EPL 2014/15 - Week 10

With Man City's recent woes, Chelsea is about to widen the gap at the top and the excitement of the race to the top could be put to bed sooner than expected. Of course, there will be twists and bounds and it's too early to declare a winner but Chelsea are in a very strong position at the moment.

Newcastle v/s Liverpool. The Magpies comprehensively beat Man City in the Carling Cup in mid-week and they are in resurgence mode. This is bad news for Liverpool who are nowhere near optimal form. They are badly lacking Sturridge up-front and they look vulnerable here. This should end in a home win or draw and I favour the former. Home win.

Arsenal v/s Burnley. No ingeniosity into thinking that this will be a Gunners win. The main question is by how much. Walcott might return for this game and give the home side some much-needed impetus. Home win.

Chelsea v/s QPR. Another home win here. Can't see Chelsea giving away the 3 easy points on offer. Home win.

Everton v/s Swansea. Everton have started a good run but will be put to the test by a good Swansea side. The visitors nearly won at Anfield in mid-week and they are giving the habit of proving resilient opponents to whoever they play. This should be a tight game which might very well end in a draw, but I suspect that the home side will just edge this in the end. Home win.

Hull v/s Southampton. These 2 teams are enjoying a good spell at the moment. Southampton have found a gem of a striker in Pelle. Hull are a solid team and difficult to break down. This should be an even battle with a draw looks the likeliest result. Draw.

Leicester v/s WBA. The Foxes have to rack up the points at home in they are to avoid relegation as they are simply too weak on the road. WBA are an on-off team but on their best day can take all the points here. This can go any result with the draw the most probable outcome. Draw.

Stoke v/s West Ham. Another possible draw on the cards. Stoke have good form at home and the confidence of the Hammers should be high after dominating Man City in their last home win. A dra 0-0 that will satisfy both parties, should not be a surprise here. Draw.

Man City v/s Man Utd. The Manchester derby does not look as lopsided as it would have looked a couple of weeks back. City are reeling at the moment after back-to-back defeats against West Ham and Newcastle. The theory of second-season blues for Pellegrini could be very well founded. The absence of Silva for the Citizens makes their task more complicated as the little Spanish genius has been one of their brightest sparks of late. Rivals Man Utd managed to tie Chelsea in the dying seconds at Old Trafford last week-end and it will have brought back some much needed swagger to the team. The Red Devils needed that kind of impetus and this could kick-start a good run for them. However, going to beat City at the Etihaad could be out of their reach. For all their woes, Man City still have the deepest squad in the league and should again be formidable at home. I think the hosts will edge this. Home win.

Aston Villa v/s Tottenham. Villa are due a win very soon and this could come against a Spurs team that are still finding their feet under Pochettino. The hosts are relying much on striker Benteke but he's been struggling since returning from long-term injury. Spurs were shocked at home to Newcastle last week-end and I find it tough to see them as winners here. It looks more probable that Villa will prevail in front of their front crowd. Home win.

Crystal Palace v/s Sunderland. The last 2 Sunderland games have been rather extraordinary. First, there was their 0-8 bomb at Southampton, where they committed more errors than a first grader. They  kept their error rate high against Arsenal last week, with keeper Mannone blundering on the Gunners' second goal. Palace are strong at home and they look set to pounce on a team that is in much need of confidence. Home win.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 9

West Ham v/s Man City. This is a tough one for the visitors because the Hammers are sporting good form and are not easy to be broken down. City had trouble to overcome Villa on their last away match a few weeks ago and this is a similar sort of challenge. They will rely on in-form Aguero again and the sooner they get on the score-sheet, the better for them. Class should tell at the end, but I expect nervy moments for the away fans. Away win.

Liverpool v/s Hull. If there is going to be a major upset this week-end, I think it will be this match. Liverpool were thrashed in mid-week in the UCL and are a team in poor confidence at the moment. They are greatly missing Sturridge to steer them out of trouble. Raheem Sterling is the only Kop playing consistently and well. Hull almost stole 3 points at the Emirates last week-end and they will certainly not be intimidated by an arguably weaker team than the Gunners. The value might be going with the away team but a draw is as likely a result as well. Draw.

Southampton v/s Stoke. The Saints blitzed sorry Sunderland in an amazing 8-0 win last Saturday. Stoke were lucky to edge Swansea as their tying penalty was clearly a dive by Moses. Stoke did the business at the Etihaad a few weeks ago and it would not be a shock if they were to win here. However, Southampton has the momentum and they are fancied to win this one. Home win.

Sunderland v/s Arsenal. Both team don't inspire any confidence at the moment. Sunderland were the victims of one of the worst outings ever when thrashed at St Mary's by a whopping eight goals to none. Arsenal failed to beat Hull last Saturday and then had to rely on 2 goals in the dying minutes to beat Anderlecht in their UCL mid-week match. They might edge this one as well, although the odds seem to be very much in favour of a draw. Draw.

WBA v/s Crystal Palace. WBA held Man Utd to a draw on Monday with 2 very well-taken goals. Palace were comprehensively beaten at home to Chelsea, as expected. The result could go any way here as these teams are closely matched. Draw.

Swansea v/s Leicester. I see the home team getting back to winning ways here. They were unlucky not to get something out of their last match against Stoke. Leicester don't inspire any confidence on their road travels. I think Swansea have a long overdue win in them and they should win this one. Home win.

