Football betting tips

 Asian Handicap Premiership Preview

After 35 games the destination of the Premiership title could come down to 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Man Utd lead Chelsea by just three points, so a win for the Blues would draw the teams level, taking the championship race down to the wire, with only a further two games remaining. On the flip-side, a win for the Red Devils would surely give Alex Ferguson a tenth Premiership title. Get close to the action with a bet at PinnacleSports.com, offering 60% better Premiership betting odds.

Showdown at Stamford Bridge Could Decide Premiership Title

There may be ten Premiership fixtures taking place this weekend, with relegation issues and European places still to be resolved, but the focus will be firmly on Stamford Bridge at lunchtime on Saturday. Alex Ferguson takes the Premiership leaders, Manchester United, to face a showdown against second place Chelsea, that will have a massive say in who takes home the league trophy. Punters should ensure they get the best available odds for what promises to be a very close encounter. PinnacleSports.com cannot separate the sides on their Asian Handicap pricing Chelsea very marginal favourites 2.230 (0/scratch)* – a market priced to less than 102%.

Though the game is critical to the Premiership race, it cannot be billed as winner takes all, because even if United lose, allowing Chelsea to draw level on points, their superior goal difference (18 goals better) keeps them ahead of Chelsea. This represents an insurmountable deficit for Chelsea, who therefore need to win all three remaining fixtures – starting on Saturday – and then still hope that Fergie drops a point at home to West Ham, or away to Wigan on the final day of the season.

To clear the first hurdle Chelsea will need to be at the very top of their game, then hope lady luck is shining down on them. Avram Grant may well feel that fortune is on his side, as on Tuesday night Chelsea were outplayed at Anfield in their Champions League semi-final, but they clung on, and in the added time were gifted a precious away goal courtesy of Liverpool’s John Arne Riise. Buoyed by that result Chelsea will come into this game feeling that anything is possible. Chelsea haven’t lost a league game at Stamford Bridge since February 2004, but while their tremendous form at home suggests they will be hard to beat, it doesn’t follow that they can actually unlock United’s defence.

Under Avram Grant Chelsea have lacked imagination, and could be easily frustrated by a compact United who showed at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night that they can frustrate the best in Europe, closing out a 0-0 draw against Barcelona. Neither side have any fresh injury worries and the form of recent encounters is in Chelsea’s favour, as Man Utd haven’t scored in their last four Premiership visits to Stamford Bridge. However, the last two encounters should be discounted as on both occasion the Premiership title had already been decided. United won 2-0 at Old Trafford last September, but they were helped by John Mikel Obi’s sending off, and faced a severely weakened Chelsea line-up.

*All odds subject to change

 I’ve just about had an oeuf

 By Gerry McDonnell