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Rooney's red mist to face Anfield cauldron

October 14, 2011

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After a week off to allow qualifying for next summer's European Championships to reach a climax, the Premier League returns this week with arguably the most high-profile rivalry in English football.

Liverpool - proud owner of 18 league titles - take on Manchester United - triumphant victor on 19 occasions - at Anfield. The Reds have not contended for Premier League glory in recent seasons but have shown they are more than capable of winning against their hated rivals in one-off contests - as their 3-1 win in front of their own fans in March attests to.

Having bounced back with two wins after something of a humbling against Tottenham, can Kenny Dalglish mastermind another important victory against his old foe Sir Alex Ferguson? Or will United's seemingly inexorable pursuit of a 20th crown pick up more pace with a win at Anfield?

Elsewhere Chelsea will be hoping to improve their record against Everton, while a couple of teams that have struggled so far this season get the chance to put three big points on the board.

Premier League betting preview - Merseyside pair can surprise a few

Saturday

Liverpool v Manchester United

Form: The visitors have been in prolific form recently - as you would expect of table toppers - with a draw against Stoke at the Britannia Stadium their only dropped points from their last six games. Liverpool have won four of their last six but did lose on their travels to both Stoke and Tottenham - although at home they remain unbeaten so far this season.
Key battle: Nemanja Vidic should return to the United starting lineup after captaining his country in midweek, although Sir Alex Ferguson would probably have thought harder about his selection if his frequent tormentor, Fernando Torres, was still at Liverpool. Can the Spaniard's de-facto replacement, Luis Suarez, cause the Serbian similar headaches?
Player to watch: Wayne Rooney has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons this week, so will be keen to get back to letting his football do the talking - especially against the club he grew up hating. But will he be able to keep his cool in the Anfield cauldron?
Talking point: Steven Gerrard should be another player who returns for the game at the weekend. Can he come straight back and dominate a game of this magnitude - and what will his return mean for the likes of Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson?
Bet of the day: Manchester United to lead at half-time but Liverpool to have clawed back parity by the final whistle looks to be good value at 12/1 with bet365
Prediction: 1-1

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Manchester City v Aston Villa

Form: City have picked up 16 points from a possible 18 in the last six matches, with the disappointing 2-2 draw at Fulham the only lapse in an impressive recent run. Aston Villa remain unbeaten in the league this season but have drawn four of their last six - although they did vanquish Wigan last time out.
Key battle: Alongside James Collins, Richard Dunne comprises a particularly uncompromising central defensive partnership. With Carlos Tevez ostracised and Sergio Aguero an injury doubt, the likely selection of the less mobile Edin Dzeko could play into his hands.
Player to watch: David Silva. The Spaniard pulls the strings for his club and, after making a real impression for his national team earlier in the week, will want to return to domestic action with a bang. It will be interesting to compare and contrast his efforts with those of Stephen Ireland, who has looked lost since leaving City last summer.
Talking point: Aston Villa have enjoyed an unbeaten, if draw-laden, start to the season - but they have yet to face a test even approaching the difficulty of City's. Any positive result would say a lot for the solidity of Alex McLeish's side.
Bet of the day: After scoring in his last appearance at the Etihad, Adam Johnson could well be a good punt to repeat the feat in the absence of others - 9/1 at bet365
Prediction: 3-1

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Norwich City v Swansea City

Form: Norwich have three defeats, two wins and a draw to show for their recent efforts - with their 2-0 defeat last time out against Manchester United understandable (even if they missed some great chances in front of goal). Swansea are unbeaten at home this season (two wins, two draws) but, perhaps crucially, have yet to pick up so much as a point from their three away trips to date.
Key battle: Hands up if you ever thought Grant Holt would come up against Ashley Williams in a Premier League fixture. No-one? Thought not. But the pair have held their own so far this season and could prove crucial in deciding the destination of the spoils come 5pm.
Player to watch: Norwich like to be adventurous at Carrow Road, opening themselves up to quick counter-attacks. Nathan Dyer thrives in such situations, and Brendan Rodgers may well set up his side to exploit the former Southampton winger's pace and dribbling poise.
Talking point: Games this early in the season should never be called relegation six-pointers, but this is nevertheless a clash that could have a major effect on the next few months for each club. After an encouraging start, a win for either team would create hopes of avoiding a relegation battle entirely.
Bet of the day: Norwich have found their scoring touch in the Premier League, while Swansea have been poor away from home. A 2-1 home win seems a reasonable shout at 8/1 at bet365
Prediction: 2-1

