Man City vs Bayern Munich Tips

A meeting of two juggernauts sees Manchester City priced as odds-on Champions League betting favourites on Tuesday night.

Pep Guardiola’s team are still chasing their first Champions League trophy, and are trying to balance their desire to win the competition with a fierce title race.

City cruised by Southampton at the weekend. Erling Haaland showed no signs of rust on his return from injury as they netted four in what seemed ideal preparation for the resumption of the Champions League.

Bayern returned to winning ways, claiming a 1-0 victory away to Freiburg after falling to the same opponent in the DFB-Pokal last week. 

Thomas Tuchel has history in this competition, and history of getting the better of Guardiola. It was Tuchel versus Guardiola when City reached their lone Champions League final, and Tuchel outmanoeuvred his opposite number.

This Bayern team is yet to fully look like a Tuchel team, but he has clearly had some degree of impact since replacing Julian Nagelsmann during the international break.

Bayern will be much more cautious under Tuchel in a game of this magnitude. It is about staying in the tie on Tuesday night, keeping within striking distance of City for the return leg. 

City, though, are no strangers to end-to-end Champions League ties. Bayern have the pace and attacking prowess to cause problems for the hosts’ defence. The midfield is where this match will be won and lost.

It is difficult to trust City in the Champions League. They have a track record of falling short, and Guardiola has a deserved reputation for overthinking and overtinkering in matches of this significance. Tuchel, too, has proven to be a master tactician in knockout football.

Still, this Bayern team is flawed and City are a monster at home. Tuchel will be content with a low-scoring draw to take back to Bavaria. Under 3.5 total goals and City to win or draw is the pick at 19/20.

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Will Bayern Munich add a seventh Champions League trophy to their collection in 2023?

Die Bayern are once again among the favourites in Champions League outright odds for the 2022-23 season. 

Bayern Munich Club History

Bayern Munich are a superpower of European football. Only Milan and Real Madrid have won more European Cups and Champions Leagues.

The club was founded in 1900 by a group of 11 football players, and won its first national title 32 years later.

The Bundesliga, however, was not founded for another three decades. FC Bayern are the most successful team in Bundesliga history with 31 titles (no other team has won more than five).

Their record of 20 DFB-Pokal wins is also by far the most of any club – Werder Bremen are second on the list with six titles.

Bayern have been such a force that it is difficult to pinpoint specific spells of dominance.

They have been unstoppable in the 2010s and 2020s after Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund challenged them at the start of the decade, but they have rarely gone more than a couple of seasons without a league title.

Franz Beckenbauer skippered the all-conquering team in the 1970s, which won three consecutive European Cups.

Many would view this as FC Bayern’s greatest ever team, though a case can be made for the side led by Pep Guardiola from 2013 to 2016. 

Three different players, including Beckenbauer, have combined for five Ballon d’Or wins while representing. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Milan and Juventus are the only teams to produce more Ballon d’Or wins. 

Bayern claimed their second Club World Cup in 2020, which made them just the second club ever to complete a ‘sextuple’, meaning they won every competition they competed in for the calendar year.

This was one of the club’s six trebles. 

Bayern Munich Honours List

• Bundesliga – 1932, 1968-69, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1993-94, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22

• DFB-Pokal – 1956-57, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1981-82, 1983-84, 19885-86, 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2019-20 

• European Cup/Champions League – 1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76, 2000-01, 2012-13, 2019-20

• UEFA Cup – 1995-96

• European Super Cup – 2013, 2020

• Club World Cup – 2013, 2020

Bayern Munich Competitions This Season

Bayern Munich are always competing on multiple fronts and the 2022-23 season is no different. They are the overwhelming Bundesliga betting favourite once again as they aim to extend their streak of 10 consecutive league titles. 

Those looking to bet on football can wager on several different competitions featuring the Bavarian superclub.

𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 🔥

We've scored more goals per game than any other side in Europe's top five leagues this season ⚽#MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/8Wf2Dw2VNl

— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) November 14, 2022

Their season started with an entertaining 5-3 win over RB Leipzig in the Supercup, which guaranteed a first piece of silverware for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.

Bayern then defeated Viktoria Koln and Augsburg in the DFB-Pokal to set up a tie with Mainz in the round of 16. 

FC Bayern Munich will continue their Champions League campaign against PSG in the round of 16 after posting a 100% record in a section with Inter, Barcelona and Viktoria Plzen.

