Tag: Juan Mata

Premiership Preview – April 26th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There are two big games in the Premiership on Sunday with Everton playing Man United before the big London derby between Arsenal and Chelsea. The title race cannot be decided but Chelsea will have one hand on the trophy if they can avoid defeat at the Emirates Stadium.

The action begins at Goodison Park where Everton will be hoping to continue their recent revival against a United team still smarting from their 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Louis van Gaal felt that it was possibly United’s best performance of the season and that can only be taken as a compliment to Chelsea.

The Blues have a phenomenal recent record against the Gunners and Mourinho is yet to lose to a side managed by Wenger in twelve meetings. There is clearly no love lost between the pair, as illustrated by their minor skirmish on the touchline at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season. Arsenal are in far better form now and a win would give them a psychological boost as well as delay Title celebrations for the Blues.

Mourinho has managed to coax his side through some tricky matches in the absence of Diego Costa and they are definitely a weaker team without him. Olivier Giroud was used sparingly in last week’s FA Cup semi-final and this could be his chance to shine in a big London derby.

Manchester United’s progress has left them on the brink of securing a Champions League spot and that will have been the brief given to Van Gaal in the summer. They played well against Chelsea but lacked a cutting edge, something that the signings of Falcao and Di Maria was meant to provide. Even with those two players falling well short of expectations, they are still a force to be reckoned with and Juan Mata has been impressive in recent weeks.

Roberto Martinez has not had a great season at Everton but a recent rally has at least given them a respectable league position. They have managed clean sheets at home to Burnley, Southampton and Newcastle in recent weeks so will not be easy to break down. United can just edge this one with Mata worth considering in the goal scorer markets.

Man United to win @6-5 Bet365

Juan Mata to score at any time @4-1 Skybet

Everton 1 Man United 2 @9-1 Bet365

Man United to win by one goal @14-5 Ladbrokes

Arsenal to win by one goal @3-1 Ladbrokes

Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1 @19-2 BetVictor

Olivier Giroud to score at any time @9-4 BWin

United revival to continue against Stoke

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Chelsea’s failure to beat Sunderland at the weekend has offered a glimmer of hope to those pursuing the Premiership leaders. The busy Christmas fixture list always plays a vital part in the title race and there are some interesting midweek fixtures to kick-off a hectic month.

Manchester United have climbed back up to fourth place after a run of three consecutive victories, the first time that they have achieved this since Louis van Gaal took over in the summer. They still have defensive problems but have plenty of options going forward. Angel Di Maria picked up a hamstring injury inside ten minutes against Hull on Saturday and will miss tonight’s clash with Stoke.

Wayne Rooney is enjoying one of the most consistent scoring spells of his career at present, seemingly revitalised by being awarded the captaincy at club and International level. Van Persie scored a vital goal to silence his critics and they also have Falcao waiting in the wings. Juan Mata has been completely overshadowed since the influx of new players in the summer but he has been showing signs of his best form recently and could be the key player on Tuesday. Take a chance on the former Chelsea man opening the scoring in a comfortable home win.

Liverpool scrambled a 1-0 win over Stoke on Saturday, although they were clinging on grimly in injury-time. Brendan Rodgers will re-instate with Steven Gerrard in the line-up at struggling Leicester. The Foxes were unlucky not to get a point at QPR in a match that saw an incredible 51 attempts on goal. I don’t expect tonight’s game to be anything like as entertaining and can see Liverpool sneaking another 1-0 victory.

One of the key stats tonight is the fact that QPR are yet to register a single point on their travels. That does not bode well for the visit to eighth-placed Swansea who have only lost once at home this season. Wilfried Bony has been leading their attack well and he can add to his tally of six goals in another poor away-day for Harry Redknapp’s men.

Newcastle’s revival hit the buffers at West Ham on Saturday, ending a run of five consecutive wins. Alan Pardew will be looking for an immediate response at Burnley, another side who have pulled their socks up recently. The home side are unbeaten in three games and their fans will make sure that there is a cup tie atmosphere at Turf Moor tonight. I can see this game ending in a draw, not a bad result for either side.

Burnley v Newcastle DRAW @23-10 Bet365

Leicester 0 Liverpool 1 @9-1 William Hill

Wilfried Bony to score and Swansea win @9-4 Betfred

Juan Mata to score first @7-1 Paddy Power

Wayne Rooney to score and Man United win @11-10 Paddy Power

Europa League Final – Chelsea v Benfica Preview

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Chelsea take the field for the 68th time this season when they meet Benfica in the final of the Europa League on Wednesday night. Having started the season with so many opportunities for silverware they now find themselves at the last chance saloon. Ironically it is the one competition that they did not want to be in that could provide them with something to celebrate after seven trophies have slipped through their grasp.

