Carlos Bacca guarantees goals
Betfair Live Video delivers you Christmas presents from all over the globe this weekend, we start in Melbourne, then we're off to the Netherlands, hop over the border to Belgium and finally end on the shores of the Black sea, the reindeer will be exhausted...
Melbourne Heart vs Melbourne Victory
Saturday 08:45
Early start for us but it's a Saturday night derby in Melbourne as the Heart take on Victory, it should be rocking inside the AAMI Park as these two cross town rivals face off. This city lives for sport and when these two met on the opening day of the season the atmosphere was one of the best the A-league had ever witnessed. The Heart took the points that day in a hard fought match that ended 2-1 but it's been far from plain sailing since then, they have only picked up nine points in the ten games since. John Aloisi is a legend in Australian football but in his first year as a senior manager he's finding it hard to find the winning formula.
Victory are doing a bit better but their defence has been letting them down, they are currently shipping on average two goals a game and although they sit third in the league oddly they have a negative goal difference. With an eight point gap to second it's unlikely they will get near contention for the final series but revenge in the derby should give them huge motivation in this one. Kiwi winger Marco Rojas has been the standout player for Victory, short and fast he's a nightmare to mark and he's already bagged six goals this campaign.
Heart have only lost once in their last eleven at their place but this is not your average home game, they'll find it tough up against their big rivals who will be determined not to let down their fans again. Victory have a woeful defence but Heart may be unable to capitalise as they lack a genuine goal threat, this inability to score may cost them the game.
Recommended Bet: Victory for Victory @ 2.35/4
Utrecht vs Ajax
Sunday 11:30
Betfair Live Video passes you the dutchie for your Sunday elevenses as surprise package Ultrecht host giants Ajax at the Stadion Galgenwaard.
Utrecht have exceeded expectations so far this season, they're sixth in the league and firmly in the running for at least a Europa League playoff spot. They've done nothing unusual but they are winning more than they're loosing and that's mainly down to having an established strike duo that can be relied upon, a Zambian and a Swede; Jacob Mulenga and Alexander Gernd, they start every game and contribute the majority of the teams' goals.
Ajax are looking good, after an average start they have refocused and a couple of weeks ago they got a massive morale boosting victory over title rivals PSV. They'll come into this match expecting to gain their seventh Eredivisie win on the trot. The Amsterdammers are unbeaten away from home so far this year and with a plus ten goal difference in those games it look ominous for Ultrecht. It's in the midfield where they strangle teams, with De Jong, Erikson and Schone they totally control the tempo and they will have the majority of the possession again on Sunday.
Ajax are of course strong favourites and are in rude health but they will also be the more tired of the two sides after the away win over Groningen in the Cup on Thursday night. This'll be closer than most expect.
Recommended Bet:
Ajax to win 1-0 @ 109/1
Ajax to win 2-1 @ 8.88/1
Standard Lige vs Club Brugge
Sunday 13:30
Another big game for you from the Jupiler League this Sunday as fourth placed Club Brugge travel East to take on third placed Standard Liege. Only goal difference separate these two and both teams are in great form, it should be a corker.
Since Standard instated Mircea Rednic as coach they have gone from strength to strength with their home form being particularly impressive. A major plus has been their stingy defence that has only conceded nine goals on their patch thus far. In the last five matches at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne they have been winning at both halftime and full time and that included a victory over top of the table Anderlecht. After a six-goal haul over Charleroi last time out they will be full of confidence in front of their own supporters. Their main goal threat comes from Imoh Ezekiel, he's already in double figures for the season and his pace should trouble the Brugge defence.
Club Brugge will also be confident; they just can't stop scoring, they've hit the net thirteen times in their last two away games. It helps to have the most dangerous striker in the land; the Colombian Carlos Bacca is averaging over a goal a game. Refaelov and Lestienne are also weighing in with goals and Brugge seem to be the most dangerous attacking force in the league this year. At the back though they are weak, don't expect them to keep a clean sheet on Sunday. Boss George Leekens is looking to sign Junior Malanda from Zutle Waregem in January to try and add protection to his back four but that won't help them against Standard this weekend.
Whatever the outcome this game promises a lot of goals.
Recommended Bet: Over 4.5 Goals @ 5.14/1
Trabzonspor vs Galatasaray
Sunday 17:00
The latest installment of Galatasaray's charge for the SuperLig crown, after a huge win over arch rivals Fenerbache last weekend this Sunday they face another tough test as they visit Trabzonspor.
Gala are on fire, they now have a five point cushion at the top and in Bulut and Yilmaz they seem to have a strike force that can lead them to glory. Away from home they've been solid with only one loss from eight but this Sunday they may face their hardest challenge yet, the last time they played in Trabzon they were turned over and conceded four.
Trabzonspor though are under performing, after finishing third last year they currently sit down in eight, with the league still so congested a couple of wins could seem them rocket up the table but to do so they'll need to find some inventiveness up front. They seriously lack goals, they've only managed nineteen compared to Gala's thirty four. But their defence is steadfast, the best in the league conceding under a goal a game.
Pay special attention to the clock in this one, turn up the volume after an hour, due to the Trabzon area code being 61 in the sixty first minute of every home game the Trabzonspor fans raise the roof, a spectacle not to be missed. This should prove to be a tricky fixture for the champions, expect them to be held to a draw by a stubborn Trabzonsor side.
Recommended Bet: Draw @ 3.55/2
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