Due to time constraints, there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

60& of DC United games this season have finished overs and eight of Chicago Fire 11 games this season have finished overs. These are two teams that like to be involved in games with goals.

The odds are shorter than what I would have liked, but I am so confident that there will be at least three goals in this game that I will take the odds on offer.

Due to time constraints, there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

AZ won the first leg 4-1 and are basically through to the Euro playoffs, but I do not expect them to sit on their lead, I see them carrying on as they did in the first leg and go for the win.

They proved they were the better side last week and in front of their home fans, I see no reason why they will not confirm that superiority.

Due to time constraints, there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Rosenborg was absolutely stunned by Tromso midweek and they will be hurting from that defeat, especially when it was done in front of their own fans.

They have to bounce back, they are the best team in Norway and are so much better than that defeat, they will show the rest of the league that was a one off and it is Lillestrom that will feel the backlash.

Due to time constraints, there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Both these teams have been scoring for fun recently, Sogndal has knocked in six in their last two games and Brann have scored no less than nine.

The stats actually point to under, but I am going with recent form, both teams have the bit between their teeth when it comes to scoring and I expect at least one, if not both, to carry on scoring.

Due to time constraints, there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Both these sides have made losing an art form, they occupy third and fourth bottom spots in the league and their defences leak like sieves.

Three of the last four times these two have met the game has had at least three goals in it and considering their current circumstances I am confident we will see the same sort of result today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

This is all about relegation. If Hamburg does not win they are relegated simple as that, if Wolfsburg loses they are relegated, A draw suits Wolfsburg, but they are no better than Hamburg and is the away side.

Hamburg must make home advantage pay today and with a very passionate crowd behind them, I take them to do just that.

The winner of this game will progress to the promotion play-off final for the right to play in the Scottish Premiership next season, so a very important game for both sides.

The first leg in Dundee ended 2-2 and the balance has now shifted to Falkirk, who will now enjoy home advantage.

This will be the sixth time these two have met this season and the results have certainly favoured Falkirk.

Falkirk has won both games played at Falkirk, winning 3-0 and 3-1 and I can not see any real reason why they will not make it three from three home wins over Dundee United this term.

United had their chance at their place but failed to take advantage of it and I am of the opinion that it will be Falkirk that emerges victorious today.

Falkirk have the home form, they have the confidence and the momentum and I am taking them to cover the spread.

Under normal circumstances this game would be meaningless, it is the end of the season more or less, Tottenham have secured the second spot and Leicester City are safely entrenched mid-table, but this is not a normal game.

There is needle between these two teams, the Leicester players took great pleasure in sticking it to the Tottenham players last season when they beat Tottenham to the league title, this really antagonised Tottenham and they will be taking this game very seriously.

Leicester is not as good as they were last season, but they have improved from their early season form and are competitive once again.

Both sides will want the win, both sides will be attacking and when that happens there tend to be goals.

I expect Tottenham to win, but I feel there is more value in goals and I am going for over three goals in this game.

Neither team is under pressure and this I am sure will be a classic game of two teams that genuinely want to win without having to worry about losing.

Take over 3 goals.

I am a little surprised at the odds available on Jonkopings Sodra and they are worth backing in this Swedish Allsvenskan game.

The Swedish season is just 8 games old and there is very little to separate these two sides, Djurgarden has a two-point edge and that's it.

Both have lost twice this season, though Jonkopings have not lost at home yet, whereas Djurgarden has lost away, but the truth is that is negligible in determining who is more likely to win today.

I can see why Djurgarden are considered favourites, but I cannot see why they are seen as such clear favourites, they are the away side and it is not as if they are that far ahead of Jonkopings.

Also, Jonkopings did the double over Djurgarden last season, beating them home and away and nothing I have seen this season indicates to me that Djurgarden has improved that much more than Jonkopings.

Jonkopings have home advantage, they did the double over Djurgarden last season and they are close to each other in the league.

The value lies with backing Jonkopings and that is what I will be doing.

It is difficult for me to look beyond a Juventus win this evening in the Italian Cup final.

This game is being played at Lazio and on the face of it, you could say that gives them an advanatge, but this is a cup final and tickets are evenly shared out and while Lazio will probably enjoy the better support, I do not think it will play a significant part.

Also, Juventus are still looking for the points to win the title and do have the Champions League final on their schedule, but again, I do not see that playing a part this evening in Italy.

Juve are clearly the best team in Italy and if everything goes to plan then they will win this game, the arguments against are what I have already covered.

If Juve plays to form they will win, they will take this game seriously, they want to win the treble and I just feel they will have too much for Lazio to handle over 90 minutes.

Juventus to win in 90 minutes and to cover the spread.

A massive game between Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday in the second leg of the English Championship semi-final play-off.

Huddersfield dominated the first game, however, they failed to score as the game ended goalless and I fear that they have now missed their opportunity.

Wednesday have a great record against Huddersfield, they beat them 2-0 when they last met at this ground, in fact, they have done the double over them this season outside the playoffs.

Huddersfield has only beaten Sheffield once in their last ten meetings and the home side has the better form coming into this game.

With home advantage, a superior head to head record and better form I am going with Sheff Weds to win outright.

I am going with Utrecht to get the win in this Europa league play-off in the Netherlands.

Heerenveen recent form has been woeful, they have won just twice in their last ten domestic games, losing on seven occasions, that is not the sort of form you want entering into a playoff.

Utrecht, on the other hand, has won seven of their last eight domestic games, with the only loss away at Champions Feyenoord.

Utrecht have the form and they have the confidence and while Heerenveen is the home team I am not inclined to see that as much of an advantage as it would normally be.

Utrecht finished 19 points ahead of Heerenveen this season and that further shows the gulf between the two teams.

