Oh man yesterday was poor. Carlisle got me off to a great start but it all went downhill from there. Stoke were 1 up before being held to a 1 - 1 draw and Manchester United failed to convert a host of chances for an easy win. Still we march on and theres already a preview for Bolton/Derby down the thread.
Liverpool V Wigan
The year has started off poorly for me so far but im hopeful I can turn things around with Liverpool tonight. Liverpool are a team im always very weary of backing with big money. Too often they flatter to deceive and they don’t always win games as comfortably as they should. Tonight the odds for the home win are in the region of 1.2 which is a little too low. Bearing in mind that Wigan have never even taken a point off Liverpool though it’s probably a fair reflection of the situation.
Liverpool sit in 4th place, 13 points behind league leaders Arsenal though they do have two games in hand. Their home record is 4 – 4 – 1 which is probably the main reason why they are not as high as their fans demand. 20 goals scored and only 6 conceded and only 4 clean sheets along the way. Their last match was a most convincing 4 – 1 victory over Portsmouth, a victory made even more impressive by the fact that Pompey were on a great away winning streak.
Peter Crouch has finished his three-match ban and is available for selection. Sami Hyypia’s ankle continues to trouble him and Daniel Agger is still not fit. Torres will probably start, but it remains to be seen whether Crouch or Voronin get the nod over Kuyt.
Wigan are sitting in 18th place and need to start picking up points and fast. Their away record has been shocking though and they are still winless on the road and have only picked up 2 points from a possible 30. Yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels they have scored 7 goals and conceded a terrible 24, just over 2 goals a game. Their last away game was a battling 1 – 1 draw with fellow strugglers Fulham on the 22nd of December. Like all the bottom sides in the premiership it is the home form that will determine how their season finishes.
Emile Heskey resumed training on at the start of the week and could be recalled against his old club. Jason Koumas is also available having recovered from a groin strain.
Going to places like Anfield will be a stern test for them and you can be sure that they will give it their all but in the end, even the players know themselves that the home games are the ones where they have the best chance so a lot will depend on the first 45 minutes. If Liverpool score early on then they will break Wigans resolve and could go on to win 3 or 4 – 0 with ease. However if Wigan can make it to HT at 0 – 0 then they will be filled with the belief that they can hold on and take a point. Very often Liverpool can completely dominate a game yet fail to break down the opposition but with Crouch back tonight he will prove another welcome form of attack.
Verdict
It won’t be easy for Liverpool but Benitez has taken a lot of criticism and is badly in need of a good team performance and 3 points. The three teams above the pool all won last time out so anything but 3 points and a convincing performance will be viewed as a disaster. It wont be pretty but Liverpool should have more than enough to cover the 1.5 handicap.
PICK
Liverpool –1.5 (1.72 @ betdirect) 4 points
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