Man City vs Man United Tips

Winners of the League Cup and top-four finishers in the Premier League, Manchester United can complete a domestic cup double this weekend.

They are massive FA Cup betting underdogs for the clash with Manchester City at Wembley, however, with the Red Devils out at 3/1 to lift the trophy.

Erik ten Hag has seen his team be hammered by City and recorded a win against them this season.

United have ended their league campaign on a positive note, winning four in a row to hold off Liverpool’s push. Champions League qualification was secured.

United’s success in the meeting at Old Trafford centred around letting City tap the ball around.

The Premier League champions had a shade above 70% possession, but United were a threat throughout in transition with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes both getting on the scoresheet.

The gameplan will be similar here. Rather than playing City at their game, United can lean on their defence, limit space behind for Erling Haaland, and hope that packing the midfield can restrict City’s ability to create chances.

It is still a longshot for the Red Devils to avoid defeat inside 90 minutes at Wembley, however.

City’s last two matches can be written off, given that the Premier League title was already secured. Prior to that, they had won 15 domestic matches in a row. 

Look for ten Hag to tweak his setup here. Anthony Martial was rested at the weekend, readying him for a start as the leader of the attack (he’s a great price at 7/2 to score anytime).

Fred could partner Casemiro in midfield. Naturally, ten Hag needs to make changes against this City team, but he clearly learned from the 6-3 loss.

There is a world where United can frustrate City, and score a goal on the break. Perhaps they win in 90 minutes, perhaps their pace on the counter is more influential when fatigue sets in.

United fans should be considering a Red Devils win in extra time at 25/1.

Bet on Manchester United at 888Sport

Find all the Manchester United odds for the 2022-23 season at 888Sport. Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge at Old Trafford brings fresh expectation, and eyes will be on the latest Manchester United betting throughout the campaign.

Will Cristiano Ronaldo opt to stay and power the Red Devils to a top four finish? Could United collect their first silverware since the 2016-17 campaign?

888Sport has you covered for everything from goalscorer wagers to Manchester United outright betting markets.

Manchester United Outright Betting 2022-23

Manchester United outright betting firmly places them fifth in Premier League winner odds – the Red Devils have a preseason price of 25/1, well behind Chelsea at 13/1 and Tottenham at 14s.

Erik ten Hag is clearly ambitious, but a title push is well out of the Red Devils’ reach this season.

Being a top four team would be a success after a woeful 2021-22 campaign. United are as long as 17/10 for such a finish, residing at longer odds than Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal. They are, however, in at 2/5 for a top six finish.

When it comes to player outright betting, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 14/1 is the shortest price in the Golden Boot market, while the Portuguese is also the club’s favourite to win PFA Player of the Year at 16/1.

Neither represent value given the uncertainty over Ronaldo’s future and his performances last season.

Ten Hag may look to the cups as a chance to get some early silverware under his belt, and bookies consider United a solid candidate to lift the EFL Cup or FA Cup this term.

Ending their relative trophy drought would be a strong start to ten Hag’s Old Trafford tenure. 888Sport will be covering Manchester United predictions and picks here throughout the 2022-23 season. 

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

It is one of the most enduring myths in football, a fallacy that nobody really questions, so often it is stated. 

A team gains a two-goal advantage and when they inevitably must defend at some point, perhaps concede a chance or two, it’s routinely trotted out, from a commentator who might even believe it. That 2-0 is the most dangerous lead of them all.

Of course, before we debunk this long-standing misnomer we must acknowledge that it only exists because it skirts the very edge of logic.

There is no point in highlighting that a single-goal advantage is precarious because that’s undeniable and obvious. Adding a goal though, well that raises eyebrows. That grabs attention.

Moreover, it is never mentioned when a superior side goes two up. It’s why you’ll rarely hear it said at the Etihad these days and why it was never uttered at Old Trafford throughout Manchester United’s long era of dominance.

Indeed, at no time during Sir Alex Ferguson’s 27 year reign did the Reds lose from a two goal lead. It happened in 1984, then next at Leicester City in 2014.Even accepting the gulf in class that was often prevalent when United played, that huge expanse of time partly proves that having a two-goal cushion is actually a huge positive and not cause for trepidation, yet still the fallacy persists, one incidentally that is not exclusively a British misconception. 