Take Utrecht outright.

This is a game that Rosenborg really should win and win comfortably.

Rosenborg is the best team in Norway, the season is still early and already they have opened up a five point lead.

Tromso is going to struggle this season, they may not be relegated, but they will probably end the season closer to the bottom than the top.

Rosenborg is the sort of team that can take an opponent apart, but on occasions, they can be frustrating and just do enough to win without moving out of first gear.

But I do not see that being the case in this one, I expect Rosenborg to win and to do it decisively.

My reasoning is simple, they drew away at Staebak last week and that will have frustrated them, they will want bounce back in style and in front of their home fans that is what I expect them to do.

Norrkoping are far superior to Kalmar and I expect that to show today.

It would have been better if the handicap had been set a little lower, but I still believe that Norrkoping will cover the spread against one fo the poorest teams in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

After just eight games this season Norrkoping is already nine points superior to bottom club Kalmar, they are on a five game unbeaten streak and will see this game as a great opportunity to collect three points and build some momentum.

Kalmar is already on a -11 goal difference, which takes some doing after just eight games and I struggle to make any sort of case for them.

Whatever way I look at this game all I can see is a clear home win.

The only question I had to answer was, will the home side win by two or more goals and my answer is yes, they will.

Interesting game between two well matched teams in the Swedish Allsvenskan.

Only one point separates these two in the league, Djurgarden is on 11 points and Gothenburg is on 10, last season only eight points separated the pair, with Gothenburg the better off.

In terms of current form, Djurgarden is in slightly better form, but with just 7 games so far played this season and just the one point separating them, it is negligible.

So, they are fairly evenly matched, however, there is one difference between the sides and that is the fact that Djurgarden is at home, a place where they have enjoyed success over their opponents.

The last time these two met at Djurgarden, it was the home side that ran out winners 3-1 and since 2012, Djurgarden has won three and drawn two in five league clashes.

Based on the fact that home advantage favours Djurgarden I am going with the home side to emerge the winners in what looks like being a tight game.

The bottom line for me was weighing up the most likely result and I am convinced that there is more chance of a home win than a draw or away win.

I know that Tottenham will be down after seeing Chelsea lift the title and I also know that in previous campaigns they have crumbled at the end of the season, but the circumstances of this game make it very different.

This is the very last game at their current stadium White Hart Lane and so I fully expect them to be motivated to win for the fans.

Man Utd are not the force they once were and they have been best by injuries, they will be very defensive against Spurs, but I do not see them being able to keep Tottenham at bay for the whole 90 minutes.

Take Tottenham -0.5

Liverpool have to win if they want to maintain their Champions League ambitions and I believe they will.

West Ham played out of their skins to beat bitter rivals Tottenham, but do not fall into the trap of thinking they will play the same way against Liverpool, they will not.

The game against Tottenham was a unique one off, they always raise their game against Spurs, it is in their DNA, they can play all season poorly, but against Tottenham they just get motivated.

Liverpool has the better players, have the motivation and I do see them emerging victorious.

Take Liverpool -1

Massive game for both sides today, with relegation a huge cloud hanging over the game.

I am of the opinion that we have reached the end of the road for Hull City as a defeat today will cost them their Premier League status.

Palace only need a point to be secure, whereas Hull has to avoid a defeat, simple as that.

It would have probably been better for Hull if Palace had nothing to play for, but alas, that s not the case.

Take Palace -0.5 

Huddersfield and Sheff weds are playing for huge stakes in this Championship play-off semi-final first leg and truth be told, I cannot pick a winner.

Huddersfield finished the season in poor form, whereas Sheff Weds finished it with six wins from their last seven games.

The home side has home advantage but the away side have the form and that creates a conundrum for me.

That said, I still have a solid pick for the game and that is over 2 goals.

Six of Sheff weds last eight games had at least two goals in them, while Huddersfield last four games had over 2 goals.

With what is at stake and the fact that away side has better form than the home side I see goals as a high probability and will be backing over 2 goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Atalanta have an excellent home record, they have lost just once in their last 15 games played at home, they are unbeaten in their last seven games home or away and while they may be experiencing some hiccups recently, drawing far too many games, they are still in relatively good form.

Same cannot be said of AC Milan, they have just two away wins in Serie A from their last 10 road games, they are on a four game winless streak and lost last week at home 4-1 to Roma.

Atalanta are at home and in better form and I am taking them to get the win.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Season is still young in Norway, with most sides having played just seven games, however, a pattern is developing and based on that, I am going with Odd to win at home.

Odd have won all their three home games played so far this season and Stromgodset have lost two and drawn once in their three away games so far.

With home advantage and with the home form they are enjoying I am taking Odd to emerge the winners.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Bit of a tricky game this one considering the surprising win for Sunderland last week, it is if they have had a huge weight lifted of their shoulders now that they have been relegated and are playing for fun and without pressure.

Swansea are finally putting a run together, they have won two and drawn one in their last three games and have given themselves some hope of avoiding relegation.

With Sunderland at home and more relaxed and Swansea desperate for points, then I see this being an open game with a very strong possibility of goals and that is what I am backing, over 2.5 goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The odds on this one look a bit generous. Ingolstadt are fighting relegation, in fact, lose this game and they will be relegated, so they are fighting for their lives, but they are second bottom for a reason, because they are no good.

Freiburg are the home side, they are right in the hunt for a Europa League spot and it is difficult to see how they will lose to a team 17 points and 12 places below them.

Take Freiburg to win.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Spartak Moscow are clear leaders of the Russian Premier League, they have lost just four times all season (27 games) Their last road game saw a 2-1 away win over bitter rivals CSKA Moscow, who sit second, and they have won eight, drawn two and lost once in their last 11 games.

