West Brom v Everton

01/01 12:30

Apart from the shocks at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge yesterday the football in the Premier League this festive period will be remembered for the amount of draws. We have witnessed 11 draws in the 18 matches so far and I can't see many reasons to believe that anything different will occur here.

These two sides are well matched currently with both residing around midtable. In fact just one point seperates them although Everton still have the away trip to Tottenham as a game in hand. West Brom have won just the 8pts at home whilst Everton have taken 10pts on the road with the Baggies in the better form having won at Newcastle & Blackburn, then holding Champions elect Man City at home on Boxing Day. Everton come into this match on the back of a win and 2 draws.

If the Baggies are to win this they'll need to improved on a goalscoring reord that has seen them hit just 7 goals in front of their home fams this season and it isn't made any easier against an Everton defence which has improved in recent weeks to concede just 5 in the last 7.

In the Premier League era there have been 5 runnings of this meeting with the Baggies edging it 3 wins to Everton's 2 with no draws. Hopefully that can change today.

Bradford v Shrewsbury

31/12 15:00

Two sides at opposite ends of the table meet at Valley Parade. I've been very critical of the Bantams for the last few seasons and they've followed the same pattern this. Backed them at big odds to go down at the start but the arrival of Phil Parkinson has seen a swing in fortunes and they now have a little cushion between themselves and the likes of Northampton, Hereford & Plymouth. They are still not out of the woods but a unbeaten run of 4 games in the league including a 3-0 home win over Crewe last time out has given them renewed confidence for the 2nd half of the season.

Shrewsbury are again in the hunt for promotion this season and to keep on the coat tails of Crawley Town & Cheltenham they need to win here. There away form has not been has impressive as their home form but they have won 2 out of their last 4 and 5 out of their last 8 overall. They have also won on their last 2 visits to the Bantams and are decent odds to win again today.

Blackburn v Bolton

20/12 20:00

No Kevin Davies up front for Bolton tonight. N'gog partnering Klasnic up front!

Personally I can't see Blackburn losing this and for me they've been better this season than Bolton. At least Blackburn have looked like winning games and if Kean takes off the shackles and stops this idiotic trend of trying to sit back on a lead or a point then Blackburn have enough up front to win, especially with the return of Hoilett.

Pedersen moves back to left-back whilst Grant Hanley comes into central defence to partner Samba. Dunn and Vukcevic are in midfield with Formica supporting the Yak up front. An attacking line-up in a must win game.

Bolton have lost 5 on the bounce since thrashing Stoke at home 5-0 and lost 3 before that. Not the sort of form you ned to get out of trouble in the Premier League and without significant strengthening in the winter transfer window this side is going down.

Real Madrid v Barcelona

10/12 21:00

Barca have the Indian sign over their rivals at the moment. Win and a draw in the league last season, Champions League victory and a win in the Super Cup. The league win in the Camp Nou was probably the best performance ever witnessed by a club side as they beat Real 5-0 in Mourinho's 1st El Classico as manager. The only Madrid success was in the Super Cup and that was in extra-time.

The form team however is Madrid. 15 successive wins sees them at the top of the league with a game in hand over Barca. Barca travel to Japan after this game to try and win another World Club Championship so they have already played their league game for next week.

Last 3 seasons Barca have been unbeaten the Bernabeu (3 wins and 2 draws in all comps) and during the last decade the Messi and Ronaldinho have had Madristas on their feet with their exploits in this game. Unthinkable!

Last season Ronaldo and Messi were the dominant players in the league as well as this game and it would be no surprise to see the best 2 players on the planet on the scoresheet.

On the discipline side Pepe is always a candidate to get a yellow card. He was sent off in last season's home leg in the Champions League semi-finals whilst picking up

Fulham v Liverpool

05/12 20:00

I'm with everyone else tonight. Fell Liverpool are a good bet. After all, their best football has come away from Anfield this season - wins at Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal - and Fulham are yet to impress me. They have lost their last 2, 3-1 to Everton and Tottenham at home, and had a tough game at Twente last Thursday eveing losing 1-0 in the Europa League. Fulham's threadbare squad is getting stretched as Duff went off injured in that game and is doubtful for this.

Liverpool suffered the blow of losing Brazilan midfielder Lucas in their last game and with Gerrard they look a little light in the centre of the park. Maxi Rodriguez may get a start tonight and it was on this ground last season he hit his second hatrick in 3 games as Liverpool won 5-2.

That was Liverpool's 3rd win in the last 4 seasons and they are worthy favourites tonight.

Man Utd v Crystal Palace

30/11 19:45

Only one winner in this for me tonight. Even though it's their weakened side this Man United side will be packed with experience and hads probably performed better than the 1st team this year.

Crystal Palace had played their entire League Cup campaign at Selhurst Park this season and it's the first time they've drawn away from home.

This is the first game in this comp at Old Trafford this season and I fully expect the home side to win. Palace have played well in the Championship this season but this is a different matter.

