballon d’Or, the World Cup alone has seen bets on Kylian Mbappe winning it in December becoming rife.

With these two finding their fates entwined at a relatively early age, a 'Brazil-France' each way bet will be popular in the 2022 World Cup, but the effect of this perceived rivalry ripples further than many realise.

Although Mbappe and Neymar were already well-known as superstars, the fact that they are now both teammates shrouded what could be a great rivalry, albeit a friendly one.

Once again, all the talk was about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and with the two thirty-somethings being tied on five Ballon d’Or trophies apiece, the 2018 World Cup was supposed to be the one that decided the better man once and for all.

Of course, the reality was very different. They never got that dream matchup, with both men exiting the tournament at the last sixteen, on the same day Mbappe enjoyed a brace against Argentina.

Mbappe continued to wreak havoc, up until the moment he lifted the trophy his exertions richly deserved. While Neymar emerged from the tournament more villain than hero after his infamous dive against Belgium, the fact remains that he is man enough to ignore the jibes, and will once more tear teams apart in next season’s Ligue 1.

In terms of betting, Mbappe’s World Cup performances have merely served to yet further cement PSG’s status as odds-on favourites to win the league in 2018/19.

Additionally, there is currently a culture for backing Paris Saint Germain to complete a quintuple of trophies, starting with the Trophée des Champions.

The club achieved quadruples in 2014/15 and 2015/16, and while no French team has ever won a quintuple, it will either be the PSG squad of today that does it, or nobody at all.

 

England At Risk Of Relegation?

This autumn will see the first matches of the inaugural UEFA League of Nations take place.

As a refreshing change from pointless, disruptive friendly matches – or a useless ‘training exercise’ against the likes of Andorra or San Marino – this is the tough love that most underachieving European nations have needed for years.

Gareth Southgate’s men, now the fourth-best team in the entire world, are in Group 4 of League A. Winning the group will see the Three Lions proceed to the League of Nations semi-finals in June 2019, which itself is a means to qualification for Euro 2020.

Finishing second will see England staying put in League A, while a bottom-place finish will result in relegation to League B. In that nether realm of this new competition, the only prize is promotion.

On the evidence of the last World Cup, England look to be in danger of relegation. By a cruel quirk of fate, England’s first game is at home to a Spain team that remains a threat, despite bowing out of the World Cup one round before England.

Use #bbcfootball 

Gareth Southgate is set to name his first post-World Cup squad later this week, but has anyone done enough to catch his eye? 

How many of England's 23 from Russia will remain? 

Will there be any shock or surprise inclusions? 
? https://t.co/Kpywq8j8WE pic.twitter.com/T5A4LRMCW5

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 27, 2018

No England side has beaten Spain (without penalties) in a competitive game since Euro 1980, and worse yet, that game will be followed up by a trip to Zagreb, against their World Cup tormentors Croatia – ably captained by Luka Modric.

For those planning on using the World Cup as a means to placing a bet on a team with odds against their relegation to League B, Germany are also potential candidates.

German teams seldom stay down for long after underachievement, with an appearance at the 2002 World Cup final after group stage elimination at Euro 2000 being a notable example of Teutonic tenacity.

Regardless, the German squad still has a relatively low average age, and only time can tell how much the deposed world champions will be affected by group stage elimination at this year’s World Cup.

Being drawn into Group 1, alongside new champions France and a Netherlands side that cannot fail to improve on the nightmare that has been the last three years, Germany’s place in League A is also far from a given.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Mohamed Salah took the Premier League by storm last season with his goalscoring form, fending off the challenge from Harry Kane to claim the Golden Boot.

Salah and Kane head the market to battle it out this year but the fact that Salah was hugely unfancied before the start of the last campaign should not be ignored.

There could be a new Salah in the making just waiting for the season to begin or perhaps it will be one of the nearly men from last season who finds an extra gear.

Previous Golden Boot winners are players of tremendous goalscoring calibre so, whoever wins the accolade this year, will be joining esteemed company.

 

Searching For The Next Salah

Not even Liverpool could have anticipated that Salah would enjoy such a fruitful season in front of goal but it did serve to make them look like transfer geniuses.

Perhaps the next Salah is already among us, one of the plethora of new signings that was totally overlooked because we were all focused on the World Cup.

Or perhaps it is Alireza Jahanbakhsh, otherwise known as Paul Merson's worst nightmare. The Iranian attacker has rocked up at Brighton for a club record fee, fresh from finishing as top scorer in the Eredivisie last season.

21 goals in 33 league matches for AZ Alkmaar last year makes Jahanbakhsh a coup for Brighton. It is a well-known footballing fact that every prolific Eredivisie forward who makes the jump to the Premier League is an unmitigated success.

