On paper, you would say Arsenal to win but that would mean ignoring their woeful away form this season and I simply cannot do that.

Watford are not a bad home side, a win today and they go seventh, they are in the FA Cup final and enter this game on a high, they have a history of bullying Arsenal and I can see that happening again today.

The Arsenal manager Unai Emery has to rest some players ahead of Thursday's second leg clash with Napoli in the Europa League and so it is very unlikely we will see the strongest possible Arsenal team today and that can only play into the hands of Watford.

Everton showed how weak Arsenal are on the road and I expect that Watford will do the same thing.

Arsenal will not be easy to beat and a draw is a possibility and on balance taking Watford on the spreads is the best bet here.

Take Watford +0.25

An extremely important game for both sides and both teams will be desperate for the win as they battle against relegation from La Liga.

Girona are in the slightly better position four points ahead of Villarreal but it is Villarreal with the better recent form.

Villarreal has lost two of their last three La Liga games however they managed a 4-4 draw with Barcelona in those three games and prior to that sequence they had won two on the bounce, so two losses in their last five league games.

Girona has won once and lost four of their last five league games and have lost five of their last six home games.

Villarreal are also in the Europa League and lost midweek to Valencia and will have their eye on the second leg of that tie on Thursday but becase they lost at home 3-1 that means they are very likely now to concentrate on the league and will field their best team today and not rest any players.

For me, there is more chance of a Villarreal win than a Girona win and a draw will see stakes returned.

Take Villarreal PK

I cannot see anything other than an Eintracht Frankfurt win today with the only real risk is that they put out a weakened team because of their second leg Europa League tie in four days time, but even then, I would still expect them to get the better of a poor Augsburg side.

Frankfurt has been in great form in the league, they have won six in a row and are fighting hard for a Champions League spot and know a win today will put them four points ahead of fifth place Borussia Monchengladbach with just five games to go,whereas dropped points would put them in a vulnerable position.

Augsburg are still in a relegation dog fight, though it is not as severe as it could be, they are currently seven points clear of automatic relegation and four points above the relegation playoff spot and so a win for them would be huge.

But, the form of Frankfurt is simply too good right now, they are at home and they have just as much, if not more incentive to win than their opponents.

Take Frankfurt -1

Huge game for both teams with so much to play for but based on the respective form and performances of both teams this season as well as their respective home and away records I am going with Liverpool to beat Chelsea today and maintain their push for the title.

Chelsea have improved in recent games but they remain vulnerable away from home in the league as four losses in their last six away games prove.

Liverpool, on the other hand, are formidable at home, they have won 14 and drawn two of their 16 home games in the league this season, they have beaten Man Utd, Arsenal and Tottenham already and drawn with Man City, whatever way you look at it, they are irrestiable in front of their own fans.

Also, when you watch Chelsea they never look convincing and have struggled for a lot of their wins, the same cannot be said about Liverpool and I expect them to show their superior class today.

Take Liverpool -0.75

The Derby della Lanterna is the local Genoa derby between Sampdoria and Genoa and even though today Sampdoria are the home side it should be noted that both these teams play in the same stadium.

Sampdoria has been the slightly better team this season but there is not too much between these two and the two last meetings have ended in draws, however, Samprdoria did win four on the bounce prior to those games.

There is no real point analysing home and away form to determine who has the better records because it is not really relevant in this context but Sampdoria are in better form overall right now, they have won four of their last seven Serie A games with the three losses against very decent opposition, whereas Genoa have won just once in their lasts even games and that was a freak result against Juventus of all teams.

All things considered, I am going with Sampdoria to scrape the win based on superior recent form.

Take Samdowia -0.25

Both these teams have something to play for but at different ends of the table and with home advantage I am backing Bilbao to emerge the winners.

Athletico Bilbao are fighting for a place in Europe next season, they are within three points of Valencia who occupy the final European spot and if results go in their favour today, which is possible, then they could find themselves on the same points as Valencia with just six games to go.

Rayo Vallecano are second bottom and in deep trouble but a couple of wins and they could easily lift themselves out of the relegation zone so you can be assured they will put in a very strong effort today.

However, Bilbao have the far better form right now with three wins and two draws in their last six games, whereas Vallecano have eight losses in their last ten La Liga games.

Then there is the respective home and away form, Bilbao have won five and drawn three of their last eight games while Vallecano have lost five away games on the bounce.

Take Bilbao -1

A win today for Norwich City will take them nine points clear of Sheff Utd in third position with just four games left in the Championship, that will put them potentially within one game of automatic promotion to the Premier League, a huge prize and more than enough incentive for them going into this game today.

Wigan are fighting for survival in the Championship and will not just roll over but 20 places and 44 points behind Norwch gives you a clear indication of the difference in class between these two teams.

Norwich have won five of their last six away games, whereas Wigan have not lost in their last seven at home but have drawn four of those games.

In better words, Wigan are doing ok at home and are not easy to knock over but Norwich are quite formidable away and are more than capable of breaking down Wigan today.

All things considered, an away win looks the bet.

Take Norwich -0.75

Both teams have been in relatively good form recently, however, the home form of Torino is far superior to the away form of Cagliari and that is the main difference today for me.

Additionally, Torino are playing for a place in Europe next season, whereas Cagliari do not have the same incentive as they are sure to finish lower mid-table.

Torino have lost just once in their last seven home games, winning the other six while Cagliari have won just once and lost the other six in their lasts seven aways, albeit that solitary win in that sequence was last time they were on the road.

The home form is with Torino, they ahve more incentive and I am backing them to maintain their push for a place in next seasons European tournaments.

Take Torino -0.5

There is a good chance that by the time this game kicks off Leeds United will find themselves outside of the automatic promotion spots in the English Championship and that will give them all the incentive in the world to go out and win.

That said, the same can be said of Sheff Weds to some degree, they would love to damage their local rivals, though if they did that it would let in their even more bitter local enemies Sheff Utd, but Wednesday need the points to maintain their outside hopes of making the playoffs themselves so it will be a passionate closely fought game.

Leeds are very strong at home they have won nine of their last 12 home games, they are in decent form, whereas Sheff Weds are not as strong on the road, they have not lost too much recently relying on a lot of draws when away from home, but they are not prolific winners either and I cannot see them holding out for the entire game against a motivated Leeds United.

All things considered, I am backing Leeds to win and probably by a couple of goals.

Hard to see anything other than a Sheffield United win today.

United are in a three-way battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League and in fact, it is probably only a two horse race for one spot with Leeds United as Norwich look in a great position to finish top.

Home games against teams like Millwall, who are a whopping 37 points and 16 places below them should be a certain three points and while there is a case to be made for Millwall, it is a very small one.

Basically, Millwall are in a relegation dog fight and will give it everything today, they are fighting for Championship survival but with home advantage and the far better form it is hard to United not winning this game.

Take Sheff Utd -0.75

I cannot see anything else than a Werder Bremen win today

Bremen have won three of their last four home games and are unbeaten in front of their own fans in their last seven home games and overall, they are on a 11 game unbeaten run, they are fighting for a place in Europe and are still mathematically in with a chance of making the Champions League.

Freiburg has nothing to play for really, they are 11 points clear of the relegation zone and are probably safe, that does not mean they will not play for points but they hardly have the same incentive that Bremen have.

Additionally, Freiburg's form is poor, they are struggling to buy a win and while they do draw a few games they are not exactly the strongest opponenets for Bremen to contend with.

All things considered, I am going for a convincing home win.

I am confident that Tottenham will win this game and win it with ease.

Huddersfield have been relegated and so they really have nothing to lose, they can play free from pressure to some degree but they were relegated for a reason, they are not very good, in fact, they are rank poor.

They have no motivation, no incentive and nothing to play for, which is not the case with Tottenham.

Tottenham have to win to maintain their top four position, they are under immense pressure from their closest competitors and this game has to be seen as a banker for them, nothing is guaranteed in soccer but this comes as close as possible to a guaranteed three points.

They have taken to their new stadium like a duck to water, their confidence is sky high and even with Harry Kane out I stll have them winning this game by at least two goals, probably three or more.

Take Tottenham -1.75

I am backing Sampdoria to get the home win today against a faltering Roma side and at worse, to at least get a draw.

Sampdoria have won four of their last six Serie A games, they did go through a mini-slump but have since come out of that and last time at home they beat AC Milan 1-0, they do remain a little inconsistent as the loss in their last game away at Torino showed but in all fairness Torino are in good form right now.

Roma has hit a little slump of their own, they have just one win in their last five games and that was at home against Empoli, they have lost their last two away games and could fall behind Sampdoria in the standings with a loss today.

There is not much between these two teams but with home advantage and the better recent form Sampdoria has to be the pick.

I have gone with the spreads and the added insurance of stakes returned in the event of a draw,

Take Sampdoria PK

Valencia are in great form right now, they beat Real Madrid last time out 2-1 and that scoreline flatters Madrid, they have finally started winning instead of drawing and have now won four of their last five La Liga games and are unbeaten in their last 12 league games.

Valencia are now just one point out of the top four and a Champions League qualification spot and know that any dropped points today would be a huge blow.

Rayo Vallecano is facing relegation, they are second bottom in the standings, they have lost eight of their last nine La Liga games and are now on a five-game winless streak at home.

Valencia is in much better form and has huge momentum behind them, Rayo is in terrible shape and unable to buy a win.

All things considered, I am backing Valencia to collect all three points despite being the away side.

Take Valencia -0.5

Birmingham are in woeful form right now, they have lost five games on the bounce and are dropping down the table like a stone in water.

Leeds United are fighting to win an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League and have won six of their last eight Championship games.

The battle for an automatic promotion spot is between three teams and right now, Leeds occupy the second and final automatic spot by two points from Sheff Utd, they simply cannot afford to drop points today, they are in fine form generally and are playing a team whose confidence is shot to pieces.

