UK Football is off and running, and the EPL is so keen to get back amongst it that they are kicking off Friday night UK time for the Aston Villa v Manchester United clash.
The big clash will be between the last two winners of the EPL – Chelsea and Manchester City. It will probably go the way of most big name games in the EPL – either bore draw or a 1-0 win to someone. The big clashes are very much like NYE in anticipation and delivery.
Arsenal fans have been delivered their pre-season premiership hype and early season let down and reality check earlier in the season than usual after losing 2-0 to West Ham.
Elsewhere none of the promoted sides won, with just a draw for Watford being the highlight for the new boys. They all get another chance this week, as do the other 17 teams, and we’ll try and pick a winner below.
EPL MULTI – $1 pays $38
SOUTHAMPTON to beat Everton
SWANSEA to beat Newcastle
DRAW – West Ham v Leicester
NORWICH to beat Sunderland
There’s no stuffing around in the Football League with the opening day set of fixtures and the first round of League Cup fixtures already played, and three more rounds coming up over the next 9 days. This means all teams will have played 5 games in 15 or so days to start the season, including two full midweek programmes, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.
The first round of the League Cup, which is limited to Championship and below saw many upsets amongst the 32 games. No fewer than 9 Championship sides were knocked out by lower league sides, the standout of these upsets were Brentford 0 Oxford 4 and Portsmouth continuing Derby’s recent misery with a 2-1 win. With a further 6 League One sides knocked out by League Two sides, there were 15 games where the higher placed team lost, and a few more lucky to escape on penalties or extra time.
But with a long season ahead, it is best to move onto this weekend for the upcoming highlights, and a quick review of the standout results from last weekend.
CHAMPIONSHIP
LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
ROTHERHAM 1 MILTON KEYNES 4
Milton Keynes celebrated their arrival to the Championship in fine style with a big win over one of the favourites for the drop this year. One side from League One always seems to get the bounce up the Championship and maybe it is last year’s second placed team from League One.
CHARLTON 2 QPR 0
It is always interesting to see how the relegated EPL teams go in the first week back in the Championship, and they faltered in week One against another London team who have been tipped by a few to be a dark horse this year. It was a win, a draw, and a loss for the three relegated sides in week One.
THIS WEEK’s UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
WOLVES v HULL (Sun 12pm UK / 9pm OZ)
Both teams are fancied to do well, and both had solid wins in the first round of fixtures. A 2-0 start to the year will set the season up nicely early.
MILTON KEYNES v PRESTON NORTH END (Sat 3pm UK / Sun 12am OZ)
Two promoted sides face each other early in the season which is always a good guide at the potential fortunes for the season. The focus will be on the Milton Keynes side to see if the opening day win at Rotherham means they are the surprise packets in waiting this season.
CHAMPIONSHIP MULTI – $1 pays $5.30
MIDDLESBROUGH to beat Bolton
IPSWICH TOWN to beat Sheffield Wednesday
UNDER 2.5 GOALS – Fulham v Brighton
LEAGUE ONE
LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
GILLINGHAM 4 SHEFFIELD UNITED 0
The big club and target of League One Sheffield United must have been thinking that this is the year they finally escape the third tier, but going on the opening day result, life will be tough again. Gillingham may well eye off a return to the Championship after more than a decade out if this form continues.
BURTON 2 SCUNTHORPE 1
Last year’s League Two winners started their first third tier campaign with a win over Scunthorpe. Whether the wins keeps coming, and if they do, whether they can keep a hold of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank will be interesting to watch this season.
DONCASTER 1 BURY 1
The interesting point from this game came when a freak goal was scored when Doncaster’s Forrester kicked the ball back due to a previous injury but nailed a long range goal over the keeper. As it was not intentional, Bury were allowed to walk a goal in to settle the score.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu-SlwrxRTk
THIS WEEK’s UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
SHEFFIELD UNITED v CHESTERFIELD
BRADFORD CITY v SHREWSBURY TOWN
(Both Sat 3pm UK / Sun 12am OZ)
These games will be of interest to see how two of the most fancied teams for promotion recover after their big away losses last weekend, in which both team conceded 4 goals. Bradford even led 1-0 at half time before 4 goals in 18 minutes finished their day in the second half.
LEAGUE ONE MULTI – $1 pays $34
ROCHDALE to beat Blackpool
SWINDON to beat Bury
BRADFORD to beat Shrewsbury
SOUTHEND to beat Walsall
LEAGUE TWO
LAST WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
PORTSMOUTH 3 DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 0
WYCOMBE 3 YORK CITY 0
CAMBRIDGE 3 NEWPORT COUNTY 0
Three big wins to start the season for some of the fancied sides for success, and dangerous first signs for those who are tipped to struggle.
STEVENAGE 0 NOTTS COUNTY 2
Teddy Sherringham gets a taste of what’s to come in League Two as his side are beaten at home by recently relegated Notts County. Notts County followed that up by defeating Championship side Huddersfield in the League Cup.
THIS WEEK’s UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
LEYTON ORIENT v DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
Two sides living in the shadow of the behemoth that is West Ham and their new Olympic Stadium meet on Saturday. Leyton Orient got their bid to bounce back to League One off with a win, and the Daggers who are tipped to struggle lost to Portsmouth 3-0.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE v PORTSMOUTH
Both teams had opening day wins, and both teams will fancy their chances at promotion this season. Portsmouth will need to improve on their tally of just three away wins last season if they are to get close.
LEAGUE TWO MULTI – $1 pays $40
OXFORD to beat Luton
LEYTON ORIENT to beat Dag & Red
STEVENAGE to beat Newport
WYCOMBE to beat Barnet
