This game has all the hallmarks of a classic, both teams have something to play for and the circumstances lead me to believe that we will see a lot of goals in this game.

Wolfsburg still have a realistic chance of qualifying for Europe next season, a win would put them two points behind a Europa League spot and four points behind today's opponents in the final Champions League spot with four games left to play.

A win for Eintracht and that would move them four points clear of in the race for the final Champions League spot.

So, you can see what a win would do for both teams.

At home Wolfsburg have won five of their last eight games including a win over thrd placed Leipzig and drawn twice, losing just the once and so overall are fairly decent at home.

Frankfurt has won their last three away games on the boune in the league and unbeaten in their last six road games.

In better words, both teams are in decent form, both teams know a draw is no good, both teams will go for the win and that sets this game up beautifully for goals.

Take over 3 

The title has been won by Juventus and so another season in second spot is all Napoli have to fight for, they got dumped out of Europe midweek and will be looking to bounce back in front of their own fans today but they will be demotivated and if they are not careful they could yet lose the second position.

Atalanta still have a solid chance of grabbing a Champions League spot and they will be highly motivated today, a win will put them on level points with Milan in fourth, however, goal difference is not the primary decider in Italian football and because Milan have a better head to head record with Atalanta they will retain the fourth spot but with five games to go they will be happy to be level with Milan in that final Champions League place.

So, you can see that Atalanta will go all out for the win and will feel confident after the week that Napoli have had but it would be foolish to write Napoli off and I do expect them to lift their game today.

Becasue of the circumstances of this game, I am confident we will see a high scoring match.

Take over 2.75

Massive game for Leeds Utd, they know nothing short of a win will do if they want to grab the final automatic promotion spot to the Premier League.

Because of the timing of this game United will know how their nearest rivals will have done in their games but to be honest it makes no difference as anything less than a win and their chances of automatic promotion will be damaged.

They have been slightly inconsistent recently but have won three of their last four away games but at the same time Brentdord are a very strong home side with seven home wins from their last ten home matches.

Brentford have home advantage but nothing to play for while Leeds do and so it could be a tight game but Leeds have zero option but to be attack-minded and that leads me to be convinced we will see goals in this game.

Take over 2.75

Rosenborg have got off to a very slow start to the Norwegian season and find themselves second bottom after three games but rest assured they remain one of the best teams in Norwegian football and are second favourites behind Molde to win the title.

Stromgodset has had a mixed start with one win, one draw and one loss but they are not going to be contenders for the title they are well below Rosenborg in the betting and all things being equalled are a far inferior team.

I fully expect Rosenborg to get into gear today, they are at home and I cannot see anything other than a win for them and for them to kick start their season.

Take Rosenborg -0.75

West Brom still have an outside hope of grabbing an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League, it is unlikely but while ever there is hope they will fight with every breath.

Reading could still be relegated but again, it is unlikely but it does mean that they will be fighting as much as West Brom today for points.

But West Brom have the better recent form with five wins and two losses from their last seven games and even though they are the away side I am backing them to get the win today.

Take West Bron -0.25

Norwich have stumbled a little in their last three games drawing them all, maybe it is nerves or even tiredness but they have a huge incentive today and that is that with a win and any dropped points from Leeds United or Sheff Utd and they will be promoted to the Premier League.

Stoke City have nothing to play for, they cannot make the playoffs and they cannot be relegated and that will effect their performance today.

Norwich are the away side but because of what a win could mean today I am convinced that they will get back to winning ways and take a huge step towards automatic promotion.

Take Norwich to win

A win for Derby County and they could end the day in a play off spot and with so few games to go they simply have no choice but to go all out for the win and I am confident that is what will happen.

QPR are basically safe, they will not be relegated and that will affect how they play, but even if they were in more danger I still would not be able to make a case for them, they are dreadful on the road having lost six and drawn two of their last eight away games.

Derby are far stronger at home and have won their last two home games 6-1 and 4-0 and I cannot see any reason why they will not continue with that sort of form in front of their own fans today.

Take Derby -0.75

This could be the game that deals a massive blow to Sheff Utd automatic promotion hopes.

As things stand right now it is in their hands with three games to go but if Leeds United better Sheff Utd result today they would move into the automatic promotion spot with just two games to go, so, Sheff Utd will go all out for the win.

But, Hull are not a bad home side, they are probably too far behind to get a playoff spot but to them, this game is a sort of a derby, they are both Yorkshire clubs and for Hull they would love to win this game.

It will be a tight game and Sheff Utd are favourites but it would not be a huge surprise if this game ends in a draw and for me, there is more chance of a draw or Hull win than a Sheff Utd win.

