Kenny Dalglish's return to Anfield has galvanised Liverpool in the second half of the season
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This weekend sees a host of intriguing Premier League matches with the race for the title and the fight for survival at the other end really beginning to hot up. Leaders Manchester United are away to West Ham, a side who have given them trouble in the past, while second-placed Arsenal welcome Blackburn to the Emirates.
But it is to Anfield where we should go first and they look a good price to be the bet of the weekend. Now Liverpool have not exactly been the most reliable side to bet on this year - beating Chelsea and Manchester United but languishing in the lower half of the table in the first half of the year.
That, though, was BD, before (Kenny) Dalglish. The club's former star striker and trophy-laden manager has done a great job since he came back to replace Roy Hodgson and the two men go head to head this weekend as Roy returns to Anfield where he endurerd one of the least enjoyable periods of his career.
Everything went wrong for Hodgson in his time there but since Dalglish arrived it has been a different story and though they may be eight points behind Manchester City in fourth, they still have not given up an outside hope of a Champions League spot.
If they are going to achieve that, or anything close to it, then they need to win the vast majority of their remaining eight games, starting with West Brom, a side sitting perilously just one point above the bottom three.
Cambers' Calls
- Bet of the weekend: Liverpool to win at West Brom - 11/8 bet365
- Weekend punt: Stoke to draw with Chelsea - 13/5 bet365
- Weekend treble - Everton and Newcastle to win, Birmingham to draw with Bolton - 21/2 bet365
The arrival of Luis Suarez has energised Liverpool and his class, the improving match fitness of Andy Carroll (helped by a goal for England) and the imminent return of Steven Gerrard from injury means the Anfield side should be firing on all cylinders come Saturday afternoon. They have little to fear from West Brom and at 11/8 are a generous price, so that has to be the bet of the weekend.
Chelsea still harbour outside title hopes themselves and if they win their game in hand they would be just six points behind. However, their trip to Stoke City is probably the toughest of the lot for the top sides this weekend and they could come unstuck.
Stoke are most teams' nightmare opposition, so strong are they physically and so hard do they compete for every ball. When they are on their game they are a tough prospect and with most of Chelsea's team having been on international duty in midweek, the Blues could struggle to be at their best.
Chelsea have won every match against Stoke in the past three seasons but it won't be pretty and this one has a draw written all over it. At 13/5 it's not the most amazing price but I think it merits being the weekend punt because it is a potential upset.
And so to the weekend treble and we have to begin at Goodison where Everton look overpriced at 5/6 to beat an Aston Villa team that seems in danger of downing tools under Gerard Houllier.
Newcastle should be able to see off Wolves on their own patch of St James' Park and 19/20 is a decent price, while the match between Birmingham and Bolton is going to be as close as any this weekend, so take the draw at 9/4.
A successful £10 treble on Everton, Newcastle and a draw in the Birmingham game would return around £116, which would give you something nice to make the weekend that bit more enjoyable. Good luck!
Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondent
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Simon Cambers
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant
