Finding betting opportunities where the bookies odds seem misaligned with our understanding of the status quo is the cornerstone of successful punting and this weekend’s English football betting coupon presents a quartet of them.
Weekend English football tips
Manchester City to beat Arsenal @ 7/5
Charlton to beat Blackpool @ 5/4
Derby (-1) to beat Cheltenham @ 29/10
Crawley to beat Wrexham @ 15/8
Bet on the latest football odds at Betzone
Scant evidence to suggest City-Arsenal status quo has shifted so far
Manchester City beat Arsenal convincingly home and away last term in two league games that effectively ended the Gunners’ title hopes. Those two successes (both of which came by two goals or more) were their 11th and 12th league wins in a row over the north London side.
There has been little evidence in the interim to suggest that either Mikel Arteta’s men have improved enough to beat a fully wound-up City or that City have lost sufficient edge to lose a league game to last season’s silver medallists.
Arsenal did prevail on penalties when the sides clashed in the Community Shield in August but that was a third successive loss in the fixture City in a match for which Pep Guardiola routinely leaves them undercooked.
The Gunners form since hasn’t been all that fearsome. They’ve won two and drawn two of their four home league games so far and their wins against Nottingham Forest and Manchester United both required luck to be ridden. Even without influential injury absentee Kevin De Bruyne City should still have too much.
Tip: Manchester City to beat Arsenal @ 7/5
Appleton’s Addicks a different proposition under new management
The difference in Charlton since they dispensed with the services of former boss Dean Holden at the end of August and brought in Michael Appleton has been night and day.
Holden presided over four losses in the Addicks’ first five league games prior to his exit. Since then, the south London side are unbeaten in five in League One, winning the next three at home.
Wycombe and Exeter, decent opposition at this level, have been thumped 3-1 and 4-1 in the last two games at the Valley and Charlton are now the division’s joint-top home scorers. Blackpool have lost two of their four League One away games and look beatable for the rejuvenated hosts.
Tip: Charlton to beat Blackpool @ 5/4
Road-savvy Rams should give woeful Robins a Whaddon Road walloping
Cheltenham’s miserable start to the season shows little sign of abating following their midweek home loss to previously second bottom Fleetwood Town, the Robins’ 10th loss in 11 league games.
Under such circumstances the visit of Derby, who boast the second-best away record in the division and the highest away goals tally to boot is definitely not what the doctor ordered. All far of their away league wins this term have come by at least a two-goal margin.
Tip: Derby (-1) to beat Cheltenham @ 29/10
Relegation-tipped Town can continue to defy the doubters against Wrexham
Crawley Town were one of the favourites for relegation from the Football League before a ball was kicked this season, but Scott Lindsey’s men have defied expectations in style. Currently fifth in the table, they’re only three points behind table toppers Notts County.
Town have been particularly strong at the Broadfield Stadium, winning five of their six League Two assignments, so they must be a bet at nigh-on 2/1 against a Wrexham unit that still seem to be priced on hype rather than reality.
The Welsh side have drawn three and lost one of their five away games so far at this level and scored just three times. It will be a surprise if they’ll have enough to avoid defeat against bouyant hosts.
