Get the best bets from our football experts for the pick of the action in the Premier League, the Championship, Serie A and the Bundesliga where it’s Der Klassiker…
Arsenal 2.1411/10 v Man Utd 3.7511/4, the Draw 3.65
12:30
Live on BT Sport 1
Arsenal should be buzzing after their win at Stamford Bridge in midweek while United need to rally after their humbling at Anfield.
Tom Victor says: “Arsenal’s midweek win at Chelsea may have been unexpected but it wasn’t undeserved, and the Gunners now have a chance to put the league’s best home record outside the top two to good use.
Mikel Arteta’s side are averaging just 0.98 xGA at the Emirates Stadium, and should feel they can shut out a United side who posted just 0.12 xGF in their humbling midweek loss at Anfield.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Tom’s bet:
Luton Town 1.9420/21 v Blackpool 4.47/2, the Draw 3.65
12:30
Live on Sky Sports Main Event
Luton look to consolidate their position in the play-off positions when they welcome Blackpool to Kenilworth Road in Saturday’s early televised match in the Championship.
Mark O’Haire says: “Luton have enjoyed reasonable supremacy when meeting Blackpool over their last 11 league match-ups. The Hatters have returned W7-D3-L1 in head-to-head encounters going back to 2003 with the Bedfordshire boys also running out impressive 3-0 victors when the two teams crossed swords at Bloomfield Road back in December’s most recent contest.
“Only Nottingham Forest boast a better points return than Luton 1.834/5 since the start of December. The Hatters have claimed W14-D4-L5 in their last 23 Championship fixtures, whilst recording 10 clean sheets along the way. However, Town have also claimed W16-D4-L6 from fixtures against sides outside the top-10, with 12 of those 16 triumphs to nil.
“Blackpool 4.804/1 have quite convincingly taken the honours of top promoted club in the Championship this campaign. The Seasiders recovered from a slow transition period and have since tabled W15-D9-L13 across their last 36 outings, a run that began after September’s international break. Yet the guests have claimed just four away wins all season.”
Mark’s bet:
FC Koln 1.574/7 v Arminia Bielefeld 6.86/1, the Draw 4.57/2
14:30
Live on Betfair Live Video
Arminia Bielefeld have changed their coach but it’s unlikely all of their problems will magically disappear in Cologne this weekend.
Kevin Hatchard says: “Arminia Bielefeld have kicked out coach Frank Kramer with four matches left, and the team in the automatic relegation zone. Kramer steadied the ship midway through last season, and while his football was routinely dull, it was at least largely effective considering the limited players at his disposal. Bielefeld only avoided the drop on the final day of last season, thanks to a nail-biting win at Stuttgart.
“They have collected a solitary point from the last seven matches, and they have scored just one goal in that time. Indeed, goalscoring has been a problem since Arminia came into the league, with the club averaging well below a goal a game in the Bundesliga since the start of last season…
“Kramer has been replaced by long-serving goalkeeping coach Marco Kostmann, who has been credited with developing Stefan Ortega into one of the league’s best keepers. However, it’s tough to see Arminia picking up points away to a Köln team chasing Europe that is on a high after back-to-back wins against Mainz and Borussia Mönchengladbach.”
Kevin’s bet:
Norwich 3.814/5 v Newcastle 2.166/5, the Draw 3.55
15:00
Newcastle look safe but, although Norwich are destined for the Championship, the Canaries look a decent bet to get something at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon.
Jamie Pacheco says: “Newcastle’s odds are a reflection of their superb three-in-a-row run, their improvement over the past few weeks and of course, the state of their opponents. But it’s not a price to get excited about.
“The vast majority of their good work lately has been done at home. They’re actually on a three-match losing streak on the road having lost to Chelsea and Everton (both 1-0) and Tottenham (5-1).
“You will have noticed that across those three games, they only managed to score once and one of them was against Everton, who haven’t exactly been watertight at the back of late.
“What about Norwich at 3.814/5 then? Well, they did win their last home game against Burnley (2-0) and Newcastle are their joint-favourite opponents (alongside Southampton) as the only team they’ve beaten five times at home in the Premier league.
“Then again, that win over Burnley was their only victory in 11 games in all competitions. The draw is 3.55 and you could make a case for it at those odds. Two of the last four between these two at Carrow Road ended in draws and it’s a result that Newcastle would certainly settle for.”
Jamie’s bet:
Inter 1.674/6 v AS Roma 5.95/1, the Draw 4.216/5
17:00
Live on BT Sport 3
Jose Mourinho’s Roman are in fine form but a trip to his old club Inter will test them at San Siro…
Chloe Beresford says: “This game could have huge ramifications on the Serie A title race as Inter – who sit just two points behind the league leaders – look to keep up the pressure on Milan. The Nerazzurri are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run, but face a tough test against a Roma outfit who have not lost any of their last 12.
Jose Mourinho would love to notch a win over his former side, while his current unit have been impressive defensively of late, seeing under 2.5 goals in each of their last four away games.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Chloe’s bet:
Back 1-1 @ 7.513/2
Brentford 4.3100/30 v Tottenham 1.9720/21, the Draw 3.7511/4
17:30
Live on Sky Sports Main Event
Brentford have beaten Arsenal and Chelsea this season, so can they add Tottenham to the list in this London derby?
Mark O’Haire says: “This is only the fourth different league campaign to feature Brentford and Tottenham with the Bees welcoming Spurs for the first time in league action since August 1949. The two teams played out a 0-0 draw in the League Cup here back in September 2000, whilst Tottenham were 2-0 victors when the duo crossed swords earlier this season.
“Surprisingly, only Chelsea have won more points than Brentford in Premier League London derbies this term. The Bees have posted five wins from their last six league outings, and have taken top honours in all five fixtures in which former Spurs star Christian Eriksen has started. The Dane has proven an influential addition since arriving in January.
“Tottenham have won just one of their last 11 away London derbies in the Premier League (W1-D3-L7), losing each of the last five in a row. Spurs have tabled eight triumphs in their most recent 11 league dates, scoring 28 goals, but failed to fire last time out and are in need of a response. The visitors have W8-D2-L2 at teams in eighth and below this term.”
Mark’s bet:
Bayern Munich 1.42/5 v Borussia Dortmund 7.87/1, the Draw 6.25/1
17:30
Live on Sky Sports and Betfair Live Video
It’s der Klassiker in Germany on Saturday evening so find out if our Bundesliga expert gives Dortmund any chance at all of halting the Bayern juggernaut.
Kevin Hatchard says: “There’s little point backing Bayern outright at 1.412/5, when we can use the Sportsbook’s Bet Builder to boost the price. You could back Bayern to win and Over 3.5 Goals at 2.26/5, which has paid out in their last five meetings with Dortmund. Instead, I’ll go for Bayern to win at both teams to score at evens, which has also paid out in their last five competitive clashes.
“Robert Lewandowski loves playing against his old club Dortmund. He has racked up 13 goals in his last seven games against them, and stretching further back he has found the net 26 times in 25 meetings.
Erling Haaland has scored five goals in six games against Bayern, and returned to form with a brace in last weekend’s 6-1 win over Wolfsburg. He has 18 goals in 20 league games this term, and I think he can score.
“You could back both Lewandowski and Haaland to score here on the Bet Builder at 2.9215/8, but I’ll use the new Score or Assist market here. If both Lewandowski and Haaland each register either a goal or an assist in the game, we get combined odds of 2.427/5, which is only half a point worse off than backing them both to score.”
Kevin’s bet:
Back Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland to score or assist @ 2.427/5
Source: Betfair UK English Championship
