|
UK
Casino Times
> Casino
News
30 October 2006
Midweek Premiership
Preview
Going into game-week four
of the Champions League, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United
could book their passage to the knock-out stages with two
games to spare, while a home win for Arsenal would make
qualification the closest thing to a mathematical
certainty.
Though any meeting of
Chelsea and Barcelona should whet the appetite, Tuesday
night's game at the Nou Camp will probably lack the tension
of recent knockout-stage encounters. After winning the tie
at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago, Chelsea have a 100% record
in Group A, and need just a point to ensure qualification.
With a final home tie still to come against whipping boys
Levski Sofia, the Blues are under no pressure to chase a win
against the Catalans.
In spite of this, the
Special One won't be doing his Dutch counterpart any
favours. Though Mourinho and opposite number Frank Rijkaard,
have been far more conciliatory in the build up to the
recent encounters, the Chelsea boss knows that if he could
conjure a win, it would push Barca into a difficult
position. Along with the defeat at Stamford Bridge, Barca
dropped two points in Bremen, so a further loss here would
leave them needing maximum points from their two remaining
games.
Despite doubts over
Chelsea's £55million strike-force, both Shevchenko and
Drogba travelled with the team to Spain. Mourinho must now
balance the chance to blood some of his squad players while
protecting his prize assets, against the opportunity to push
the reigning European Champions close to
elimination.
Pinnacle
Sports have priced
Barcelona as marginal favourites - 1.806 (0/scratch &
-0.5) - reflecting their greater motivation to win the tie,
with Chelsea - who have failed to win three Champions League
encounters at the Nou Camp - 2.14 (0/scratch &
+0.5).
Things should be rosy at
Liverpool. On Saturday, the Reds enjoyed a comfortable home
win over Aston Villa - who arrived as the Premiership's only
unbeaten side - and on Tuesday night against Bordeaux, they
can ensure progression in the Champions League with two
games in hand. However, with doubts over captain, Steven
Gerrard's future at the club resurfacing, and Rafa 'the
Rotator' drawing growing criticism for constant tinkering
with formations, all is not well at Anfield.
Leading online sportsbook
Pinnacle Sports doesn't see these issues spoiling
Liverpool's chances on the pitch against the Ligue 1
visitors, rating the Pool as one goal favourites on the
Asian Handicap - 1.769 (-1), with the French opponents -
2.20 (+1). With just one point from three games, this
becomes a must-win game for Bordeaux, but fortress-Anfield
is one of the last places Ricardo Gomes would want to come
chasing a win, particularly with an injury list running to
five key players. Liverpool have lost just once in 28 home
games in all competitions in front of the Kop.
Alex Ferguson was probably
the happiest Premiership manager on Saturday night.
Manchester United produced one of their most polished
performances for a long time, brushing aside third placed
Bolton 4-0 with consummate ease. Key to the victory was
Wayne Rooney's hat-trick, his first goals since the opening
game of the season. The Red Devils, therefore, travel to
Copenhagen on a high, looking to wrap up qualification,
which they are widely expected to achieve with some ease,
rated 1.877 (-1) by Pinnacle Sports.
Though Copenhagen (2.05,
+1) are a stronger proposition on home soil, they are
Champions League rookies, who showed their inexperience at
home to United, where the 3-0 defeat could have been much
worse. The Danish side have failed to score in their three
Group F games to date, illustrating a lack of quality in the
final third, which could well be their undoing again on
Wednesday night.
Last year's beaten
finalists, Arsenal, still have work to do to ensure
qualification from Group G, following a 1-0 defeat to CSKA
Moscow in the Russian capital. The Gunners were hard done
by, as Thierry Henry had a perfectly good equaliser ruled
out, but they have the perfect opportunity for revenge on
Wednesday night. CSKA are yet to concede from three
Champions League games, but are still rated considerable
under-dogs, 2.03 (+1 & +1.5), with the Londoners 1.901
(-1 & -1.5). The match odds are a reflection of the
strength of Arsenal's reputation at home, consistently one
of the Premiership's most prolific attacking sides, along
with the generally held perception that Russian teams are
weak on the road.
Place Your Bets
Now
Pinnacle Sports are one of
the world's biggest online sportsbooks and are approved by
casinotimes.co.uk
Click
Here To Visit Pinnacle Sports
Related pages:
None
Also see:
UK
Online Casinos
Reviews of the leading, approved UK online casinos. Includes
details of the free money welcome bonuses offered to new
players by the online casinos.
Online
Casinos Guide
New to online casinos? We take you through the process in a
friendly, easy-going way.
CasinoTimes.co.uk
is updated every day with the latest online casino and
gambling news.
Click
Here
to bookmark us and check us out daily!
Return
to UK Casino News index
|