Amkar have not won in their last eight games, losing four and drawing four and they are currently on a three game losing streak.

Spartak look a solid bet to win this one and cover the spread.

Dundee United beat Morton in the first leg 2-1 and I see very little reason why they will not complete the double today.

It would have been better if a lower handicap was on offer here, which is freely available elsewhere, but even at -1 I am still confident that the home side will run out easy winners.

Take Dundee United to win this one comfortably.

Lillestrom look a good pick to beat Odd today.

The away side have lost three out of three away games this season, they have not scored a single goal on their travels and have conceded eight times, not the best of records by any standards.

They also lost to the bottom side Viking 3-0 and while Lillestrom are not one of the better sides in Norwegian football, they are certainly as good as, if not better, than Viking.

Lillestrom have home advantage and are playing a side in pretty bad away form, this is a good opportunity for them to collect all three points.

Take Lillestrom -0.5

For this pick to lose Norrkoping would have to win by a couple of goals, something I do not see happening.

Sundsvall will struggle this season, they may even be relegated, but they are not playing Rosenborg today, they are playing Norrkoping and the gulf between the pair does not justify such a large handicap.

The season is still young in Norway and it is difficult to be too definite about how the season will progress for either team, but what I do know is that Sundsvall will not be cannon fodder every time they take to the field of play.

Will Norrkoping win? most likely, but I find it far more likely that this will be a one goal decider or a draw than a comprehensive home win.

Take Sundsvall +1.5 

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

It is not often I would back a team to beat AC Milan in Milan, but that is what I will be doing today, they are a poor shadow of the team they once were and Roma have the motivation and are the better team. I fully expect Roma to win this one.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Sarpsborg have had a decent start to the season, they are second in the Norwegian League, however, it is hard to see them maintaining that as the season continues, they are a promoted side and they have their limitations, Stromgodset have had an average start but with home advantage they should be too strong for Sarpsborg.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Anderlecht are a much better side than Zulte, in fact, they are probably the best side in Belgium, they need to win this game and in front of their home fans I expect them to do that and by at least a couple of goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

FC Eskilstuna are destined to be the whipping boys of Swedish soccer this season, they are a promoted side and have yet to win a game (6 played). They have lost 2 and drawn one on the road and are up against a side that is fairly strong at home.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Jose Mourinho has threatened to rest some of his key players, but even if he did not I would still go with Arsenal at home to get the win, they may not be as strong as previous seasons, but the Gunners at home are still formidable.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Rubin have lost their last three home games, but they were all against superior sides, and while Ufa are also above, it is not by much and I am confident that the home side will halt their home losing run and get back to winning ways today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Kalmar are already struggling and while Goteborg are just two points above them after 6 games that is just the start, as the season progresses that gap will widen and with home advantage I cannot see anything other than a Goteborg win.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Feyenoord know that a win today gives them the title and that is what they will do in front of their home fans, the question is how many goals will they win by, I expect it to be by at least two.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Liverpool are desperate for the points, they need to collect all three points today to maintain their Champions League qualification hopes. Southampton have nothing to play for and their away form is not great. Liverpool should win this and probably by a couple of goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I really like Dallas in this one, they maybe away but the home side are hardly formidable, it is not like the Rio Tinto stadium is a fortress with just one win in their last eight. Dallas have lost just once away in their last eight road games and while they do draw a lot, they do have a great opportunity against a weak home side to improve their win record.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Hard to see beyond a home win today. Columbus have won four of their last five at home, the only loss was their last home fixture against New York City. New England have won just once on the road in their last 15 away games, that says it all.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The over 2.5 goals looks the pick here, even though the odds are not good at all. Both sides have been involved in games surpassing 2.5 goals three times in their last five fixtures and considering their respective home and away form (bad) then there is a good chance we will see goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

DC United have finally started to get it together at home, whereas Montreal cannot buy a win on the road. The form backs DC United and that is who I will be back today.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

This is a game Swansea really have to win, they cannot and will not sit back, they will go for goals throughout. Problem for them is that Everton are a strong side and will also be going for goals. I am not sure who will actually win this game, but I am sure there will be goals and the over 2.5 market looks the best value.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

The odds are not great but it is worth taking Molde to overcome a one goal handicap, they are far better than Aalesund and they are at home, it would be a sock if they did not win this game and the chances are they will win by at least 2 goals.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Burnley are a very strong home side, they still are not safe from relegation and will go all out for the win, they finally won away last week and their confidence is high. West Brom have lost their last four games, they look like  a side already with their mind on the summer holidays.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

There is very little to separate these teams, both are safe from relegation and the only thing to play for now is league position. Bournemouth are a good team at home, certainly better than Stoke away and I am convinced that Bournemouth will beat a very mediocre Stoke outfit.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

It is not often I go with such a pick, when the odds are not generous and the goal spread quite high, but City need the win, they are at home and they need to improve their goal difference and that is what I expect them to do.

The best team in Italy travel to the current leaders in France in this Champions League semi final first leg.

Juventus showed how good they were when beating Barcelona over two legs in the last round. Their effort in the second leg in Barcelona, where they held the Spanish giants to a goalless draw, was immense and they are deserved favourites to qualify for the final.

However, I am of the opinion that Juventus will have to do the hard work in the second leg back in Italy, I do not see them winning in France, not against this Monaco side.

Monaco have been brilliant this season, they score freely and I do see them scoring this evening. The question for me was, will they be able to hold Juventus at bay for 90 minutes.

I believe they will, I believe that their forward line will breach the Juve defense and that their defence will be able to contain the Italian front line, simply because I am of the opinion that Monaco will have the majority of possession today.

This will be an entertaining game and I am backing Monaco to win by a single goal.

