Weekend Talking Points: Unai’s at the wheel as Ronnie racks up 1,000
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Round-up of the weekend’s sporting action
From Ronnie O’Sullivan’s quest to make 1,000 century breaks, to Tottenham Hotspur’s slip-up at Southampton and England’s success in the West Indies, it’s been a busy weekend of sport.
Have you been following it all? No worries if you haven’t, because we’ve rounded it all up in our five weekend talking points.
Spurs surrender ground in the top-four race
One month ago Spurs were being talked up as serious title contenders. Three defeats and a draw later in the Premier League and they’re looking over their shoulders in the race for the top-four.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have been pushed out from 1/8 four weeks ago to 8/13 for a Champions League spot, as a result. While their title odds have drifted from 20/1 to 500/1 after defeat to Southampton.
The North Londoners may be in the quarter-final of the CL this term, but any further slip-ups could prove fatal in their quest to be at Europe’s top table next term.
Unai’s at the wheel at the Emirates
Tottenham’s mishap on the South Coast has left the door open for the chasing pack. Arsenal were the first side to take advantage following their 2-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates.
Unai Emery’s men are now 5/6 second-favourites behind their neighbours to break into the top-four this season; and with good reason. The Gunners no longer have any of the top-six left to play.
They also boast a strike partnership in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette which is going from strength-to-strength. Rivals Chelsea (10/11) and United (13/10) will do well to keep up.
Jack’s the Greal Deal in Second City derby
Jack Grealish had the last laugh in the Second City derby between Aston Villa and Birmingham City. The hometown boy shrugged off an early unsavoury incident to net the winning goal midway through the second-half for Dean Smith’s men.
Those three points could be crucial in the race for the Championship play-offs. The Villans are now four points off Derby County in sixth with 10 games left to play.
The Coral traders go 9/2 about them making the top-six.
Ronnie rockets to 1,000 career centuries
Sport is full of landmark moments. Think AP McCoy riding 4,000 winners, Roger Federer winning 100 tour titles or Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries. Now you can add O’Sullivan’s 1,000 century breaks to the list.
The Rocket racked up the milestone in the winning frame of his Coral Players Championship victory over Neil Robertson in the second event of the Coral Cup.
Delighted to win the Players Championship tonight in Preston and buzzing to have made my 1,000th century in the final frame ? Thanks to all my fans for the support. Hard luck to my fellow Aussie @nr147 a class act and an even better human ?? pic.twitter.com/wzxNoJ1rqO
— Ronnie O’Sullivan (@ronnieo147) March 10, 2019
England complete T20 series whitewash
It’s been a good weekend for England in the West Indies. Joe Root and co. followed up Friday’s 137-run victory with another convincing display on Sunday – this time winning by eight wickets in St Kitts.
That wrapped up a 3-0 T20 series whitewash for the tourists, who had been beaten 2-1 in the Test Series and drawn the ODI series 2-2. Attention must now turn to the ICC World Cup, for which England are now 9/4 favourites to win on home soil.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
