English Premier League Matchweek 3 Betting Odds and Predictions

Saturday, August 31, 2013 

Manchester City vs. Hull City (NBCSN, 7:55 a.m. ET/4:55 a.m. PT): We all know what happened last Sunday in Wales when mighty Manchester City was shocked by The Little Engine That Could, Cardiff City, 3-1 in the Bluebirds first game in England’s top flight of football in over 50 years. So no doubt the Sky Blues will be on their best behavior and in a very foul mood here heading into this mismatch at the Etihad. Surprisingly, the Tigers have as many wins and points as City but no doubt this is a sentence that will only have a shelf life of about six days my friend so best digest before the mold grows. Hull edged Norwich City, 1-0 at the KC Stadium in its home opener—despite being down a man—thanks to a Robbie Brady penalty kick in the first half but now reality returns with a date in Manchester with a mad team that looked extremely flat and unmotivated at Cardiff City. The moneyline odds here are way too steep (-600) for a straight bet so a small bet on City -2 goals (-110) is probably the way to go as the Sky Blues defense is usually pretty solid despite often suspect goalkeeper Joe Hart. Manager Manuel Pellegrini and his team won’t want to fall too far behind rivals Manchester United and Chelsea so overdue goals from Sergio Agüero and Edin Džeko and maybe one from one of the new summer signings should stem the tide of the home team’s paranoia for a least a week. 

BET: Manchester City -2 -110 

PREDICTION: Manchester City 3 Hull City 0

Cardiff City vs. Everton (NBC Sports Network Extra, 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT): So, so, so tempted to take a shot on the big home underdog Cardiff City on the three-way line (+240) or even the pick ‘em line (+140) in this one after seeing how much the raucous crowd helped their boys upset City on Sunday but will resist out of simple respect to Marouane Fellaini’s growing mane which has to be the place they hid Jimmy Hoffa’s body in. With Everton in town on Saturday, the Bluebirds have a chance to further impress the football world but no doubt the Toffees won’t underestimate the Welsh side here. But after a 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion and goalkeeper Ben Foster, hard to back Everton here knowing how much Cardiff City’s first win meant to them. Instead, prefer to recommend the under here as goals will probably be hard to come by with both sides doing everything possible to avoid a loss in this situation. Also, the draw (+240) may be worth a look for the more savvy gamblers, or punters if you’re feeling sexy Sammy. 

BET: Under -2½ -125 

PREDICTION: Cardiff City 1 Everton 1

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Liverpool vs. Manchester United (NBCSN, 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT): It’s September already Susie? Wow. It was just August a paragraph ago so better start your Christmas shopping soon as Santa Claus will be stuck in your chimney before you know it Bubba. But back to the business at hand: trying to win a dollar or two for swiss cheese, cat food and sensible shoes. If there is a must-watch game in the English Premier League this weekend, this showdown at Anfield would be the one. Liverpool is off to a nice start courtesy of two 1-0 wins via Daniel Sturridge goals and the Reds are just one of three teams—along with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United—to have yet to allow a goal this season, thanks in great part to new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet who sounds like he would be better suited being a sous-chef. Liverpool may be the surprise team in the Premier League this season but wins over Stoke City and Aston Villa, although impressive, aren’t enough to get too cocky about just yet. Now a win against the defending champion Red Devils? That would certainly be worth chirping about in Merseyside. United comes in off an extremely boring 0-0 draw against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday and, at press time, still had Wayne Rooney wearing the shield. Despite both sides coming off clean sheets, lean toward the over here as seven of the last 10 in the series have gone over (31 total goals) and the Red Devils will be motivated after a very likely City win over Hull on Saturday and their tie with the Blues. David Moyes’ team is 6-1-3 in the last 10 against Liverpool and won 2-1 at Anfield in this fixture last season, a scoreline which has actually happened the last three league meetings, all Red Devils victories. Let’s not go out on a limb and say that happens a fourth straight time sister. 

BETS: Manchester United +185 (Three-way), Manchester United Pick, Even, Over -2½ -115 

PREDICTION: Manchester United 2 Liverpool 1

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur (NBCSN 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT): The second-best game of the weekend follows with this North London derby from the Emirates—a rivalry which has existed since the Gunners 1913 move to the Highbury area according to the good folks over at Wikipedia. Good enough for me. But we have some not-so serious handicapping to do here Jimmy and despite Spurs not having allowed a goal as of yet, gonna go with the recent series trends and back the over which has gone over nine of the last 10 times and eight straight (45 total goals). And there have been 17 goals in the last three meetings so banking on a total of three here doesn’t seem too greedy. Despite Arsenal being much-maligned by almost everyone, everywhere all of the time, siding with the homeboys here despite Tottenham’s slight 4-3-3 edge over the last 10 showdowns. The beat-up Gunners looked decent in their UEFA Champions League qualifier at Fenerbahçe last Tuesday as well as in their 3-1 win at Fulham over the weekend. Arsenal hosted Fenerbahçe in the return CL leg mid-week, but despite the possible wear-and-tear and injuries, this gritty team seems to just win when it has to. The pick ’em line (-180) seems the route to go as André Villas-Boas and his boys will definitely put up a good fight and may even earn the draw but knowing that Arsenal has trounced Spurs, 5-2 in the last two meetings at the Emirates in league play, feel better about taking Arsene Wenger’s club here in the last game on the board this weekend. 

BETS: Arsenal Pick -180, Over -2½ -140 

PREDICTION: Arsenal 2 Tottenham 1

EPL Preview & Prediction: Manchester City v Hull City (31st August)

Manchester City v Hull City
Football : England : Premier League
Saturday 31st August - Kickoff 12:45pm

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Manchester City

Manchester City were brought down to earth last weekend as they were humbled 3-2 at newly promoted Cardiff. The defeat is a real kick in the teeth for Pellegrini given he spent close to £60m on transfers this summer.

Fortunately City return to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday where they dominate most sides. In their opening game here Pellegrini's side beat Newcastle 4-0 but the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the first half. Going back into last season Manchester City have won 11 of their last 13 league games but Norwich (2-3) shocked them at the end of the season so they can't take Hull lightly.

This side is a more attacking one than under Mancini and so far in 2 games they lead the possession stats averaging 67%. Another impressive statistic is that they are conceding just 8 shots a game against which is the second best in the league. They have suffered I think due to the loss of Kompany and at Cardiff they made a lot of mistakes defensively.

Hull City

Hull City must be congratulated for last week's win over Norwich, their first of the season and they were the first promoted side to win this season. On Saturday they make probably the hardest away trip of the season to the Etihad but with confidence high they have nothing to lose.

Bruce's side lost 2-0 at Chelsea on opening weekend but didn't disgrace themselves. It could be argued Chelsea sat back after a 2 goal lead but still they didn't collapse when others before them have. As mentioned above they then won against Norwich (1-0) despite getting a player sent off so there is a grit about this side.

