Charlie McCann's Weekend Preview

With City, Liverpool and Spurs in action later in the day Aston Villa can climb into a Champions League slot, albeit briefly, with a convincing win against Burnley on Sunday. The fixture at Turf Moor finished 1-1 back in November but since that date the Clarets have only won one of their 12 subsequent League fixtures and look a bet at 8/11 with Stan James to be relegated this season. 

Villa are a prohibitive 4/11 to gain their first League win of the year at Villa Park with the Lancashire visitors 8/1 and the draw at 7/2. With two vital Cup games on the horizon some might argue that the game means more to Burnley than to Villa, but I don't subscribe to that and Villa h/t & f/t at 10/11 looks the ticket.

I suggested earlier that Villa could go 4th in the table for a period on Sunday but who will end up in the final Champions League slot at the end of the season?

Stan James Outright Market:

• Liverpool  7/4
• Man City  9/4
• Aston Villa  5/1
• Arsenal  15/2
• Tottenham       17/2
• Everton  40/1
• Man Utd  66/1
• Chelsea  66/1
• Birmingham   100/1

   
Villa are 5/1 2nd favs behind Chelsea (5/4) for the 2010 FA Cup ahead of their midweek replay with a spirited Palace side who had their limitations exposed by Reading midweek. The Blues are 12/1 to lift the Trophy at Wembley in May with the Baggies 33/1.

The Blues (13/5) travel to Craven Cottage tomorrow looking for the double over the London club. Fulham (far too short at 11/10) haven't conceded in their last three Premier League fixtures and are always a handful on the banks of the Thames, but their Europa League tie hangs in the balance and they face a difficult trip to Ukraine next week.  The result at Pride Park last weekend was typical of the resilience, fortitude and spirit at St Andrews and I can't see them leaving the capital without at least a point. A share of the spoils is 9/4 with 1-0 to Blues at 8's and Lee Bowyer to get the only goal of the game at 62/1.

The two big games in the Premier League this weekend see the Merseyside & Manchester Clubs go head-to- head and we have a couple of specials ahead of the games:

Once a Blue, always a Blue?

• Rooney to score against Everton and celebrate by kissing his badge! 10/1

How many goals will Rooney score against Everton?

• 0 - 8/13
• 1 - 9/4
• 2 - 11/2
• 3 or more - 20/1

Rooney and Saha both to score against their previous clubs?

• Yes - 7/1

Liverpool v Manchester: Who will score the most goals this weekend?

• Liverpool & Everton 3/1
• Draw 7/2
• Man United & Man City 1/2

 
Baggies are 6/4 for the Championship behind Newcastle at 4/5 with Forest out to 4s and 50/1 Bar the trio. Albion are also in action tomorrow live on BBC 1 as long as they've found Archie Mitchell's killer. Sean Slater is the favourite going into tonight's live show with gambles also on Peggy, Grant and Ben.

Bristol City are without a win in their last seven but have only lost two at home this campaign (one of them was 6-0 to Cardiff!) but this is a game that Baggies can win and Evens looks a realistic price. Bristol City are 5/2 and the draw is a 9/4 shot. We have an enhanced treble of 10/1 for Villa, Blues and Baggies to all win their respective fixtures this weekend.

Wolves are Evens to be relegated and 10/1 to get the points against leaders Chelsea (3/10) today with the draw priced at 4/1. Chelsea are a shade of odds on at 5/6 to regain the Premier League crown with United 5/4 and Arsenal 8/1. Chelsea will have to do what Liverpool and Spurs couldn't do in recent weeks to get the points and breech the Wolves defence at Molineux and the game looks sure to be a lot closer than the betting would suggest.

Saddlers will be looking to build on Tuesday's win at Elland Road at home to Brentford who are one place and two points behind them in Div 1. Saddlers are 6/5 with the Bees 2/1 and the draw at 9/4.

England are in Twenty20 action in Dubai against Pakistan today in the 2nd of 2 Twenty20 games; check out Stan James for details. My friend's son bowled at Kevin Pietersen in the nets midweek and bowled him through the gate first ball. It would be fair to say that KP wasn't best pleased!! 

The 2010 John Smith's Grand National weights were announced midweek in London. I've backed the Evan Williams trained State Of Play who finished 4th in the corresponding race last year and who has a decent pull with Mon Mome. There are National Trials on both sides of the Irish Sea this weekend but the nap is at Ascot where I expect Planet Of Sound to reverse form with Albertas Run in the Ascot Chase.

We will have a competition to win tickets for the 2010 Cheltenham Gold Cup next week so look out for that if you want to go and see Denman v Kauto Star; the decider.