Today’s FA cup final will provide four big names with the chance to turn a poor season around by bringing success to their respective clubs.

Chelsea’s two attackers have had a less that average season, Torres has managed 6 goals in 30 Premier League appearances, whilst Drogba has scored just 5 in 23.Compared to previous years, this is an extremely poor success rate. Both Players average just below 300 minutes per goal.

Suarez and Carroll have been just as poor considering their season tallies. Carroll has only manager 4 goals in 33 Premier League appearances; Suarez has scored 11 in 29. Carroll averages 471 per goal whilst Suarez averages 216.

For Chelsea, Didier Drogba spent a few months on the fringes of the team but he has been instrumental in their recent revival, and their former Reds star Fernando Torres is back among the goals after looking like he would never score again.

Liverpool’s £35m striker Andy Carroll has also faced a lot of stick for his failure to find the net regularly, while his team-mate Luis Suarez has had other issues after he was banned for eight matches for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra in October.

At times, it has been a campaign that they will all have wanted to forget, but I think one of them will score the goal that will win the game, and the cup.

Didier Drogba

Drogba has the greatest past experience at Wembley. He has played seven times at the stadium – in three FA Cup semi-finals, two FA Cup finals, and a league cup – and he has seven goals. Against Barcelona we saw his importance to Chelsea. When Chelsea were struggling for possession, he provided an outlet for his team mates, his strength and finishing ability allows him to compete against any defender in the World.

His ability to defend is also very impressive. He often contributes when the opposition team have set pieces. He comes back for every free-kick and corner. This was also seen against Barcelona, as he won the ball deep inside his own half a number of times.

Fernando Torres

Everybody knows the quality that the Spaniard possesses. But under the pressure of a £50 million transfer cost, he has struggled to prove himself the Chelsea fans this season.

His recent form has certainly improved. Having scored a late equaliser at the Nou Camp against Barca to secure Chelsea’s place in the Champions League final, under a week later he netted an impressive hat-trick against struggling QPR.

It’s highly likely that Torres won’t being in the starting line-up for Di Matteo’s side. However, circumstances would suggest the Chelsea front-man will have a big part to play at some point, especially considering the match is against his previous team.

Andy Carroll

Carroll, who moved to Anfield on the same day Torres left for Stamford Bridge in January 2011, is another striker who is struggling to score goals.

He too moved for a large transfer fee (£30 million) and has failed to live up to this costly price. However, he has scored important goals for the club, for example, his late winner against Everton in the FA Cup semi-final. Without Carroll, Liverpool may not have reached this stage of the competition.

It would be great for the ex-Newcastle man if he could provide the goals in today’s final. It would certainly help his case with the clubs fans and would be a huge confidence boost going into next season.

Luis Suarez

Controversy has surrounded Suarez since he racially abused Evra in October, and then refused to shake his hand when he returned from his ban in February. So it is much more positive that we are back to talking about his actual performances again. However, I still think Suarez is still from the top of his game right now.

In his last match, Suarez scored a stunning hat-trick against high-flyers Norwich. Until this game, he had also been struggling to hit the back of the net.

Suarez is a brilliant footballer; he has proven this at both club and international level. He brings other players into the game, he leads the line well, and runs in behind the defence. He will be a very dangerous in the final, the Chelsea defenders will have to be very wary of the threat the Uruguayan poses.

Conclusion

The Final is going to am extremely close match, however, I believe Chelsea will emerge victorious. I’ve been a huge fan of Di Matteo since he has taken control of the previously downtrodden side. His achievements have been remarkable having turned a very poor season into something potentially amazing for the London club.

Obviously Chelsea do have something bigger to look forward to after the FA Cup final, namely the Champions League final in Munich on 19 May. But I can’t see them disregarding this competition because of it.

However, for Liverpool, this is the climax to their season and they will be desperate to stop people talking about their poor league form. They have had an awful year as far as I’m concerned and they’ve been very lucky to have even 1 trophy to show for it.

Feel free to visit my independent blog for similar articles http://chrisslinnell.wordpress.com/

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool, Castrol EDGE performance data compares some of the teams’ key players.

On Saturday, two of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers will be going head to head, with very little between them this season in terms of performance.