Birmingham does have home advantage but recently that has done them no good with four losses and a draw from their last six games at home.

All things considered and taking into account the circumstances of this game I am backing Leeds to win.

Take Leeds -0.5

When I first added this game to my shortlist for the day I was a little hesitant, however, the more I analysed the game the more convinced I became that Frankfurt would win.

Frankfurt has won five on the bounce and are unbeaten in their last ten Bundesliga games, this is a team in great form right now.

Compare that with Schalke who have won just once in their last nine Bundesliga games and have won just once at home in their last seven Bundesliga games.

Frankfurt are fighting for a Champions League qualification spot, whereas Schalke are not yet safe from relegation.

Schlake may have home advantage and generally, that counts for something but I am not convinced it will make much difference today.

All things considered, I am backing Frankfurt to win.

Take Frankfurt -0.25

The spread on this one is fairly high but Feyenoord has the quality to cover it.

Heerenveen has actually improved recently but their upturn in fortunes has to be seen in context, they have won four of their last five league games, two at home and two on the road but three of those wins have been against teams lower than them in the standings and for the most part in the relegation dog fight, they have not beaten any team of note.

Feyenoord are a team of note, they may not have had the best season and do suffer the odd surprise defeat, as an example two recent home losses to Willem and inexplicably to Fortuna Sittard but generally speaking they are formidable at home as a 2-1 win over leaders PSV shows and of course the 6-2 thrashing of Ajax and also their last four home wins have all been by at least three goals.

It should also be noted that those two recent home losses have been their only dropped points at home all season.

I fully expect Feyenoord to play their usual game at home today and to win by at least two goals.

Take Feyenoord -1.75

Getting this one in early as I think the spread is too small.

I fully expect Tottenham to win this game and win it comfortably.

They did very well away at Liverpool and were unlucky not to win the actual game and even though they ended up losing thanks to a very late freaky own goal they proved that their recent form has not dampened their confidence.

They are finally in their new Billion dollar stadium, it will be packed and rocking and with Man Utd losing they will be determined to get all three points to cement their top four position and put the pressure back on their local rivals Arsenal.

Palace are very mediocre, they are probably safe from relegation but the 25 points they are behind Tottenham shows you the difference between these two teams.

Home advantage and huge motivation plus the fact they are simply better side make Spurs the definite pick and to win by at least two goals.

Take Tottenham -1.25

Villarreal is in trouble, they are in a serious relegation dogfight, though in recent weeks if you include the Europa League, they have improved but in La Liga, they are very inconsistent and are still losing far too many critical games.

Barcelona are steaming towards another title, they are ten points clear of Atletico Madrid, they enter this game with six La Liga wins on the bounce and over their last 16 La Liga games have won 14 and drawn two, they are in tremendous form.

Villarreal have just three home wins all season long, two of those came from their last three home games, however, one was against Real Vallecano who are second bottom.

All things considered, I cannot see anything other than an away win here, Villarreal will be fighting for survival and they are improving but they are up against the best team in Spain and probably in world club football.

Take Barcelona -1

I am backing Juventus to get back to winning ways on the road after suffering a surprise 2-0 loss to Genoa last time they were away.

Juve are going to win the title yet again, they are 15 points ahead of Napoli in second and are by far the best team in Italy, they do not like losing and did win at home after that Genoa loss but even that win was sluggish and I expect to see a much better performance from them today.

Cagliari is in decent form, they have won four of their last six Serie A games and have won their last three home games 2-1 and one of those wins was against Inter Milan, who may not be on the same level as Juventus but are considered a better team than Cagliari.

Even though their form has improved I do struggle to see Cagliari getting anything from this game, they are a clear 45 points below their opponents and as long as Juve play to form they will win.

Take Juventus -0.75

Watford has lost three of their last six Premier League games and won three, however, those three losses were all away and were against Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool, games they were fully expected to lose, the three wins were two at home and one on the road and so their recent form is not that bad when you consider who they were playing.

Fulham has lost 11 of their last 12 games in the league and on the road, they have lost 14 and drawn two of their last 16 away games this season, literally the worst away record in the Premier League this season.

A loss for Fulham today and they will be relegated, that is how bad they have been this season and no doubt they will fight for their lives today but you have to ask yourself why are Fulham in this position and the reason is simple, they are not good enough.

With home advantage and the incentive of going seventh and being the best team outside the top six, I take Watford to win this game and probably comfortably.

Take Watford -0.75

St Etienne may have lost three of their last four home games but they were against the teams occupying first, second and third in Ligue 1 and outside those losses in front of their own fans they have won nine and drawn two without any losses, the bottom line is that St Etienne have only lost on their own ground against the top three.

Nimes have lost four of their last five away games, and their five away wins this season have been against mediocre teams with the best placed being a win over 11th placed Strasbourg, in better words, when they play a team in the top ten, which St Ettiene is, they tend to lose.

St Etienne won their last game 5-0 away to Caen, whereas Nimes are on a winless three-game streak with two losses and a draw.

The form is with St Ettiene, they have home advantage and are playing a promoted team that has not had any decent results against a team like today's opponent.

Take St Etienne -0.75

Due to travelling, there is just a brief summary of this game today, however, this game has been thoroughly analysed and researched and this pick comes with total confidence.

This is a must-win game for Ajax, they lose and they can basically kiss goodbye to their title hopes, whereas PSV will be almost certain to win the title.

Ajax has won 11 and drawn three from their 13 home games this season and while PSV has a good away record winning nine from their 13 away games they have shown some vulnerabilities in recent weeks on the road needing last-minute goals to secure draws.

All things considered, I am backing Ajax to win and keep their title hopes alive.

Take Ajax -0.75

Due to travelling, there is just a brief summary of this game today, however, this game has been thoroughly analysed and researched and this pick comes with total confidence.

Leicester City has hit form recently winning three of their last four games, including their last two home games, whereas Bournemouth have hit a blip, winning just once in their last seven league games and lost eight of their last nine away games with the solitary win in that run coming in their last away game against bottom club Huddersfield.

Take Leicester -0.5

Due to travelling, there is just a brief summary of this game today, however, this game has been thoroughly analysed and researched and this pick comes with total confidence.

Watford is not a bad team despite some recent heavy losses against Liverpool and Man City which were their only losses in their last six games. United have been on a great run but they have lost their last two games, once in the league and once in the FA Cup and are starting to show signs of vulnerabilities.

For this pick to lose United will have to win by two goals and I do not see that happening.

Take Watford +1.25

Due to travelling, there is just a brief summary of this game today, however, this game has been thoroughly analysed and researched and this pick comes with total confidence.

Leeds will be desperate to bounce back from their loss to Sheff Utd, however, that was only their third loss in the Championship over their last 13 games and two of those losses were against the two sides fighting them for an automatic promotion spot. Millwall have lost four of their last five games with the only win being against Birmingham and are in a fight to avoid relegation.

Take Leeds -1

Due to travelling, there is just a brief summary of this game today, however, this game has been thoroughly analysed and researched and this pick comes with total confidence.

Derby went through a terrible run but have steadied the ship with two draws and a win and have now put that terrible form behind them, they are still very much in the race for a promotion playoff and are playing a very inconsistent Rotherham side third from bottom.

Take Derby -0.75 

This European qualification match looks like it is going to be a very tight affair.

I was tempted to back Under 2.5 goals but there was very little value in that bet and once I analysed this game I came to the conclusion that the best pick would be to back Romania +0.5.

The Romanians have improved over the last couple of years, they have lost just once since May 2017, they did miss out on the 2018 world cup finals but since that disappointment have lost to only the rejuvenated Netherlands.

There was a friendly between these two in Romania that ended up with a Romanian win but in all fairness that result can be ignored, but what cannot be ignored is that over their last ten internationals they have won seven and drawn three and that included six competitive games.

Sweden did well in the World cup finals, reaching the quarterfinals before succumbing to England but since then they have has some very mixed results and it is not too easy to define where they are right now, they are generally a very defensive side and scoring is not their best feature.

With the Romanians improving and the Swedes being a little inconsistent I am of the opinion that there is more of a chance of this game ending in either a Romanian win or the game ending in a draw than I am in a Swedish win.

Take Romania +0.5

I am backing Everton to get something from this game against a stuttering Chelsea.

Chelsea may have won convincingly in the Europa League mid-week but in the Premier League they are consistent at being inconsistent, they struggled to claim a point at home against Wolves last time out requiring a last-minute equaliser, they did dominate that game but their failure to break Wolves down is telling, they have won just three of their last seven league games and have lost three of their last five away games.

Everton are not setting the world on fire, they should be doing much better and their loss to Newcastle last week was devastating after leading 2-0, they are not in good form at all but they showed against Liverpool that when focussed that they can hold their own, they will be looking to bounce back from the bad loss to Newcastle and in front of their home fans against a top-six side I expect them to raise their game.

If Chelsea was in better form in the league and had not had a long journey mid-week I would go for them but they just keep letting themselves down and while they are playing a poor Everton side I am of the belief that with home advantage and a determination to bounce back from last weeks loss that there is more chance of this game being either a draw or home win as opposed to an away win.

Take Everton +0.5

Atalanta has been great for me recently and I see no reason to turn my back on them now.

Atalanta is in good form right now after a blip, they will go fifth today with a win and that puts them in an automatic Europa League spot, and just three points behind a Champions League spot, that gives them huge motivation, they are scoring for fun, they are the second highest scorers in Italy, they are fairly strong at home and while their defence is still a slight worry they are up against the joint lowest scorers in Serie A.

Chievo are rock bottom, they have just ten points this season, though it should be 13 but for a deduction, they struggle to score goals, a huge 36 less than Atalanta, they have conceded a whopping 53 goals and that is not a good sign when you are facing a prolific goalscoring team like Atalanta away, they have collected just two points and scored two goals from their last six away games.

