LIVERPOOL drew a blank against Manchester United last week but I’m backing Jurgen Klopp’s men to beat Arsenal on Saturday night to become Christmas table-toppers.
The Gunners arrive on Merseyside a point ahead of their hosts but they lost their last big road test at Aston Villa 2 weeks ago and Liverpool look superb tea-time value at 11/8 to extend their unbeaten home league record with a massive 3 points.
Klopp rotated his players successfully midweek as they booked a Carabao Cup semi-final place by beating West Ham 5-1 and I’m willing to forgive and forget last Sunday’s goalless draw against a United side which looked more than happy to avoid defeat.
Arsenal look highly unlikely to copy those tactics tonight and Klopp proved on Wednesday that he’s likely to have plenty of options to change things if his players can’t get their noses in front.
BOURNEMOUTH had just drawn level with Luton when Tom Lockyer’s collapse caused last Saturday’s match to be abandoned and the Cherries can resume their winning form away to Nottingham Forest today.
The Tricky Trees sacked Steve Cooper in favour of Nuno Espirito Santo this week but the new boss’s players have lost 5 of their last 6 league games and they’re hosting a Bournemouth side chasing 4 straight Premier League wins for the first time.
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Andoni Iraola has masterminded the gathering of 13 points from the last 15 with 9 of those won on the road at Sheffield Utd, Crystal Palace and Manchester United and the visitors could be way too good for Forest here at a general 6/4
FULHAM should have come back down to earth after their penalty shoot-out win over Everton on Tuesday and Marco Silva’s side can build on their excellent home league form by beating Burnley at a general 4/6.
The visitors have only managed 2 wins all season but Fulham have managed successive home wins over Wolves, Forest and West Ham and they look value to make it 4 on the spin with the two-legged Carabao semi-final against Liverpool on the back-burner until next month.
Everton had won 4 league matches in a row before that penalty defeat to Fulham midweek but the Toffees look like coming unstuck away to SPURS this afternoon.
Ange Postecoglou has steered his side out of some choppy waters to swamp Newcastle and Forest in Tottenham’s last two games and the general 3/4 looks more than decent with the Spurs goals flowing again.
ROSS COUNTY could be value to beat Hibs at 9/5 after losing a 96th minute goal to Dundee last Saturday but Championship ARBROATH just beat the Staggies to the Saturday Single this week at a massive 14/5 at home to Dunfermline.
The top two in the second tier were both in action on Friday night but PARTICK THISTLE are going along nicely in third behind Raith and Dundee United and the Jags look Championship bankers at Firhill to beat Inverness at 7/10.
Duncan Ferguson’s Highland honeymoon looks to be well and truly over but the Jags have beaten Airdrie and Dunfermline either side of losing that 7-goal TV thriller at Kirkcaldy and another 3 points looks on the cards.
Saturday SINGLE
ST JOHNSTONE made it 2 in a row for the bet by winning at 12/5 last week and I’m backing Jim McIntyre’s ARBROATH to shock Dunfermline and land the hat-trick at a generous 14/5.
Weekend ACCA
Bournemouth 6/4
Fulham 4/6
Spurs 3/4
Partick 7/10
Liverpool 11/8
Four Premier League sides make the top five this week with the pre-Christmas acca paying out at 28/1 for 5 winners.
CELTIC V LIVINGSTON
Brendan Rodgers knows it’s unthinkable for Celtic to drop any more points before Rangers arrive next Saturday and the champions have to beat Livingston and win again at Dundee on Tuesday.
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The home win’s an almost unbackable 1/10 with some firms going 1/16 and despite Livingston going a goal up at Pittodrie midweek, they’re 30/1 to win and 19/2 to steal a point.
Celtic have to be thinking abut a comprehensive victory here and the Celtic win to nil at 4/7 has to be the bet for punters willing to forgive last week’s dismal showing against Hearts.
MOTHERWELL V RANGERS Sunday 12 noon Sky Sports
Rangers have closed the gap on Celtic to 2 points with a game in hand and the League Cup winners are 2/7 to keep up their renewed title challenge with a win at Motherwell.
Stuart Kettlewell’s hosts are 9/1 to stop their winless run stretching to 15 matches but last week’s showing at St Mirren suggested they’re coming back to form and I’d fancy them to score at the very least.
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The 9/2 draw’s been nibbled at with Rangers’ injury problems increasing midweek but I’ll go for both teams to score here at 19/20 with Gers the most likely winners.
DUNDEE V ABERDEEN
Dundee sent their travelling fans wild with Joe Shaughnessy’s late winner in Dingwall but it’s 8/5 each of two against the Dons with the draw priced up at 23/10.
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The visitors bounced back from what I thought was an unadventurous effort against Rangers by coming from behind to beat Livingston and a more positive effort at Dens could reap its rewards.
Bojan Miovski has become key to everything Barry Robson’s side does and one spark of magic could be enough for the away win.
HEARTS V ST MIRREN
Not many saw Hearts winning at Celtic last week but they’re back on home turf to face St Mirren and the Jambos are a general 10/11 to follow up with another 3 points.
Saints missed a penalty in last week’s goalless draw with Motherwell but they’ve looked solid enough in recent matches and I can’t see the 3/1 outsiders being rolled over in Gorgie.
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Richard Taylor and Alex Gogic will need eyes in the back of their heads to keep tabs on Lawrence Shankland but Saints could easily do enough to get a point here at 12/5.
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