Liverpool’s Spanish glovesman, Pepe Reina, slightly edges things, posting a 69% saves to shots rate and registering 12 clean sheets so far, compared to Petr Cech’s 68% save rate and his haul of 10 clean sheets. However, interestingly, in the overall rankings in the top division for saves to shots rates, Reina only ranks in 10^th place while Cech is 13^th.

Petr Cech & José Reina – Premier League 2011/12

Two of England’s midfield stalwarts will also go toe to toe in the centre of the pitch on Saturday, with both Chelsea’ Frank Lampard and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard also hoping to impress new England manager Roy Hodgson on this high-profile occasion.

Blues’ star Lampard has played significantly more games this season than Gerrard. However, even in terms of minutes per goal as well as shooting accuracy and conversion rates, the former West Ham man comes out on top, netting an impressive 11 goals this season, more than any other central midfielder in the Premier League.

Creatively, the Blues’ dynamo has also been the more impressive of the two, with five assists to his name this season compared to Gerrard’s two.

Whichever of these two players has the better of things in midfield on Saturday could be key to the destination of the FA Cup trophy.

Frank Lampard & Steven Gerrard – Premier League 2011/12

Fernando Torres seems to have finally rediscovered his shooting boots for Chelsea, netting the vital goal against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final second-leg game at the Nou Camp and then following that up with a hat-trick against QPR in the league.

Despite the Spaniard’s poor start to the season, he still compares favourably to Liverpool’s struggling striker, Andy Carroll. The former Newcastle star’s rate of a goal every 471 minutes is significantly inferior to Torres’ figure of a goal every 299 minutes.

Torres has also provided far more assists than his fellow big-money buy at Liverpool, setting up four goals compared to Carroll’s haul of just one. However, the Liverpool does come out on top against Torres in terms of his rate of chances created.

Fernando Torres & Andy Carroll – Premier League 2011/12

While Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has found himself under a lot of pressure this season due to a worryingly large number of disappointing results, Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has made the most of his chance in the hot seat at Stamford Bridge. The Italian has been particularly successful in cup competitions since taking over in a caretaker role, winning seven of his eight cup games, drawing the other.

Roberto Di Matteo – Cup Competitions – 2011/12

 Also see: 2012 FA Cup Final: Chelsea v Liverpool Talking Points

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Chelsea have quite a lot to look forward to in May. The thing undoubtedly at the top of their list is their 2012 Champions League final showdown with Bayern Munich, but they’re also pushing for a fourth-place Premier League finish (although that may be out of their hands now after losing to two splendid goals by Cisse on Wendesday night. And before that monumental match in Munich, the Blues have another cup final to contend with, as are set to take on Liverpool in the 2012 FA Cup Final this Saturday.

Liverpool likely can’t wait for their Premier League campaign to end, as it has been severely disappointing. But if they can add the FA Cup to the Carling Cup trophy they collected in February, the season can’t be looked at as a total failure.

So which one of these sides will be celebrating at Wembley next weekend? Here are a few reasons why each side should feel confident:

Chelsea

1. Juan Mata: In his first season in England, the Spanish sensation has been a star performer. To date, he’s had a hand in almost 30 Chelsea goals in all competitions. In the FA Cup, he’s either scored or assisted on at least one goal in five of Chelsea’s six ties. If he replicates his stat line from the semi against Tottenham – with a less controversial goal this time- Kenny Dalglish will see up close just what he missed out on last summer.

2. Fernando Torres: Perhaps his tie-clinching goal against Barcelona will spark a strong finish to the season. Perhaps it won’t. But El Nino has had made several notable contributions in the Champions League and FA Cup as both a scorer and a provider, scoring five goals and assisting on eight more. He’s far from a guarantee to start the final, but whether he plays 10 minutes or 90, he could be Chelsea’s match-winner.

3. Sky-high confidence: Good form and positive results in big games help breed confidence. While Chelsea haven’t been stellar every match under Roberto Di Matteo, they’re producing far more under him than they were under Andre Villas-Boas. What does that mean for the future? Who knows (perhaps Roman Abramovich does), but in the present, the Blues are clearly high on belief. And belief, as they showed against Barcelona, can take you a long, long way.

