After two of MM’s three tips brought home the bacon last time out, it’s time again for the Wager to help you beat the bookies.
Manchester United’s penalty (7/2) and Wigan’s clean-sheet victory (21/10) came in at the weekend, and further reward can be reaped in two Premier League games tonight.
Champions Manchester City host relegation-battling Wigan, in a dress rehearsal for next month’s FA Cup final.
Meanwhile, United will hope to move within a game of claiming their 20th league title with a victory at West Ham.
Here’s MM’s betting guide to both games.
MANCHESTER CITY vs. WIGAN ATHLETIC, Etihad Stadium, Wednesday 7.45pm
Manchester City (2/7, BetVictor); Draw (11/2, Bet365); Wigan Athletic (14/1, Stan James)
Both City and Wigan come into this Greater Manchester derby in great form – but Roberto Mancini’s men should have well enough to emerge victorious.
The Blues have won seven and the Latics six of their last eight, and both teams are in high spirits after weekend cup wins.
However, City’s superior quality should tell, while the last six encounters between these two have seen the Blues win to nil each time.
The repeat is 11/10 (SkyBet); although short, value is justified when considering City’s eight clean sheets in their last nine at home.
Although unadvisable, if you do fancy Wigan to net, back them to score more goals in the second half than the first half (27/10, Ladbrokes).
Roberto Martinez’s side have scored almost two-thirds of their league goals this season in the second period, the highest proportion in the division.
Do be warned, however, that the Blues have conceded a joint league low of 15 goals in the second half this season.
In the goalscorer market, interest is perhaps best focussed upon Argentinean pairing Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero.
Each has scored hat-tricks in two of the last three of this fixture and are 20/1 and 16/1 to net a treble respectively (William Hill).
Meanwhile, any player to score a treble is 9/1 (BetVictor), while the over 2.5 goals is 6/11 (32Red) – the latter too short to be touched.
In-form Tevez has scored four in his last five league games against the Latics, and is 4/1 first goalscorer (Bet365) and 19/20 anytime scorer (YouWin).
Tip: Manchester City to win to nil (11/10)
West Ham United vs. MANCHESTER UNITED, Upton Park, Wednesday 7.45pm
West Ham United (19/4, Bet365); Draw (3/1, BetVictor); Manchester United (4/6, Coral)
Champions-elect United will want to seal the Premier League title as soon as possible, but West Ham may just have enough to claim the draw.
Historically speaking, the Hammers fare poorly against the Reds, failing to score in six of their last seven league games against them.
However, their two goals in this season’s third round FA Cup draw against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side suggest they can spring a surprise.
Sam Allardyce’s team should be safe from relegation and full of belief and fight – making United worth taking on at such short odds.
Indeed, the draw looks better at 3/1, while 0-0 (16/1, Coral), 1-1 (17/2, BetVictor) and 2-2 (18/1, Stan James) provide interest in the correct score market.
West Ham to score first but not win looks good at 9/2 (888Bet), especially given United have recovered 27 points from losing positions this season.
Meanwhile, four penalties have been awarded in the last three encounters between these two, making the repeat a very short 3/1 (William Hill).
The goalscorer market is full of omens, particularly looking at the Reds’ Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney, and the Hammers’ Andy Carroll.
Van Persie – who ended his two-month goal-drought against Stoke on Sunday – has scored four in his last three league appearances against West Ham.
The Dutchman also netted at Upton Park in the FA Cup earlier this season, and is 4/1 first goalscorer and 6/5 anytime goalscorer (Coral).
Meanwhile, Rooney has scored eight in ten league appearances for the Reds against the Hammers, and is 6/1 first goalscorer and 7/4 anytime goalscorer (SkyBet).
At the other end, in-form Carroll has scored five in his last seven league games, and SkyBet offers 9/1 first goalscorer and 3/1 anytime goalscorer.
Tip: West Ham to score first but not win (9/2, 888Bet)
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