Unfortunately the stats don't look great for Hull. The average of 7 shots per game is the league's worst whilst they give up 18 shots a game (3rd worst). We know City will have all the ball and I wonder if after 70 odd minutes of chasing whether this side will start to really fall away and concede some late goals.

Betting Verdict

Manchester City are in my opinion the best "home side" in the league, their record of 2 defeats in 38 league games is a frightening figure. This team is built to score goals with City netting 2 or more in 8 of their last 10 here.

Although we saw them defend poorly last week, at home City have kept clean sheets in 5 of their last 7 home league games. Kompany is still out but Nastasic should return to partner Lescott and as a result City should be much stronger at the back.

I'm going to back Manchester City to win this game to nil. It sounds a little risky given the way Zabaleta and Hart specifically played last week but if they keep the ball as they usually do at home Hull shouldn't get a sniff at their goal.

We know the home stats are extraordinary and whilst the -2AH line was tempting I can see a 2-0 or 3-0 result here. Of which when weighing up the 2 bets I will stick with the clean sheet win as Manchester City return to winning ways in comfortable fashion.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :
Manchester City 3-0 Hull City

Champions League predictions: Arsenal v Fenerbahce 2nd leg match preview (August 27, 2013)

Arsenal are seeking to extend their participation in the group phase of the Champions League to 16 consecutive years against Fenerbahce on Tuesday. The Gunners beat 3:0 the Turkish side last week and are big favourites to go advance. Check out here our unmissable Arsenal v Fenerbahce 2nd leg match preview with the latest team news and probable line-ups.

ARSENAL v FENERBAHCE: MATCH PREVIEW

Arsene Wenger has come in for criticism this season after making just one summer signing so far and losing 3-1 to Aston Villa on the opening day. They have since followed up their easy win at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium with a 3-1 away victory over Fulham on Saturday

Bacary Sagna, Kieran Gibbs, Tomas Rosicky, Aaron Ramsey and Nacho Monreal all travelled following injury scares but Wenger confirmed that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would be out for at least six weeks with a strain to his posterior cruciate ligament. With Mikel Arteta out injured and no defensive midfielder signed, Wenger could again have to rely on the partnership of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey. Laurent Koscielny, who suffered a horrific cut in Turkey, trained fully while Wenger may choose to use rookie striker Yaya Sanogo.

Yet, even if Fenerbahce pull off a miraculous comeback to seal progression, their place in the Champions League would be by no means assured. They were banned for two years from European competition in June over match-fixing allegations but were reinstated while an appeal is heard, the result of which will be declared the day after the match.

On the pitch, too, the season has not started well. More than £25 million has been spent during the summer in strengthening the squad on the likes of Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emmenike, Portugal center-back Bruno Alves and Turkey midfielder Alper Potuk. But, after losing the Super Cup to bitter rivals Galatasaray, their league campaign got off to a woeful start as Ersun Yanal’s side surrendered a 2-0 lead to newly promoted Konyaspor and went down 3-2. Anyway, they side enjoyed a return to form in the Super Lig over the weekend, as they defeated Eskisehirspor 1-0 at home courtesy of a second-half Dirk Kuyt strike.

Raul Meireles and Mehmet Topal remain doubts for Wednesday while right-back Gokhan Gonul is still on the sidelines.

Fenerbahce have also won just 1 of their last 8 away games in the Champions League, although they only lost 1 of their 7 away games in the Europa League last season. The Turkish side won 4 of those 7 games, but to say they are behind the black ball in this one is a slight under-statement

ARSENAL v FENERBAHCE: PROBABLE LINEUPS 

Arsenal (4-3-3): Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere, Rosicky; Walcott, Giroud, Cazorla

Fenerbahce (4-3-3): Demirel – Topuz, Alves, Yobo, Kaldirim – Meireles, Topal, Emre – Kuyt, Emenike, Sow.

ARSENAL v FENERBAHCE: TEAM FORM

Arsenal 

24 Aug 2013 Fulham 1 - Arsenal FC 3 EPL

21 Aug 2013 Fenerbahçe 0 - Arsenal FC 3 UCL

17 Aug 2013 Arsenal FC 1 - Aston Villa 3 EPL

10 Aug 2013 Arsenal FC 3 - Manchester City 1 FRC

4 Aug 2013 Arsenal FC 1 - Galatasaray 2 FRC

Fenerbahçe

24 Aug 2013 Fenerbahçe 1 - Eskişehirspor 0 TUR1

21 Aug 2013 Fenerbahçe 0 - Arsenal FC 3 UCL

17 Aug 2013 Konyaspor 3 - Fenerbahçe 2 TUR1

11 Aug 2013 Galatasaray 1 - Fenerbahçe 0 TURS

6 Aug 2013 Fenerbahçe 3 - Salzburg 1 UCL

ARSENAL v FENERBAHCE: MATCH PREDICTIONS

Arsenal to win by one

Manchester United vs Chelsea Tips, Preview, & Prediction (26th August 2013)

Manchester United vs Chelsea
Football : English Premier League
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
26th August 2013 – Kickoff time 21:00

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Match Preview :

Monday Night Football comes from the Theatre of Dreams as Manchester United play host to Chelsea in what will be a clash of the "Premiership Contenders" match. This will be the match where the reigning Champions comes head to head against the side that is expected to win the Premiership this season!

Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market but United managed to go top of the Premiership for a while after beating Swansea 4-1 at the Liberty Stadium last weekend, Chelsea overcame Aston Villa 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in a midweek clash to go top of the table.

For the record, the last time these two sides faced each other in the Premiership, Chelsea came out victorious winning by 1-0.

But United managed to win at Stamford Bridge prior to that defeat. It must be remembered that United had a good home form last season, whereby they managed 16 wins from 19 home matches. Meanwhile, Chelsea had managed ten wins and five defeats on their travels last season. The previous five meetings between these two sides have seen both teams managed two wins each with one match drawn, making Monday’s game a very difficult one to predict how it will go.

Chelsea will have some very difficult matches to comes still with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City to come next. And despite all the talk about United failing to bring in players during the transfer window, it must still be remembered that the Red Devils still have the Premier League’s most lethal finisher as Van Persie’s brace against Swansea simply demonstrates that the striker has now replaced Rooney as the top striker at the club, even though it is Rooney who is dominating the newspaper headlines of late.

But Chelsea has been given a new lease of life with the return of "The Special One" to London and are now desperate to relive Jose Mourinho’s return by winning the Premiership. This Chelsea is different from the one of 2004-06, so combining the creative prowess of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar to a more attacking force is Mourinho's priority now. And having played Fernando Torres in his opening game, Demba Ba against Aston Villa and with Romelu Lukaku, back from his excellent loan spell at West Brom last season, Mounrinho will need to decide who will he field upfront in this match against Manchester United.

