Happy Mother's Day Service Plays Sunday 5/8/11

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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Thank you, wilheim




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GL!

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PICK 'N' ROLL

Sunday's Best NBA Bets

Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5, 188)

It has now gone from bad to worse for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It was hard to fathom it getting any worse after L.A. lost the first two games of this Western Conference semifinal series at home. But, somehow, it did just that on Friday night in Dallas. The Lakers led almost the entire way before a late-game collapse resulted in a 98-92 Mavericks’ victory.

Now trailing 3-0, if the Lakers don’t get their act together in the second halves of games this is going to be a four-game sweep of improbable proportions.

The second-half scores in the three contests are: 52-41, 42-32, and 51-41—all in favor of the Mavs. Fourth-quarter numbers are even more glaring: 25-16, 25-19, and 32-20—again, of course, all in favor of the Mavs.

As bad as L.A. has been late in games, it does not help that Phil Jackson’s crew is going up against Dirk Nowitzki, one of the best closers in the game.

After scoring 28 and 24 in Game 1 and Game 2, respectively, Nowitzki went for 32 on Friday and was borderline unguardable in the fourth quarter. He averaged 27.3 points per game in six outings against Portland and he has scored at least 20 points the last 11 time he has taken the court.

No team in the history of the NBA has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. The way these two teams are playing—especially in the pressure-packed moments—this one won’t even go to five.

“It's great we didn't panic,” Nowitzki said in his post-game interview on Friday. “They were up six late in the fourth quarter. We stuck with it. We finally got some big stops and got some shots at the offensive end. We got to go for (the sweep). We are not good enough to coast or relax. We have to go for it on Sunday with the same crowd and same hype.”

PICK: Mavericks


Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks (+3.5, 179)

Atlanta’s surprising Game 1 victory at Chicago is looking more like the aberration than the rule.

The Bulls followed the letdown with two dominant wins and have now won four of their last five games against the Hawks by double-digits. They rolled 94-76 at home and 114-81 on the road in the last two regular-season meetings before the drubbings in Game 2 on Wednesday and Game 3 on Friday.

Of course, the Bulls’ response to a loss should not come as any surprise.

During a torrid end to the regular season they recovered from a two-game slide in February to win seven of eight. They lost on March 2 then won eight in a row. They lost on March 18 then won four straight. Then they lost on March 28 and closed out the season by winning nine consecutive contests.

An angry Chicago team is not good news for the Hawks; nor is an on-fire Derrick Rose. It’s hard to imagine Rose getting even better than he has looked throughout the year, but he has done just that since receiving his MVP trophy earlier this week.

Rose went for 25 points and 10 assists in an 86-73 triumph on Wednesday; decent but modest by his standards. He then exploded in Atlanta for 44 points on 16-of-27 shooting in a 99-82 thrashing.

Teammate Kyle Korver told the Chicago Tribune: “Toward the end of the first quarter, I said on the bench, ‘This is going to be one of those nights.’

“He's playing at such a high level. I think now that all this MVP stuff is done, he doesn't have to deal with the extra hype. He can just play. He looked more poised and relaxed.”

PICK: Bulls

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ICE PICKS

Sunday's Best NHL Bet

Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (-146, 5.5)

The Detroit Red Wings are still alive, but just barely.

Facing elimination down 3-0 in the series, Detroit survived at home on Friday night by scoring a late goal in a 4-3 victory over San Jose. Of course, it has to be noted that the Red Wings blew the entirety of a 3-0 lead before Darren Helm’s lamp-lighter with 1:27 remaining broke a 3-3 tie.

The Sharks have to feel good heading back to the West Coast with a 3-1 advantage in the series and having almost staged a remarkable Game 4 comeback. They also have to like their head-to-head matchup against the Wings.

Detroit won the season’s first meeting, but San Jose had won six in a row prior to Friday’s clash. The Sharks have also won three straight at home against the Red Wings (one in March and now two in this series).

One disconcerting issue for the visitors is that they are getting schooled at their own game.

“They play a very similar style to what we're doing, so it's nothing to get frustrated over,” defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom told the Detroit News after Game 3. “They're just a little more patient than us. And they're taking benefit of the chances they're getting. We're one and done, taking a shot and then going the other way.”

Speaking of being done, that’s exactly what the Red Wings will be on Sunday.