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

 

Wolfsburg vs Bayern Munich Tips

In surprise fashion, Wolfsburg’s winning streak was brought to an end by Werder Bremen last time out. They are now 4/1 Bundesliga betting underdogs for the visit of out-of-form Bayern Munich.

Julian Nagelsmann’s job is under a degree of threat with the Bavarian superclub drawing their last three league matches to leave them just one point ahead of Union Berlin.

Manchester City loanee Joao Cancelo made an immediate impact in his midweek debut, and should start for Bayern here.

Noussair Mazraoui, Sadio Mane, Manuel Neuer, Lucas Hernandez and Bouna Sarr remain out. Leon Goretzka is listed as doubtful. Koen Casteels and Lucas Nmecha are doubts for the hosts, but January signing Nicolas Cozza is available.

Wolfsburg haven’t beaten Bayern in their last 15 attempts. Defeat to Werder Bremen was paired with a DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of Union Berlin.

Their good run was always going to end at some point. The way they have overachieved their expected numbers this season was clearly unsustainable. 

This could be viewed a good time to play Bayern, but a thumping of Mainz in the cup on Wednesday was a means of rebuilding some confidence.

Nagelsmann’s side are flawed, of course, and miss the relentless goal scoring of Robert Lewandowski, yet they are still capable of winning this at a canter. The 63.6% implied probability of an away win is in the right ballpark.

Given their goal scoring in 2023 and Bayern’s difficulty keeping clean sheets, we expect Wolfsburg to get on the scoresheet. A Bayern win and BTTS is the pick at 33/20.

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Wolfsburg Club History

Far from the most decorated club in the history of Bundesliga betting, Wolfsburg are not owners of a history as rich as many of their contemporaries at the top of German football, but this club is one of great fascination since being founded following the Second World War. 

The organisation was founded by Volkswagen workers in Wolfsburg.

A spin-off group under the name VfL Wolfsburg-Fußball GmbH run the professional football department, and since 2002, the club have played their matches at the Volkswagen Arena. 

The city itself was only founded in 1938, and sport inevitably flourished in the area.

It wasn’t until after the war, however, that the current iteration of the club was founded, with their now recognisable green and white being down to 10 spare shirts and donated white bed sheets, which were sewn into shorts.

For a period in 1945, the club’s existence was under threat just months after it had began with almost all their players departing for another club in the city.

The club was saved, however, and they enjoyed some regional success in postwar Germany before earning promotion to the Oberliga Nord in 1954.

The following decades saw Wolfsburg bounce around the German football pyramid. Ultimately, Die Wolfe reached the 2.

Bundesliga in 1993, and made the final of the German Cup just a couple of years later. By 1997-98, they had made their way to the topflight.

A string of top half finishes in the 2000s brought continental competition before a couple of difficult campaigns where avoiding relegation was the primary goal.

The 2008-09 season was a historic one for Wolfsburg, though, with a stunning run to the Bundesliga title, including a 10-match winning streak after the winter break. 

Since then, Wolfsburg have enjoyed their first DFB-Pokal triumph in 2014-15 and been a competitive Bundesliga outfit.

Some big names have pulled on the Die Weißgrünen jersey, and they have enjoyed three separate entries into the Champions League. 

Wolfsburg Honours List

• Bundesliga – 2008-09

• DFB-Pokal – 2014-15

• DFL-Supercup – 2015

Wolfsburg Competitions This Season

Wolfsburg are far from a favourite when it comes to Bundesliga predictions and outright betting odds this term.

After placing down in 12th in the 2021-22 Bundesliga season, Wolfsburg have no European football to look forward to in 2022-23. Instead, the club are focused purely on league action and the DFB-Pokal.

Out of context Wolfsburg: pic.twitter.com/wdLvbYUI5b

— VfL Wolfsburg EN/US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) January 16, 2023

Carl Zeiss Jena and Eintracht Braunschweig were the opponents in the first two rounds of the Pokal. The standard increases significantly for the Round of 16, however, with Union Berlin beckoning on 31st January.

In the Bundesliga, the campaign did not start off as Wolfsburg would have hoped with no wins from their first five league matches.

They claimed 18 of the last 24 points available prior to the World Cup break, though, leaving them in seventh ahead of the league’s resumption in mid January.

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

Southampton Prediction

Southampton betting tips, previews & picks coming soon.

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888Sport has an array of markets featuring Southampton for punters who want to bet on football. 