Then don't forget there is also the small talk about Wayne Rooney as Chelsea are still hoping to land him before the transfer market shuts. Mourinho has insisted he will wait until after Monday’s match before making a third bid for the England striker as United maintain that Rooney is not for sale. And the latest news that has emerged is that there could be a swap deal for Mata in place of Rooney also. And the very latest is the unconfirmed reports suggest Chelsea have all but completed a £32 million signing of Anzhi Makhachala star Willian from under Tottenham’s noses as well as Samuel Eto'o.

Team News :

Manchester United Team News :
Rooney could force his way back into the line-up tonight but the other option Moyes could consider is the combination of Welbeck and Van Persie upfront after they scored a brace apiece last weekend.
Ryan Giggs could, however, make way for Rooney in the wings. Ferdinand and Vidic are expected to be in the starting lineup, hile Phil Jones could be given a holding role to mark Mata out.

Chelsea Team News :
David Luiz is still a doubt with a hamstring problem, whereas up front, Mourinho has started with Fernando Torres and Demba Ba as the lone striker against Hull and Villa however, Romelu Lukaku is expected to lead the line at Old Trafford after coming on from the subs bench in each of the last two games.

De Bruyne played well against Hull City nd may be expected to start alongside Mata and Hazard. Mata, Hazard and De Bruyne are likely to play behind a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Possible lineups

Manchester United : De Gea; Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Valencia, Carrick,Cleverley, Rooney; Welbeck; van Persie.

Chelsea : P. Cech;B. Ivanovic, G. Cahill, J. Terry, A. Cole; Ramires, F. Lampard; De Bruyne, J.Mata, E. Hazard; R. Lukaku

Prediction:

Go for Manchester United and give the 1/4 ball in this match. If it does end in a draw, be prepared to lose half the stakes.

The Pick :
Manchester United 2-1 Chelsea

Preview: Fulham vs Arsenal (24-Aug-13)

Probable Lineups

Missing Players

Team News

Fulham

• Matthew Briggs looks set to start after replacing Kieran Richardson during the 1-0 win over Sunderland last weekend as a result of injury to the latter. He'll be joined on the sidelines by Maarten Stekelenburg, who has a shoulder injury.
• Fernando Amorebieta is expected to overcome a knock and take his place in the starting XI, while Bryan Ruiz looks set to make his first start of the season.
• Scott Parker is likely to make his debut at the expense of Steve Sidwell against Arsenal, but Darren Bent may be forced to settle for a place on the bench.

Arsenal

• Arsene Wenger will be forced into one change from the team that defeated Fenerbahçe 3-0 on Wednesday, with Carl Jenkinson coming in for the suspended Laurent Koscielny, meaning Bacary Sagna will move to centre-back.
• Santi Cazorla started from the bench against Aston Villa, but will be expected to take his place in the starting XI against Fulham.
• Nacho Monreal returned to action in Turkey following his injury layoff, but Abou Diaby, Thomas Vermaelen and Mikel Arteta remain sidelined.
• Ryo Miyaichi and Yaya Sanogo are both doubts.

Prediction

• Fulham will be buoyed by the resolute 1-0 win over Sunderland at the weekend, but it came at a cost as Maarten Stekelenburg and Kieran Richardson both picked up injuries. David Stockdale and Matthew Briggs are set to replace the duo.
• Fernando Amorebieta is expected to overcome a knock and start Fulham's first home game of the season. Bryan Ruiz and Scott Parker are also tipped to take their place in the starting XI, While Dimitar Berbatov will likely get the nod ahead of Darren Bent on the frontline.
• Arsenal's defeat to Aston Villa wasn't the ideal start to the campaign, but the Gunners put one foot in the group stages of the Champions League with the midweek win over Fenerbahçe.
• The suspended Laurent Koscielny will be replaced at centre-back by Bacary Sagna, with Carl Jenkinson set to come in at right-back.
• Other than that, Arsene Wenger will likely persist with the same starting XI from Wednesday night.
• Arsenal won the most points (19) in London derbies last season and have won 3 of their last 6 Premier League trips to Craven Cottage, with an away win the expected outcome.

Preview & Prediction: Manchester United v Chelsea (26th August)

Manchester United v Chelsea
Football : English : Premier League
Monday 26th August - Kickoff 8:00pm

Manchester United

Manchester United were given a tough opening day fixture at Swansea at the weekend but they thumped last season's surprise package 1-4. On Monday they host Chelsea and this could be a huge game come the end of the season.

Moyes has to decide whether we wants to play Rooney in this one. I suspect that the doesn't play him given Chelsea's interest and the state of his player. Other doubts remain over Evans, Young, Rafael, Hernandez and Nani and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw the same lineup that started at Swansea for Monday's game.

Against Swansea United had just 46% possession and also gave up 17 shots to their 14. Yet the result was never in doubt as Van Persie was excellent netting a brace as did Wellbeck. Rooney came on in that game and set up 2 goals so going forward United as ever look a strong force.

Chelsea

It has been a good week for Chelsea and returning coach Mourinho. 2 wins from 2 and the Blues are top of the tree ahead of this huge game at Old Trafford.

Chelsea raced to a 2-0 lead over Hull at the weekend and then went into cruise control. Against Villa they once again started excellently taking an early lead only to concede and then labour to a 2-1. Still 6 points from 6 is what the doctor ordered and Chelsea will be confident ahead of their trip up North.

In 2 games so far Chelsea have had 60% ball possession on average which matches up well to United's sub 50% figure at the weekend. They are also averaging 19 shots a game which is a huge figure, Swansea peppered the goal at the Liberty but still lost 1-4 so Chelsea definitely needs a better end product to win this game.

Luiz has missed the first 2 games whilst Mata has been used sparingly himself. Both are in contention to start this game but with plenty of options I expect a very strong looking Chelsea side to take the field.

Betting Verdict

Chelsea have a good record at Old Trafford winning 2 of the last 4 here. Manchester United despite their impressive win at the weekend may be vulnerable in this one. It's Moyes's first home game and up against Mourinho the pressure will be on.

The stats as ever look great for the hosts 14 wins from their last 16 at home in the league but Chelsea won here last season 0-1. Another sign of their strength at home is that in 8 of the last 10 league games United have led at half time and full time.

Chelsea have some nice stats of their own, scoring at least 2 goals in 9 of their last 10 league games overall. It's no shock to then see overs land in 8 of the last 10 away games and I expect an open game on Monday.