Whatever way you look at this game it screams home win for Atalanta and by at least two goals.

Take Atalanta -1.75

On paper, you would automatically think this is a win for Ajax but that would be a mistake.

A lot has been made of Ajax win over Real Madrid in the Champions League but that is not the performance they put in every week and a quick look at the form table, which covers the last six games, AZ are actually above Ajax in the Dutch league.

Ajax has lost two of their last six away games including a 6-2 loss to Feyenoord, who are just three points ahead of AZ in the league, point is that Ajax are in form but no better than AZ and they are vulnerable on the road.

Of course, Ajax have had some stunning away wins this season, they are a top team but in terms of Dutch football AZ are not that far behind them, they have won their last five home games on the bounce and come into this game in tremendous form in front of their home fans.

The handicap has been set fairly high for AZ and that is good enough for me, I was actually tempted to back them to get the win outright but getting +1 on the handicap is a gift for me.

Take AZ +1

I am very confident that Torino will win this game and enhance their chances of making European football next season.

Torino has now gone seven games unbeaten, they have won five in that sequence including wins over Inter and Atalanta, they are barely conceding goals, just once in their last seven games and they really are on fire right now.

Bologna did win last time out at home to Cagliari but they did lose three on the bounce before that and have just two wins in their last 14 games, they are in bad shape, they are in the relegation zone and have a terrible away record with just one win on the road all season.

Bologna's form has improved recently, that must be said, they have collected seven points from a possible 18, however, when you compare that to the form of Torino, 14 points from a possible 18 then you can see the difference.

On every level, current form, home and away records and actual quality of squad it is difficult to see anything other than a clear home win.

Take Torino -0.5

Norwich City may well be the away team in this Championship clash but I can not see anything but a clear win for them.

Norwich are the league leaders, they are going for one of two automatic promotion spots and while no game is a given, they have to feel that this game is three points in the bag.

Norwich have won five on the bounce and eight n their last ten Championship games, they lead the standings by two points and depending on results today could be as much as seven points ahead of third spot and with just eight games to go after today they will have one foot in the Premier League but that means they must win this game.

Rotherham is a poor side, they are third bottom and facing relegation, though it must be noted that over the last three games they have won two so there is a little turnaround in form but they did lose the other game in that sequence and those wins were over teams closer to the bottom than the top.

If Norwich play to form and they are certainly in form right now they will win and win by at least a couple of goals.

Take Norwich -1

I expect Borussia Monchengladbach to get the win today.

Monchengladbach did go through a blip which has damaged their Champions League qualification ambitions but they did get back to winning ways last time out and now they are back at home I do expect them to make it two wins on a bounce.

Monchengladbach is barely holding onto the fourth spot in the Bundesliga but a win today will see them go third and put a little breathing space between themselves and Eintracht Frankfurt in the fifth position.

Freiburg is fairly safe now, they will not be relegated unless they have a complete meltdown and they certainly will not be making a European qualification spot, they are below mid-table and will most likely remain there for the rest of the season but in all fairness, their form has improved significantly in recent weeks.

That said, Freiburg is a limited side and if Monchengladbach play to their true form today and I believe they will then the home side will emerge the winners.

All things considered, I am going with Monchengladbach to win by at least a couple of goals.

Take Monchengladbach -1

I am backing Arsenal to overcome the two-goal deficit from the first leg in this last 16 Europa League clash.

Everything that could go wrong went wrong for Arsenal in the first leg, they were leading 1-0 until Sokratis sending off and even then the loss was only 3-1 after an 88th-minute goal from Rennes.

We have seen the true Arsenal many times this season, especially at home and most recently against Man Utd and I fully expect that we will see that Arsenal today.

There is a huge gulf between these two teams, the first leg result is giving a false impression that these two teams are closer than what they really are.

I can make no case for Rennes, they are not good enough, they will lose this game and it is just a question of by how many in my opinion and the truth is that I would have still backed Arsenal if the handicap was as high as -2.5.

Take Arsenal -1.75

Today I  will be backing Norwich to continue their fine form and register another win that will take them back to the top of the Championship.

It is now fast approaching the end game in the Championship and the battle for automatic promotion to the Premier League is now basically a three horse race with just two spots available.

A win for Norwich tonight will put them four points above third-placed Sheffield United, not a huge gap but definitely significant with so few games remaining and that alone is all the motivation that Norwich needs.

Hull are still in with an outside chance of making a playoff place but it is now looking unlikely, not only will they have to put together a winning run but hope for a few teams above them to falter, but it is fair to say they still have something to play for.

That said, Hull are a limited side, especially away and their current form on the road is poor, they have lost four on the bounce scoring just once and conceding 13 in that sequence, compare that with Norwich who have won four and drawn once in their last five home games.

All things considered, I am taking Norwich to win and to win by at least two goals.

Take Norwich -1

I am fully expecting a huge reaction from Real Madrid following their humiliation in the Champions League midweek to Ajax.

It is clear that Real are not the same team they were last year but some perspective is required, the loss to Ajax was one of those games that just went wrong for them, they beat Ajax in the Netherlands in the first leg and so it is not as if they became a flop overnight and yes they did lose three games from four before that but two of those games were against Barcelona, they are still third in La Liga and while no longer title contenders, they are certainly better than the likes of Real Valladolid.

Valladolid for their part enter this game with just one win in their last 13 games, they are in a relegation dog fight and have the second worse current form in the league, whereas Real Madrid has the third best form over the last six games.

Real Madrid will show in this game that they are still a top team and I will be very surprised if we do not see a massive response from them and I do expect them to win this game by at least a couple of goals.

Take Real Madrid -1

Chelsea have hit a rich vein of form with four wins and a draw from their last five games in all competitions, their confidence has been restored and with Tottenham losing on Saturday they now have the added motivation of closing in on a top-four spot and depending on the result between Arsenal and Man Utd could even end up in the fourth spot by Sunday evening.

Wolves are in the seventh position, just one behind Chelsea but they are 13 points behind and basically have no chance of European football next season, they are guaranteed Premier League football for another campaign and while they will still be highly motivated, it will not be quite as sharp as Chelsea's.

Wolves are also quite poor on the road, yes they beat Tottenham away but apart from that they really are inconsistent but they are due some credit, their current form is nearly as good as Chelsea's but some context is required, they have played only one top ten side in their last six games and that was against ninth-placed West Ham, whereas Chelsea have played the likes of Tottenham, Man City and Arsenal over the same period.

The bottom line for me is that Chelsea is playing far better than Wolves at the moment, they are on a roll, confidence is huge and so is the motivation and of course, they have home advantage.

All things considered, I see Chelsea winning this by at least a couple of goals.

I am giving Tottenham one more chance today and will be backing them to beat relegation-threatened Southampton.

Southampton was unlucky against Man Utd last week losing 3-2 and they have improved in recent weeks after a poor season, but even that improvement has been patchy and despite being at home today they are paying one of the best teams in the league that appear to have got their mojo back after a little bit of a stumble.

Tottenham was impressive beating Dortmund 1-0 midweek in the Champions League in Germany and that followed a hard-fought draw against Arsenal, which on the face of it was nothing special but that followed a two-game losing sequence which seriously dented the title aspirations and to then come back with a draw against Arsenal and a win away against Dortmund shows their character and that they are now past that momentary blip.

This will not be a walkover for Tottenham, they are playing against a team fighting for their lives who have not given up, as Southampton showed against Man Utd, but if Spurs play to their normal standards they will win this game.

Take Tottenham -0.5

I am backing Crystal Palace to collect all three points against Brighton today.

This game is a case of two teams going in the opposite directions, yes Brighton won last weekend but that was at home against bottom side Huddersfield Town, a win they struggled to get and that was after collecting just a single win in their previous 12 Premier League matches, they really are not a team in form right now.

Palace, on the other hand, are hitting form at the right time, they have lost just once in their last six Premier League games and that was against a rejuvenated Man Utd, racking up three wins and two draws in that period, in fact, they have better recent form than both Tottenham and Liverpool.

Basically, we have a team in good form with home advantage against a team struggling to get points home or away.

All things considered, I am confident Crystal Palace will win this game.

Take Palace -0.5

I cannot see anything other than a win for Sheffield United today and a comfortable win at that.

Sheffield have the third best home record in the Championship, they are on fire right now, a win in this UK lunchtime game will momentarily take them into second in the table just four points behind leaders Norwich City, they are fighting tooth and nail for an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League and enter this game with the second best recent form in the Championship.

Rotherham are a poor side, they are third bottom and have a serious relegation fight on their hands, their form has improved in all fairness, with five draws and a win in their last six Championship games but whenever they play the top sides on the road they lose and lose by at least two goals and today they are up against a very good Championship side in excellent form.

Rotherham will be very defensive today but I just cannot see them holding out against a team at home determined to win and also determined to build up their goal difference which could end up being of critical importance come the end of the season.

All things considered, I simply cannot see anything other than a home win and for Sheffield to win by at least two goals.

Take Sheffield United -1.25

This game represents a fantastic opportunity for Norwich City to extend their lead at the top of the Championship to five points and cement their position in an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League.

Norwich is a hard team to beat at home, they have won three of their last four at home with the other game being a draw against third-placed Sheff Utd and enter this game with the third-best current form figures, in better words, they are in excellent form.

Swansea City has lost their last three away games in the Championship on the bounce, they are not the best travellers and their current overall form is very average losing three of their last six games and winning just twice.

What we have here is a team with huge motivation, home advantage and in excellent form against a team mired in mid-table obscurity, in poor form and poor traveller.

All things considered, I am backing Norwich to get the win.

Take Norwich -0.75

There is a significant difference in class between the Austrian Bundesliga and the Italian Serie A and I expect that to show today with a clear win for Napoli.