In the Czech Republic, fearing a two-goal advantage is called Csaplar’s Trap, after a particularly superstitious coach. Down under in Australia, the expression has been popularized by Johnny Warren, a well-known broadcaster.

Across football, and across the decades, it is a paranoid slice of doom-mongering that has become entrenched in our thinking and we all know exactly when it will make an appearance. We anticipate it. We cringe in expectation. 

A team prominent in the Premier League relegation odds will go in front against a better side and they scrap with every fibre to preserve their lead. But then they ‘dare’ to score again and now complacency is a concern. Now they’re in peril.

🗣 "Two nil up is a good lead but it's a dangerous one."

Trent Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool can't be complacent with their 2-0 lead over Villarreal in the Champions League semi-final pic.twitter.com/fJeYKdBxsC

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 3, 2022

Thank goodness therefore for Opta stats who in 2016 conclusively disproved this old wives’ tale and then some. 

Responding to a tweet by Gary Lineker, pondering this line of thinking, Opta calculated that in the Premier League’s existence there had been 1061 occasions when a team was two goals up at half-time. Only 22 of those teams went on to lose the game.

This equates to 2.1%, a meagre tally that allows for the very occasional implosion but also external factors such as a sending off or a late spate of injuries. 

Within that scant number there is little evidence that complacency kicks in when a team goes two-up. Frankly, 98 times out of 100, the winning side is on easy street, at risk at most of ending up with a solitary point instead of the three.

So the next time you’ve taken a punt on an unfancied team in the football betting online and they extend on their lead against the odds, don’t panic. 

And absolutely ignore the commentator when he trots out a well-worn cliché, that defies all reasonable logic.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers Tips

Two wins from their last eight matches leaves Arsenal in the bottom half of the table since 8th April.

The Gunners blew the title several weeks ago amid a string of disappointing performances. Mikel Arteta’s side have still had a season to remember, but it is hard for there not to be a sour taste when they have experienced such a sharp demise.

Wolves are still deciding what to do with Julen Lopetegui in the summer, but their second half of the season has been a stark contrast.

Relegation-threatened after the World Cup, they have easily avoided the drop and have picked up four more points than Arsenal across the previous eight matches. The Midlands club are still football betting underdogs here, however. 

Arteta identified the period which derailed Arsenal’s season in an interview this week, "When you are 2-0 up at Anfield and you draw the game in the 90th minute, and then you got West Ham and you’re 2-0 up after 20 minutes, enjoying complete domination and miss a penalty - you have to win that game. 

"Then you have Southampton and you basically give them two goals and you have to climb a mountain. We could have won it at the end but drew 3–3, so the fourth game against City becomes crucial."

The Spaniard has begun to look to next season, and will hope to see his team end strongly.

"We have a great foundation and we have become really competitive, but now I think it is time to press the reset button, and go again.

"We have to be faster, more determined and ruthless because the dimension that opens up now is bigger but the margins are really small so we have to be really smart."

Only Leeds and Nottingham Forest have picked up fewer road points than Wolves, who have nothing to play for, particularly if Lopetegui is on his way out.

It’s going to be an afternoon of mixed emotions for the Emirates crowd, but they should be able to enjoy one last home win. Back the Gunners -1.5.

Bet on Arsenal at 888Sport

888Sport is home to all your latest Arsenal odds for the 2022-23 season. The Gunners are competing on four fronts as Mikel Arteta looks to build on a solid 2021-22 campaign.

Will this be the year Arsenal return to the top four? Could Arteta be one of the managers under pressure early on?

From odds on upcoming matches through to an array of outright betting markets, 888Sport has you covered for all your Arsenal betting teams in 2022-23.

Arsenal Outright Betting 2022-23

Arsenal to win the Premier League is a wager only the most ambitious of Gunners’ fans will make for 2022-23.

It’s all about Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race, and preseason betting markets also give their London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea a better chance at lifting the trophy. The Gunners are way out at 33/1.

If you’re after an Arsenal outright bet to make for 2022-23, looking at a top four position is a way to go.

