Round 8

Saturday 29 September


Birmingham v Man Utd
(-, 2-2, 0-0, 1-2, 0-1, -)
Brums recent record at home to Man U is good, and it is no fluke, they have a similar record at home to the top sides in recent seasons. Last weeks draw at 'Pool serves to illustrate that Bruce knows how to fashion teams capable of scraping points from the big boys.
All Utd's 3 away games have featured under 2.5 goals, as have Brum's last 2 at home.
Utd scored only 2 goals in those 3 away games. Have to go back to the end of the 04-05 season for a run as bad as that, when the went 3 consecutive games without a goal away at Palace, Norwich and Everton. They have not gone 4 away games consec without scoring 2 or more goals in any of the last 3 seasons.
Result: 0-1 (now they have)

Chelsea v Fulham
(2-2, 3-2, 3-1, 2-1, 1-1, 3-2)
Overs looks the call historically. Who knows how Chelsea are going to react in their first home match since Mourinho's departure...
Result: 0-0 (A: by being shit)

Derby v Bolton
(-, -, -, -, -, 1-0)
Derby followed up their first win of the season at home to Newcastle with another drubbing on the road, this time at Arsenal. These are must win matches for Derby though if they are to make a fight of staying up. Bolton go LLL away from home. They have trailed all 3 at HT.
Result: 1-1 (HT 1-1)

Portsmouth v Reading
(3-1, -, -, -, -, -)
While Portsmouth's home form reads DWD, you can't ask for much more from fixtures against Man U, Bolton and Liverpool. Reading's away form began with a draw at Old trafford on the season's opener but since then have given Bolton their only win of the season (3-0) and lost at Sunderland.
Result: 7-4, (yes, seven-four!)

Sunderland v Blackburn
(-, 0-1, -, -, 0-0, 1-0)
Blackburn's away record is good so far with a win at Boro and draws at Everton and Chelsea. Have to wonder how much confidence will affected by the home defeat to Portsmouth last weekend however. Sunderland have 2 wins out of 3 at home, but Blackburn should be a tougher proposition than either Spurs or Reading.
Result: 1-2 (nothing like a trip to Sunderland to help low confidence)

West Ham v Arsenal
(1-0, 0-0, -, -, 2-2, 1-1)
Arsenal do not have a good record at the Hammers with no wins there in the last 4 meetings. Hammers picked their first home win of the season last time out when Boro were beaten 3-0. Adebayor and Fabregas in red hot form for the Gunners. Bowyer has scored in West Ham's last 2 at home.
Result: 0-1 (arise Sir Arsene)

Wigan v Liverpool
(0-4, 0-1, -, -, -, -)
Wigan are unbeaten at home in 3, but only managed a draw when Fulham visited 2 weeks ago. 'Pool have 3 good results away from home so far, wins at Villa and Sunderland and a draw at Portsmouth. Benitez's rotation policy makes predictions tricky.
Result: 0-1 (Torres starts: Liverpool win)

Man City v Newcastle
(0-0, 3-0, 1-1, 1-0, 1-0, -)
Not many goals in this one historically, discounting the non-performance from Toon in Souness' last match in Feb 06. Unders looks likely with all City's 3 home matches so far this season ending 1-0. That was also the score in Newcastle's last away match, the first loss of the season at Derby. The big miss that day was Viduka, replaced by the useless Ameobi, a lot will depend on whether Viduka is fit or not. No wins for Newcastle at City in last 5 seasons.
Result: 3-1 (Sven for England!)

Sunday
Everton v Middlesbrough
(0-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-0)
Not much joy for Boro at Everton with no wins in the last 6 visits there and their away form so far this season suggests little will change. Everton have only 1 win at home in 3, drawing against Blackburn and losing to Man Utd last time out. No clean sheets at home yet for the Toffees.
5/6 times this one has gone under 2.5 historically. Boro's last 2 away have gone over though.
Result: 2-0

Monday
Tottenham v Aston Villa
(2-1, 0-0, 5-1, 2-1, 1-0, 0-0)
Will Spurs manage to get only their second win of the season? They could well be 2nd bottom by the time this game is played. Good record at home to Villa to look back on. Villa have only played 2 away games so far and conceded just the 1 goal. They haven't scored an away goal yet, but Spurs have only 2 cleansheets in their last 17 Prem home games. Villa failed to score away from home only 3 times last season.
Result 4-4 (Yes four-four. Did I really humandhar about backing the overs here?)