The weekend's football betting

Their away record is appalling, three points and just two goals in a terrible return from seven trips this season. But have they finally learned how to upset their hosts? Roy Hodgson's men were able to come away from the fortresses of Anfield and Villa Park with two hard-fought

goalless draws.

The Britannia Stadium is not a place for faint hearts. Just ask Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal players. But we feel Fulham might just end up the Christmas guest from hell for Stoke today.
Our bet: Fulham (2/1 Coral, Skybet, Blue Square).

WIGAN v BLACKBURN

We might be talking about peace to all men in the next couple of weeks but the Premier League is no place for sentiment. Paul Ince is the man who has the Ghost of Christmas Future (or should that be no future) standing next to him and a trip to the JJB is never an easy assignment.

Blackburn's last win in the league was two months ago and we can't see them turning that horror run around today. Amazingly Wigan are odds-against in some places for this one and that looks too good to refuse.
Our bet: Wigan (11/10, Coral, Betfred)

CHELSEA v WEST HAM

There won't be a dry eye in the house when Franco Zola goes back to Chelsea tomorrow.

The Stamford Bridge legend - now rookie boss of West Ham - is sure to receive an emotional welcome back from the home fans. As for the visiting fans, they'll just be crying!

Zola's tenure at West Ham has been so mixed that there is a huge debate going on as to whether he is the right man for the job. We are both fans of Zola but, it has to be said, some of his team selections and substitutions have left us scratching our heads.

Zola picked a team to get a draw at Anfield and it worked perfectly, with Hayden Mullins doing what he does best in midfield by breaking up play and giving it simple. But to play Mullins again in the following game at home to Tottenham was almost lunacy. He offers no flair, no guile and no attacking threat - why should he, he is a defensive midfielder. Surely young Jack Collison would have been a much better choice. Zola also continues with the dreadfully out of form Julien Faubert on the right while playing in-form Valon Behrami out of position on the left. Lots of head shaking in Betting Boys Towers.

Still, it could be worse. Zola could be in charge of a load of 'children', just like Big Phil Scolari.

That's what the Chelsea players were labelled by former coach Avram Grant. And he's obviously right because, as we all know, you don't win anything with kids - and he didn't!

We reckon Zola will attempt to frustrate Chelsea just like he did to Liverpool. But there is one big problem. While Liverpool have struggled to score goals without Fernando Torres, Chelsea have the Premiership's top scorer Nicolas Anelka and the awesome Didier Drogba. We cannot see any way in the world that West Ham will stop Chelsea scoring and they will surely add to their record of winning the last eight encounters between these two sides.

Frank Lampard - that perennial West Ham hate figure - is sure to come in for more of the same. He'll be busting a gut to get on the scoresheet and that's where we reckon he'll be come the final whistle. So it's a thumping win for Chelsea with Lampard leading the way.
OUR BET: Frank Lampard to score first (5/1, general).
TV: Sky Sports 1, tomorrow, 4pm.

SUNDERLAND v WBA

Now that the nasty PE teacher has gone, will the Sunderland schoolboys be running hard around the pitch or will they be stopping for a ciggie behind the bike sheds?

On the evidence of the 90 minutes at Old Trafford, the departure of Roy Keane has liberated the players.

Strikers are the ones who rely on confidence more than most and Kenwyne Jones is a player who is clearly better than his current form suggests.
Our bet: Kenwyne Jones to score first (11/2 general)

MIDD'BROUGH v ARSENAL

Rumblings of discontent are never far below the surface at Arsenal these days. The ridiculous calls for Arsene Wenger's head, the terrible barracking of Emmanuel Eboue and the feeling that the Gunners are losing ground to the other members of the 'Big Four' hang heavy in the air.

Our take on all this? Oi, sort it arhht!

Most fans in this country support teams who rarely win anything - and we are no exception. And the bleating of supporters who watched their team win the Premier League just four seasons ago, leaves us in a state of shocked wonderment. All fans are fickle but Arsenal fans - as our Chief Sports Writer Oliver Holt said the other day - are rapidly turning into the most fickle of all. Arsenal are through to the last 16 in the Champions League and fourth in the league. For all our sakes Gunners fans, shut up!

Anyway, this promises to be another difficult day for poor old under-achieving Arsenal. The Gunners have recently found Middlesbrough a bit troublesome at the Riverside. Boro have won two of the last three meetings there with the other drawn.

It could be another close contest but we reckon that with Gael Clichy, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie all likely to be back in the Arsenal team, the Gunners could nick this.
OUR BET: Arsenal to win by one goal (5/2, Paddy Power).
TV: Sky Sports 1, today, 12.45pm.

POMPEY v NEWCASTLE

We wonder what will upset Joe Kinnear tomorrow? The weather? The traffic? Somebody sitting in his seat? It's bound to be something.

The short-fused Newcastle manager was sent to the stand last week after watching his side blow a two-goal lead.

There could be more red-faced fury on the way from JK Rowing here because we fancy Pompey to win this.

Patchy form runs right through the Premier League and Portsmouth are no exception. But they do have the twin goal threats of Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe plus an excellent pair of marauding full backs in Nadir Belhadj and Glen Johnson. We are big fans of both defenders in particular. With misty eye we can recall watching Johnson - playing centre-half - score a hat-trick for West Ham's youth team in a Youth Cup match against Southend at Upton Park eight years ago.

He really has come into his own this season and we reckon Pompey may have trouble holding onto him in the long term.

Newcastle haven't won in eight away games and we don't think they'll win number nine either.
OUR BET: Pompey to win (11/10, general).
TV: Sky Sports 1, tomorrow, 1.30pm.

THE ACCA

This evening's game between Spurs and Man Utd should be a cracker. We fancy United to win, so put them with Wigan, Leicester and Shrewsbury to give us a 17/1 acca with Paddy Power

PLAY OF THE DAY

Nigel Pearson is doing well bossing Leicester. Along with Leeds they are the giants of League One and, at the moment, they are

doing the business. They have won their last three and are strongly fancied to beat Carlisle today. Leicester are 11/10 (general).

LAY OF THE DAY

Bristol City were dreadful when losing to 10-man Ipswich during the week. Their recent away form is poor and they are visting in-form Sheffield Wednesday. Lay them at around 9/4 on Betfair.