Their collapse towards the end of last term meant they missed out on Champions League qualification, and bookies are once again favouring Chelsea and Spurs to take the final two spots.

Arsenal, though, could represent value at 29/20 if their young players continue to develop and Gabriel Jesus hits the ground running.

Having won the FA Cup back in 2019-20 under Arteta, some will also take a look at the domestic cup markets. Arsenal are again outsiders for the EFL Cup and FA Cup, with all of the rest of the top six awarded shorter prices.

Finally, it will be fascinating to see how Arteta approaches the Europa League. Is it viewed as another route into the Champions League?

Or will the Spaniard treat it as no more than a distraction? The Gunners are second favourites with 888Sport to win the Europa League.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Southampton vs Liverpool Tips

Relegated Southampton have confirmed Ruben Selles will leave the club at the end of the season. Saints have lost five in a row, and face an uncertain summer.

Liverpool might be locked in fifth by the time this match kicks off (depending on how Manchester United fare against Chelsea on Thursday night).

An impressive final couple of months of the season hit a wall last weekend as the Reds were held to a draw by Aston Villa, effectively ending their dreams of a late surge into the top four.

Jurgen Klopp’s future seems clearer, and few would be heading to the sports betting pages to go against Liverpool.

Even with a strong kick down the home straight, Klopp has been very realistic about Liverpool’s Champions League ambitions. 

After the draw with Villa, he said, "I think the whole season is rather a season where we qualify for Europa League than for Champions League. We were for too long not good enough or ourselves."

It’s a fair assessment of their season, a campaign where they left themselves with far too much to do.

Liverpool have work to do in the transfer window, and Anfield waved goodbye to several long-serving players last weekend, which Klopp suggested might have been a distraction.

Their season can end on a strong note at St Mary’s, however, with Southampton heading for the Championship. They have by far the worst home record in the Premier League in 2022-23.

We would look for the visitors to win this at a canter. Their attack has blown several teams away in the spring months, and there’s nothing to suggest Southampton can keep this competitive.

Liverpool -1.5 at Evens is the best bet.

Bet on Liverpool at 888Sport

888Sport has the latest Liverpool odds for the 2022-23 season. Jurgen Klopp’s team are bound to be at the forefront of outright betting markets and will be favourites on a weekly basis in the Premier League.

Looking to build on a near-quadruple in 2021-22, the Reds are a must-watch this season.

Whether searching for Mo Salah Golden Boot odds or placing a wager on a 3-0 win this weekend, 888Sport has a wide range of Liverpool betting markets in 2022-23.

Liverpool Outright Betting 2022-23

Despite lifting the FA Cup and EFL Cup in 2021-22, it was a season of near misses for Klopp’s Reds.

Manchester City needed heroics late on in the final match of the season to stop Liverpool winning the Premier League, and they suffered Champions League final defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

Liverpool are expected to come back stronger in 2022-23. Darwin Nunez has arrived for a massive fee, and Mohamed Salah’s contract was finally extended.

Premier League outright betting shows Liverpool are all but guaranteed to finish in the top two once again, with a price of 2/5.

They trail Manchester City in the outright winner market at 11/5, however, which is a price that could lure in a fair few bettors given how tight the title race was in the second half of 2021-22.

Unsurprisingly, Salah is again among the favourites to win the Golden Boot, slotting in just behind Erling Haaland and ahead of Harry Kane in the preseason odds.

The Egyptian is also Liverpool’s lead name in PFA Player of the Year betting, while Harvey Elliott is among the candidates for Young Player of the Year at a price of 14/1.

With three Champions League finals appearances in five years, the Reds are in the mix to lift the big-earred trophy once again, too. Only City have shorter odds.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Leeds United vs Tottenham Tips

It is a simple equation for Leeds. They must win to stand a chance of safety. They also need Everton to lose and Leicester to fail to win.

The sports betting odds are stacked against Sam Allardyce’s side, but at least they have the benefit of facing a Tottenham team with little to play for. That is, of course, unless the north London club are desperate to be in next season’s Europa Conference League. 

Tyler Adams, Stuart Dallas and Luis Sinisterra are ruled out for the hosts. Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo are doubts, leaving Allardyce with limited options in the final third. 

