Crystal Palace v Brighton
Premier League – 12.30 pm
Sky Sports
There is plenty to get through on this busy Saturday of action. I’ll start at Selhurst Park in the Premier League where Crystal Palace are hosting Brighton. The Eagles have only lost one of their last six league games. Their solid form sees them go as odds-on favourites at 5/6 with leading bookmakers for this one.
That having been said though, they have a poor home record of only three wins this season (D4 L7). Brighton slid down the table with two points only earned from a run of seven games. They arrested their big winless streak of form with a slender 1-0 home win over Huddersfield last weekend. They have been weak on the road though with only one point earned in their last six away games. The Seagulls are 4/1 underdogs for what would be a huge three points.
Scotland v Wales
Six Nations Rugby – 2.15 pm
BBC
If Wales can collect a victory at Murrayfield on Saturday then they would take a huge stride towards winning the Championship this year. Last time out they took a telling win on home soil against the visiting English. England went into the game with a perfect record in this season’s Championship. So that was such a big game in the context of where the title could be heading this year. Wales came out on top and now have to follow it up with a trip to Scotland.
Wales are 8/15 odds-on with top bookmakers to claim the away win against the Scots, who have fallen a bit flat this season. After so many positives in their last campaign, Scotland seemed to take a huge step back in their loss at France in their last game. That followed a home loss against Ireland. Two years ago when Scotland last hosted the Welsh, the Scots raised the Murrayfield roof with a 29-13 home success. However, that is the only victory that they have taken in their last ten against Wales. Will the Scots, the 17/10 underdogs, be able to shake off some disappointing form and stop Wales in their title challenge?
Southampton v Spurs
Premier League – 3.00 pm
BT Sport
This should be a really engaging game from the Premier League on Saturday afternoon. Southampton have to rally themselves for a big home performance in this one as they look nervously over their shoulder at the drop zone. The Saints have won two of their last four at St Mary’s (D1 L1) and need to bolster that home form. At this stage of the season, every point is crucial in trying to maintain their top-flight status.
The Saints are 7/2 outright underdogs for the game with top bookies, but this may not be a bad time for them to be facing Spurs. Tottenham have earned only one point from the last nine available to them, having seen their title challenge fall away. Spurs have lost their last two road games (Burnley and Chelsea) without scoring. The Lilywhites head to the south coast as 17/20 favourites, but can they shake off that dip in away form?
England v Italy
Six nations Rugby – 4.45 pm
ITV
This is going to look much more cut and dry of an outcome than in the day’s Scotland v Wales match up. England were shut down in Cardiff last time out, throwing a spanner in the works of their title challenge. The Six Nations title could still be on for England though, with Wales still having to face Scotland and Ireland. This is one of those games where England are such overwhelming favourites to claim the victory, that punters will have to take a pass in the match outright.
Given that Italy are lined up for the wooden spoon once again in the Championship, this looks as if it is going to be a chance for England to run up a big score. A big win for the Red Rose is expected and an England -32 handicap is at even money with top bookmakers. That just highlights how easy this is expected to be for the home side. Four of England’s last five wins over Italy in the Championship have been by a margin of at least 30 points. The one exception saw them take a 21 point margin win. There should be value for the best bets of the day in taking on the handicap market in a game like this.
Man City v Watford
Premier League – 5.30 pm
BT Sport
Manchester City will resume their Premier League title challenge on Saturday evening with a home game against Watford. The Citizens have now strung together a powerful five-match winning streak in the top flight. With a win in all but one of their home games this season, it’s little surprise that the bookmakers have marked them up as short as 1/6 odds-on favourites for this fixture.
There is the matter of Manchester City currently being on a nine-match winning streak against the Hornets as well. But they will be facing a Watford side who do have a little bit of wind in their sails. They have won three of their last four top-flight games. The one defeat in that sequence did happen in their last away game though. That was a brutal 5-0 hammering at Anfield against Liverpool. But the question is, will Watford have learned serious lessons from that hefty loss, enough to perhaps frustrate the Citizens?