Burnley v/s Everton. Burnley's season is coming to shreds. Everton is getting better and better. They had a hard away match in mid-week but I still expect them to be competitive in this one. Away win.

Tottenham v/s Newcastle. Spurs got an impressive win in the Europa league on Thursday but the opposition was inferior to even the lowly Newcastle. The Magpies stole this match last year following keeper Krul's heroics. I don't see such a scenario happening again and I think Spurs can double up another win in 4 days. Home win.

Man Utd v/s Chelsea. The way both teams are playing, Chelsea will definitely be fancying full points here. The hosts are weak at the back and Mourinho will seek to exploit on those weaknesses. The Blues are strong enough on defence to withstand the Utd onslaught and keep their goals-against to a minimum. I think Chelsea will either win or draw this. Away win.

QPR v/s Villa. Both teams are in urgent need of points after a disastrous few weeks. How Rangers lost to Liverpool last week is mind-blowing. This match looks relatively easier for the visitors after having tackled heavy guns lately. A draw seems likely here unless Redknapp goes for the jugular again at the end. Draw.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 8

As is very common after international breaks, there are bound to be surprise results in this week-end's matches, so not throwing caution to the wind is probably a good idea. Here are my selections.

Man City v/s Tottenham. The champions were on a good roll before the break, and will be keen to keep the momentum going to keep in the touch with the pace set by Chelsea. They were made to work hard in their last win at Villa and moments of brilliance from Toure and Aguero, as expected, made the difference. That they did not panic during the long spells of sterile domination attests to the state of mind analogous to champions. Spurs are still finding their feet with their new coach and new players settling in. They will certainly be resilient but should eventually be broken down by the mighty attacking prowess of the home team. It could be close but Man City should prevail in the end. Home win.

Arsenal v/s Hull. The Gunners lost Ozil for a couple of months, which is a huge blow, although some think that it might be positive given the German's indifferent form. Truth is, Ozil is a game-changer and the Gunners badly need one at the moment with the absence of Walcott and Ramsey. The Gunners really need a win here to get on the title-charging bandwagon. They will huff and puff against a compact Hull side but once they can open the scoring, they should be in for a badly-needed win. Home win.

Burnley v/s West Ham. This is an ideal spot for the Hammers to claim full points, with Burnley yet to record a win. It seems whoever scores first will have a distinct advantage here. I think a share of the spoils is a real possibility here. Draw.

Crystal Palace v/s Chelsea. The Blues saw their title hopes evaporate last year when they lost this fixture in the title run-in. You can expect Mourinho to have learnt from that. This Palace team will be slightly different though, as Warnock has replaced Pulis as manager. With Costa at the forefront, Chelsea are always a threat to score at any time. The Eagles will give it a go, but class should tell here and the visitors will certainly be gunning for another valuable 3 points in the bag. Away win.

Everton v/s Aston Villa. One thing that is obvious but not too much so when looking at the standings, is that Everton are certainly better than their 17th ranking. With their current squad, they should be on a good run soon and that could very well start against the visiting Villains. The latter are having a horrible run of their own following a run of brutal encounters with the top teams. A hungry home team should add to their woes. Home win.

Newcastle v/s Leicester. Manager Pardew will probably not last much longer at Tyneside but this match gives him and his men an excellent opportunity to get their first win of the season. Striker Papiss Cisse has been the lone bright spot for the Magpies with some fine goals in recent matches and he will certainly relish taking on one of the worst defences in the league. Leicester have shown admirable tenacity in all their matches but I doubt they will be able to keep their momentum; a reality check might be more in the offing for them. Home win.

Southampton v/s Sunderland. I see Southampton getting back to winning ways here. They are playing well as a cohesive unit and will only get better as the season progresses. Although Sunderland got their first win in their last match, they do not inspire confidence as to replicate the same vein of form, week-in week-out. Striker Steve Fletcher seems to be hitting good form for them, but Southampton have my vote for the win. Home win.

QPR v/s Liverpool. Relegation expert Harry Redknapp is certainly not getting the job done at Rangers so far. They will be missing influential Mutch and Barton. Their displays have been listless, to say the least. The coming of Liverpool does not bode well for them. Sturridge might return to give their attack much-needed impetus. Sterling is always a threat and is developing into a top winger. Liverpool need the win to catch up with the leaders and I think they will get the 3 points. Away win.

Stoke v/s Swansea. This is a match between 2 teams of even strength that will end in the middle of table come May next year. None are in a rich vein of form or lack of, and a draw could be the likeliest result. Draw.

WBA v/s Man Utd. The Red Devils owed their last win to the heroics of keeper De Gea in the dying minutes of the match against Everton. Need to see those top-class saves from this budding star goalkeeper to understand how good he's becoming. Falcao got his first Premiership goal in that match as well, and has again scored for Columbia during the international break. If he's on a streak, then the WBA defenders are in for a tough encounter. WBA have a young starlet striker in Berahino but this week again, I see the Red Devils outscoring their opponents and get another win under Van Gaal. Away win.

Arc de triomphe 2014 - Can a Prince upset the fillies, the Japanese, and the odds?

