F365 Features

Degsy is back to take on SkyBet's Andy Clarke.

One is tired and hungover. The other is sober as a wardrobe. Can you guess who is who?...

Blackburn v Stoke
Sam Allardyce got his Blackburn reign off to a perfect start with a 3-0 win over the Stokies last December but it's all been a big hit and miss for the Big Yin since - so much so that when these two trot out at Ewood Park he'll be convalescing at home after surgery on a coronary artery! Surely the best way Rovers can repay their boss for giving him a 'zipper chest' is by claiming three points here and I reckon they are worth a punt at just shy of even money.
Betting: Blackburn to beat Stoke at 20/21 (Boylesports)

Andy says: I'm with you on this one. Blackburn have lost only 2 of their 17 home PL games since Allardyce took over and have won the last 4. Those are impressive stats, as are David Dunn's figures of 6 goals in 12 games. With that in mind, I'll be cutting our price of 5/2 for him to score at any time.

Fulham v Bolton
The Cottagers rolled Blackburn fairly convincingly on Wednesday night and Clint Dempsey again starred for the hosts. The one-time US trailer park boy bagged a brace in that one and he looks well worth poking at 12/5 to find the net for the third time in four days here.
Betting: Dempsey to score anytime at 12/5 (Paddy Power)

Andy says: He's scored 5 in 6 has Dempsey so once again I'm going to back you up. When you factor in Bolton's hapless defending - their hap is in such short supply that they've conceded 21 in 7 - that 12/5 begins to look like even more of a gift. Bolton have lost their last 4 games with an aggregate score of 15-1 so there's no excuse for Fulham not to fill their boots. With goals.

Manchester City v Hull
It's six Premier League draws on the spin for Citeh now and hand on heart I wouldn't touch 'em with a sh*tty stick at 2/7 to win this one. Hull claimed a moral boosting win over Everton in the week and they'll be up for this. I don fancy there to be goals however and while Emmanuel Adebayor isn't the most original choice for first scoer he tends to turn it on against the Premier League's lesser lights and so I'm more than happy to tickle him at 7/2 for first goal.
Betting: Adebayor to score first at 7/2 (Betfred/Coral)

Andy says: Tickling Adebayor is not on my agenda for the weekend and neither is backing City at such a short price. Don't trust them and never have. Hull have scored 6 goals in 2 games and given that Burnley scored 3 here the other week, the best advice I can give is to back both teams to score at the 10/11 generally on offer.

Portsmouth v Manchester United
Everyone's favourite Israeli, Avram Grant faces at baptism of fire on his dug out debut at Fratton Park and Pompey look up against it here as United have a decent record on the south coast but I just can't get enthused about current 2/5 quotes.

Mind you, the 11/2 doing the rounds about Wayne Rooney scoring two goals or more in the match genuinely has me going all tingly in my pants. I'm too tired and hungover to produce actual stats but I do known the Roonster has a sh*t hot scoring record in this fixture so just get involved and thank me later.
Betting: Rooney to score 2+ goals at 11/2 (Hills)

Andy says: Well I'm as sober as a wardrobe and I can tell you that from looking at the stats I wouldn't back it on the short side of 15/2. What I would back is United to win to nil especially given that some bookies reckon it's odds against for it to happen. I disagree.

West Ham v Burnley
West Ham are odds-on across the board for this but I reckon it's akin to punting suicide to smash into them this weekend.

They seem all over the shop at the back and to be quite honest I'd rather mud wrestle naked with ardent 'Ammers fan Phil 'So unfunny it's actually funny that he makes a living as a comedian' Jupitus than take the 5/6 about a home win. And I f**king hate Phil Jupitus. 1-1.
Betting: West Ham and Burnley to draw 1-1 at 6/1 (Sky Bet)

Andy says: So he's a comedian, is he? There's goals in the offing here, I'm sure of it, so load up your coupon with Both to Score (10 in a row for the Hammers), Over 2.5 Goals (10 in a row for the Hammers) and Over 3.5 Goals at a juicy 9/4 (7 of the last 10 for the Hammers). I haven't looked at Burnley's stats, and don't really see the need.