Take Hull City +0.5

When  I was looking at overall stats for all today's games this one jumped out at me, I do not normally do games from Denmark but I could not avoid this one.

Vejle have conceded at least 1 goal in 80% of their home matches. and at the same time have scored in 93% of their home matches, add to that the fact that AGF Aarhus have scored in each of their last 11 matches including each of their last 5 away matches.

Four of Vejle last five games have had at least three goals in them and seven of the last eight AGF games have had at least three goals.

So, we have two teams that have been scoring recently and then there is the context of this game with this match being an end of season relegation round fixture.

All things considered, I see goals flying in.

Take over 2.75 goals

Liverpool simply must win this game if they want to keep their title hopes alive, a draw is no good because of the superior goal difference that Man City enjoy and I expect the Reds to go full out for the win and in doing so try and reduce the goal difference that City enjoys.

That said, Cardiff City are fighting for their lives in the Premier League and when you get to this stage of the season sometimes freak results crop up and while I do feel that Liverpool will prove too strong for Cardiff, I am not sure that it will be the walkover expected.

This game could end up in a convincing 4-0 win or something like that for Liverpool but at the same time it could easily be a narrow 3-2 win as well such is the nature of games when two teams are highly motivated at different ends of the table.

All things considered, I am convinced there will be goals just not sure how it plays out and that is why I am going for over 3 goals as opposed to backing Liverpool on the spreads.

Take over 3 goals

Arsenal are fresh from knocking Napoli out of the Europa League and will be looking to move into third position in the Premier League with a win over Crystal Palace today.

A draw keeps Arsenal in fourth, whereas a win puts them above Tottenham into third and  means that it is purely in their hands now if they finish top-four and qualify for next seasons Champions League.

Arsenal have been formidable at home but it should be remembered that Palace are the only team to have beaten Man City at their ground in the league this season and so they will not be easy to beat.

A win for Palace makes it almost certain they will not be relegated and so they have their own incentive to put up a good fight today and I expect a good perfromance from them.

Arsenal are clearly favourites but they will have to win by two goals today for this pick to lose and I do not see that happening, I see nerves playing a part and Palace being very tough to break down.

Take Crystal Palace +1.25

Everton have had some very good results at home against the top six and I am backing them to get another one today.

They have recently beaten Chelsea and Arsenal and will be confident they can repeat those feats against an average Man Utd side.

Reality has come home to United since the initial euphoria of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer taking charge and going on a long unbeaten run culminating in the historic defeat of PSG in Paris but since then they have been dumped out of Europe, the FA Cup and lost points in the top-four race.

I am sure this will be an entertaining game but with home advantage and the incentive of finishing in the top seven still within their grasp, I am going for Everton to at the very least not lose this game.

Take Everton PK

Schalke are still in a relegation battle though they are not in serious trouble and Hoffenheim are battling for a place in Europe without an outside chance of making the Champions League.

In better words both teams have something to play for.

Schalke are better than their position and I actually watched them live a couple of weeks ago and they were very unlucky to lose at home to Eintracht Frankfurt and if they reproduce that performance they will get something from this game.

Hoffenheim have hit form at the right time and have registered four wins and one draw from their last five Bundesliga games, but only one of those wins was away and overall their away from has been poor with just two wins from their last seven road games in the league.

I expect Schalke to fight for their lives today and give Hoffenheim a real battle and despite their recent poor form I feel there is more chance of either a home win or draw than there is an away win for Hoffenheim.

Take Schalke -0.5

Borussia Monchengladbach have home advantage and are within touching distance of a top-four finish and a win today would see them jump into that all-important fourth spot though they would have played one game more than Eintracht Frankfurt who currently occupy that spot.

Leipzig occupies third spot and will be looking to get something from this game to cement that position, they have won their last four games on the bounce and enter this game on a high.

Both teams have massive incentive to win this game and I fully expect them to both go for the win, I just do not see either team sitting back and defending, especially Borussia Monchengladbach.

The stats are mixed on goals in games involving these sides but it is the context and circumstances of this particular match that makes me feel we will see at least three goals in this match.

Take over 2.75 goals

Neither team is quite safe from relegation but a win would almost make them safe and while a draw would suit them probably it is very unlikely that they will play for a draw, especially Newcastle who are two points ahead of Southampton and have home advantage.

Southampton have hit form at the perfect time, they have won four from their last six and come into this game full of confidence, they are playing some great football right now and will no doubt put in another good performance today, I do not underestimate them at all.

That said, Newcastle have been excellent at home recently, they did lose their last home game to Crystal Palace but won five on the bounce prior to that including beating Man City.

