A betting preview with tips for the English Premier League matches taking place on Sunday 8th March including Chelsea v Everton and the Manchester derby at Old Trafford
Chelsea v Everton
Chelsea remain in fourth position in the standings but Wolves, home to Brighton earlier in the weekend could join them on 45 points as could could Manchester United who host City later on Sunday (see below). Throw in the likes of Spurs and Sheffield United and improving Arsenal who are also not too far away and the race for a top 4 finish is getting increasingly interesting.
In their last 6 league games Chelsea have won 1, drawn 3 and lost 2. That sole recent 3 point haul came in a home fixture which saw Spurs beaten 2-1 but Manchester United won 2-0 here last month and January's visit from Arsenal ended in a 2-2 draw. Chelsea did beat Liverpool in the FA Cup here in midweek but their Premier League home record is just the tenth best in the top flight.
Everton are 8 points behind Chelsea and a decent sequence of results in the early part of the year has been dented by a 3-2 defeat at Arsenal and last week's 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United. The trend in recent Everton games is for both sides to score, an outcome which has arrived in 8 of their last 9 league games.
The first meeting this season took place in early December and Everton were 3-1 winners at Goodison.
Verdict:
Chelsea have been a bit too inconsistent for me of late and whilst this is a speculative play for a small stake I'm going with Everton to find the net at least twice.
Bet: Away team goals over 1.5 at 19/10
Man United v Man City
United were due to play an FA Cup fifth round tie at Derby after this preview was published but it's their Premier League form which is more relevance here. One eye may well be on how Chelsea get on in the above match which could open the door for United to close the gap to the top 4. United have won half of their 14 home games, drawing 5 and Palace and Burnley are the teams to have taken 3 points from their respective visits to Old Trafford. Recent form includes wins at Chelsea (2-0) and at home to Watford (3-0) either side of draws at home to Wolves (0-0) and most recently away to Everton (1-1).
City picked up the League Cup last week, beating Villa 2-1 at Wembley and in midweek they made further progress in the FA Cup with a 1-0 win away to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. They are well placed to reach the Champions League quarter finals later this month. City now return to league action and despite Liverpool's slip at Watford last week they still finished the round 22 points behind the league leaders with just 1 game in hand.
City have lost 4 times away from home this season but they did beat United in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi final on this ground, running out 3-1 winners on the night. United won the return at the The Etihad 1-0 but City went through on aggregate.
The first Premier League meeting this season also saw United win at The Etihad, this time by a 2-1 scoreline. Interestingly 6 of the last 7 Manchester derby matches (league or cup) have been won the team playing away from home.
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Verdict:
Knockout football is City's forte from now until the end of the season although this derby clash may bring out the best in them and if they are on top form they will be very hard for United to shackle.
That said I'm open minded about this one as United have put in some useful shifts since Bruno Fernandes joined.
I'm playing the anytime scorer markets with Fernandes for United and De Bruyne, who has had a break, getting the vote for City.
Bet: Anytime goalscorer picks De Bruyne at 5/2
Bruno Fernandes at 3/1
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