Whether it’s backing James Ward-Prowse to convert a trademark free-kick or wagering on Saints to avoid the drop, 888Sport has a range of Premier League odds to delve into. 

Southampton Club History

Southampton were founded under the name ‘Southampton St. Mary’s’ in 1885, but dropped the ‘St Mary’s’ from their name nine years later.

Early in their existence, Southampton dominated the Southern League, and even clocked a couple of FA Cup final appearances in the early years of the 20th century, losing on both occasions.

By 1920, they were invited to join the Football League Third Division, winning promotion in 1922. A 31-year spell in the Second Division followed prior to relegation in the early 1950s.

Only a few years later they were back in the second tier, and by the mid-1960s, Southampton were in the topflight for the first time ever.

It was an eight-year stint in the First Division. Peculiarly, their lone FA Cup win in 1976 came as a Second Division outfit, and they reached the last eight of the Cup Winners’ Cup in the following campaign.

The club enjoyed its best ever league season in 1983-84, finishing in second, just three points behind champions Liverpool.

Southampton remained in Division One and then the Premier League until relegation in 2005, which sent the club into a downward spiral, as they fell into League One in 2009.  

Consecutive promotions in 2010-11 and 2011-12 saw a dramatic return to the Premier League, however, and Saints established themselves as a mid-table club under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino and then Ronald Koeman.

While not the highest profile club in England, Southampton has a proud reputation for developing high-end through its academy, and has been home to some star names, including Matt Le Tissier, Kevin Keegan and Alan Shearer.

Through the 21st century, numerous players, from Gareth Bale to Sadio Mane, from Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw, have made their names in red and white stripes on the south coast. 

Southampton Honours List

• FA Cup – 1975-76

• Football League Trophy – 2009-10 

Southampton Competitions This Season

A non-factor in Premier League outright odds, Southampton also compete in the EFL Cup and Carabao Cup in 2022-23.

Avoiding relegation to the Championship is their main focus this term after a turbulent couple of seasons and a managerial change midway through the campaign with Ralph Hasenhuttl replaced by Nathan Jones in the dugout. 

Thank you for your support throughout 2022.

Wishing every #SaintsFC supporter across the globe a happy #NewYear 🎊 pic.twitter.com/d2YbTMYI9d

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 31, 2022

Southampton saw off Cambridge, Sheffield Wednesday and Lincoln to book a quarter-final date with Manchester City in the League Cup in January. Their FA Cup campaign begins away to Crystal Palace on January 7th.

Saints started their Premier League season with a 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham in August. A four-match losing streak over the end of October and start of November ramped up the pressure, and the club lost its final five matches of 2022.

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

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 4th January 2023

Manchester United vs Sevilla Prediction

Manchester United are missing a couple of key players as they head into the first leg of their quarter-final tie with Sevilla.

Luke Shaw has a hamstring problem, ruling him out for an unspecified period. Marcus Rashford’s groin injury suffered at the weekend has sidelined him for at least this match, and possibly much longer.

The Red Devils, however, are still sports betting favourites against a Sevilla side languishing in the bottom half of La Liga.

Sure, they have improved of late, but their performances throughout the season do little to inspire confidence against Erik ten Hag’s men. United have been exceptional at home this season.

Following the draw, ten Hag was noncommittal when asked about Sevilla.

The Dutch manager said, "Back to Sevilla and as you say a very good record, we have to be aware of it. It is going to be tough, they are very experienced in the Europa League, won it so many times.”

While it would be foolish to gloss over Sevilla’s history in this competition, the team United are facing are far less competitive than previous editions.

Their results have been okay of late, including a draw with Celta at the weekend, but they have lost two of their four matches in the Europa League. The visitors are rightly massive outsiders at 7/1 to win inside 90 minutes on Thursday night.

From a betting perspective, Rashford’s injury is huge. United’s attack is toothless without the England international.

Yes, Jadon Sancho and Antony Martial are more than capable of creating and converting chances, but no other United player has been in Rashford’s stratosphere so far this term.

A home win and under 2.5 goals has real value at 49/20. Look for Sevilla to keep this tight, while United will struggle to break them down.

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Sevilla Club History

Spain’s oldest football-specific club and the most successful team in the history of Europa League outright betting, Sevilla have a significant place in the history of the sport both on a domestic and continental level. 

Since being founded in 1890, Sevilla have competed in 77 La Liga campaigns and had 24 entries to UEFA competitions. Despite suffering multiple relegations, Sevilla hasn’t been outside La Liga for longer than three seasons since 1934.