PICK: San Jose

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

HOT LINES

Sunday's Best MLB Bets

Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners (-110, 7.5)

Few players are as hot as Seattle slugger Justin Smoak.

The former University of Georgia standout is hitting .315 with five home runs and 21 RBIs this year, but has been nearly unstoppable the past week. Over the past four games, he is 8-for-15 with a home run, three doubles and four RBIs.

“It’s been a long time, and it doesn’t happen very often,” Smoak said of his hot streak. “When you get those times, you just have to run with it.”

Not surprisingly, the team is 3-1 during his tear and is relying on him as its No. 5 hitter. Manager Eric Wedge admitted he was tempted to move him into the cleanup spot after a white hot week, but said he needs to allow the 24-year-old first baseman to continue to develop.

“He does have tremendous power,” Wedge said. “As a young hitter, he’s still getting better and will continue to get better.”

And all the Mariners need is a little pop.

The team is 8-2 over its past 10 thanks to a pitching staff that has allowed just 2.1 runs per game during that time. Mix in Smoak’s emergence as a big bat, and the Mariners have a winning recipe.

PICK: Mariners


Washington Nationals at Florida Marlins (-140, 8)

Florida appears to be finding its stride behind the plate.

The Marlins are a mere 5-5 in their past 10 games, but have seen the over go a stunning 7-2-1 during that stretch. In those games, the team is scoring an average of 5.1 runs per game. And that isn’t what the Nationals' pitching staff wants to see.

Washington has seen the over go 11-4 in their past 15 road games due to its shaky staff and taking on runs late in blowout losses.

And then there is Marlins slugger Mike Stanton, who is learning how to make in-game adjustments and become the big-league masher he was projected to be. Stanton is hitting just .232 this season, but has five home runs and 13 RBIs. The 21-year-old also is coming off a series against the St. Louis Cardinals that saw him go 6-for-19 with three home runs, three RBIs and six runs scored.

"These are the kind of games that show what type of team you are," Stanton said. "We're definitely showing we're a different team from the previous year."
And this year they are a team that kills bad pitching – just what the Nationals are bringing to town.

PICK: Over

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What Bettors Need to Know: Sunday NBA Playoff Action

Chicago Bulls at Atlanta Hawks (+3.5, 179)

THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls team that showed up for Game 3 was a lot more like the club that had cruised through the regular season with the best record in the NBA. After regaining home-court advantage with their most dominant performance yet, Derrick Rose and the Bulls have the Atlanta Hawks right where they want them heading into Game 4. The Hawks will need to go back to the drawing board and find a new way to defend Rose when they host Chicago in Game 4 on Sunday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE HAWKS: Atlanta surprised plenty of people with a relatively easy victory in Game 1. The Hawks flew into the United Center and grabbed a 103-95 victory behind 34 points from Joe Johnson. But things have not been quite as easy in the last two games, as the Bulls have rediscovered their focus on the defensive end and the Hawks have been unable to keep pace. Johnson slumped to 10 points in Friday’s Game 3, shooting 4-of-12 from the floor. The bright spot again was Jeff Teague, who has recorded over 20 points in each of the last two games while filling in at the starting point guard spot for the injured Kirk Hinrich.

ABOUT THE BULLS: A bum ankle did not appear to have any effect on Rose on Friday, as the league MVP poured in a career-high 44 points to go along with seven assists and five rebounds. After struggling with his outside shot in the first two games, Rose buried 4-of-7 3-point attempts in Game 3 and went 16-of-27 from the field overall. Chicago jumped out to a 19-point lead in the second quarter and kept it to double digits the entire second half. Atlanta drew to within 11 points in the fourth, but Rose buried a pair of 3-pointers during an 11-0 spurt to put it away.

WHO’S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Since going off for 22 points in Game 1, Jamal Crawford has totaled 18 on 5-of 17 shooting in the past two games for the Hawks. Luol Deng had a rough night on Friday, held to single digits for the first time in the playoffs when he finished with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting for the Bulls.

KEY STATISTIC: Rebounding. Chicago has dominated the boards in its two wins, building up a 105-73 advantage on the glass in the two contests combined. Joakim Noah has been the most prolific, pulling down 29 rebounds in the past two games.