Liverpool

1. Recent success against Chelsea: Chelsea have the edge in quality, but Liverpool have the recent head-to-head edge. Liverpool have won the last four meetings between the two sides, including a league win and a Carling Cup quarterfinal win, both at Stamford Bridge, this season. Chelsea are in better form than at the time of those two November defeats, but that won’t dent Liverpool’s confidence in being able to down the Blues yet again.

2. Misfiring stars have stepped up in the Cup: Andy Carroll has only four goals in more than 30 Premier League appearances this season, but he’s scored three in five in the FA Cup, including a dramatic late semifinal winner against Everton. Stewart Downing has yet to record a goal or assist in the league, but he’s scored twice and notched an assist in the FA Cup. Luis Suarez‘s league tally is underwhelming, but he’s scored in each of his three FA Cup appearances. Suarez must show up against Chelsea, but a contribution from one or both of the other two could be equally important.

3. Steven Gerrard: Injuries have hampered Gerrard the last couple of seasons, and Father Time also isn‘t on his side. But he should be fit for Wembley, and his presence alone in such a big game is a plus for Liverpool. But while his memorable moments aren’t as frequent as they once were, he can still produce them from time to time. His performance in a classic 2006 final against West Ham will always be remembered, but this one could well be too.

Chelsea v Liverpool: Who’s your pick for winning the 2012 FA Cup final?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Chelsea and Tottenham meet in the second FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Sunday, with the London rivals’ fate this season tied in with that of their opponent. With one or the other set to miss out on a top four finish in the Premier League also, progression in the cup takes additional importance this season.

Chelsea have improved since the axing of Andre Villas Boas, with club man Roberto Di Matteo instilling confidence and a belief in the side. The Blues have made strides in the league to give them a chance of making the Champions League qualification places, and a memorable comeback against Napoli in Europe has set up a mouth-watering clash with Barcelona.

The main difference in Di Matteo’s approach is the respect and responsibility handed back to the club’s senior players. With the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Ashley Cole feeling devalued by the Portuguese coach’s squad rotation system, the Italian has made the old guard feel more valued, and this has paid off for him.

The Stamford Bridge club have the distraction of a Champions League date with the Spanish giants upcoming, and although the clash with Pep Guardiola’s men will be in the back of their minds, Spurs could capitalise on any lack of concentration. Chelsea have traditionally had something of a hex over their London neighbours, but the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge in the league a couple of weeks ago, in which Harry Redknapp’s men dominated, will have given the White Hart Lane club confidence.

Tottenham have come unstuck slightly over the last couple of months, with an excellent start being counteracted by a poor second half to the season. Defeat against Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton could almost be understood given the difficulty of the opponent, but a loss to Norwich and draw with Stoke at home have the White Hart Lane faithful nervous.

Ahead of the game at Wembley, Spurs are still in fourth place but are level on points with Newcastle, and two ahead of Chelsea. With a five-point gap opening up to Arsenal in third, it is a safe bet to say that one of Sunday’s competitors will miss out on the top four. Spurs fans will look to win their first piece of silverware since their League Cup triumph in 2008, where they beat Chelsea in the final.

A couple of key matchups may well decide the outcome of what should be a close game. With Branislav Ivanovic suspended, the likes of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon will look to get at makeshift fullbacks and take advantage of possession down the flanks. Scott Parker and Frank Lampard will hope to be team-mates this summer at Euro 2012, but will go head-to-head in the battle to win possession and shield their back fours. Finally, second strikers Rafael van der Vaart and Juan Mata are the playmakers that can create chances that will ultimately win the match.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton go head-to-head on Saturday at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final, in a massively important match for both sides. Kenny Dalglish will be eager to replicate the team’s heroics in the Carling Cup and draw attention away from under-par league form, whilst David Moyes knows that he is 180 minutes away from lifting his first trophy for the Goodison Park club.

Liverpool ended a terrible run of six defeats from seven games with a 3-2 victory over Blackburn on Tuesday night, with Andy Carroll heading the injury-time winner. Despite inconsistency in the league this campaign, the Reds have been more determined in the cup competitions, and have eliminated both Manchester clubs and Chelsea from the FA or Carling Cup this term.

