1. Olivier Giroud to score first and Arsenal to win 2-0 (25/1)
With four points from their opening three matches, Arsenal (1-1-1) are off to their worst Premier League start since 2011 and Arsene Wenger’s team will be desperate for the three points at St. James’ Park this weekend.
Monday’s draw with Liverpool will have disappointed them, with the home team having nearly 60% possession for the match but unable to find the breakthrough. It hasn’t clicked for them in front of goal so far but they have attempted a league-high 61 shots in their three games.
They also have a remarkable record against Newcastle. They have won seven straight league matches and are unbeaten in their last nine versus the Magpies. Olivier Giroud, in particular, loves playing against them. He scored twice in both fixtures last season and will fancy his chances of repeating the feat this weekend.
2. Manchester City to win both halves v Watford (13/10)
Manchester City have looked in ominous form in their opening three games and have rightly been installed as prime candidates for their third title in five years. Not only have they beaten reigning champions Chelsea in convincing fashion, they have scored eight goals without conceding.
They’ve now won a club-record nine consecutive Premier League matches and carry an eight-match home winning streak in the league. Watford, to their credit, played well in their opening game against Everton but have failed to score in their opening 277 minutes across all competitions.
3. Aston Villa to win to nil against Sunderland (15/8)
Both Aston Villa and Sunderland have looked incredibly poor so far this season. Dick Advocaat’s side were a complete mess in their opening two games and were lucky to earn a point at home to Swansea last weekend.
The Black Cats are now without a win in six straight Premier League matches and conceded three goals against League Two side Exeter City in their mid-week Capital One Cup match.
And their recent form against Aston Villa will not inspire much confidence. They have failed to score in four straight Premier League match against Villa, haven’t won at Villa Park since 2011 and are currently on a goalless streak that stands at 418 minutes.
4. Swansea and Manchester United to draw (23/10)
Manchester United have been installed as firm favourites for this weekend’s match at the Liberty Stadium but have looked less than impressive in their opening three games.
Club Brugge aside, United have looked poor up front and played out a lacklustre 0-0 draw at home to Newcastle United last time out. Swansea have earned rave reviews for their performances but they also slipped up in their last match, drawing 1-1 at struggling Sunderland.
But their recent form against United has been good, defeating the Red Devils home and away last season. Both teams will be looking to head into the international break on a high note but I think they will have to settle for a draw and this could be a good bet to add to your accumulator.
5. Stoke City v West Brom, under 1.5 goals (15/8)
Tony Pulis will take his West Brom side to his former home at the Britannia Stadium, with both sides still searching for their first Premier League win of the season.
Stoke have failed to win any of their first three league matches and West Brom have taken just one point from their opening games. Although in the Baggies’ defence, they have faced Manchester City and Chelsea and were unlucky not to nick a point of the latter.
West Brom prevailed 1-0 in their last encounter at The Hawthorns, snapping a five-match win-less run against Stoke. Both sides have only won three of their last twelve games in the Premier League and haven’t exactly set the world alight in front of goal, so I was tempted to go with a draw. But our preferred bet is that one side will emerge 1-0 winners.
Originally published Friday at 4pm
Well done Iceland …
Ronaldo seems a lot better player than Messi, over the last 18 hours anyway.
I’m supporting Iceland anyway, sure we are pretty much the same: only a C between us.
@Alan Carmody: so let’s disregard the previous 13 years then…
@Alan Carmody: the last World Cup just didn’t happen then ok
@Ruairi Doyle: ah sure it’s early days lads. I thought this was gonna be a tough one for the argies anyway, not enough respect being given to teams who achieved at the euros. Be interesting to see if Brazil are over rated again: I wouldn’t be surprised.
@James Doyle: in fairness I do think Messi is probably the best of all time, that’s why I’ve been a little disappointed with him at world cups. I think most have
@Alan Carmody: he carried them to the final last time
@Ruairi Doyle: ditto Ronaldo in the euros.
@James Doyle: the last 13 years where Ronaldo has more champions leagues and international tournaments won and the same amount of ballon dors is it?
@Alan Carmody: Ronaldo did not carry them stop saying that
Ronaldo is no.1 no arguments
@Daire Cullinane: plenty. As in, he’s not. Not even close. Messi may have missed a penalty but he was far better in play than Ronaldo was.
@Daire Cullinane: Euro 2016 1st game: Iceland 1-1 Portugal. Ronaldo didn’t score…..
DIARMUID CONNOLLY
The best
@James Doyle: Ara shtop. That’s mad reasoning.
@COYBIG: Sour grapes if you want to compare 2 years ago Ronaldo lifted the European cup while Messi cried and quit the national team a long way to go in this Spain lost their first match on 2010 and still lifted the cup and Portugal drew with Iceland 1-1 and lifted the cup Ronaldo ahead now but we will see at the end
@Daire Cullinane: When did you start watching football? Yesterday?