There may have been an argument that Napoli would not have taken this competition too seriously after being eliminated from the Champions League but a 5-1 aggregate win over Zurich put that to bed rather quickly and it must be noted that this is a Napoli side that beat Liverpool and twice held PSG in the Champions League this season.

Napoli are second in Serie A and generally speaking are a formidable home side with only Juventus beating them in their last 27 home games in all competitions and in that sequence they won 12 times by at least two goals and 21 wins overall.

Salzburg is not a bad side, they are dominating the Austrian Bundesliga and lead the standings by 11 points after just 20 games but they did lose 4-2 to Lazio last season in this competition in Italy and when they play the top teams they tend to lose, they have beaten the likes of Celtic and even Dortmund last season, so they are capable but losses to the likes of Marseille, Lazio and even Club Brugge give a more realistic gauge of their chances today.

All things considered, I am very confident Napoli will win and by at least two goals.

Take Napoli -1

Chelsea have put their horrendous period behind them, they did lose 4-0 to Bournemouth, 6-0 to Man City and 2-0 to Man Utd at home, but since those results they have shown significant improvement, they have had their confidence restored and there is now a strong belief at Stamford Bridge that they will go on and win this competition.

Chelsea has a great record in the Europa League, especially at home, they have won all four games at home this season in the competition and won three of those by two or more goals, in fact, this season they have won seven and drawn once in their eight Europa League games. They are taking this competition very seriously and will be looking to take a healthy lead to Ukraine for the second leg.

Kyiv is a decent team but definitely not what you would call an elite European team, they have not played any teams this year close to Chelsea's ability and have had the odd bad result against bad teams, today is their first real test against top-class opposition and reality will set in fairly quickly at Stamford Bridge.

All things considered, I fully expect the superior class of Chelsea to show today and expect them to run out clear winners by a minimum of two goals.

Take Chelsea -1.5

Wolves were very disappointing losing 1-0 away to Huddersfield midweek even though it was a last minute winner and will be looking to get back to winning ways against a very poor Cardiff team.

While Wolves were disappointing Cardiff were even worse losing 3-0 to Everton which followed a 5-1 mauling to Watford and in both those games, Cardiff were the home side.

Cardiff have been appalling on the road this season, they may have managed two wins and one draw over their last five away games but they have lost an incredible nine times from 13 away games this season and based on their current form it is hard to see them improving that today.

Wolves are not bad at home, they have won six, drawn three and lost five, which on the face of it is not spectacular but you have to consider that three of the teams they lost to are either on the same points as them or above them in the standings and that they have beaten the likes of Chelsea and held the likes of Man City.

It is very difficult to make a case for Cardiff, you can but it is a stretch, they are facing relegation while Wolves are battling for a European spot, they are awful away while Wolves are tough at home and Cardiff's recent form is just dreadful.

Take Wolves -1

Huddersfield finally won a game beating Wolves last time out with a 90th-minute goal, however, that masks just how poor they are and I see them losing yet again today.

Prior to the win over Wolves, Huddersfield had lost 15 games and drawn just once in all competitions, that is how bad they have been and it must be noted that the win over Wolves was at home, today they are away.

Brighton is in a slump for sure, they are winless over their lasts seven Premier League games and have now been dragged down into the relegation dog fight but they have home advantage today and while their recent home form has been poor they are still a far better home side than what Huddersfield are away.

Brighton have lost just four times at home all season and three of those losses were against Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool, in better words when they play the poorer teams in the league and Huddersfield are the actual worse team, they do not lose and invariably win.

Also, the recent poor form of Brighton, especially at home needs context, as an example over their last six home games, they lost to Chelsea, Liverpool and Burnley, but they beat Everton and drew with Arsenal and Watford, point is that the losses were expected for the most part, Burnley aside and their other results were not bad at all.

The bottom line for me is that Brighton at home is simply the better team compared to Huddersfield away and I expect that to show today.

Take Brighton -0.5

Bayer Leverkusen lost last time out but that was away and against league leaders Borussia Dortmund and previous to that they had won four on the bounce and I am backing them to get back to winning ways today against Freiburg.

Freiburg have been playing better recently, they won last time out 5-1 against Augsburg and drew their three games previous to that, in better words, they are on a mini unbeaten run but the fact is that they only managed one win in that run and overall are not what one would describe as formidable opponents.

For starters, Freiburg has just two wins from their 11 away games this season, they are poor travellers, whereas Bayer has won five and lost just once in their last six home games.

The bottom line here is that Bayer has a far better home record than Freiburg have away and on current form, despite last weeks results, Bayer has the far better form.

I was a little hesitant that the spread was above one but on balance I am far more confident in Bayer winning by a couple of goals than I am in Freiburg getting anything from this game or keeping Bayer to just a one-goal margin.

Take Bayer Leverkusen -1.25

The league cup final and I cannot see anything other than a win for Man City.

To some extent we can forget the 6-0 thrashing that City handed out to Chelsea just a few weeks ago, for starters, City were at home and that game was over within 30 minutes, that was a one-off result and will not be repeated again today, however, it did show the huge gulf between these two teams and while I do not see City winning by six goals, I do see them winning by at least two.

Chelsea will be nervous facing City again but at the same time they will welcome it, they will want to put right that huge defeat but the facts are that they are an inferior team, they simply do not have the depth of talent that City have and certainly not the confidence and to some degree, the arrogance.

City is a brilliant team, they will go after Chelsea from word go and I just cannot see the Blues defence keeping the City forward line at bay for the whole 90 minutes.

Chelsea has lost too many games recently, put in too many poor performances for them to be backed with any confidence today, in contrast, City has shown time and time again that they are a match for any team in world football and everything points to a convincing City win today.

Take City -1

I am backing Atletico Madrid to win this game and by at least two clear goals.

I actually opposed Atletico against Juventus in the Champions League because on the evidence of watching them play I felt they had lost something, I could not quite put my finger on it but they were no longer the formidable force they once were, I was wrong, but that had to do with a change in attitude from Atletico and not because of their recent form.

If they play like they did against Juventus they will win this game with ease, they are playing a team fighting for their La Liga lives and there is a reason for that, Villarreal has been poor this season, they have improved for sure, but remain a limited team.

Villarreal is on a five-game unbeaten run in all competitions, their confidence is restored but it is fragile and with Atletico getting back to the form they have been lacking recently I am confident that this will be the game that Villarreal's unbeaten run comes to an end.

Atletico have home advantage, they have to win to keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top and that is exactly what I expect them to do today.

Take Atletico -1

The advantage is clearly with Arsenal today, they are fresh from a good midweek win in Europe and are at home but they have not been playing like world beaters and are a team with flaws, especially in defence where keeping a clean sheet seems to be a difficulty for them

Southampton is having a poor season, they lost their league game at home to Cardiff but prior to that they had gone on a three-game unbeaten run and started to show signs that they can drag themselves out of the relegation zone.

It should also be noted that Arsenal did lose away to Southampton earlier in the season and that was at a time when Arsenal was on a huge unbeaten run and Southampton were really struggling.

Arsenal should win this game but I simply cannot back them on the spread with confidence, they always seem to concede, they have conceded in 22 of their 26 league games this season and while they may win this game I do not see them doing by two clear goals and it would not be a surprise at all if the Gunners do not, in fact, win, Southampton have already proven they can match them this season.

All things considered, I am backing Southampton +1.25

I am backing Newcastle United to get the better of Huddersfield Town in the Premier League today.

Newcastle has improved to some degree, whereas Huddersfield has not and with home advantage against the second worst team on the road in the Premier League Newcastle will be very confident of picking up all three points.

Newcastle has won their last two home games, including a hugely impressive 2-1 win over Man City.

Huddersfield, on the other hand, have lost five of their last six away games, with only a draw at Cardiff in that sequence and over their last 13 Premier League games they have lost 12 and drawn just once, whatever way you look at that, it is horrendous.

Newcastle is slowly rising up the table and Huddersfield are rooted to the bottom with almost no hope of avoiding relegation this season.

Newcastle have the form and home advantage and Huddersfield have almost nothing going for them,

Take Newcastle -0.5

Big game for both teams today in the Championship, Bristol City will be looking to get something from this game to maintain both their playoff position and automatic promotion hopes, Norwich is currently top of the standings and knows a win would be huge for their automatic promotion ambitions.

Norwich did stumble a little ten days ago with an uncharacteristic loss away at Preston but then bounced back with a huge 4-0 away win over Bolton, they are strong at home with seven wins and two draws in their last ten Championship home games.

Bristol City are on a seven game winning run in the Championship, in fact, they have not lost in their last 13 league games going right back to October, they are clearly in excellent form, they have won their last three away games on the bounce and enter this game with huge confidence.

So, we have two teams in excellent form with a load to play for but the reason I am going with Norwich is two-fold.

First, they have home advantage and that is significant and secondly they have the much better head to head record over their opponents, in fact, you have to go back ten years since Bristol got the better of Norwich, though there have been a good few draws.

All things considered, I am backing Norwich to squeeze out the win.

Take Norwich -0.5

Tottenham, despite some high profile injuries, continues to defy pundits and remain in both the Champions League and Premier League title race and are my pick to win this game.

They have the best away record in the league, better than both Man City and Liverpool, they will go within 2 points of City at the top of the standings with a win today and could even welcome back their best player Harry Kane.

Burnley have a half decent home record, however, they have lost at home this season to Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool, all top six teams, in better words, when they host a top six team they lose.

Burnley have lost the last two meetings between these two teams at Turf Moor, 3-0 and 2-0 and unless there is a dramatic shift in form it is hard to see how the result will be any different today.

Tottenham keep on winning, yes, they have been scraping wins but that is always the sign of a top quality team, Burnley will be competitive but there is a gulf in quality between these two teams and if Spurs play to form and there is no reason why they will not then it will be an away win.

Take Tottenham -0.75

Dynamo Kyiv did very well to get a draw away at Olympiakos in the first leg and I am backing them to go one better and get the win today.