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, my favourite race, as regular readers will know. Sure, there won't be Australia or Sea The Moon, but this year's race is without doubt a vintage one regrouping several top-class horses with a chance to enter racing folklore by winning the world's most prestigious prize. Here are my thoughts on those I consider the main protagonists as well as those that are at the forefront of the market but which I don't give much of chance.

Taghrooda, Britain's best filly, is the rightful favourite for the race.  Three-year old fillies have a fantastic record in this race, notably because of the generous weight allowance in their favour. She's only been floored once in her career and the word from trainer John Gosden is that she was in season when beaten by Tapestry on that occasion. She has beaten males and her elders in the King George and is by far the best middle-distance filly in the world in my opinion. She has such great tactical speed that her bad draw should not be a factor. Provided she's not in season again, she should play a leading role here and I see her in the first 3.

Ectot is clearly Hurricane Run's best progeny to date. The mile and a half is his optimum distance. A winner of 6 of his 7 races, his Classic career has been beset by injuries. He won the Prix Niel three weeks ago after several months layoff. On his best day, he should be in with a leading chance. My only worry about him is whether he will bounce from his last race, having come up with a big winning effort after a long layoff. If he does not bounce, don't be surprised if he wins this.

Harp Star. The best Classic filly from Japan and definitely one with a live chance if she takes to the Longchamp track. As with other 3-year old fillies, the weight allowance will play to her advantage. By Deep Impact, she should relish the distance. She's top-class and could be the one to realize the Japanese dream of finally winning the Arc.

Just A Way. The highest-rated horse in the world and possibly the best horse going up to a mile and a quarter. He is not proven at the mile and a half distance and that is a big negative for me. Although he is a live chance for many, in my books he's the one with the least prospect of winning among the Japanese raiders. He thrashed them all in the Dubai Duty Free at Meydan but the added distance will have others see him out.

Avenir Certain. Unbeaten in 6 career races, she is the best Classic filly in France having won the French Guineas and Oaks. The only un-certainty regarding her is the distance and being by Le Havre does not dispel doubts about her stamina. The way she won her 2 races at a mile and a quarter seems to indicate that she will have enough class to see out the twelve-furlong distance. She's been drawn in stall 1 and will need to ensure that she finds the necessary passage at the right time. I think she's top-class and will be in the first 3.

Treve. 3 outings and 3 defeats this year, no-one thought that she would have gone downhill to that extent after winning this race a year ago. This week, her connections gave yet another round of positive vibes about her, but after 3 comprehensive defeats, it's hard to take those with confidence. Dettori, her jocked-off rider says she's gone, and I will concur with him. I think she is no longer the same filly as last year and retirement will be the route to take with her.

Tapestry. Supplemented with a hefty sum at the final declaration of the race, so the Coolmore boys must be confident. They have every reason to be after she shocked Tahgrooda on her last outing although there seems to be excuses from the beaten connections (see above). Still, she race a fantastic race on that occasion. She's been beaten since then but at an unsuitable mile distance. With everything said, I am camping with the thought that Taghrooda is the one to side with and thus I don't see Coolmore celebrating in the end.

Gold Ship. A top-class Japanese middle-distance performer who is capable of some quirky races, not no to the extent of Orfevre's follies. His chances should be similar to Harp Star and the two dug out a closely-fought duel this year with the filly coming out on top by a slight margin. Cannot be dismissed by any means and many Japanese will be rooting for him to break their duck.

Ruler of the World. He is a Derby winner and recent of the Prix Foy, one of the main Arc trials. Will be ridden by Dettori who's very bullish on him. I am not. I think he's overhyped and will find the others much too good.

Kingston Hill. The St Leger winner should be out of depth here. Many Leger winners have failed and he's destined to be the same.

Prince Gibraltar. He is 40/1 as I write this. A summary of him will be as follows: he's been a favourite of the French Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris and got beaten (with excuse) on both of them. He was then heavy favourite of a Group 2 race and was again beaten. Is he an over-hyped horse or just unlucky? The truth seems somewhere in between. He is no easy mount, usually hangs left at the finish, and has had back problems. Provided his trainer has worked on those, this is a horse that has a fantastic turn of foot and for whom the distance will not be a problem. If he shows up on his best day, he should be thereabouts at the finish. I think he's the dark horse going in this race and under the radar for that matter at 40/1.

Prince Gibraltar is an each-way selection and I will have him, Taghrooda and Avenir Certain in the first 3.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 7

Huge huge strike last week-end with bulls-eye hit on 8 of the 10 predictions, so hoping to keep riding the momentum wave and upholding the form.

Hull v/s Crystal Palace. Palace are enjoying the better form of the two and playing with great confidence at the moment, be it at home or on the road. I don't anticipate many goals in this one and last year's matches between the two resulted in 1-nil outcomes. A draw looks highly probable here. Draw.

Leicester v/s Burnley. This is a match between 2 teams tipped largely by the general population to go down, so this is an important 6-pointer for both. Home advantage to the host team here, who will also try to benefit from the fact that Burnley haven't been able to score in their last 4 matches. Home win.

Liverpool v/s WBA. Liverpool won't win the league this year, it's really stating the obvious. I said this last season too and almost ate my words, but I am pretty confident they will not challenge this year, given the poor way they've started the season. They lost in the UCL at Basel but should be able to regroup to beat West Brom. The Baggies shocked Spurs at White Hart Lane last week-end but lightning does not strike twice. Home win.