Rafael Benitez has few friends at Stamford Bridge but has at least salvaged a little pride by sealing a Champions League spot with a 2-1 win at Villa Park last weekend. Chelsea were grateful to their much-maligned skipper Frank Lampard for his two goals and it was fitting that he should break the record as Chelsea’s leading goalscorer in the process. Lampard may not be finished for the season just yet as an injury to Eden Hazard has reduced the midfield options for Benitez against a Benfica side that are certainly worthy of respect.

In the absence of Hazard, a leg-weary Juan Mata will once again be expected to pull the strings for the Blues. He has been Chelsea’s best player this season despite having been on international duty throughout the summer for his country. He admitted that he and the squad were feeling the strain after a laboured performance at Old Trafford, albeit a crucial winning one. Their attacking options are also limited with Demba Ba cup-tied. Fernando Torres has led the attack in Europe this season but has been well supported by Victor Moses in this competition and Benitez may elect to start with both.

One player who should never be overlooked on the big occasions is Ramires. It was his sensational solo goal that breathed new life into Chelsea’s Champions League hopes in Barcelona last season and he also fired the Blues ahead in the FA Cup final against Liverpool. His most recent action was less distinguished as he was dismissed for a high challenge at Aston Villa but he had previously scored against Tottenham and will be keen to score against his former club. Moses and Ramires are relatively fresh players and could be worth having on your side at 5-1 and 7-1 respectively to find the net at some point in the game.

Benfica will be competing in their ninth major European final but their last success came in the European Cup back in 1962. Chelsea defeated them by a single goal both at home and away in the Champions League last season and a similar result could be on the cards here. Chelsea never seem to make it easy for themselves so I can see Benfica making a game of it without quite having the firepower to beat the Blues. Odds of 3-1 about a narrow Chelsea victory seem fair.

Curiously, Paddy Power are offering to refund all losing bets on the first goalscorer and correct score markets should Oscar find the target at any time during the game. He will have plenty of supporters after the first goal goes in!

Ramires to score at any time 7-1 William Hill

Moses to score at any time 5-1 William Hill

Chelsea to win by a single goal 3-1 Skybet

Football Preview May 11th and 12th

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FA Cup Final – Manchester City v Wigan

It is a sign of the times that the FA Cup final is almost a sideshow to the Premier League action this weekend. Gone are the days when the Cup final was the grand finale to the season and dominated the sports pages. This year’s final also has a one-sided look to it as Manchester City seek some consolation for losing their Premiership title to archrivals United against a Wigan side staring down the barrel of relegation.

City look assured of second place but grateful for the opportunity of pocketing a bit of silverware at the end of a slightly disappointing season. There is no doubt that they have the firepower to beat Wigan, although they only scrambled past them by a single goal in their recent league clash. Roberto Martinez approached the FA Cup in the same manor as most Premiership managers these days, using it as a platform for his youngsters to gain valuable experience. By virtue of a favourable draw and an impressive 3-0 victory at Goodison, the Latics have found themselves in the final for the first time in their history. Had they managed to perform their usual Houdini act and escaped the drop, this would be a momentous occasion. Unfortunately, a 3-2 defeat at home to Swansea in midweek has left them in deep trouble.

I would love to be able to tip Wigan here but it is looking increasingly bleak for them. The most likely scenario is defeat on Saturday, relegation and even the loss of their manager in the summer. They have simply failed to find the consistency needed this season and I don’t think City will pass up this golden opportunity for a trophy. I take City to win by 2 goals at odds of 3-1 and City to be winning at half-time and full-time at 10-11 with Skybet.

Manchester City to win by 2 goals 3-1 Paddy Power
Manchester City to be winning at half-time and full-time 10-11 Skybet

Aston Villa v Chelsea

Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off sees Chelsea going in search of the win they require to secure a top four finish and a Champions League spot. That looked to be within their grasp on Wednesday night before a late Tottenham goal forced them to settle for a 2-2 draw. Chelsea supporters will not have been at all surprised to see the agony prolonged after a hectic but, as yet, unproductive season at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea may have thumped Villa 8-0 earlier in the season but it is a very different side they are facing on Saturday. Villa dished out a 6-1 thrashing to Sunderland to put themselves within reach of Premiership survival and received a further boost when Wigan were defeated in midweek. Another complication for the Blues is the prospect of the Europa League final next Wednesday. They do not have the strength in depth of previous seasons and have suffered when fielding a weakened side. They rely heavily on Juan Mata and Eden Hazard to provide the spark in their attacking play and both have been showing signs of a long season recently. Chelsea may again be frustrated and have to settle for a draw, putting their supporters through the agony of going to the last match against Everton in the process.

Draw 14-5 Bet Victor

Stoke v Tottenham

Spurs managed to hold Chelsea to a draw on Wednesday and will be hoping that Aston Villa can do them a huge favour on Saturday. They were not at their best at Stamford Bridge but it is to their credit that they managed to get a result and they will need the same sort of determination to get all three points at Stoke on Sunday. Gareth Bale has been largely responsible for keeping them in the hunt for a Champions League spot and they will look to him again this weekend. I think they can grab a vital win and Bale to score at any time looks a fair bet at 6-5.