Spurs were rejected by Arne Slot in the week, extending what has been a humiliating search for a new manager.

Harry Kane’s future is discussed on a daily basis, and they have failed to win in their last seven away matches.

Leeds have claimed 22 of their 31 points at Elland Road, and home advantage should be bolstered further with their fans aiming to be the 12th man in their fight against the drop. 

Allardyce claims he has no regrets about taking the Leeds job, even if things don’t go their way this weekend (projections give them less than a 10% chance of staying up).

"It was always going to be a difficult task. Lots of people said I’m mad for taking it. I’m not mad. I just love football and Leeds United was too big a job to turn down for me, however short it was.

"The challenge is to try to beat Tottenham and deliver a performance. We’ll give ourselves a chance if we win and then see what happens. Our only hope is to win that game.

"If we don’t make it in the end it’s a case of trying to do your best for the club. I can only try my best and give the players the right instructions to show them how win a game of football. Unfortunately for me and for them it hasn’t worked yet."

Staying up is a longshot, mainly due to the likelihood of Everton and/or Leicester doing enough.

A win is a good bet for the Whites here, though, particularly at 7/4. Spurs have been abysmal away from home.

Bet on Tottenham at 888Sport

The latest Tottenham betting odds are available at 888Sport. Find all Tottenham 2022-23 odds from their price to finish in the top four to anytime goal scorer markets for their upcoming matches.

Tottenham odds will be available at 888Sport throughout the season in all four major competitions either side of the 2022 World Cup.

Fancy Heung-min Son to defend the Golden Boot? Will Spurs go on another deep Champions League? 888Sport is the place to wager on all things Tottenham.

Tottenham Outright Betting This Season

888Sport betting markets tab Tottenham as the third-best Premier League team heading into the new season, yet there’s a chasm between the Lilywhites and the top two.

Spurs are way out at 14/1 to win their first Premier League title even after a summer of considerable investment in the first team squad, including Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and Ivan Perisic.

Spurs are 4/7 to finish in the top four as they aim to build on a strong second half of 2021-22 under Antonio Conte.

Antonio Conte would have 'zero problem' extending his Tottenham contract... as he urges Harry Kane to commit his future to the club https://t.co/uebWJxO0SD

— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) August 1, 2022

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son are two of the preseason favourites for PFA Player of the Year at 11/1 and 16/1 respectively, and Kane is in at 6/1 to win the Golden Boot after Son took the honour last term.

Elsewhere, Spurs are 8/1 to win the FA Cup and the same price for the EFL Cup. Conte is unlikely to prioritise these competitions, but they have the necessary squad depth to be competitive even if they rotate, which wasn’t the case in prior seasons.

The Champions League is where a lot of attention will be on Spurs and Conte. The Italian has traditionally struggled in the competition – how will he fare in 2022-23? Is this the year Conte takes his team a long way into the knockouts?

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Real Madrid v Villarreal Prediction

Real Madrid host Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night and Los Blancos must win to keep pace with Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are heavy sports betting outsiders to lift the trophy, with Real trailing Barca by 12 points with 11 league games left to play.

However, buoyed by a 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey earlier this week, we could see Real finish the season strongly and you can never say never…

The likes of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior have been in scintillating form in recent times and Villarreal could find themselves up against it on Saturday evening.

The visitors are currently sixth in the La Liga table but inconsistency has plagued their season and they are hardly a reliable betting proposition in this encounter.

Having said that, Villarreal did run out 2-0 winners over Real Sociedad in their most recent La Liga contest and they cannot be dismissed completely.

Confidence is high at the Bernabeu though and the 4-0 win over Barcelona could well act as the catalyst for Real Madrid to finish the 2022/23 season with silverware.

While La Liga is most unlikely on their possible trophy list, Real can at least put some more pressure on Barcelona ahead of their next match on Monday night.

This isn’t a straightforward affair but Real Madrid should have too much firepower for their opponents. I’m backing Real to score three or more goals in this clash.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Villarreal

Bet On Villarreal With 888Sport

Fancy the Yellow Submarine to come out on top in Europa Conference League outright betting?

