We have a cracking weekend of football to look forward to with two mouth-watering North West derbies taking place in the Premier League on Saturday. Everton host Liverpool at Goodison Park in the Merseyside derby in the early kick off. Later in the day, things move up a notch or two as Manchester City have a chance to win the title if they beat rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.
Before that, on Friday night, the top two in the EFL Championship do battle in South Wales as Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City welcome Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Cardiff City Stadium. Meanwhile, Aston Villa are in action at Norwich City on Saturday as the race for promotion really heats up.
- Everton v Liverpool – Liverpool Win & BTTS (12/5 at Bet365)
- Manchester City v Manchester United – Manchester City to Win -1 (85/40 at BetVictor)
- Arsenal v Southampton – Arsenal HT/FT (29/20 at BetVictor)
- Chelsea v West Ham United – 1-1 Draw (10/1 at Coral)
- Cardiff City v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Draw & BTTS (15/4 at Bet365)
- Norwich City v Aston Villa – Aston Villa Win (9/5 at Betfred)
Premier League
After dominating the Premier League all season long, Pep Guardiola’s Man City are now just one win away from claiming the PL title in record time. Standing in their way on Saturday, though, are rivals Man Utd, who would love to prevent them from winning it on derby day. There’s also the small matter of the Merseyside derby, as well as Sunday’s London battle between Chelsea and West Ham United.
Everton v Liverpool – 7th April
Sam Allardyce’s Everton and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool lock horns in a fascinating Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in Saturday’s early Premier League kick off. The Reds head to the home of their rivals as strong favourites to take home all three points. There isn’t actually too much at stake here, with Everton having little if anything to play for and the Reds possibly more focussed on their Champions Leagues clashes with City either side of this one. Even so, we expect a feisty and thrilling affair.
The Toffees have been in patchy form of late, winning four and losing four of their last eight in the PL. In fact, Everton have drawn just one of their past 13 games in all competitions. After losing at Man Utd, Liverpool have hit back with back-to-back wins in the Premier League and they will certainly come into this one with greater confidence.
We can’t see there being an awful lot in this one given the nature of derby games between these two and Liverpool’s more hectic fixture schedule. That said, we fancy the away side should just edge it. With that in mind, check out Bet365’s 12/5 for Liverpool to win and both teams to score at Goodison Park.
Liverpool Win & BTTS – 12/5 at Bet365
Manchester City v Manchester United – 7th April
Either way, Saturday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium will be historic. A win for City will give them the trophy, while a positive result for United will stop their rivals from securing the title against them. We should be in for a cracker on Saturday evening and much as Pep Guardiola claims not to care about winning against United, the fans will most certainly be up for it.
The Red Devils may be second in the league, but Jose Mourinho’s men make the short trip across Manchester as the big underdogs with the bookies. Guardiola’s City have dropped just two points on their own patch all season and have been almost faultless.
We can see Man City being too strong for their rivals in this one. Take a look at the solid odds of 85/40 (BetVictor) for the home team to win -1 and claim the Premier League title in the best possible way – for them at least!
Manchester City to Win -1 – 85/40 at BetVictor
Arsenal v Southampton – 8th April
On Sunday afternoon, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal host Mark Hughes’ struggling Southampton at the Emirates Stadium. With the Saints in a precarious position in the Premier League table, this is certainly a bigger game for them. Can Hughes pick up his first league win as Southampton boss and reignite his side’s bid for survival?
With the shackles off, the Gunners have been cruising of late, winning each of their last four in all competitions after losing four in a row. Southampton, meanwhile, have been on a horrendous run over the past few months, winning only once in the league since November.
The Saints might need the points more, but we can see the Gunners easing to another home win on Sunday. They tend to do very well on home soil against weaker opposition and that’s what we expect to happen here. Back Arsenal to be winning at half time and full time, which is nicely priced at 29/20 with BetVictor.
Arsenal HT/FT – 29/20 at BetVictor
Chelsea v West Ham United – 8th April
Sunday’s late game in the Premier League comes from Stamford Bridge where Antonio Conte’s Chelsea face David Moyes’ West Ham. With both teams eager for the points for different reasons, this should be a spicy London derby at the Bridge.
Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League qualification hopes were dealt a huge, almost terminal, blow last weekend when they were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur in the league for the first time since 1990. As for the Hammers, their 3-0 home win over Southampton was just what the doctor ordered in their quest for survival.
The Blues are in patchy form, so West Ham will fancy their chances of nicking something from this one. Put some money on Coral’s 10/1 for the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.
1-1 Draw – 10/1 at Coral
Championship
With just a handful of games left in the Championship, things are really starting to heat up in England’s second tier. A win for Cardiff on Friday night will see them go three points behind Wolves with a game in hand. An away victory, though, will all but hand the title to Wanderers and give Fulham a sniff of second. Aston Villa, who also still have slim aspirations of finishing in the top two, make the trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich on Saturday afternoon.
Cardiff City v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 6th April
The top two in the Championship go head-to-head in the Welsh capital on Friday night as Cardiff host Wolves. With six points separating these two at the summit, this truly is a six-pointer at the Cardiff City Stadium, but which way will it go?
Both sides head into this one in good form, but over the last 10 games, no side in the division have picked up more points than Cardiff. In fact, Wolves have dropped points in five of their last nine and they only managed a 2-2 home draw with struggling Hull City on Tuesday night.
With so much at stake in this one, we can see the pair cancelling each other out in South Wales. However, we also fancy both sides to net in Cardiff. Therefore, back the draw and both teams to score (15/4 at Bet365), a result that has come in three times for Wolves in the past six weeks or so.
Draw & BTTS – 15/4 at Bet365
Norwich City v Aston Villa – 7th April
Daniel Farke’s Norwich entertain Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa at Carrow Road this Saturday afternoon. With Villa still hunting down an automatic promotion spot, Bruce’s boys will be eyeing up all three points from their visit to Norfolk.
Norwich have had a disappointing campaign as they have spent the majority of their season in and around mid-table without ever really mounting a serious challenge for the play-off places. As for Villa, they have fallen away from the top two in recent weeks but still occupy fourth spot in the Championship table.
After sealing a much-needed three points against Reading in midweek, the Villans will very much fancy themselves to make it back-to-back victories at the weekend. We do too and with Betfred offering 9/5 for a Villa win we reckon that’s very solid value.
Aston Villa Win – 9/5 at Betfred