Manchester City v Tottenham
Premier League – 12.30 pm
Sky Sports
What a game this could turn out to be. It’s almost hard for it to live up to the Champions League game they played out at the Etihad in midweek. City won that 4-3 but were knocked out on away goals by Spurs. The thing about that game is that Manchester City had to come out and search for an early goal to overturn the 1-0 deficit that they had from the first leg. So that’s why they were so gung-ho, which ultimately hurt them in defence.
In this one, they can afford to be a little more patient. The Citizens are still 1/4 odds-on with leading bookmakers to get the win. That increased patience should help them stay stronger at the back. Manchester City have won all but one of their home games this season so they have the home form. They have averaged over three goals per game and now they know that they can open up the Tottenham defence. This is now about mentality. Can they hold it together?
Tottenham are on a four-match losing streak away from home in the Premier League at the moment which has left them at 11/1 underdogs for this fixture. It is a big price, but punters may eye that up as one of the best bets of the day, given how they have handled themselves against City in the Champions League. But the Lilywhites have lost three of their four away games this season against others in the Big Six (W1) so have had their troubles on the road in big matches. But their confidence is through the roof despite losing in 90 minutes at the Etihad on Wednesday. They need points for a top-four finish. Can they ruin Man City’s hopes at a league title too?
Newcastle v Southampton
Premier League – 5.30 pm
BT Sport
Southampton have done a fantastic job recently of putting points on the board to get themselves ever-closer to safety this season. They have won four of their last six league games and they will be looking to avoid defeat at the least on a trip to Tyneside on the weekend. The Saints have only won the four away games this season, but they did get a victory over Brighton in their last road game. Three of their four wins on the road this season have been against sides who are currently sat in the bottom eight.
Newcastle are two points better off than Southampton are. The Magpies have posted a W7 D1 L9 record at home this season. They were on a good five-match winning streak on home soil before they tanked to a 1-0 reverse against Crystal Palace in their last home fixture. But that burst of form is more than likely good enough to preserve their Premier League status. This almost has the feel of being a game in which the two sides are going to be more concerned about not losing in than anything. The Magpies are only 13/8 as favourites with top bookmakers, leaving the Saints at 11/5 chancers. There isn’t likely going to be much between them on the day.
Terence Crawford v Amir Khan
Boxing – 4.30 am (Sunday)
BT Sport
It’s back into the ring for Amir Khan who goes for the WBO welterweight title in this one against America’s Terence Crawford. Following his knockout loss against Canelo Alvarez back in May 2016, this is just Khan’s third fight since then. His last bout saw him beat Samuel Vargas on a unanimous decision in Birmingham in September last year. Most people were expecting him to go against British rival Kell Brook, but a big purse offering in this one, plus the shot at the title means that goes on the back burner.
Khan is a big 8/1 underdog in this one against a superb boxer. Crawford has power in spades and he has already gone through the nerves or retaining the WBO welterweight title once. He won the belt against Jeff Horn back in June last year and then defended it against Jose Benavidez. From the pre-match round of press conferences, it seems as if Khan is fully aware that he is the underdog and that he needs probably the most perfect performance of his career to win. Crawford has won world titles across three different divisions and is as short as 3/10 for a knockout victory.
Accrington v Luton
League One – 5.30 pm
Sky Sports
Luton had a hiccup last weekend as they suffered a 3-1 loss at Charlton. That leaves them just the two points clear at the top of League One above Barnsley who are in great form and hot on their heels. Luton do still have a game in hand though. But their loss last weekend made things a little more dramatic in the title race in the division. Luton are back out on the road this weekend as they go to Accrington. The Hatters are 13/20 favourites with leading bookmakers to pick up the away win.
Accrington have been struggling for form for a while now and the best that they can shoot for is a mid-table finish. They had taken one point from five games before actually landing a victory last weekend. That was a success over Walsall, who are second from bottom. Accrington have lost five of their last six home games and there has been no clean sheet from them in any of their last fourteen games, home and away. They are facing up to the league’s top scorers in his one. Accrington have some big 19/5 underdog odds to defy.
Saracens v Munster
European Champions Cup Rugby – 3.00 pm
BT Sport
This is a heavyweight showdown in the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup. It should be a cracker. The winner faces Toulouse or Leinster in the final. Saracens have had a fine tournament it has to be said. They won all of their group stage matches, and then they went out and stomped all over the Glasgow Warriors with a 56-27 victory in the quarterfinals. Home advantage is so crucial at times like this and Saracens have posted some huge scores on home soil in Europe this term.
Munster though are carrying form with four wins in their last five games in all competition. They topped their Pool in the European Champions Cup and then they found themselves in a tough battle with Edinburgh in the quarterfinals. They managed to get a late converted try on the board at home to take the game 17-13. That was big test of character and the Irish side are going to need more of that. They are going to need that grit as they have lost three of their last five against Saracens and can’t match up to them in terms of try-scoring power. Leading bookmakers have a Saracens -8 handicap at even money.