@Jim: Btw it shows how far the world cup has fallen in prestige when so far this one is all about the egos of 2 men
@Shawn Rahoon: Ronaldo has been better the last few years won the last 2 balon dors and should make it 3 in a row
@Jim: hardly deserves the ballon dor this year you’re actually ridiculous
@Ruairi Doyle: Nonsense
@Fineen MacCarthy: The 42 BBC Rte should be included in your list of clowns as they have played up their rivilary big time
@James Doyle: Ronaldo was a lot sharper v Spain under a lot more pressure with not as good players and not even to mention the difference in opposition , you are delusional
Messi, trying to create and finish all game, the entire burden of Argentina on his shoulders.
He’s not great at penalties though. Seems to miss as many as he scores. He has one weakness compared to Ronaldo, and that’s that he knows the game isn’t about him. He feels the pressure. Ronaldo sees the opportunity to be a hero, Messi feels the pressure to be one.
@James Doyle: clean up your shite on the way out will ya
@James Doyle: it’s like a different psychological approach, Messi is a kind of mindful, meditative player while Ronaldo thrives on pressure. Ronaldo is much more effective as an international though where I think psychological pressure is higher on individual players, Ronaldo is undisputed king of Portugal whereas Messi is just Argentina’s minister for transport when he should be God. All could change though but at the moment Argentina are like a date with an Instagram model: great on paper but frequently dull and disappointing in actuality.
Great result for the Icelandics.
Up the Dubs
@Michael Latimer: Ciarraí Abú
That’s Gas !!!
@Michael Latimer: Had to give you a thumbs up for that one… and from a Mayo man as well!
Definitely should have had a second penalty. In saying Iceland were very organised and we’ll drilled as always
Messi is a great player no argument but if you consider the last few years, Ronaldo is the greatest. He gets the goals that have provided success for both club and country.
@Tony Boyle: tap-ins and penalties. Messi far better as a footballer
@Ruairi Doyle: some tap-in last night to draw the game
@Daniel O’Mahony: yeah his first free kick in about three years,let’s think about the first two goals shall we
Am I the only one that thought Messi was brilliant today? He was quality on the ball as usual. Penalty aside.
Messi and Ronaldo are two different players now. Ronaldo has been converted into a centre forward. His only job is to stay up and score goals. Messi is still the creator as well as the goal scorer for both club and country and is much more involved in the play than Ronaldo is.
@Ciaran Rice: he didn’t create or score a go today where ronaldo did both yday and on more than 1 occasion too and against Spain no less
@Jim: goal*
@Jim: what did Ronaldo create you little troll
@Ruairi Doyle: He won the penality he converted and won the free kick that he also converted
@Jim: you misspelled dive
@Jim: I never said Ronaldo doesn’t create anything. Ronaldo is the focal point of Portugal and Real Madrid’s attack’s. He sounds much of his time in the oppositions box as he is now an out and out striker like Lewandowski. Messi is the architect of his teams. Everything they do goes through him, he has two roles. Creator and goalscorer and tracks back as well as taking the ball from deep.
Im not saying one is better than the other. People on here are using the fact that Ronaldo scored a hat trick v Spain as a reason for Ronaldo being better than Messi which is daft.
Go on Iceland fair play to ye, just love it when the undetdog gets an unexpected result.
why does Messi take penalties? bbc said he has missed 24% of penalties for Barcelona. Aguero should have taken it.
Good result for Iceland but Argentina are dodgy looking at the back. Icelands set pieces wer’nt great and they should’ve troubled the Argies more
Waiting for a “football genius” to make the observation that Messi has never won the euros!
Messi has often been compared to Pele and Maradona. On the other hand Ronaldo…..
@Shawn Rahoon: Ronaldo’s basically Aumbameyang with a higher goal rate
LOL
Split Iceland in two!!!!
King Pog
@Crpytoalchol: give it a rest
MESSI = G.O.A.T.
@conex: if that display today qualifies as goat then fair enough, woeful display he tried to do everything himself and his teammates stood by and did fk all. Far from a contending team
delighted for Iceland – what a debut for them. Argentina were certainly disapointing sure but it should not take away from Argentina
The butthurt Messi fans running on to defend him are hilarious if you’d really think he is better than Ronaldo then yous shouldn’t need to defend him after just 1 poor performance looks like yous are trying to convince yourselfs he’s better than Ronaldo
@Jim: all the Ronaldo fans running on to convince people that Messi’s shite
@Ruairi Doyle: Don’t think anyone in their right mind would say Messi is shite but the fact is that he hasn’t performed on the top stage in many years now he derserves the same criticism as others but he seems to be immune from it if Ronaldo has performed in Europe the way Messi in the last few years the book would be thrown at him and there would be calls from him to retire
@Jim: for him*
Would it be too much to trouble to print the first nail score?
@owentighe: *final score. Excuse my fat fingers!!!!
The Argies didn’t like the argie bargie then it could argued!
how can the world get rid of noel king and eamonn dunphy..