Sunderland v/s Stoke. It would be amazing if Sunderland snatched yet another draw. I think they are due a win shortly. Stoke can be resilient and their last away win at Man City shows that they are not to be under-estimated by any means. Still, I think the Black Cats are up for a win and this could be the match for them to break their duck. Home win.

Swansea v/s Newcastle. Needless to say that Pardew's tenure at Newcastle is hanging by a thread and defeat at Swansea will only lower the already-low odds for his sack. However, this match does not bode well for the Magpies as Swansea have good form at home. The loss of Papiss Cisse might be too much for the visitors to overcome and I see the crisis deepening on Tyneside. Home win.

Aston Villa v/s Man City. The Villains could welcome back striker Benteke but that might not be enough to stop the champions. The hosts will still be missing captain and defensive rock Vlaar. The Citizens were unlucky not to get full points against Roman in the UCL over the week but they are starting to hit good form; Lampard and Aguero, in particular, are on a good scoring trend. I don't think City will lose this match and the most Villa can hope here is a draw. Still, I think going with a win for the visitors, is the preferred selection. Away win.

Man Utd v/s Everton. Rooney will be missing the match against his old team due to suspension. Come in Mata and it will be interesting to see the dynamic with him as the offensive midfield commander. The Red Devils are fragile at the back and Toffees striker Lukaku could very well lighten the score sheet here. Everton had to play an Europa match in mid-week which might take its toll at the end of the match. I think the United strikeforce will pounce again and the hosts will outscore their opponents in the end. Home win.

Chelsea v/s Arsenal. Both played in mid-week but let's look at the main fact here; Wenger has never beaten a Mourinho team and there is only animosity between the 2 managers. Wellbeck might have scored a hat trick against Galatasaray but the Chelsea defence is something else. Arsenal are in ok form right now, nothing more. They lost this fixture 6-to-nil last year and although there is hardly any chance that there will a similar scoreline, everything points to another Chelsea win. Home win.

Tottenham v/s Southampton. It will be a battle between manager Pochettino and his previous team. Spurs were arguably unlucky to be held to a draw in their mid-week match against Besiktas. They are in a poor vein of form with only a win in their last 7 matches. Southampton are riding a good wave at the moment, led by striker Pelle. They will cause Spurs trouble but I fancy the hosts to bounce back and get a much-needed win in the end.

West Ham v/s QPR. This looks like a drab London Derby and I have no confidence backing either of them at the present. If QPR can snatch an away win this year, this match could represent a good start for them. However, their leaky defence will certainly present the Hammers opportunities to put the contest to bed. For value, going with a QPR win might be very rewarding, but a draw could be the likelier result. Draw.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 6

Arsenal v/s Tottenham. Both teams having been gathering see-saw results lately and are definitely not in the best of forms going into this match. But usually for this kind of derby, all form is thrown out of the window and the more enterprising team usually comes up on top. Arsenal also have the benefit of home advantage here and should use it to full effect to edge this match. Home win.

Liverpool v/s Everton. What I wrote above could pretty much be applied to this Merseyside derby. Both teams are certainly not in full flow at the moment and the only 2 bright lights have come from Sterling from the Kops and Lukaku for the Toffees. With the Kops' poor form, this looks like Everton's best chance to get a win at Anfield for years; they will feel that they can win this. This fixture rarely ends in a draw but I think this could very well be the case this year. Draw.

Chelsea v/s Aston Villa. I expect Chelsea to keep their comfortable march at the head of the pack and see off visitors Villa. With Mourinho, they are practically impossible to beat at home and although the Villains went to win at Anfield on their last road trip, I can't see them repeating the same success in London. Costa, Hazard and Fabregas are on a tear and should again create opportunities by the buck-load. Home win.

Crystal Palace v/s Leicester. I don't think Leicester will be up to the heroics as to their last game against Man Utd. They have great fighting spirit but Crystal Palace will not be as leaky as the Man Utd defence and more importantly,  they most probably won't benefit again from the kind of generosity referee Clattenburg allowed them. Neil Warnock is having the Eagles playing with purpose and they look good for the 3 points. Home win.

Hull v/s Man City. I have a feeling that the Citizens will start embarking on a winning run in the coming games. Aguero and Silva should be back from injury to give significant impetus to their attack. I thought Hull made an interesting coup in getting Ben Arfa from Newcastle at the transfer deadline and if given the proper chance, the Frenchman can add firepower to their rather average offence. The gulf in class should tell here and I see City coming out with the win. Away win.

Man Utd v/s West Ham. I will repeat it again; I thought Mark Clattenburg gave the victory to Leicester last week-end with his blown calls on the first 2 Leicester goals. An incompetent referee can decide games unfortunately. However, this is not an excuse for the poor Man Utd defence; possibly one of the most feeble in the league at this point. They should get better in that department as the season progresses but probably not for the West Ham match as the bulk of the defence will be out injured or suspended. Still, the Red Devils were sensational on their attacks and they are a good proposition to outscore the Hammers to come away with a vital win. West Ham will possibly score but so will the hosts. Home win.

