The return of Yakubu from suspension can inspire Blackburn to victory this weekend
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If Manchester United are to win the league this season they can't afford to let Manchester City get too far ahead and that means not dropping points, especially at home. Their problem is that this weekend's visitors are Liverpool, a team who have already beaten them in the FA Cup and who have had the better of them quite a few times in recent years.
At Old Trafford, things have gone better with wins in the past three years but it's a mark of the respect that bet365 have for Liverpool's ability to upset the odds - or perhaps a suggestion that United are not actually world-beaters - that the home side are 5/6 to win it. Liverpool are 10/3 and the draw is 13/5.
Liverpool may be sitting seventh in the league this season but if it were not for a whopping eight home draws (they are unbeaten at Anfield) we would be talking about them having a great season. A Carling Cup final offers them a great chance of silverware and they are in the last 16 of the FA Cup - at United's expense.
Moreover, they know exactly how to set up against United. You can bet they will play five across the midfield, with runners to support Luis Suarez, whose confrontation with Patrice Evra will no doubt capture plenty of headlines. A draw would be a great result for them and though United could easily win it, with no Nemanja Vidic, their defence always looks vulnerable.
I am not brave enough, this time, to say Liverpool will win it but they have the ability to frustrate United and they would like nothing more than to take points off them. Let's make the draw, at 13/5 with bet365, the weekend punt.
Betting bullets
- Bet of the weekend: Blackburn to beat QPR - 11/8 bet365
- The weekend punt: Liverpool to draw at Manchester United - 13/5 bet365
- The weekend treble: Bolton, Fulham and Wolves to win - 17/2 bet365
Queens Park Rangers look like they have hit on something with the partnership of Djibril Cisse and Bobby Zamora and those two could well keep Rangers up come the end of the season.
However, the unfortunate red card for Cisse in last weekend's match means he'll be missing at Blackburn Rovers and I can see that being crucial to the home side's chances of claiming what would be a massive victory in their fight for survival.
Every time I have seen them this season they have looked much better than their league position of second-bottom and with Yakubu back from suspension this weekend, they could take all three points.
Things in the bottom half of the table have been so unpredictable this season that it is anyone's guess what will happen in this one but all things being equal 11/8 on a Blackburn win, on home turf and with Yakubu back, is a great price. It has to be the bet of the weekend.
And so to the weekend treble. Third-bottom Bolton have to get points soon and taking them off their relegation rivals would be a good way of closing the gap so let's go with them to see off bottom side Wigan, with the benefit of being at home, at even money.
Wolves got themselves a huge win against 10-man QPR last time out and they should be inspired enough by that to beat West Brom, at 11/8. And finally Fulham, always better at home than away, can get the better of a faltering Stoke side at even money.
Put those three together and if they come in you'll have a treble worth around 8.5 times your stake. Good luck!
RUNNING TOTAL (as of Feb 9): -12.5pts
(Based on: 3pts stake for bet of weekend and 1pt each per weekend punt and weekend treble)
Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondent
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Simon Cambers
Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant Simon Cambers is ESPN.co.uk's betting correspondant
