22.05. (Sun) 17:00 Tottenham Hotspur - Birmingham City

DID YOU KNOW?

A win for Tottenham will see them finish fifth and confirm Europa League football for next season. Yet if they were to lose, Liverpool would only need a draw against Aston Villa to claim fifth spot due to their superior goal difference.

However, Spurs have a superb home record this season in the league: they have lost just once at White Hart Lane, to Wigan Athletic back in August.

Tottenham’s win over Liverpool last weekend brought an end to a poor run and was their first victory in seven games.

But Spurs have only beaten Birmingham once in their last five attempts, that victory coming back in August 2009, courtesy of a 90th minute Aaron Lennon winner.

Harry Redknapp’s men have drawn more games at home than any other team this season (nine) and their last three home games have all ended all square (against Blackpool, West Brom and Arsenal).

Birmingham are out to avoid becoming the first Premier League side ever to win a trophy and be relegated in the same season.

However, the Blues are on a rotten run and have won just two of their last 12 Premier League matches.

The bottom of the table is so tight with Birmingham level on points with Blackpool and Wigan (and only out of the bottom three by virtue of one goal) that they could lose to Spurs and stay up, or win and still go down.

Striker Cameron Jerome (pictured) has not scored in the Premier League for six months. His last goal came back on November 9 in the 3-2 defeat to Stoke City.

Birmingham have scored the fewest goals in the top flight, having netted just 36 goals in 37 games.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Tottenham (4-4-1-1): 
Cudicini; Corluka, King, Dawson, Rose; Lennon, Modric, Sandro, Pienaar; Van der Vaart; Crouch.

Tottenham top scorer Rafael van der Vaart is a doubt with a calf problem although the Dutchman has insisted this week he will do his utmost to prove his fitness for the final game of the season. Steven Pienaar is also doubtful with a groin problem but could feature.

Yet there is good news for Spurs too as goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, defenders Alan Hutton, Ledley King and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, as well as midfielders Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone and Wilson Palacios are all expected to be fit.

Birmingham City (4-5-1):
Foster; Carr, Johnson, Davies, Ridgewell; Larsson, Gardner, Ferguson, Fahey, Beausejour; Jerome.

Alex McLeish is able to recall Craig Gardner and Liam Ridgewell from suspension but the Blues have a number of injury problems and could be without Stuart Parnaby, Martin Jiranek and Lee Bowyer.

A knee injury means Alex Hleb will definitely miss out as well as the on-loan David Bentley who is ineligible against his parent club.

Prediction

A win at White Hart Lane looks a tall order for a Birmingham side on a dreadful run of form and against a Spurs team buoyed by victory over Liverpool last weekend, and eyeing a fifth-place finish.

Only one team has beaten Harry Redknapp’s men on their own turf in the league this season, and whilst Birmingham seem to relish taking on north London opposition, as evidenced in their League Cup win, they may have to hope results elsewhere go in their favour if they are to retain their top-flight status.

Tottenham 3-1 Birmingham

Read More

22.05. (Sun) 17:00 Aston Villa - Liverpool

DID YOU KNOW?

If Liverpool do not better Spurs' result on Sunday, next season will be the first time the club hasn't played European football since 1999-2000.

Liverpool gained 25 points in 21 Premier League games under Roy Hodgson, while successor Kenny Dalglish has registered 33 points in just 16 games.

Aston Villa's record signing Darren Bent, with nine, has scored more than a third of the club's 26 league goals since he joined in January.

Villa's maximum final league tally of 48 points would be their worst finish since 2005-06 when they finished 16th on 42 points.

In 179 meetings in all competitions, Liverpool have won 88, Villa have won 53, and 38 have been drawn.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1):
Friedel; Walker, Dunne, Collins, L Young; Downing, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Delph; A Young; Bent. 

Caretaker boss Gary McAllister is expected to stick with the same team that beat Arsenal 2-1 last Sunday.

Cameroon midfielder Jean Makoun is still suffering from a dead leg and is expected to miss out again.

Liverpool (4-4-2):
Reina; Flanagan, Carragher, Skrtel, Johnson; Kuyt, Spearing, Lucas, Maxi; Suarez, Carroll.

Striker Andy Carroll is likely to start for Liverpool despite the problems caused by a long-standing knee injury.

A similar knock is likely to see Raul Meireles sidelined again after he missed the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Prediction

Liverpool still have everything to play for while Villa can't wait to end a season to forget. With the bit between their teeth, expect Dalglish's men to end with a flourish.

Aston Villa 0-3 Liverpool

Read More

21.-22. 05.2011. Bets of the week

21.05. (Sat) 16:00 AIK - Gefle
AIK are much stronger than the bookies tend to think in the beginning of the season. Champions in 2009, they were dismal last year, but this season has started positively, especially as far as home fixtures are concerned. The stats read: Four played, four won, eight goals scored and just one conceded.

Last week AIK managed to beat league leaders Helsingborg despite falling behind and playing with 10 men for more than an hour. Gefle, with all due respect, are more straightforward rivals. The visitors failed to score in three of their last four league fixtures, and needed relegation playoffs to preserve their Allsvenskan status last year. The odds on AIK should be lower here.

Match Odds: AIK 1.80, Draw 3.50, Gefle 4.00
Tip: AIK to win @ 1.80

21.05. (Sat) 18:00 Girona - Barcelona Atletic
Girona have had a moderate season in the Spanish Segunda division and will certainly look to gain the scalp of their talented neighbours from Barcelona B. They have been very solid at home, losing only twice since September to the two best teams in this league, Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano.