Southampton v/s QPR. Ronald Koeman is simply doing miracles for the Saints. QPR are a listless team on the road and will be without some creative players in Barton, Mutch and Taraabt among others. The most Rangers can aspire to is a draw but I still think that the Saints will edge this. Home win.

Sunderland v/s Swansea. The hosts are becoming specialists of the draw and Swansea are on a losing run after having won their 3 opening matches. The visitors will have striker Bony back. Probably another draw in the offing for Sunderland but this match could really swing either way. Draw.

West Brom v/s Burnley. The visitors have been amazingly involved in draw-less outcomes in their last 3 matches. WBA went to grab a shocking 3 points at White Hart Lane last week-end. This looks to be a tight defensive match and I can't separate the teams. Draw.

Stoke v/s Newcastle. The result will depend on which type of Stoke and Newcastle teams show up. Stoke have poor form at home and the Magpies haven't been able to win a match so far, besides in the Carling Cup. There is no confidence in backing either team and Stoke probably hold the aces with home advantage. Home win.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 5 Predictions

QPR v/s Stoke. Stoke are the most un-reliable team to follow at the moment. They got beat at home by Leicester last week-end after having won against all odds at Man City. Their best form seems to be on the road where they managed a win and a draw in 2 matches. Rangers got thrashed, as expected, at Old Trafford last Sunday and it was disappointing to see that they did not offer more opposition to the Mancunians. It's as if they went into the match already beaten. Even with Redknapp and Hoddle at the helm, from what they are showing so far, they look set to play a major part in fighting relegation. This could end in a dour nil-nil, and a draw is probably the most probable outcome. Draw.

Aston Villa v/s Arsenal. The Villains are the surprise package so far this season and their last win at Anfield tell a tale that they should not be taken lightly. It seems that new assistant manager Roy Keane is having some kind of influence on the squad. Arsenal were greatly disappointing in their mid-week UCL loss at Dortmund. Rarely have I seen an Arsenal side so poor in a European game. Newcomer Wellbeck is creating chances but cannot score a goal but he should be on the scoreboard shortly. The Gunners really need to kick-start their season if they are to contend and I see them edging this contest by just. Away win.

Burnley v/s Sunderland. Burnley have racked up 2 consecutive scoreless draws but should be confident to at least score one against the Black Cats' leaky defence. Sunderland were arguably lucky to snatch a draw against Tottenham last Saturday but will look to this match to finally garner a win. I think there's value going with the away side here. Away win.

Newcastle v/s Hull. Newcastle's Pardew is the man in the hot seat at the moment and the coming of Hull might give him and his side some reprieve. It is however, hard to have any sort of confidence on the Magpies side that got thrashed at Southampton in their last match. Hull will be true to their colours and play tight at the back and rely on counter-counting forays. A draw looks probable. Draw.

Swansea v/s Southampton. Swansea gave Chelsea a fright last Saturday and will welcome back striker Bony. I have to say that Chris Monk is doing a fine job managing the side and they look like a top 10 team. Southampton too have done a pleasing start under new coach Koeman and are not feeling the ill effects of major key player departures. Another draw on the cards, in my opinion. Draw.

West Ham v/s Liverpool. Although they flopped at home to Villa and were lucky to win their UCL match in mid-week, it's hard to see Liverpool get overturned in this one, particularly with West Ham being hard-done by a string of injuries. The difference in class should tell and the Kops should get the 3 points. Away win.

Leicester v/s Man Utd. It is a measure of the way things have gone bad at Old Trafford since the glory days when a thrashing of lowly QPR heralded that the Red Devils were back. Back in the good days, it would have been business as usual, not a title-grabbing headline. If they hope for the fervour to continue, then Van Gaal's men need to dispatch Leicester in a convincing fashion, which is far from a done deal. The Foxes gallantly matched Arsenal at home before scoring an important away win at Stoke last Saturday. LVG has a fantastic strike force to choose from and it remains to be seen who of Falcao or RVP will partner Rooney. I think there's lots of goals in the offing here and most possibly might end up in the Red Devils outscoring the home team. Away win.

Tottenham v/s WBA. This should be a Spurs win even though they might feel the effects of their Europa league game. WBA have no major injuries but they've just been playing badly as a team for the past weeks. They will need major improvement in them to avoid the drop but it won't come overnight. Definitely not in this game. Home win.

Everton v/s Crystal Palace. Everton are gaining stride at the moment and have won in mid-week in the Europa League. They must however phase out horrendous defending like they did against Chelsea a couple of weeks back. They should have too much for this Palace side and home advantage should prevail here. Home win.

Man City v/s Chelsea. Man City cannot afford to lose this match and set Chelsea free sailing at the top. The Citizens lost a heart-breaking match at Bayern in the UCL losing Dzeko to injury in the process. Still they have a formidable squad and I cannot see them losing this 6-pointer match. Chelsea are relying much on the goal-scoring exploits of Diego Costa and will be encouraged by the fact that they won this fixture last year. A draw will be good enough for Mourinho whose team had an excellent record when playing the top sides last year. This could swing either way but I have a feeling that the urgency coming from the hosts will see them win this. Home win.