Kyiv is on a winter break which makes their 2-2 draw in Greece all the more impressive, they have had mixed results recently, both in friendlies and competitive games but then so have Olympiakos and in terms of actual form, there is not much between them.

Because of the away goals, Kyiv has the advantage and Olympiakos will have to go for goal and that means that Kyiv will probably be looking to play counter-attack football today even though they are the home side.

Kyiv will not sit back completely, they will have gained confidence from the first leg but because of the conditions of this game they will want to stay organised and defensive as much as possible but I am of the opinion that because Olympiakos will be forced to attack that will give a lot of opportunities to Kyiv to grab a goal themselves.

The way I see this game unfolding makes backing the home side the most logical bet to have and one that I will be doing.

Take Kyiv -0.25

Interesting Europa League game, the first leg finished 0-0 which gives Genk a slight advantage, however, a single goal from Slavia Praha and Genk will have to score twice.

Both teams top their respective leagues, however, the Belgium League is a bit stronger than the Czech league and despite the maths of an away goal, the advantage is with Genk.

Both teams lost at the weekend, no doubt because they had one eye on this game and weirdly enough, both those defeats were against their nearest rivals in their leagues.

Even looking at the respective home and away form there is little to separate these two sides, Genk has won four of their last five home games in all competitions and Slavia have won three of their last four away games.

This game for me, all comes down to home advantage and the fact that I believe that the Belgium league is stronger than the Czech league and based on that I do see Genk squeezing out a narrow win.

Take Genk -0.5

Bayer Leverkusen drew 0-0 with Krasnador in the first leg of this Europa League tie and I am very confident that they will win this game now they are back at home and win it fairly comfortably.

Even though Bayer Leverkusen was away they absolutely dominated the first game, they had 65% of the possession, they had eight corners to Krasnadors one, they edged shots on goal 4-3 and 10-7 on shots overall.

I expect those sort of stats to be similar again today if not better, Bayer have home advantage and that is significant in Germany, their form has improved massively in recent weeks after a poor start to the season and they will be much fitter than their rivals, who are coming off a mid-season winter break.

Krasnador had their opportunity to take a lead into this game and failed and now that they are playing away, against a team from a far stronger league who outplayed them in the first game, I cannot see anything other than a loss for the Russian side.

I expect Leverkusen to take an early lead which will force the Russian side to attack and that will leave them vulnerable at the back and I see Bayer winning this game by 2-3 goals.

Take Bayer Leverkusen -1.25

Fenerbahce carries a 1-0 lead from the first leg against Zenit in this Europa League last 32 clash.

The Turkish side has the advantage of being in the middle of their season while Zenit has been on a two-month winter break, but there are good reasons to back the Russian side to get the win today.

For starters, Fenerbahce is having a poor season, they have turned their form around a little recently but they remain in 15th place (out of 18) in the Turkish league and could only muster a home draw against Konyaspor at the weekend and are on a four-game winless run away from home in all competitions.

Zenit came a little unstuck before the winter break but remain top of the Russian League and have put a good run together in friendly games, they will have come on a lot following the game against Fenerbahce and will be fitter and more match ready for it.

Fenerbahce just need a draw or even to lose by a single goal as long as they get an away goal and that will determine how they play this game, which will initially be defensive minded, Zenit will have no choice but to go for the win and that will be how they approach this match and a lot will depend on whether there is an early goal or not.

All things considered, I am of the opinion that Zenit has more going for them and will get the win today, whether they qualify is another matter.

Take Zenit -0.5

Two massive teams playing in the biggest club competition in the world, what more could one ask for.

I am backing Juventus not to lose this game tonight even though they are the away side and that is simply because they continue to play at a very high level, whereas Atletico has been poor recently, even when winning.

I watched Atletico away at Rayo Vallecano and I thought they were poor despite winning 1-0, I saw them against Real Madrid at home and they were woeful and deserved to lose and that was against a Real Madrid side that is as poor as it has been in years.

Juventus away in Serie A have been absolutely dominant winning ten, drawing one and losing none, they did lose a dead rubber in the Champions League away to Young Boys of Switzerland but that game was of no importance and they also lost badly away to Atalanta in the Italian Cup, but apart from that they have been imperious all season long.

Atletico on their day can be devastating, they remain a top quality side but not right now, they are not playing anywhere near their best and if there is one team you need to be at your best for it is Juventus, or you will lose.

I was tempted to back Juventus outright but have taken the safety-first approach of backing them on the spread so that in the event of a draw stakes are returned.

Take Juventus PK

A home win is very important at this stage of the Europa League and that is what Sevilla will be going for, by the same criteria Lazio know that they will need to keep the scoreline down and if possible grab an away goal and that is what will determine the mentality of these teams today.

Sevilla has improved at home, they recently beat Barcelona 2-0, held Atletico Madrid to a draw and beaten Real Madrid 3-0, they have won seven of their last nine home league games and drawn the other two, they are a team in form on their home ground.

Lazio will be competitive, they are probably about the same level as Sevilla but are very hit and miss on the road in their league, they have won three, lost four and drawn two in their last nine away league games and come into this game in very inconsistent form when travelling.

Considering the home form of Sevilla and the quality of teams they have beaten recently I am backing them to end this game as the winners.

Take Sevilla -0.75

Third-bottom welcomes third top in La Liga and for a variety of reasons I am backing Atletico Madrid to collect all three points and get their stuttering season back on track.

Atletico has lost their last two games, they are now seven points behind league leaders Barcelona and have dropped one point behind bitter rivals Real Madrid, they will be desperate to get back to winning ways and this game offers them a great opportunity to do just that.

Atletico has won seven and drawn two of the last nine meetings between these two teams and know that they must make that eight wins from ten if they are to have any hopes of maintaining their slim title hopes.

Rayo Vallecano has also lost their last two games and will approach this game with a different mindset to Atletico, they will be very defensive, they will be happy with a point even though they are the home side, they may well be in the relegation zone but there are at least seven teams above them that are in this relegation dog fight and a point against a top three team is priceless.

Atletico will have too much for Rayo today and I am confident that they will not just win this game but win it by at least two goals.

Take Atletico -1

Clash of two top teams in the Premier League today but the truth is that there is a big gulf between Chelsea and Man City and I am taking City to win this game and by at least two goals.

This season at home Man City have beaten Arsenal and Man Utd (two top six teams) by two goals and while they beat Liverpool by just the one goal it must be noted that Liverpool are the league leaders.

Chelsea has lost away to Arsenal and Tottenham (two top six teams) by two goals and enter this game on the back of two away losses that has seen them concede six and score none and that includes a humiliating 4-0 loss to Bournemouth.

The point is that when Chelsea play a top six team away they lose and when Man City play a top-six team at home they win and in both cases, it is usually a two-goal difference.

City is pushing for the league title and a win today will see them go top, albeit having played one game more than Liverpool, whereas Chelsea is struggling to push for a top-four spot, though any positive result today will see them go fourth.

City are simply the better team, they have home advantage and while Chelsea are an obvious threat their results this season have shown that when it matters they are found wanting.

Take Man City -1.25

Frosinone are heading for relegation, they did very well to beat Bologna last week 4-0 but that was really a bit of a freak result and that was only their second win in their last 14 Serie A games, they are a poor team and today they are playing a team in great home form.

Sampdoria have won their last four Serie A home games on the bounce scoring 12 goals and conceding just the once, they have won all those games by a minimum of two goals and their only defeats, home or away, in their last ten league games have been against the top two sides in Serie A, Juventus and Napoli.

In terms of current form, Sampdoria has the fifth-best record in Italy with 10 points from a possible 18 over their last six games, compare that with Frosinone who has the 15th best record with just five points from a possible 18.

Whatever way I look at this I cannot see anything but a Sampdoria win and the only question for me was how many they would win by and taking on board their current home form I am confident they will beat the team second bottom by at least two goals.

Take Sampdoria -1

Tottenham is currently without two of their top players in Harry Kane and Dele Alli but that has not stopped them from winning even if they have had to leave it late to secure the victories.

Tottenham have won nine of their last 11 Premier League games and will get within two points of the second spot, well, until Manchester City face off against Chelsea later in the day.

Confidence at Spurs remains intact despite some frustration from the fans and another win today will keep them in the title race, albeit as outsiders.

Leicester City have been playing well but four losses in their last six games have dented their confidence, they did very well to draw away to Liverpool and were unfortunate not to get anything from the loss to Man Utd but they do keep coming up short, especially against the top teams.

Tottenham have home advantage if you can call it home advantage at Wembley Stadium and they will dominate this game as they do in almost every game they play, if they can finish better than they have been doing recently they could easily win this game by two or three goals.

I am confident that Tottenham will win and maintain their push for the title.

Take Tottenham -0.75 

I am backing Atletico Madrid to get the win with the added security of stakes being returned in the event of a draw.

Real Madrid are not the same team they have been in recent seasons, they are really struggling this season by their own high standards, their form has improved in recent weeks in the league and they now have four wins on the bounce under their belt but they remain vulnerable and remain eight points behind league leaders Barcelona and two behind today's opponents.

Atletico lost very surprisingly last week away at Betis but they have won eight of their last nine home games with one draw and that was against Barcelona, they have lost just once at home in their last 32 La Liga games and will be facing a Real Madrid side today that they know is not the strongest one they have faced in a long time.

Real may well be on a good run but even in those recent wins they have struggled to get some of those wins with goals coming in the last 10-15 minutes, they have also won nicely, there is no denying that but you have to look at the opposition.

In my opinion, there is far more chance of this game ending in either a win for Atletico Madrid or ending in a draw than there is of Real Madrid winning and my bet today reflects that.

Take Atletico Madrid PK

I cannot oppose Arsenal today, yes, their recent form on the road has been poor but today they are playing the worse team in the Premier League, a team that has just one win and 10 losses at home from their 13 home games this season and if they cannot collect all three points against Huddersfield today then they really can give up any hope of finishing top four.

