dwainec

Wattimena won the only battle of the Dutchmen back in September and I am backing he will be too good for Wesley Plaisier again. Five defeats in six for Plaisier and I am going with Wattimena winning this first round match.

The only previous head-to-head between these Dutchmen was in September, and Nijman won it. He won the last Players Championship event he played in, and I am backing he could go a long way in these Finals. He should account for Richard Veenstra tonight.

Pau have lost three on the bounce away and were beaten by sixteen at second place Toulon. Bordeaux beat fifth place Bayonne by 29 in their last home game. I am backing they make it nine straight home wins by beating Pau by more than a dozen.

The Iceman has won three of the last four matches against Max Hopp. After reaching the semi-finals last weekend in Wolverhampton, I am backing Gerwyn Price. He will be too good for the German, and I see him having a big run in Minehead at the Players Championship Finals.

30th or better in his last four PGA Tour starts, and he has won low-scoring events like the John Deere Classic and Shriners Children’s Open. He plays well in the wind and was top five last year at the RSM Classic. I am backing Poston; he will be popular this week.

31st at the World Wide Technology Championship is the worst finish in two months for the American who has finished 3rd at the Bank of Utah Championship and 14th at the Sanderson Farms Championship. I am backing Pierceson Coody will put another good week together at the RSM Classic.

The Irishman can go low on a course like this, and he is no stranger to some windy conditions. 27th at the World Wide Technology Championship and 11th last week at the Bermuda Championship, I am backing Seamus Power to put another good run together at the RSM Classic.

The American was tied 8th last year in the RSM Classic and a Saturday 63 put him right in contention. 17th at the World Wide Technology Championship and 3rd at the Bermuda Championship, I am backing another good week for Vince Whaley.

The Nuke won his maiden PDC World Championship last year at the Ally Pally, and he has reached the last two world finals. At the time of writing, he has won the UK Open already in 2025. I am backing the darting sensation that is Luke Littler. He will arrive at this year's World Championship as the man everyone has to beat, and I see him picking up his second world crown.

The Green Machine is a three-time world champion, and last year he reached the final of the World Championship. MVG hasn’t had the best of years to date, and I am backing there will be a real focus about the Dutchman. He can go all the way to another world final to challenge for a fourth world title.

Wolves were 16th last season and only two places above the drop zone. Cunha has left for Manchester United, and I am backing Wanderers might struggle for goals this season. They had a run of six wins in a row around April time that saved them last year. I don’t see that happening this season, and it ends up in relegation for Wolves.

Manchester United have added Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha to their ranks. With the likes of Rashford and Garnacho now departed, I am backing a more attacking United this season. The captain can really make an impact driving forward. Three times in the last five seasons, he has hit double figures in the league. With the Portuguese playmaker on free kicks and penalties, I can see him finishing with over 17 goals to be one of the top four scorers this season.

The Egyptian King scored 29 goals last season to finish Top Goalscorer in the Premier League. With the addition of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, I am backing Mo Salah to have another big season for The Reds with goals and assists. Since 2017, the winger has scored eighteen plus goals each season and finished with the Golden Boot several times. I am backing Salah to be top scorer again this campaign.

The Germans last won the Champions League in 2020 and have won it twice in the last twelve seasons, so they are due. Jonathan Tah has arrived from Leverkusen and Luis Diaz from Liverpool. The front three of Olise, Diaz, and Kane with a strong midfielder with experience, I am backing Bayern Munich to win another European Cup.