Their most recent season in the Segunda Division (the lowest tier the club has played in) was 2000-01, which was the third of three seasons in a four-year span in the Segunda.

Since returning to the topflight, Sevilla have been a perennial top half team in La Liga. Between 2003-04 and 2021-22, the club was never outside the top seven, and has finished third twice during that period.

Inevitably, Sevilla’s biggest rivalry is with local foes Real Betis. El Gran Derbi is one of the fiercest matchups in Spanish football and a must-watch for neutrals.

Throughout their history, Sevilla have generally been a competitive team in La Liga, often in the top half and a difficult cup opponent, as illustrated by their five Copa del Rey wins.

The 21st century has brought their most successful period, however, with a catalogue of European successes in the UEFA Cup and Europa League.

The club does not have the riches of Barcelona or Real Madrid, but shrewd recruitment has allowed them to compete on the continental stage.

Campanal I, who played for the club from 1929 to 1946, is Sevilla’s all-time leading goal scorer with 218 to his name.

Former Manchester City winger turned full-back Jesus Navas is one of the club’s leading icons, and has made almost 200 more appearances for Los Nervionenses than anyone else. 

Sevilla Honours List

• La Liga – 1945-46

• Segunda Division – 1929, 1933-34, 1968-69, 2000-01

• Copa del Rey – 1935, 1939, 1947-48, 2006-07, 2009-10

• Europa League – 2005-06, 2006-07, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2019-20

Sevilla Competitions This Season

After finishing fourth in the 2021-22 La Liga season, Sevilla featured in the group stage of the 2022-23 Champions League.

Paired with Copenhagen, Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla struggled, and ultimately finished third in the section, meaning they will drop into the Europa League in 2023.

Their Europa League adventure gets underway in February with a tie against PSV Eindhoven.

🏃⚽️🔛 pic.twitter.com/rqhx8RqENV

— Sevilla Fútbol Club (@SevillaFC) January 9, 2023

Despite three consecutive wins to nil to start off their Copa del Rey campaign, the 2022-23 season has been challenging for Sevilla domestically.

They won just two La Liga matches prior to the World Cup hiatus, leaving them in the midst of a tight relegation battle. Their league season wraps up away to Real Sociedad in June.

Sevilla drew the first Seville derby of the campaign in November. They face Real Betis for a second time in what is expected to be a crucial match in May.

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

 

 

RB Leipzig Prediction

RB Leipzig betting tips, previews & odds coming soon.

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How competitive will RB Leipzig be this season?

One of the newer names for those who regularly bet on football, RB Leipzig are at the forefront of numerous 888Sport markets.

RB Leipzig Club History

Controversial and revolutionary, RB Leipzig soared up the German football pyramid to reach Bundesliga betting with momentum and eyes staring in their direction.

This is a club which is a newbie by the standards of European football, yet has already caused a stir in Champions League outright odds. 

Founded as recently as 2009, this Red Bull-led project was not done on a whim. Years of research and rejected approaches predated the founding of RB Leipzig, with the late Dietrich Mateschitz at the forefront.

Mateschitz considered Hamburg, Munich and Dusseldorf.

Instead of starting at the very bottom, Red Bull purchased Oberliga playing right from a club called SSV Markranstädt. All seven of the founding members were employees or agents for Red Bull. 

This was not the first venture into soccer from Red Bull, who already had involvement in Brazil, New York, Ghana and Salzburg. Many German fans had not received their interest well, with protests commonplace.

Powered by significant investment, allowing the club to recruit players from higher leagues, Leipzig earned Oberliga promotion in their first season.

Taking three campaigns in the fourth tier, they leapt from 3. Liga to the 2. Bundesliga at the first time of asking.

A fifth place finish in the 2. Bundesliga in 2014-15 was followed by promotion in 2015-16, with familiar names in Yussuf Poulsen and Davie Selke finishing as top scorers respectively. 

It is fair to say a debut Bundesliga campaign did not require much time to adapt.

Timo Werner, Naby Keita and Dayot Upamecano were among the signings and they went unbeaten in their first 13 including a victory over Borussia Dortmund. Leipzig placed second in their first Bundesliga season, earning a Champions League spot.

Finishing sixth the following season, accompanied by a run to the last eight of the Europa League, represented a backwards step, but they followed up with consecutive third places, including a Champions League semi-final appearance in 2020.

