Battle of the Strikers on the Cards at Anfield - Betting News with Betfred

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It is a clash of two teams aiming high and somewhat underachieving when Liverpool take on Manchester City on Monday night at Anfield.

Roberto Mancini's side had Premier League title aspirations, but are looking off the pace although they still look set for a respectable top four finish. They also have a Manchester derby to look forward to on the 16th April - the prize, a place in this seasons FA Cup final.

Both are something Liverpool fans would sell their souls to the devil for this season, but another season of Thursday night Channel Five action in the Europa League seems the best they can hope for.

Kenny Dalglish has been dealt a triple blow this week after defenders Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson were injured at The Hawthorns last weekend.

Centre-back Agger picked up a knee problem that has ended his season, while Johnson injured his hamstring, sidelining the right-back out for at least a month.

To add to Dalglish's woes it has been confirmed that captain Steven Gerrard has been ruled out for the rest of the season after failing to fully recover following a groin operation.

The absence of that trio comes at the worst possible time for 'The Reds' in their chase for a Europa League spot, as they take on the multi-million pound attacking talent City (15/8 to win the game, 11/5 the draw) have at their disposal.

Liverpool (6/4 to win the game with Betfred) have only lost twice at Anfield this season and need to bounce back from that 2-1 defeat at West Brom last weekend.

Their home form has been the backbone of their campaign and will remain key if they are to make up the five-point gap they have to fifth-placed Tottenham and the weekend Premier League betting suggests this will be a massive game.

Last time out in their 5-0 thrashing of Sunderland, Roberto Mancini named Adam Johnson, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez (11/2 to be first goal scorer) in his attacking line-up, and even had the luxury of Edin Dzeko and Shaun Wright-Philips on the bench.

The side now look solid Premier League tips for a top four finish, and if results go their way they could even end up the season as Premier League runners-up.

With Liverpool's new strike force of Andy Carroll (11/2 to score the first goal) and Luis Suarez, along with City's forward prowess, it has all the makings of goalscoring bonanza!

My Tip of the Week:

This should be an action-packed game between two attacking sides, so the 11/10 with Betfred for there to be over 2.5 goals in the game looks like a good option, while the 11/8 for Luis Suarez to score at anytime is also appealing.

Monday 11th April: Liverpool v Manchester City, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Sven has a point to prove to City - FA Cup Betting News with Betfred

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Sven Göran-Eriksson welcomes his former club Manchester City to the Walkers Stadium for an FA Cup third round tie this weekend, looking to get one over on the team that sacked him.

The Swede was the last manager to lead City to the top of the Premier League during his one season in charge at Eastlands. The club cruelly axed him and that was followed by ill-fated stints at Mexico and Notts County before he arrived at Championship side Leicester City earlier this season.

The Premier League club will undoubtedly go into this FA Cup clash as favourites, and are 4/6 in the football betting to get the victory, but Eriksson has yet to taste defeat at the Walkers Stadium during his time in charge.

He has worked to bring in some experienced Premier League performers to Leicester, with striker Darius Vassell (8/1 to score the first goal) also set to line-up against his former employers on Saturday.

City's millionaires are riding high in the Premier League but there are certainly tensions bubbling under the surface at Eastlands and Roberto Mancini has to work very hard to keep tensions under wraps and the training ground a happy place.

Silverware would be welcomed with open arms at Eastlands this season and the club's hierarchy may see the FA Cup as a great chance for the club to get some glory. But it will be interesting to see what side Mancini puts out at Leicester, with the Championship side priced as 9/2 outsiders with Betfred.

The football predictions suggest the home side don't stand a chance, but City have already suffered something of an upset at the hands of West Brom in the Carling Cup this season.

That said even a City reserve side would be expected to steamroller over their Championship opposition. However Leicester are a transformed side under Eriksson, and the Swede will certainly be looking to prove a point to his former employers, who dismissed him in June 2008.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Leicester are a dangerous force at Walkers Stadium and 11/4 for the Championship side to shock their Premier League opponents and get a draw looks a real prospect.
The 6/1 on offer with Betfred that the game ends 1-1 looks appealing.
Also Foxes' top scorer Andy King is a tasty 11/1 to open the scoring on Sunday, and add to the nine goals he has already netted this season.

