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Back on home soil
After our European adventures over the past two matchdays, we at the Weekly JOE Group Bet have returned to English football this weekend for our next attempt at success.
Our group bets for the last two European nights have seen us enjoy mixed success, with some good efforts but – ultimately – no actual success. As such, we’re hoping our knowledge and comfort with the English game will see us through to a winning effort this time around.
Here are our selections for this week’s Weekly JOE Group Bet.
Dark Horse – Si: BTTS in Arsenal vs Southampton
Arsenal are struggling at the moment, with their embarrassing defeat to BATE Borisov still fresh in the memories of supporters. The lack of progress made by the Gunners since the departure of Arsene Wenger and appointment of Unai Emery has clearly annoyed supporters, who will have hoped for a touch more development, even in spite of the fact that the Spaniard has had little to no money to spend.
It’s a different story for Southampton though, who have improved massively since the appointment of Ralph Hassenhuttl. They remain in the bottom three of the Premier League, but are crucially just three points behind 13th-placed Crystal Palace, and will be confident of capitalising on Arsenal’s lull in mood to lift themselves out of trouble.
A victory for the visitors might be a step too far, but I definitely think they’ll bag a goal or two.
Fan Boy – Reuben: Crystal Palace to beat Leicester City
Crystal Palace have beaten Leicester City in three successive league games without conceding a goal in any of them, and I firmly believe they’ll continue this run of form at the weekend.
Roy Hodgson’s side are unbeaten in five games in all competitions since losing to Liverpool in January, while Leicester haven’t won at home since Boxing Day, meaning that Palace come into the game in significantly better form.
If Palace can get an early lead the home fans are likely to get on the back of the team and under-fire manager Claude Puel, and if that happens then I think it’ll be very hard for them to come back.
Captain Obvious – Wayne: Over 2.5 goals in Manchester United vs Liverpool
Manchester United saw their momentum under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer halted by the superiority of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last week, but were quick to return to form with their convincing defeat of Chelsea in the FA Cup.
Under the Norwegian manager they have failed to score in just one game, and they are likely to take the game to Liverpool as they did to Maurizio Sarri’s team in their win at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool are always dangerous, so I fully expect them to score at least one in this game, but with Solskjaer’s attacking ethos I think United will bag some too. Neither of these managers tell their teams to sit back, so I believe there will be goals.
The Stat Man – Matt: Luton Town to beat Coventry
Despite the departure of Nathan Jones to Stoke City, Luton Town remain the form side in League One, and have actually given themselves a decent lead at the top of the table. Since their defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on January 15, Mick Harford’s team have won six in a row, and are looking difficult to stop in the race for automatic promotion to the Championship.
Meeting them on Sunday will be Coventry, who themselves harbour outside ambitions of reaching the play-offs. They sit seven points behind sixth-placed Doncaster Rovers, but their form (two wins in 2019 so far) isn’t going to get them far. I believe Luton Town are going to win this one, convincingly.
Think we know nothing and want to pit your wits against the Football JOE group? Click here to add our selections to your betslip. You can then add your own selection(s), remove our selections (why would you do that?!), and choose your own stake.