This looks like it could be a classic, two teams that know how to attack and I fully expect to see a free flowing game of soccer today.

I am backing Ajax to win this game, they are at home and they rarely lose on their home ground, they have won their last 11 home games on the bounce and I see them making that 12 today.

Lyon are a little inconsistent, on occasions they can smash teams, but they are just as likely to get beat as well, they have won just three times in their last 12 away games in all competitions.

Lyon will be no walkovers and Ajax will have their hands full, the French side will attack at every opportunity, but Ajax should have too much for Lyon to handle over 90 minutes.

With home advantage and massive confidence I expect the Dutch side to win this game, but doubt they will keep a clean sheet.

Ajax to win outright

I like the look of Real Madrid in this Champions League semi final first leg.

Atletico Madrid are not as strong as they were last season, their much vaunted defense is starting to show some cracks and while Real Madrid are having the occasional hiccup, they have done better than their bitter rivals this season.

Atletico have fallen away in the race for the Spanish title, whereas Real Madrid are definitely still in it, that underlines the respective seasons these two have enjoyed.

Home advantage is important and I fully expect Real to make the most of it.

I see the home team winning by a couple today, I know previous results indicate a close affair, but like I said above, Atletico are not the same as last season.

I am going with the home win today in this Swedish Allsvenskan game.

Both teams have started off the season in average form, they both site on seven points and very little separates the pair, however Elfsborg do enjoy home advantage and while they have not taken use of that so far this season, i do expect them to do so today.

It will be a close game, but I am confident that the home side will prove too strong for the visitors come the 90th minute.

I am taking Elfsborg outright at fairly decent odds

I am going to take a chance on Goteborg today at some juicy odds.

Goteborg finished a good 20 points above Hacken last season and while they are close to each other this season, it is still early days.

Goteborg remain unbeaten so far this season and over the last six games between these two, going back to 2014, it has been five wins and one draw in Goteborg favour.

Hacken do have home advantage and last time out it was a 2-2 draw, however, that is the best we have seen from Hacken in this match up and they were let off the hook slightly when Goteborg lost a two goal lead.

All things considered I am going for the away side.

Second v first in Norway and therefore a close game is expected, but I am confident that Rosenborg will emerge the winners.

Sarpsborg have had a great start to the season and they are the home side, but Rosenborg are by far the best side in Norwegian soccer and they will be very motivated to put a gap between themselves and Sarpsborg at the top of the table.

Sarpsborg will obviously be just as motivated, but the chances are they will not have the majority of possession or chances and will find themselves defending far more than they attack.

Take Rosenborg on the spreads to win this game, ven though they are the away side.

I am taking Silkeborg to win this one outright.

The way the Danish league is set up is a little weird, in these play offs you could either end up in the Europa League play offs or relegation play offs, so there is a ton at stake for both sides.

Silkeborg enjoy home advantage and while their recent form has been shaky, it is still a little better than the away side, a side that Silkeborg beat 3-1 away just a few weeks back.

Bottom line for me is that Silkeborg have home advantage, slightly better form and the phycological edge on their opponents.

Take Silkeborg outright at some very decent odds

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Burnley have the worst away form in the Premier League and against a resurgent Palace side they will really struggle, Home win.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

It is unusual for me to go with a Russian Premier League game, but Terek Grozny stood out for me today and I will be backing them big time.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

It is a big ask overcoming a two goal handicap, but if any team can do it, it is Monaco and that is what I expect them to do

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Sunderland have been in poor form, but this game is a good chance for them to register a victory against a side that is not renowned for their away form.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Leeds must win this game to keep alive their promotion ambitions and that is what I expect them to do.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Of all the games today that looked like it may spring a surprise, it was this one. This is a West London derby and while Fulham need the win to maintain their promotion hopes, Brentford would love nothing more than to get one over their bitter rivals.

I like the look of Atalanta in this one.

Juventus are the top team in Italy and have an excellent away record, but they have lost four times on the road this year and that is when they are most vulnerable.

Atalanta are having a great season by their standards, they have won 11 from 16 home games and have beaten 2nd placed Roma and third placed Napoli when they visited.

Juventus are deserved favourites, but Atalanta have shown that they can beat the best when they are at home and the odds on them doing that to Juventus are just too good to miss.

Massive game for both sides and of course it is a derby as well.

Both sides need points to make the top four and both have good reasons why they may win.

City have home advantage, but will be down after the weekend loss to Arsenal.

United are unbeaten in 23 games in the Premier League, but draw a lot.

So, you can see how a case can be made for either side.

The draw is an obvious choice and I would probably have gone with that if it was available on here, however, I am happy to take United +0.5 goals, which gives me both the draw and a United win.

I am taking Celta Vigo in this one with a 1.5 goal start.

Sevilla may well win this game, but I cannot see them doing it by two goals.

Celta are in the semi finals of the Europa League and are no walkovers, I expect them to put up a good account of themselves.

Take Celta +1.5 goals

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Houston are a string home side while San Jose do struggle on their travels and I cannot see San Jose reverses their poor away form in this game.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Massive game this one in Portugal and the tiniest of advantages can make all the difference.

Sporting are strong at home and while Benfica are strong away, I am of the opinion that the home advantage that Sporting will enjoy will make all the difference.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Inter Milan have been struggling recently and the last minute goal by AC Milan in their last game may have an ongoing impact, whereas Fiorentina are strong at home and will take this game very seriously. Home win is this value.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

It will not surprise me to see Espanyol win this one.

Atletico are top class of course, but the home side are very very strong at home, they have lost just once in their last 13 home games and beaten sides like Sevilla, who are on the same points as Atletico.

