CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
A Massive week of soccer ahead with the Champions League last 16 ties being played midweek and some mouthwatering clashes in prospect. All eyes will be on Parkhead on Tuesday and many Celtic fans will be surely be lumping on at 3/1 as their beloved team tackles Juventus. That’s not a bad price as the Bhoys’ home form commands respect, nevertheless the Turin giants are still worthy favourites. Meanwhile, the following night Man Utd fans may also be giving serious consideration to the 4/1 on offer for their team to claim a famous victory at the Santiago Bernabeu against the mighty Real Madrid. We’re giving away free bets for these games on our Facebook page, so make sure you are following the PG online, folks.
The PG QUAD Right, quickly into our weekend selections and we start in the Premiership where we have taken a NORWICH (13/10) win at Carrow Road where they host Fulham, who very seldom impress on their travels – so we expect Chris Houghton’s team to land the spoils in this one. BOLTON (1/1) badly need a win on the board and can get it against Burnley at the Reebok in the Championship while BRIGHTON (1/1) can return to winning ways by beating Hull at home in the live game on Saturday evening. We head to the SPL to make up our weekend quad and have opted for a DUNDEE UTD (11/10) win at Tannadice against Hearts; they can follow up that impressive Rangers demolition job last Saturday lunchtime in the Scottish Cup to make new boss Jackie McNamara’s good start a dream one.
The PG XXX TRIXIE We start the draw treble in the Premiership. Relegation-haunted QPR travel to Wales to take on slick Swansea and we get the feeling that while surely only wins now will do for Harry’s Hoops against any team outside the top four, they are destined to grind out another draw. BIRMINGHAM travel to Charlton in the Championsip in what’s a mid-table clash. But both are looking fearfully over their shoulders and a point could be enough for both these clubs as they try and put distance between themselves and the relegation zone. Hovering outside those relegation places are punch-drunk WOLVES who might just have to settle for a point at home to DERBY.
The PG GOALRUSH For the second week running just the nine from 12 last week, so an improvement needed and we suggest both teams to score in the following games: Bristol City v Nottingham Forest; Sheffield Wednesday v Derby; Brighton v Hull; Doncaster v Wasall; Bradford v Gillingham; and finishing with Oldham v MK Dons.
The PG Fivehit We finish the weekend soccer with our odds-on Fivehit and again we’re going back to the Championship for most of them. BLACKBURN (10/11) are making a late bid for a play-off place and can boost their chances with a win over Ipswich at Ewood Park. Leaders CARDIFF (10/11) can keep their winning run going with victory at Huddersfield. LEICESTER (8/11) can keep up the pace with a win at lowly Peterborough. COVENTRY (5/6) have been in great form of late and a win over Yeovil could propel them into play-off contention. We head back to the Premiership to make the Fivehit up and ARSENAL (4/5) can surely get a pre-Champions League fillip with a win at faltering Sunderland.
Weekend Racing
A lot to look forward to this weekend, folks, with excellent racing at Newbury on Saturday including the Betfair Hurdle, and then we have the big Hennessy meeting at Leopardstown on Sunday. Punters and followers of the racing game were left devastated on Monday when leading Champion Hurdle hope Darlan lost his life at Doncaster, falling at the last. We put him up as one as our 2013 bankers – a tragedy for all concerned. Tony McCoy and trainer Nicky Henderson can gain some consolation at the weekend with the progressive MY TENT OR YOURS being the one to beat in the Betfair Hurdle. He can make it three from four this season off a handy mark while the each-way bet could be the ever-improving SWING BOWLER who chases his sixth straight win – a big step up in class, to be sure, but 25s is hard to ignore. On to the Betfair Chase at Newbury and Silviniaco Conti, who beat Long Run last time out, should go off the odds-on favourite but for us MENORAH looks a better each-way alternative at nines. We are banking on FLEMENSTAR to bounce back to winning ways in the Hennessy at Leopardstown after running out of steam over course and distance at Christmas.
