The Editors' Premier League Betting Battle 2014/15: Round 3

Will Sean Dyche lead Burnley to a first win of the season?

A terrific 3.5 winning selection from Joe Dyer last week has him top of the embryonic Betting Battle leaderboard, just ahead of Dan Thomas who is also off the mark. Mike Norman and Luke Moore are still to find the target however, but round three could be their week to shine...

Joe Dyer
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.9620/21 in Burnley v Manchester United
Saturday 12:45,
Live on BT Sport 1

Do my eyes deceive me? Overs at nearly even money for Burnley's Saturday lunchtime set-to with Manchester United - I'm having some of that!

For me this is a game with goals written all over it. 

Neither side has enjoyed the early skirmishes of the season with Burnley beaten in all three competitive fixtures. Between defeats by Swansea and MK Dons, United managed to draw with Sunderland. 

That means the pressure is on in a fixture that both sides will firmly believe they can win as they strive to pull clear of the lower reaches of the Premier League.

And I don't think either defence is good enough to hold out. 

Though firmly outclassed by Chelsea in the opening game, Burnley nevertheless scored the opener there and were subsequently unlucky in defeat at Swansea. Seven changes were made to the side for Tuesday night's defeat by Sheffield Wednesday, so it's unsurprising they suffered another loss. For Burnley the season will boil down to league football and I'm expecting an energetic and determined performance against a very wobbly United. 

The visitors boast some of the finest attacking talent in club football and though the club is misfiring they clearly retain the ability to score. 

I think the market has it wrong with the price on overs - I expected closer to 1.84/5 so the 1.9420/21 is a must bet as I chase a second Battle winner. 

Joe Dyer 2014-15 P/L +15

Dan Thomas
Back Sunderland to beat QPR at 3.3512/5
Saturday, 15:00

I'm now on the board thanks to Manchester City's comfortable win over Liverpool on Monday, and it's time to build on that with a nice priced winner for week three.

It's been a tale of woe for QPR so far this season, with a home defeat to Hull followed by an abject display against Tottenham and embarrassing cup defeat at League Two Burton Albion in midweek.

Opta tell us that Harry Redknapp's charges have yet to score a league goal this season and have scored just once in their last eight Premier League games overall.

Sunderland, meanwhile, are unbeaten so far, with a 3-0 away win at Birmingham in the Capital One Cup building on two decent league performances in draws against Manchester United and West Brom. 

It's now one defeat in eight for Gus Poyet's men - and that loss was a meaningless end-of-season clash. The Mackems will be travelling to west London in confident mood and odds of around 12/5 on the away win are too good to ignore.

Dan Thomas 2014-15 P/L: -1.30

Mike Norman
Back Arsenal @ 1.845/6 to beat Leicester
Sunday, 16:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

One of the benefits of being an editor is that you get to see first hand some of the betting.betfair contributors' excellent columns that you might at other times miss for one reason or another.

This week I had the pleasure of publishing Andrew Atherley's very insightful stats preview where he outlines some strong trends ahead of Arsenal's trip to Leicester on Sunday afternoon.

In summary Andrew tells us that the Gunners have a terrific record away to bottom-half clubs, and although it's very early in the season I'm happy to class the Foxes as a bottom-half club also. Arsenal won nine and drew one of their 10 fixtures against such clubs last season, underlining their excellent record in such games.

The absence of Olivier Giroud - who was excellent in the second half at Everton last week - is a slight worry, but with Alexis Sanchez getting on the scoresheet in the Champions League in midweek I'm not too concerned.

I fancy Arsene Wenger's men to have a very good season and if that's to be the case then they have to beat newly-promoted clubs like Leicester away from home, just like they have done so regularly in the past. Thanks Andrew.

Mike Norman 2014-15 P/L: -20

Luke Moore

Back Burnley to beat Manchester United at 6.611/2
Saturday, 12:45
Live on BT Sport 1

This is one of those rare occasions where I've seen a price and wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't jump on board. Burnley haven't started badly; Chelsea was always going to be a big ask and they didn't disgrace themselves, and at Swansea the Clarets can consider themselves unlucky to not have earned a point.

Manchester United, on the other hand, are a total horror show at the moment. Even if we cast aside their showing at MK Dons, which really was traffic-stoppingly bad, there will be huge changes on Saturday. But their performance against Sunderland is probably more indicative and they were tentative, bereft of confidence and surprising in the way that no player really looked like they wanted to take responsibility. It beggars belief that people are backing them as low as 1.51/2 to win this game.

It is clear that Louis van Gaal is a brilliant coach, one of the best to ever do it, but it is going to take him time. Sean Dyche and Burnley smell blood, and I do too.

I'm not having a team, any team, at 6.611/2 to beat Manchester United at the moment and I don't care if they've just signed Angel Di Maria. I can't let this one slide and if United finally get off the mark then I'll just take it on the chin and move on.

Luke Moore 2014-15 P/L: -20

A 10 bet is placed on each selection on Betfair's Exchange. Profits are calculated before commission.

Editors 2014/15 Season P/L

1. Joe Dyer: + 15.00
2. Dan Thomas: - 1.30
3. Mike Norman: - 20.00
3. Luke Moore: - 20.00