Star Sports ambassador ALEX CROOK looks ahead to the pick of the weekend’s Premier League matches, and puts up another ALEX ACCA.
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LEEDS v NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Friday, 8pm
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The weekend kicks-off with a crunch relegation six-pointer at Elland Road on Friday night.
The two teams are separated in the table only on goals difference and both sit six points above the relegation zone with 14 matches remaining.
Leeds’ excellent run of just one defeat in 11 games came to a shuddering halt as they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Arsenal last weekend while ten-man Forest drew 1-1 at home with Crystal Palace.
Both Daniel Farke and Sean Dyche know West Ham have a great chance of winning at Burnley 24 hours later so defeat would be very costly for their side.
Farke’s men are strong at home, particularly in these evening kick-offs, but Forest have also fared well against their fellow strugglers, most recently winning at the London Stadium.
There was little to choose between the two teams when a Morgan Gibbs-White goal earned Forest a narrow victory back at the City Ground in November.
I am anticipating another evenly-contested game so like the look of the draw at 23/10 with starsports.bet
MANCHESTER UNITED v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 12.30pm
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Life as Manchester United manager could hardly have gone any better as he prepares to face his former club at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Three wins from three – two of them against the top two in the table – and his team scoring glorious last=gasp winners at the Stretford End to put smiles back on United fans’ faces.
Carrick’s record over two stints in interim charge now reads five wins and a draw from six games, but can he overcome the Red Devils’ Tottenham hoodoo?
These teams met four times in three different competitions last season and Spurs won all four, including in the Europa League final in Bilbao.
In fact, United are without a victory in the last six meetings between the two, a far cry from their Sir Alex Ferguson glory days and the infamous ‘Lads, it’s only Tottenham’ team talk.
But the home side appear to riding a crest of a wave right now and given Tottenham’s injury issues and the fact the visitors have failed to take maximum points in 13 of their last 15 games this feels like a golden opportunity for Carrick to go four from four.
I put up Bryan Mbeumo to score in the reverse fixture, which ended in a 2-2 draw, and he duly delivered.
The Cameroonian has now netted five times in his last five games against Spurs so I am going to stick with a winning formula and back Mbeumo to score, over 3.5 goals and United to win as a build-a-bet at 3.80/1 with starsports.bet.
BURNLEY v WEST HAM
Saturday, 3pm
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Any faint hopes Burnley had of staying up were surely ended by Monday’s dismal 3-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Scott Parker’s men did not manage a single shot on target as they were totally outclassed by a team who finished BELOW them in the Championship last season.
Even the usually optimistic Parker has carried the look of a beaten manager in recent weeks with his side marooned 11 points adrift of safety.
It is now a pitiful three wins form 24 league games for the Clarets, making Saturday’s trip to Turf Moor a must-win for West Ham for their own hopes of pulling off a relegation Great Escape.
The Hammers’ mini revival mission was ended by a 3-2 defeat at Chelsea, but manager Nuno Espirito Santo will take heart from seeing his side go 2-0 up at Stamford Bridge.
Not being able to call upon the suspended Jean-Clair Todibo after his brainless slate red card is a blow which is likely to mean an immediate debut for deadline day signing Axel Disasi.
If West Ham play as well as they did in the first half against Chelsea and in beating Tottenham and Sunderland at home before that they will come out on top.
Nuno’s men at 23/20 with starsports.bet to claim a priceless three points is a lot bigger than I was expecting given how abject Burnley are.
LIVERPOOL v MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 4.30pm
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Liverpool against Manchester City has become the key rivalry of the modern Premier League era.
Given champions Liverpool are a as many as FOURTEEN points behind leaders Arsenal, Sunday’s clash at Anfield does not have the same feel of seasons gone by.
Nonetheless, it is a massive game for both teams; City to keep pace with the Gunners, who are expected to see off Sunderland at the Emirates 24 hours earlier, and Liverpool in pursuit of a Champions League place.
Pep Guardiola’s men cruised into the final of the EFL Cup in mid-week by beating Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate, but continued their strange trend of failing to fire after half-time.
But the Citizens have still lost only two of their last 19 games in all competitions.
Hosts Liverpool found themselves a goal down to Newcastle last Saturday before producing one of their most convincing performances of an underwhelming season to ultimately win 4-1.
The Reds have lost just one of their last five meetings between these two heavyweights and roared on by what is sure to be a very loud Anfield crowd I can see that record continuing, although a draw seems the most logical outcome.
This is game that usually guarantees goals and both defences are there to be exploited so I am going to chuck a dart at a 2-2 draw at 10/1 with starsports.bet.
RECOMMENDED SELECTIONS
1️⃣ BEST BET: West Ham to win 2pts at 23/20 (⭐
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2️⃣ NEXT BEST: Leeds v Nottingham Forest draw 1pt at 23/10 (⭐
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🎲 LONG SHOT: Liverpool 2 Manchester City 2 0.5pts at 10/1 (⭐
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📊 BUILD-A-BET: Bryan Mbuemo to score, over 3.5 goals and Manchester United to win 1pt at 3.80/1 with starsports.bet
🚀 ALEX ACCA: West Ham, Chelsea, Bolton, Huddersfield at 10/1 (⭐
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