Betdaq Sports- Liverpool v West Ham, Arsenal v Bar
By Betdaq
May 18 2006
The Hammers have had an amazing season since returning to top flight football last August, finishing an admirable ninth in the Premiership, and have already qualified for next year's UEFA cup by virtue of Liverpool's guaranteed Champions' League participation
BETDAQ WEEKEND SPORTS PREVIEW 12-5-06
Welcome to the latest Exchange Views from BETDAQ. This week's edition brings you the latest news, prices and advice from our team of experts for your enjoyment including the Champions League Football, Horse Racing, as well as Boxing and Golf.
Classic trials dominate proceedings this weekend, with the totesport Derby Trial and Oaks Trial at Lingfield on Saturday, and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial taking place at Leopardstown on Sunday. The Andre Fabre-trained Linda's Lad is an interesting runner in Derby Trial at Lingfield. This son of Sadler's Wells was the winner of a Group 1 race in France last November on heavy ground and ran a nice race on his seasonal debut behind Gentleman last month.
Unfortunately, the John Oxx-trained King In Waiting will miss his intended engagement at Leoprdstown, but the powerful Aidan O'Brien yard will be well represented at both Leopardstown and Lingfield. Jim Bolger will decide on which classic his exciting colt Heliostatic will target after he runs in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown on Sunday.
With the Premiership season finished and the FIFA World Cup looming, the focus of soccer enthusiasts will turn over the coming week to the key cup competitions that remain to be decided. The most important of these takes place in Paris on Wednesday next, May 17th, when Arsenal play Barcelona in the Champions' League final.
After lengthy domestic and European campaigns, just 90 minutes separates one of these teams from being crowned kings of European football, and with some of the best talent in the sport eager to impress on this stage, it promises to be a final to remember. Ronaldinho v Henry has been singled out as the key clash, and while the performances of both players over the last year may have been the factor which set both teams apart, this encounter promises to throw up much more excitement than just the world's two best players in direct competition.
Theo Walcott, the surprise inclusion in the England World Cup, squad will not participate in the match, while Dennis Bergkamp, in his last game for the Gunners will be hoping to play some part in helping Arsenal secure a famous victory. The veteran Dutchman who turns 37 the day after the final, would dearly love to win a coveted Champions' League medal, one of few glories that have eluded him throughout his illustrious playing career.
Argentine wonder kid Lionel Messi remains a fitness doubt for the La Liga champions, he still has not fully recovered from the injury he picked up in their quarter-final victory over Chelsea. For Arsenal, looking to secure back to back European titles for English clubs, both Gael Clichy and Mathieu Flamini are struggling with injuries. They are boosted however by the return of Ashley Cole in the left back position.
Barcelona are available to back at 2.09 to win in 90 minutes and available to lay at 2.12 while you can back Arsenal at 4.30 or lay them at 4.70. The draw is available at 3.25. On the Asian Handicap market Barcelona (-0.5) are 2.05 while Arsenal (+0.5) are 1.92. There are numerous other markets available for this game which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, ITV and RTE 2.
The English domestic season concludes in Cardiff this weekend when Liverpool play West Ham United for the FA Cup final. The Hammers have had an amazing season since returning to top flight football last August, finishing an admirable ninth in the Premiership, and have already qualified for next year's UEFA cup by virtue of Liverpool's guaranteed Champions' League participation. This will be Liverpool's third cup final in 12 months and, while it may not quite match the lofty heights of Istanbul a year ago, a victory for the Reds in the Millenium Stadium on Saturday will conclude a relatively successful second term for Rafa Benitez's men.
Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso is Liverpool's only injury worry ahead of the game as he has not yet recovered from spraining his ankle at Portsmouth last weekend. West Ham will be the first team outside of the "big four" since Everton in 1995 to win the FA Cup should they be successful in this match, and with future England hopefuls Nigel Reo-Coker, Dean Ashton and Anton Ferdinand hitting top form, manager Alan Pardew has plenty to be optimistic about. At 39 years of age, West Ham striker Teddy Sheringham knows that this is almost certainly his last chance of winning silverware.
You can get with Liverpool in this game at 1.64 or lay them at 1.65 while West Ham are available to back at 6.20 or to lay at 6.70. The draw in this match which is live on BBC 1 is 4.10. On the Asian Handicap market Liverpool (-1) are 2.14 while West Ham (+1) are available at 1.86.
North of the border the domestic season will also conclude this weekend when Hearts play Gretna for the Scottish FA Cup. As with West Ham, Gretna, the Scottish second Division champions, have qualified for the UEFA Cup thanks to Hearts' second place SPL finish and their Champions' League participation. Saturday's final will cap what has been a fantasy season for the Black and White's who are now the first team from Division 2 to reach the final since a third tier was introduced in Scotland in the 1975/76 season.
Hearts who last won the Scottish Cup in 1998 are overwhelming favourites, and are available to back at 1.42 or to lay at 1.44. Gretna are backable at 12.50 or you can lay them at 14.00. The draw in this match, which is live on Sky Sports at 15:00 on Saturday, is 4.40. On the Asian Handicap market, Hearts (-1/1.5) are 1.90 while Gretna (+1/1.5) are available at 2.00.
The USPGA tour continues this week from Texas with the EDS Byron Nelson tournament. A late withdrawal by world number two Phil Mickelson, and the continued tour absence of Tiger Woods following the death of his father leaves the winner of last week's Wachovia Championship Jim Furyk as the man to beat.
The European tour this week comes from the Belfry where the British Masters takes place. Thomas Bjorn is the defending champion here in a competitive field that sees 9 of the 12 victorious European Ryder Cup team of 2004 come up against each other. Tournament odds are currently available. Former WBU, WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton is in the United States on Saturday night for his first fight since stepping up to junior Welterweight (147lbs) level. Hatton, who's impressive career spans a 40-bout unbeaten run comes up against Brooklyn Southpaw Luis Collazo and he will be hoping to walk away the newly crowned WBA junior welterweight champion.
Collazo, who is three inches taller than Hatton, also enjoys a seven inch reach range advantage, and has lost only once in his 27 match career. The world boxing association finally sanctioned the fight as an official title contest on Tuesday following an appeal from Oktay Urkal, who had been Collazo's number one challenger. Hatton, delighted by this, has set his sights high and has made a super-fight against current Werlterweight king Floyd Mayweather, ranked by many as the best pound for pound boxer in the world his number one aim. In order for this to happen however, the talented Mancunian must first overcome Collazo in Saturday night's contest which will be broadcast live from the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on Sky Box office. Luis Collazo is available to back at 5.10 or you can lay him at 6.20, while you can get with Ricky Hatton at 1.21 or lay him at 1.28. The draw in this bout is priced at 22.00. Round betting is also available.
For a chance to win £25 (€40) to bet on any of the weekend action, simply email the answer to the following question to helpdesk@betdaq.co.uk by 12 noon on Saturday.
Ricky Hatton faces his 41st fight this weekend, but how many of his previous fights has he won by Knock-Out?. Is it a) 25 b) 30, or c) 35?
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