Afonso Alves scored a hat-trick in an 8-1 win for Middlesbrough over Manchester City; Luis Suarez won the Golden Boot in 2013/14 and Vincent Janssen scored twice in the Premier League for Spurs.

However, Jahanbakhsh may find his work cut out in a Brighton side with odds of 5/1 to finish in the top ten. Newly-promoted Wolves are more fancied to trouble the Premier League top half.

Diogo Jota scored 17 goals in their promotion season and is 100/1 to adapt to the Premier League quickly, while Raul Jimenez is 150/1.

Jimenez is a slightly controversial signing for Wolves in that he isn't Portuguese but he is on loan from Benfica so he will be able to converse with his new team-mates with ease.

Jimenez doesn't exactly have a glowing scoring record in recent years, in that he hasn't managed more than 7 in his three league seasons at Benfica, but he was prolific in his native Mexico and could thrive in a Wolves side that is expected to go strongly this season.

If forwards for newly-promoted Wolves aren't your thing, how about forwards for newly-promoted Fulham; Andre Schurrle has never been a hugely consistent goalscorer but he has dynamic attacking ability and is available at odds of 250/1 to become the next player to show Chelsea that they let him go too soon.

 

The Usual Suspects

Of course, there is the very real possibility that the new Salah will be the same as the old Salah. There is precedent for a player to retain the Golden Boot.

In fact, there are multiple precedents; Alan Shearer and Thierry Henry bagged a hat-trick of consecutive Golden Boots, while Robin van Persie and Harry Kane have notched two in a row in more recent seasons.

Kane definitely has a taste for boots of gold, having claimed the accolade at the World Cup. Alas, there are no Panamas in the Premier League; there's not even a Sunderland any more for strikers to feast upon.

That is why Kane was so selfish and stubborn when he insisted that he brushed in an Eriksen cross with the tiniest sliver of his shoulder, a move that ultimately proved futile in the chase for Salah.

via GIPHY

Kane is the best centre-forward in the Premier League and a double Golden Boot winner, so it is unsurprising that he is the favourite in the market with odds of 9/4.

Salah is behind Kane for the first time in a while at a price of 5/1, with the Egyptian facing the same question marks over longevity as when Kane first burst on to the scene.

Kane has since proven that his lust for goals is insatiable, so it would take a brave commentator to call Salah's season a flash in the pan.

Salah was unstoppable at times, resembling a man ready for the transition to greatness rather than a streaky striker walloping the ball as hard as he could and hoping for the best.

It's not all about Salah and Kane though. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang follows closely behind Salah in the betting at 7/1. The Arsenal attacker is not only the quickest 29 year-old in world football (presumably), but he also has strong goalscoring pedigree validated by finishing as the Bundesliga's top scorer in 2016/17.

Who knows how Unai Emery's Wengerless wonders will adapt this season, so it may be wise to hold off on getting behind Aubameyang. Similarly, Sergio Aguero at Manchester City continues to be blighted by concerns over just how much Pep Guardiola likes him.

Every other Premier League manager would love to have the 2014/15 Golden Boot winner on board, but Aguero may struggle to get the game time to mount a serious challenge.

City rival Romelu Lukaku is available at the same price of 9/1, but the Belgian only bagged half the goals of Salah last season, despite looking very impressive at times.

 

The Outsiders

That all suggests that it is going to be Kane and Salah once again tussling for the Golden Boot, with the closest contenders all beset by uncertainty. Of course, uncertainty is easier to stomach when the odds are that bit juicier.

For example, a price of 25/1 for Alexandre Lacazette may be enough to disregard the concerns about Arsenal laid out in the previous paragraph.

Lacazette is too good to live in Aubameyang's shadow, with the Frenchman having finished as top scorer in his domestic league and notching a respectable 14 goals in his debut Premier League season.

Lacazette

“I like to be with Aubameyang. He's a good guy. I'm not asking the coach or telling him, 'I want to play with Auba' or something like that. He knows we can play well together and then afterwards, he makes his decision." pic.twitter.com/q2GTpvPOV8

— Emery's new era ?? (@tomgunner14) August 26, 2018

That's only two fewer than Lukaku and one more than Gabriel Jesus so, if Lacazette adapts to life under Emery quickly, then he has the clinical finishing to make serious waves.

While Kane and Salah are expected to repeat their feats, others are not given such trust. The fourth and fifth top scorer in the Premier League last season are available at odds of 33/1 and 40/1 respectively.