Atletico are vulnerable on occasions away from home and the odds on Espanyol are just too good to pass.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Massive gulf in class between these two and I am very confident that Basel will win this game and win it very easily.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

Twente are more than capable of springing a mini surprise here.

AZ have won just once at home in the league in their eight matches and with just one point separating these two the value lies backing the away side.

Due to time constraints there is minimal written analysis today, however, all picks have been fully researched and analysed and you can be assured they come with my full confidence.

I will be backing Tottenham in this game, they are playing a little better than Chelsea at the moment and come into this game with more confidence and momentum.

I am going with Ajax to complete the double over Schalke and win this one.

Ajax absolutely dominated the Germans in first game and should have won by a wider margin.

Schalke current form is horrendous, whereas Ajax form is excellent.

The odds on Ajax are also excellent and they are the clear value.

Take Ajax outright

I fully expect Genk to win this one and qualify for the semi finals of the Europa League.

Celta had their chance to put this game to bed in the first leg and they failed, emerging with a narrow lead, but also conceding two goals, which could prove to be very significant today.

Both sides are in decent form and this could be another close affair, but with home advantage and great odds, Genk have to be the value pick.

I also think that Genk have the slightly better team overall and will have the edge.

Take Genk outright.

I am going with Besiktas to get the win in this game.

Lyon are not in great form, they won the first leg at home but it was hardly convincing and they will be up against it in Turkey.

Besiktas are almost unbeatable in front of their home fans, they have lost just once in their last 15 home games and I have not seen anything from Lyon that will change that.

Lyon away form against Besiktas home form, as well as Besiktas playing at home, swings it for me and I will be backing the Turks outright.

I expect to see a massive improvement from Barcelona following their humbling midweek against Juventus.

Barcelona are a different team at home these days, they are vulnerable on the road, but seem to get their act together back at the Nou Camp.

I do not think they will be resting players and the players themselves know they have to perform, especially in front of their unhappy home supporters.

Sociedad are half decent, but truth is that if Barcelona click today, they will win easily.

I fancy Excelsior to spring a mini surprise against Vitesse today.

Excelsior are fighting for their lives down near the relegation zone and need to collect all three points and they know that their best chance of doing that is when they are at home playing a team that have basically already achieved their target for the season.

Vitesse really do not have that much to play for, they cannot make the Champions League play offs and they are basically safe in the Europa league play off spots, though they are not yet certain and will of course be playing for points themselves.

But for me, when a team is fighting desperately for points down at the bottom of the table and are at home they tend to perform better than they have done previously and that is what I expect from Excelsior today.

Take Excelsior outright.

On paper you would have to go with Man City, but the truth is that I am not confident in City getting anything from this game.

The reason is this, I do not think all the City players are playing for their manager Pep Guardiola, too many times they have been found wanting and while they can put in some impressive performances, too often they do not, that is why they are currently fourth and basically out of the title race, which should not be the case with the players they have.

Southampton are better than average, they are ninth and basically out of European competition, but they do put in some sound performances, they beat City last season in this fixture and drew 1-1 with them in Manchester earlier on this season.

If City play to their maximum they will win, but I do not see that happening and will be backing Southampton to grab the win today.

Two really poor teams face off against each other today and it is Sunderland that I see coming out on top.

The statistics speak for themselves, both teams have horrendous records, Sunderland simply cannot buy a win these days and West Ham do not fare much better.

If this game was played in London then I would have gone for a Hammers win, but it is being played in Sunderland and even though they have not taken advantage of playing at home too often this season, I do fancy Sunderland to take advantage today.

Put it this way, if Sunderland cannot get three points against West Ham today when they are at home and their opposition is in almost as bad a shape as they are, then they never will.

Take Sunderland to win outright.

I am going for Genk to spring a mini surprise in this one and claim a historic away win.

Genk stunned me in the last round in the way they took Gent to pieces, remember Gent knocked Tottenham out.

Genk have lost just once in their last 13 games in all competition and enter this game full of confidence.

Celta are not exactly one of the teams in Spain, they have lost their last two games on the bounce and do not enter this game with either momentum of confidence.

Celta are there for the taking and Genk are the sort of team that will take advantage.

On paper you would have to go with Man Utd, but I have a feeling that Anderlecht will stun the Red Devils today.

Now, this is not guesswork, I have done my homework and here are the reasons why I fancy the home side to win this game.

In seven away games in the Europa League, this year and last year, Man Utd have lost no less than four times. The losses were against, Fenerbahce, Feyenoord, Liverpool and Midtjylland, they also drew with Rostov. Now, apart from Liverpool none of those teams can be considered an elite team and even Liverpool is a stretch.

So, United over the last two years have won just twice from seven away games in the Europa League.

Now, lets look at Anderlecht. Over the last two years they have played 12 home games in the Europa League, they have lost twice, drawn twice and won eight, in better words they have won 66% of their home games and that includes a 2-1 win over Tottenham, a side better than Man Utd.

Like I say, on paper Man Utd should win, but the respective home and away records in this competition over the last two years do not justify that and I agree with that lack of justification.

The value is to back Anderlecht and that is what I will be doing.

I am going with Ajax to beat Schalke in this Europa League clash today.

The home team enter this game in great form, they have lost just once in their last 18 games in all competitions and that was away to Copenhagen in this competition and even then they won their return game to knock the Danish side out.

Schalke on the other hand enter this game with just three wins in their last 13 competitive games and even though they won convincingly at the weekend, there is no getting away from their dreadful overall form.

The German side has done well in the Europa League on their travels I will admit, but we are now getting to the final stages of this tournament when games get much harder.

Ajax have far superior form, they are at home and they just look the better organised side overall.

I have almost no confidence in Schalke winning this one and am going for a clear home win.

I posted this one last night but because of the bombing the game got postponed, however I still stand by my original analysis despite the emotions that will clearly be in evidence tonight.