888Sport is home to various markets to bet on football, which is perfect for anyone backing Villarreal in 2022-23. 

Villarreal Club History

Far from the biggest club in La Liga betting, Villarreal have made a habit of punching above their weight to go toe-to-toe with some of the giants of Spanish football. 

Founded in 1923, the club existed in the lower reaches of the Spanish pyramid for the majority of its history, but has become a regular alongside the historic powerhouses of La Liga through the beginning of the 21st century despite a season in the Segunda in 2012-13. 

Following the Spanish Civil War, Villarreal’s identity and imaging changed multiple times. The club adopted its current crest in the mid-1960s, just a few years before their Tercera Division title.

Existing in Segunda A during the first few years of the 1990s, they enjoyed a breakthrough in 1998 when they secured a playoff spot. The 1998-99 campaign was their first ever in La Liga, which unfortunately ended in relegation.

Their stay in the second tier was short-lived, however, as they bounced back at the first time of asking.

By the middle of the 2000s, Villarreal had a couple of entries and wins in the Intertoto Cup, ultimately earning their first ever UEFA Cup appearance, a journey which ended at the semi-final stage.

In the second half of the noughties, Villarreal went from strength-to-strength.

The highlights were a last four effort in the Champions League and finishing as La Liga runners-up. Diego Forlan starred up front for a short period after a disappointing spell at Manchester United.

Villarreal suffered their most recent relegation in 2012, leading to a lot of important players leaving.

Again, it was just one campaign in the Segunda, and they have since re-established themselves as one of Spain’s elite clubs, winning their first European silverware in 2021 and reaching the Champions League semi-final in the following campaign.

Midfielder Manuel Trigueros is the club’s all-time appearance leader. Gerard Moreno tops the goal scoring charts as the only player in Villarreal history with more than 100 goals. 

Villarreal Honours List

• Tercera Division – 1968-69

• Europa League – 2020-21

• Intertoto Cup – 2003, 2004 

Villarreal Competitions This Season

Initially under Unai Emery and then Quique Setien, Villarreal had to cope with a very congested schedule during the first half of the season.

Such challenges are set to continue into 2023, with the club competing in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa Conference League.

"Fancy a game tonight with my mates?"

"Are they any good?"

"Don't worry about their level, you'll be fine."

The mates: pic.twitter.com/1AoPbaRcJf

— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) January 7, 2023

Villarreal has cruised through the first three rounds of the Copa del Rey to secure a place in the Round of 32. In La Liga, their season started with a 3-0 win over Valladolid, followed by an away win against Atletico Madrid. 

It has been a good start to the season from a continental perspective.

Initially seeing off Hadjuk Split in the playoff round, Villarreal booked their place in the group stage of the Conference League and finished top of the section including Austria Wien, Lech Poznan and Hapoel Beer Sheva.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Tottenham are presently in the unusual position of chasing down a top four spot minus a manager. 

Having featured prominently for some weeks in the next Premier League manager to be sacked odds Antonio Conte inevitably succumbed to type, his overly critical comments about his side and the board leaving him nowhere to go but the exit door.

Frankly the only surprise was that the Italian stayed as long as he did because all season long the irascible gaffer has been unhappy with his lot, with many Tottenham supporters hardly ecstatic about his residency in return. It was an open secret that Conte planned to leave this summer. 

So for the second time in two years, Spurs face a tough run-in with an interim boss at the helm, the previous occasion of course resulting from Jose Mourinho’s sacking, another coach hardly shy in talking down the club and blaming everyone for its failings but himself.

Add in the disastrous and short stint of Nuno Espirito Santo and you have to say that Daniel Levy’s choice of managers in recent years has been oddly awry. 

Even overlooking the character flaws inherent in two of them, all three favoured a conservative playing style that was a distinctly poor fit for Spurs.

The one time when the divisive chairman did get it right – and spectacularly so – was in appointing Mauricio Pochettino back in 2014, the Argentine establishing a reciprocal relationship with the fans while forging a brilliantly put-together team that came close to winning a title on two occasions, reaching a Champions League final along the way. 