LAST WORD: “I saw an energy level that, right away, I knew we were in trouble,” said Hawks coach Larry Drew, who called his first timeout just 49 seconds into the first quarter on Friday. “When you play an explosive guard like Derrick Rose, you have to make a commitment to getting back and making sure you try to keep him out of the paint. He’s too fast and too explosive.”



Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5, 188)

THE STORY: Win or start the offseason a month earlier than expected. That’s the task facing the two-time defending Los Angeles Lakers when they visit the torrid Dallas Mavericks in Sunday’s Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The Mavericks have a 3-0 lead in the series to place the Lakers in the most dire of playoff situations. Not a single team in NBA history has rallied to win a playoff series under those circumstances and the Lakers have looked more like a tired team against Dallas than one in the midst of another NBA title push. Dirk Nowitzki has dominated the series and hit the go-ahead shot in Dallas’ 98-92 victory in Game 3 on Friday.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: Although Nowitzki received ample support from reserves Jason Terry and Peja Stojakovic in Friday’s victory, the German proved that he was an unstoppable force in another Dallas triumph. Nowitzki scored 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting and made 4-of-5 3-point attempts. His basket with 1:23 to play put the Mavericks ahead to stay. Terry scored 23 points on 7-of-10 shooting in his best performance of the series and Stojakovic had 11 of his 15 points in the final quarter. The Mavericks outscored the Lakers 17-5 over the final four minutes. Point guard Jason Kidd has struggled with his shooting – he is just 8-of-26 from the field – but is averaging 8.7 assists in the three Dallas victories. Shawn Marion (1-of-7, two points) and J.J. Barea (1-of-5, four points) were not factors after playing pivotal roles in Dallas’ Game 2 victory.

ABOUT THE LAKERS: Los Angeles certainly wasn’t expecting to be in a position where its season might end on May 8. Now, the Lakers will attempt to avoid being the fifth reigning NBA champion to have been swept in a playoff series. Andrew Bynum was the Lakers’ best player in Game 3 with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kobe Bryant (17 points) and Pau Gasol (12 points) had average games. Lamar Odom moved into the starting lineup due to the one-game suspension to Ron Artest and scored 18 points. Artest will be back for Sunday’s contest. Los Angeles was 3-for-13 from 3-point range in Game 3 and is shooting a porous 19.2 percent from behind the arc in the series.

WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Nowitzki is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 70 percent from 3-point range in the series. Gasol is averaging just 13.3 points and shooting 42.9 percent from the field in the three games.

KEY STATISTIC: Dallas made 12 3-point baskets in Game 3. The Lakers have made 10 the entire series.

LAST WORD: “I might be sick in the head or crazy because I think we’re still going to win the series. I might be nuts. But win on Sunday, go back home and see if they can win in L.A.” – Bryant on the predicament facing the Lakers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

What Bettors Need to Know: Red Wings at Sharks

Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks (-146, 5.5)

THE STORY: The San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings are following the script they wrote during their Western Conference semifinal series last year. Detroit is hoping to write a different ending as they try to extend this season's matchup with a victory in Game 5 at the HP Pavilion on Sunday. Last postseason, San Jose won three straight one-goal decisions and were blown out in Game 4 before eliminating the Red Wings on home ice. The stage is set for an identical finish this time around with the exception of the fourth contest, which Detroit won by one goal Friday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, VERSUS, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE SHARKS: San Jose's quest for the first series sweep in franchise history ended with a 4-3 loss at Joe Louis Arena on Friday. The Sharks showed resiliency, however, as they battled back to forge a 3-3 tie after allowing the first three goals. Rookie Logan Couture recorded a goal and an assist while Ryane Clowe collected three assists. San Jose was outplayed for a good portion of the game and outshot in each period as it allowed 40 shots while registering 28.

ABOUT THE RED WINGS: Detroit had Joe Louis Arena rocking as it scored three times in the first 18:01 of the game to take a 3-0 lead. The crowd became deafeningly silent later on as San Jose chipped away at its deficit before tying the contest 74 seconds into the third period. But Darren Helm sent Hockeytown into a frenzy by snapping the deadlock with 1:27 remaining and helping the Red Wings stave off elimination. Captain Nicklas Lidstrom scored a pair of goals, giving him 54 during his playoff career. The first tally was his 181st postseason point, moving him ahead of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque for second among defenseman and tied him with Jaromir Jagr for 11th overall on the all-time list.

WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk recorded an assist Friday, giving him a team-leading 10 points this postseason. Lidstrom's two goals put him first on the club with four. Datsyuk and Jiri Hudler were the only Red Wings without a shot on goal in Game 4. Clowe is tied for second in the league with 12 points this postseason, one behind Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis. Clowe, Joe Pavelski and Devin Setoguchi top the Sharks with four goals apiece.

SPECIAL TEAMS: The Red Wings went 1-for-4 on the power play in Game 4 and have converted 25.8 percent (8-for-31) of their opportunities in the postseason. Detroit has a 77.5 percent success rate on the penalty kill. San Jose has scored just six goals on 40 power-play opportunities for a 15.0 percent efficiency. The Sharks also have been shorthanded 40 times, allowing nine tallies for a 77.5 percent success rate.

LAST WORD: "Well, I thought it was a real good job by you guys talking about retirement yesterday. I thought he answered that bell pretty good." - Detroit coach Mike Babcock on the media's speculation about the possible retirement of Lidstrom.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB NEWS AND NOTES
Sunday's Diamond Tips
By Judd Hall



Sunday is not only Mother’s Day, but it also signals the finales of many weekend series in Major League Baseball. Two games are going to be getting national coverage, which will focus our attention on this time around. It all starts in Arlington, where the Yankees finish up a road trip with the Rangers. Before we talk about that test, let’s focus on the primetime battle between the Braves and Phillies.

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (-135, 7.5)

The Phillies were expected to be at the top of the National League East’s standings with their deep starting pitching. Atlanta was predicted to be right behind them after making the playoffs last year. And we’re close to those predictions being prophetic as the Bravos sit just 3 ½-games behind Philadelphia.

The Braves will wrap this series up with Jair Jurrjens (3-0, 1.52) on the mound. Atlanta is cautiously optimistic about what he’s doing right now. Jurrjens has been positively fantastic in all four of his starts in 2011, going at least six innings in each effort. He’s getting quality run support out of his offense as the ‘over’ has cashed in his last three starts. While Jurrjens is just 3-3 with a 2.56 earned run average during his career versus the Phils, he did win his last start against them on July 6 2010 as a $1.25 road pup.

Philadelphia sends Cole Hamels (4-1, 2.66) to start this battle. Having guys like Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee in front of him is helping Hamels get comfortable in his own skin again, who is pitching his best since winning it all in 2008. Since getting roughed up in his first start of the year, Hamels has gone at least seven innings in five straight starts. The ‘under’ has gone 4-1 in those starts, with the run live easily getting covered in four of the outings.

Even though Hamels is pitching great this year, this is not going to be an easy win. Atlanta has been a road underdog against a lefty four times already this season. All the Braves have done in this role is going 3-1.

New York Yankees at Texas Rangers (-135, OFF)

Last year’s American League Championship Series participants certainly don’t look like they’re guaranteed anything at the moment. The Yanks are doing their best to keep Tampa Bay off of their heels in the AL East. Meanwhile, Texas could use Josh Hamilton right about now with its lack of offensive pop.

C.C. Sabathia (2-2, 2.68) is the man with the starting duties for New York’s final game of a seven-game road trip. Forgive bettors if they’re a little gun-shy for the hefty lefty on Sunday afternoon. Sabathia pitched a solid seven innings worth of work for the Yankees in Detroit last Tuesday evening, but allowed all four runs in a 4-2 loss as $1.60 road favorites (risk $160 to win $100). The Bombers did win his last start against Texas 6-5 back on April 17, but he last just 6.1 innings in that outing. Even though Sabathia gets some decent run support, the ‘under’ has cashed in two of his three road starts this year.

The Rangers will give the starting nod to Alexi Ogando (3-0, 2.17). Texas has to be pleased with Ogando’s first year in the rotation as he’s last at least six innings in each of his six starts. Plus, he’s allowed two or fewer runs in five of his six outings. Ogando, however has lost three of his last four starts this season. And there is a chance he may not be at full strength for the game with a finger blister on his throwing hand. Texas has every expectation of starting him, but don’t be shocked if they just skip his turn in the rotation and go for a game loaded with relievers. You may not see him weep too much over potentially missing the start since his only bad start of the year was at Yankee Stadium back on April 17 (6.1 IP, 5 ER). The ‘under’ is 4-2 in his six starts of 2011.

