Sylvia’s Christmas Time Boom is here the day after Christmas and the much anticipated Boxing Day fixtures in the Premier League.
This season though, there is something different. The fourth wave of the pandemic is upon us and games are getting suspended. The league’s highest scoring team has lost its highest goal scorer and the league’s best player yet to AFCON. Other teams have also lost some of their key players to Africa’s biggest competition. The loss of these players means a loss in significant markets we could bet on.
Thankfully, there are lesser leagues to choose from and if my job to find those lucrative markets. May Lady Luck favour is!
Norwich City v Arsenal
The Gunners have somehow snuck through the pile of teams that were between them and the top four to rise above Manchester United and previously high flying West Ham United.
Mikel Arteta has quietly ignored the noise from all quarters questioning his ability to help the Arsenal team climb the top of the table again and compete with the best in the league.
They’ll be traveling to bottom of the table Norwich City and after winning all four of their most recent games, it’s almost impossible to see them dropping points against the Canaries. At this point I’ll even be surprised if the conceded a goal.
Tip: 2 @ 1.44 odds
Score prediction: 0-2 @ 6.60 odds
Manchester City v Leicester City
The home side are surprisingly one of the top teams in the league that will not be losing any first team player to the AFCON. Well, except Riyadh Mahrez. That, and the fact that they are already top of the table, City squad will maintain its balance and now have the league title to lose.
Their closest competitors can’t say the same.
Leicester City have continued to falter this season and are in a worse position with multiple key first team players unavailable due to injury or illness.
Head-to-head has favored the hosts although with very narrow victory margin. I fancy City to win this and make it rain once again. It now seems like a tradition.
Tip: FH – O1.5 @ 1.83 odds
West Ham v Southampton
West Ham have slipped out of the top four in the last couple of rounds. Incidentally, these three loses and a draw on their last four matches have come during a time when Kurt Zouma, Antonio and Cresswell are out of the side due to injuries.
The Hammers are set to be without them again on Sunday while the visitors will also be missing few players.
The Saints haven’t always been a pushover for West Ham and will put up a fight from their 15th place in the league on Saturday. In fact, I won’t be surprised if they leave the Olympic Stadoum with at least a draw and that’s what I’ll put the money on.
Tip: x2 @1.93 odds
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Chelsea are not the club we used to know having leaked eight goals in their last six games – a record that ordinarily won’t mean much to another team. But recent results have shown that their success on the pitch is directly tied to that as they continue to struggle to find goals.
Some argue that not much has changed to affect results but I disagree and I see a change in attitude and mentality.
Last season, there were already a team that could challenge. Now, with Steven Gerard, they look like a team that believe they can compete and win against the bug boys, like the wanna chill with the big boys.
The Blues are a much depleted and struggling side and I expect them to have a difficult game.
Tip: GG @ 1.95 odds
Cercle Brugge v Club Brugge
It’s a Brugge derby. A big Belgian one.
The visitors, second in the league, have all the significant advantage in their favour be it head-to-head or current form. They are also the leagues third highest scoring side but are very porous at the back having leaked just two goals (26) short of the hosts in 14th place.
That being said, I still fancy them to outscore their hugely depleted hosts.
Tip: 2 @ 1.84 odds
Score prediction: 1-3 @ 14.50 odds
Union St.Gilloise v Gent
The surprise of the season, St. Gilloise, have taken the Belgian league by surprise and this weekend will face one of their biggest challenges when they host Gent.
Fortunately, for the hosts, the first meeting between these two sides ended in a convincing 2-0 victory for the table toppers in October.
Gent are 13 points behind and stand a low chance of outdoing this balanced opposition who are a whopping six points above their nearest rivals after 20 out of 34 games.
Tip: 1 @ 2.16 odds
Hull City v Blackburn
In the Championship, it’s 3rd versus 19th.
Although it’s still some distance to go till the end of the season, Blackburn are comfortably in playoff places in the race for promotion.
Hull on the other end of the table will be hoping they don’t slip further into relegation battle. Unfortunately for the hosts, they’ll lose against their visitors.
The last five meetings between these two have swung in favour of Blackburn and I fancy that trend to continue on Boxing Day.
Tip: 2 @ 2.41 odds
Accrington v Rotherham
It’s a trip to League One where table toppers Rotherham travel to 10th places Accrington on one of the few non postponed fixtures for the weekend.
The lesser leagues in England are known to be extremely competitive and difficult to win.
In terms of head-to-head, the visitors have an overwhelming seven victories and one draw on nine meetings. The home side’s only victory came in their last meeting, a 2-1 victory in the EFL Cup.
For this league encounter, I expect the the status quo to be restored.
Tip: 2 &O1.5 @ 1.98 odds
Central Coast Mariners v Wellington Phoenix
Tip: GG @ 1.59 odds
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