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Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers

Form: From one potential relegation scrap to another. QPR have improved since their late flurry of transfer activity, securing two of each potential result from their last six games - although worryingly they are still yet to win at home. Blackburn, in contrast, have lost four of their last six - with that rollercoaster victory against Arsenal the notable respite for under-fire manager Steve Kean, who really needs to avoid defeat at Loftus Road.
Key battle: As left-backs go Martin Olsson is a fairly adventurous one - and with the rejuvenated Shaun Wright-Phillips likely to be his opponent down the flank the onus will be on the Swede to maintain his defensive discipline or risk letting the winger cause havoc in behind him.
Player to watch: Junior Hoilett has been one of the few real bright spots for Blackburn this season, showing himself to be a player of both huge potential and the right character during a tough period for the club. Another star showing against QPR could add further weight to assertions that the Canadian is destined for bigger and better things.
Talking point: Blackburn's Indian owners continue to back their manager, but can Steve Kean really survive if they lose against a team expected to be a fellow relegation battler?
Bet of the day: Blackburn have been generally abject so far this season, but they seem to have inherited their manager's instinct for just about hanging on. Considering QPR's rather limp goalscoring record, a scoreless draw looks good value. 9/1 at bet365
Prediction: 0-0

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Stoke City v Fulham

Form: The Potters have gained a fairly-middling eight points from their last six games, although they do have an unbeaten home record (two draws, one win) against some good sides to give them cause for optimism. Martin Jol's men started the season poorly but things have picked up recently, with the Cottagers unbeaten in their last four games in the league after halting a two-game losing streak.
Key battle: 'War' might be a more accurate description than 'battle' when it comes to facing Stoke at home, but in Brede Hangeland Fulham have their own imposing physical presence to call upon. Peter Crouch has scored three goals in his last five games against Fulham - considering Hangeland gives away fewer inches to the big man than most defenders he won't want to see that number rise.
Player to watch: Bobby Zamora's return to the England fold caught a number of people by surprise, even more so when it briefly appeared he would be picked to start against Montenegro. Against a solid domestic defence - and with Rooney's ban creating debate about his international replacement - critics will be eager to see if Zamora's form really warrants an international place.
Talking point: A criticism of Fulham under Jol has been that they seem to lack some unity of purpose, but a trip to the Britannia - where they have a decent recent record - could help forge a positive spirit ahead of the winter.
Bet of the day: The bookies evidently expect a home win, so you need to get creative to find value. Peter Crouch to score any time (sorry, Brede) in a 2-0 win shows some yield at 15/1 with bet365
Prediction: 2-0

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Wigan Athletic v Bolton Wanderers

Form: Sitting 18th and 20th in the Premier League form table respectively, both managers will be desperate for the three points. The Latics may feel they are in a rut after losing four on the spin following a draw (against Swansea) and win (over QPR) - but Bolton have lost six straight since their opening day battering of Neil Warnock's men.
Key battle: Victor Moses has started this season brightly, serving as a creative force for his side and beginning, slowly, to deliver on his undoubted promise. But the former Crystal Palace man has a bit of a track record of going missing in games when he is pressured physically - which is one of Paul Robinson's greatest strengths.
Player to watch: Ali Al Habsi could be playing for the other side in this game, had things been different during his spell at the Reebok. Jussi Jaaskelainen should be back between the sticks after injury following Adam Bogdan's inconsistent stint, but the Oman international will want to prove he is better than both of them.
Talking point: Both managers have previously been touted as rising stars of the game - but could defeat in this one put them just behind Steve Kean in the sack race and perilously close to that well-trodden path towards managerial ignominy?
Bet of the day: Conor Sammon (proud owner of just one Premier League goal in his career) is the shortest odds to notch in this one with the bookies, which says a lot. But Franco di Santo strikes us as a more likely option to get a goal (deflected or otherwise). 13/2 at bet365
Prediction: 1-1

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Chelsea v Everton - Live on ESPN

