Betting Tips and Previews: Premier League 2021

We are tipping Michu at odds of 7/2 with William Hill to score first

All eyes at Wembley will be on Michu, as he tries to propel Swansea to a first ever major trophy in their history

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League Cup/Premier League: Swansea Vs Bradford and Man City Vs Chelsea



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Swansea Vs Bradford

League Cup Final: Sunday 24th Feb 2013: 4pm

The cynics among you may argue that this final is proof that ‘big clubs’ do not take the cups seriously anymore. You’d be wrong. How Benítez and Wenger would have loved to have been looking forward to a chance for silverware. They wanted it; even more than that, they needed it. But in true fairytale style, we have a match up that is possibly one of the most romantic finals in recent memory. Swansea City, the top division surprise and now a paradigm of how to run a football club face Bradford City, a team who have suffered greatly since their fall from the Premier League over a decade ago, yet have still found the power to put together one of the most memorable cup runs ever. Glory beckons for one of these teams, and outside of their respective cities, the neutral will have a difficult time choosing a favourite.

Match Result  

As hard as it may be for the neutral fan to decide who he would want to win more, Swansea are unsurprisingly the favourite among the bookmakers. Short among many, Coral and Blue Square are your best bet for a Swansea win, at 2/5. The best price for a draw can be found with SkyBet at 4/1, whilst Bradford, however impressively they dealt with their route to the final, are way behind in terms of odds, with Bet365 offering you 8/1 on them completing the most unlikely of League Cup seasons.

Swansea boast a mean defence, with hard-man Ashley Williams providing the grit, although his usual partner Chico Flores has been ruled out through injury. Bradford will find the Swans hard to play against; they keep the ball in a wonderful fashion, couple with cut-and-thrust counters that take the breath away. A Swansea 3-0 win is at 9/1 with Blue Square, but they certainly have the personnel to achieve this, and even more.

Goals

It is a silly question to ask who might score in this game, but we will tell you anyway: the gangly Spaniard, Michu, is red-hot favourite to score in this game with William Hill placing him at 10/11 for Anytime Scorer. However, the money may be won in opting for him being First Goalscorer, again with William Hill. They have Michu at 7/2 to open the scoring at Wembley, which is a very good price given his quality and ability to find the net.

For Anytime Goalscorer, it is hard to pick a best option between Pablo Hernández and Jonathan de Guzmán. Both look likely to start, and both will be attempting to get forward with Michu at every opportunity. Backing de Guzmán will net you more money if he scores, but of course, he does not look as likely to register as Hernández does. You can find the Dutchman at 10/3 with Coral, while the Spaniard is 9/4 with Ladbrokes.

With so much talent on display from Swansea, plus the determined, dogged nature of the Bradford side, do not be surprised to see a few goals in this one. Bet365’s offer of over three goals for 13/8 looks like a steal taking this into account, but odds are shortening as you read this.

Wildcards

Swansea have it well within their capabilities to win and keep a clean sheet in this one. As such, Blue Square are offering 11/8 on Swansea to Win to Nil in the big Wembley showpiece.

The Winning Margin market might be worth a punt as well. For Swansea to win by two goals, Ladbrokes are offering 33/10. This tip may be selling the Swans short a bit, but there is no doubt Bradford will be fighting for their pride in the biggest game of their lives.

Manchester City Vs Chelsea

Premier League: Sunday 24th Feb 2013: 1:30pm

The title race may be done and dusted as far as most are concerned, but this Super Sunday clash still promises to be a cracker. When City and Chelsea are at their best, they are a joy to watch, with attacking midfielders aplenty providing flicks, tricks, and entertainment all around. Neither manager can afford to lose; Mancini needs to prove to his bosses he can still motivate his team to perform, whereas Benítez needs a win to have any chance of convincing the fans he may be the right man for the job.

Match Result

Somewhat interestingly, City are evens with a number of bookmakers to win on Sunday, including Blue Square and Ladbrokes. They may have home advantage, but that looks generous against a Chelsea side who are awash with quality. Stan James will offer you 10/3 on a Chelsea win, but the best bet may be with the draw at 13/5 with Betfred.

A score draw may be a good bet for this one, with Ladbrokes offering 16/5 for this. City have been far from their best recently, and both teams have the quality to unlock each other’s defence.

Goals

In regards to goalscorers, you really are spoilt for choice with this tie. Goals could come from anywhere on the pitch, from the centre-backs right through to the strikers. Juan Mata will be looking to test the City defence, after not registering for a couple of games since going on a goalscoring purple-patch in late January. He is 7/2 to score anytime with SkyBet to get back among the goals on Sunday.

A slightly left-field bet for Anytime Goalscorer comes in the form of imposing Serbian Branislav Ivanović. With Vincent Kompany out, the City backline has looked shaky, and from corners the defender is a very deadly threat. You can find him at 9/1 to score with Bet365 and Paddy Power.

This game promises to be a cagey affair, which unfortunately may mean we will not see many goals. For under 2.5 goals, Sporting Bet will give you 11/10.

Wildcards

For First Team Booking, you can find City at 11/10 with Bet365. In the process of trying toprove their manager wrong, several players have the potential to become too ‘overexcited’, not least Pablo Zabaleta and Joleon Lescott, so this might prove a winner in that respect.

Fancy a punt? Check out our Top Tips below to see where we reckon your money is best spent…

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Sam publishes regular feature and tips pieces for Howtobet4free. He has a blog, crackingjabulanis.blogspot.co.uk, and can be found on Twitter by following @Gaytski.

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Howtobet4free's Top Tips

Swansea vs.
Bradford
First Goalscorer:
  Michu
(7/2)
Swansea vs.
Bradford
Winning Margin:
  Swansea to Win by 2 Goals
(33/10)
Ladbrokes
Swansea vs.
Bradford
Total Goals:
  3 Goals in the Match
(13/8)
Man City vs.
Chelsea
Anytime Goalscorer(s):
  Branislav Ivanovic
(9/1)
Paddy Power
Man City vs.
Chelsea
Total Goals:
  Under 2.5 Goals
(11/10)

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