They had a notable 4-0 away victory at Celta Vigo recently and they beat Barcelona B already this season, 2-1. I am attracted to this bet as Barcelona B won't be at full strength as they will have a number of players called up to the full Blaugrana team for their match in Malaga. It was a similar scenario last week as they went down 3-5 at home to Las Palmas.

Match Odds: Girona 2.50, Draw 3.10, Barcelona B 2.62
Tip: Girona to win @ 2.50

21.05. (Sat) 21:00 Sochaux-Montbeliard - Saint Etienne
Sochaux are desperately looking for three points against St Etienne as they still have a chance to get into the Europa League. Recent history points that a home win is likely as in the last six meetings in Stade Auguste Bonal they have recorded four wins, losing just once and drawing the other.

Sochaux have won the last four games at home while visitors St Etienne are in a patchy form and have precious little to play for. The handicap market looks worth a shot here.

Match Odds: Sochaux 1.95, Draw 3.30, St.Etienne 4.0
Tip: Sochaux -0.5 @ 1.99 

22.05. (Sun) 17:00 Manchester United - Blackpool
There could be a sense of irony for Ian Holloway on Sunday should his side be relegated against a heavily changed opposition. Blackpool of course were fined for fielding a weakened side against Aston Villa and with a Champions League final to come, Manchester United look likely to do the same.

The last time Sir Alex Ferguson made wholesale changes the Red Devils ran away 4-1 winners against Schalke in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final and Premier League top goalscorer Dimitar Berbatov, who has already scored twice against Blackpool, looks likely to get a run out. Expect to see the attacking and exciting Blackpool side that we saw at the beginning of the season as a point looks unlikely to be enough for the Tangerines.

Match Odds: Man Utd 1.57, Draw 3.80, Blackpool 5.0
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.53

Read More

21.05. (Sat) 22:00 Espanyol - Sevilla

DID YOU KNOW?

After starting his proffessional career with city rivals FC Barcelona in 1995, Espanyol captain Ivan de la Pena is calling time on his career following this match, and he looks set to come off the bench for a final farewell.

Espanyol score a goal every 34 minutes when playing at Estadi Cornelia-El Prat.

Espanyol are in line for an eighth place finish - their best final position since 2004/05

Despite Sevilla qualifying for the Champions League for the last two seasons, the Andalucian side have not been in the top four since matchday three.

Should Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo play on Saturday, it would be his 250th career appearance.

Sevilla's average result away from home is a 2-1 loss.

These two sides have racked up a total of 201 yellow cards and 12 red cards this season.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Espanyol (4-4-2)
Alvarez, Chica, Amat, Galan, Rodriguez, Alonso, Verdu, Lopez, Luis Garcia, Osvaldo, Vazquez

Sevilla (4-3-3)
Varas, Dabo, Escude, Sanchez, Caceres, Perotti, Romaric, Medel, Alfaro, Kanoute, Negredo

Prediction

Both teams have been on a bad run of late, but I fancy Espanyol, who have an impressive 11 home wins so far this season to pull off a win again Sevilla, who have just six La Liga wins since the end of January.

Editor's Prediction

Espanyol 2-1 Sevilla

Read More

21.05. (Sat) 21:00 Paris Saint Germain - Lille Metropole

DID YOU KNOW?

* PSG's hopes for qualification to next season's Champions League have taken a blow in recent weeks with the Parisien club winless in their previous three games.

* Antoine Koumbouare's side are fourth in the table, having amassed 58 points, two behind Lyon in third.

* The two sides met in last week's Coupe de France final, with PSG relinquishing their crown, going down 1-0 to Les Dogues.

* Les Parisiens were also comfortably beaten in their last league encounter, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat at Stadium Lille Metropole.

* They lost 1-0 away to Bordeaux on Wednesday, a result which denied them the chance to leapfrog Lyon into the coveted third and final Champions League spot.

* Lille only require a point to win their first Ligue 1 title since 1954 on Saturday evening.

* The Dogues have already managed to end a stunning 56 year wait without a trophy with a 1-0 win over Saturday's opponents in the Coupe de France final.

* Rudi Garcia's men narrowly edged Sochaux on Wednesday, to leave them six points ahead of current champions Marseille with only two games to go.

* Only shipping eight goals in the remaining games would deny Lille the title.

* Lille have never conceded more than one goal in their last 19 league games.

* Les Dogues, however, have not tasted success at Parc des Princes since 1996.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Paris Saint Germain (4-3-3)
Coupet; Ceara, Sakho, Camara, Armand; Makelele, Bodmer, Chantome; Nene, Erding, Hoarau

PSG coach Antoine Koumboure has the luxury of a near full strength squad. Peguy Luyindula (ankle) remains an absentee, and is unlikely to play again this season whilst Jean-Eude Marice also is a doubt for the visit of the champions-elect. Chairman Robin Leproux blasted his players after their defeat in midweek, citing a "lack of desire".

Lille OSC (4-3-3)
Landreau; Beria, Rami, Debuchy, Rozehnal; Cabaye, Balmont, Mavuba; Hazard, Sow, Gervinho

Lille coach Rudi Garcia possesses a full squad for the final push to claim the Ligue 1 crown, with Jerry Vandam, who has only made two league appearances all season, the single omission with a minor injury. Florent Balmont remains a doubt, but is set to take his place in midfield for the potential title decider.

Prediction

Lille are playing like winners, winning their last five games on the trot, and it would be hard to not see them crowned Ligue 1 champions on Saturday evening. PSG's recent lacklustre performances may see the Champions League beyond them. With Lille requiring a point, a draw is very much on the cards.

PSG 1-1 Lille

Read More