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Little did we realise that when Arsenal netted six times at Goodison Park on the opening weekend of the season, the Gunners would be setting the precident for a goal spree in the Premier League this season! Seven goals have been scored on another three occasions already this term, and bookmakers are moaning about the absence of drawn games (4/66) as you might expect.

This is a time for punters to cash in as layers will surely not allow investors to run riot as has seemingly been the case this season. With the bookmakers offer an average of 5/2 about a stalemate, why should punters be attracted to a price which represents no value whatsoever, given the statistical price of 16/1 which should be in place?

We are aware that this ratio will end sooner rather than later and that bookmakers will never construct odds on current form as they do relating to horse racing, but whilst the layers moan instead of ’rounding up’ their books, punters should make hay whilst the ‘Indian Summer’ continues.

Bookmakers should be enticing customers to play the draw, rather than bemoan results when things do not go the way of the layer. As an ex-bookmaker myself, I would offer enhanced odds about ‘coupled scorelines’ at present, especially when a massive match such as Sunday’s encounter between Chelsea and Liverpool is on the horizon.

The price for a 1-1 draw might be around the 11/2 mark in an ‘orrdinary’ season, whilst 12/1 would be on offer about a 2-2 score-line. The coupled odds for such prices is 100/30 but in the current climate I would be shoutiung 7/2 from the rooftops, or do I hear 4/1 in a place? Layers are stuck in a routine which does not offer punters an edge as a rule, but the current climate of results offers punters hope while bookmakers moan rather than act.

I have long suggested that neutral clients should be offered enhanced prices when playing the correct score market. Instead of offering 11/2 about Chelsea winning 1-0 and 6/1 Liverpool succeeding via the same score-line, offer 5/2 about either scenario which effectively gives punters an additional edge of 2.2% of the market.

For the record here are the stats and relevant prices (before potential margins are added) relating to the results this season leading up to this weekend.

Result

Home wins: 37 (4/5)

Draws: 4 (16/1)

Away wins: 25 (13/8)

It’s worth noting that via the unusual run of results so far this term, three of the top seven teams have scored more goals away from home than they have managed in front of their own fans.

Correct Scores

(prices rounded up to nearest general odds):

2-1 score-line: 9 times (13/2)

1-0: 8 (7/1)

0-1: 8 (7/1)

0-2: 5 (12/1)

3-1: 4 (16/1)

2-0: 3 (22/1)

3-0: 3 (22/1)

4-0: 3 (22/1)

1-2: 3 (22/1)

1-3: 3 (22/1)

2-3: 3 (22/1)

0-0: 2 (33/1)

1-1: 2 (33/1)

The other ten score-lines represent a collective price of 11/2.

Number of goals scored in the 66 games to date:

1 goal: 16 times (16/5)

3: 15 (7/2)

2: 10 (11/2)

4: 10 (11/2)

5: 7 (17/2)

7: 4 (16/1)

0: 2 (33/1)

6: 2 (33/1)

A fascinating clash of European giants in prospect with both Bayern Munich & Juventus proud holders of fantastic success & history in this great competition.

This match is important to both Bayern Munich & Juventus because a positive result is vital to both team

We really do like the prospects of this clash between two famous clubs with proud European traditions & quality football should certainly be the order of the day in this match.

Fiorentina enjoyed a good spell in the Champions League a few years back & after a quiet period in their history, they have started to progress again in the last year or so, which culminated with their qualification for the Champions League group stages.

The season has started well for Fiorentina with 4 wins & only 1 defeat in their first 6 league games while they also secured an excellent draw away at Lyon, so they clearly warrant respect here.

Fiorentina will know they face a tough task against a Liverpool side in great form, but they possess talent of their own & particularly in attacking departments with the likes of experienced performers such as Gilardino, Adrian Mutu & perhaps most interestingly the young & very exciting Stevan Jovetic.

Stevan Jovetic does look an exciting prospect for the future & will improve, but he already looks a real talent who will pose a goal threat with his eye for goal & excellent technical ability.

Liverpool did have a very shaky start to the season with 2 defeats in their first 3 league games but they have now hit top form winning games & scoring lots of goals in the process.

The key inspiration behind their improved form is of course the supremely talented duo of Fernando Torres & Steven Gerrard and we expect those two players to be vital to Liverpool again in this game.

Liverpool will be confident going into this game given their impressive attacking performances, but perhaps the most important aspect on the night will be the strength of their defence & they will have to be on their guard against the likes of Mutu & Jovetic.