There is plenty of reason to expect Texas to be posted as a home underdog for this test. The Rangers won the only time they were in this role of the campaign, which was a 9-5 decision against Boston in the season opener. Stretch that situation out to the beginning of August of last year, and Texas is 1-6.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sunday Betting Tips: Match Fixing Rampant In Finnish Soccer

Who's Hot

NBA: Chicago is 11-4 ATS in its past 15 road games.

NBA: Dallas is 12-0-1 ATS in its past 13 games overall.

NHL: Detroit has seen the over go 8-2 in its past 10 games overall.

MLB: The Los Angeles Dodgers have seen the over go 9-1-1 in their past 11 road games.

MLB: Tampa Bay is 9-3 in its past 12 overall.

Who’s Not

NBA: Atlanta has seen the under go 8-1 in its past nine home games.4

NBA: Los Angeles is 5-11 ATS in its past 16 games overall.

NHL: San Jose is just 1-5 in its past six Sunday games.

MLB: The New York Yankees have seen the under go 9-1-3 in their past 13 overall.

MLB: Kansas City is 0-6 in its past six games against a team with a winning record.

Key Stat

10 – Goals the United States has allowed the past two games at the Ice Hockey World Championships in Slovakia. America’s most recent effort was a 4-3 loss in a penalty shootout to Canada, that saw their rivals outshoot them 52-20. The United States has the awful duo of Ty Conklin and Al Montoya between the pipes and has not been able to do much to make their lives easier in the tournament.

Injury That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

Kirk Hinrich, Atlanta Hawks: The versatile guard was essential to the Hawks in helping defend the perimeter against the Magic’s long-distance loving shooters in the first round. However, without Hinrich, in the series due to a hamstring injury, the Hawks have had virtually no answer for Bulls guard Derrick Rose. Those flaws were most exposed in Game 3 when Rose dropped 44 points on 16-of-27 shooting. Hinrich is out again on Sunday.

Game Of The Day

Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5, 188)

Notable Quotable

"Thibs has preached one game at a time. We are brain-washed. One. Game. At. A. Time. One. Game ... We were in here just focused on Game 3. We did what what we had to do to win. Obviously we had to come back here and get at least one. But we'd like to get both. And now that's we've got Game 3, we can think about Game 4.” Bulls guard Kyle Korver after his team’s dominating Game 3 win in Atlanta.

Tips And Notes

Soccer bettors beware. After a huge delay to the Finnish League season because of rampant match fixing that has led to the suspension of three-time club champion Tempere and the uncovering of millions of dollars in betting fraud, authorities have even more startling news. Plans were allegedly in place to fix matches at both the upcoming U-17 and U-20 World Cups. FIFA and Interpol officials are scheduled to make an announcement this week.

Chicago has found a way to slow down Atlanta’s stud scoring guards. By throwing multiple defensive looks – double teams, alternating hedging and switching screens, etc. – the Bulls have held Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson to subpar performances in consecutive games. The duo was so confused in Game 3 from the various looks and rotating coverage of Luol Deng, Ronnie Brewer and Keith Bogans, that they combined for only two points in the second half.

Still think Ohio State could be a steal with future odds at +1500 to win a National Championship? You might want to think again. Even if the Buckeyes get back all their suspended stars after five games, Ohio State is now investigating a car company the athletic department used to give free tickets to. Apparently several sales documents list the selling price as $0. Good luck explaining this one to the NCAA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NBA

Season
Straight Up: 840-366 (.697)
ATS: 635-622 (.505)
ATS Vary Units: 1499-1480 (.503)
Over/Under: 651-624 (.511)
Over/Under Vary Units: 782-760 (.507)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game 4, best-of-7
Chicago 90, ATLANTA 86
Western Conference Semifinals
Game 4, best-of-7
DALLAS 97, L.A. Lakers 90

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

DCI NHL

Season: 395-301 (.568)

Western Conference Semifinals
Game 5, best-of-7
Detroit vs. SAN JOSE: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Baseball Crusher
Play of the Day:

Dodgers + Mets OVER 7

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hockey Crusher
Play of the Day:

Sharks -145 over RedWings

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Basketball Crusher
Play of the Day:

Chicago Bulls -160 over Atlanta Hawks

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer Crusher
Play of the Day:

