Betting tips / Mike Norman / 20 December 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Ho ho ho..the Christmas football season is here with a big mid-week fixture, and Mike Norman is onboard to preview four of the games.

Wolves v Norwich
Match Odds: Wolves [2.2], Norwich [3.7], The Draw [3.6]

It's an indication as to how tightly bunched the 'rest' of the Premier League table is when you consider that Wolves have won four league games this season and sit in 17th position, yet Norwich have won just one game more and they are as high up as ninth.

It also indicates how important a draw can be from time-to-time.

As far as recent form goes, Opta tell us that Wolves are currently one of the worst clubs in the division. Mick McCarthy's men have taken the same amount of points (seven) from their last 13 games as they did during their first three games of the season. Those latter seven points did come on home soil, however, and encouragingly Wolves have averaged exactly two goals per game at Molineux in the last two months.

Opta also tell us that Norwich are one of only two clubs in the top flight without a clean sheet, but they have failed to score away from home just once this season, and that was at Manchester United. The Canaries have been to clubs such as Aston Villa, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City already this term and scored at least one goal each time.

This is a game that Wolves really can't afford to lose which makes the Match Odds market a difficult one to call, so given their recent goal-scoring form on home soil, and the goal-scoring trends of Norwich away from home, I can see at least one goal being scored at both ends.

The Yes option in the Both teams to Score market is available to back at [1.69] and looks a solid investment.

Aston Villa v Arsenal
Match Odds: Aston Villa [5.3], Arsenal [1.81], The Draw [3.8]

If I'm being honest, Aston Villa were awful in their 0-2 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday and will need to improve significantly if they are to get the better of Arsenal in this encounter. The Gunners also lost on Sunday, but they performed well in their narrow defeat to league leaders Manchester City.

Worryingly for Villa fans, however, is the Opta stat that informs us that Arsenal have a fantastic record at Villa Park having not lost a league fixture there for 12 years (won six and drew six in that period). And you have to say that prior to Sunday's defeat for each club, the Gunners have been by far the better outfit in recent months, taking 22 points from a possible 24 compared to Villa's eight from the same amount available. It's an away win all day for me then.

If betting.betfair ambassador Lee Dixon wasn't rich already then he most certainly will be now if he backed Robin van Persie every time he tipped him to score in the last six weeks. The Dutchman scored 12 goals in that eight game sequence I alluded to above and he's now notched an incredible 18 goals in his last 17 Premier League away appearances. If he starts then he has to be backed at around the [2.2] mark in the To Score market.

Manchester City v Stoke
Match Odds: Man City [1.26], Stoke [18.0], The Draw [6.6]

One week Manchester City are the best club in the country and look certainties to win the title; the next - after one league defeat - they are under pressure and don't have the experience to win the Premier League. That was the typical view of the British media after Roberto Mancini's men lost to Chelsea nine days ago. Thankfully I didn't jump on the 'City are in decline' bandwagon and I still think they'll win the title, and this game of course.

Stoke are in fine form it has to be said but history is stacked against them here. The Potters have won their last four league games but Opta state that they haven't won five consecutive top-flight games since 1951. Throw into the mix that they've lost every Premier League fixture away to Man City without scoring a single goal then you begin to realise the massive task they face.

City meanwhile continue to be invincible at the Etihad Stadium. Mancini's men have now won 13 consecutive league fixtures on home soil, and they've averaged more than three goals per game in front of their own fans this term.

Everything points towards a few wagers in the Correct Score market in this encounter and I will cover both the 3-0 - available to back at [9.6] - and Any Unquoted ([4.0]) options. The latter will be successful if any side scores at least four goals.

Newcastle v West Brom
Match Odds: Newcastle [2.04], West Brom [4.2], The Draw [3.5]

Newcastle can be excused for not beating the likes of Man City, Man Utd or Chelsea, but losing to Norwich and then failing to beat Swansea at home is more like the Newcastle of old, and not the one that started the season so brilliantly. Magpies fans will no doubt point to a few injuries, but there isn't a football club in the country that doesn't pick up injuries to key players throughout the season; you just have to get on with it.

In the context of Newcastle's season this is a huge game for Alan Pardew's men. Win it and they'll be back on track so to speak. Fail to win and it will be no wins in six and the seeds of doubt will have been planted. Thankfully then (for Newcastle that is) they have an excellent record against Albion having - as Opta tell us - lost just one of their last 19 league fixtures against Wednesday's opponents.

But it's goals that this fixture usually throws up and I have a hunch that it will be no different this time. Opta state that the net has bulged 33 times across the last eight meetings between these two clubs so to be able to back Over 2.5 Goals at a shade under even money ([1.96]) looks the best bet of the game.

Recommended Bets

Best Bet: Back 3-0 @ [9.6] & Any Unquoted @ [4.0] Correct Scores in Man City v StokeBack Both teams to Score @ [1.69] in Wolves v Norwich
Back Arsenal @ [1.81] to beat Aston Villa
Back Robin van Persie To Score @ [2.2] or better
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ [1.96] in Newcastle v West Brom