Poulsen is their all-time appearance leader at the time of writing. Having returned for his second stint after a disappointing spell with Chelsea, Werner has extended his lead atop the all-time scoring charts. 

RB Leipzig Honours List

• DFB-Pokal – 2021-22

• Regionalliga Nordost – 2012-13

• NOFV-Oberliga Sud – 2009-10

• Saxony Cup – 2010-11, 2012-13

RB Leipzig Competitions This Season

There were four pieces of silverware up for grabs when RB Leipzig began their season. Pursuing Bayern Munich atop the Bundesliga, Leipzig’s day-to-day is league action, with their sights set on another top four spot.

They also earned a DFL-Supercup berth through their DFB-Pokal win. Bayern defeated them 5-3 in the Supercup back in July.

Drawn alongside Shakhtar Donetsk, Real Madrid and Celtic in the Champions League, Leipzig overcame losses on the first two matchdays to finish second in their section.

The reward is a round of 16 tie with Manchester City, with the first leg taking place in late February.

Leipzig’s DFB-Pokal journey started on 30th August with an 8-0 thrashing of Teutonia Ottensen. A comfortable win over Hamburger followed as they aim to defend their title.

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

 

Newcastle Prediction

Newcastle betting tips, previews & odds coming soon.

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Will Newcastle and their tidal wave of investment see them break into the top four in 2023? 

888Sport offers an array of markets to bet on football, and Newcastle have inevitably attracted a lot of attention this season. 

Newcastle Club History

Newcastle are one of the biggest names in Premier League betting despite limited success over the last few decades.

Founded in 1892, Newcastle have spent 90 of their seasons in the topflight of English football, and have never dropped below the second tier.

Since the Premier League was created, they have spent just three seasons in Division Two/Championship.

The Magpies have come close to silverware over the last few decades, but they haven’t held a major trophy since the FA Cup in 1955.

Their most successful period came during the 1900s with three First Division titles between 1905 and 1909, accompanied by their first FA Cup win in 1910.

Consistently competitive during the first few decades of the century, Newcastle had more success between the wars prior to relegation in 1934. 

A couple of seasons after the Second World War, Newcastle earned promotion to the First Division.

The club slipped back to the Second Division for four campaigns in the early 1960s before returning to the second tier in the late 1970s and again in 1990.

Back in the Premier League in 1993, Newcastle were a glamour team through the 1990s, recruiting exciting players from all over the world and playing captivating football.

They twice finished runners up in the Premier League and were losers of consecutive FA Cup finals. 

The club experienced a demise during the Mike Ashley era, suffering a pair of relegations, but they were promoted at the first time of asking on both occasions. 

In 2021, a controversial ownership group, comprising of PIF, PCP Capital Partners and RB Sports & Media, completed the acquisition of the club.

Considerable investment in the club followed, and Eddie Howe was appointment as manager.

Through their history, numerous stars have pulled on the iconic black and white stripes.

From Jackie Milburn in the 1940s and 1950s to Kevin Keegan and Paul Gascoigne in the 1980s, from Alan Shearer’s record-breaking homecoming to David Ginola, Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Faustino Asprilla and Peter Beardsley, Newcastle is a club with a rich history of big-name talent. 

Newcastle Honours List

• First Division/Premier League – 1904-05, 1906-07, 1908-09, 1926-27

• Second Division/Championship – 1964-65, 1992-93, 2009-10, 2016-17

• FA Cup – 1909-10, 1923-24, 1931-32, 1950-51, 1951-52, 1954-55

• Community Shield – 1909 

Newcastle Competitions This Season

Newcastle’s Premier League predictions odds have shortened drastically since Eddie Howe took over. Threatened by relegation not so long ago, the Magpies are now a serious contender in all competitions they take part in 

The club are competing in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup in 2022-23. They have defeated Tranmere Rovers, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup to book a quarter-final date with Leicester.

Newcastle’s FA Cup campaign begins on January 7th away to Sheffield Wednesday.

Newcastle began their Premier League season with a win over Nottingham Forest, and have lost just once as they approach the halfway mark.

Their final match of the season is at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea which could be decisive in the top four race.

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

 

Everton vs Arsenal Prediction

Sean Dyche’s tenure as Everton manager couldn’t face a much trickier start. League-leading Arsenal head to Goodison Park this weekend, with the Gunners unsurprisingly priced as hefty sports betting favourites. 

It was a frustrating transfer window for Everton, and not just because of fan protests and a change of manager. They made efforts to add to their squad after selling Anthony Gordon to Newcastle, but no deals came to fruition.