This will be a tight affair but for me, the difference is the home advantage for Newcastle, I believe it will be significant today and for that reason am backing them at great odds to win.

Take Newcastle to win outright

Huddersfield have already been relegated and there is very little reason to think they will all of a sudden improve because the pressure is off.

Watford were very unlucky to lose to Arsenal last Monday, they were down to ten men and still outplayed them and unlike their opponents today they do have something to play for and that is seventh position and possible entry into the Europa League next season.

Watford will be without Troy Deeney their talisman but they coped just fine when he got sent off on Monday and will do so again.

Huddersfield have home advantage but that has not done them much good all season and I doubt it will today.

Take Watford -0.5

Bournemouth bounced back to form with a massive 5-0 away win over Brighton last week and now that they are back at home I expect them to continue to win.

Fulham have been relegated but they still picked themselves up and beat Everton last week, a very good win for them, however, they remain a very limited side and have a very poor away record this season.

Fulham has lost 15 and drawn two of their 17 away games this season, that alone tells you how awful they have been on the road this season.

Bournemouth have drawn two and lost two of their last four home games but previous to that they only ever lost to the elite clubs at home and beat the teams on their level or below them.

All things considered, I am very confident Bournemouth will beat Fulham today.

Take Bournemouth -0.75

These two played out one of the greatest games of soccer ever witnessed on Wednesday evening and that is not hyperbole, it was truly a magnificent game between two top teams trading blows non stop and it would be asking too much for this game between them to be a repeat.

However, while the game midweek was a Champions League game this is a Premier League game and both teams have very good reason to collect as many points as possible.

Man City are still on course for a historic domestic treble while Tottenham are in a serious battle for a top-four finish.

You have to think that the City players will need some lifting after the way the were eliminated by Tottenham and you have to think that the Spurs players will be on a huge high which kind of evens things out a little.

City do have home advantage and are the slightly better team, Spurs are depleted and so on paper, you have to give the edge to the home side but for the reasons given above you simply cannot underestimate Spurs.

I suspect City will get a semblance of revenge and win but it will be another competitive affair and while I do expect to see another seven goals I am confident we will see at least four.

Take over 3.5 goals.

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.

I am going with Southampton to get the win against a very deflated Wolves today.

Wolves were leading 2-0 with just 11 minutes remaining against Watford in the FA Cup semi-final before going down 3-2, that has left them devastated and it takes a while to come back from such a body blow and I am not sure we will see the same free lowing exciting Wolves team again this season.

Southampton are fighting for Premier League survival and they have clearly improved in recent weeks, they did lose 3-1 last time out to Liverpool but prior to that loss, they had won three from four including a win over Tottenham.

Southampton have far more motivation and incentive today than Wolves they have home advantage and they are playing a team that is probably not in the best of shape mentally.

Take Southampton to win outright

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

Two teams in the Championship playoff spots that know a win will really boost their chances of holding on to their places for the end of season play offs, but who also know that a loss could do them some damage, albeit not terminally at this point.

I expect that we will see an open attacking game with both teams going for the win and that spells goals.

Villa have won seven games on the bounce now and in six of those games, there have been at least three goals.

Bristol City has won three and drawn two of their last five games and three of those had at least three goals in them.

So, we have two teams in form, two teams that are not having any issues scoring goals, two teams with huge incentive and motivation and that means we will be seeing a very good game today with lots of goals.

Take over 2.75 goals

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

Due to travelling today there is minimally written analysis, however, each pick has been fully researched and comes with maximum confidence.

Atalanta have been a very good team for me in recent weeks simply because they cannot stop scoring and with Inter Milan also more than capable of finding the net this game has all the hallmarks of goals.

I am confident we will see at least three goals and probably more and over 2.75 goals is the best pick.

Take over 2.75 goals

Due to travelling today there is minimally written analysis, however, each pick has been fully researched and comes with maximum confidence.

This FA Cup semi-final is being played at a neutral venue today and there is not too much to choose between the teams, however, having watched both teams on a regular basis in the last few weeks it is Wolves that have looked the more impressive.

This will be an open attacking game but the edge for me lies with Wolves and I fully expect them to scrape through with the win at good odds.

Take Wolves outright

Due to travelling today there is minimally written analysis, however, each pick has been fully researched and comes with maximum confidence.

Very interesting game, Arsenal are fighting for a top-four spot and have been in great form at home but their away form has been suspect all season long and they have conceded at least once in every single away game in the Premier League.

Everton have come into form winning their last two matches 2-0 including a home win over Chelsea.

With both teams in form, Everton having home advantage and Arsenal suspect on the road then overs looks the best bet.