Vardy hit the magic figure of 20 goals last season and was pipped for the Golden Boot by one Kane goal in 2015/16. Raheem Sterling's stunning season yielded 18 goals, making him the fifth highest scorer. Cynics will suggest that Sterling is too erratic to surpass that total and that he won't get so lucky again but those arguments don't hold weight.

Sterling thrives under Guardiola and is the perfect player for his system. The arrival of Riyad Mahrez at City may reduce the chances of both Vardy and Sterling getting off to a good start, with the Algerian so often the provider for Vardy and a player who would occupy similar spaces to Sterling in the Manchester City side.

But Vardy and Sterling have both defied expectations before, and those prices make it tempting to believe that they could do so again.

Alexis Sanchez is also at 40/1, a price that would have seemed ridiculous a couple of years ago but reflects how the Chilean attacker took to life at Old Trafford like a duck to lava. Sanchez has bagged 24 goals in a Premier League season before and has the ability to not only play in the same side as Lukaku but outscore him if he finds his form.

Nine players have won the Golden Boot alongside the Premier League title, while the list of winners largely reads like a list of global superstars.

However, Dion Dublin shared the Golden Boot in 1997/98 by bagging 18 goals for a Coventry City that finished 11th, giving hope to strikers of mid-table sides. Master poachers Jermain Defoe, Charlie Austin and Javier Hernandez are all available at 100/1, and they all certainly know where the goal is.

The only problem is that the likes of Kane and Salah are also very familiar with the location of said goal. While it is boring to suggest that the favourites will win, it is hard to look beyond that duo.

Lacazette at 25/1 and Sanchez at 40/1 are clinical finishers with prices that will shorten dramatically if either player hits the ground running, but Kane's unerring consistency may prove decisive.

If he can find a way to score in August, then it may even be wrapped up within the first month.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The Ebor Handicap is currently the most valuable flat handicap in Europe and always takes place on the final day of the four-day Ebor Festival at York.

The race is run over a distance of one mile and six furlongs and has been run at York since 1843.

The word “Ebor” is actually an abbreviation of the Roman word, Eboracum, which was the Roman name for York.

A number of horses engaged in The Ebor in recent seasons have then headed out to Melbourne for the Spring Carnival.

Here is a look at the trends and statistics for The Ebor based on the last ten years.  Just remember the race was cancelled in 2008 because of flooding at the track.

AGE (win-place-runs)

3-y-o: 0-2-4

4-y-o: 1-12-74

5-y-o: 5-8-55

6-y-o: 3-5-32

7-y-o+: 1-2-15

Five-year-olds have won five of the last ten runnings. That signals a positive for backers of: Muntahaa, Mustajeer, Lord Yeats, Blakeney Point, Saunter, Platitude, Whiskey Sour, Stratum and Mountain Bell.

Only one horse aged seven or older has won this race in the last thirty years (Litigant 2015). That signals a negative for: Dylan Mouth, Scotland, Nakeeta, Montaly, Sea The Lion and Fun Mac.

 

WEIGHTS

Weekender heads the weights on 9st 12lbs.

The four-year-old was beaten a neck by Marmelo in the Listed Grand Cup over course and distance back in June. No top-weight has won the Sky Bet Ebor since the great Sea Pigeon defied 10st in 1979.

Weekender's trainer John Gosden also runs Muntahaa (9st 9lb), a staying-on fourth in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket last month.

The Willie Mullins-trained Stratum (9st 2lb) is the market leader and has topped the horse racing betting odds since recording an easy three-length victory in the JLT Cup at Newbury on July 21st.

Ireland's  leading Jump trainer Willie Mullins, who last took the Ebor with Sesenta in 2009, has another well-fancied contender in the Group One-winning hurdler Whiskey Sour (9st 3lb).

Other Irish-trained raiders include the seven-year-old Sea The Lion (9st 4lb/Jarlath Fahey), successful in all three starts so far this season, and the Ger Lyons-trained Mustajeer (9st 8lb), who was a close fourth in a Group Two race at Naas in May.

Last year's winner Nakeeta (9st 7lb) is bidding to become just the second two-time winner of the race, a feat last achieved in 1922 and 1923. Nakeeta showed signs of return to form when fifth behind Stratum at Newbury last time out.

Blakeney Point (9st 5lb) is the shortest-priced British-trained runner in the betting. He shaped with promise when a staying-on fourth in the Glorious Stakes over 12 furlongs at Goodwood at the start of August.

The November Handicap victor Saunter (9st 5lb) has to shoulder a 7lb penalty following wins at Compiegne and Newmarket.

The Tom Dascombe-trained  Teodoro (9st 5lb) has a 4lb penalty after his front-running success in the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock Park earlier in the month.