The only change I am making this time round is instead of going for an outright Monaco win, I am taking them +1 on the handicap.

The reason for that is that the emotions of last night may have an impact on the game tonight and I am not sure which way they will go and a draw now looks a definite possibility.

Below is the exact same analysis from last night, with just a couple of edits.

The way this match has been priced up you would think that is would be a massive shock if Monaco were to win this game, that makes no sense to me.

Monaco knocked out Man City, they beat Tottenham home and away, they top the French league and have not lost in Ligue 1 since December, they are no walkovers.

Yes, they have lost away in the Champions League to both Man City and Bayer Leverkusen and their opponents today are very strong at home, but Monaco have just as much chance of grabbing a win in this game as they do of losing in my opinion.

Dortmund took a 4-1 thrashing at the weekend, of course their opponents were Bayern Munich, but that was still a hell of a beating, they are fourth in the Bundesliga and that reflects their current status, they are not the Dortmund team of a few seasons ago.

Dortmund have a huge stadium and home advantage is significant and so they are of course favourites, but not by the margin the sportsbook have them at and they are well worth backing receiving one goal..

Barcelona pulled off a miracle escape in the last round against PSG, but for me that masked the the vulnerabilities of the Catalan giants.

PSG shot themselves in the foot, that is a fact, they had tons of chances to put that game to bed and did not take them, their defence froze on the night and they threw that game away more than Barcelona winning it.

This Barcelona side is vulnerable, the likes of Messi, Suarez and Neymar are not playing at their best and away they tend to go walkabout, they just seem like a team that lacks urgency when on the road this season.

Juventus are like a machine, they grind you down, they are probably the most organised team in Europe, they are very hard to beat, especially at home, they relish these type of games and they have proven over the last few seasons that they are a match for any of the elite sides in Europe.

With home advantage I cannot see Juventus losing and they have far more chance of the win than Barcelona.

Take Juventus to get the win.

Impressive Atlanta will hope to continue their impressive form as they host struggling Sassuolo. Atalanta are in line to end up in a European spot this season after racking up impressive wins to shock watchers of the Italian League.

Atalanta are fifth in the table, and showed their mental strength when they bounced back from a humiliating 7-1 loss to Inter Milan last month.

They are a formidable team when they play at home, and that has been key to their success this season.

Sassuolo on the other hand are the whipping boys of Italian football this season. They surprised most people when they finished ahead of AC Milan to qualify for Europe last season, but that seem to have been their biggest undoing. The team has struggled to compete on multiple fronts and have had their season put into disarray by inconsistent performances.

They are sitting fifteenth in the Serie A table, and have not won any of their last five matches, this includes a 3 game consecutive loss in that period.

This game is really set up for Atalanta, they have home advantage and are in great form compared to Sassuolo and should win this game and probably by at least two goals.

Boro coach, Steve Agnew is yet to win a game since he took over from Spaniard, Aitor Karanka. During their mid-week clash, it was great that their attack finally discovered how to put the ball into the back of the net, but their defence did let them down somewhat.

Boro need a miracle to survive after that loss to Hull. If they hope to still be in the top flight next season, they would have to win this game, as they are already seven points away from safety with less than 10 games to go.

Burnley’s win against Stoke City mid-week was their first win since their loss to Lincoln City in the FA Cup. That win will have given them a needed boost as they hope to avoid a late relegation scrap this season.

It is tempting to oppose Middlesbrough, there is enough reason to, but they are at home and Burnley are poor away and they have finally found their scoring boots.

If the Middlesbrough defence improves then I have more confidence in them winning at long last than I do Burnley winning away from home.

This clash sees two mid table teams go head to head with each other as they try to fight and see if they can at least get into the top seven this season. 

West Brom have been hot and cold this year. They were on a two games consecutive loss when they dropped all three points against Crystal Palace and Everton, before getting four points from two games against Arsenal and Manchester United. However, when they were expected to win at Vicarage Road, they succumbed to a 2-0 loss to Watford during the mid-week fixtures. They seem to be impressive in games against top oppositions and struggle to win against mid to lower table teams.

Southampton trail West Brom by seven points, but have two games in hand. Their come-back victory over Crystal Palace in mid-week will be a huge boost as they plan to finish in the top half of the league table this season.

A win in this game would help them get up the table, and if they win their two outstanding games, they may end the season as high up as seventh.

All that said, I am going to have to back West Brom, the loss against Watford is slightly concerning, but they are back at home and they are quite good at bouncing back after a defeat.

Southampton are just as inconsistent and are as likely to lose on the road after a home win as they are to draw or win.

West Brom are the value pick.

West Ham cannot afford to lose this game. A loss would see them get closer to the relegation zone, and most likely get the sack for Slaven Bilic. The Croatian’s team are on a run of consecutive losses, and have to start winning if they want to remain in the premier League next season.

Swansea were on a revival after Paul Clement took over, that revival seems to have ended as the club is now fighting for survival. They have several injured players that would miss this clash. It is getting clearer by every game that Swansea may have come to the end of their time as a Premier league team.

West Ham have been goal shy, and would still be without their best source of goals, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll who are suffering illness and groin problems respectively.

Lukas Fabianski and top scorer Fernando Llorente are major doubts for Swansea, and Paul Clement would also be without the services of Dyer who is out with an Achilles problem.

West Ham have lost five straight league games while Swansea have managed one draw and one win in their last five matches, so two teams not in great shape at all.

Having watched both teams recently I am going with Swansea to win this one, they were unlucky against Tottenham, they really did not deserve to lose, the same cannot be said of West Ham, they did deserve to lose to Arsenal and they duly did.