Dyche will surely not have been expecting sizeable investment, yet this still represents something of a disappointment given the weaknesses this squad suffers from.

Arsenal shrewdly acquired Jorginho for depth in central midfield after missing out on Moises Caicedo. Mikel Arteta’s side are five points clear at the Premier League summit with a game in hand.

A defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup was almost a perfect outcome, given that the Gunners put in a good performance and avoided further fixtures being added to their already overcrowded schedule. 

Few will doubt that Dyche can do a better job than Frank Lampard.

The former Burnley manager will immediately tighten the Toffees up defensively, but keeping this Arsenal attack quiet is a near-impossible task after they fired three past Manchester United in their last league outing. 

It isn’t going to be pretty. Dyche will want to make this game turgid and physical. The Everton board will hope a change of manager wins the fans back, though it is unlikely to be that straight-forward, particularly if Arsenal take an early lead. 

This looks set to be a bruising affair. Bettors should consider hitting the booking points over. We like Arsenal and under 2.5 total goals at 23/10, though.

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A stalwart of Premier League betting, Everton have been through a difficult few seasons. What are you backing the Toffees to achieve in 2023? 

888Sport has an array of markets for bet on Everton this season.

Everton Club History

It isn’t often Everton have been at the forefront of Premier League outright odds, yet this is a club with a rich and intriguing history.

A founding member of the Football League, Everton were First Division champions in 1891, and collected further titles in each of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. 

The blue half of Merseyside had to wait a long time for their sixth league crown, which came in 1963.

Seven years later another followed before a couple more league titles in the 1980s, the first of which was accompanied by their first and only European hardware in the shape of the Cup Winners’ Cup. 

Everton are one of a select group to be ever-present in the Premier League era. In fact, they have been in the topflight since 1954.

The club has spent a grand total of four seasons outside the highest division in English football, but has finished in the top four just once since 1987-88. 

The last few decades have been relatively stable for Everton without great success. On the cup front, they lost the FA Cup final in 2009 and only have two League Cup semi-final appearances since 1988. 

Neville Southall is the club’s all-time leader in appearances, and Dixie Dean is the top goal scorer with 386 in 433 appearances.

There is a lengthy list of famous names to have pulled on the famous Evertonian blue, including Peter Reid, Andrei Kanchelskis, Gary Lineker and Duncan Ferguson. 

Howard Kendall is the club’s most successful manager with an array of trophies and a winning percentage over 50%. David Moyes also enjoyed a long tenure at the club before departing for Manchester United.

In recent years, Everton had major investment from Farhad Moshiri but it did not translate to on-field success. The club has made several high-profile sales, too, including Romelu Lukaku, Richarlison and John Stones. 

Everton Honours List

• First Division/Premier League – 1890-91, 1914-15, 1927-28, 1931-32, 1938-39, 1962-63, 1969-70, 1984-85, 1986-87

• Second Division – 1930-31

• FA Cup – 1905-06, 1932-33, 1965-66, 1983-84, 1994-95

• Cup Winners’ Cup – 1984-85 

Everton Competitions This Season

Those looking to bet on football involving Everton have plenty of options this season.

The 38 matches of the 2022-23 Premier League season are the staple for the Toffees, a grind beginning at home to Chelsea in early August and continuing deep into the spring.

Happy New Year, Blues! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/TLeZIjHJoO

— Everton (@Everton) January 1, 2023

Everton started their League Cup campaign against Fleetwood Town in August, but fell in the third round to Bournemouth prior to the season being halted for the World Cup.

Their FA Cup journey begins on 6th January against Manchester United at Old Trafford. With Frank Lampard popular in next Premier League manager to leave markets, it could be all change at Goodison Park...

The league is the focus for Everton in 2023 as they look to avoid the drop after a very challenging first few months. The highlights are a Merseyside derby in mid-February, and potential six-pointers with Nottingham Forest in March and Wolves in May.

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

 

West Ham Prediction

West Ham betting tips, picks and previews coming soon.

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Will David Moyes continue his impressive record at West Ham in 2023?

The Hammers have been one of the biggest overachievers in Premier League betting over the last few seasons, and are a team to watch for those who bet on football going forward. 

West Ham Club History

West Ham were founded under the name ‘Thames Ironworks’ in 1895, an identity which lasted for just half a decade, when the club changed to its current name.

Four years later, they began playing at the iconic Boleyn Ground, which remained their home until a controversial move to the London Stadium over a century later.