Take over 3 goals.

Due to travelling today there is minimally written analysis, however, each pick has been fully researched and comes with maximum confidence.

Cagliari have been in good form recently and won three games on the bounce at home before losing to league leaders Juventus last time out.

SPAL has also seen an upturn in form but not so much away having won just two games in their last ten road games

Take Cagliari outright

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

I am a little surprised by the over 2.5 goals odds in this game, I feel they are too high and I am happy to take advantage.

Newcastle has won their last five home games and has scored a minimum of two goals in each of those games.

Crystal Palace have scored in eight of their last nine away games with the only one in that sequence where they failed to score was against Tottenham midweek, a game they were always going to struggle in because of the circumstances of the game.

So, we have a home team that is on a fantastic winning run scoring goals for fun playing a team that tends to score on the road, that sets it up beautifully for a free-flowing high scoring game today.

Take over 2.5 goals

Burnley are not in good form right now, there is no getting away from that, they did win last time out at home against Wolves, however, that was after four losses on the bounce and they are not yet safe from relegation.

That said, you need to look at the performances of Burnley, they were unlucky not to get anything in a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool, they lost to a last minute goal against Leicester City and they did show immense character to beat Wolves.

Bournemouth are generally a very good team at home, in fact, the only time they have lost at home this season has been against the top six but they are struggling to get wins themselves right now with just one win in their last eight games.

So, we have Burnley fighting to secure their Premier League survival and Bournemouth battling to get out of a mini-slump.

Finally, five of Burnley's last seven away games have had at least three goals and seven of Bournemouth's last 11 home games have had at least three goals.

Considering the circumstances of this game I am going with over 2.75 goals

Take 2.75 goals

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

I am very confident that we will see at least three goals in this Premier League clash between Southampton and Liverpool.

Both teams are desperate for the win, Southampton are not yet safe from relegation and Liverpool know they must win if they want to go back to the top of the standings.

A draw would not be the end of the world for the Saints but for Liverpool, it would not be good at all, especially as Liverpool's main title rivals Man City have a significant larger goal difference and that equates to a point in reality

I actually do think that Liverpool will win but the odds are simply too low and I also see them conceding as they get the win and here is why.

Southampton has scored against four of the top six they have played against at home this season, only against Chelsea did they fail to score against, they beat both Tottenham and Arsenal and scored in the draw with Man Utd and loss to Man City.

It is also noticeable that they have only lost twice in five games against the top six when at home, this is not a team that is overawed when playing the top boys.

Liverpool is of course, playing brilliantly, but their defence is starting to show some nervousness having conceded in their last three games and that includes against relegated Fulham and lowly Burnley.

All things considered, I see Liverpool winning but Southampton scoring at least once and therefore the logical bet is over 2.75 goals.

Take over 2.75

I am very confident that we will see at least three goals in this game and probably more.

Atalanta love scoring, they have the second highest amount of goals in Serie A this season, six of their last eight league games have all gone over 2.75 goals and five of their last six home games have gone the same way.

Another factor to consider is that Atalanta will go within one point of Milan in the race to finish in the top four and a place in next seasons Champions League, so you can be certain they will be going all out for the win and that means goals with this team.

Their opponents today, Bologna, are in serious trouble, they are third bottom and fighting for survival but they have done themselves the world of good winning their last three league games on the bounce and a result for them today sees them lifted out of the bottom three.

Additionally, four of their last six games have all gone over 2.75 goals and four of their last six away games have gone over 2.75 goals

So, we have two teams with huge incentive and motivation, both in form and both scoring goals and conceding them, all that equals over 2.75 goals for me.

Take over 2.75

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

I really do like the look of the draw in this game.

Valencia are very difficult to beat at home, they have lost just once in front of their home fans all season long in La Liga, they held Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Getafe to a draw, three of the top four in the league and have more draws than any other team in La Liga, an incredible 16 from 29 games and 10 from 15 at home that is what you call draw specialists.

Real Madrid are back in form and have won nine of their last 11 league games, however, they still look vulnerable as the 3-2 win over Huesca last time showed when they needed an 89th-minute winner.

To be honest, this game is more about Valencia for me, they are strong at home, they have already held the best in the league to draws, they are very well organised and Real Madrid no longer have that cutting edge up front to open up teams.

All things considered, the value bet for me is the draw.

Roma is better than they have been performing recently and I expect them to get back to winning ways in front of their home fans today.

Roma has lost three of their last four Serie A games, though in all fairness, one was against Napoli and another away to bitter local rivals Lazio and it should be noted that these three losses were the only losses in their last ten league games.