I don't like betting on my team in these big games but Chelsea +1/4 ball is my pick. I feel Mourinho has the edge over Moyes, his squad and starting 11 looks stronger plus the Chelsea side is united, we can't say the same for the hosts with the Rooney saga looming. Given the odds I'm happy to take the Blues to avoid defeat first and foremost and hopefully push on to take all 3 points.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :
Manchester United 1-2 Chelsea

Newcastle United v West Ham United Preview, Tips, and Prediction

Newcastle United v West Ham United
Football : English : Premier League
Saturday 24th August - Kickoff 3:00pm

Newcastle United

Newcastle United were given a baptism of fire to the new season on Monday night. The Toon Army went to the Etihad Stadium and Manchester City ran riot in a 4-0 home win. This Saturday they host West Ham United and it goes without saying that they will want a much better result than Monday.

Pardew wasn't happy with a bid for Cabaye ahead of Monday's game and it's uncertain if the talented Frenchman will feature on Saturday. Taylor is suspended after his red card so Williamson will likely partner Coloccini. Remy, R Taylor and Santon are also missing whilst Gutierrez has a potential hamstring injury which could rule him out.

Newcastle played a whole half with 10 men but conceding 20 attempts at goal is a concern and they only mustered 1 shot on target within the 90 minutes.

West Ham United

The Hammers beat newly promoted Cardiff 2-0 on Saturday in a convincing home win. Many expect West Ham to finish around midtable this season and a result at Newcastle could show some real intent on their half.

Allardyce has been incredibly active this window bringing in Liverpool pair Carroll and Downing for £20m. Downing may play this weekend having come on in the win over Cardiff, Carroll however is injured and won't return until September. Other than the front man Allardyce has his whole squad to choose from for Saturday's game.

West Ham had 18 shots at goal last week giving up 12 to Cardiff. Interestingly West Ham had just 44% possession and I expect them to give it up again at the weekend. With pace on the break via Cole, Downing, Diame, Maiga and Jarvis the Hammers can cause serious damage at Newcastle so long as they are not chasing the game early.

Betting Verdict

West Ham won at St James' Park last season (0-1) with the game at Upton Park ending in a goalless draw. I feel West Ham are at their strongest now with the loss of Carroll an exception. Newcastle on the other hand have an out of form striker in Cisse, potentially their best midfielder missing (Cabaye) and casualties at the back. Plus West Ham won 2-0 and Newcastle lost 4-0 in the opening fixtures!

I am going to back West Ham via the Asian Line as I really like them to take at least a point on Saturday. This looks an ideal time to be playing Newcastle and the Hammers have even had an extra 2 days to prepare for this one.

A backlash from Monday is the fear but knowing one of their best players Cabaye could be leaving can't improve the mood at the club. West Ham look strong and should leave with at least a point.

Good Luck

The Statistics :

The Pick :

Newcastle United 1-2 West Ham United

Chelsea Vs Aston Villa Preview: Stats, Odds & Key Men

Premier League, round two, is to be kicked off in the midweek by Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. This, the only Premier League game to be played on Wednesday, has been moved because of Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup match against Bayern Munich on Friday the 30th August.

While Paul Lambert has accepted that this match necessarily had to be moved due to Chelsea’s fixture congestion, he is not so accepting of this match being sandwiched between Arsenal and Liverpool at relatively late notice, especially since he claims to have given the FA five other suitable dates for the rescheduling.

Well it’s decided now, and this match will see two teams that recorded impressive opening day victories competing to maintain their 100% records, all be these existing after only one game. Last season Chelsea defeated Aston Villa home and away, and in this fixture ran out 8-0 winners handing Villa their biggest lost in Premier League history. This time Villa will be looking to avoid that worst-case-scenario and take some points away from a stadium in which Jose Mourinho has never lost a Premier League game.

Chelsea come into this match on the back of a solid 2-0 victory over newly promoted side Hull. The first 30 minutes in particular were outstanding, with the fast and fluid movement of Oscar, de Bruyne and Hazard leaving Hull in tatters. It was these three who combined for the first goal before a long range free kick from Frank Lampard sealed the points early on. Chelsea went on to see out the result at that score line in a fashion that many labelled “typical Mourinho”. Althought it was a comfortable win for the Blues, Villa can take heart from the fact that Chelsea were extremely wasteful with their chances – the cliché ‘it could have been 7 or 8’ very appropriate to the first half.

If Chelsea’s performance against Hull was impressive, Aston Villa’s opening result was outstanding. As heavy underdogs they went to the Emirates on the first day of the season and ran out 3-1 winners winners and were completely deserving of the three points. An element of luck in regards to referee decisions and opposition injuries may have played a part, but it doesn’t take away from what was a fantastic win for Villa. They will be delighted to have got Benteke on the score sheet twice early on, albeit from the penalty spot, and to have seen many other impressive individual performances, none more so that Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Interesting Stats

Chelsea were awarded the most penalties last season and, having missed against Hull, Frank Lampard has now failed to score two of his last three having netted the previous 10 in a row. On a more positive note Lampard has scored 13 times against Aston Villa, more than he has scored against any other team.

With Christian Benteke scoring twice against Arsenal he is now the Premier League’s top goal scorer in 2013 with 16 goals. Indeed the Belgian scored against Chelsea towards the end of last season, but was then sent off later in the match.

Key Players

Chelsea’s greatest strength lies within their attacking midfield, and in the absence of Juan Mata – and in truth even when he is fit – it is difficult to pick out Chelsea’s key player.  Oscar, Hazard and de Bruyne are all extremely influential and each of them is worthy of being labelled Chelsea’s key player against the Villains. However, with Mata unlikely to start on Wednesday, it is Oscar who will fill the most important position in the middle of the attacking three. Therefore the end result will greatly depend on the performance that he puts in, arguably making him Chelsea’s most important player for this match. In 2012/13 he was used most frequently as a wide attacker, but against Hull he showed how effective he can be in that central role in which he is used for Brazil. In Chelsea’s opening game Oscar recorded both the most total forward passes and total final third passes, and was also the most accurate player in the team with those stats. In addition he scored the first goal of the game, a well finished toe-poke under the oncoming form of the opposition goal keeper.

With Chelsea almost certain to score in this fixture, Villa will need to weather the storm and take their chances when they come and for this reason it is vital that Christian Benteke has a big game. As has already been said, he is the top goals scorer in 2013 and has already scored twice from the penalty spot leading into this game. In 2012/13 he had a 50% chance conversion rate, perfect for a day on which Villa will need to be clinical, and with 59% of his shots being on target last season, it just shows how deadly is as a finisher. That said for Christian Benteke  to be as effective as this against Chelsea he will need the likes of Fabian Delph an Gabriel Agbonlahor to be at their best just as they were against Arsenal. If the whole team can put in a strong shift, then there is no reason why Villa can’t take points of Chelsea in smash-and-grab style.

Team News

Chelsea were without Juan Mata and David Luiz on Sunday, and it could likely be a last minute fitness test that decides their availability for this match. Even if either of them are available however, neither should be expected to start. Chelsea will have Azpilicueta back and available for them though, the Spaniard having been rested after playing for Spain days before.