EPL 2014/15 - Week 4 Predictions

Arsenal v/s Man City. I thought Arsenal snatching Danny Wellbeck from Man Utd was one of the best transfers before deadline closing day. His pace should fit naturally in the Gunners system and if he stays fit, there's every chance that he is going to get over 10 goals for this season. Arsenal have lost Giroud for the season and while the French striker might be a better finisher than Wellbeck, the latter's mobility give them more interesting options up front. Definitely a great buy at 16 million pounds. Man City suffered a shock defeat at home to Stoke in their last game and they haven't been very active in the transfer market mainly due to the Fair Play restrictions. Mind you, they still boast the most complete squad in the league. The manner of their home defeat looked to suggest that they might lack cutting edge up front when Aguero and Dzeko are not firing on all cylinders. This is a big 6 pointer match for 2 leading teams this early in the season and the winner will be the one taking the most of the chances at hand. A draw might be the likelier outcome and that is the selection. Draw.

Chelsea v/s Swansea. After taking the scalp of Man Utd on opening day, Swansea will aim at doing the same to the Blues. Thing is, Chelsea are formidable at home under Mourinho and are so far perfect this season. I just cannot see them losing this match and Swansea's good run should come to a halt at the Bridge. Home Win.

Crystal Palace v/s Burnley. There's no doubt that the departure of Pulis just before the start of the season have wrecked plans not just at Crystal Palace but also in the betting markets. A team that I thought was destined for a top 10 finish will now possibly be fighting for relegation survival. That said, the Eagles have shown good resilience even in their 2 defeats in 3 matches, and the coming of fellow strugglers Burnley will be an opportunity-not-to-be-missed to get 3 important points. Home Win.

Southampton v/s Newcastle. The Saints seem to be on a mission to contradict the naysayers as they continue their good run despite having lost their manager and best players over the summer. Their new boss Ronald Koeman is a good coach with whom they can manage a middle of table finish. Newcastle have yet to win and manager Pardew is already on the hot seat particularly after the fan outrage of losing talented player Ben Arfa during the transfer window. This will be a tight match but I like the chances of Southampton posting another win. Home Win.

Stoke City v/s Leicester. Stoke stole 3 invaluable points at Man City last week-end, something that not many teams will probably do. They should be their stingy self at home again this year and I don't anticipate many goals in this match. It's hard to see Leicester win this and the most they can aspire to is a draw. Chances are that it will end up with the home side bagging up all 3 points. Home Win.

Sunderland v/s Tottenham. The actual strength of Tottenham was fully exposed in their defeat at the expense of Liverpool in their last match. Spurs were lucky to snatch a last-gap victory at West Ham on opening day and I think there is still much room for improvement regarding team chemistry under new coach Pochettino. This match seems to be the right opportunity for the hosts to finally bag their first win after 2 draws and a defeat in the first 3 matches. The Black Cats usually keep matches tight with their stingy defence and have enough the firepower to cause trouble at the other end of the field. A home win for Sunderland is the value punt of the week-end. Home Win.

WBA v/s Everton. Two win-less teams so far and visitors Everton will be gunning for the full points here against a team that many are expecting to be relegated. The Toffees should have too much firepower for the Baggies to handle and if there is to be an away win on Saturday, it should be in this one. Away Win.

Liverpool v/s Aston Villa. Liverpool were dealt a blow in mid-week with the loss of striker Sturridge for a few weeks. It will be up to new recruit Balotelli to lead the charge although the eccentric player is not fully fit. Still, Liverpool seem to be getting to last year's form and they are always a formidable foe at Anfield. Villa have started the season brightly and the managerial combination of Lambert and Keane seems to be bringing dividends to the club. Villa won't be easy to overcome but I reckon the Kops will get the important win in the end. Home Win.

Man Utd v/s QPR. Talk at Old Trafford is now about the Gaal-acticos after the arrivals of Di Maria and Falcao, these 2 players being arguably the best in the world at their positions. It won't escape regulars of this blog that I rate Falcao very very highly; in fact, I think he's the best striker in the world. Not only he scores boatloads of goals, he scores them in the most important matches as well. If he stays fit, he's going to be a massive signing and addition to the club. Di Maria is a fantastic buy as well, a real danger to any team and a game-changer as well. When Van Gaal gets this team to fully gel, which I reckon will take a couple of months, they will be scoring loads of goals left and right.
The fact that Rio Ferdinand is still central to QPR's plans tells you about their health (or lack of) in defence. Rangers can certainly score against the volatile Man Utd rearguard but they will almost inevitably concede as well. This match will probably not be a thrashing that many people are expecting but in the end, the Red Devils should be celebrating their first win of the season. Home Win.

EPL 2014/2015 - Week 3

This week-end, I expect a first Permier League win for Van Gaal for Man Utd with Chelsea and Man City continuing on their winning ways.

Burnley v/s Man Utd. Away win.
Man City v/s Stoke. Home win.
Newcastle v/s Crystal Palace. Home win.
QPR v/s Sunderland. Draw.
Swansea v/s West Brom. Away win.
West Ham v/s Southampton. Draw.
Everton v/s Chelsea. Away win.
Aston Villa v/s Hull. Home win.
Tottenham v/s Liverpool. Draw.
Leicester v/s Arsenal. Away win.

EPL 2014/2015 - Week 2

My selections for this coming week-end.