Hughie Morrison saddles one of the oldest runners in the field with Fun Mac (9st 2lb). The seven-year-old finished second behind Magic Circle in the Chester Cup in May and was last seen finishing a close third at Maisons-Lafitte in July.

Marco Botti is represented by both Dylan Mouth (9st 10), winner of the John Smith's Silver Cup over course and distance, and the Old Newton Cup Handicap second Crowned Eagle (9st 7lb).

Andrew Balding is another trainer doubly represented. In the first instance by last year's Weatherbys Hamilton Insurance Lonsdale Cup winner Montaly (9st 5lb) and secondly by Scotland (9st 8lb).

 

RATINGS

The last ten winners have been rated between 88 and 106 with seven of them between 90 and 103.

 

DRAW

Eight winners have been drawn between 14 and 22, the two exceptions being stall 10 and 12.

The following horses have a supposedly “favourable” draw:  Weekender, Muntahaa, Mustajeer, Crowned Eagle, Nakeeta, Lord Yeats, Sea The Lion, Whiskey Sour and Fun Mac – a total of nine horses.

 

PRICE

Winners of the last ten runnings have been priced between 7/2 and 33/1 with six of them going off at 20/1 or under.

 

HORSES TO CONSIDER

It may be highly unoriginal pick but Stratum (nap) sneaking into the 20-strong field at number 19 must have been music to the ears of Willie Mullins, and he will certainly go off favourite on the back of his display at Newbury.

After finishing third in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he ran on well after encountering traffic problems, he went to Newbury and gave a decent field of stayers a three-length beating.

His mark of 102 probably underestimates his abilities and he really does look like a handicap “snip”.

Although all the statistics and trends look to be conspiring against Nakeeta, the seven-year-old still really stands out as a live contender based upon his back class and is a much better horse than the majority of this field.

Callum Rodriguez is taking a further 3lb’s off his back on Saturday after and Rodriguez is in top form at the moment, riding several winners of late.

Since Nakeeta’s Melbourne Cup exertions last November, Iain Jardine has slowly but surely been building up during this campaign and a big Saturday handicap scalp could quite easily be in the offing.

888sport suggests: Stratum (nap) Nakeeta (e/w).

European football is back! With top domestic leagues in Germany, Spain, Italy and France already underway or starting up this weekend, I’ve compiled the first of many European accumulators this season. Have a browse down the page for my 11/1 four-fold on the latest round of matches...

 

VFL WOLFSBURG vs SCHALKE 04

Wolfsburg survived relegation by the skin of their teeth last season but Bruno Labbadia’s men will be expecting to finish much higher up the German table in 2018/19.

The Wolves drew 15 of their 34 Bundesliga fixtures during the previous campaign and turning a few of those draws into wins will be the difference in their pursuit of survival.

Schalke have scored in their previous 28 Bundesliga matches – an incredible feat to say the least. However, we could see a new-look Schalke take to the field for this clash.

The opening fixture is always difficult to predict and it may be wise to expect an underwhelming affair at Volkswagen Arena.

The selection has landed in four of the last five meetings between the two sides and another low-scoring encounter could be on the cards. Take the 7/10 for less than three goals in this fixture.

TIP: Under 2.5 goals @ 7/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Wolfsburg 1-1 Schalke (Priced at 11/2 with 888sport)

 

JUVENTUS vs LAZIO

The stage is set for Cristiano Ronaldo to fire Juventus to victory. The home crowd will expect big things from the Portugal legend this season and he can lead Massimiliano Allegri’s men to an eighth successive Serie A crown.

This one could get ugly for the visitors if Juventus get off to a fast start on Saturday night. It was all change for Lazio this summer – a number of key personalities decided to move on ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

Simone Inzaghi’s side gave a decent account of themselves against Napoli on the opening weekend but ultimately fell short and another defeat beckons here. You won’t find too many punters backing Lazio to win in Turin…

Ronaldo could make an immediate impact on his home debut and 19/20 for the Portuguese to score in a Juventus victory should be snapped up. Watch this space, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner could light up Serie A this weekend.

TIP: Ronaldo to score and Juventus to win @ 19/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Juventus 2-0 Lazio (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

LILLE vs GUINGAMP

Lille are primed for a positive 2018/19 season after their struggles during the previous year.

The Europa League and Frederic Antonetti’s departure had an adverse effect on Lille last campaign and all signs point towards a better performance this time around. A goalless draw at Monaco last time out is an indication of that improvement.

Meanwhile, Guingamp are yet to pick up a point this season after defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and St Etienne.