Despite never finishing higher than third in the topflight of English football, West Ham has had a major cultural and on-field impact over the years.

It is a club which has introduced some all-time greats, including Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole in recent years.

Journeying further back, West Ham was the home to World Cup-winning skipper Bobby Moore, along with fellow World Cup winners Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.

There have been yo-yo periods for the Irons, and spells away from the relevance of Division One or the Premier League. For instance, the club languished in the second tier from before the Second World War until the late 1950s.

There have been several other relegations from the top division since then, though most of those second tier stays have been far shorter.

In the Premier League era, West Ham had its strongest sustained spell in the late 1990s, with a string of eighth, fifth and ninth-place finishes. The start of the 2020s provided a similar period of competitiveness during David Moyes’ second tenure.

Throughout its history, West Ham have moulded into various different identities on the field from bruisers to flair talents like Paolo di Canio and Dimitri Payet.

Their record books are dominated by famous names from Moore and Hurst to Frank Lampard Sr and Trevor Brooking. Billy Bonds, though, is their all-time appearance leader with a whopping 799. 

West Ham Honours List

• Second Division/Championship – 1957-58, 1980-81

• FA Cup – 1963-64, 1974-75, 1979-80

• Cup Winners’ Cup – 1964-65

• Intertoto Cup – 1999 

West Ham Competitions This Season

West Ham are competing in four competitions in the 2022-23 season.

One of three English clubs to feature in Europa Conference League betting (alongside London rivals Tottenham and Leicester City), the Hammers have a busier schedule than many of their Premier League peers.

We recorded our biggest ever @PremierLeague victory #OnThisDay in 1998 ⚒️#WHUFC | @Heineken_UK pic.twitter.com/rJSTTaBz2l

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 10, 2023

As usual, they also compete in the League Cup and FA Cup.

Having been involved in European competition, they entered the League Cup a round later than most of the other Premier League sides, but were eliminated at the first hurdle by Blackburn Rovers. Their FA Cup journey began on 7th January away to Brentford. 

West Ham endured the trickiest of starts to the Premier League season when they faced Manchester City in August. The London club lost their first three matches of the campaign without scoring.

Their season wraps up away to Leicester on 28th May.

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

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 10th January 2023

Rangers Betting Tips & Predictions

St Mirren vs Rangers Tips

Rangers travel to St Mirren on the final weekend of the 2022/23 Scottish Premiership season and Michael Beale’s side will be looking to go out on a high.

The visitors have enjoyed great success since his arrival at Ibrox and there is plenty of reason to be positive looking ahead to the future.

St Mirren have struggled in the Championship round of games but they were always going to struggle when playing Scotland’s top teams in this format.

Having said that, they will still want to end the season on a positive note and supporters will be hoping for a sports betting upset and a victory over Rangers on the final day.

The away side were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Hearts earlier in the week and it is hard to find a value bet with both teams having little to play for other than pride.

St Mirren have won just one of their last four home games and we should expect Rangers to dominate proceedings – Beale will be demanding a win this weekend.

With that in mind, I’d be tempted to back Rangers to win by two or more goals. An early goal could see the floodgates open and things could get ugly for St Mirren if they’re not careful.

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Bet on Rangers with 888Sport

Rangers have had to settle for second best in their own city in recent times but can they defy the odds to clinch the Scottish Premiership title this season?

Popular in sports betting odds for many years, Rangers are one of only a select group of clubs to win over 100 professional titles throughout their illustrious history.

Rangers Club History

Often referred to as Glasgow Rangers, the Gers are one of the biggest football clubs in Britain and their rich history goes all the way back to March 1872.

Having been founded over 150 years ago, Rangers have developed a lofty reputation as one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious football clubs.

While they are yet to lift a European Cup, the Ibrox-based club rank as one of the most prolific teams on the continent and plenty of punters will have bet on Rangers at one point or another.

Former by four brothers, Rangers have been based at Ibrox since 1899 and it is now touted as one of the greatest atmospheres in European football. It is a must visit for any football supporter.

The club have had its fair share of problems over the years and almost went bust in 2012. However, Rangers worked tirelessly to get back to where they belong: the Scottish Premiership.

With more Scottish league titles than anyone else, Rangers are regarded by many as the elite club in Scotland. Could they celebrate yet another domestic crown in 2022/23?