At home Roma have won six, drawn two and lost one out of their last nine games, so generally speaking, they are a good home side.

Fiorentina is doing worse than Roma right now, they are on a winless five-game run and on the road they have lost two on the bounce now.

The bottom line is that neither team is in great form but Roma have home advantage and the better excuses for recent losses.

Take Roma to win outright

This will be a tight game but I am backing Torino to edge it.

Torino finally lost at home last time out, they had won five on the bounce before going down to Bologna and overall their form had been good with an eight-game unbeaten run before that Bologna loss.

Sampdoria has won four of their last five games, however, prior to that they had won just once in six with four losses and even though they have won their last two away games, to teams well below them in the league, they have a pretty mediocre away record.

This is a must-win game for both teams, a draw does them no good really, not if they want to stay in contention for a European qualification spot and so I expect this to be an attacking game.

With home advantage and Sampdoria generally poor on the road against decent teams I am backing Torino to win.

Take Torino outright

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

Arsenal will go third in the Premier League with a win this today and despite having the third-best home record in the league this will not be an easy game for them,

Newcastle has the highest amount of away draws in the league this season, they have lost no more road games as the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea and have lost just once in their last six away games.

I expect that Newcastle will be defensive today, they have had 12 0-0 half time draws this season, they are very well organised under Rafa Benitez and will frustrate Arsenal throughout the game.

Four of the last six Arsenal home games have had less than four goals in them and five of Newcastle's last six games on the road have had less than four goals.

All things considered, I am going for this game to go under 3 goals and for this pick to lose then there have to be at least 4 goals.

Take under 3 goals

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.

A game both sides will be determined to win, Inter Milan will be looking to cement their top four position and qualification for next seasons champions league and Lazio will want the win to stay in contention for a European qualification spot.

I am going with Inter to win, they are fresh from a nice 3-2 win over bitter rivals AC Milan, they have won their last two home games and nine of their last 11 at home in Serie A, Lazio are inconsistent away, they tend to lose to the better sides on the road and beat the weaker teams.

Take Inter to win outright

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.

Huge game with massive implications for both sides, Tottenham need to get at least a draw to maintain their push for a champions league qualifying spot and Liverpool really do need to win to stay with Man City in the race for the title.

I cannot see either side sitting back here, both are naturally attacking sides and that is how I see the game playing out, with both sides attacking at every opportunity, which means goals.

Take over 3 goals

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.

Atalanta is great at scoring but vulnerable in defence and not many of their games are low scoring affairs. Parma has home advantage but are in a poor run of form, they are a mid table side and while not as good as Atalanta can be dangerous.

With Atalanta almost certain to score and Parma at home, I see both teams scoring and over 2.75 goals looks a great bet here.

Take over 2.75 goals

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.

Seven of the last nine games featuring Sampdoria have had at least three goals in them and their last eight away games have also had at least three goals in them. AC Milan last six Serie A games have had five with at least three goals in them and four of their last six home games the same.

Take over 2.5 goals

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.

Norwich are in excellent form, they are top of the Championship and well on course for automatic promotion to the Premier League, they have won their last six games on the bounce including their last three away games. Middlesbrough will be tough opponents and are in the playoff race, however, they have lost their last two home games and picked up just a draw from their last four games.

Take Norwich outright

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.

Everton are a bit hit and miss at the moment but they have shown that they are capable when in the mood and four of their last six away games have had at least three goals in them. West Ham is strong at home, they have won seven and drawn two of their last ten home games in the league including a 4-3 win last time at home and two of their last three home games have been full of goals.

Take over 2.75 goals

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 

Two minnows of European football clash in a 2020 European Championship qualification and despite these being two minor teams there is enough data to identify an excellent value for money bet.

These two teams have actually met in Malta in a competitive match recently and that was the European Nations League and it ended in a draw.

Only two points separated them in that competition and five of the combined 12 games these two played ended in draws.

The only game that separated these two was when these two met in the Faroe Islands which the home team won 3-1.

The bottom line for me is that there is little to separate them, if this was played in the Faroe Islands then I would be tempted to back the Faroes to win, but in Malta, a draw looks the safest bet.

Take the Draw

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

The MLS may be at a very early stage but I am confident that this game will end up with at least three goals in it.

One of the reasons for that belief is that these two have met four times and in three of those games there were at least three goals scored, the other game had two goals, point is that goals are definitely expected.

Then you take their opening games of the season, both teams have struggled, Philadelphia lost both their opening games and Atlanta lost one and drew one and the last thing that both teams will want is to start the season off winless after three games.

