English Premier League Preview and Picks
By SHAWN YOUNG
ASTON VILLA (-145) vs. WIGAN (+450, draw +240)
Saturday’s best bet is surely Aston Villa at home to a weak Wigan team. Winger Stewart Downing (foot, out until Christmas) joined Villa over the summer and midfielder Gareth Barry left, but Manager Martin O’Neill has kept the rest of the team together. If they’re going to improve on last year’s sixth-place finish, these are the games that need to become automatic. Villa looked great at July’s Peace Cup in Spain and we hope they’ll show up here in midseason form. The Villains travel to Austria midweek for a Europa Cup game, but fixture congestion can’t concern us on the opening weekend.
Wigan was unable to keep Antonio Valencia from moving up the road to Man United over the summer - a sad but predictable end to last year’s worst kept secret. Lee Cattermole left for Sunderland Tuesday. Jason Scotland has been brought in to provide firepower up front but he’s not a Premiership-quality striker. Wigan only scored 34 goals in 38 games last year and this year’s output should be similar.
Villa’s Stiliyan Petrov is fit after dislocating his shoulder last month. Olivier Kapo (knee) will not travel with Wigan.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2, Wigan 0.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (+215) vs. LIVERPOOL (+120, draw +230)
Sunday’s late game has Spurs hosting Liverpool and we think Spurs can take something from this game. Peter Crouch is in up front for Spurs and Darren Bent has left for Sunderland. Sunderland’s first choice was also Crouch and we agree with all concerned that Crouch is the better talent. He’ll be a great target for crosses all season long.
Liverpool has had a poor summer on and off the pitch. Indifferent preseason results have been compounded by the American owners’ money woes. Alberto Aquilani has joined from AS Roma but Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa have left for Real Madrid. Sami Hyypia has also left, which leaves serious questions for the remodeled backline to answer.
Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel are game-time decisions for Liverpool.
Spurs are good for something here.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 1, Liverpool 1.
KEEP AN EYE ON:
Blackburn vs. Man City: David Dunn has vowed to “kick lumps” out of the Citizens’ high-priced acquisitions. A stern physical test should give us an early indication as to whether or not Man City is for real.
Stoke vs. Burnley: If Burnley get hammered, it’s going to be a very long year.