Change of Luck Needed

Yet again apologies for no post last week but hoping that a week off might bring a change of luck as two weeks ago my predictions were distinctly poor equating to a loss of £4.50 with only four from eleven correct forecasts. These predictions did include correctly forecasting Europe winning the Ryder Cup and Wigan triumphing in the Rugby League play-offs but overall profits are down to £24 now.

This week we have a return of the premier league after the fairly dire international break for the home nations, the second round of Heineken Cup rugby, Shanghai Masters tennis and the Australian Moto GP where all is at stake is second place in the championship behind the runaway winner Jorge Lorenzo.

Starting with the football, perhaps the biggest game is the bottom of the table derby clash in Liverpool. The Reds may have new owners but after the worst start to a season for more than 50 years they could do with a win at their near neighbours who sit only one place higher than them in the league table. On the basis that a draw suits neither team that is what I am predicting in this game, as I am for the game Fulham who have drawn six of their seven games this season and host Tottenham today, and I am then going for the same result at Aston Villa who host the free-scoring defending champions Chelsea. My final prediction is for a home win at Bolton who host Stoke.

Andy Murray has had a convincing run through to the final of the Shanghai Masters tennis and will tomorrow face either Federer or Djokovic and I am going for the Scot to triumph in this tournament who ever he faces in the final.

The Australian Moto GP will take place at Phillip Island in the early hours (UK time) and I'm predicting local hero and pole sitter Casey Stoner to win and last week's GP winner Valentino Rossi to make the podium as both chase a possible second place in the championship after the withdrawl of Pedrosa.

Finally, the Heineken Cup kicked off last week with as usual a high percentage of home wins but some great games. I will stick with the trend this week by predicting Saracens to defeat Leinster at Wembley and Leicester to defeat the Scarlets but I think an away win is on the cards in Edinburgh who host Northampton and I'm predicting a win for the East Midlands team in this game.

In summary the predictions are:

Barclays Premier League Football

Bolton to beat Stoke at 6/5
Fulham to draw with Tottenham at 23/10
Aston Villa to draw with Chelsea at 13/5
Everton to draw with Liverpool at 9/4

Shanghai Masters Tennis

Murray to triumph at 6/4

Australian Moto GP

Stoner to win at 4/6
Rossi to podium at 4/7

Heineken Cup Rugby

Northampton to win at Edinburgh at 7/10
Saracens to defeat Leinster at 4/6
Leicester to beat the Scarlets at 2/9