Sunday 9th January: Leicester City v Manchester City, kick-off 4pm, live on ESPN.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Pardew out to inflict a 'Blue Christmas' on Mancini - Betting News with Betfred

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Alan Pardew could take another massive step in getting the Toon faithful on his side if his Newcastle team can beat Premier League high flyers Manchester City on Boxing Day.

The former West Ham and Southampton boss was not the favoured choice to take over the reigns at St James' Park following the dismissal of Chris Hughton, but in his first game in charge he engineered a 3-1 win over Liverpool. Their game against Birmingham was postponed last weekend due to the snow, so he will have benefited more an extended period in training with his new troops and Newcastle United are 12/5 in the football betting to get the victory.

Roberto Mancini must have hoped City's game had also fallen foul of the weather as he watched his team go down 2-1 to Everton on Monday night. With none of City's rivals for the Premier League title playing, they missed an opportunity to go top of the pile and crank up the pressure on Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.

For Pardew it was Newcastle's big players in the shape of Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and new England striker Andy Carroll (11/2 to be first goalscorer against City) - that inspired them to the victory over Anfield, and the boss has been busy refuting suggestions the Newcastle number nine could be out of St James' Park in the New Year.

Despite all the turmoil within in the City camp, there is no doubting the quality and potential there is among the squad - and the Premier League betting makes them 5/4 to win the game.

The outcome of this match is going to hinge on how Newcastle's big players step up on Boxing Day. Nolan, Barton and Carroll, along with their central defensive pairing of Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson will all need to be on tip-top form if Newcastle are to bag all three points.

But Mancini will have instilled in his team the importance of bouncing back from their loss to Everton, and games such as this are ones City should win if they truly consider themselves as contenders to win the Premier League title.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Newcastle should provide a stern test for City and the 23/10 with Betfred for the match to be drawn looks a good option.
Also Carlos Tevez is 4/1 to get the first goal, and he will be a real danger for a Toon defence that on average has conceded more than a goal a game at home this season.
Manchester City are the Premier League's top scorers away from home, so City's goal threat combined with Newcastle's leaky defence makes the 10/11 on offer that there will be a total of 2-3 goals in the game appealing.

Sunday 26th December: Newcastle v Manchester City, kick-off 3pm.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Can The City Top Four Machine Keep On Rolling - Betting News with Betfred

VERSUS

Manchester City put themselves in pole position for Champions League qualification last weekend and need to continue that form this weekend when they face Birmingham City.

Last Saturday's demolition of Burnley, coupled with Spurs' loss to Sunderland, mean City now occupy fourth spot with six games to go, and have a one-point lead over their North London rivals.

Roberto Mancini's side do not have an easy task this weekend when they face ninth-place Birmingham City, who are a much improved side, but are not well-fancied to spring a surprise. Alex McLeish's men can be backed at odds of 7/1 to take all three points. The draw is available at 7/2 with Betfred.

The Italian manager has called on his players to continue their top form over the coming weeks to ensure they finish in the Premier League top four at the end of the season, and City are now favourites at 5/6 in the football betting to bag the last Champions League place.

"It's more important that we finish well this season, and we must concentrate 100 per cent to get fourth place because we have six games that are very difficult," Mancini said.

Those last six matches for Manchester City include a local derby with Manchester United, a trip to third-placed Arsenal, and games against Aston Villa and Spurs at Eastlands - so it looks like a very tough run-in.

One City player who won't be available for the next month or so is Joleon Lescott, who has a hamstring injury and could be out of action until May as a result. The lay-off could hamper his chances of appearing in the 2010 Football World Cup .


My Tip Of The Weekend:
City are on fire going forward, as shown by the 6-1 thrashing of Burnley last week, and with home advantage as well, my tip is a comfortable 3-0 win to Mancini's men which can be backed @ 8/1 with Betfred - Sunday 11th April, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)