Without any new injuries to hold them back, Villa will be likely to field a similar team to the one that faced Arsenal. They may however make the odd change to keep legs fresh, a move that could see new signings such as Jores Okore make their full Premier League debut.

Prediction

The odds reflect just how heavy favourites Chelsea are, with a Chelsea win at 1.3. With that in mind and if you’re looking to get rich first it might be worth betting on the draw, 5.5, or a Villa win at 10.8.

Chelsea to win 3-1.

Odds

Chelsea to win by more than two goals is at 2.1, a worthy bet considering their performance against Hull, the fact that they put 8 past Aston Villa last season and they have improved with new management and players over the summer.

Chivas vs Dorados Copa MX – August 20, 2013 Prediction

The Chivas vs Dorados of Sinaloa Copa MX match will take place on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 (7:00 PM Pacific) at the Estadio Banorte. Both teams are part of Group 6: Leon (5 points), Chivas (5 points), Necaxa (1 point), and Dorados (1 point). Only the first placed team will move on to the Copa MX quarterfinals- that is why both Chivas and Dorados desperately need the win. Dorados would be very close to elimination if it were to lose against Chivas.

Chivas is in deep turmoil. Benjamin Galindo has been released after a disappointing start of the season. Through five Apertura 2013 matches, Galindo’s Chivas only earned four points; in the Copa MX, Chivas was only able to defeat Necaxa once, tying the return leg against Necaxa. It appears the home loss against Puebla this past weekend was more than Vergara could handle.

Juan Carlos Ortega will be the new Chivas head coach. Ortega left his position as a coach for youth squads in the Mexican National Team to take the difficult Chivas challenge. The match against Dorados will be his first official game as Chivas’ head coach this season. Ortega spent several years working at several positions with Chivas, he knows the team well and should easily adjust to the position. Whether he succeeds or not is a completely different question though.

To further complicate things for Chivas, their start player, Marco Fabian, will likely be leaving the team in the near future. Chivas ownership has announced that they have given Fabian the green light to leave the club. It is rumored that he will be going to a team in Qatar, although nothing is official yet. An already struggling Chivas will be without Fabian very soon, but they will at least have him for the match against Dorados.

Dorados of Sinaloa have also been struggling, they have started off the Ascenso MX with 5 points earned though 4 matches, and currently sit in 11th place. In the Copa MX, Dorados were only able to earn 1 point in the two matches against Leon, and will need to at least draw Chivas in order to stay alive in the competition.

Chivas vs Dorados Copa MX Prediction

Chivas has a new coach and will be playing a much weaker Ascenso MX team. Chivas players should be motivated to impress their new head coach, nobody has earned a set spot in the starting eleven, and a good match in the Copa MX could be what pushes borderline players to the top. Look for Chivas to dominate the ball, and try to create opportunities. Although it will not be easy, I believe Chivas can pull off the away win. The Chivas vs Dorados match will end in a 1-0 away win for Chivas.

Manchester City v Newcastle United Preview | Stats, Odds & Key Men

Newcastle United travel to title favourites Manchester City for the first Monday Night Football of the season and both teams will hope to have a much improved season this term.

After a season without trophies and a disappointing attempt to retain the title as Champions of England, Manchester City faced a big summer. The appointment of Manuel Pellegrini was followed by the signings of Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Stevan Jovetic and Alvaro Negredo, key areas of the side that needed improving, and has helped to raise the excitement levels around the club.

Last year Newcastle went in with hope and expectation of a good season after an impressive 5th place finish in 2011/12, which unfortunately never materialised. Their good run in the Europa League, which saw Newcastle reach the quarter finals, affected their league form as they flirted dangerously with relegation for the second half of the season. Like Man City, the Magpies failed to strengthen in the summer transfer to help them push on, but another raid of some of France’s top talent in January helped Newcastle to retain their Premier League status.

This summer will feel like déjà vu for supporters as the acquisition of Loic Remy, a loan signing from QPR, is their only involvement in the transfer window thus far. Add to that the return of former manager Joe Kinnear, and the near appointment of Mick Harford as a coach, Mike Ashley appears to have shot himself in the foot after finally gaining some requisition from the fans.

Interesting Facts

Manchester City had the best defence in the league and kept 18 clean sheets throughout the season, but they only scored 66 goals last season, 20 less than Manchester United, which ultimately cost them the league.

The ‘French Revolution’ has been well documented at Newcastle, the club held a special French styled day at the Southampton home game last season, so it is no surprise that English players only had  a 4.4% input for the overall goals scored by Newcastle in the league.

Key Players

After an impressive debut season in the Premier League and helping Manchester City to win their first Premier League title, David Silva struggled to have the same impression on the pitch last season.  Both his goal and assist tally were down in 2012/13, 6 goals/15 assists in 2012 and 4 goals/8 assists in 2013, but Silva is still a key player for City and will be important in breaking down the Newcastle defence. In the last two seasons he has created 104 chances for his team mates and with the recruitment of Jovetic and Negredo, as well as a fully fit Aguero, these chances should be turned into goals – Manchester City to score over 2 and 2.5 goals looks good at 1.917 and over 3 goals in the game is on offer at odds of 2.00.

With Man City likely to have dominant spells during the game it’ll be important for Newcastle to keep possession to help relieve pressure on their defensive backline – Cabaye will be pivotal to this. Despite missing a chunk of last season, Cabaye had a pass completion of 92% in the defensive zone (425 passes completed out of 460). The French midfielder is also dangerous from set pieces, both as a goal threat and creating chances for team mates (18 chances were created from set plays), and these will be important if Newcastle hope to get anything from the game against the team with the league’s best defence in the last 2 years – a win is available at big odds of 11.67 while a draw is 5.84.

Team News

Manchester City look set to be without Matija Nastasic, who will be replaced by Lescott, after the young defender injured his ankle on the controversial pitch in china during pre-season. Sergio Aguero looks set to return the side though after recovering from a knee injury.

New signing Loic Remy will have to wait for his Newcastle debut as he misses the first few weeks of the season with a calf injury.

Prediction

After their reinforcements in the summer, Manchester City look a much dangerous prospect this season – but a City win is only 1.31, which doesn’t offer much value if you only keep to small bets. Man City 3 -0 Newcastle.

West Ham United v Cardiff City Preview | Match Odds & History

West Ham United welcome Premier League new-boys Cardiff City for their first ever Premier League game, with both sides looking to implement new signings into their squad.

While Sam Allardyce and the Hammers are aspiring for a top half finish, Malky Mackay and his team are simply aspiring to stay up.

Both sides have spent big in the summer, notably the Hammers with their £15m signature for Andy Carroll. They have also secured Razvan Rat and goalkeeper Adrian on free transfers.