Siding with the visitors would be brave – they have came out on top just once in their last five trips to Lille and EVS represents solid value for a home triumph this weekend.

Taking everything into account, it may prove prudent to side with Lille. The hosts lost just three Ligue 1 games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in 2017/18 and three of those came against Monaco, Marseille and PSG.

TIP: Lille to win @ EVENS

PREDICTED SCORE: Lille 2-1 Guingamp (Priced at 15/2 with 888sport)

 

SEVILLA vs VILLARREAL

This will be Sevilla’s seventh competitive match of the 2018/19 campaign and we are still in August. Despite their hectic schedule, I’m expecting Sevilla to emerge victorious on home soil in this clash – 3/4 is an excellent price.

The hosts were ruthless against Rayo Vallecano in their last La Liga encounter and another win looks likely. Villarreal have won just two of their previous eight away league games and that is a major factor in my pick.

Javier Calleja’s side took a 16^th minute lead against Real Sociedad but that wasn’t enough – Sociedad scored either side of half-time to secure the perfect result on the opening weekend. This one could get away from Villarreal if Sevilla are on top form…

Two teams with bags of potential but two contrasting starts to the new season. Going with the form book is the best bet here; Sevilla should have enough quality to put Villarreal to the sword.

TIP: Sevilla to win @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Sevilla 2-0 Villarreal (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Premier League teams are preparing for their third matches of the season.

We are beginning to get a sense, albeit a vague one, of how teams will perform and which managers could be under pressure. Here are a few thoughts on this Saturday’s 3pm Premier League kick-offs…

 

ARSENAL vs WEST HAM UNITED

It’s been a rough start for these two London clubs. Arsenal had a nightmare with the fixture computer, which gave them Manchester City and Chelsea to start the season.

Meanwhile, West Ham were thrashed by Liverpool to start the campaign and crumbled at home to Bournemouth last time out.

Jack Wilshere sends clear message to Unai Emery ahead of Arsenal vs West Ham https://t.co/wDwuP7fSMI pic.twitter.com/C5dVrfivSd

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) August 22, 2018

There have been good signs for Unai Emery so far. It’s been less positive for Manuel Pellegrini, who has his work cut out to sort out a painfully unbalanced midfield.

The Hammers’ summer recruitment could be undermined by their failure to reinforce the midfield sufficiently.  Unless Jack Wilshere produces a special display on his return to north London, the Gunners should win this easily.

TIP: Over 3.5 goals @ 59/50

PREDICTED SCORE: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)

 

AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs EVERTON

This should a good one to watch. Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth are going to play their brand of expansive football and Marco Silva’s Everton will be much the same.

The Cherries are off to a flyer with two wins from two and were very impressive in their comeback win against West Ham last time out.

The Toffees have started in a similar manner, picking up four points from their first two matches including a 2-2 draw at Wolves despite going down to 10 early on.

Goals are the way to go here. These two teams are going to be involved in a few thrillers this season. Let’s hope this is one of them.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 8/11

PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 2-2 Everton (Priced at 11/1 with 888sport)

 

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN vs CARDIFF CITY

These two were fancied to go down before the season started and neither have shown anything to suggest otherwise so far. Huddersfield’s fixtures have been difficult at least, but Cardiff have just looked desperately short of quality.

Neil Warnock’s side were unable to create much even after Newcastle went down to 10 last weekend.

When @CardiffCityFC meet Huddersfield this weekend, Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock will have managed in this fixture in England's top three leagues ? pic.twitter.com/jH1OFzVctm

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 22, 2018

Defensively they might be solid enough, but it’s hard to see them scoring enough goals. David Wagner’s side really have to win matches like this if they are to stay up.

Home advantage just tips the scales in Huddersfield’s favour. It’s unlikely to be first on Match of the Day, though.

TIP: Under 2.5 goals @ 1/2

PREDICTED SCORE: Huddersfield 1-0 Cardiff (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

SOUTHAMPTON vs LEICESTER CITY

Mark Hughes’ Southampton were poor at Everton last weekend. The Saints were vulnerable at the back and have been short of ideas in the final third in their two matches so far.

Leicester present a significant test for Hughes, who could soon beunder pressure despite scraping Southampton to safety last season.

The Foxes looked good at Old Trafford in the season opener and built on that with a home victory against Wolves, but head to the south coast without Jamie Vardy, who is suspended. As we saw against Manchester United, the Foxes are short of cutting edge when Vardy is missing.

The visitors look like the value option for this one. Southampton at 7/5 is still on the short side given their performances against Burnley and Everton.

TIP: Leicester to win or draw @ 3/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Southampton 0-2 Leicester (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*