Arsenal have shown their quality this season, they have beaten the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea, yes they were both at home but regardless, it shows that if they are in the mood, if their manager sends them out with the right team and tactics they are a top team, their confidence is still intact, they will know that their away record has to improve and this game gives them every opportunity to do that.

It is very difficult to make a case for Huddersfield, they have one draw and 12 losses from their last 13 Premier League games and if you are desperate you could point to the 1-0 loss away at Arsenal as proof that they if they can lose by just one goal away to the Gunners that there is every chance they can get a better result at home, I just do not see that, especially when you consider that Arsenal had much more possession in that game, more shots on goal and should really have won by two or three.

All things considered, I expect Arsenal to get the win today, they are a far better team and as long as they approach this game fully focussed they should win by at least two goals.

Take Arsenal -1

Borrusia Monchengladbach are second in the Bundesliga and deservedly so, they are formidable at home, they have won all nine games in front of their fans in the league scoring 25 goals and conceding just three and have won their last seven home games by more than two goals, whatever way you look at that, it is impressive.

Hertha Berlin are a decent mid-table side, they have a mixed away record and can look at a 2-2 away draw at league leaders Dortmund for comfort and in their last five away games have had two wins but they were against the bottom two and the truth is that they really are up against it today against a team that takes no prisoners on their own ground.

This is not a game that Monchengladbach can afford to drop points in if they are to retain any hope of catching Dortmund at the top, also, they may be comfortable in a champions league spot right now but a couple of bad results and that could change, they have the incentive to win this game and a perfect home record to protect.

Hertha have a fighting chance of course, but the odds are stacked against them, they have just one win in their last six league games and are out of form right now.

All things considered, I am backing Monchengladbach to win this game fairly comfortably.

Take Monchengladbach -1

Dortmund is the best team in Germany right now, they lead the Bundesliga by seven points, they are unbeaten at home winning nine and drawing just once and they have been beating all-comers rather comfortably.

Hoffenheim are actually quite good on the road in the Bundesliga, they have won four and drawn three of their last seven away games, quite impressive, but when they are away at the better teams, Bayern Munich as an example, they lose, they are a full 20 points behind Dortmund in the standings and will enter this game very defensively minded.

That is how this game will unfold, I fully expect Dortmund to dominate and the big question is, can Hoffenheim hold out for the entire 90 minutes against the highest scorers in Germany, I think not, Dortmund nearly always score at home, the last time they did not was 13 months ago and only once all season have they failed to score at least once.

Of course, if Dortmund score then Hoffenheim can always score as well, but the point I am making is that Dortmund will be on the attack all game, that Hoffenheim will not hold out and that there is far more chance of Dortmund scoring two or three goals than Hoffenheim scoring just once.

This game for me will be attack against defence and with that in mind, I am backing Dortmund to get the win.

Take Dortmund -0.75

This could actually be a fairly tight game but I am confident that Leipzig will emerge the winners today.

There are just five points between these two teams today but Leipzig have the huge advantage of being at home, they are very strong in front of their home fans and have lost just once this season in front of their fans and that was last time out against league leaders Dortmund 1-0, prior to that loss they have won seven and drawn just twice when in their home stadium.

Frankfurt is not the strongest away side, they enter this game with four away wins this season but generally those wins have been against poor teams, they struggle against top opposition on the road and if you go back over a couple of seasons their away record is awful, they have just two wins in their last eight Bundesliga games and right now, they are not in the best form, in fact, over their last six games they have collected just six points from a possible 18, whereas Leipzig has collected 12 points over the same period and those six points lost were against Bayern Munich and Dortmund.

All things considered, I believe that Leipzig will have too much for Frankfurt today and will win.

Take Leipzig -0.5

Manchester United have improved greatly under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, they remain unbeaten since he took over, they have won every Premier League game on the road under him conceding just once and scoring nine times in the four away games since the former United legend took over from Jose Mourinho.

Fulham are a much better home team than they are on the road, 15 of their 17 points this season have come in front of their home fans and so it would be folly to dismiss them out of hand and it will be no walkover for United.

But we do need a bit of a reality check here, Fulham are poor, they are second bottom for a reason and they are playing a team that beat them 4-1 earlier in the season and that was under Mourinho who was hardly getting the best out of the players.

I do expect Fulham to be competitive today, they are at home and they have already shown that they will give most teams a run for their money when they are at home, however, when they play a top-six side, home or away, they get beaten, they have lost against Arsenal 5-1, Tottenham 2-1 at home and lost convincingly away from home against the top six, if they are to avoid relegation it will be because of results against lesser teams and not the top teams.

All things considered, I am backing United today, they will go top four with a win over Fulham (that can change later in the day) and as long as they play as they have been doing and there is no reason to think they will not then they will win and probably by a couple of goals.

Take United -0.75

So here we are, it is Superbowl time and I am backing the Patriots to get the better of the Rams tonight and win this game and cover the spread.

I was certain that the Patriots would lose to the Chiefs but they once again showed that they have that bit extra when it really matters and in hindsight, the signs were there that they would overcome the Chiefs, I just did not see it, but I do this time around.

The Patriots are one of those teams, even when supposedly in decline that delivers in the big games, their big players step up and show their class, their defence makes the stops when required and their offense puts the points on the board at just the right time and of course, there is Tom Brady, what a leader, what a player and this game is all set up for him to produce once again.

Of course, the Rams are here on merit and they can be explosive but if there is one area that worries me it is their defence and if there is a team that knows how to exploit a teams weakness it is the Patriots.

For me, I am of the opinion that the Patriots defence will do a better job of containing the Rams offense than what the Rams defence will against the Patriots offense and that will be the difference tonight.

Take the Patriots -2.5

There is not too much between these two teams but having watched both these teams on a regular basis this season I am going with Roma to sneak the win today.

Roma is a very strong home side, they have won four of their last five home games, drawing the other against third-placed Inter Milan and have won six, drawn three and lost just once at home all season.

Milan have won just three times from their ten away games in the league, although five of those were draws, they do struggle to get wins on the road that is clear but they are also hard to beat but against a team like Roma they will have to be absolutely focussed, if they are not then they will lose.

The way I have looked at this game is that Roma has home advantage, they have far better form at home than Milan away, they have better recent form, in fact, only Juventus have better recent form and I just believe they will have too much for Milan to handle for the entire 90 minutes.

Take Roma -0.25

Inter Milan are some way below Napoli and Juventus in Serie A but they are showing they are the best of the rest, they did lose last time away at Torino but that was their first league defeat in two months (against league leaders Juventus) and while they do draw too many games, they are fairly consistent and won seven in a row at home in the league before drawing their last home game against Sassuolo.

Bologna lost last time out at home to lowly Frosinone 4-0, a terrible result, they have won just twice all season long and are now on a 14 game run without a win in the league, on the road they have not won once and have five draws and six losses to their name, simply put, they are rubbish.

If Inter are in the mood they will win this game easily and I am confident they will be in the mood, the loss to Torino will have hurt them, they will be looking to bounce back and cement third spot in the league, they will be determined to maintain their push for Champions League football next season and will not allow a team like Bologna to derail that.

I just cannot make any case for Bologna and am backing Inter on the spreads with massive confidence.

Take Inter -1.25

Juventus are the best team in Italy by a country mile and if that is not bad enough for an opponent the last thing you want when facing Juve is to play them away and when they have suffered a rare defeat in a previous game.

Juve lost in the Italian Cup away to Atalanta midweek and it was no normal loss, they got stuffed 3-0 and that almost never happens to them, prior to that game Juventus had won five on the bounce and their record this season in Serie A is 19 wins and just two draws from their 21 games, that really is dominant.

At home, Juventus have won 10 and drawn one of their 11 home games in the league, so you can see the task ahead for Parma today.

Parma are not too bad away, they have won five and lost five away this season but they have fairly poor form right now with five losses, one draw and two wins in their last eight league games but for a promoted team they are not doing too bad considering.

That said, Parma are out of their depth today and they are facing a wounded but determined and angry Juventus who will want to make it clear to the rest of the league that the shock loss to Atalanta in the Cup was a one-off and will not be repeated.

Expect a dominant win today by Juventus.

Take Juventus -1.75

I fully expect a significant response from Chelsea today after losing their last match 4-0 away to Bournemouth.

That result was a bit freaky, though Bournemouth also beat Chelsea 3-0 last season, they seem to be a bit of a bogey team for the Blues, but that aside, that was not the Chelsea we are used to and that defeat and the manner of it will have given them the exact sort of kick up the backside that they needed.

Back in front of their home fans, where they have lost just once in their last 15 games in the Premier League, I fully expect them to win and win comfortably.

Only a miracle will prevent Huddersfield being relegated, they are a very poor team at this level, they have just one win away all season in the league, they are rock bottom in the standings with just 11 points, a massive 36 points behind Chelsea.

Because I expect a positive reaction from Chelsea and the state of Huddersfield I am very confident that Chelsea will win this game by at least two goals,

Take Chelsea -1.5

I am backing Millwall to win this game and cover the spread.

Millwall beat Everton 3-2 in the FA Cup last time out, a very impressive result against a Premier League team, that win will have boosted their morale massively, they are fairly average at home and did lose last time out against Balckburn in front of their own fans, but they do have a record of six wins, four draws and four losses from their 14 home games and that shows, considering their position in the table, that they are no walkovers at home and against the right opposition they have the advantage.

That right opposition is exactly what Rotherham are, they are fourth bottom and face a relegation struggle, they have not won once on the road this season in the Championship, they have managed just four draws and a massive ten losses from their 14 away games, as travelling teams go they are poor.

Considering that Millwall had a huge win against far a far superior team last week and will enter this game in high confidence playing a team that simply is awful away then it has to be a win for Millwall.

