Dave1962

The last nine meetings between these two teams have all been won by BOS Celtics. NO Pelicans have lost nine of their last ten away games. After four consecutive home wins, BOS Celtics should once again have the measure of NO Pelicans.

Arsenal appear to be closing in on the Premiership title. They have seven remaining games and are nine points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand and an inferior goal difference. Winning six more matches would mean Arsenal would be crowned champions even if Man City win all their remaining games. Bournemouth are down in thirteenth place and have drawn their last five games. Arsenal have won their last three home Premiership games, scoring seven goals and only conceding once. Bournemouth's last away defeat in the Premiership was towards the end of last year. Having learned from the previous season, Arsenal appear a stronger side, so there is every chance they can get the win and keep their Premiership ambitions firmly on course.

Champions elect, Coventry should have no trouble securing three points against Sheffield Wednesday, who already know they have been relegated. Coventry have won four of their last five home games, and Sheffield Wednesday have an awful away record.

Today we will see if Mighty Bandit, who has been a real improver this season, can take another step forward into Grade One company and complete a four-timer. Winning by seventeen lengths at Doncaster suggests that he could seriously mix it at this level.

The Cheltenham Festival form of horses running at Aintree has been mixed. With Grey Dawning winning yesterday, I am plumping for another Skelton horse who ran well at Cheltenham. Dane Skelton has won this race twice in the last three years and sends out Supremely West, who was a comfortable winner of the Pertemps Network Final at Cheltenham by over three lengths. He is nine pounds higher today but still looks to have a decent chance of winning.

Of the horses who ran in the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, it was the Dan Skelton-trained Soldier Reeves who obtained the highest finishing position. He was 150/1 that day, but his odds are greatly reduced today. He is again ridden by Tristan Durrell and could get Dan Skelton a little nearer to five million pounds in winnings this season.

Mr Hope Street is trained by Dan Skelton and ridden by his brother Harry. Two starts ago he finished six lengths behind The Jukebox Man in a Class Two race at Haydock. Next time out he didn't appear to be himself when finishing fourth of five. Today he is one pound lower than that race, and if he bounces back to form he could well be involved at the finish.

Both teams have played thirty-one games and have forty-six points, which is three points off fifth place. Brentford have taken just two points from their last four home games. The two teams that Brentford lost to in this period are both below Everton in the table. Everton have taken seven points from their last four away games. Their one defeat was against the top of the table, Arsenal.

Burnley's performances may have been improving, but they are still not getting points on the board, and unless things change quickly they will be relegated. Brighton are on a decent run and have moved to within six points of a play-off spot. They have won their last two away games, which were at Sunderland and Brentford. Both of those teams are higher in the table than Burnley.

Both teams are in the bottom half of the table. Crystal Palace are three points behind Newcastle with a game in hand. Newcastle won their last away Premiership game at Chelsea, while Palace could only draw their last home league game, which was against Leeds. If Newcastle play as they can, there is every chance they will come home with all three points.

Despite their recent ups and downs, Aston Villa remain fourth in the Premiership and are still involved in the Europa League. Nottingham Forest won their last game, which was away at Tottenham. That win moved them out of the relegation zone. Twenty-two points separate these two teams in the Premiership, so I'm going with the higher-position team to get the win.

The Henry De Bromhead-trained Hiddenvalley has run well in this race for the last two seasons. In 2024 he finished third, and then last year he won by just under three lengths. He appears to have been lightly campaigned this season, with only one run under his belt. He should come into this race fresh and ready to give it a good go in seeking to retain his title.

A Willie Mullins-trained horse has won the National for the last two years. In today's race Mullins runs eight as he seeks a hat-trick of wins. One of those horses is Grangeclare West, who finished third last year. His last race saw him win the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse, with Gerrie Colombe over five lengths back in second and Stellar Story a further nine lengths adrift. This season the gap between his last race and a National bid is over a week longer, so that could help his cause. Last year he was beaten into third by three lengths from a three-pound lower mark. He did encounter some interference in running and made one or two jumping errors. With no interference and no jumping errors, Grangeclare West can hopefully be another Willie Mullins National winner.

Bass Hunter appears to have the best form coming into this race. He was a gallant third in the Cheltenham Bumper, and neither of the two horses that finished ahead of him that day are in this race. Harry Cobden takes over the steering, so Bass Hunter has every chance to return to the winner's enclosure after this race.

Liverpool are currently hanging on to fifth spot in the Premiership, just one point above Chelsea. Liverpool have stumbled a little of late at home, but it is doubtful, with the recent away form of Fulham, that they will be able to capitalise on this. The last three meetings between these two sides when Liverpool have been at home have resulted in one draw and two wins for Liverpool.

Before the international break, Sunderland won away at Newcastle, while Tottenham lost at home to Nottingham Forest. With Spurs looking in freefall, if Sunderland can build upon that Newcastle win, they have every chance to stop the run of three consecutive home defeats and get the win.

On three of their last four visits to Chelsea, Manchester City have come away with a win. Having beaten Arsenal in the final of the EFL Cup, City will be looking to get the win over another London club and keep up the pressure on top of the table.

Tommy Fleetwood has a best finish of tied third, which was in 2024. He has shown he can play this course, having completed a round in 66. This will be his tenth appearance at the Masters, so with his knowledge of the course and experience, Tommy Fleetwood could once again be in contention come Sunday evening.

Last year Justin Rose made a blistering start to the Masters with eight birdies and one bogey for a 65, which was seven under par. If he can do the same today without any dropped shots, then he has every chance of being the first-round leader.

In his seven US Matstes appearances, Harris English achieved his best finish when finishing tied in twelfth position last year thanks to his sixty-eight on the final round.He aslo finished second at the British Open. If he can improve on the level of play he showed last season, Harris English could be a live outsider.

Last year Justin Rose rolled back the years to finish runner-up to Rory McIlroy, losing in a play-off. Over three rounds he shot under par, with a 65 opening round and a 66 final round. Having finished runner-up three times, hopefully this year Justin Rose will get to put on the green jacket.

Matt Fitzpatrick appears to be one of the in-form players. He finished second in the Players Championship and then followed that up with a win. Both those tournaments were in March. If he stays in form, very possibly Matt Fitzpatrick could better his seventh-place position in 2026.

Justin Rose will no doubt go about his job very calmly and professionally. Having finished runner-up three times, he obviously feels comfortable playing around Augusta. If he can keep himself in contention going into the third and fourth rounds, then he has every chance of performing best of the Europeans.

Having already tipped Justin Rose for Masters glory and Top European, it appears only right that I have him as my selection for Top GB and Ireland player. He showed last year that he can play his way into contention if not too far off the lead going into the final round. If he finds himself in that position again, he could be the player who handles himself best from a GB and Ireland perspective.

If Michael Carrick can keep Manchester United in the top four until the end of the season, then there is every chance he will be their next permanent manager. With seven games to play, they are third in the table and currently have a six-point cushion over the team in fifth spot. Leeds are only four points clear of the relegation zone, so they could also do with the points. Manchester United have won their last five home games, while Leeds have one defeat and four draws from their last five away Premier League games.