The likes of Owen, Giggs, Macheda, Valencia, Smalling, Park and Diouf could all make an appearance and with a 2 goal cushion I still reckon this is a decent bet

Tottenham v PAOK Salonika

30/11 20:05

Tottenham maybe playing a weakened side tonight but it's still a side packed full of experience. We'll have Corluka, Bassong, Gallas, Cudicini, Sandro, Defoe on the field with the young lads and the side know it's important to win tonight. The club may have lost in their last Europa League tie but that was away in Russia with a younger side and an even younger side than that held out for a 0-0 draw against PAOK in Greece. I didn't rate the Greek side at all in that game and I'm fully expecting a win for the home side tonight.

For all his bravardo Harry knows this a must win game and in front of the home fans I doubt they'll disappoint. The threat carried out by Defoe up front will be enough to keep the Greek defenders busy whilst the likes of Kane and Carroll will sho their worth.

Liverpool v Man City

27/11 16:00

Anfield has never been the happiest of hunting grounds for Man City only avoiding defeat 3 times in the Premier League era and losing 10 times. Only one win appears on their record courtesy of a Nicolas Anelka goal back in 2003. That said they have a great chance this afternoon to improve on that record as Liverpool try and avoid dropping more points at home - whether you can call not winning at home to City as 'dropping points' is another matter.

We must remeber this is a side that have scored nearly as many goals in their first 6 away games this season as they did in all of last season's away ties. They hit 5 at White Hart Lane and bettered that with 6 at Old Trafford. Mancini has taken the reins off and the likes of Silva, Aguero, Balottelli and Dzeko have been tearing home defences up. It remains to be seen how they react to the midweek defeat in Naples and Anfield is never the easiest place to go to get back on track. They have only lost once in 17 games at Anfield since Dalglish returned and has their Champions League adventure sown a little seed of doubt in their minds?

Liverpool come into this on the back of a good win at Chelsea in a game that suited their style of play but I can't see them getting as much joy against the City defence as they did against a porous Chelsea defence. It was one win apiece last season as both sides won at home; 3-0 on both occasions.

Swansea v Aston Villa

27/11 13:30

Swansea had one of the meanest defences in the Championship last season and they've started likewise at home this season. In 2009-10 they conceded just 11 at home whilst last season they conceded 12. This season they've conceded just twice and kept clean sheets in games against Wigan, West Brom, Stoke and Sunderland.

Villa come into this game on the end of an absolute hiding at Tottenham Monday night and the pressure will on the Villa defence to improve in this game. The one thing McLeish will be looking for is for his defence to keep it tight so can't see many goals in this game. Villa have not won away from home yet this season but they have only been beaten by Man City and Spurs in their 6 away games.

Tottenham v Aston Villa

21/11 20:00

Generally when Spurs look a good thing we find a way to muck it up. This time we can go 3rd in the table for the first time in in the last 6 seasons at this stage of the season and many of my comrades in the stands are only expecting the win tonight. They have every right to feel good about the team with 7 wins out of the last 8 games and only 1 defeat in their last 21 at home meaning we have two games in hand to get the 3rd spot.

Villa are more than capable of taking points off us tonight and have drawn 4 of their 5 away games. We also have a few ex-players in the Villa ranks wanting to make more than their point against us tonight.

From past experience Spurs are more than capable of messing this up tonight so I'll be on the draw.

Chelsea v Liverpool

20/11 16:00

Liverpool have dropped points at home when wins were needed against the lower placed teams in the league but apart from the hiding they got at Spurs they've been pretty much on their game away from home. 2-0 wins at Arsenal, Everton and West Brom, whilst they lost 1-0 to Stoke.

Chelsea man in charge, Villas-Boas, arrived on these shores with a burgeoning reputation but he's done little to enhance that in his time so far at the club. Losses to QPR and Arsenal in recent games have highlighted the fragility of the Chelsea defence and more importantly John Terry's diminishing skills as a central defender. The high line they employ has failed to see them keep a clean sheet so far at home this season and if Suarez does pass his fitness test I expect him to great joy against the back 4 this afternoon.

Liverpool do rely heavily on Suarez but Carroll has hit his 2 goals in those away wins and should be fully rested after taking no part in last week's internationals. The reds will be hoping their run of success against Chelsea after winning 4 of the last 6 league games including both games last season. Funny enough both Liverpool's goalscorers last season are likely to line up against them this afternoon as Meireles and Torres now ply their trade in West London.

DET Lions @ CHI Bears

13/11 21:15

Bears come into this matchup on the back of a 3 win run which includes wins in the Philly and the Bucs at Wembley since they lost to Detroit in week 5. Last Monday night against the Eagles the Bears got their rushing game going which helped balance the attacking game and for the first time in ages the offensive line didn't give up a sack. That allowed Cutler the time to start finding his receivers and he showed given space he can drive the the bears up and down the pitch when needed. The return of his favourite target Earl Bennett helped as the pair combined 3 times for the gain of 80 yards.

Now the Lions arrive at Soldier field after blowing out the Bronco's 45-10 last week and in the knowledge they have already beaten their divisional rivals in week 5. A win in Chicago would see the Lions with a 2 game advantage over their rivals but their weak rush defence (ranked 29th in the league) is going to have to try and stop Matt Forte who is averaging 100 yds a game and who has 270yds in his last 2 games.

After watching Monday night I get the feeling the Bears are coming into form just at the right time and with Cutler having time to find his receivers and the rushing game working, the game being on the natural sod of Soldier Field and being a divisional matchup I think the Bears will win this.