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Manchester City in 6th, Aston Villa in 5th & both teams fully determined to achieve 4th place & the Champions League so this really should be an intense, competitive match & a tough one to call at that.
This match is pivotal to the entire battle for 4th place because victory for either side will keep their hopes of the Champions League alive but defeat will just about destroy all hopes so there are massive pressures on both sides in this must win but cannot lose match.

How the Manchester City & Aston Villa players handle that pressure will determine this match but deciding which side will handle it better is tough & really does make the entire game hard to call either way.

Manchester City have certainly struggled in recent weeks with disappointing results & performances so they will be desperate & motivated to bounce back while Aston Villa have been in excellent form in the last few weeks and will believe they can get a result so it’s going to be a real battle.

Given the massive pressures involved for both Man City & Aston Villa, a low scoring draw was a really tempting option & will certainly appeal to many punters but we are going to take a punt on home advantage being the key & tip the likes of Bellamy & Tevez to inspire Man City to a huge home win & destroy Aston Villa’s Champions League dreams.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match result: Man City to win

Correct Score options: Man City to win 2-0/2-1

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

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

Double Result: Man City H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

City will have been pleased to have gained a one hundred per cent record via three games that were all square at the interval. Villa did well to lead on four occasions but the visitors dropped five points in the second half when City generally ran riot. City only failed to find the net on one occasion in contrast to Villa who only scored two or more goals three times. City won six of the last seven contests whilst Villa have scored five in the last seven. Doubles: Manchester City 3—-Aston Villa

MARKET:

Manchester City: 8 wins–Draws: 2–Aston Villa: 2 wins (goal difference: 23-11)

MARKET: Correct Score

2 x 1-0, 2 x 2-0, 2 x 3-1

MARKET: First team to score

Manchester City: 9 —-Aston Villa: 3

MARKET: Even or odd total of goals:

Even: 8—-Odd: 4

With everything now done & dusted for both sides for this season with Birmingham City finishing a very solid season & Burnley already relegated, the only motivation for this match is professional pride which should at least produce a competitive contest.
Birmingham City have been absolutely rock solid at home this season & that impressive organisation & solidity is the reason why they have a great chance to finish 9th which is an incredible achievement for Alex McCleish & everybody connected to Birmingham City.

Pre-season favourites to go down, Birmingham City have responded to their critics in the best way possible by being committed, organised & by producing solid, consistent results and particularly at home where even the very best teams have struggled to get anything.

This match represents Birmingham City’s last opportunity to show their strength at home & indeed they come into this game desperately wanting to bounce back from the controversial defeat against local rivals Aston Villa last weekend & so we do expect the Birmingham City players to be pumped up for this one.

The one problem that has blighted Birmingham City all season & something that has to be addressed for next season is goalscoring & that does slightly temper confidence in them but the fact they are so defensively solid gives them the chance to edge a goal & hold on.

It is hard to know how Burnley will respond in this match after being thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool last weekend & being relegated in the process and how they respond will determine this match.

Brian Laws will want the Burnley players to give absolutely everything for the rest of the season & indeed will want to win but having only had 1 away win all season & conceded 50 away goals already makes it really tough to actually envisage Burnley doing anything in this match.

There is absolutely nothing riding on this match & that does make it dangerous to get involved in too seriously because anything is possible but Birmingham City have built their season on their impressive, solid home form & they look worth a bet to finish off a great season with another home win.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match result: Birmingham City to win

Correct Score options: Birmingham City to win 1-0/2-0

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Jerome/McFadden/Larsson

Scorecast options: Jerome/McFadden/Larsson score 1st & Birmingham City 1-0/2-0

Double Result: Birmingham City H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

This is a new fixture on the Premier League calendar. Burnley beat Birmingham 2-1 in the reverse fixture with all the goals being scored in the second half of the game. All time league record: Birmingham: 27–Draws: 18–Burnley: 38

MARKET:

N/A

MARKET: Correct Score

N/A

MARKET: First team to score

N/A

MARKET: Even or odd total of goals:

N/A

Portsmouth are relegated & waiting for the F.A. Cup Final in 2 weeks time while Wolves are safe so this game means absolutely nothing apart from professional pride & that might just help the players relax & produce a game worth watching.
Had this been the relegation battle that it could have been then we would have had this down as a drab, dull & lifeless match in which both teams would be desperate not to lose & end up cancelling each other out but now that could all be different & we expect the players of both sides to have a go.

