George's Premiership Predictions October 3 2015
The Premiership rolls on after a week of mixed fortunes for English clubs in Europe. The Manchester clubs both had narrow 2-1 wins against German opposition but London's Arsenal and Chelsea both lost.
In the Europa League there were 1-1 draws for both Liverpool and Spurs.
In the Premiership this weekend Manchester United travel to face Arsenal where a defeat for the hosts could heap more pressure on Arsene Wenger. Manchester United won this fixture last season and have a good record away at Arsenal.
Chelsea need to halt their slide at home to Southampton who will be difficult opponents. We are backing another slight upset for Mourinho's struggling Blues, a draw.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers says Liverpool are bigger than city rivals Everton. All the form points to Everton having the bragging rights after this weekend's encounter but the draw remains the favourite.
Manchester City should be too good for Newcastle, but the Magpies got a point the last time they were in Manchester in August at Old Trafford. That was in a scoreless draw. We think City will score and win 1-0.
Saturday, 3 October 2015
Crystal Palace 2 v West Brom 0
Aston Villa 1 v Stoke 1
Bournemouth 1 v Watford 1
Man City 1 v Newcastle 0
Norwich 2 v Leicester 1
Sunderland 1 v West Ham 1
Chelsea 2 v Southampton 2
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Everton 2 v Liverpool 1
Arsenal 1 v Man Utd 2
Swansea 1 v Tottenham 1
Rooney 7/1 To Outscore Arsenal
Wayne Rooney broke his Premier League duck versus Sunderland last weekend, and the striker, who scored his 1st Premier League goal, 1st Man Utd league goal and 100th top flight career goal against Arsenal, is 7/1 to outscore the Gunners on his own on Sunday.
Arsenal v Man Utd Sun 4th Oct
Who Will Score More Goals (Rooney must start)
Arsenal 2/5 Tie 3/1 Wayne Rooney 7/1
90 Minutes Betting
Arsenal Evs Draw 14/5 Man Utd 14/5
Soccer - Barcelona reeling from Iniesta injury
Andres Iniesta will not travel with Barcelona to the Sanchez Pizjuan to face Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday because of a hamstring injury. Barca coach Luis Enrique described early reports suggesting the decorated Spain playmaker could be out for two months as "terrible news" and the veteran midfielder will now join Argentina superstar Lionel Messi on the sidelines. Rafinha, Claudio Bravo, Adriano and Thomas Vermaelen are also expected to miss Saturday's return to La Liga. Last season's Treble winners were subjected to boos from a section of Camp Nou supporters on Tuesday when Kyriakos Papadopoulos gave Bayer Leverkusen a shock lead before the Catalans sealed a 2-1 win in the Champions League, and Enrique felt the reaction was unfair. "These are thorns in our side we have to shake off," Enrique told reporters. "My players deserve a huge amount of credit for turning around a very difficult situation. It was a tough night - the second game without our best player [Messi] and our second win." Sevilla are currently priced 3/1 in the match betting and the draw outcome is quoted 13/5. Barcelona are available to back in the 90 minutes market at 10/11.
Soccer - Rodgers won't go looking for sympathy
Brendan Rodgers has said there should be some "perspective" about Liverpool's start to the new season and insisted he will be not be seeking assurances over his future from the club's owners. An underwhelming start to the Premier League, which has yielded three wins from the opening seven games, was compounded by a second successive draw in the Europa League on Thursday against Sion. Now the attention turns to Sunday's Merseyside derby and the chance to upset in-form hosts Everton, while Rodgers stressed his players are only five points adrift of leaders Manchester United. "It's about perspective. It's still very early. We're a couple of points off where we want to be, five points off the top with a lot of improvement left to come," he told reporters at his press conference on Friday. "Everton have done well. They are a point ahead of us. They've had a good start and we've had a disaster!" Rodgers said he did not need an arm around the shoulder from the club's owners and vowed to stick to his brief of trying to improve his players. "I don't seek reassurances. I love the club, I enjoy being here and the challenge of improving and developing," he said. Everton are currently priced 9/1 to finish in the top four in the Premier League, with Liverpool 11/4.
Soccer - Martinez ramps up derby scrutiny
Roberto Martinez has attempted to diffuse some of the heat on his Everton players by suggesting the pressure of Sunday's Merseyside derby is on local rivals Liverpool. Everton are four places but only one point better off than Brendan Rodgers' side and Martinez does not subscribe to the opinion a six-match unbeaten run in all competitions about his team makes the result a formality. Liverpool's spending since the arrival of Rodgers from Swansea in 2012 is estimated to be close to £300 milliom and Martinez says that level of outlay only increases the burden on the visitors. "If you're looking at ... the amount of money that Liverpool have spent in the last three seasons, clearly they need to be the favourites," Martinez told his pre-match conference on Friday. Everton have not lost in the Premier League in four games since a 2-0 defeat by leaders Manchester City and Martinez has demanded his players make home advantage count. "It's about how good we can be," he said. "How well we can start the game. How consistent we can be throughout the 90 minutes. And how much we can use playing at home [to] our advantage." Everton are priced 17/10 in the market.
Last time's predictions
© Soccerphile.com