Preston North End vs Newcastle United
FreeToday’s featured game is the English Championship encounter between promotion hopefuls Preston North End and second-placed Newcastle United.
Hosts Preston North End are the oddest side in the Championship as they’ve had the ability to gain promotion for a number of years now and still haven’t done so due to some apparent mental lapses where the side loses games that they should win easily and then win games that they’re not expected to. As their bizarre “win when they feel like” attitude isn’t factual per se, I can’t really back off the bet because of it – I’m simply a little apprehensive knowing that Preston North End can turn it on if they want to. Preston have a decent home record this season and have only lost one of their eight games at Deepdale, winning three times and drawing four times. Preston have been on a somewhat barren run of games lately with no wins in three whilst suffering one defeat and two draws when they should have taken more.
Visitors Newcastle United have exited their own barren spell and have now won three consecutive games. They’ve already won four of their eight away games, drawing three times, and losing just once. Only Swansea City have conceded less away goals than Newcastle United, which doesn’t bode well for out-of-form Preston North End, particularly as the visitors today have averaged two goals scored per game over their last three games.
Overall, this has the potential to be a difficult encounter for Newcastle if Preston were in better form but as the hosts are looking a little timid at the moment and their more illustrious visitors are in fine form, it’s hard to look beyond the away win.
Verdict: Newcastle United victory at 13/10.
Monday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Nea Salamis vs AEL Limassol – away win at 11/8.
Hosts Nea Salamis are currently rooted to the bottom of the Cypriot Division 1 with just two points taken from eight games. They’re yet to win a game and more importantly they’re yet to look like winning a game. They’ve lost three of their four home games so far this season and have lost four of their last five games, which has naturally damaged their morale considerably. Only Ethnikos Achnas can unfortunately claim that they’ve conceded as many goals as Nea Salamis have in this campaign, which isn’t a good record for the hosts for an obvious reason and then also because they’ve played two games less than the majority of the division.
Visitors AEL Limassol are one of the better sides in this division although their away form doesn’t indicate that at all with three defeats in four away games, winning the other game. The sheer irony of that fact however is that no side in the division has conceded less away goals than AEL Limassol in this campaign, a fact which must really annoy them! AEL Limassol are one of the most compact sides in the division with just five goals conceded all season. However, the downside to this is that their goalscoring suffers as a result with the majority of the division having scored more goals than they have in this campaign. Still, two wins in their last three games and a visit to what is arguably the worst side in the division is the perfect formula to boost your away form and with AEL Limassol boasting better players and better form, it’s hard to see anything but an away win here.
Verdict: AEL Limassol victory at 11/8.
Cesena vs Torino – home win at 17/10.
Newly-promoted Cesena are defying all the odds by maintaining their excellent start to their Serie B campaign. Currently third in the table, Cesena’s most redeeming featured is that they’ve only lost one game in Serie B this season, which is at least two less than any other side in this division. Cesena seem to prefer draws to wins but generally play a very typically efficient Italian type of football i.e. low number of goals scored, low number of goals conceded. Cesena actually average conceding less than a goal per every two games, which is a phenomenal record for a newly-promoted side! Cesena are unbeaten in five games and although three of those have been draws, their most recent game was a win which gives them good momentum to take into this tough match with Torino as the seek to add to their four home wins in seven home games so far this season. No side has conceded less goals than Cesena at home which doesn’t bode well for Torino despite the visitors having a better side.
Torino enter this game in a bad run of form. They’ve not won in three games, losing their most recent match and drawing the two games prior to that defeat. Torino are one of the best sides in Serie B but it’s not use whatsoever if they can’t prove that on the pitch. Torino will be concerned about Cesena’s water-tight defence and who can blame them? Cesena have a truly astonishing record at home! However, what will concern Torino even more is that they’ve not scored in either of their last two away games. Their away form is somewhat inconclusive and with their conclusively poor form at the moment, they could very well be upset by a driven and efficient Cesena tonight.
Verdict: Cesena victory at 17/10.
As ever, if there are any questions/explanations required then feel free to post a comment! For the complete picks listing, see below!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Argentinos Juniors vs Arsenal de Sarandi (7) 1-0
Velez Sarsfeld vs Racing Club Avellaneda (8) 2-0
Bulgarian A PFG:
Minior Pernik vs Beroe (7) 0-0
Cypriot Division 1:
Nea Salamis vs AEL Limassol (7) 0-1
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Sigma Olomouc vs Teplice (7) 1-1
Danish Superligaen:
Aalborg BK vs AGF Aarhus (6) 2-1
English Championship:
Preston North End vs Newcastle United (6)
German Bundesliga 2:
Union Berlin vs Kaiserslautern (6)
Greek B Ethniki:
Olympiakos Volos vs Ethnikos Asteras (6) under 2.5 goals
Italian Serie B:
Cesena vs Torino (6)
Romanian Liga:
Universitatea Craiova vs Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt (8) 2-0
Astra Ploiesti vs Steaua Bucharest (8) under 2.5 goals
Vaslui vs CFR Cluj (5) 1-0, draw no bet
FC Poli Timisoara vs Dinamo Bucharest (6) 0-0
Enjoy your free betting tips!