Triumph in the Carling Cup has only papered over the cracks of a mediocre campaign for the Anfield outfit, with director of football Damien Comolli given the axe earlier in the week. King Kenny is now under pressure to deliver, and with ambitious American owners eager for success, a defeat to bitter rivals Everton would put a question mark over the Scottish manager’s future. With Liverpool also behind their cross-town neighbours in the Premier League standings, Reds fans are becoming impatient and frustrated, with football transfer speculation predicting a summer upheaval at Anfield.

Everton meanwhile have had a strong second half of the season, and David Moyes’ men have looked like a dangerous and difficult opponent since the turn of the year. The Toffees are up to seventh place in the league, and have beaten the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham over the last three months. Comprehensive victories over Sunderland both in the league and the last round of the cup will see Everton enter the fixture with confidence. However two derby defeats to Liverpool this term will stick in the memory, and spur Moyes’ men on.

A clever January transfer window has been a key factor in the club’s rejuvenation, with the additions of Steven Pienaar, Darron Gibson, temporarily Landon Donovan and especially Nikica Jelavic adding quality to an already able squad. The Croatian striker in particular has impressed, and the travelling Goodison Park fans will pray the ex-Rangers forward can inspire his team to victory on Saturday. Everton have not lifted a trophy since winning the FA Cup back in 1995, with a solitary Paul Rideout goal ensuring a 1-0 win over Manchester United.

A number of factors will be important in deciding the outcome of the fixture, with key personal battles all over the pitch. With Pepe Reina and Doni both unavailable, Brad Jones will start in goal for Liverpool, with their opponents sure to test the inexperienced stopper early on. The clash between England colleagues Leighton Baines and Glen Johnson could also play a part in the result, as both full-backs play an important role going forward for their sides.

In any Merseyside derby there will be passion, and the midfield battle between Steven Gerrard, Jay Spearing, Darron Gibson and Marouane Felliani will dictate possession. Finally, Luis Suarez and Nikica Jelavic will look to build on promising individual campaigns, and pose the biggest threat to goal.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Liverpool v Everton, FA Sup Semifinal

Tottenham v Spurs, FA Cup Semifinal

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final between Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton will contain a fascinating battle between two multi-talented midfields and the outcome is likely to rest on how well those players perform.

Castrol EDGE Performance data shows that Steven Gerrard has managed to find the net five times in his seventeen league appearances this season, resulting in an impressive chance conversion of 24% and a shooting accuracy of 57%.

His young teammate Jordan Henderson pales in comparison, having only netted once this season despite spending twice as much time on the pitch (2,258 minutes to Gerrard’s 1,127). However, Henderson does match Gerrard for pass completion (83%).

The man tasked with containing the Liverpool captain is Everton’s combative midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Despite committing 69 fouls and collecting 6 yellow cards this season, he is yet to receive a red card and has won an impressive 84% of his tackles.

Steven Pienaar has more goal assists to his name (4) than either of the Liverpool men (1), showing the playmaking prowess that made him such a hit at Goodison Park before his ill-feted move to Tottenham in January 2011.  His creativity is confirmed by the fact that he makes a chance every 42.6 minutes, which is more frequent than Steven Gerrard (43.3 minutes).

STEVEN GERRARD: MAKING THE MOST OF LIMITED TIME

Liverpool and Everton meet in the FA Cup on Saturday with Steven Gerrard’s spectacular hat-trick against the Toffees in March still fresh in the memory. Injuries have restricted Gerrard’s opportunities this season but Castrol EDGE Performance data shows how valuable he remains to a Liverpool side that have lacked penetration this season.

The extent to which Liverpool relies on Gerrard can be seen by the fact that he averages a touch every 1.03 minutes and a pass every 1.41 minutes in the Premiership this season.  These are more frequent than any other Liverpool player and they place him in the same bracket as David Silva and Luka Modric, two of the Premiership’s most celebrated playmakers this season.

