Chinese Grand Prix
F1 – 7.05 am
Sky Sports
After a great second race of the season out in Bahrain, new Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was the talk of the town. Punters will probably be eying him up as one of the best bets of the day on Sunday. The French diver dominated the race after a slightly dodgy start and he looked to be cruising to a victory. That was until his hybrid system failed him late on. He eventually finished third and probably would have finished lower if it hadn’t been for a safety car intervention.
But the sheer speed and control with which he drove has propelled him to the head of the market for the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix. Leclerc is the 6/4 favourite to land his first career win in what is the 1000th Formula One race. I don’t remember the last time that it wasn’t Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel as a race favourite. However, Ferrari haven’t had a great time of things in this particular race, winning one of the last eleven editions only. Lewis Hamilton, who claimed the win in Bahrain after Leclerc’s engine problem, is at 11/4 to get his second win of the season.
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Premier League – 2.05 pm
Sky Sports
The Eagles have already tripped up Manchester City once this season, can they do it again? Back in December Crystal Palace pulled off a shock 3-2 win at the Etihad, becoming the first side to beat the Citizens on home soil this season. Will they be able to cause the reigning champions more headaches when they welcome them to Selhurst Park on the weekend? This is not going to be an easy trip for the Citizens.
Palace are 17/2 underdogs to win the game with leading bookmakers, and they have lost four of their five home games this season against sides in the top-six (D1). But even if they can’t pick up a win, can they prevent Man City from doing so? If so, that would put a huge dent in City’s title ambitions for this season. The Eagles have only won four home games all season and they average under a goal per game at Selhurst Park. They are also facing an in-form team.
Man City have won their last eight Premier League games, scoring at last two goals in six of those wins. They have only conceded the one goal in their last seven played. Leading bookmakers have them as short as 11/10 to win to nil on the weekend and their last four road successes have all been with a clean sheet. But they looked far from their best in a home win over Cardiff last weekend and again in midweek losing at Spurs in the Champions League. This is bigger test than it looks for them to overcome.
Liverpool v Chelsea
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports
Liverpool will be getting a stern test on the weekend in their title campaign. The Reds are on a four-match winning streak in the league at the moment, unbeaten since their loss at the start of the year against Man City in the EPL. Even though in recent matches they have found themselves rattled and haven’t looked at their best, they are still finding ways to win. Their home form is so impressive at W14 D2 L0 this season that it’s hard to deny their favouritism of 3/5 odds by leading bookmakers for this game.
When the two met at Stamford Bridge in September, Liverpool rescued a point with a late goal. Chelsea have a bit of wind in their sails at the moment with a three-match winning streak going, albeit against sides in the bottom half of the table. They have lost four of their last six away from home though, so that’s where the 9/2 underdog tag comes from. Can the Blues throw a wrench in Liverpool’s title plans, while boosting their own chances of a top-four finish? Chelsea do have a lot to play for here and they are W1 D3 on their last four visits to Anfield.
Wigan v Norwich
Championship – 12 noon
Sky Sports
Norwich are flying towards the Premier League once again. They have a commanding lead at the top of the Championship table and will be looking at this game against Wigan as a great chance to take another step towards lifting the title. Norwich are cruising basically with ten wins in their last twelve league games (D1 L1). They have put together a five-match winning streak at home and they average over two goals per home game this season.
Little surprise really that the top bookmakers have Norwich at 3/4 to win this particular duel. Wigan are under threat of relegation, starting the weekend fourth from bottom. They have only claimed one away win all season as well, losing 16 of their 21 road games. The Latics have averaged under a goal per game on their travels and are 10/3 to pick up, what would be a massive three points for them. Given that they are winless in 19 away games, it’s a tall, tall order.
Exeter v Wasps
Premiership Rugby – 3.00 pm
BT Sport
Exeter will be looking for more points to nudge their way to the Premiership title. They get a home fixture this weekend at Sandy Park which has been profitable for them in the top flight in the past. Exeter have won eight of their previous nine home games in the Premiership against Wasps, drawing the other one in that sequence. So they will be stepping out as heavy favourites in this one and the leading bookmakers have them at -15 for 10/11 odds in the handicap line. Since their loss against Gloucester in mid-February, the Chiefs have put together a five-match winning streak in the league.
Wasps have won just one of their last five league meetings against Exeter, which was in their home game against them last season when they pulled off a surprise 13-7 victory. But when they hosted them again back in September for this season’s clash, Exeter ran out 42-31 winners. Wasps were on a four-match losing streak in the top flight, including disappointing returns against bottom-three sides Leicester and Newcastle, before toppling Worcester last weekend.
