English Premier
2008-03-02 - Bolton Wand. vs Liverpool
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Bolton Wanderers (17th)
Bolton would have been very disappointed if they turned on their tv sets to catch the scores from the Saturday games as Birmingham and Reading won while Wigan and Sunderland both picked up further points. This has left Bolton in 17th spot, only above Reading in 18th thanks to a superior goal difference. Bolton are 5-4-5 at home this season with 17 goals scored and 12 conceded.
Bolton may have lost 2 of their last 7 games in all competitions but they have lost their last 2 league games. Bolton have only won 1 of their last 6 league games and they have been struggling to score goals as indicated by their 6 goals scored in their last 10 games in all competitions. They have only scored 4 goals in their last 6 league games.
Bolton have not won any of their last 3 league games at home but had won their previous 4 there. They have only won 1 of their 6 home games against top half teams this season, albeit Man Utd, and they have lost 3 of those games.
Bolton have a full strength squad to choose from except for on loan Danny Guthrie.
Liverpool (5th)
Liverpool can reclaim 4th spot from Everton, even for only a couple of hours, as their Merseyside rivals will not be playing until after this game is finished. Liverpool are 6-5-2 away from Anfield this season with 14 goals scored and 8 conceded. They have the best away defensive record in the entire league so far this season.
Liverpool have won their last 2 games against Middlesbrough and Inter Milan and have only lost 1 of their last 5 games in all competitions. They have only lost 1 of their last 10 league games and are unbeaten in 3 coming into this game.
Liverpool have failed to win in any of their last 5 away games, including a draw at Luton, and they have only won 1 of their last 7 away games and that was at Derby County. Liverpool have played 6 league games at clubs in the bottom half of the table and won at Sunderland, Wigan, Newcastle and Derby but only managed a draw with Middlesbrough and a defeat at Reading.
Jamie Carragher is back in the squad after suspension but both Daniel Agger and Andriy Voronin are out.
Head to head
Liverpool have won 3 of the last 4 games with Bolton but all of those have been at Anfield. Bolton have not lost at home to Liverpool in each of the last 4 seasons and have only been defeated 1 time here in 6 meetings.
Bolton won this fixture 2-0 last season.
PREDICTION :
Bolton's lack of goals since the departure of Nicolas Anelka worries me but they seem to play well at home against Liverpool. Rafa Benitez does not have to worry about a Champions League fixture this midweek so can play his full strength team.
However they have not been convincing in recent weeks and so I will go with Bolton not to lose here.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
BOLTON WANDERERS 1-1 LIVERPOOL
Gooner’s Statistical Value Bet
BOLTON WANDERERS + 0.5 ASIAN HANDICAP