Wigan v Sunderland
Wigan's players made that marvellous gesture to refund the fans in the wake of their disastrous 9-1 capitulation at White Hart Lane last weekend. It got me thinking and by my reckoning my club Hartlepool owe me about 12,000 sovs all told given the sh*te I have been forced to watch from them down the years.

Black Cats talisman Darren Bent has declared himself fit but may not be 100% fit and Wigan need a response after their shambolic display against Spurs so I can see this ending end all square as well.
Betting: Wigan and Sunderland to draw at 5/2 (Coral)

Andy says: I never got my cash back after a 6-0 gubbing at the Baseball Ground and to be frank I wouldn't want it. It's all about highs and lows. A picture of Steve Bruce's face on the dressing room wall should be enough for Wigan to regain their focus (together with a teamsheet without the name Edman on it) and I see this as a draw too.

Aston Villa v Tottenham
After slaying Wigan last time out every man and his dog will be on Spurs to win (2/1) and yer man Jermain Defoe to score (11/2 first;15/8 anytime) this weekend. But as rotund japester and recovering alkie Jimmy Greaves used to say football is a "funny old game" and I wouldn't be totally surprised to see the Spuds draw a blank at Villa Park.
Betting: Tottenham not to score at 13/8 (Stan James)

Andy says: Aaron Lennon vs Erik Edman was the biggest mismatch since Nikolai Valuev fought Jedward the other week. I don't like boxing or ITV but I'm pretty sure that's what everyone was talking about. Anyway, Lennon vs Warnock is an entirely different matter and Villa's powerful defence can stifle Spurs - Under 2.5 Goals at odds against is tempting.

Wolves v Birmingham
Three tasty fixtures on Sunday and the first of which could end up being the tastiest of the lot at Molineaux when Wolves take on Birmingham.

Historically Wolves have had the better of this Black Country derby down the years (wining 60 matches to Brum's 36) but having won just once at home in the league all season silver fox Mick McCarthy will know as well as anyone anything less than three points here and it could well be inglorious failure and the Championship come May. For the life of me I am struggling to pick a winner here but I do fancy a few goals so it could be profitable to get with the 'Overs' in this one.
Betting: Over 2.5 Goals at 5/4 (Coral)

Andy says: Hills have gone out on a limb by quoting 11/5 for a Birmingham win and that sways it for me. While Wolves appear to have hit a wall - 3pts from a possible 21 - Birmingham have found their best form, which 2 wins and 2 impressive draws from the last 4 games. Everything seems to have clicked for Blues and this looks like a 1-0 away win.

Everton v Liverpool
Everton's recent Premiership record is absolutely lifting but it's not as if Liverpool have been pulling up many trees either results wise of late. Indeed it could well be that the boss of the losing side at Goodison this Sunday will swell the mass ranks of the Merseyside unemployed next week.

For all their injury woes and internal strife I still fancy Liverpool to do a job here as I simply can't take any side seriously who concede three goals to Hull, as Everton did in the week. Taxi for Moyes!
Betting: Liverpool to beat Everton at 5/4 (Betfred)

Andy says: A Merseyside unemployment gag! Is this the 1980s? Can't wait to see the readers' comments. So anyway, Everton have won 1 of 10, Liverpool 2 of 11 - you wouldn't want to be with either of them and it's hard to say which one of them is worse at the moment. One thing is constant for Everton, though. Louis Saha has scored 10 goals in 16 games and with Liverpool offering up chances he looks a decent bet at 5/2 to score any time.

Arsenal v Chelsea
The two form sides of English football lock horns at the Emirates this Sunday and you can bet your Grandma's false gnashers that Sky are going to get excited over it. I'm going to try and watch the match in the boozer so I don't have to put up with the OTT ramblings of Messrs Keys and Gray for an hour or so before and after Sunday's showpiece but not before backing Chelsea to win to nil.

The amount of clean sheets they have kept this season is nobody's business and form me Arsenal are not the same attacking threat without the irascible RVP. All things considered, 7/2 looks a cracking bit of business.
Betting: Chelsea to win to nil at 7/2 (Paddy Power).

Andy says: We're not ones for hyperbole, so we've settled for calling it "EPIC SUNDAY!". In keeping with this mood of understatement, I think you may have tipped up the best bet of all time, ever!

Degsy Bilton and Andy Clarke