According to reports, Stewart Downing is set to make a move to Upton Park from Liverpool, which could be a massive signing for the East London outfit.

Of the three new promoted teams, it can be said that Cardiff City have spent heavily. £9m on Gary Medel, £8m on Steven Caulker and £7.6m on Andreas Cornelius signals intent.

Team News

According to physioroom.com, West Ham will be without the influence of record signing Andy Carroll, dependable centre back James Collins and George McCartney. Razvan Rat is expected to make his debut for the club. Cardiff may be without their talisman Craig Bellamy and Andreas Cornelius – although the pair are expected back for 17th August.

According to walesonline.co.uk, Aron Gunnarsson has battled back from a shoulder injury, and played 60 mins versus Athletic Bilbao and could fight new signing Gary Medel for a midfield starting place.

Interesting Stats

The last time the Bluebirds visited Upton Park on the opening day of a league campaign was in the Championship in 2011/2012 – they left East London with all three points due to a Kenny Miller winner in the 90th minute.

That same season, West Ham and Cardiff faced each other in the play off semi-finals, with West Ham United victorious – with a 5-0 aggregate scoreline.

Kevin Nolan has two goals in his last three appearances against the Bluebirds.

Last Five Meetings:

6/02/2005 - Championship: West Ham United 1-0 Cardiff City

07/08/2011 - Championship: West Ham United 0-1 Cardiff City

04/03/12 - Championship: Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United

03/05/12 - Championship: Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United

07/05/12 - Championship: West Ham United 3-0 Cardiff City

Howard Webb will referee the game between the two teams – is the Yorkshireman expecting a fiery clash?

Key Players

West Ham: Kevin Nolan

I expect captain Nolan to give the visitors many problems, although he doesn't have Carroll upfront to complement his play, I think  the former Bolton Wanderers player will wreak havoc on Caulker and co.

Cardiff City: Kim Bo-Kyung

The South Korean had a fine Championship campaign for Cardiff last season, and has followed up his fine form in pre season – with three goals. If he is given the space to dictate the play and tempo in midfield, Cardiff City could sneak an unlikely win in their first ever Premier League game.

Prediction

After much deliberation, I predict a West Ham United win with sports betting website Pinnacle currently offering odds of 1.990 - West Ham United win

I'm also predicting Kevin Nolan to score first and West Ham to win 2-1.

Premier League Odds

West Ham Win: 1.990 (£10 bet wins you £19.90 – includes your £10 bet)

Cardiff City Win: 4.120 (£10 bet wins you £41.20 – includes your £10 bet)

Stalemate: 3.640 (£10 bet wins you £36.40 – includes your £10 bet)

Liverpool - Stoke City Betting Preview: Potters to frustrate the Reds in a low-scoring match

The Premier League season kicks off this Saturday lunch time, with Mark Hughes taking his side to Merseyside to face the Reds and our tipster backing a tight affair

After a 90-day wait, Premier League action returns to our screens with Stoke City travelling to Liverpool in the early kick off on Saturday. 

Mark Hughes takes his side up to the north west of England for his first competitive game in charge of the Potters. No doubt Brendan Rodgers and his side are looking forward to the fixture, as he and his team will try and create headlines that don’t revolve around Luis Suarez. 

Liverpool come into this match after a turbulent summer trying to keep hold of their star man. The Uruguayan striker has been in the headlines throughout the summer, as the transfer saga continues to ebb back and fourth. 

It has been a successful pre-season for the Reds though, with their only defeat coming in the last match against Celtic in Dublin last weekend. Paddy Power price them at 2/5 (1.40) to kick off their new season with a win. 

Stoke City have also looked good throughout pre-season, with Mark Hughes starting to win back some of the people who doubted him when he first took over. 

Despite losing to Houston Dynamo in their first match on their USA Tour, they followed that up with victories against Dallas and Philadelphia Union. 

The Potters haven’t been busy in the transfer window, but they look a completely different side under Hughes compared to the era under previous boss Tony Pulis. Paddy Power price them at a long 15/2 (8.50) to cause an upset against Liverpool on Saturday. The same firm price the draw at 7/2 (4.50).

A bet that stands out in this fixture is Under 2.5 goals at even money (2.00). Six of the last seven meetings between these two sides in the Premier League would have seen this bet pay out, with Stoke’s 3-1 home win last December the only exception. 

It’s worth noting that since Stoke returned to the top flight in 2008, three of the five meetings at Anfield in the league have ended 0-0. 

For those looking for more value, Stoke/Draw double chance at 2/1 (3.00) with Paddy Power is certainly worth investing in. 

This bet would have paid out in all four last league matches between the sides, with Stoke winning four points from their two games against the Reds last season. With the Suarez factor likely to cause a distraction, expect Stoke to take full advantage of this situation.

Mexico 4-1 Ivory Coast: Deadly Peralta leads resurgent Mexico to big friendly win

Mexico bounced back from its Gold Cup embarrassment with a 4-1 friendly win over the Ivory Coast at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Oribe Peralta was the man of the hour, involving himself in all three of El Tri's first half goals.

The Ivory Coast started few of its big-name players, with Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, and Gervinho on the bench, while Yaya Toure wasn't even included in the match day squad.

Mexico, perhaps seeking to put the disappointment of a semifinal Gold Cup exit in the past as soon as possible, set out to dominate from the first whistle. With a high tempo and a good spell of possession, El Tri soon had the first chances of the game. Giovanni dos Santos sliced a shot just wide of the net with an effort from outside the box in the second minute before drawing a good save out of Boubacar Barry in the fifth.

The Mexican pressure and the lively spark of dos Santos wore on the Ivory Coast, with Elephants captain Zokora shown an early yellow for a cynical rake of the forward's heel after dos Santos moved past him through the midfield.

El Tri found its breakthrough right on the 10-minute mark. Angel Reyna made good progress down the left flank and picked out Peralta, who turned and played a short centering pass. The Ivory Coast's Arthur Boka got to the ball first, but his interception knocked the ball into the corner of his own net.

And although Mexico appeared to take its foot off the gas in the minutes following the opener, it had a second by the time the game was a half hour old. Under pressure, Ivory Coast fullback Jean Jaques Grosso played a long backpass, but instead of finding a teammate, the ball was charged down by Peralta, who blasted a shot into the high near corner to make it 2-0 in the 28th minute.

Trailing and thoroughly outplayed, the visitors resorted to increasingly physical play. New Swansea City signing Wilfried Bony was shown a yellow in the 31st minute, and Sol Bamba was lucky not to be sent off for an awful challenge on dos Santos shortly after.

Despite Mexico regularly carving open the Ivory Coast, including a penetrating run and shot from Angel Reyna that Barry could only parry out for a corner, the Elephants had a spell of threatening soccer near the end of the first, highlighted by a Mathis Bolly run that saw the Fortuna Dusseldorf winger skip past three black-clad defenders before a desperate rush from Mexico goalkeeper Jesus Corona conceded a corner.

