We came ultra-close to a second successive 33/1 winner last weekend. Call it coincidence, but this week’s accumulator is also exactly 33/1. Fancy that.
By Conor Heneghan and Shane Breslin
Everton v Liverpool (Draw @ 11/5)
Once known as the friendly derby, the meeting of Everton and Liverpool has taken a more hostile turn in recent times and is the fixture responsible for most red cards since the dawn of the Premier League. We expect it to be equally as competitive this weekend as both sides look to get back on track after mixed starts.
If you count the 2009 FA Cup clash that went to extra time as a draw, four of the last seven games between the sides have ended all square and it would be no surprise if there is a similar occurrence this time around.
Ireland v Italy (Ireland to win by 1-12 points @ 8/5)
Twice we’ve forecast the outcome in Ireland’s World Cup games so far (we refrained from dishing out tips on the Australia game) and twice we’ve been proved correct, so we’re looking to make it three from three this weekend.
Declan Kidney can talk all he wants about Italy being the game that Ireland had targeted from a long way off, but Ireland’s performance against Australia suggested that it was they who were the subject of Ireland’s focus and we could easily be caught on the hop the way the Wallabies were in Auckland a fortnight ago.
Still, we think that Ireland are mature enough and playing well enough to come through what should be a difficult test in Dunedin, but not without experiencing a bit of a fright first.
Tottenham v Arsenal (Tottenham to win @ 23/20)
We must be gluttons for punishment. How else can you describe the fact that we’re betting on two of the most feverish derbies in the Premier League this weekend?
But we just can’t help ourselves when it comes to Spurs against their awful old rivals Arsenal. Don’t be fooled by the fact that Arsenal come into this game on the back of a three-match winning, er, streak. Those games were against Shrewsbury, Bolton and Olympiakos. All were at home, and none really offered any suggestion that Arsenal are anywhere close to the same side of recent seasons.
So take Spurs, for whom key first-teamers like Bale, Modric, van der Vaart and Adebayor were well rested against Shamrock Rovers in midweek, to earn the north London bragging rights.
Denver Broncos at Green Bay Packers (Packers to cover -12 handicap @ 10/11)
The Packers were the subject of the US Sports leg of our bet last weekend – and but for a controversial late call, which ruled out this incredibly innovative trick return play, we would have delivered a 33/1 winner for the second successive week.
But we’re not bitter. Oh no.
Now, where were we? Right, the Packers. We reckon they should cover the 12-point handicap spread against the lightweight Denver Broncos this Sunday, so we’re throwing them into the four-timer at a shade of odds-on.
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