Minutes per touch in the 2011/12 Premier League

Minutes per pass received in the 2011/12 Premier League

Minutes per cross in the 2011/12 Premier League

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

When Arsenal were preparing to take on Birmingham City in last season’s Carling Cup final it was heralded as the inevitable end of their almost six year trophy drought. In fact it was one of four trophies the Gunners were in with a realistic shout of winning. Defeat was almost inconceivable, but defeat was exactly what Wenger’s men suffered. An even encounter looked all set for extra time when Wojciech Szczesny and Laurent Koscielny seemingly decided to audition for a spot on a football bloopers DVD.

You know the type, a mildly entertaining, former pro-footballer endorsed collage of gaffs and goofs with minimal production value, and almost inevitably including Wayne Hatswell’s inexplicable own goal for Forest Green Rovers against Morecambe in the F.A. Cup.

Messrs Szczesny and Koscielny’s blunder allowed Obafemi Martins to score handing the League Cup to their unfavoured rivals. Disappointment at Wembley was swiftly followed by exits from both the Champions League and the F.A. Cup and, as a result of just 2 wins in their last 11 league games, kicked hopes of Premiership success firmly into touch.

It is an episode which Liverpool would be wise to take note of as they prepare to take on Cardiff City at Wembley. Arsenal’s shock defeat simultaneously exposed and reinforced their distinct lack of winning mentality and subsequently appeared to have a demoralising affect on the club setting the tone for the aforementioned failures which followed.

The potential for Liverpool to approach Sunday’s final unfocused based on either the stature of the competition or the calibre of the opposition (or both) must be fervently extinguished, especially when considering  the impact that the outcome may have on the rest of their season.

Liverpool have endured a turbulent a season off the pitch largely due to their perceived poor handling of Luis Suarez’s conduct on it.It has been mixed on the playing front too with Liverpool drawing 8 of their 12 home league fixtures thus far. Underwhelming home form as well as intense scrutiny and criticism from many quarters of Liverpool’s handling of Suarez’s misdemeanours could lead the casual fan to think that this was becoming a season to forget.

Yet, despite these problems Liverpool find themselves just two games away from another Wembley final and sit just 4 points off the much coveted fourth place with 13 games still to play. In their attempts to achieve the latter target the Merseysider’s should take immense encouragement from the current state of the clubs they are chasing.

Arsenal and Chelsea who currently sit 4th and 5th respectively appear to be now permanent fixtures on the ‘crisis club’ merry-go-round following disappointing outings in Europe and the F.A. Cup. Moreover, Liverpool are still to entertain both clubs at Anfield and do not have to travel to anyone in the top 5 in their final fixtures.

Prior to that, Success against Cardiff will set a positive tone for the rest of the season and instil great and arguably needed self belief in a group of players short on winners’ medals. Lest we forget Liverpool are in a trophy drought of their own and in ending such a drought it is often the case that the first is the hardest to grasp, in addition to being of huge significance in beginning a new chain of success.

Jose Mourihno’s success in ending Chelsea’s 50 year wait for a league title was surely helped by earlier success in the League Cup, the first trophy of the Abramovich era. How important was last year’s F.A. Cup success, especially the semi-final defeat of Manchester United, in providing Mancini’s City with a conviction to kick on for bigger and better things? The confidence it gave birth to has undoubtedly aided Man City in forging a winning mentality that has been so evident this season. Well that and a trailer load of Sheikh Mansour’s cash.

If come Sunday evening Liverpool are looking back on a record eighth League Cup success the positive atmosphere it will create will provide them with a great platform on which to capitalise on a favourable run-in and maybe even a cup double. The opposition on Sunday may only be of championship status, but a cup run which has included away wins at Stamford Bridge and Eastlands proves that eventual success would be a noteworthy achievement.

Alternatively, defeat to significant underdogs is likely to have a demoralising effect on the squad and like Arsenal just a year before them potentially spark a negative climax to the season. For Liverpool, this game signifies a great deal more than simply an opportunity to add to the Anfield trophy cabinet.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The latest betting tips for the FA Cup weekend:

Sunderland v Arsenal

It’s FA Cup weekend, with the feature game seeing Sunderland take on Arsenal at the Stadium of Light (5.15pm KO, Live on ITV 1)

The Gunners will be hoping to repeat their 2-1 victory over the Black Cats in the league last weekend and are 2.6 shots with Boylesports to do just that.

However they need to bounce back from a very poor midweek display which saw them get a 4-0 mauling at the hands of AC Milan in the Champions League, and this is a really tough game in which to do so.

