Premier League 
/ Mike Norman / 01 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Liverpool have kept 10 consecutive clean sheets against Saturday’s opponents West Brom
"Wigan and Tottenham have meet 12 times in recent seasons, with an average of 3.5 goals scored per game and eight of those games resulting in at least three goals being scored."
Mike Norman takes a look at Saturday afternoon's six non-televised games including Liverpool's attempt to keep up a remarkable record against West Brom. Best Bet: Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [2.08] in Wigan v Tottenham.
Birmingham [2.6] v Bolton [3.1]; The Draw [3.4]
It's quite incredible to think that after 30 games of an intense Premier League season, just three points separate eight teams at the bottom of the table. It means of course that the relegation battle is going right down to the wire, and Birmingham are bang in the thick of it.
Since winning the Carling Cup last month Alex McLeish's men have lost four out of five games, including a 2-3 home loss to Bolton in the FA Cup. It's hard to see where their next win is coming from but I do fancy they'll get a draw against the Trotters. Games between these two have been very entertaining recently; their last five encounters have produced an average of 3.6 goals per game. For that reason alone then I'm - rather optimistically - making Over 3.5 Goals ([4.2]) my only bet of this game.
Everton [1.91] v Aston Villa [4.7]; The Draw [3.7]
Everton's form has steadily improved as the season has gone on, so much so that David Moyes' men have won four of their last six league fixtures and climbed to eighth in the table. Villa, like most of their season, are out of form again which amazes me given the amount of talent they have within their squad. This has the potential to be a great game between two evenly matched sides, but Everton's home advantage and current form should just give them the edge.
Prior to Villa's 1-0 victory over out-of-form Everton last August, the previous six meetings between these two resulted in both sides finding the net; and that's exactly how I see this game going. The Yes option in the Both teams to Score market is available to back at [1.82] and is a confident selection, whilst in the Correct Score market, the 2-1 to Everton scoreline makes most appeal at [9.0].
Newcastle [2.08] v Wolves [4.1]; The Draw [3.5]
Newcastle have won just one of their last nine league fixtures but they continue to grind out the draws (five in that sequence). They have a slender cushion between them and the bottom eight clubs but they can ill-afford to go on a bad run at this stage of the season. I'm not sure they'll get back to winning ways against Wolves however; Mick McCarthy's men have won three and drawn two of their last six games and I fancy this game will end all square also.
The last three meetings between these two clubs have ended 1-1, Wolves have averaged exactly one goal per game in each of their last five away games, and Newcastle have scored exactly one goal in three of their last four home games. Do we need any more reasons then to back the 1-1 scoreline at [7.6] in the Correct Score market?
Stoke [6.0] v Chelsea [1.74]; The Draw [3.8]
Suddenly, almost from nowhere, Chelsea are back in with a shout of retaining their title but you get the feeling that they'll have to win at least eight of their remaining nine games to do so. An away trip to Manchester United later in the season won't be easy, and neither will this away trip to hard-to-beat Stoke. The Potters are unbeaten in five league games at the Britannia Stadium, but they do have a particularly poor record against Chelsea to overcome (seven consecutive defeats).
The Blues may have won three on the bounce in the league, but they haven't done it by playing spectacular football and they were far from impressive in their recent 0-0 home draw with Copenhagen in the Champions League. I sense this will be a dull low-scoring affair with the away side possibly pinching a narrow victory. Under 2.5 Goals is available to back at [1.88], but I am prepared to take a chance on Under 1.5 Goals at [3.8].
West Brom [3.3] v Liverpool [2.46]; The Draw [3.4]
Roy Hodgson has had a decent start as Albion boss - four draws and a win from his five games in charge - but he will love nothing more than to record a victory over his former employers Liverpool. The Reds are in decent league form themselves, winning six of their last eight matches under new boss Kenny Dalglish, and because of their incredible record against the Baggies they have to be backed for victory today.
Amazingly, since 1997, Liverpool have recorded 10 straight victories against West Brom and on every occasion they kept a clean sheet; that's 28 goals scored and none conceded. The Yes option in the Liverpool Clean Sheet market is available to back at [3.1] this time, but perhaps the best bet is to back Liverpool Win to Nil at odds of [3.4].
Wigan [3.3] v Tottenham [2.48]; The Draw [3.4]
Out of all the clubs in trouble of being relegated I believe Wigan are the most likely to go down. The Latics don't seem capable of stringing a decent sequence of results together and they have some tough fixtures ahead of them, starting with Spurs on Saturday afternoon. Harry Redknapp's men need to start winning themselves if they are to qualify once more for next season's Champions League, but with Real Madrid to come on Tuesday the Tottenham boss might keep a few of his stars on the bench and hope that his fringe players can get the job done here.
I'm not at all confident about predicting the outcome of this match as much depends on what line-up Redknapp starts with, so my only bet will be Over 2.5 Goals at [2.08]. These two sides have meet 12 times in recent seasons, with an average of 3.5 goals scored per game and eight of those games resulting in at least three goals being scored.
Recommended Bets
Best Bet: Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [2.08] in Wigan v Tottenham
Back Over 3.5 Goals @ [4.2] in Birmingham v Bolton
Back Both teams to Score @ [1.82] in Everton v Aston Villa
Back 1-1 Correct Score @ [7.6] in Newcastle v Wolves
Back Under 1.5 Goals @ [3.8] in Stoke v Chelsea
Back Liverpool Win to Nil @ [3.4] v West Brom
*Mike's record on his Best Bets this season is 25 wins from 51 selections resulting in a profit of £78.80 (£10 stake/liability per selection)
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