Bottom line for me is that Swansea are in better form, have more confidence and simply look the better team and I do not see home advantage being enough for the Hammers.

QPR welcome Brighton to Loftus Road in the English Championship this Friday.

At home QPR have put a decent little run of home wins together, four on the bounce, though it must be said that none of these wins were against a team higher than 13th in the table. But, wins are wins and QPR are getting them recently.

Brighton away has been a little mixed, three losses and one draw from their last six road games is a little concerning considering they are going for an automatic promotion spot.

However, I am confident that Brighton will get the win, I am not convinced by the quality of opposition that QPR have beaten and the reality is that there is a huge gulf between QPR and Brighton.

A Brighton win puts them back at the top of the Championship, they are 33 points ahead of QPR and if they play to form, they really should win.

Werder Bremen have to be backed here at great odds to continue their recent great winning run.

Bremen have won their last three games on the bounce, they have won their last six from seven Bundesliga games, with the other game being a draw and have won three of their last four away games. All in all a team in brilliant form.

Frankfurt on the other hand are the polar opposite, they have not won once in their last eight Bundesliga games, their last four home games have seen two losses and two draws. A set of very poor results.

Bremen have the form, Frankfurt do not, Bremen are going one way while Frankfurt are going the other, it is as simple as that.

Frankfurt do have home advantage, but based on recent form that does not look to be enough.

All things considered I am going for an away win here.

Very important game for both sides as the Dutch season enters its final stage.

Both sides are in danger of relegation, especially Excelsior, and both sides know that they really need to win this game, a draw is not good enough at this stage of the season.

Excelsior are second bottom, but a win here and they will be on the same points as Sparta, a win for the home side and it gives them significant breathing space over the the team third bottom.

Sparta have mixed home form, they did lose 2-0 to PSV last time at home, but that was hardly a surprise, they had won their previous two home games, which included a 1-0 win over league leaders Feyenoord.

Excelsior have not won away in their last 13 road games, they really are poor travellers, they do grab the odd draw in all fairness, but the stats speak for themselves.

Bottom line for me is that Sparta should win this game, they have performed well at home recently, they of course have home advantage and their form is better.

Take Sparta to win.

Tricky game between Valencia and Celta Vigo in La Liga this evening, however, I am confident that Valencia will emerge the winners.

Valencia are not having a great season and are definitely inconsistent overall, however, at home recently they have been very consistent, they have won four of their last five home games, drawing the other.

Celta have just two wins in their last 11 away games, they did win their most recent road match against Deportivo La Coruna, who are six places below them, but overall their away form has been rank poor.

Both sides come into this game having won their last league games and so both teams should be up for this, but the home advantage that Valencia enjoy is significant.

Take Valencia on the spread.

Huge game between two of the best teams in England that could prove critical to either teams season.

Chelsea of course have home advantage and are top of the league, but that did them no good at the weekend when they lost to Crystal Palace.

City grabbed a very credible draw at the Emirates against Arsenal, a far better result than what Chelsea enjoyed and it means they will come into this game with a boost in their confidence.

Chelsea may well be feeling some pressure now and we do not know how they will react, they may well come out and beat City hands down, but I do not think so.

I do feel that Chelsea are feeling more vulnerable and are nervous and what they needed was to face cannon fodder today to settle those nerves, but unfortunately for them, it is Man City that they have to face.

For me it is simple, City are facing Chelsea at the perfect time, they are playing a team that is nervous and vulnerable and City know that a win is everything, whereas Chelsea may well play conservative and for the draw,

Take City on the spread.

I take Huddersfield Town to grab all three points against a disappointing Norwich City.

Huddersfield are still very much in the promotion play off positions despite an inconsistent run of results recently and with home advantage, they will be looking to cement that status.

Norwich City are more or less out of the running, their recent form is slightly worse than Huddersfield and they are not exactly world beaters on the road, in fact they are very poor.

Huddersfield know that they cannot afford to drop points any more, otherwise they will run the risk of dropping out of the play off spots, they have already dropped away from an automatic promotion spot, they cannot continue with the inconsistency.

At least they are playing a team in Norwich that are more inconsistent and in poor overall condition, morale is not great and confidence is low, that is what comes with knowing that you will not be getting promoted this season.

Huddersfield have home advantage, they have the better form and far more to play for and therefore they are my pick to win this game today.

I am confident that Hull City will rack up another win against a very poor Middlesbrough side.

Hull have all of a sudden become unbeatable at home, over their last six games they have won four and drawn two at the KCOM stadium and that includes a convincing 2-0 win over Liverpool.

Middlesbrough away from home are terrible and I mean terrible, they have not won once in their last 14 road games, they have had six draws in that sequence, so I suppose there is some positive, but that is grabbing at straws really.

The Boro have won just twice in their last 17 premier league games, their stats are just awful, Hull on the other hand have started to pick up points, albeit mainly at home.

Whatever way I look at this game I just cannot make a case for the away side, you could say they draw a lot, but they are playing a team that has turned their home ground into a fortress recently.

Basically, all the evidence points to a home win and that is what I am going for, a Hull City win.

I am going with Burnley to get another home win today.

The Clarets are a strong home side, when they do lose at home they lose against the very best and Stoke do not fit into that criteria. 

Burnley lost at the weekend against Tottenham, but they gave a very good account of themselves for most of the game against one of the best sides in England and I expect them to bounce back from that rare home loss.

Stoke are not doing great at the moment, their form is poor and they have not a stellar time on the road this season.

All the evidence points to a home win and I am confident that Burnley will win this game outright.

I am going with West Brom not to lose this game and most likely win.

Earlier in the season I would have gone with Watford at home, they were strong and confident, that is no longer the case and they are now very vulnerable on their home patch.

