EPL picks: Man U and Chelsea look to squash foes
By MICHAEL DA SILVA
It may be New Year’s Day 2011, but for the Premier League it’s business as usual.
Will Man United remain top with a result at West Brom? Can Mario Balotelli inspire City to a fifth Premier League victory in six games? Can Chelsea get back into title contention with victory over crisis-hit Aston Villa? All will be revealed…
Chelsea (-400) vs Aston Villa (+1200)
It may have come via a solitary (and controversial) Florent Malouda tap-in, but Chelsea’s narrow victory over Bolton could be just the medicine to cure Chelsea’s winter blues.
A dreadful run - their worst for well over a decade - should be over as Aston Villa, who are in freefall, face the near impossible task of picking themselves up from Tuesday’s 4-0 battering at Man City.
Villa, who have just one win from their last eight games, are leaking goals at a worrying rate and Brad Freidel, a Premier League stalwart, is enduring one of the poorest spells of his long career. Worrying given how reliable he was throughout 2010.
Chelsea, who have finally turned a corner, will see this game as the perfect opportunity to defeat their demons and prove themselves as genuine title contenders once again.
There are key battles all over the pitch, with right-winger Marc Albrighton set to face the significant clash with Ashley Cole. Albrighton has been one of the few success stories at Villa Park this season, with 4 goals and 4 assists to his name. Respectable figures for a 21-year-old.
If Villa do score- and it’s a big if given their strikers’ appalling strike-rates this season - expect Albrighton to be the man to pop up with the goal. Having found the net against Manchester United and Spurs this season he is a man for the big occasion – odds of +600 will be very tempting.
But Ashley Cole, who has just turned 30, has all the experience to nullify Albrighton and, if he does so effectively, expect Chelsea to come through this test comfortably.
Didier Drogba may only have 2 goals in his last 12 Premier League games, but don’t let those stats fool you. Not only did Drogba play on with malaria for several games in the autumn, but he has suffered with a lack of service given Malouda’s epic dip form, the injuries to Lampard and Essien, and Ramires’ failure to settle in the Premier League.
As Ancelotti finds a solution to each of the above problems, Drogba takes a step towards rediscovering his form and, with Villa in town, this could the Ivorian’s moment. Back him to score two or more goals at odds of +350.
Lampard, who is always a threat with his late runs from midfield, is +140 to score.
Pick: Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa (+500)
West Brom (+500) vs Man United (-188)
The Premier League table makes happy reading for Sir Alex Ferguson right now. Fergie has seen the title hopes of his key rivals - Arsenal and Chelsea - dented in recent days and weeks.
The wildcard, Man City, appear to be pushing United closest at the turn of the year, but Sir Alex recently brushed off City’s challenge, claiming they would “tail off” before the end of the season.
For Ferguson, he has seen title challengers come and go, and he will fire his players up ahead of the trip to Hawthorns in the knowledge that a win could take them as much as 3 points clear, with 2 games in hand on Roberto Mancini’s side.
With the stakes so high, expect United to grind out a result against a West Brom team who have faded somewhat after a blistering first 3 months to the season.
United’s main man this season, Dimitar Berbatov, should be backed at +105 to score again as United look to put right the 2-2 draw between the sides at Old Trafford earlier this season.
United have had to cope without Nani for the past couple of games, meaning Anderson has been thrust into a central position. The Brazilian has been charged with a more influential role than he has been afforded in the past and looks set to continue there in 2011.
Anderson has thrived in an attacking position against Valencia, Arsenal and Sunderland and, at +600, is an irresistible shout to find the back of the net at West Brom.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League since their 1-0 win over Sunderland back in August. United will score, it’s just a case of how many.
Pick: West Brom 0-2 Manchester United (+650)