Tottenham to win 10-11 William Hill
Gareth Bale to score 6-5 Bet Victor

Chelsea v Tottenham Preview May 8th

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Tonight’s match between Chelsea and Tottenham is effectively a Cup final for both sides with a Champions League place at stake. The Blues did this column a favour by grabbing an excellent 1-0 victory on Sunday. Having tipped Juan Mata to score at 100-30 I was more than a little miffed when his deflected strike was credited as an own-goal. I understand that some bookmakers have been paying out on Mata so I hope that your bookie was doing the decent thing!

Moving on to tonight’s game and the Blues now know that they are now in a position to finally kill off Tottenham’s challenge. It has been a long and difficult season for Chelsea supporters but a disappointing season could still end on a high note with a Champions League spot and victory in the Europa League final. Juan Mata has been an absolute star for the Blues this season and he admitted that they were somewhat laboured at Old Trafford on Sunday. Even so, they still clung to the belief that they could sneak a famous win and were rewarded late on. They won’t need any encouragement for tonight’s match against their London rivals.

The game also sees the return to Stamford Bridge of former boss Andre Villas-Boas. Although he was not given sufficient time as coach to make any real impact, he had formerly served under Jose Mourinho and not unpopular at the club. The swift removal of Roberto Di Matteo at the start of this season followed by the appointment of Benitez shows that the fans have no say in what happens at the club and Villas-Boas should receive a warm welcome. Whilst Mata has been Chelsea’s star player, Spurs have been almost totally reliant on Gareth Bale this season. Once again he came to their rescue after a poor performance at home to Southampton and snatched an unlikely three points to keep their challenge alive. He has never really shone against Chelsea in the past and, despite reports to the contrary, there is no doubt that he will be given special attention.

Chelsea’s key player tonight could be Eden Hazard. He has been a revelation this season and can only get better in the next couple of years. His surging runs should prove as much of a threat to Spurs as Bale will to Chelsea and a full strength Chelsea team is capable of getting the win they need this evening. Hazard is 3-1 to score at any time during the match with Bet Victor and those odds are worth taking. Chelsea are a shade of odds-on to win the game and it might be worth going for a 2-1 home win at odds of 8-1 with Ladbrokes.

Chelsea 19-20 Bet Victor
Chelsea to win 2-1 at 8-1 Ladbrokes
Eden Hazard to score 3-1 Bet Victor

Preview and Football Tips

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Liverpool v Everton (1.30pm)

There are two cracking games this Sunday for stay-at-home punters. First up is the Merseyside derby between Liverpool and Everton. The visitors still have a slim chance of sneaking into a Champions League spot but they would have to win all of their matches and hope that the London clubs slip up badly. Liverpool have nothing left to play for other than the local bragging rights but that is more than enough!

The Luis Suarez biting incident may have put Liverpool back in the news for all the wrong reasons but they came out and thrashed Newcastle 6-0 last weekend. Defensive stalwart Jamie Carragher has confirmed his retirement and will be appearing in a Merseyside derby for the last time in his career. As if any further incentive were required, the gap between Everton and Liverpool is five points and the Toffees have not finished above Liverpool for successive seasons in the last 50 years.

Everton fans are anxiously waiting to hear whether David Moyes is to remain at the club and a Europa League place might give him encouragement to do so. Bookmakers make Liverpool even money favourites to win with a draw priced at 5-2 and Everton as big as 100-30 to grab all three points. As impressive as the Reds were in crushing the Magpies last week, it has to be said that the opposition were woeful and Everton will be a completely different proposition. Liverpool have flitted in and out of form all season and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see their form dip once again. I think Everton are over-priced when you take the season as a whole and the price is worth taking.

Everton 100-30 Bet Victor

Manchester United v Chelsea (4.00pm)

The second match features the fifth meeting of the season between Manchester United and Chelsea. United have just been crowned champions but mid-season talk of them being one of the greatest United teams in history have been proved to be misguided. An early Champions League exit was followed by defeat in the FA Cup against Sunday’s rivals.

The first league meeting of the season was the infamous Clattenburg affair, a game that arguably started the rot at Stamford Bridge this season. They gained revenge in the League Cup and staged a magnificent recovery from 2-0 down in the FA Cup quarter-final before Demba Ba’s solo effort settled the replay. On Thursday the Blues booked their place in the final of the Europa Cup but now face two crucial Premiership matches in the space of four days. They welcome Tottenham to the Bridge on Wednesday night in a potentially decisive match in the battle for a Champions League place.

Juan Mata has been exceptional for Chelsea this season and he only appeared as a late substitute on Thursday night. He looks a fair bet to find the target at any time during the match at 100-30. Demba Ba will lead the attack and Oscar should also make the starting line up. Chelsea will be hoping that United take their foot off the pedal a bit and allow them to gain a vital three points. If they play like they did in the second half against Basle they might just do it.

Chelsea 5-2 William Hill
Juan Mata to score 100-30 William Hill