Weekend Tips: Top two battle once more

This weekend sees a repeat of last weekend's big game, with Manchester City and Liverpool clashing once again, this time in the FA Cup. We've also got the picks for the Premier League and one for the French Ligue 1.

Last weekend’s breathless 2-2 draw between Manchester City and Liverpool was a fantastic spectacle and great advertisement for English football. Beforehand all the talk had been of trebles and quadruples, and while a draw meant both are still very much in the title hunt, this weekend the spoils cannot be shared in what looks an FA Cup semi-final for the ages.

Manchester City have lost just one of their last 24 matches in all competitions while Liverpool themselves have suffered just one defeat in 23 games. These two are head and shoulders the best teams in England, and while they have drawn both matches against each other this season, we will have a winner on Saturday even if it means extra-time and penalties.

The squad depth Pep Guardiola has at his disposal might ordinarily prove the decisive factor in a game where both bosses will look to rotate, but the fact the champions will definitely be without Kevin De Bruyne is massive news. In De Bruyne City may have the best midfielder in the world right now. The way the Belgian controls the tempo of a football match, his ability to score and create goals and the sheer amount of work he gets through defensively as well as offensively is off the scale. He will be a huge loss this weekend, with Kyle Walker also set to miss out.

For me this sways the pendulum ever so slightly towards a Reds victory. Liverpool’s forward-line screams quality, and it is saying something when Bobby Firmino is now arguably the fifth-choice striker at Anfield behind Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota and the exhilarating Luis Diaz. They have quality all over the park of course, but their attacking options are quite scary and they are scoring goals for fun.

Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Mane and Salah were all rested against Benfica, while in City had a really tough battle against Atletico Madrid. It could be desperately close again, but all things considered Liverpool look a play here at 9/5.

 

The Nap – Liverpool to win at 9/5 (Hills)

 

Ricardo Pereira scored a late winner as Leicester City produced an eye-catching comeback to beat PSV Eindhoven and reach the club's first European semi-final on Thursday evening, and the Foxes look over-priced at 12/5 to beat Newcastle on Sunday.

When the teams met back in December, Leicester thumped the Toon 4-0. Obviously, a lot has changed since then with Eddie Howe coming in and steadying the ship on Tyneside. Howe’s men have all but confirmed Premier League safety now so may have one eye on a well-earned summer rest. In addition, Leicester have won each of their last five Premier League away matches at Newcastle, and are on a bit of a roll. Before winning in Eindhoven they beat Crystal Palace so confidence should be high. One man who likes playing against the Mags is James Maddison. The England man has been involved in five goals in six Premier League appearances against Newcastle (three goals, two assist) and can help the Foxes land odds of 12/5 this Sunday. 

 

 Value Tip – Leicester City to win at 12/5 (Betfair/Coral/Paddy Power)

 

Only a couple of weeks ago it felt as though Arsenal were nailed on to land a top four finish, but surprise defeats to Crystal Palace and Brighton has left them suddenly right behind the eight ball, with bitter rivals Tottenham now heavy odds on to finish ahead of them in fourth.

The Gunners are still in the mix of course but in truth cannot afford another slip up and must take maximum points against Southampton. Arsenal have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League matches against the Saints so the omens are good.

If you are looking for a first goalscorer in this one, then look no further than Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman has been involved in seven goals in his last six topflight appearances against Southampton, registering five goals and two assists.

Lacazette only has four Premier League goals to his name this season, but one of those came against Southampton in the reverse fixture earlier in the season and at 6/1 he gets the nod in a game that should feature a few goals.

 

First Goal Flutter – Lacazette to score first at 6/1 (Coral/Hills/Skybet)

 

Sunday’s ‘Le Classique’ between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille is hands down the biggest domestic game in French football. The rivalry between both teams is huge as they are both the biggest and most popular clubs in Ligue 1.

It’s usually a feisty affair too with seven red cards being dished out in the last four meetings between the teams.

PSG are red hot 2/5 favourites for victory in the 1x2 market, as their fabled front three have finally started to do the business in recent weeks. Indeed, both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe scored hat-tricks in last week’s 6-1 thumping of Claremont. Marseille are second in the tale, but they are no threat to PSG’s crown sitting as they do fully 12 points behind their rivals after 31 matches.

However, that doesn’t mean Sunday’s clash in Paris won’t be competitive, and 6/5 about the game featuring more than three goals looks the way to bet when you fact in that PSG have scored 11 goals in their last two matches.

 

The Euro Banker – Over 3.5 goals at 6/5 (Betfair/Paddy Power)