The Fiorentina fans will want to generate an atmosphere to inspire their players against the obvious quality & threat of Liverpool & we expect an entertaining game given the current form of both sides & on that basis we feel that a competitive, scoring draw could well be the value bet in this match.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Draw

Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Jovetic/Torres/Gerrard

Scorecast options: Jovetic/Torres/Gerrard score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: Draw Half Time & Full Time

Scottish Champions Rangers welcome top La Liga side Sevilla to Ibrox in what should prove to be a very interesting Group G game & certainly one that is important to both sides.

Rangers started their Group G campaign with an excellent result & performance to get a 1-1 draw away at Stuttgart, so they will be looking to build on that here.

Rangers manager Walter Smith knows that home games are the key in the Champions League & he will want the Rangers players give their all in this game as 3 points against group favourites Sevilla would be a massive result & give them a major chance of qualifying.

Rangers are strong at home & will certainly set out to be compact & solid against a very talented Sevilla side but clearly they come into this game with a few issues in terms of form & confidence given they have had 3 consecutive 0-0 draws in the League.

That failure to either score or win what were expected to be comfortable victories must have had a big impact on the confidence & belief of the Rangers squad, so they will have to turn around to have a chance against Sevilla.

Sevilla are an excellent side full of top quality players & they will come to Ibrox with belief & confidence they can get the win.

Sevilla have had an excellent start to their season & are in winning form now having won their last 3 league games scoring 8 goals & conceding 0 including a very impressive 4-0 away win on Saturday.

The key strength of Sevilla is the depth in quality they have & particularly in attacking areas with the likes of Kanoute, Negredo, Renato, Capel & Fabiano all more than capable of winning a game on their own. That combination of players will present a major threat to Rangers.

The atmosphere at Ibrox will be fantastic as it always is for these big European nights & that will inspire Rangers to play better than they have been doing in the SPL, but we have respect for the quality of Sevilla & feel they are a cracking bet to get the away win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Sevilla to win

Correct score options: Sevilla to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Fabiano/Negredo/Kanoute

Scorecast options: Fabiano/Negredo/Kanoute score 1st & Sevilla win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Sevilla Half Time & Full Time

Very interesting clash in prospect here with Champions League group stage new boys Debrecen taking on Lyon who have a proven experience at the highest level.

The fact this is Debrecen’s first home game at Group stage level is fascinating & should ensure a good atmosphere within the ground on the night & that could well help to make this a very entertaining game.

Debrecen were widely expected to get thrashed by Liverpool at Anfield in their 1st game but that did not happen because Debrecen played with a good level of confidence & they certainly believed they could play at this level.

Debrecen do not appear to possess any players of outstanding quality, but what they did do very well was to maintain high energy levels throughout the game which made it hard for Liverpool & we expect them to try the same approach against Lyon.

Lyon have been very consistent at this level in recent years & will again strongly fancy their own chances of qualifying from this group so this is a very important game to them.

Lyon were held 1-1 at home by Fiorentina in the first leg & that increases the importance of getting good results away & they will target this game against Debrecen as entirely achievable 3 points.

We do expect Debrecen to have a real go in this game in front of their own fans in what is probably their biggest game for sometime so that should set the game up to be very entertaining given Lyon’s preference for positive, attacking football.

Lyon have a definite edge in terms of class & quality within their squad with the likes of Gomis, Jeremy Toulalan & Lisandro capable of moments of brilliance & we feel that Lyon look a very fair price & solid bet to get the away win here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Lyon to win

Correct Score options: Lyon to win 2-1/3-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Toulalan/Lisandro/Gomis

Scorecast options: Toulalan/Lisandro/Gomis score 1st & Lyon win 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Lyon Half Time & Full Time

This game has been selected for the Monday night TV cameras & it is easy to see why; with the positive football philosophy of both teams, the prospects are certainly high for an entertaining game.

Manchester City have been involved in some intense, high drama games recently & they will certainly come into this game feeling they have a point to prove and points to gain.

Manchester City have produced two good performances recently in their excellent 4-2 win against Arsenal & then of course that amazing Manchester derby which United won 4-3 with a last gasp goal.

That late goal although perfectly legal & timed correctly, understandably caused anger & frustration within the Manchester City squad. but what they must focus on is the many positives they displayed in that game.

Manchester City displayed quality, character, determination & self belief and although 2 of the goals where huge defensive mistakes, Manchester City should be pleased by the way they fought back 3 times to level that match.

Manchester City where strong & impressive at home last season and they look likely to be even stronger this season & this game against West Ham is the perfect opportunity to go for another home win.

The level of quality in attack is what will drive Manchester City forward this season & this game will provide the added spice of Craig Bellamy & Carlos Tevez playing against their former team. Don’t be surprised if they have a major impact on this game.

West Ham United come into this game with their season already looking likely to be entertaining, but inconsistent with a mix of good performances but ultimately poor results.

