Thursday, April 9, 2015

Ed Chamberlin: Manchester United are favourites to beat City on bumper weekend of sport


A sporting feast. The top five in the Premier League all live on Sky Sports this weekend, and I will be at Old Trafford for the Manchester derby.
The Masters comes from Augusta, and add the Grand National to the mix and you have the best sporting weekend of the year. 
The Sky Bet trading room must be bracing itself for the biggest turnover weekend of the year too. Bring it on.
At Augusta I'm still recovering from defeat to Kirsty Gallacher in Sky Sports'Masters Challenge, which you may have seen on Sky Sports News HQ or theSky Sports website.
I will get my revenge on Gallacher at golf's sixth major: the Well Child Ed Chamberlin Classic at Burhill on June 1.
Neville is still smarting after finishing a foot further from the pin than me, while Carragher needs his golf ball retrieved from Rae's Creek.

Watch as Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Ed Chamberlin compete in the Sky Sports Augusta ChallengeWatch as Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Ed Chamberlin compete in the Sky Sports Augusta Challenge
In the real thing Dustin Johnson will be carrying my money at 16/1 with Sky Bet, and my banker bet is Matt Kuchar to finish in the top 10. There is nothing more exciting in sport than having your fancy still in the mix on the final day at Augusta. Let's hope Dustin can do that.
Not far behind is having your runner still travelling well as they cross the Melling Road for the second time at Aintree.
Court By Surprise at 50/1 and Cause Of Causes at 16/1 are my main Grand National fancies. More on that in my 'Pinstickers' Guide to the Grand National'.
 

Man Utd vs Man City

April 12, 2015
It's a sensational weekend of sport. Mind you, Easter weekend wasn't bad either. What a thrill it was to be at the Stadium of Light for the Wear-Tyne derby.
I'm not sure I've ever heard noise like it. I've certainly never experienced a half-time before where no home fan left their seat as the celebration of Jermain Defoe's incredible goal went on and on. Thierry Henry was amazed.
It was a weekend full of sensational goals and Defoe's strike was right up there and voted by many on Sky Sports News HQ as the best of the lot. Watching it back, Martin Tyler's commentary of the goal matched the brilliance of the strike.

United are currently on fine form, and are above their bitter rivals in the league table
United are currently on fine form, and are above their bitter rivals in the league table
My main focus is Old Trafford on Super Sunday and two brilliant Premier League games. First up it's QPR against Chelsea followed by the 169th Manchester derby.
What a fascinating fixture this is with the timing of it absolutely intriguing, after Manchester United went above City in the Premier League table for the first time since November 2013 at the weekend. United are one point ahead with seven games remaining, and go into a derby above City for the first time since April 2013.
Sky Bet have Manchester United favourites at 6/4, Manchester City at 9/5 and the draw a 9/4 chance.
 

Liverpool vs Newcastle

April 13, 2015
A month or so you would have thought those prices were utter madness. However, Sky Bet having United favourites is not surprising seeing as they have all the momentum. They have won five straight Premier League games and have started to look like Manchester United again, especially at Old Trafford where they have already won a Premier League-high 40 home points. They won only 30 points at home all last season.
Man City have lost three straight away League games, culminating in defeat on Monday Night Football at Selhurst Park.

City won this fixture 3-0 at Old Trafford last season
City won this fixture 3-0 at Old Trafford last season
City's big guns aren't firing. Sergio Aguero has failed to score in his last six appearances, which almost classifies as a crisis for a striker of his quality and it is his joint worst non-scoring run in his time at the Etihad.
As the boys explained on Monday Night Football, Vincent Kompany is going through a bad spell, while Yaya Toure was immense in the final 15 minutes on Monday night at Crystal Palace. City will need him firing on all cylinders for 90 minutes at Old Trafford.
What better way to snap out of a rut than against your big rivals in the derby and it is a fixture the blue side have dominated of late. They won 1-0 in November to make it four straight wins and secure their longest winning sequence against United since 1970.

The Masters - Live

April 12, 2015
Like Sunderland last weekend in the Wear-Tyne derby, City have never won five successive league games against their neighbours. Man City have won six of last seven meetings - scoring 19 and conceding six - and that's after winning only five of the first 28 Premier League meetings.
So City have dominated recent history. United are bang in form with all the momentum. Add to that their proximity in the table and all the usual ingredients of a Manchester derby and we are set for a special day. We start on Super Sunday on Sky Sports 1 at 12.30pm. 
Then it will be in to the car to head down to London for Newcastle v Liverpool on Monday Night Football with the final round of The Masters on Sky Go. A proper sporting day. Come on Dustin!

Chamberlin is backing Dustin Johnson to be crowned Masters champion
Chamberlin is backing Dustin Johnson to be crowned Masters champion

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