English Premiership: Weekend Betting Preview and Picks
By Shawn Young
SATURDAY
CHELSEA (-1.5 +125) vs. MANCHESTER CITY
Chelsea lost 2-1 at Inter Milan and City lost 3-1 at Stoke after extra time Wednesday.
The market overreacts here. Man City has had a very tough time with Stoke and will be pleased to be rid of the Potters. But City can still give Chelsea a game.
If anything, getting bounced from the FA Cup is a blessing in disguise for City. Now, City can concentrate on chasing fourth place in the Premiership. The Citizens haven’t lost in regulation time in five straight matches and can grab something here.
Chelsea broke two cardinal rules away to Inter at the San Siro Wednesday. Chelsea coughed up a goal early and did not concentrate for five full minutes after tying it up. Ex-manager Jose Mourinho had the last laugh.
City won the first meeting between these clubs 2-1 in December in Manchester.
Petr Cech (calf) misses out for Chelsea. Knee injuries continue to sideline Deco, Michael Essien and Jose Bosingwa. Ashley Cole is out long-term with a broken ankle. Paulo Ferreira is available to come off the bench but only if the bench stretches into the club’s doghouse.
City has Emmanuel Adebayor suspended and game-time decisions on the knees of Kolo Toure and Roque Santa Cruz. Carlos Tevez returns after time off for the premature birth of his daughter.
Pick: Chelsea 1, City 1
SUNDAY: LEAGUE CUP FINAL AT WEMBLEY (LONDON)
MANCHESTER UNITED (-0.5, -125) vs. ASTON VILLA
MU beat West Ham 3-0 Tuesday. Villa beat Palace 3-1 Wednesday.
Manchester United burned us last weekend, losing at Everton. United bounced back well against the Hammers.
Man United’s veterans will carry the day here. This is the first Cup Final for the vast majority of Villa’s young players and they will be overwhelmed by the occasion. ManU manager Sir Alex Ferguson knows how to prepare his side for big games. Wayne Rooney is having the season of his life.
Villa has a win and a draw from the EPL season series but that goes out the window here. Villa has not beaten a team with a winning record since edging MU 1-0 on December 12.
MU misses Rio Ferdinand (back), Ryan Giggs (broken arm) and Nani (suspension).
Stiliyan Petrov (virus) will be fit to captain Villa. Villains have no new injury worries and anybody who missed the Palace game was simply being rested.
Pick: MU 2, Villa 0
KEEP AN EYE ON: Portsmouth went into administration Friday morning. Similar to “receivership” on our side of the ocean, the court appoints an administrator - a trustee to find a buyer for the assets. Administrators can unilaterally cut wages, including player salaries and players can then refuse to play. The club will likely survive, but it’ll be a long way down. Just ask Leeds United. At some point in the next couple weeks there’ll be betting opportunities.