Gianfranco Zola firmly believes in positive, passing football & West Ham go into all their games determined to play that way, which is entertaining but equally makes them more vulnerable to teams with more quality.

West Ham played well against Liverpool on Saturday showing good quality & commitment but ultimately the extra attacking quality of Liverpool was the deciding factor & that could be case in this game.

West Ham have got quality players with Scott Parker, Carlton Cole & Mark Noble all capable of making an impact on the game but their weakness does appear to be in defence where they lack pace & that must be a big concern against the likes of Tevez, Bellamy & Wright-Phillips.

This match has got the potential to be the most entertaining in the Premier League this weekend given how both Manchester City & West Ham United enjoy playing their football.

West Ham United will play their part as they did against Liverpool but Manchester City have the motivation, home advantage & a clear edge in terms of attacking quality with Tevez, Bellamy & Wright-Phillips all looking to get the goals that give Man City the win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Manchester City to win

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Correct Score options: Manchester City to win 2-0/3-0

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First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime options: Tevez/Bellamy/Wright-Phillips

Scorecast options:Tevez/Bellamy/Wright-Phillips score 1st & Man City to win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Man City Half Time & Full Time

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This is an interesting match between teams which have both impressed & disappointed in equal measure so far this season.

Sunderland & Wolves come into this game with similarly inconsistent records in the league with Sunderland having 3 wins & 3 defeats and Wolves 2 wins, 1 draw & 3 defeats, which only serves to make this game harder to predict with confidence.

Having only just avoided relegation last season, Sunderland have very clear ambitions to progress this season & in taking over the management, Steve Bruce displays confidence & determination to build a quality squad.

Steve Bruce has strengthened the Sunderland squad with the signings of Lee Cattermole, Frazier Campbell, Michael Turner & most importantly Darren Bent who has already proven to be a prolific goal threat which is something Sunderland lacked last season.

The fact Steve Bruce has signed so many players does mean the squad is developing all the time & that is probably the reason for their inconsistency of results, but all of their performances have offered promise of what will come in time.

Steve Bruce said when he took over that a key aim of his was to make The Stadium of Light become a fortress because he knows home form & home wins are vital for any club & manager, so we expect Sunderland to be adopt a positive approach in this match & look to dominate Wolves.

The return of Mick McCarthy to the club he once managed will add some spice for the Sunderland fans, but that won’t concern Mick McCarthy himself & he will be intent on trying to get a positive result for Wolves.

Wolves have had a mixed start with bad results against West Ham & Blackburn, but also excellent wins against Wigan & Fulham and their positive style of play has been entertaining to watch.

The problem Mick McCarthy has is that he knows the Wolves squad is lacking in real top quality & particularly in defensive areas and that is something they will have to work on if they are to survive.

We expect this game to provide good quality football & entertainment because both Sunderland & Wolves will be determined to go for a positive result & we are taking the view that home advantage could be a massive factor. Sunderland look a solid bet to get the three points with Darren Bent a strong contender for goals once again.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Sunderland to win

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Correct Score options: Sunderland to win 2-1/3-1

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First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime options: Bent/Kenwyn Jones/Malbranque

Scorecast options: Bent/Kenwyn Jones/Malbranque score 1st & Sunderland 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Sunderland Half Time & Full Time

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We made the point about Liverpool vs Hull City being the biggest mis-match of the day in Premier League and we have to say Wigan vs Chelsea is not far behind given the obvious differences in terms of quality & form.

Wigan are a fantastic club & fully deserve their current Premier League status, but given how inconsistently they have started this season there has to be major fears that their stay in the Premier League is in real danger this season.

Roberto Martinez has taken over from Steve Bruce who did a great job, but towards the end of last season Wigan started to lose their focus & consistency and it appears as though that has carried on into this season.

Roberto Martinez has come in with a fresh approach to playing positive football which is to be commended, but in doing so Wigan have become more defensively fragile & their previous strengths of physical endeavour & commitment have diminished.

We expect Wigan to attempt to play positive football in this match but they will also have to be defensively solid otherwise Chelsea will take advantage of that.

Chelsea come into this match in the best possible form & confidence with 6 wins from 6 in the league, playing excellent football & scoring goals with all the squad looking in good form & extremely confident.

Carlo Ancelotti has clearly had a positive impact on the Chelsea squad & the whole team unit is playing well together with the major influences such as Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack & Didier Drogba all hitting top form.

Chelsea are supreme away from home & they will view this game as one they can control & win & given their current form we cannot argue with that.

Shocks do occur in football & Wigan getting a win or even any positive result would be a big shock here, but we cannot see that happening this time given Wigan’s poor record against the big sides.