Because of the history between these two teams and the respective starts, I am confident that we will see two teams going for the win, I do not see defending at a premium, both will attack and both will believe they can win this game.

All things considered, I am confident that we will see at least three goals in this game.

Take over 2.75 goals.

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

Espanyol looks a good thing for an outright win over Sevilla today at great odds.

Espanyol may not be in scintillating form but they have won three of their last five home games, drawing one and losing once, to Real Madrid no less, they did lose three on the bounce before that but prior to that they won six straight, point is that at home they are fairly decent, they have won eight, drawn just once and lost four in front of their home fans all season, not a bad record considering the strength of La Liga.

Sevilla are in wretched form right now, they got dumped out of the Europa League by Salvia Praha after extra time in the Czech Republic mid-week, which means tiredness will play a part and they will obviously be despondent, they have just one win over their last six La Liga games,  they have lost their last five away games in the league on the bounce and have not won a single away game over their last ten road games.

On top of all that, recent form has Espanyol with the sixth-best record and Sevilla has the 17th best record.

All things considered, I am backing Espanyol to win.

Take Espanyol outright.

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 going for goals in this game for a variety of reasons.

First, both teams need the points, PSV have seen their lead cut to just two points and if results go against them today they could end up in the second spot behind Ajax. Venlo need the points because they could still go either way, they could still make Europe and could still be relegated, unlikely in both cases but a run of wins or losses and anything could happen.

Second, four of the last five PSV away games have seen at least four goals scored, their last away game featured just the two goals but on the road, they have had a habit recently of conceding more often than usual and that shows nervousness and vulnerability. Venlo does not have such a record to look at but having home advantage and playing a PSV side more vulnerable now than at any other time in the season will give them the belief that they will score today.

All things considered, I am confident both teams will score and that we will see at least four goals in this game.

Take over 3.25 goals

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

I am going for goals in this Eredivisie clash between NAC Breda and Utrecht.

Utrecht should win, Breda is a very poor side but the odds were not good and on analysis, over 2.75 goals is the best bet.

Both teams must win, Utrecht has to win to continue to stay in a Europa League playoff spot and Breda must win to have any chance of avoiding relegation, though even a win is unlikely to save them.

Breda concedes goals, there is no getting away from that and while they did draw 0-0 recently their last ten games has seen them concede an average of two goals per game and there is no reason I can see why that will not happen again today.

As stated above I expect Utrecht to win, they are in decent form right now, they are unbeaten in their last five, though only two were wins but when you consider they lost four in a row before this most recent unbeaten run then you can see they have improved.

Breda must go for goal and that will leave them exposed, Utrecht must also go for goals and because of that I am backing over 2.75 goals.

Take over 2.75 goals

Both these teams are aiming to make the Championship playoffs but in all reality, it is Preston that has the better chance and a home win today will definitely keep them in the running.

Preston are in much better form right now, they have gone 11 games unbeaten now in the Championship recording seven wins in that sequence, they have lost just once at home in their last 13 home games in the league, though they have drawn seven of those games which is a little worrying but they showed what they are capable of when they beat Norwich City, the Championship leaders, 3-1.

Birmingham have lost three on the bounce, they do have a mixed away record including some very good wins, however, their current form is poor and it will take a significant turnaround in their form for them to get anything from this game.

All things considered, I am going for the home win.

Take Preston outright

Newcastle United have seen a significant upturn in form registering five wins in their last eight league games, however, every single one of those wins have been at home, they are a very different side on the road, they have lost four of their last six away games and have just two wins to their name on the road all season.

That said, they are clearly in form right now and that cannot be ignored.

Bournemouth have been on a poor run but some context is required, they have lost four of their last eight games but three of those losses were against Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool, additionally, when they are at home they are formidable against any team outside the top six, as an example, they have lost just four times at home, against Arsenal, Man City, Man Utd and Liverpool.

I was tempted to back Bournemouth, they are far stronger at home than what Newcastle are away but I just cannot ignore the form of Newcastle, even if it is all home form, winning becomes a habit, it raises confidence and that is what is happening with Newcastle right now, but as stated above, Bournemouth do not lose at home unless it is against the very best.

Because of Bournemouth home form and Newcastle overall form right now I see both teams scoring and while I suspect Bournemouth will get the winner it would not be a huge surprise if it was Newcastle that emerged the winners and because of that, the over 2.5 goals looks the best bet.

Take over 2.5 goals

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

Massive game for both sides and because of the circumstances of this game I am going with over 2.5 goals.

There comes a stage in the season when caution has to be put to one side and we are now at that stage, a win for Leeds and they will go a huge five points clear of Sheffield United in third and when you realise that there are only two automatic qualification spots to the Premier League up for grabs then you can understand why both teams will be going all out for the win.

