[Mario]

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
12/20/2014

Manchester City vs Crystal Palace

Home - Manchester City
Last away matches - W-W-W-W-D-L

Manchester City are unbeaten in their last 8 games in all competitions and they have won 7 in a row heading into this live game to open this Premier League weekend. They have won 4 of their last 5 home games in all competitions including the last 3 in a row, although Manchester City have not won any of those games by more than a single goal. Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko are all expected to miss this game. Stevan Jovetic is doubtful too with Manuel Pellegrini suggesting he might be ruled out until the New Year last week as well as Aguero and Dzeko. Losing Sergio Aguero was a huge blow to Manchester City, but they have shown the heart and determination that still exists within the squad with three consecutive victories since then. The talismanic Argentinian is going to be missing for the next few weeks, but Manuel Pellegrini is confident his Manchester City team can keep the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table even if they have to do it with a 'false nine' in a few of those games.

Away - Crystal Palace
Last away matches - D-D-L-D-L-W

Crystal Palace have only lost 1 of their last 5 Premier League games, although the other side of the coin shows that they have only won 1 of their last 10 games. 3 of their last 4 games have ended in draws and Crystal Palace, who haven't won any of their last 5 away games, have also drawn 3 of their last 4 on their travels. Those include respectable draws at Swansea and Tottenham Hotspur in consecutive away games The side are currently 16th in the Premier League table and they are just 1 point clear of Queens Park Rangers in the relegation zone ahead of this latest round of games. Crystal Palace have a respectable 1*4*3 record away from Selhurst Park this season, scoring 10 goals and conceding 13, and they would be higher up the League table if producing more results at home.

Asian Handicap
Home - (-1.50)
Away - (+1.50)
Pick - Manchester City (-1.50)
Odds - 1.93
Stakes - 9/10
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ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
12/20/2014

Aston Villa vs Machester United

Home - Aston Villa
Last away matches - L-W-D-D-L-L

Aston Villa saw their 5 game unbeaten run come to an end with the defeat at the Hawthornes and they had won back to back games at Crystal Palace and at home against Leicester City before that. The 2*1 win over Leicester City saw Aston Villa end a 4 game run without a win at Villa Park and they are now unbeaten in 2 games here since consecutive losses against Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Kieran Richardson is suspended and won't face one of his former clubs. Alan Hutton and Tom Cleverley are also suspended, while Ashley Westwood is injured. Philippe Senderos, Nathan Baker and Joe Cole are all hoping to be available after injuries themselves.

Away - Machester United
Last away matches - W-W-L-D-L-D

Manchester United will have confidence from the 6 game winning run they are currently enjoying and the fact that their 2 away wins this season have come during this period. Prior to the wins at Arsenal and Southampton, Manchester United had lost 2 of 3 away from home in the Premier League and did need a late equaliser at West Brom to stop that being 3 straight losses. Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw and Daley Blind have been ruled out, while Angel Di Maria is not expected to return until Boxing Day. Rafael and Marcos Rojo should both be available as the injury problems begin to clear up at Old Trafford.

Asian Handicap
Home - (+1.00)
Away - (-1.00)
Pick - Machester United (-1.00)
Odds - 2.09
Stakes - 10/10
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ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
12/20/2014

Hull City vs Swansea City

Home - Hull City
Last away matches - L-D-L-L-D-D

Hull City find themselves mired in the relegation zone after 16 rounds of Premier League action. With just 13 points on the season so far, the Tigers are quickly becoming a major discussion point for the relegation debate. While we feel they will ultimately avoid that fate given the quality in their team and the experience of their manager, their form has been very worrying for their cause and has thrust them into a situation of uncertainty. The schedule does lighten up a bit for the hosts over the next few weeks, and that will be a welcome sign after being forced to play Chelsea last weekend with just 10 men for around half an hour. That match was marked in controversy, as referee Chris Foy didn’t do himself any favors by handing out 7 yellow cards and 1 red while missing a number of incidents that could have ended up being automatic send-offs. Manager Steve Bruce brought the hammer down on Foy’s head in his post-match interview but also knows that at some point his players must become accountable on the pitch. Too often the Tigers have been scored upon with relative ease this season, and the defence must tighten up against Wilfried Bony and Company if they hope to expand upon a dismal home record that has seen them pick up a league-low 6 points. It is important to note that Tom Huddlestone is suspended and will serve a 4-match ban with 5 yellow cards as well as his red last time out.

Away - Swansea City
Last away matches - L-L-D-L-L-D

Swansea City fell to a demoralizing defeat last weekend when they allowed an 89th minute goal to Tottenham’s Christian Erikson to fall to just their 2nd loss this season at home (11 competitive matches). The Swans have seen their form slip a bit since flirting with the top 4, as they have lost 3 of their last 5 Premier League games while managing to secure just 4 points during this stretch. They now sit in 9th place as a result, but at just 6 points adrift the top 4, dreams of European involvement will persist within the club. However, that will be an impossible scenario for the Swans if they don’t find a way to correct their horrendous road form, as they have lost 5 of their last 7 competitive road matches while managing to accumulate just 2 points in the process. However, they will come up against a team that has tallied the fewest points at home this season, and with striker Wilfried Bony firing on all cylinders in 2014, look for the Swans to be able to avoid defeat this Saturday. They have a full squad with no fresh injury concerns and should be able to boss most of the possession and opportunities at the KC Stadium

Asian Handicap
Home - (+0.25)
Away - (-0.25)
Pick - Swansea City (-0.25)
Odds - 2.16
Stakes - 9/10