Take Millwall -0.75

I am going to give Tottenham one more chance to show that they can cope with the loss of some of their main stars and win this game against Watford today.

The loss in the FA Cup was disappointing, it was not expected that the manager would in effect put out his B team and leave some of the remaining best players out, it drew much ire from their fans and pundits alike who were not happy with that decision and it showed on the pitch the futility of that decision.

It will be a very different Tottenham team today, they do have home advantage, albeit with the most fans as opposed to actually being in their own stadium and will be very motivated to win for a whole variety of reasons, not least last nights result involving Man City.

Watford will be competitive and have beaten Tottenham at Wembley previously but as long as Tottenham play how they have been doing for most of the season they will win and win comfortably.

Take Tottenham -0.75

This Man Utd team is very different to the United team under Jose Mourinho, since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over they have won eight games in a row including hugely impressive away wins over both Tottenham and Arsenal, they put three goals past Arsenal, four past Fulham and Bournemouth and three past Huddersfield and I expect the same sort of scoreline against a poor Burnley side today.

United are playing much more freely, have more creativity and are more attack-minded than earlier in the season, they are full of confidence and believe they can beat anybody now, a far cry from under Mourinho, I expect them to come out all guns blazing and to beat Burnley comfortably.

Burnley have seen a little bit of improvement in recent weeks but away n the league they have won just twice all season and have been beaten heavily a few times, though of course, on occasions, they have defended well against the top teams and lost by just a single goal, but overall, when up against the better teams, they lose and lose easily.

All things considered, I see United continuing their rich vein of form and fully expect them to take care of Burnley today and to win by at least a couple of goals and to cover the spread.

Take Man Utd -1.5

West Ham United embarrassed themselves against Wimbledon in the FA Cup at the weekend and you can expect a vastly improved performance from them today, that result is certainly not a true reflection of their recent league performances and while you can't ignore it totally it really serves no purpose to use that game as a barometer for this game.

West Ham has lost their last two away games in the League, however, prior to that they won three on the bounce on the road and they did beat Arsenal 1-0 last time they were at home, in comparison to how they started the season they have improved significantly.

Wolves themselves had a poor away game in the FA Cup draw at Shrewsbury but even so, that was a better cup result than what West Ham produced and they will not be as shellshocked and determined to put things right as what West Ham will be.

Wolves did beat Leicester City 4-3 in their last league game, before that they lost two on the bounce and over their last eight home games they have lost five times, they are slightly regressing but overall, they are having a decent season.

I just feel that West Ham is playing better overall in the league right now, they have improved far more than Wolves over the last couple of months and they will be on the rebound today looking to make amends for the weekend humiliation.

I am taking West Ham on the spread with a 0.25 ball start simply because i feel there is more chance of a draw or West Ham than a Wolves win.

Take West Ham +0.25

By their standards, Real Madrid are struggling this season but they are still 12 points and nine positions above Espanyol and have won four of their last five games in all competitions and that single loss was a second leg game against Leganes that they led 3-0 from the first leg and basically put out their B side.

That said, three of those games in that sequence were cup games and you have to look a little deeper to see how Madrid really are doing.

Over their last ten league games, they have won seven and on the road, they have won three and drawn one of their last five and that draw was against Valencia, a team more capable than Espanyol.

So, not an altogether rosy picture but not a disastrous one either and certainly a better recent record than earlier in the season when they lost all three games in October and went five games without a win collecting just a draw, but that period is now behind them and slowly but surely they are getting more consistent and more clinical.

Espanyol are going through their rough patch right now, they have lost eight of their last nine league games, they have won just two of their last five homes games, however, those two wins were against teams lower than them in the league as of today, which in total contrast to Real Madrid is a lot worse than they were doing earlier in the season when they won their first five home games.

Basically, we have two teams that have reversed their earlier form and are now going in different directions, we have Espanyol struggling to get wins and Real Madrid are starting to get wins and add to that the fact that Real Madrid are simply the better team I am going with Real Madrid to get the away win today.

Take Real Madrid -0.75

A lot has been made about the absence of three of Tottenham's top scorers, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dele Alli and of course that does make a difference but they are such a talented side with good depth in their squad that they are more than capable of coping.

They beat Fulham 2-1 away from home in the Premier League without Kane and Son and even though they lost 2-1 to Chelsea in the League Cup, they still put in a good performance, especially in the second half and were unfortunate to lose the 2 legged games on penalties and Chelsea are a top team.

Point is that while the loss of those players is an issue Tottenham have shown that they are still a formidable team and with Llorente scoring against Chelsea his confidence will have been boosted and if he plays today, as he is expected to do, I am positive that we will see a forward that Tottenham can rely on, plus they have the likes of Ericksen, Moura and Lamela all more than capable of finding the back of the net, this is not a team that finds scoring a problem, even without their first choice frontline.

Another factor is the away record of Tottenham, they have the best away record in the Premier League, better than even Man City and Liverpool, they held Barcelona in the Champions League away from home this season and even though this is a FA Cup game I do not see that making any difference from how they approach this game.

Palace, on their day, can spring a few surprises, they ran Liverpool very close last week only going down 4-3 and they were the away side, they beat Man City 3-2, a tremendous result and again they were away but overall, they have been poor this season, they are a huge 29 points behind Tottenham in the league, they have lost their last two games and in 12 home games this season they have won just three times and one of those wins was in the FA Cup against Grimsby 1-0, who are three divisions below them, hardly inspiring.

All things considered, it has to be Tottenham for the win, my only concerns are the loss of those three players mentioned earlier and that this is a cup game which is why I am going on the spread as opposed to an outright win.

Take Tottenham -0.25

Borussia Monchengladbach is having a good season, all things considered, they are third in the standing just three points behind Bayern Munich and have built up a formidable home record.

Augsburg, by contrast, is not having the best of seasons, though, in all fairness that was expected anyway, they are in a relegation dogfight and are not what you would describe as a good road team.

Monchengladbach has won their last 11 home games in the Bundesliga, they have conceded just five goals in the run and scored an impressive 31 times, they are absolutely dominant in front of their home fans and against a team fourth bottom, it is hard to see that run coming to an end today.

Augsburg has won two of their nine road games this season, drawn two and lost five, they have lost three of their last four away games and are just the single point above the relegation zone, they are in desperate trouble and I just cannot make a case for them to get anything from this game today.

Take Monchengladbach -0.75

This game is the 2nd leg of the English league cup semi-final, it is played at Chelsea and Tottenham have a 1-0 lead from the first leg.

Away goals do not count double in the event the game ends in a draw so, as an example, if Tottenham loses 2-1 they do not go through on the away goal rule.

If the aggregate scores are level after 90 minutes then the game will go straight to penalties, hopefully, that will give you some context about the game.

The bottom line is this, if Chelsea wants to go through to face Man City in the final then they have to win by at least two goals in the 90 minutes or win on penalties.

If Tottenham is to go through then they will have to either win the game, draw the game or win on penalties.

So, the question for me from a betting angle is will Chelsea win by two clear goals in the 90 minutes and the answer for me is no.

For me, there is far more chance of Tottenham winning or drawing or Chelsea winning by a single goal than Chelsea winning by two goals and for this pick to lose that is what will have to happen.

Tottenham are without their two first-choice strikers, Kane and Son as well as Dele Alli, this is not good news and will clearly hamper them, however, their squad depth is very good, they have players that can come in as they proved last weekend when they won away at Fulham.

Of course, losing those three players when you play a top team is a problem but Chelsea are not playing like a top team, they lost 2-0 away at Arsenal, which in itself is not terrible, Arsenal are a top team, but they never even got a single shot on target, their manager ripped into them after the game and they held crisis talks last Monday, they are not a club in a good position themselves and the one thing about Tottenham that does give them an advantage over Chelsea is that their team is very united.

Chelsea have the advantage, of course, they are at home, they are playing a team that is without three of their best players but that advantage is minimised because of the internal strife at Chelsea, the poor tactics constantly employed by their manager and the fact that Tottenham has the better squad.

This pick carries a significant safety net for me and that is the handicap, I simply do not see Chelsea winning by two goals, they may win the game by a single goal but that would see stakes returned and on balance I am far more confident that Tottenham will either win or draw than Chelsea winning by two goals and with safety net of stakes returned if Chelsea win by a single goal.

Take Tottenham +1

Here we go again with the Patriots in a Conference final but this is clearly not the same New England that we have seen in previous years, they are still a very good team but their aura of invincibility has gone and this game tonight could see the end of an era.

The Patriots beat the Chiefs earlier in the season but the Chiefs have simply been the better team overall, they run up the points for fun, they have an extraordinarily confident quarterback and with the creaking Patriots defence now more vulnerable than it has ever been I do see Kansas winning this game and by more than the three points on the spread.

Home advantage is there but in all fairness to the Patriots they will probably feed off of that, they are relishing the underdog tag and all the negative comments about them but there is a reason for those negative comments, it is because they are valid, Tom Brady has aged, the defence is weaker than before and their offense is not as consistent as it was.

If the Chiefs play like we all know they can then they will win, I am confident they will be able to repel the Patriots offense far more than New England will be able to contain the Chiefs offense and it would not surprise me to see the Chiefs win by double digits.

All things considered, I am going with the Chiefs -3

Massive game for both teams with the winner progressing to the Superbowl and it is the Rams that I am going with to at least cover the spread in this game and in my opinion, to probably win.

I know that the Saints saw off the Rams earlier in the season but over the last month or so I have not seen the same explosive Saints that I saw earlier in the season, in fact, in their last six games the most they won by was 14 points against Tampa Bay and apart from that game the most they have won by over that period is the six points gap they had over the Eagles last week, they have, in fact, lost twice in their last six games and won three of the other four by just three points, they basically appear to be a team that has already peaked.