Sheffield United would probably settle for a draw but because Leeds know how big a win will be they will go for it, that will force Sheffield United to respond if a goal is scored by the home side and of course if Sheffield scores first then Leeds will have to respond.

Leeds will not settle for the draw unless they have to, they realise that this is a unique opportunity to deliver a severe blow to their nearest rivals in the standings.

This is also a Yorkshire derby and so passions will be intense and that will add to the excitement.

All things considered, I am backing goals

Take over 2.5 goals

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 Nice to beat Toulouse today in this French Ligue 1 clash.

Neither team can point to great recent form, however, there is a glaring difference in their recent respective home and away form with Nice being in a much better position.

Nice have won their last four home games in the league on the bounce and over their last eight home games in the league they have won six and drawn two, in better words, they are very strong at home right now.

Toulouse has lost their last three away games on the bounce in the league and lost five of their last eight away games in the league.

It is clear that Nice at home is far better than Toulouse on the road.

In terms of current form over the last six games, Nice are also in a better position compared to Toulouse.

Based on the respective home and away form I am backing Nice to get the win today.

Take Nice outright

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

Slavia Praha is actually a decent team even though they are playing in a league (Czech Republic) vastly inferior to the league Sevilla (Spain) play in and that was proven by the 2-2 first-leg draw last week.

Slavia has the advantage because of the away goal rule in this Europa League clash and that means that Sevilla must go on the attack, a draw is no good to them unless it is 2-2 or higher and you can be certain that Slavia will be just as dangerous on the attack as what Sevilla will be.

The first game had four goals and it would not surprise me if this game had that many, possibly even more, both teams have shown vulnerability in defence and both have already shown they can score and this game has all the hallmarks of an open attacking game.

I would have prefered a lower overs of 2.5 goals as opposed to over 2.75 but it is still a very safe bet in my opinion.

Take over 2.75 goals.

Huge Champions League game this evening between two of the most illustrious clubs in world football, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

The first leg finished 0-0 in Liverpool and while that is, of course, a positive result for Bayern, it is also a good result for Liverpool, they never conceded an away goal and they know that if they manage a goal today then Bayern will have to score twice because of the away goal rule.

To some extent Liverpool has caught Bayern at the wrong time, they have shot back to the top of the Bundesliga, they are sweeping all before them after enduring a poor start to the season and they are now hitting their stride at just the right time.

That said, Liverpool may have stuttered slightly but you have to take on board that their stutter is drawing against Bayern, a rejuvenated Man Utd and an away draw against their local rivals Everton and outside those three games they won three scoring 3, 5 and 4.

Point is this, both teams are in good form, both teams are scoring goals, both teams know exactly what must be done tonight to qualify and that means both teams will be very dangerous in front of the goal tonight.

I know the first game ended 0-0 but I simply cannot see that happening again, Bayern will go all out to score, Liverpool will attempt the same and I see an open game after some initial nervousness.

All things considered, I see goals and will confidently be backing over 2.5 goals.

Take over 2.5 goals

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

This game is a huge contender for over 2.5 goals based on a combination of statistics and the circumstances of the game.

Fiorentina last four games have had a minimum of four goals in them and over their last nine games no less than seven have had at least three goals in them, this is a team that loves being involved in high scoring games. Additionally, they still retain hopes of making European qualification even if it is a slim hope.

Lazio are in a European qualification spot, albeit by the skin of their teeth and they simply cannot afford to drop points otherwise the pack behind them will swamp them and it has to be noted that four of their last six Serie A games have had at least three goals featured in them.

So, what we have here is two teams with vulnerable defences that play attacking football and that are both highly motivated and when all that comes together you get goals.

Take over 2,5 goals

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.

Atalanta just cannot stop scoring, only Juventus have scored more goals than them in Serie A and they are showing no signs of slowing down in front of the goal and in ten of their last 13 games in all competitions, there have been at least three goals scored.

Sampdoria may not be as prolific as Atalanta but over their last 13 Serie A games, nine have had at least three goals in them, almost an identical record to free-scoring Atalanta.

Now, you would have thought that Atalanta, who score for fun, would be challenging for the title, they are not, in fact, they are not even in a European qualification spot and the reason for that is simple, as good as their forward line is, their defence is almost the exact opposite, letting in goals like a sieve, allowing more goals than any other top ten side.

Sampdoria are not much better, they have the third worse record for letting in goals out of the top ten, in better words, we have two teams with poor defences but good forward lines and that tells you one thing when these two meet, goals are on the menu.

