Soccer – Premier League – Huddersfield vs Man City
The first of my big betting events this weekend comes from West Yorkshire and is an intriguing fixture in the Premier League. David Wagner was left Huddersfield on Monday night but his departure arguably went under the radar as Manchester City were easily sweeping aside Wolves at the same time. The German proved to be an excellent appointment for the club and managed to guide the Terriers into the top flight and keep them there. He’s struggled this season and although this game would have been seen as a free-hit for the gaffer, he opted to walk away with his dignity in tact.
Manchester City will see this as a great chance to increase their goal difference and put more pressure on Liverpool at the top of the table. Former defender Mark Hudson will take temporary charge of the club for this game and he will be eager to avoid a mauling.
Pep Guardiola’s side were efficient against Wolves but were helped by Willy Boly’s dismissal. The champions are odds-on here but it’s a decent betting proposition as there are lots of different markets to get involved with. The Citizens are often backed on the handicaps and that could be the way to go with this one. Bettors must consider whether Huddersfield are going to sit deep and try to nick something on the break or play with the shackles off.
Whichever tactical approach Huddersfield decide upon, Manchester City are likely to have too much quality and I can’t wait to get involved with the goalscoring market once I’ve had the line-ups confirmed.
Huddersfield look set to return to the Championship but fans will be hoping that they put up a fight from this point onwards. They lack quality in the final third and Manchester City will be hoping to add another clean sheet to their collection.
This is a fascinating match-up for a Sunday afternoon and I can’t wait to explore the different markets available.
UK viewers can enjoy this game on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday afternoon
American Football – NFL Play Offs – Saints vs Rams
The NFL play-offs continue and we have just one match-up this weekend as the Saints take on the Rams. Unsurprisingly, this crucial contest is the second of my big betting events this weekend.
This NFC Championship is a fascinating head-to-head and the Saints are heavily favoured for success. Under Sean Paynton, they have an excellent record in the play-offs, particularly at home, where they are 6-0. They are expected to continue that imperious run at the Mercedes Benz Superdrome.
It wasn’t plain sailing against the Eagles, who gave them a stern text in the division round. They ended with a 20-14 victory and Paynton can be pleased with his sides ability to dig in and get through a tricky tie.
However, the difficulty has been cranked up yet again here with the in-form Rams hoping to continue their superb run of form. They weren’t expected to be so comfortable against the Cowboys last weekend and although their 30-22 scoreline suggests that it was relatively close, they always looked the better side. They clocked up 273 rushing yards against the Dallas side who had previously nulified the majority of their opponents.
This is going to be a stellar game and although the Saints are heavily favoured, I expect it to be close. Sean McVay is one of the brightest coaching talents in the NFL and I would expect him to come here with a plan. He’ll be looking to stop the New Orleans side in their tracks and it’ll be a fascinating watch.
This might be a game for punters to bet in-play and wagering once the game has got underway is definitely something I’ll be doing on Sunday night.
You can follow all NFL Play-Offs games on Sky Sports Action this winter
Cricket – Big Bash – Syndey Thunder vs Brisbane Heat
I love a relaxing early Sunday morning where I can enjoy all of the Big Bash action and there’s a cracking tie this week in Sydney. The Thunder take on Brisbane Heat and it’s the third of my big betting events this weekend.
Both Sydney sides are going well in this year’s Big Bash and the top of the table looks fairly open at the moment. With a net run rate of 0.304, the Thunder are narrowly edging out the Sixers and they’ll be keen to keep pressure on early leaders – Hobart Hurricanes.
Brisbane Heat were defeated by five wickets on their last visit to Sydney and they will be keen to avoid a second successive defeat in this part of the world.
The Sixers are still one of the favourites for success despite a couple of inconsistencies. Last season, this is the kind of game they would have relished and they would have won easily but this year, it’s not quite as straightforward. They defeated the Adelaide Strikers in their last outing with Shane Watson impressing. He smashed 68 off 40 balls and I caught the end of his vintage performance and he looked full of confidence. It helped them cement their place in the top four and they’ll be looking to him for inspiration once again.
Brisbane Heat arrive full of confidence after a resounding win in Geelong. Their 101-run win against the Melbourne Renegades was a warning shot to the rest of the division and their recent performances make Sunday’s match-up even more intriguing. This fixture should be full of quality and is likely to be played at a frantic pace. I cannot wait to have a bet on this game and I’ll be hoping for a typically high-scoring affair.
Cricket fans in the UK can enjoy this game on BT Sport 1 on Sunday morning
Football – Premier League – Newcastle vs Cardiff
With so many Premier League teams decamped at the bottom of the table, every single week seems to throw up a relegation battle and this game at St. James’ Park is my final big betting event of the week as there is so much at stake!
Newcastle have plodded along this season but they could be dragged into a relegation battle here. They equipped themselves well against Chelsea but they are generally better away from home. Rafa Benitez’s side struggle when they have to take control of a game and play on the front foot and that’s what they’ll be expected to do here.
Cardiff have found away games tough in the top flight but this is arguably one of their best opportunities to claim three points and Neil Warnock will be fully aware of the situation. The wily boss knows his side must win games against sides around them and he was disappointed that they couldn’t beat Hudderfield.
With Newcastle’s poor home form and Cardiff’s less-than-adequate away form, this match isn’t going to be a high quality affair but thats part of the reason why it is a fascinating betting heat. The markets will favour the Geordies heavily in this one but punters like myself have got to work out if they can be trusted to win on Tyneside. They’ve won just two of eleven games here in front of their own fans and they are far from a guarantee.
UK Premier League games can see highlights of all top flight games on Sky Sports‘ Match Choice.
