Exclusive:
Our betting expert with tips for Stamford Bridge, Manchester City vs West Ham, Everton at Brentford, Tottenham’s day out in Burnley and Claudio Ranieri’s return to Leicester
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Back Reece James to flourish wherever he’s planted this afternoon.
The young Chelsea star blooms all over the park these days, and the bookies can’t agree whether to price him up as a defender, midfielder or what, as Manchester United visit (4.30pm).
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel says Reece’s best position is ‘wherever he’s being the best Reece James he can be’. Or something like that.
Pep Guardiola was also waxing philosophical in midweek, declaring that “results are just random”.
He could have been talking about Manchester United, who seem to have been put on this earth to irritate the nation’s punters. Now they’ve hired some old German genius I’ll have to pretend I’ve heard of, though in my defence, he’s won sod all.
And it’s in defence that Ralf Rangnick’s problems begin – 19 goals leaked in United’s last eight games.
Enter James at a whopping 8/1 (Paddy) ‘anytime scorer’. Plenty of firms go just 7/2. His raw club stats this season rate him a 5/2 poke. Get the 8/1 before it disappears.
Antonio Conte said that he “was not a magician” after Tottenham got sawn in half by a Europa Conference minnow on Thursday. Odd, as there’s something about the loveable mop top that always makes me think of the late Paul Daniels.
They perform the ‘wet night in Stoke’ illusion at Burnley (2pm) and can conjure up a DRAW against Spurs at 13/5 (Fred).
There’ll be tears at Leicester when 5,000/1 legend Claudio Ranieri returns, with Watford (2pm). His Hornets are feisty, bet OVER 3.5 cards at 4/5 (Betway).
Over at the Etihad, two bosses not on any Old Trafford shortlist, and a player who underlines his name there most weeks.
David Moyes’ West Ham go to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City (2pm). Red-hot Iron Declan Rice won’t win it on his own. I like NO ‘both teams to score’ at Evens (Paddy).
Goal-shy Everton head to Brentford (2pm) minus their biggest threats through injury or bans – the answer’s NO again at 20/21 (Mansion).
Over in Italy, get on Lazio ace Ciro Immobile ‘anytime scorer’ at 13/8 (Fred) at Napoli (7.45pm) – he’s scored in 10 of his 16 club games this season.
Last week: Winners at 4/6 and 7/4