The Rams have their vulnerabilities, we all know that, but they can still be explosive, they have won their last three games on the bounce by margins of 22. 16 and 8 points and I expect to see them in that sort of form again today.

It will be a close game for sure, the Saints do have home advantage but for me, they are a team that is slowing down, whereas the Rams still have that spark about them and for me, that will be the difference today.

This game will be won by the offense today and the Rams offense is simply more potent at this minute in time and for that reason, I am backing them on the spreads today.

Take the Rams +3

Two of the better Italian teams meet today in Naples and with home advantage and the better form I am backing Napoli to emerge with the win.

Napoli are second in Serie A, 12 points ahead of 5th placed Lazio, they enter this game on the back of 12 wins and 3 draws at home in the league, in fact, they have not lost at home since March 2018.

Lazio is quite decent on the road but two wins from their last six away games in Serie A shows where their vulnerability is and over the last seven meetings between these teams, both home and away, they have come away with six losses and just one draw.

Napoli are formidable at home, they are in great form and they are playing a team today that has been unable to beat them in quite a while now with mixed current form.

All things considered, I am backing Napoli to win today.

Napoli -0.5

A lot will be made of the fact that Harry Kane is injured and will not be playing for Tottenham today and his loss is huge but Tottenham has enough top-class players in their side that they can cope without him against today's sort of opponent.

Tottenham will also be without Son Heung Min, Kane's able sidekick and back up but they are a far superior side to Fulham and with players like Alli, Eriksen, Lamela and Moura all more than capable of scoring goals they still have enough firepower to overpower Fulham today.

Tottenham is the best away side in the Premier League, they have collected 30 points from a possible 36, they are third in the standings and a win today will keep their slim title hopes alive.

Fulham is second bottom, they have won just three times at home this season, they have just two wins in their last 19 league games and enter this game having lost their last three games on the bounce.

Despite being without their first two choice strikers I cannot see anything other than a convincing Tottenham win today

Tottenham -0.75

Real Madrid are not the team they were last season, but it would be foolish to dismiss them out of hand even though some of their recent results have been shocking.

As an example, they have lost twice in their last five home games and not to what one regards as top teams, Levante and Real Sociedad but those two results apart they have won six and drawn once (against Atletico Madrid) in their other seven home games.

Confidence is an issue right now and the club is in transformation but they still have an impressive squad and on their day they are more than capable of beating any team in world football.

Their opponents today Sevilla, are on the same points as Real Madrid and on the road have become draw specialists, drawing four of their last six away games, losing the other two, which tells you they have gone six away games in La Liga without a win.

I fully expect to see a better Real Madrid today, they do lift their game when they play the better teams and that does include Sevilla and in front of their home fans I see them winning by a couple of goals, Sevilla simply are not prolific on the road right now, they cannot buy a win and Madrid should prove to be to string over the 90 minutes.

Take Real Madrid - 0.75

Rotherham United are a poor team, I expect them to be relegated this season, they are currently fourth bottom of the Championship in England and I see them going in one direction and that is down.

Brentford are not doing too great this season, they are certainly better than their position in 17th indicates and to some extent, they are proving that with a run now of two wins and three draws in their last five league games, that follows an appalling run of just one win in 15 games.

Rotherham has just one win in their last 20 league games and they enter this game with four losses and just one win in their last five league games.

Brentford have turned the corner, their confidence has been restored, they are now playing far better than earlier in the season and when they are playing as they are right now they are a much better side than Rotherham,

Rotherham is in poor form by contrast and home advantage is not enough for them to get anything from this game.

All things considered, Brentford -0.5 is the pick.

Due to time issues outside my control, I have been unable to provide an extensive preview of this game, however, it has been fully analyzed and comes with maximum confidence.

I am going with the Chargers to be within 4 points of the Patriots today.

That is not to say that the Patriots will not win but in the event they do I do not see it being a comfortable win and that this game will be very tight.

I would also not be at all surprised if the Chargers managed to get the win, they are much improved, have huge confidence in their ability and believe they can beat anybody.

Take the Chargers +4

From very early on I had the Chiefs as one of my two teams in this division to make the AFC Championship game and I have not changed my mind, the only issue for me in this game is whether the Chiefs can cover the spread and I am convinced they will do.

The weather is not great and that may have an effect but for me, that is a variable that I cannot calculate for either team with any confidence and will not play a part in my thinking in terms of the winner, on the totals maybe, but not in the context of which team will emerge the winner.

The Chiefs have home advantage and that is significant, they have a 7-1 record whereas the Colts on the road are 5-4.

The Colts have put together an impressive run and the Chiefs have stumbled slightly, however, this game is the biggest now for both teams and I fully expect the rested Chiefs to be at their best today.

In Mahomes, they have a game-winner and I am very confident he will put in a top performance and if he does that then, in my opinion, the Chiefs will have too much for the Colts to handle as the game progresses.

All things considered, I am going with the Chiefs to get the win in front of their home fans and to win the game by at least 6 points and most probably by double digits.

Chiefs -5

I have a soft spot for the Eagles and was pleased they made the playoffs but the chances are that their attempt to retain the Super Bowl will come to an end today, but I do not see them being beaten out of sight and am confident they will be within 6.5 points of the Bears come the end of the game.

Let's be honest, the Eagles have been poor generally and are lucky to be here today but they have been improving, their confidence has been restored and they enter this game on the back of a three-game winning run and five wins from their last six games and that includes an impressive win over the Rams.

The Bears have been very impressive since a poor start to the season, they have lost just the once in their last ten games and are 7-1 at home, they are formidable opponents for sure and it will take either a bad game from Chicago or Philadelphia playing out of their skins to stop the Bears progressing.

I do feel that the Bears will win but the Eagles have found their mojo again and I do expect them to be far more competitive than the spread suggests and do see them staying close to the Bears throughout.

All things considered, I am going for a Bears win but for the Eagles to cover the spread.

Take the Eagles +6.5

I am going with the LA Chargers to cover the spread in this game and most likely win outright.

The Ravens did beat the Chargers in week 16 but the score is misleading and if anything will motivate the Chargers to prove that result was more a fluke than a fair reflection of both teams capabilities.

The Chargers have an impressive road record of 7-1 with that only loss being against the Ravens a couple of weeks back. they are 8-2 over their last ten games and have had some very good results in that run, including a narrow win over the Chiefs.

The Ravens are 6-2 at home, they are in this position today thanks to a three-game winning run and were lucky to get home field advantage, they will be confident of beating the Chargers again obviously but for me, that confidence is misplaced.

Based on current form and what I have personally seen if both teams play to their true capabilities the Chargers will win, they have been the better side all season long and I expect that to show today.

Take the Chargers +2.5

Stake 2 pts

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

The Vikings need a couple of things to go right for them to make the playoffs and the very first task is for them to beat the Redskins today.

The Redskins have been very poor recently, they are plagued with injuries and I just cannot see them getting anything from this game other than a beating.

The Eagles have everything to play for while the Redskins just want to go home and nurse their wounds.

Eagles -6.5 for me.

Stake - 2pts

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

Everything points to a Ravens win today and a convincing win at that.

The bottom line is that the Browns have nothing to play for, sure, they will be professional and go for the win and so on but when you have one team with something to play for and one team that does not it has an effect.

The Ravens are back in decent form, they have the motivation and belief and they are at home.

Home win for me and Ravens by at least 7.

Stake - 2pts

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

This will be a great game and I am going with the Chargers to get the win and cover the spread.

Chargers still have a lot to play for despite making the playoffs, they will want to be top seeds and have home advantage in the postseason and the only way that will happen is if they keep on winning.

The Ravens also have a lot to play for and they know that now is not the time to be losing.

For me, the difference is that the Chargers are the slightly better team overall and have home advantage, they have massive belief and know what a win will mean for them today.

All things considered, I am going with the Chargers -3.5

Stake - 2pts

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

I expect the Vikings to win but not by 9 points, that is just too much, the Dolphins showed their competitive nature last week and they are still in the playoff hunt, they will give a good account of themselves today.

The Vikings have home advantage and should win but they will be happy with a narrow win just as much as they would with a big win, I doubt they will take too many risks today.

Dolphons +9 for me

Stake - 1pt

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

I am going with the Bengals to halt their losing run and finally claim a win against the hapless Raiders.

I know the Raiders have had a couple of good results recently but they remain a team in chaos, both on and off the field and they are there for the taking providing the Bengals can lift themselves and I think they will.

It's the Bengals -3 for me.

Stake - 1pt

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

I am backing the Cowboys to get their sixth win on the bounce today and certainly cover the spread.

The Cowboys are in hot form right now and that sequence includes a win over the Saints, the Colts, on the other hand, won narrowly against the Texans last week after going pointless against the Jags and the calibre of the teams they have beaten recently has not exactly been the strongest.

All things considered, it is the Cowboys +3 for me

Stake - 2pts

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

The Bears are deservedly favourites and their defence is proving itself week in week out now and any team will struggle to beat the Chicago defence back but Aaron Rodgers can, providing he gets a semblance of protection.

The Bears, at home, will be looking to clinch the NFC North and they may well do but not by more than 5 points in my opinion, I expect the Packers to kick on from their win over Atlanta and be very competitive and it would not surprise me if just a field goal separates these two at the end.

Stake - 1pt

All my picks are based on the interpretation of statistics, context and personal judgement. Each selection is primarily based on available value for long-term profits and not short priced easy favourites. Ultimately, I use my own analysis in combination with intelligent based software.

Recommended stakes are a percentage of a starting bank and given as points, as an example, 1pt would be 1% of the bank.

Selection

I know that the Redskins are in freefall right now and they were humiliated last week against the Giants but I do expect a better performance today.

The Jags are hardly setting the world on fire either, they have just one win in eight and while they are playing a team in a meltdown that does not automatically translate to a win for this Jags outfit.

The bottom line is I do expect the Jags to win but not by more than seven points.

Stake - 2pts