It would not last however, as El Tri countered just before time to establish a commanding 3-0 lead. Reyna played dos Santos in down the right and his cross was met by the head of Peralta to cap a splendid opening period for the Santos Laguna man and Mexico.

Trailing so emphatically, the Ivory Coast introduced two of its big names during the interval, adding Drogba and Salomon Kalou. Despite the change, El Tri still held the upper hand, and threatened to turn the victory into a rout on 55 minutes, when Peralta was at the far post to tap home a Reyna cross, but the assistant referee correctly flagged the in-form striker for offside to prevent the hat trick.

Just as it took an official's decision to prevent Mexico's fourth, it took the intercession of the referee for the Ivory Coast to get on the board in the 62nd minute. Drogba fired a free kick into the wall, and referee David Gantar ruled quite harshly that Gerrardo Torrado had unfairly used his arm to block the ball. Drogba stepped up, sent Corona the wrong way, and buried his penalty in the low corner.

Angel Reyna added the final goal seconds before the end of normal time, collecting a cross at the far post and finishing well to help Mexico post an emphatic scoreline.

Mexico will look to carry its good form into competitive games, starting with a World Cup qualifier against Honduras on Sept. 6.

Premier League 2013-14 preview: Crystal Palace will entertain under Holloway

Crystal Palace have been at the top flight of revamped Premier League football before, four times, and in each case, all they suffered is ignominy. Surely, they cannot draw any such confidence looking back at their past history in the Premier League.

But, under Ian Holloway, there is a sense of optimism, this time around. Last time, when he was a Premier League manager with Blackpool, he earned plaudits for deploying a free-flowing, eye-catching and cavalier approach, despite his side getting relegated. And he will try to bring the same flair and approach with Palace too.

However, the task of surviving is not easy, having lost star winger Wilfried Zaha to Manchester United. The youngster, a product of the academy was the primary architect of Palace’s promotion last season. The task of survival is daunting, as Holloway will also be without the club’s top goal scorer Glenn Murray, who is out with a knee ligament injury until next year.

Holloway has described the summer as an “absolute nightmare” as he struggled to add sufficient bodies to his squad ahead of the new season.

“The market is absolutely crazy. You have a certain time to go shopping and you have to go shopping at the same time and everyone sees how much money you have.

“I have had to turn my phone off because it’s on meltdown. It’s an absolute nightmare but once you sift through it, using my 18 years of experience as a manager, we will get some good signings in. I might need five, six or even seven.”

In absence of Murray, Holloway will have to rest his hopes on veteran Kevin Phillips and new arrivals Jerome Thomas on a free transfer, £4.5 million rated Peterborough striker Dwight Gayle and Arsenal misfit Marouane Chamakh, who has signed a one-year-deal with the Eagles. Chamakh, was one of the hottest properties of Europe, when he was signed on free by Arsene Wenger, but has failed to live up to the expectations at the Emirates, and possibly this presents his last chance to represent a Premier League club.

However, if the reports are to be believed, Palace are looking to buy proven Premier League striker Darren Bent, to solve their goal scoring problems. Bent has had a frustrating time under Paul Lambert at Aston Villa and is desperate to move. Likewise, the London club are also being linked with a move for Manchester City’s winger Scott Sinclair, who would definitely bolster their squad to a huge extent.

Usually, defence remains the major suspect for any new teams and Palace are not exceptions. Palace have experience at the back but whether that can cope with the pace of the Premier League, is yet to be seen. Goal keeper Julian Speroni has been the epitome of consistency for the Eagles, serving the club for over nine-years, while at right-back Joel Ward looks an exciting prospect.

Holloway has added few familiar faces, picking up Stephen Dobie and Elliot Grandin, the ex-Blackpool boys and both would relish the opportunity that lies ahead. Likewise, a lot will depend on the performances of key players like midfielder Mile Jedinak, young Jose Campana from Spain and Wales international Jonathan Williams.

Playing in the Premier League is in itself a huge motivation and certainly the outspoken Holloway can lift the spirit of his players and prepare them to rise up to the challenge. However the question is, do they have the squad to survive? May be, the fifth attempt could prove to be a success.

Alba: Messi is priceless

Jordi Alba believes Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi is "priceless" and will be the world's best player for as long as he wishes.

Blaugrana president Sandro Rosell claimed earlier this summer that the Argentine ace would command a fee of around 580 million euros should any club attempt to pry him away from Camp Nou -- while also adding that he would never truly sell him -- and Alba has made it clear that the four time Ballon d'Or winner is out of reach for any potential suitor.

"We're talking about the best player in the world. For us, he doesn't have a price. He is No. 1. No player can stand up to him, and he'll continue being No. 1 for as long as he wants," Alba told Marca.

Real Madrid has been linked with a world-record bid for Tottenham star Gareth Bale in recent weeks, but Alba admits he has not seen enough of the player in action to comment on the proposed 115 million euro bid.

"If I'm honest, I haven't seen him play a lot, but I know he is a good footballer," Alba said. "In each case it depends on the needs of each team, what the club is willing to pay and what the other demands. Then time will tell if a player has been cheap or expensive."

Alba also praised new coach Gerardo Martino for the way he has taken to the role in the Barca dugout, admitting he is happy to work under those who shun the limelight.

"Barcelona has always had calm coaches," Alba said. "We are happy with Tata Martino, as with Tito Vilanova. He is a quiet coach who only wants to talk about football and what happens on the pitch."

"I don't think we're going to change our style nor our way of playing very much. The truth is I like how we play."

Suarez In No Mood For Liverpool Apology

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has no intention of apologising to the club over his recent conduct.

Manager Brendan Rodgers suggested on Saturday that there was no place for the Uruguayan in his first team plans unless he made amends for the “total disrespect” he felt the player had shown with his behaviour this summer.

But a report on Skysports indicates that an apology is not part of Suarez’s future plans, keeping the striker at loggerheads with the club.

The volatile forward has been made to train alone by Rodgers of late after expressing his desire to leave so publicly and accusing the Liverpool hierarchy of breaking promises to him about whether he could leave the club.

Rodgers is still adamant that the player will not be sold this summer, but if he refuses to apologise it remains to be seen if Liverpool will be happy to let a player they value at over £50m to rot in the reserves.

Suarez says Liverpool should let him leave

Luis Suarez on Tuesday accused Liverpool of breaking an agreement in his contract by refusing to let him leave Anfield, saying he had been promised permission to join another club if the Reds failed to reach the Champions League.

In his first public comments since Arsenal made a 40-million pound bid for the Uruguay striker, Suarez told British newspaper The Guardian on Tuesday that he is ready to take his case to the Premier League, and called on Liverpool to “honour our agreement.”