Aston Villa v/s Newcastle. Draw.
Chelsea v/s Leiceseter. Home win.
Crystal Palace v/s West Ham. Draw.
Southampton v/s West Brom. Draw.
Swansea v/s Burnley. Home win.
Everton v/s Arsenal. Away win.
Hull v/s Stoke. Away win.
Spurs v/s QPR. Home win.
Sunderland v/s Man Utd. Away win.
Man City v/s Liverpool. Home win.

Juddmonte International Stakes - Australia on a mission

Australia makes his much-anticipated return to the tracks in Wednesday's Juddmonte International. The Classic generation has been blessed with some supremely talent this year with the likes of Kingman and Taghrooda, and Australia will aim to reach their levels by confirming his ever-growing reputation. His biggest task to date will be to take on the older brigade and put himself as the undisputed middle-distance king, at least among the colts. Until a showdown with queen Taghrooda, that is.

There are 6 entrants in York showpiece but only 3 of them are real contenders; Australia, Telescope and Mukhadram; the others have no chance.

Telescope surprised me when running a good second behind Taghrooda in the King George. Although he hasn't won in Group 1 company yet, he proved that he belonged among the elite. Although he can be lethal at the mile and a quarter distance, I believe his optimum trip is the mile and a half. He has yet to finish out of the first 2 in his career and I think that his best hope is for second place.

Mukhadram has got the important tactical speed that makes him difficult to under-estimate. There is no doubt that he will be following the Ballydoyle pacemaker Kingfisher and lead the way in the closing stages, in the hope of withstanding the final bursts of Telescope and Australia. He is a battling warrior that will run his honest race but like Telescope, he will be fighting for second place.

Australia has won 2 Derbies but he has got the speed to match it up with the best at ten furlongs. He can produce the instant acceleration that enables him to get past by horses in a seemingly effortless fashion. The main concern is his fitness, or lack of, after nearly 2 months break. But his class should prevail and with the weight allowance he's receiving from the older brigade, it's hard to side against him.

No contest here, Australia should win this and move on to bigger things, like Taghrooda and the Arc. For the runner-up spot, it's a toss-up between Telescope and Mukhadram with the latter getting my vote.

Win: Australia

EPL 2014/15 - Week 1 Picks

Man Utd v/s Swansea - Home Win

Leicester v/s Everton - Draw

QPR v/s Hull - Home Win

Stoke v/s Aston Villa - Draw

WBA v/s Sunderland - Draw

West Ham v/s Spurs - Draw

Arsenal v/s Crystal Palace - Home Win

Liverpool v/s Soton - Home Win

Newcastle v/s Man City - Away Win

Burnley v/s Chelsea - Away Win

EPL 2014/2015 Preview - Chelsea In Pole Position

The new EPL season gets underway this coming week-end. If last year's is anything to go by, this new season promises to be as intriguing and exciting as ever. Here are my thoughts on the main contenders for the title and an early prediction of the overall winner.

Man City will be the defending champions after stealing the title away from Liverpool. They are clearly the best team on paper again, and probably for years to come. There are 2 ways to look at this City side; they should be better than last year given that it will be Pellegrini's second year in charge. That means that they should improve on last year's points tally when they lost silly points at places like Cardiff and Aston Villa. On the other side, there is the danger that the same hunger or motivation might not be there; or to put it on a different spin, the other contenders might be hungrier to win the title. Still, the squad has been reinforced in major areas with the likes of Fernando, Malanga and Caballero. I think they should be contenders again but I am not so sure they will prevail in the end.

Chelsea. Mourinho was empty-handed again last year and there is definite pressure on him to deliver silverware this year. I think deep down Chelsea will look at last year as a huge lost opportunity, as had they shown better finishing in places like Aston Villa, Everton and Crystal Palace, they would have won the title. Being inept in offence really hurt them and that is why they were busy in the off-season to get Fabregas and Costa. I think both are fantastic signings and rightly put them as early market favourites. Getting rid of David Luiz for 50-million pounds was a fabulous business as well as on-field win. Chelsea are my early favourites to win the title, at this point.

Liverpool. The Kops won't get a better chance of winning the league like last season. The loss of Suarez immediately makes them an inferior team but they've been shrewd in recruiting with the incoming of Lovren, Origi and Lallana among the notables. Even so, I think they've let their chance go by and I believe that they will have an inferior points tally this season. They will struggle to get to 4th place.

Arsenal. Winning the FA Cup will have done the world of good for Arsenal and its fans. Arsense Wenger can finally start a season without cries of no-silverware flying in his direction. The fact that they also won the Community Shield by thrashing Man City last week will have boosted the players' confidence. All is good in Gunners land at the moment and the arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona brings major depth to their potent offence. The Chilean can turn a game when on song and is a wonderful acquisition. If Ramsey can stay injury-free and sparkle again, Arsenal will make themselves heard but I think they probably need one or two more star signings before being called genuine contenders.

Man Utd. The only guarantee at this point is that Man Utd will have more points than last year! Truly, the David Moyes appointment was a disaster and whether it was his or the players' fault will be a topic of discussion for the ages. But the players clearly did not play for him. The appointment of Van Gaal has given a tonic to the club and they are since unbeaten with him in the pre-season. This augurs well for the Red Devils and their fans. The Spanish midfielder Herrera looks like a good signing but I think that it's his compatriot Mata on which lies the hopes of the Red Devils. The diminutive play-maker seems to be relishing his central role under Van Gaal's system and will be influential at the forefront of their attacks. I also expect Van Persie to have a big season if he stays healthy. Still, it would be stretching to think that Man Utd will win the Premier League after last year's disaster and I think they can aspire to the 3rd or 4th spot. Good enough to get back to Champions League football.