All things considered, I am going over 2.75 goals in this game.

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

Big game for both sides, a win for Leeds will see them go just two points behind Championship league leaders Norwich City and maintain their push for an automatic promotion spot to the Premier League.

Bristol City are fighting to stay in a playoff spot and will be desperate for the points after a run of poor results, they are currently in sixth spot and know they cannot keep on dropping points and with home advantage, they will be going all out for the win.

Bristol have been impressive at home recently, they did lose their last game in front of their fans 2-1 to Birmingham but previous to that they had won four home games on the bounce, Leeds are not as impressive on the road, they have just the one win in their last five Championship away games and lost last week to QPR.

So, what we have here is a mixed set of results for both sides depending on how you look at it, based on actual form Leeds are in a better position but based on home v away form Bristol has the better form.

Basically, hard to make a case for either side, however, because of the context of this game, what it means to both sides and the desperation of both sides to get the win then i am of the opinion that we will see goals in this game, I just do not see either team being defensive and expect an open game with a host of goalscoring opportunities.

All things considered, I am confident we will see at least three goals in this game.

Take Over 2.5 goals.

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

The first leg finished 2-1 to Roma and it is hard to call this game, it really could go either way, the away goal is huge for Porto but Roma hold the lead and in my personal opinion choosing a winner is best left alone but that does not mean that there is not a high-quality bet to be had.

I fully expect there to be goals in this game, there were three goals in the first leg and both teams have been involved in a lot of games with goals recently.

The last five games involving Porto have seen four of those games finish with at least three goals and the last ten games involving Roma have seen no less than nine of those games have three or more goals.

In better words, we have two teams that know how to score but also are vulnerable in defence and when you add in the context of this particular game, the fact that Porto has an away goal and home advantage but Roma have the lead then you can see clearly that goals are very likely from both teams.

Take over 2.5 goals

Tottenham go into this game with a 3-0 win from the first leg and the chances are they will qualify for the quarter-finals but I do not see them getting anything from this game today.

The good news for Tottenham is that if they score just the once then Dortmund would have to score five to qualify because of the away goal rule and there is a high possibility they will score and even if they did, I still see Dortmund winning the game.

Tottenham have not won since they beat Dortmund, they lost to Burnley and Chelsea and drew with Arsenal, they are not in great form right now and defence will be their priority today.

Dortmund has drawn, won and lost since they lost in London to Tottenham and so have a mixed record since the first leg defeat, however, the game they did win was at home and their overall home record is impressive, they are still top of the Bundesliga and will be very attack-minded today.

Basically, this will be attack against defence with Tottenham taking every opportunity to counter attack, I see Tottenham scoring and qualifying but Dortmund actually winning the game.

Take Dortmund to win outright 

I am backing Derby County to get back to winning ways against poor travellers Wigan Athletic.

Wigan have been woeful away from home, in their 16 away games this season in the Championship they have won just once, drawn three times and lost an incredible 12 times and that win was almost six months ago, in fact, their first away game of the season, so they are 15 games without an away win this season in the league.

Derby at home are not exactly formidable but in their 16 homes games they have lost just three times, they have drawn on five occasions and won eight times and in comparison to Wigan's away record that looks decent.

The problem with Derby right now is that they are in a bit of a slump, they have lost three on the bounce and are winless in four in the league, though the draw and two of their losses in that sequence were all away and in all fairness to them, they have won two of their last three home games.

Wigan are actually unbeaten in their last five Championship games but some context is required, four of those games were draws and four of those games were at home, now they are back on the road things will be very different.

The form is misleading and all things considered, I am backing Derby to win.

Take Derby outright

When I first looked at this game I thought that it would be fairly simple to work out who would win and my initial inclination was that Valencia held the advantage, however, after some deep analysis I simply cannot separate the teams.

Both teams are on the exact same points for the season, the last two games between the two were draws, though both were at Bilbao and Valencia do have the advantage when they are the home team recently but you have to take on board the current situation with Valencia when they are at home.

Valencia has drawn no less than ten of their last 15 home games in La Liga, that is an incredible statistic and Athletico Bilbao have drawn seven of their last 15 away games in the league, not as eye-opening as Valencia at home but still a high number of draws.

Then we have recent form, home or away, in La Liga, Valencia have drawn their last four on the bounce and again, Bilbao recent form is not as glaring but four draws from nine La Liga games is still close to 50% and one of those draws was against Barcelona.

The bottom line for me is that these two teams like draws, especially Valencia, there is almost nothing to separate them in the standings and with neither team wanting to lose this game today all leads me to have confidence that a draw is the most likely outcome.

Take the draw.