“Last year I had the opportunity to move to a big European club and I stayed on the understanding that if we failed to qualify for the Champions League the following season I’d be allowed to go,” Suarez was quoted as saying. “I gave absolutely everything last season but it was not enough to give us a top-four finish - now all I want is for Liverpool to honour our agreement.”

The comments will increase the pressure on Liverpool to reach a deal for the disgruntled player, and will likely boost Arsenal’s hopes of signing the kind of top-class attacking talent the club has been going after this offseason.

“They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that,” Suarez said. “And it is not just something verbal with the coach but something that is written in the contract. I’m not going to another club to hurt Liverpool.”

Suarez was left out of Liverpool’s squad for a preseason match in Norway because of a foot injury, and his comments were published hours later on The Guardian’s website.

Arsenal reportedly made the 40-million pound believing it triggered a release clause in Suarez’s contract, but Anfield officials have maintained that they are under no obligation to sell the player, and that his value is much higher.

Suarez accused Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers of going back on his promise by stating in public that he was planning for Suarez to stay at the club.

“I spoke with Brendan Rodgers several times and he told me: ‘Stay another season, and you have my word if we don’t make it then I will personally make sure that you can leave,”‘ Suarez said. “I just want them to abide by the promises made last season.”

Suarez has scored 51 goals in 96 games for Liverpool and was one of the best players in the league over the last two seasons. But his stint at Anfield has been marked by controversy, including a ban for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra and another lengthy suspension for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic toward the end of the last campaign.

“I’m 26. I need to be playing in the Champions League,” Suarez said. “I have to put my career first. People say Liverpool deserve more from me but I have scored 50 goals in less than 100 games and now they could double the money they paid for me.”

Neymar - Brazil's overrated star

Neymar during a pre-season friendly against his former club, Santos.

Neymar is certainly one of Brazil's most talented footballers, but is he THE most talented? The former Santos star truly produces moments of magic that many cannot, but how much of a presence is the South American starlet over a 90 minute match? Is his impact on an entire football match as large as - say Oscar's at Chelsea?

For the last couple of years, Neymar had been one of the most in-demand footballers in the world, until Barcelona FINALLY secured his signature for a staggering transfer fee of £48.6million. 

With 136 goals in 225 games for Santos, it was no surprise that so many teams wanted to 'break the bank' to land the young Brazilian.

But is this extreme admiration for Neymar over-shadowing impressive performances from the likes of Oscar, who may be even better than the former Santos star.

Oscar's record in terms of goals and assists may not be as impressive as Neymar's, but 44 goals and 35 assists in 148 games is still VERY impressive. One thing we can certainly debate is whether Oscar may actually be better than Neymar.

Neymar regularly disappears during games. The tantalising moments of magic he produces can often be deceitful towards people who gauge his performances based on these magical moments. 

Oscar, on the other hand, produced consistent minute-by-minute performances during his maiden season at Chelsea last season.

Despite these impressive performances, it seems as though football fans will not allow Oscar to step out of Neymar's shadow just yet. 

Oscar might continue to suffer from the same partial obscurity that Andres Iniesta suffers from when playing alongside Lionel Messi at Barcelona. 

Though it is still up for debate, having the opinion that Neymar is overrated is by no means idiotic, nor insane. For a matter-of-fact, there are many people that agree with the notion that the new Barcelona star is overrated, and they may very well be correct.

5 Secrets You Must Know About Sport Betting

Never put all of your eggs in one basket. That adage is true for life, for other types of investments and also true for sports betting. This is the underlying notion behind diversification. The truth remains that there is no sure way not to lose your shirt. Some people say, "trust your gut", but if you have a case of the bubbly guts, then they may not be too reliable. It is imperative to use common sense, and that always leads back to my first point; never put all of your eggs in one basket. However, I have some secrets that I only share with friends. These secrets will prove invaluable if you participate in sports betting, online betting, or gambling online. Good thing we are friends, check them out below.

1. Know your limits. While this is true in gambling, it is also true in sports betting. Knowing your limits is extended to your alcohol consumption. Make a rule, that you will not bet when you are drunk. Your perceptions are skewed, and you will be screwed.

2. Do your homework! Okay, so lets say USC always loses the last game in November. This year they are playing Alabama. Why would you waste you bet against Alabama since they are playing USC in the last game in November? If you hadn't done your homework you would!

3. Play with your disposable funds. Set up money that you can stand to lose. We always hear this rule from any expert in the field of stock market and foreign exchange. This is what you bet with, and you leave it at that. Developing a problem or getting into one can be very easy. But if you take this tip you wont ever have to worry about Big John's guys knocking on your door at 4 am.

4. No loyalty! This is tough one. You see I am a die hard FSU Seminole, if you cut me I will truthfully bleed garnet and gold. Take my word, one Friday night I tried. But no matter how much I love my alma mater, it shouldn't influence my decision to make a sound bet. I mean we are talking money. And the last time I checked FSU has made enough money on my undergrad.

5. Watch the props. I don't bet on these. They are side bets alternative to the final score. I do not bet on these... that often.

Manchester United transfer news: ‘Advanced talks’ for Ronaldo return; Rooney to remain?

It was only a matter of time before Gareth Bale’s much-mooted move to Real Madrid prompted the headlines linking Cristiano Ronaldo with an Old Trafford return.

And with the Spanish giants said to be in ongoing talks with Tottenham over the Welshman’s future, the Daily Star claims, in a “world exclusive”, that United and Real have been in talks of their own to bring Ronaldo back to Manchester...for the last 12 days.

Was that the business Ed Woodward left the club’s pre-season tour for? And is that why they are so open in their pursuit of Cesc Fabregas?

It certainly makes a degree of sense. The United faithful would welcome the Portuguese back at a moment’s notice. And his arrival would offset any disappointment felt at the loss of Wayne Rooney. Although they still shouldn’t sell the England forward to a domestic rival.

Similarly in Madrid, the arrival of one majestic forward would temper the fans' disapproval of the departure of another.

But financially, it makes a little less sense.

Can United really afford it?

Well perhaps they can if the Star’s claims are true – that Ronaldo’s United wages would be offset by American car company General Motors, who will reportedly make the 28-year-old their global ambassador.

Either way expect plenty more headlines in the coming days. And if it does prove to be true, with one swiftly-signed cheque all the doubts about Moyes’s clout in the transfer window will be instantly forgotten.

He may even be able to call on both Ronaldo and Rooney next season, with reports suggesting the England forward will see what the fan reaction is like before deciding if he wishes to remain at Old Trafford.

With friendlies against AIK Stockholm and Sevilla in the coming days, the reaction from the stands will show Rooney if he can win over United’s fans ...again.

Although with Moyes standing firm thus far, and with United publicly heralding his return against the Swedish side on Twitter, Rooney’s short-term future appears to be at Old Trafford, regardless of what the papers say.