Tottenham should be good for 6th or worse. I don't think Everton will repeat last year's heroics and I see them at 7th at best.

So, still to early to formulate a definite winner but Chelsea are really looking strong and are my picks for a nibble at this point.


Win Title: Chelsea

Sussex Stakes: Kingman challenges Toronado

Let's cut to the matter: the Sussex Stakes got a disappointing turnout of only 4 horses, and only 2 horses can pretend for the win; Kingman and Toronado. The other 2, Darwin and Outstrip have no chance.

This renewal pins the best milers from the powerful Juddmonte and Hannon connections; 2 years ago, that was the case as well when Frankel defied Canford Cliffs before destroying the Hannon superstar. While not being heralded in the same breadth as Frankel, Kingman has shown that he is a top-drawer of a miler with a devastating turn of foot. Were it not for a strangely-raced Guineas, he would be maintaining an undefeated record going into this race. There are not many horses that have the kind of acceleration he displayed in annexing the Irish Guineas and St James Palace Stakes. He's the deserved favourite.

Toronado won this race last year, avenging a contentious defeat to arch-rival Dawn Approach at Royal Ascot. He won his seasonal opener in good fashion without being fully wound-up. Word from the Hannon yard is that he is in great form, so he should make his presence felt. He can throw up the occasional bad race but with these 4 runners, I cannot see him worse than second.

The fact that Toronado has to give Kingman an 8-pound allowance makes it an even harder task for the son of High Chaparral. Unless Kingman has an off-day, which he hasn't had yet, he's impossible to oppose. The final standing should see Kingman followed home by Toronado.

Win: Kingman
Dupla: Kingman - Toronado

King George: Telescope looks vulnerable

This year's edition of the King George at Ascot looks to be a cracking race; granted, Australia and Treve might not be here but the rest of the field is steeped with top-class middle-distance performers. Here's an analysis of the field.

Telescope. The son of Galileo will start with the favourite tag following his demolition of the field in the Hardwicke Stakes at the same course and distance last month. Sir Michael Stoute's colt will try to follow the footsteps of Harbinger, another Stoute top performer who went on to an authoritative win in the race after success in the Hardwicke. Telescope has never come out worse than second in six career races but he's never faced a talented field of this kind before. He relishes good to firm conditions, and the latest downpour on Friday does not bode well for him. I think he is seriously exposed in this race and will find one or two better on the day. I cannot see him win this.

Taghrooda is the unbeaten Oaks winner who will race against the males for the first time. Given the benefit of her sex and age allowance at the weights, she's a big player. She won the Oaks in a manner that suggests that she's above anything that comes from the distaff side of her generation and  will not be ill at ease in such illustrious company. Her trainer John Gosden is a master at readying his charges for the big occasion and Taghrooda is undoubtedly his main hope; I cannot see her out of the first 3.

At the start of the season, Magician was hailed as being a main contender for the biggest middle-distance prizes this year and it is fair to say that he has not reached the high levels expected of him. He laboured to win a Group 3 in Ireland and has since been runner-up to Noble Mission in the Tatersalls Gold Cup and The Fugue in the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot. Unless the Ballydoyle crew have gotten the bottom of him, I fear his biggest hope will be for the minor places.

Mukhradam will be the second-string for Hamdan Al Maktoum but always has the potential to steal a race as he showed in the Coral-Eclipse some weeks ago. He's most dangerous when left to dictate the pace of the race and if allowed to freely roam in front until the straight, he's sure to cause worried looks to the rest of the pack. The 12 furlong trip will certainly stretch the stamina of this mile-and-a quarter specialist.

Trading Leather. A consistent performer who's never out of the places and who will relish the distance. Onb ability, he seems to be a notch below the main contenders but he can definitely spring a surprise if others failing to fire on the day.

Eagle Top. Connections have supplemented this son of Pivotal following his impressive victory in the King Edwards Stakes at Royal Ascot. I suspect that although he's unproven on soft conditions, he will not mind any rain, being a son of Pivotal and a mare from In the Wings. In fact, I think that any downpour will suit him best out of the lot and should be strongly considered if the going gets any worse from good.

Romsdal. This colt is another representative of the Gosden stable and seems to always give the best of himself. He finished a fantastic third in the Derby and is definitely a horse on the upgrade. William Buick has preferred Eagle Top, but then in the Derby he chose Western Hymn with the results we know. Richard Hughes gets the leg-up again on Romsdal and it will not be surprising if he finishes inside the first 3.

Leitir Mor has no chance and his main contribution in the race might be to foil Mukhradam's chances of setting the pace.

This should be a well-disputed race and I will be in the minority in suggesting that Telescope will not win this race. I think the horse is over-hyped more than anything despite his Hardwicke triumph. I think Gosden's horses all have live chances and expect Taghrooda to keep her invincible tag at the finishing post.

Win: Taghrooda
Won't win (lay): Telescope
Place (If going is good/soft): Eagle Top