Portsmouth deserve great credit for showing incredible fighting spirit to bounce back from 2-0 down away at Bolton to earn a 2-2 draw & Wolves once again showed their resilience by earning a 1-1 draw with Blackburn and both teams will be confident they can get something from what should be a really competitive match.

Portsmouth will want to give a show for their fans as it is likely to be their last Premier League home match for sometime while Wolves want to finish on a real high & give their travelling fans something to cheer a good, honest battle looks on the cards here.

The quality of football on show may well be fairly limited but neither Portsmouth or Wolves lack endeavour & commitment and they can both relax & play their game here so we are going to go for a scoring draw which looks a value play worth taking & one that both managers will be happy with.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match result: DRAW

Correct Score options: 1-1/2-2

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Piquionne/Boateng/Doyle

Scorecast options: Piquionne/Boateng/Doyle score 1st & 1-1/2-2

Double Result: DRAW H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

The only Premier fixture to date ended in stalemate back in January 2004. Portsmouth scored the only goal of the game (on nineteen minutes) in the reverse fixture earlier this season. All time league record: Portsmouth 25–Draws: 24–Wolves: 34

MARKET:

Portsmouth: No wins–Draws: 1–Wolves: No wins (goal difference: 0-0)

MARKET: Correct Score

1 x 0-0

MARKET: First team to score

Portsmouth: 0 —-Wolves: 0 ( 1 x 0-0 draw)

MARKET: Even or odd total of goals:

Even: 1—-Odd: 0

Stoke City have a theoretical chance of finishing 9th & earning themselves another

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

The only Premier fixture to date ended in a 2-3 score-line last year, the visitors having led 0-1 at the interval. The teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture earlier this season. All time league record: Stoke 27–Draws: 28–Everton: 52

MARKET:

Stoke: No wins–Draws: 0–Everton: 1 win (goal difference: 2-3)

MARKET: Correct Score

1 x 2-3

MARKET: First team to score

Stoke: 0 —-Everton: 1

MARKET: Even or odd total of goals:

Even: 0—-Odd: 1

Tottenham are chasing 4th place & the Champions League, Bolton are safe & nothing to play for and so that should decide this match.
Sounds simplistic & probably dismissive of Bolton but the bookmakers offers of 1/4 for Tottenham to win this suggest we are spot on & that Bolton have little hope in this one as Tottenham chase the dream that is very close to becoming reality.

In their last two home matches, Tottenham were way too strong & good for both Arsenal & Chelsea so they will have no fear about facing a Bolton side whom they beat 4-0 in the F.A. Cup.

Harry Redknapp has done a fantastic job at Tottenham & achieving 4th place & the Champions League would be an incredible achievement given they were bottom when he took over last year & to be fair to Tottenham they do deserve to finish 4th having been there so long.

Owen Coyle has achieved his first task of keeping Bolton safe & that now gives him the opportunity to get the players he wants & get Bolton playing the way he wants to play but in terms of this season, their work looks finished & it is hard to envisage them to doing too much here.

Tottenham have to win this match & we think they are an absolutely rock solid bet to do so with Defoe & Crouch looking for the goals that will cement their place at the World Cup and they can guide Tottenham towards another massive three points here.

Betting Recommendations:

Outright Match result: Tottenham to win

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

First Goalscorer each way/Player to score anytime: Defoe/Crouch/Modric

Scorecast options: Defoe/Crouch/Modric score 1st & Tottenham win 2-0/3-0

Double Result: Tottenham H/T & F/T

The match stats below are compiled with major football betting markets in mind. They are presented as facts without recommendation, allowing you to spot trends and decide whether they have relevance as betting opportunities. Click any ‘Bet Now’ button to see a bet slip from that bookmaker.

NARRATIVE:

Tottenham have only failed to score on one occasion whilst Bolton turned both of their victories into