Above and beyond these considerable achievements, this was an era when Spurs fans felt immeasurably bonded to their side, proud of the front-foot, adventurous mandate that Pochettino implemented and furthermore grateful for the unforgettable moments his team produced.

On that very special May evening in Amsterdam, when Tottenham came from three goals down on aggregate to secure a Champions League final at the death what we saw was a manager, team and fan-base as one, all living their best lives. 

Naturally therefore, so many of that fan-base are desperate for Pochettino to return, the away end at Goodison this week ringing out his name, making it plain to the club’s board that he has their vote.

Evidently, what they want is to put three-and-a-half years of stultifying mediocrity down as a prolonged and unfortunate aberration and go again.

Given the drudgery of the Conte / Stellini Spurs, it is easy to see why the idea of Mauricio Pochettino's return is so seductive for their fans. He is a symbol of the things they have lost: https://t.co/nXpII1qSs9

— Richard Jolly 🇺🇦 (@RichJolly) April 4, 2023

As for the man himself, it is now approaching a year since PSG dispensed with his services – a period that has seen him flirt with the Manchester United vacancy – and for sure he is ready to get back in the technical area. To finish what he began in North London would greatly appeal to him. 

It is a surprise then to learn, via various reports, that Spurs have four candidates in mind, none of whom is their former prodigal son. A reputable source even puts Brendan Rodgers in the frame following his dismissal at Leicester. 

One of the oldest sayings in the game is you should never go back but in this instance, for all concerned, Poch heading back to Tottenham makes sense.

A coterie of the club’s most seasoned and influential players – namely Lloris, Dier, Son and Kane – enjoyed their best football under the Argentine and would be delighted at being reunited.

Moreover, their sliding price in the Premier League betting would surely be boosted by the feel-good factor his reinstalment would bring.

Perhaps though, that is precisely why this recoupling won’t occur. Because it makes such sense. 
Tottenham have been in scant supply of that for some time now.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Presently, Arsenal are eight points clear at the top as they endeavour to win their first league title for close to two decades and the Premier League betting odds reflects their healthy lead. 

The Gunners are 4/6 to be victorious come May, no doubt prompting wild celebrations across one half of North London. 

Manchester City, for their part, are 5/4 in the football betting, their lean odds partly explained by a game in hand they hold over their new and unexpected rival while a forthcoming, blockbusting six-pointer between these sides is also a significant factor.

In all likelihood, a home win on April 26th beneath the Etihad lights, will put Pep Guardiola’s men firmly back in contention.

There is however another reason why City should be fancied to ultimately prevail, despite the sizable points difference, and it’s got very little to do with the current state of play, or even who has got the toughest run-in. 

It’s because at this juncture of a title-chasing campaign, the Blues have proven form for turning into match-winning, pressure-negating machines.

That was certainly the case in 2018/19, when City went head-to-head all season long against a formidable Liverpool creation that frankly looked unstoppable, going into the new year unbeaten. 

A rare defeat by the reigning champions in the north-east left them five points adrift of the relentless Reds going into February and even this slender gap left many to believe the league crown was destined for Anfield. Certainly, City would have to be immaculate from that point on.

And remarkably they were, signing off their season with 14 straight wins, all of them accompanied by suffocating tension, in each game knowing that a single slip-up would cost them dear. 

By the conclusion of this titanic struggle, Liverpool finished one point short despite losing just once all season.

Aside from admiring such fortitude under extreme duress, what is most pertinent from City’s imperious feat is how it differed to their successful run-in the season before. 

Then, 38 points were picked up from a possible 45 from mid-January onwards as they romped uncontested for their first title under Guardiola, and as they marched to an unprecedented century of points, opponents were deconstructed in trademark style.

It was, all told, an exhibition of their greatness down the final straight. 

Yet one year on, with each result essential, we saw another side to the Catalan’s collective. We saw the grit and belief and craftiness that all lie beneath this generational side who are routinely capable of playing wonderfully expressive football but also have in their arsenal the ability to grind.

On five occasions, City won out 1-0, each time eking down the clock, closing the game off. Just doing enough. 

This we saw in evidence once again last term, when astonishingly the 2018/19 campaign was nigh-on repeated. This time, Liverpool lost only twice all season but they still had no response to City unbeaten streak from mid-February on keeping them at bay.