Form: Chelsea, perfect at home so far this season, have lost just once in their last six - with that defeat against Manchester United the errant result. Everton are coming off a defeat against Liverpool at Goodison Park, their third defeat in six after going on a three-game unbeaten run of two wins and a draw. They do, however, have a very solid record at Stamford Bridge - drawing there for the last three years in the league, while also knocking them out of the FA Cup on penalties in February.
Key battle: Juan Mata has hit the ground running since making the move from Valencia, and will expect to cause Tony Hibbert a number of problems with his movement and technical skill.
Player to watch: With Fernando Torres suspended now and Wayne Rooney suspended next summer, Daniel Sturridge can enhance his chances at club level and state his case at the international one with a sparkling performance in front of the ESPN cameras.
Talking point: Everton have a remarkable record against their richer opponents - a testament to David Moyes' tactical skill and his players' workrate. But surely they have to suffer a defeat against the Blues at some point?
Bet of the day: Didier Drogba has had joy against Everton in the past and will want to get back on the goalscoring trail as soon as possible. A brace for the Ivorian is an intriguing 5/1 at bet365
Prediction: 3-1

Sunday

West Bromwich Albion v Wolves

Form: The Baggies have drawn their last two following three defeats and a win, while Wolves have slumped to four straight defeats after starting their campaign with two encouraging wins and a draw.
Key battle: A duel of two former Reading strikers is on the cards at The Hawthorns, with Shane Long and Kevin Doyle both likely to prove key to their respective sides' hopes of getting a winning goal.
Player to watch: Roger Johnson embarrassed himself with his defending for Jonas Gutierrez's goal in the club's last outing against Newcastle, and then lambasted the club's fans for their criticism of Karl Henry. He needs a big performance this week to prevent the Wolves faithful redirecting their ire towards him.
Talking point: After staying up for a couple of seasons, this was supposed to be the campaign where both clubs begin to kick on, much as Stoke appear to have done. But have both sides actually gone backwards, despite notable summer reinvestment?
Bet of the day: After a week to regroup, a Wolves victory looks undervalued considering WBA are still struggling with a few injury concerns - most notably to Peter Odemwingie. 3/1 at bet365
Prediction: 1-2

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Arsenal v Sunderland

Form: Arsenal have won just twice in their last six, losing the other four in what has been a surprisingly slow revival after that horror period around the transfer deadline. Sunderland have three defeats in their last six, with two draws and a solitary (but emphatic) win against Stoke an indication of their inconsistency.
Key battle: With Nicklas Bendtner not allowed to play against his parent club due to Premier League rules, the still relatively untested Ji-Dong Won could well be Steve Bruce's only attacking option. As long as Per Mertesacker can deal with him, the Black Cats might have difficulty getting a goal.
Player to watch: Robin van Persie's comments about signing a new contract have caused growing alarm among the Arsenal faithful. The team's talismanic figure, the Dutchman can't afford to let any off-field uncertainty affect his performances on the pitch.
Talking point: Lee Cattermole believes his disciplinary record is almost entirely a result of poor refereeing decisions. Will this weekend add further hard evidence to suggest that is not really the case?
Bet of the day: Sunderland have conceded half as many goals as the Gunners this season, but they don't seem to have an obvious goalscoring threat to call upon this weekend. Arsenal to win in a game with less than 2.5 goals seems worthwhile at 11/4 at bet365
Prediction: 2-0

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Newcastle v Tottenham

Form: Newcastle, the surprise package of the season so far, remain unbeaten - with four wins and three draws to their credit so far (although from admittedly a less than testing opening run of fixtures). Spurs, meanwhile, have won four and lost two since their opening game against Everton was postponed - with that 4-0 win over Liverpool the high point to date.
Key battle: Demba Ba and Leon Best have been the prolific strike partnership no-one predicted so far this season. But Ledley King and Younes Kaboul are a more rugged and robust proposition than either has come up against so far.
Player to watch: Yohan Cabaye suffered an injury scare on international duty with France, but should be fit for the game. Having started the season brightly but agonisingly failing to find the net, a first goal in black and white would announce his ability to a wider English audience.
Talking point: After being widely written off before the season began, would a Newcastle win force people to begin considering Alan Pardew's side as European contenders alongside the likes of Spurs and Liverpool?
Bet of the day: Newcastle are not to be underestimated at home but - assuming at least one of Rafael van der Vaart and Emmanuel Adebayor are fit to play - Spurs should have the firepower to avoid defeat. A 2-2 draw is 11/1 at bet365
Prediction: 2-2

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