Hammers can add to Blues misery among non-televised PL clashes
Published:
Lee Gormley | March 18, 2016
In Saturday and Sunday’s non-televised Premier League clashes, the pick of the ties is Chelsea’s encounter with high-flying West Ham United, while league leaders Leicester City face a trip to Crystal Palace.
Elsewhere, Watford contest Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion meet Norwich City, Southampton tackle Liverpool and Tottenham collide with Bournemouth, so read on for Coral’s previews of each game…
Chelsea v West Ham United
- Premier League
- Saturday, March 19th
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Stamford Bridge, London
Blues battle Hammers in London derby
After suffering a Champions League exit at the hands of PSG in midweek, Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea will look to bounce back domestically, but they face a tough test against London rivals West Ham United who secured victory in the reverse clash at Upton Park.
The Blues were ousted 2-1 in that previous encounter, with Andy Carroll netting the winner, and Slaven Bilic’s Hammers are 4/1 to complete a domestic double over their opponents for the first time since 2003.
Chelsea currently sit in 10th position and have exited every other competition, so Hiddink will be expecting a strong showing from his players, who are 19/10 to win to nil and end a run of three games without success on all fronts.
Can Carroll pounce again?
After dispatching the winner in his last appearance against the Blues, towering targetman Carroll is 11/4 to strike again anytime, while fellow attacker Dimitri Payet is 10/3 for a goal of his own following a deserved call-up to Didier Deschamps’ France squad for upcoming international friendlies.
The hosts will be without feisty frontman Diego Costa for this match-up, following his red card in the FA Cup defeat to Everton, so youngster Bertrand Traore is 5/1 to score the game’s last, while Alexandre Pato is 5/4 to net anytime in his potential debut.
Crystal Palace v Leicester City
- Premier League
- Saturday, March 19th
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Selhurst Park, London
Foxes look to extend lead with Palace win
Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester are five points clear at the summit as they aim to clinch history this season, and their next obstacle is a stuttering Crystal Palace side who have actually only lost one of the last five fixture meetings.
Although, earlier in the campaign it took a Jamie Vardy strike to earn a 1-0 Foxes victory and the visitors are available at 7/5 to succeed on their travels this time around, while Palace are 19/10 to overturn a poor run with home supremacy.
Clinical marksman Vardy is 5/1 to open proceedings after doing so in the reverse match-up, having justifiably earned a recent call-up to the England squad from Roy Hodgson, while fellow inclusion Danny Drinkwater is 7/1 to net anytime.
Classy Cabaye a threat
Emmanuel Adebayor is set to lead the line for Alan Pardew’s Eagles, who are yet to win a league game this year having tasted success in only FA Cup clashes, and the former Arsenal hitman is 15/8 to dispatch anytime.
Yohan Cabaye is also a threat, especially from set-pieces, making the Frenchman 7/2 to tuck away another goal anytime on home soil. Both Yannick Bolasie and Bakary Sako are 11/4 to find the target anytime too at Selhurst Park.
Watford v Stoke City
- Premier League
- Saturday, March 19th
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- Vicarage Road
Hornets aim to sting Stoke
Watford welcome Stoke to Vicarage Road hoping to record a second successive fixture victory, having not lost to the Potters since over a decade ago in 2004, stretching back seven meetings.
The Hornets are 27/10 to prevail with three points and a clean sheet on home soil, following a comfortable 2-0 triumph in the reverse encounter at the Britannia Stadium, though Stoke are 2/1 for an away success here.
Quique Sanchez Flores’ side will hope Troy Deeney can once again produce the goods, having dispatched past Stoke in the previous meeting last year, and the menacing forward is 5/1 to strike last, while fellow attacker Odion Ighalo is evens to net anytime.
For Mark Hughes’ Potters, Marko Arnautovic is 7/4 to continue his fine form with another goal anytime, with Republic of Ireland international Jonathan Walters 2/1 to dispatch and Xherdan Shaqiri 9/1 to open the scoring.
West Bromwich Albion v Norwich City
- Premier League
- Saturday, March 19th
- Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
- The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
Baggies clash with Canaries at Hawthorns
Norwich have secured five victories from their last eight meetings with West Brom, including a 3-0 Capital One Cup coup last year, but it was this weekend’s hosts that prevailed in the previous domestic league match-up.
It was a narrow 1-0 triumph that earned three points in that clash and the Baggies are 23/10 to win without conceding once again, having secured victory by a single goal to nil in their last six games against bottom six sides.
Although, Alex Neil’s Canaries are 13/5 to rally to a first win since the second day of 2016, having dropped into the relegation zone on goal difference recently. Salomon Rondon bagged the winner in the previous Baggies fixture coup and is 5/4 to strike anytime again, while Saido Berahino is 9/2 to open the scoring.
Canaries forward Patrick Bamford could be key to survival hopes and the Chelsea-owned striker is 7/4 to dispatch anytime, with his fellow attacker Cameron Jerome 6/1 to net the game’s last goal.
Southampton v Liverpool
- Premier League
- Sunday, March 20th
- Kick-off: 13:30 GMT
- St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Saints seek strong Reds showing
Fresh after knocking out bitter rivals Manchester United from the Europa League, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will aim to continue their fine form with victory over Southampton, who the Reds thrashed 6-1 in a League Cup clash last year.
In fact, the visitors have won four of the previous six meetings with the Saints and are 9/5 to triumph in this latest match-up as part of Sunday’s action, while Ronald Koeman’s south coast side are 9/2 to prevail and both teams score.
Brazilian starlet Philippe Coutinho helped down Man Utd in Europe with a dazzling solo effort in midweek, and he is 11/4 to repeat his heroics with another goal anytime, while Daniel Sturridge is 6/1 to strike first after a strong showing in that recent triumph.
Saints frontman Graziano Pelle has endured an underwhelming campaign compared to his last and the Italian forward will look to start finding his fluency again, beginning on home soil where he is 5/4 to net anytime. Meanwhile, Irish poacher Shane Long may have a say in proceedings and is 6/1 to dispatch last.
Tottenham v Bournemouth
- Premier League
- Sunday, March 20th
- Kick-off: 16:00 GMT
- White Hart Lane, London
Spurs face Cherries in London
Following their humbling at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham can now focus solely on domestic duties and they will look to enjoy further success over Bournemouth after easing to victory in the two club’s maiden Premier League meeting last October.
Spurs are 13/8 to triumph again, with star man Harry Kane 7/2 to fire in two or more goals after his hat-trick in that previous 5-1 win, while Dele Alli is 7/4 to net anytime.
For the travelling outfit, Benik Afobe and Joshua King are 11/4 and 10/3 respectively to get on the scoresheet, with midfielder Matt Ritchie 7/1 for another goal following his first-minute opener in the last fixture clash.
Related
Coral’s top tip: Back West Ham to hammer home a victory over Chelsea at 4/1.
