Archived Premier League Football Betting Tips

For McLeish's first game in charge, the Blues managed to pull an injury time winner out of the bag at White Hart Lane to give the new manager a great start, but 1 week on and the boot was on the other foot at St James Park when Beye popped up with his third goal in 5 years to send Birmingham home with nothing. The Birmingham players are still getting used to life under McLeish and he'll be desperate to get off to a winning start at St Andrews; until now they've lost 4 of their 7 home games and are just 1 point off of the relegation places. Reading visit St Andrews after securing the most unlikely of victories at home to Liverpool and whilst their home form has been moderately good, their form on the road has suffered with 6 successive defeats. The win against Liverpool will go a long way to restoring confidence but will it be enough against a new manager playing his first match on home turf? Expect Birmingham to nick this but it's bound to be tight.

Derby are still rock bottom with just 6 points from 16 games, 5 of those points coming at Pride Park. Paul Jewell couldn't have been expected to get much out of the game at Old Trafford (only his second game in charge) but their first away goal of the season will give them a little lift despite the size of the task ahead. Jewell is yet to admit defeat in their challenge to survive but remains realistic in terms of living to fight another day i.e. ensuring that if they get relegated they go down in good shape. Boro travel to Pride Park after an incredible win at home to Arsenal; many of the players believe they are better than recent results have suggested and that it was only a matter of time before things started to go their way. The question is does anyone else believe that Boro are a force to be reckoned with (apart from the Gunners)? Tuncay could be a revelation in that finally they have a striker familiar with where the goal is; 2 goals in 2 games is the proof in the pudding. Derby have lost their last 3 at home where as Boro's last 2 on the road have ended in draws, but maybe the Riversiders can take it that bit further this weekend.

City will be glad to get back on home turf after losing yet another away game to a nervous-looking Spurs side but their 100% home record can't be matched by any other Premier league side. Some of those games they've won convincingly and others they've scraped the winning goal at the death but the bottom line is that 24 of their 30 points have come at Eastlands. They host a Bolton side buoyed by their emphatic defeat over relegation rivals, Wigan, and showing signs of getting back to their old selves after climbing out of the drop zone. The Trotters are unlikely to find City as generous in defence and there's plenty more work for them to do if they are to put thoughts of avoiding relegation behind them. Bolton have lost once in the last 6 games but City's home record says it all and Megson's men will have to battle hard if they are take anything from the game.

Sunderland were plunged back into the drop zone after their defeat to Chelsea but the relegation issues are far from cut and dried and any one of the 5 sides above them could replace them after this weekend if they win and results go their way. The Mackems haven't lost in their last three at home and confidence should be fairly high after restricting Chelsea at the Bridge to just 2 goals but they entertain a Villa side with 3 successive away victories behind them and no defeat in their last 5 on the road. Martin O'Neill's men have suffered a recent blip at home with defeats to Arsenal and Portsmouth but Villa's front three could well pose problems on the counter at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have the best home record of the bottom six sides but Villa score an average of 2 on the road and may have too much for Roy Keane's men.

Ashton came off the bench to grab the winner at Ewood Park but the most impressive element of West Ham's performance was that they rarely looked troubled at the back. They're gradually climbing the table after an indifferent start to the season but when they have everyone fit they'll give the better sides a run for their money. The Hammers have lost just one of their last 6 games at Upton Park (against Arsenal) and Ashton should be expected to start the Everton game. The Toffees haven't lost in 3 Premier league away games and last weekend a Yakubu hat-trick was the difference in a one-sided victory at home to Fulham. The Tim Cahill factor has been largely responsible for much of Everton's good play since his return from injury and the Hammers will need to keep an eye on the wandering Aussie. These 2 sides are very evenly matched but West Ham might just have the edge.

Wigan are dangerously ensconced in relegation territory with just 9 points from 16 games. Steve Bruce has much work ahead of him if the Latics are to survive; their away form is abysmal whilst at home they've registered just 2 points from their last 5 games. The ex-Birmingham manager has opted for a longer game as a short term solution to getting results and may have some luck against a Blackburn side that have been out of sorts in recent weeks. The home defeat to West Ham came as something of a surprise and just 1 point from their last 2 away fixtures at Old Trafford and Craven Cottage appears to have knocked their confidence somewhat. Rovers have plenty of quality in attack but Wigan are likely to press hard and play it long whenever possible; a draw seems the likely outcome.

Once again Fulham are seriously embroiled in the relegation quagmire and seem never to build season on season. Their home form in recent weeks has not been too bad with just 1 defeat in their last six but they need to turn draws into victories if they are to fight against the drop once again. They face a Newcastle side that some think may have turned the corner after a point against Arsenal and an injury time winner against Birmingham at St James Park, but away from home they are poor with just 1 point in the last 5 fixtures. The team reacted positively after the defeat at Blackburn (almost too positively) but Newcastle's problems won't be solved overnight and the game at Craven Cottage will be a big test for them. The Magpies' defensive qualities are likely to return to haunt them against a Fulham side that are pretty good at sniffing out a goal.

Rafa Benitez must be close to knowing his best eleven; Liverpool needed a result in Marseilles and they performed beyond expectations to secure passage through to the knockout stages of the Champions League. One would expect Benitez to not change too much for the visit of United; another game they have to win if they are to maintain their challenge for the Premier league title. They may have suffered defeat at Reading last weekend, their first of the season, but they're still to lose at Anfield. United are the visitors and aren't too hot on the road lately after just 1 point from their last 2 games; a draw at Arsenal and defeat at Bolton. They are also the first side to concede at home to Derby, as they did in last weekend's 4-1 victory. The importance of this game, for both sides, can't be over-emphasised but Liverpool will have the edge at home and should make it count.

This game could be severely diminished as a spectacle with key players missing through injury. Arsenal haven't been the same side since Fabregas, Flamini and Hleb ended up on the treatment table, and Chelsea are missing Drogba's goal threat following recovery from knee surgery. Arsenal have seen their lead at the top of the table pegged back to just a point after a draw at Newcastle and defeat at Boro, their first in the Premier league this season. Chelsea are now only 3 points adrift of the league leaders and with Liverpool playing United earlier in the day, there'll be plenty of incentive to take all 3 points. The big plus for Arsenal is that van Persie is back on the teamsheet; however, goals are likely to be at a premium and it has that inevitable air of stalemate about it.