Rangers Honours List

• Scottish Title: 1890–91, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1917–18, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2020–21

• Scottish Cup: 1893–94, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1902–03, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2021–22

• Scottish League Cup: 1946–47, 1948–49, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1970–71, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11

• Scottish Challenge Cup: 2015–16

• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1971–72

Rangers Competitions This Season

Rangers are due to play in the Scottish Premiership, Scottish League Cup, Scottish Cup and Champions League in the 2022/23 season.

The Gers advanced through the qualifying stages of the European competition this summer but were drawn alongside Napoli, Liverpool and Ajax in the Champions League group stages.

Europa League nights at Ibrox 🔜

Best atmosphere in Europe? 🏟️@RangersFC | #UEL pic.twitter.com/o6fkeJcJ6i

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 28, 2022

Meanwhile, Rangers may have to settle for second best behind arch rivals Celtic in the Scottish title race once again – the Hoops are clear favourites to retain the championship.

Like Celtic, Rangers have reached the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup once again and it would take a brave man to back against the Ibrox outfit in their pursuit of a 28th success in the competition.

Last but not least, there is another opportunity for silverware in the Scottish Cup. Rangers are looking to lift the trophy for only the second time since 2009. 

You can bet on football in Scotland and on all competitions involving Rangers via the 888sport app or website.

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

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 15th December 2022

@SteTudor123 on the worst managers in Premier League history - do you agree with his selections?

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1 - Frank de Boer (Crystal Palace) 

The Dutchman’s appointment was viewed as a dramatic departure for the Eagles, whose previous incumbent in the technical area had been ‘Big’ Sam Allardyce.

Once all of his spat-out chewing gums had been cleared up, De Boer set to work on changing the culture at the club, switching their direct and physical approach to a more possession-based fare.

Unfortunately, the changes were too sweeping and too swift, and just four games in to the 2017/18 season Palace were featuring prominently in the Premier League relegation betting odds from losing each time and failing to even score.

A player’s revolt at his methods was leaked to the press and just 77 days into his tenure, De Boer was out on his ear, forever considered a flop. 

2 - Jan Siewart (Huddersfield Town) 

With a 5% win percentage, statistically the German coach is the worst gaffer to inhabit a Premier League dug-out but a caveat is warranted, with the former Borussia Dortmund II man stepping on board an already sinking ship.

After fending off the drop in their first top-flight campaign for nearly half a century, the Terriers looked doomed the following January when they appointed Siewart, rooted as they were to the bottom of the league.

Sadly, any hopes they had of the inexperienced manager being a miracle worker were quickly dashed as the losses kept on coming.

Indeed, with the sum total of 16 points come May, Huddersfield’s dismal showing in 2018/19 is the third worst return in the Premier League. As for Siewart, he was gone soon after. 

3 - Steve Wigley (Southampton) 

With only three years managerial experience in the Isthmian League with Aldershot, Wigley was hopelessly ill-equipped to take sole charge of a Premier League club and sadly it showed from the off.

Taking over from Paul Sturrock very early into the 2004/05 season, the Saints were quickly stuck in the relegation mire eventually finishing bottom. 

Wigley had long gone by then, a coach whose credentials only appeared to be a popularity with the players and a decent earlier stint as caretaker gaffer.   

At least he has impeccable taste in choosing when to guide his team to a solitary win in 14 under his charge, a fiercely-fought south coast derby with Portsmouth. 

4 - Tony Adams (Portsmouth)

The Pompey faithful presumably found the Steve Wigley appointment down the coast very amusing, only then four years later their own club did a spectacular brain-trump and also went for the wrong man. 

In 2006, Adams was learning the managerial ropes under Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth and was rewarded with the big gig after deciding to remain following his mentor’s departure for Spurs. For all concerned, it was a huge mistake. 

Just ten points from 16 games at the helm highlighted that the England legend is as adroit in the dug-out and he is on the dancefloor. 

5 - Graeme Souness (Liverpool)

Inheriting the then most prized position in British football from his former team-mate Kenny Dalglish, the scowling Scot took it upon himself to rip up many of the institutions that had long made Liverpool so feared and successful, and this attempt at modernisation extended to an admittedly aging team. 

In due course, great player after great player departed Anfield in the Nineties, replaced by the likes of David Speedie and Torben Piechnik, as the Reds slid inexorably into mediocrity. 

By the time Souness resigned in 1994, Liverpool’s Premier League odds were as long as his disastrous stint felt for the fans.

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

 

FIRST PUBLISHED: 31st January 2023