Andy's Sunday tips - Reds to win away
None of the top six in the table are involved on Sunday but try telling Aston Villa, Birmingham, Newcastle and Sunderland fans there aren't big matches going on that day! Elsewhere, Liverpool attempt to continue their recovery away at Bolton...
Newcastle v Sunderland
Their win at West Ham was a massive three points for Newcastle but in truth it was a match the home side lost rather than one the away side won. Equally as worrying, Newcastle's second string eleven were humbled against Arsenal's own makeshift side in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night, proving what a lot of us already knew, which is that this is a football club that lacks strength in depth. If a few key injuries happen to the likes of Jonas Gutierrez, Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan, this Newcastle team could find itself truly exposed and in a whole world of trouble.
Sunderland have been okay so far this season but nothing more than that. Their home form is solid as demonstrated by their win against Aston Villa (albeit the only strike of the game was an own goal) but their trip to Blackburn a couple of weeks ago was an example of a side who don't really believe they can win away from home. Even with Sam Allardyce's side down to ten men for the whole of the second half, they didn't create enough chances to go on and win the game.
It was interesting to hear Steve Bruce admit his team are overly-reliant on the goals of Darren Bent and therefore a little puzzling that he hasn't been prepared to give Asamoah Gyan a run of games. You don't pay £13 million to have a striker sat on the bench, unless you're Manchester City of course!
Joking aside, I think the lad has had enough time already in this country and experience of this league to justify being given four or five starts in a row and a chance to impress. I can understand sometimes smaller players who rely on technique being given time to adjust to this unique league but Gyan is a strong boy who can look after himself so I don't see that as a reason.
If Steve Bruce were to give him a start in a match like this that would be a real signal of intent that Sunderland meant business, and that can only be a good thing, but we'll have to wait and see if he's named in the XI.
Bruce was a fine defender in his day and unsurprisingly his priorities for any match start with keeping a clean sheet. But I don't think he'll get one in this match because I expect it to be a ding-dong affair, a good, old-fashioned, blood-and-thunder north east derby, ending with a share of the points.
Recommended Bets:
Back the draw at [3.4]
Back the 2-2 draw at [16.0]
Back Asamoah Gyan to score at [3.5]
Bolton v Liverpool
There are signs that this Bolton side are trying to play a slightly different brand of football than what we've been accustomed to over the last few years with a greater effort to keep the ball on the deck and keep more possession. But a leopard never completely changes its spots and when they're unsure of what to do, the plan remains to play the long ball up to Kevin Davies and let him try and make something happen, the same as in the days when Big Sam was in charge.
That tactic may plan into the hands of Liverpool, who in Martin Skrtel and Sotirios Kyrgiakos have two excellent headers of the ball and can keep Davies quiet if they play as well as I know they can. That win at home to Blackburn was no master-class but it was a much-needed result for Liverpool and sometimes you build on one of those and use it as a catalyst to start a good run of results. Confidence builds more confidence.
It's not often I tip a Liverpool away win but with Fernando Torres showing signs that he's almost at 100 per cent fitness-wise if not form-wise, I'm going to take a leap of faith that Roy's boys make it two from two.
Recommended Bets:
Back Liverpool to win at [2.32]
Back Liverpool to win 1-0 at [8.6]
Back Fernando Torres to be first goalscorer at [5.5]
Aston Villa v Birmingham
Home advantage is even more important in derbies than regular games and my gut feeling is that Villa can make it count.
Recommended Bets: Back Aston Villa to win at [1.87]; 1-0 at [7.8]
Andy Gray is now on Twitter so follow him for his exclusive tips and his take on the biggest stories in football each week.
Published: 30 Oct 2010
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