But  Arsene Wenger is sure to have read the riot act to his players after that game, and if they can rep-group and put in a similar performance that they did 7 days ago they could be a bit of value at the odds on offer

The stats reveal that there is nothing to choose between the two sides as far as there meetings in this competition is concerned.

Arsenal’s first FA Cup tie under Wenger was against Sunderland, with the Gunners wining 2-0 at Roker Park in a 3rd Round replay in 1997.

Overall the two clubs have been drawn together six times, with each side progressing on three occasions.

Sunderland have won just to of their last six FA Cup home matches, while Arsenal have won only two of their last seven on the road in this comp.

So it will probably all come down to which team is up for it most on the day, and a lot will obviously rest once again on the shoulders of Robin van Persie who has been central to Arsenal’s  success this season.

He has been scoring virtually every time he takes to the pitch in the past year, and has netted seven times s in his last nine FA Cup appearances.

That makes the Dutchman once again look decent value at 4.75 with bet365 to net the opener.

In the hope that history does repeat itself, I am going to go for Arsenal to win 2-1 at 9.5 chance with bet365, Boylesports and Paddy Power.

Chelsea v Birmingham

Chelsea are long-odds on at 1.3 with Paddy Power to beat Birmingham after some lacklustre displays and the Londoners looks bankers in a game which they simply can’t afford to lose.

The Blues threw away a 3-0 advantage in their draw with Man United and then didn’t turn up in their 2-0 defeat by Everton at Goodison last time out.

AVB is now a man under pressure as a result and he will know that anything but a convincing victory here will see that mount with many already calling for him to be replaced.

As far as the stats are concerned this should be a stroll in the park for Chelsea.

They have won 13 and lost just one of the last 19 matches in all competitions with Birmingham, and have won eight and lost none of the last 10 meetings between the two sides at Stamford Bridge.

That suggests that if the do play to their strengths they should be able to win this without reply, and they have a whole host of players with good goal scoring records in the FA Cup.

Frank Lampard has scored 18 goals in his last 24 appearances, Didier Drogba has scored six in his last nine and Daniel Sturridge has scored seven goals in eight appearances – including six in five starts for Chelsea in the competition.

Chelsea to win 2-0 is my idea of the most likely outcome, and that scoreline is a 6.5 chance with Irish firms Boylesports and Paddy Power.

Liverpool v Brighton

Liverpool play host to Brighton at Anfield  and are long odds-on at 1.25 to see off the Seagulls.

The Reds had been in top form before being beaten 2-1 at Old Trafford last weekend, and should have little difficulty landing the odds.

Although they were beaten by United there was certainly one positive to be taken out of the game and that was seeing Luis Suarez making his comeback after suspension and marking it with a goal.

The Uruguayan is a key figure for the Reds and is likely to cause Brighton’s defence all sorts of problems having looked as eager and sharp as ever last week.

As far as the stats are concerned the two sides have met four times in the FA Cup, with each managing two wins.

However Brighton haven’t won away against a top division side in the FA Cup since they beat Newcastle in 1986, and when the two side’s met this season in the Carling Cup in was Liverpool who came out 2-1 away from home.

In truth it should be plain sailing for the Reds, and Kenny Dalglish is sure to want to get the job done at the first time of asking.

Suarez is favourite to break the deadlock at 4.33, but better value could lie with Steven Gerrard at 6.5 with bet365.

The inspirational captain has scored eight goals in his last 11 FA Cup starts and this is just the type of stage that he relishes.

He can also be backed at 2.4 with bet365 to net anytime, and that looks a decent punt given his record.

Everton v Blackpool

Everton are in flying form at present and look bankers at 1.53 with Boylesports to beat Blackpool at Goodison.

The Toffees are unbeaten in their last six matches, and have taken the scalps of Man City and Chelsea in that impressive run.

David Moyes’ men hold a serious chance of winning this competition if carrying on in the same vain, and the Tangerines could be in for a tonking.

Indeed the stats suggest that this could turn into a goalfest and over 2.5 goals looks a great punt at 1.8 with Paddy Power given that the last two meetings between the two sides has seen 12 goals netted.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News