Even a final-day near-disaster at home to Aston Villa was navigated, the Blues coming from two down to secure a fourth title in five years. Once again, they found a way.  

All of which should be immensely concerning to the Gunners as City pick up the pace once more with the finish line almost in sight.

Since losing to Spurs in – you’ve guessed it – February, Guardiola’s men have been superb, accruing 19 points from 21 and overcoming every obstacle put in their way. We have seen this movie before.

Very likely then, Arsenal will need to be all-but-perfect from now until the season’s end. But as Liverpool will sorely attest, even that is not always enough.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Strictly speaking, the search to find the bargain buy of 2022/23 begins and ends at the size 13 feet of one man. Step forward the goal-scoring phenomenon that is Erling Haaland.

Bought for just £6m more than Manchester City received from Arsenal for their peripheral attacking talent Gabriel Jesus, and a whopping £34m less than Liverpool shelled out for Darwin Nunez, the formidable Norwegian has smashed records for fun this term, finding the net 42 times in 37 appearances to date.

In the Premier League he has already out-scored seven of the last 10 Golden Boot winners while his recent fifth strike against RB Leipzig in the Champions League means he has fired more goals in a single season than any other player throughout Manchester City’s long history.

Remarkably, the Blues have a maximum of 17 games still to play for Haaland to extend on his unprecedented output.

In an era when gold-standard superstars fetch well over £100m, his £51m represents a superb bit of business for the reigning league champions. It’s a snip at half the price for a forward who could very conceivably go down as one of the greatest ever to inhabit his position. 

Indeed, so incredible has been Haaland’s impact – and so astronomical are his projected accomplishments - it is tempting at this juncture to announce, ‘case closed’ and move on to the infinitely more juicy ‘flop of the season’ but wait, because there is a notable hitch. 

Can any player, no matter how sensational, ever be deemed a ‘bargain’ when his fee surpassed the entire summer spending of Brighton and Leicester combined? It feels incongruous. It feels wrong.

Some criteria therefore must be met and it’s a criteria that additionally rules out a pair of Manchester United signings, with Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro transforming the Reds but both for a pretty penny. Furthermore, while we’re explaining the rules here let’s point out that only players bought last summer count. 

All of which takes us first to Craven Cottage and a signing last August that went under the radar a little, largely because it just made a whole lot of sense.

Bernd Leno

Having lost his number one spot at Arsenal, Bernd Leno was in desperate need of games and that looked especially unlikely at the Emirates when the Gunners swooped for Matt Turner as their preferred back-up.

Fulham, meanwhile, on gaining promotion to the top-flight were keen on upgrading their goalkeeping options, ideally bringing in someone with a wealth of experience at the highest level. After a prolonged bout of haggling an agreement was eventually struck.

At the time, before a ball had even been saved in anger, it was a deal that screamed value for money for the Cottagers, managing to secure the services of a German international for a paltry initial sum of £3m, that would rise to £8m should Fulham avoid relegation for two years running with Leno playing a pivotal role in that happening. 

Now that we’re actually witnessing these events occur, his fee just looks distinctly silly. 

For Leno has been fantastic for the London club this term, keeping seven clean sheets and putting in a clutch of game-changing performances. Furthermore, his presence and know-how have been key in Fulham routinely subverting the football betting and remaining in the upper half of the table.

Nick Pope

Leno therefore has to be a contender, while elsewhere another keeper should absolutely be in the running, the player in question being Newcastle’s cheapest purchase last summer yet undoubtedly to this point their most important post-takeover.

Providing a surety in between the sticks that they previously lacked, Nick Pope has kept 13 shut-outs so far, performing heroics behind a defence that boasts the best record in the top-flight, and then some.

No player has done more to ensure that the Magpies remain short-priced in the Premier League betting to grab a top four spot while his £10m fee is proof that even the exceedingly rich can spot a bargain just like the rest of us.

Tavernier, Lavia & Hickey

Going around the grounds we find further steals, with Marcus Tavernier a reliably high performer for Bournemouth and all for just £12.5m after signing from Middlesbrough.

