Premiership - 1st December 2012

And then there were two? With Chelsea’s inauspicious start under Rafa Benitez extending to two games and West Brom being destroyed by the rising forced that is Michael Laudrup’s Swansea, the two Manchester Clubs extended their lead over the rest of the Premiership to 6 points (United have a 7 point gap over West Brom) with just 14 games gone in midweek, while in 38 fixtures, only United have been beaten (twice) – and their points total is already 65. Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs between them have 70.

Neither team should be dropping points today according to the bookmakers, with Manchester City to win by one goal against Everton looking appealing at 11/4. David Moyes side have lost some of the impetus that made them look so good earlier in the season but showed a reminder of their class when holding Arsenal in midweek and have won five of six games against City since Mancini took charge (indeed they’re the last team to win at the Etihad) and Manchester City’s wins against the top teams in the League have nearly always been by just the one goal, so in what could be a fairly tight game, the slender home winning margin looks to be value.

That will also be our strategy with Tottenham, who have had a rough run of fixtures but showed their class in midweek against Liverpool despite having just a third of meaningful possession, and they have the tools to come away from Craven Cottage with a win and stamp their top four credentials for the second time in a week. Fulham don’t go down easily at Craven Cottage though (or at all) and with 4 of Tottenham’s wins having come by the one goal (along with three of Fulham’s), the 7/2 offered looks like good value for them to sneak a win today.

And last but not least, Stoke have won three of their trips to the Hawthorns to nil but probably not against a West Brom outfit in such form before, and they look value to bounce back from defeat at Swansea today. Tony Pulis’s side – who have pulled well clear of the danger zone following a run which has seen them take 10 points from the last 12 on offer – have yet to win an away game all season while Steve Clarke’s side have only been beaten by Manchester City at the Hawthorns, beating both Merseyside Clubs and Chelsea here in a stunning 6 match home winning run. A defeat at Swansea was no mistake and assuming they haven’t taken too much of a hit confidence wise.

Over in France, the battle for the lead of Ligue 1 has intensified yet again in midweek with Lyon putting down their most serious title marker in a 4-1 destruction of the previously extremely impressive Montpellier, bouncing back in style from their 3-0 defeat to Toulouse. Montpellier are not the team that won the title last year and a price of 17/20 for the home side looks generous given the difference between the two in the table.

Advice

1 pt Manchester City to win by 1 goal (11/4 Skybet)

1 pt Tottenham to win by 1 goal (7/2 Skybet)

2 pts West Brom (23/20 Bet Victor)

3 pts Lyon (17/20 Blue Sq, 4/5 general)