Chelsea just look too strong, powerful & have too much quality for Wigan to cope with at present & look an absolutely rock solid bet to win this comfortably.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Chelsea to win

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Correct Score options: Chelsea to win 0-2/0-3

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First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime options: Lampard/Terry/Anelka

Scorecast options: Drogba/Lampard score 1st & Chelsea win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Chelsea Half Time & Full Time

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We like the prospect of this game with both Harry Redknapp & Owen Coyle intent on playing positive, attacking football providing plenty of entertainment & goals.

This is an important league match for Harry Redknapp & his players because they need to bounce back from back to back defeats against Manchester United & Chelsea.

Losing to Manchester United & Chelsea is clearly not a disaster, but team confidence is affected by defeats so it is important for them to get straight back on the winning trail.

Tottenham come into this game with defensive problems which is a cause for concern, but equally they have enough quality in midfield & attack to force themselves on their opponents and take the pressure of the defence.

Tottenham have been very strong at home in the league in the last year or so & they will come into this game looking to be positive from the start against a Burnley side who have suffered 3 defeats away from home & concended 9 goals.

Tottenham’s key strength is their quality & pace in attack with Aaron Lennon & Jermaine Defoe likely to be dangers to a Burnley defence which appear to lack pace & agility.

Owen Coyle is a positive manager as Burnley are a positive team, proven by the fact they have already won 3 games in the Premier League & they look to have the belief they can stay up this season. However, those 3 wins have all come at home & Burnley have 3 heavy away defeats to their name already. This must be a concern for them going into this match.

We expect this game to be a cracker that should see plenty of chances, but in our view Tottenham have a clear advantage in attacking quality & Defoe & Lennon can inspire Tottenham to a home win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Tottenham to win

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Correct Score options: Tottenham to win 3-1/4-1

football|tottenham-hotspur-v-burnley|correct-score|3-1

football|tottenham-hotspur-v-burnley|correct-score|4-1

First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime options: Defoe/Keane/Jenas

Scorecast options: Defoe/Keane/Jenas score 1st & Tottenham 2-1/3-1

Double Result: Tottenham Half Time & Full Time

football|tottenham-hotspur-v-burnley|half-time-full-time|tottenhamtottenham

Stoke City vs Manchester United:

Due to the massive profile of Manchester United, the focus of the media is likely to be solely on them & given what happened in the Manchester derby that is understandable. It would be dangerous, however, to dismiss Stoke City in this fixture & it is not the foregone conclusion many people will believe it to be.

This fixture brings together two sides which are vastly different in terms of their tactical approach to games & the quality of their squads.

Stoke City has been very successful under Tony Pulis, the highlight being the achievement of comfortably surviving in the Premier League last season.

Tony Pulis is a manager who knows exactly what his players can do & he knows exactly how he wants to set his teams up & his ability to give the players belief & confidence enables them to give their best week in, week out.

Tony Pulis will never claim to be a tactical genius, but he has developed a team system that gets results & especially at home, which is key for any side & even more so for Stoke City with the incredible atmosphere their fans produce.

Stoke City will know they can’t outplay Manchester United in terms of flowing football but their strong, direct, physical approach & competitive spirit will cause Manchester United problems.

Manchester United have looked more casual & vulnerable in defensive areas this year & we full expect Stoke City to look to exploit that. The fact that Stoke City now has options up front in Beattie, Fuller & Kitson, all capable of providing a goal threat to go along with those strong in the air such as Faye & Shawcross, is an important fact in their favour.

For Manchester United, this game presents something of a climb down after the excitement & drama of the 4-3 win over Manchester City, so the attitude of the Manchester United players will be key in this game.

Alex Ferguson will be fully aware of the strengths of Stoke City and that Manchester United will have to eradicate all of the defensive mistakes that enabled Manchester City to score 2 of their 3 goals on Sunday.

Key for Manchester United will be how they cope defensively against the aerial threat of Stoke City & particularly Ben Foster who has looked nervous in goal in recent games.

Many people will view this as a certain away victory, but Stoke city are strong at home & their record here against the big teams is not that bad; none of the big 4 have found it comfortable playing at the Britannia Stadium & we believe there is betting value to believe that can happen again here.

Stoke City players & fans will be up for this match & will take heart from what Burnley did at home against United & our view is that Stoke City certainly have the capacity to make life tough for Manchester United in this game.

We were tempted by the odds for a Stoke City win, but it is hard to totally oppose Manchester United given their excellent form & so we are going to take a punt on Stoke City having enough to fight for a draw at value odds.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match Betting: Draw

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Correct score options: 1-1/2-2

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First goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Fuller/Kitson/Shawcross

Scorecast options: Fuller/Kitson/Shawcross score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: Stoke City Half Time & Draw Full Time

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