A little further along the south coast, midfielder Romeo Lavia is proving on a weekly basis that he is destined to become a household name before his career is out. Southampton saw Manchester City coming when their bid of £15m was reluctantly accepted.   

Lastly, Aaron Hickey’s switch to Brentford from Bologna warrants due acknowledgement, the left-back arriving in West London for just £18m. If the Scot isn’t sold on for an enormous profit in the near-future then something is very amiss. 

All things being equal however, the award for the Bargain Signing of the Season for 2022/23 should be shared on this occasion with the consistency, importance and influence of Leno and Pope hard to ignore and impossible to separate. 

It can be said for certain that the award will be in safe hands.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Barcelona Betting Tips & Prediction

Valladolid vs Barcelona Tips

Barcelona have already clinched the La Liga title but the visitors will want to cement their status as top dogs in Spain with a strong finish to the campaign.

La Blaugrana have an excellent record in this fixture, winning the previous six meetings and La Liga betting markets are firmly in favour of the champions.

Having said that, Valladolid may see this as a game with nothing to lose and that could end up being advantageous, especially if Barcelona are already in holiday mode.

The hosts have lost five in a row though and must stop the rot sooner rather than later if they are to avoid relegation to the second tier of Spanish football.

As it is, it looks like Valladolid’s clash with Getafe on the final day could be an ‘all or nothing’ contest to remain in La Liga next season.

However, Valladolid can take confidence from Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad at the weekend and the visitors may not be fully focused on the job at hand.

The trends are not on their side though, with Barcelona not only winning the last six head-to-heads but also keeping a clean sheet in their last four meetings.

With that in mind, it may prove prudent to back a low scoring contest. Valladolid would take a point no doubt and Barca are in cruise control so an uneventful clash looks likely.

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Can Barcelona get their hands on the La Liga trophy for the first time since the 2018/19 season?

La Blaugrana are one of the biggest football clubs in the world but the Camp Nou faithful have had to be patient in recent times. Those who bet on football will expect Barca to bounce back in the near future…

Barcelona Club History

Founded by Swiss native Joan Gamper in 1899, Barcelona quickly developed into one of Spain’s top football clubs with a number of early triumphs.

The club enjoyed plenty of success in their initial years and soon built their first official stadium – with a capacity to host a total of around 8,000 spectators.

In June 1929, Barcelona won the inaugural Spanish league title. While Real Madrid have gone on to lift more titles, Barca will always be the first team to lift the crown.

The Spanish Civil War impacted the club with president Josep Sunyol shot because he was a member of a left wing party.

The political history of Barcelona must be recognised and treated carefully but the club managed to rebuild and compete at the highest level of Spanish football.

The Camp Nou was built in the 1950s and that was an iconic moment for the club, with a venue worthy of ‘Total Football’ and Barcelona would go on to achieve greatness during the period.

The first Champions League crown came in 1991/92 and Barca have been one of Europe’s dominant forces in the sport ever since.

Barcelona continue to make major strides and are now undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in every competition.

Barcelona Honours List

• La Liga Title: 1929, 1944–45, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1973–74, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19

• Copa del Rey: 1910, 1912, 1913, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1952–53, 1957, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21

• Supercopa de Espana: 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018

• UEFA Champions League: 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1996–97

• UEFA Super Cup: 1992, 1997, 2009, 2011, 2015

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

Barcelona Competitions This Season

At the beginning of the 2022/23 season, Barcelona are set to compete in La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League.

Unfortunately, Barca crashed out of Europe’s elite club competition in the group stages and dropped into the Europa League. However, they are one of the sports betting favourites to lift that trophy.

💙 T E A M ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nUGVjBahJn

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 26, 2022

The La Liga title has gone to Madrid in each of the previous three seasons – twice heading to arch rivals Real and once to Atletico.

Barcelona fans will be hoping that their club can live up to La Liga predictions hype and reclaim the Spanish title for the 27th time in their history.

The Spanish Super Cup looks there for the taking once again and Barcelona have a favourable semi-final tie and a potential clash with Real Madrid looks likely.

Fancy a bet on Barcelona today? Keep an eye on Barca tips and previews at the top of this page for every game this season.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*