Premier League Betting: Saturday's 3pm Kick-offs

Premier League / Mike Norman / 04 December 2009 / 5 Comments

It's 499 Liverpool games and counting for Steven Gerrard. Will he mark his 500th appearance for his club by scoring on Saturday?

Best Bet: Back Over 3.5 Goals @ [3.2] in West Ham v Man Utd

Also: Back 2-0 @ [6.8] and 3-0 @ [9.4] in Arsenal v Stoke; Back Both Teams To Score @ [1.9] in Villa v Hull; Back Steven Gerrard @ [7.0] (First Goal) and @ [3.0] (To Score) in Blackburn v Liverpool; Back Birmingham @ [4.1] to beat Wigan; Back Wolves @ [2.44] to beat Bolton

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is set to make his 500th appearance for his club on Saturday and not surprisingly he features amongst "Mystical" Mike Norman's weekend selections. Best Bet: Back Over 3.5 Goals @ [3.2] in West Ham v Man Utd

Arsenal [1.29] v Stoke [14.0]; The Draw [6.0]

Although it has nothing to do with this match, I have to say that Arsene Wenger's actions in midweek were utterly despicable. Wenger has brought so much good to English football, but his regular spouts of ungentlemanly behaviour have no place in our game. Sort it out Arsene.

Robin van Persie's absence is clearly a massive problem for the Gunners as they have now recorded three blanks in a row domestically. However, even without the Dutchman and the suspended Alexandre Song I still think Arsenal will prove too strong for Tony Pulis' much improved Stoke side. Correct Scores of 2-0 ([6.8]) and 3-0 ([9.4]) are how I will be playing in a game that I don't want to get too involved in.

Aston Villa [1.48] v Hull [8.6]; The Draw [4.6]

This has the makings of a cracking game, one that I think Villa will just win if playing near to their best. Hull - buoyed by their excellent draw at Man Cit last week - will be no pushovers however and I fancy them to score at least one in what could be a high-scoring game.

Interestingly, Villa's last nine league games have ended with both teams scoring, whilst this has also been the case in Hull's last four games. At [1.9] to back then, Both Teams To Score looks worth a bet. Also, Over 3.5 Goals at [3.2] looks worthy of a wager considering the amount of goals both sides have scored and conceded during the last four weeks or so.

Blackburn [5.2] v Liverpool [1.82]; The Draw [3.8]

I'm always willing to back against Liverpool when Fernando Torres is absent - as he will be for this game - but I'm also a big fan of head-to-head stats; and the fact that the Reds have only lost once to Rovers in 21 league games persuades me to think that they won't get beat today. The Draw at [3.8] is therefore my selection.

There are only two side markets that I'm interested in playing for this game, and they are the First Goalscorer and To Score market. If Steven Gerrard plays it will be his 500th appearance for Liverpool and what better way for this world class footballer to celebrate than to score a goal or two? He will be available to back at around [7.0] in the First Goalscorer market, and at [3.0] in the To Score market. Get on.

West Ham [8.6] v Man Utd [1.49]; The Draw [4.5]

I still can't get United right. I've backed them twice and opposed them twice in the last few weeks and each time the opposite has happened. But I'm confident I will get them right today, especially now that West Ham's Carlton Cole is sidelined. For me, Cole is to the Hammers what Torres is to Liverpool. Back Man Utd/Man Utd at [2.32] in the Half Time/Full Time market.

Surely this game will have goals. West Ham have now scored and conceded in 10 consecutive league games, and Upton Park has seen more goals this season than any other Premier League ground. With this is mind, and the fact that United are capable of running in three of four quite easily, I'm making Over 3.5 Goals - available to back at [3.2] - my best bet of the weekend.

Wigan [2.16] v Birmingham [4.1]; The Draw [3.4]

Credit to Wigan for bouncing back from that 9-1 mauling at the hands of Spurs by beating Sunderland last week, but I fancy Birmingham to win this one. Alex McLeish's men are now unbeaten in five, and after looking as though they'd struggle to score this season, they've now netted at least once in eight of their last nine league games.

Wigan are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league on their home turf and I envisage this game going along those lines also. Correct Scores of 1-0 ([12.0]) and 2-0 ([24.0]) to Brum are my preferred choices, whilst Lee Bowyer - arguably in his best form since his Leeds days - is worth a wager in the First Goalscorer and To Score markets at around [16.0] and [6.0] respectively.

Wolves [2.44] v Bolton [3.3]; The Draw [3.4]

At the start of the season I had Wolves down as the team to perform best out of the three promoted teams, but unfortunately it hasn't been like that at all. Their biggest problem is not winning any of the games against teams that are likely to finish in and around them - Hull, Stoke, Portsmouth, and Birmingham etc. However, I'm willing to give them one last chance and back them to beat Bolton on Saturday.

My main reason for backing Wolves is the absence of Bolton's inspirational captain Kevin Davies. Without him, Gary Megson's outfit will struggle to create and score goals so back the Yes option in the Wolves Clean Sheet market at [3.1]. Under 2.5 Goals ([1.86]) is another fancy of mine, as too are the 1-0 ([9.2]) and 2-0 ([14.5]) Correct Score options.

Comments (5)

1. glyn forsyth | 04 December 2009

   hope you get this one right gadge lol

2. Jamie Pacheco | 04 December 2009

   Not sure I agree that Wenger's behaviour was despicable, Mike. He could have shook Hughes' hand but if he was disapproving of his conduct during the match and doesn't respect him (which clearly he doesn't) what's the point? A hand shake is a nice gesture to see but worthless if it's not an act of sincerity. I don't think he refused the handshake because he was cross about the defeat or the performance but rather becuase he was cross about Hughes' conduct. Either way, neither of them came out of this incident with much credit.

3. paul woods | 04 December 2009

   your be lucky

4. Mike Norman | 05 December 2009

   Nothing wrong today mate. Fancied Arsenal to win and put up 2-0, Fancied Villa to win, Fancied the draw in Liverpool game, Fancied Man Utd to win and put up Over 3.5 Goals as my best bet, fancied Birmingham to win, and fancied Wolves to win.

   Not bad eh gadge?

5. Mike Norman | 05 December 2009

   It was despicable in my eyes Jamie. Ok, not so much this incident alone, but Wenger's constant spouts of ungentlemanly behaviour.

   There'll be managers up and down the country this weekend who won't want to shake the opposing manager's hand, but they'll do it because it's the right thing to do.

   It's not just footballers who have to set an example, it's managers also, and unfortunately, Wenger is one of the worst culprit when it comes to showing disrespect to other people.

   Wenger has shaken Hughes' hand previously, so why not this time just because they had a disagreement during the game?

   A handshake doesn't have to be sincere, it's a gesture that sets an example to everyone watching that whether you win, lose or draw, get on with the opposing manager or not, you are gentlemanly enough to 'accept' what has just gone before you.