West Brom are doing well, they are organised and hard to break down, they play a patient game and are brilliant at nullifying the opposition.

Watford will really have to be at their best to beat the Baggies and there is no evidence to suggest that they will be today, they have not been for a while, the odd game aside, whereas West Brom have shown consistently that they are a competitive side that can match the best of them, as they did at the weekend at Man Utd.

For me the most likely result is an away win. Put it this way, the most unlikely outcome in my opinion is a home win, there is more chance of a draw or away win and that is why West Brom are the value on the spread.

I like the look of Brentford in this Championship game.

Brentford are inconsistent this season, however, they are more than capable of getting a good result against the best in the division, especially at home. The problem is, they are simply unreliable and their recent results have shown that.

Leeds are having a great season against all expectations, but recently on the road they have shown signs of slipping. Over the last six away games they have won two, lost two and drawn two, basically a record as inconsistent as Brentford.

Brentford do get wins at home and over the last six home games they have won three times, drawn once and lost twice, point is that they tend to win more often at home than any other result.

I expect a close game, but Brentford do just edge if for me, they are more consistent at home than Leeds are away and for two teams in inconsistent form at the moment that is important.

This is arguably the most exciting fixture in Serie A this weekend. Napoli who are third on the league table host leaders, Juventus with a lot of pride at stake. Napoli are behind second placed AS Roma by just two points, and would fancy their chances of finishing second in the league table. Despite the ten point difference between thsee two teams, the title could still be up for grabs if Napoli collect all three points.

Juventus have won nine of their last ten league matches and would be weary of losing this game.

The last time they lost a league game was January at Fiorentina, since then they have won four of their last five away matches.

The last three meetings between these two sides, has ended in victory for Juventus, albeit they have all been in Turin.

Home advantage could be the deciding factor here, there is no doubt how good Juventus are, they are world class, but Napoli are also very strong and in front of their home fans I can see them getting all three points.

Gent enter this fixture on the back of three wins from their last three league matches, and are unbeaten in their last 4 league games. They thrashed Mechelen 3-0 in their last league outing, with their last two home games being comfortable home wins, where they scored at least 3 goals in each encounter.

Club Brugge on the other hand are currently on an inconsistent run of form, they have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five matches. They are currently without a win in their last two league games, and would hope to arrest that slide with a win in this encounter.

Club Brugge have an upper hand in the head to head record between these two teams, they have won 9 times, with seven ending in draws while Gent has won 6.

Club Brugge are currently sitting 2nd in the standings, nine points above Gent who are sitting 4th with 50 points.

Gent are in slightly better form and have home advantage and are the clear value pick in this match up.

This is one of the most important fixture in the whole of Europe this weekend. Arsenal are surrounded with a lot of negatives, including the manager’s future, and a very poor run of form which has seen many calling for the sack of Arsene Wenger.

Their only win in the month of march was against Lincoln City in the FA Cup, their 3-1 loss to West Brom the last time out was preceded by defeats to Liverpool (3-1), Bayern Munich (10-2 on aggregate), among others.

The Gunners are 6th in the standings, eight points behind their opponents who sit 3rd on 58 points. This is a must win for the Gunners if they have any ambition of playing in the Champions league next season.

Man City are currently sitting in the fourth position, after Liverpool’s win against Everton yesterday, however they have games in hand. This is a tough but important encounter for them, a win will take them above Liverpool, but a loss would see them drop points and put their own top 4 hopes in jeopardy.

Arsenal may well be at home, but their form is just too poor and the vale has to be backing Man City to win.

PSV are on a run of three consecutive wins, and would be hoping to grab a fourth when they face Sparta Rotterdam. 

Sparta have won two games on the bounce at home, including a victory over league leaders, Feyenoord. The last time out, they scored three goals in a win against Heracles, and will be hoping to follow that up with a win against PSV.

PSV are set to lose their league crown. They are trailing leaders, Feyenoord by eight points with only 7 games left to play and the reason for that is that they have dropped points at critical points this season.

But they know that toppling second placed Ajax, so they can qualify for the UEFA Champions League is a possibility. They currently trail the Amsterdam club by only two points.

PSV have the upper hand in this fixture, they have won 22 of the last 32 encounter between these two teams, but it has not always been easy pickings.

Sparta are a strong team when they play at home and while they may lose this fixture, I cannot see them losing by two goals and a draw is not out of the question.

The last time this two teams met, the man of the match was West Ham’s woodwork. Hull city were so unlucky, with at least three of their clear scoring chances hitting the post and coming out. They will be hoping for better luck today.

Slaven Bilic is under severe pressure, with his West Ham team on a run of three consecutive defeats. He knows he must get a result in this game if he wants to avoid his name been associated with unnecessary sack rumours.

Hull city have seen their hopes of survival reduced following a run of poor results recently. They started very well under Portuguese Manager, Marcos Silva, even beating Liverpool. But they have suffered some major injuries, which has narrowed their chance of survival.

All that said, Hull City are at home and that is an advantage against a team with poor morale, inconsistent form and an under pressure manager.

I believe Hull City will emerge the victors in this fixture

Leicester are on their best run of form this season, having won three games on the bounce. They are on course to become the first team managed by an Englishman to win their first four games, providing they do in fact beat Stoke.

Craig Shakespeare has done a great job in guiding the defending champions from relegation danger to the cusp of a Champions League semifinal. They defeated Stoke City 3-0 the last time they visited the King Power Stadium.

Stoke city are in a familiar position, ninth. This is where they have ended up in the past three seasons, and would love to improve their position even by a single step or at least consolidate their position.

Stoke city have been impressive against the top teams, but their results against the teams in the lower part of the table has been unpredictable.

Bottom line is this, the Foxes are in great form and with home advantage they really should be able to defeat Stoke