ManchesterUnited + ChelseaFC UNDER 2.5
This match is happening in England

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sportsbook Investing
Play of the Day:

Chicago Bulls -160 over Atlanta Hawks

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free Selection from Arthur Ralph Sports

637 - 482 57 % Run over 3 YEARS

Bonus Play Sun: Tampa Bay Rays -120

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Cappers Access

Mavericks
Hawks
Cubs

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Hondo

Hondo lost more ground yesterday when he missed with the Cubs, Braves, Yanks and, in the Derby, Twice the Appeal and an exacta box consis ting of Twice the Appeal, Stay Thirsty and Midnight Interlude. Victories by the Tigers and Nats pre vented the deficit from rising higher than 1,155 spahns.

Tonight, he again turns to Jurrjens to provide the lotion he needs for his continued dry spell -- 10 units on Los Bravos.

 

[patriots12]

Soccer Picks

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

If you think William and Kate’s wedding was the great British event of 2011 then think again. An estimated 600 million viewers worldwide will tune in for a game of soccer that will effectively settle the greatest league in the world… Chelsea takes on Manchester United at Old Trafford. It doesn’t get much bigger.

Manchester United (+138) vs. Chelsea (+210)

While this may be the biggest game of the season expect it to be conservative by Premier League standards, given what’s at stake.

A win for United would effectively hand them a record 19th Premier League title on Sunday, but a win for Chelsea would put them top of the table by virtue of goal difference, with two games to play.

What was meant to be a stroll for United has turned into a scramble.

And, to pile on extra pressure, United does not have a great record against Chelsea.

In 37 Premier League games between them, United have won 10 while Chelsea have won 13 and 14 have ended all-square. At Old Trafford, Chelsea have won five and tied seven of 18 in the competition. Given those stats and their superb form of late, it’s fair to say Chelsea will travel to Manchester full of confidence.

When the teams met at Stamford Bridge in March Chelsea won 2-1 to keep, what appeared at the time, faint title hopes still alive. It may prove to be a massive win.

This is the fifth meeting between the sides this season; in addition to the league game they began the season with the Community Shield at Wembley with United winning 3-1. In the recent Champions League clashes, United won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge and 2-1 at Old Trafford.

But the momentum is with Chelsea at the moment and I expect Carlo Ancelotti to have learned from Chelsea’s Champions League defeat at Old Trafford earlier this season by starting with Didier Drogba, and not Fernando Torres, in attack.

Chelsea’s key players: Florent Malouda, Frank Lampard, John Terry and others are all enjoying purple patches in form as the side have mounted the most improbable of title-charges.

Chelsea also have a secret weapon in Brazilian David Luiz, who was cup-tied when the Blues lost to United in the Champions League. Chelsea look much the stronger when he is involved – both in defense and as an additional threat at set plays.

United will no doubt have one eye on the upcoming Champions League final against Barcelona and, while this will not affect their motivation, the Blues’ hunger has been there for everyone to see in recent weeks.

They are the league’s in-form side with eight wins in their last nine games and, while it will be tense, my money’s on Chelsea to edge this one by a single goal.

Prediction: Manchester United 1-2 Chelsea (+1000)

Stoke (+400) vs Arsenal (-143)

Before the big game at Old Trafford, Arsenal have the chance to remind the two ahead of them that they are still in the race.

Mathematically, Arsenal can still win the title but that remains only a slim hope after the Gunners ended a run of three games – and two points – without a victory with their win over United last week.

But, with 30 points and 36 goals, this is a time to back the side with the best away record in the Premier League.

Arsenal need two goals two equal their record number of away goals in the Premier League and three to beat the 38 they netted on the road during the 2002-03 season. They will break at least one of these records against Stoke.

When the teams met last season at the Britannia Stadium Arsenal won 3-1 – ending a sequence of four successive losses at Stoke. But it was more memorable for the injury sustained by Aaron Ramsey in a challenge with Ryan Shawcross.

Ramsey has been mightily impressive since returning from that potentially career-ending injury and his winner against United is a symbol of that recovery and return to form.

Stoke will be without Matthew Etherington, Ricardo Fuller, Danny Higginbotham, and Mamady Sidibé as they prepare for next week’s FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Expect Arsenal, who’ve won their last four Premier League games against Stoke, to cruise to victory and finish the season on a roll.

Pick: Stoke 0-3 Arsenal (+1200)