La Liga Betting: Moyes' boys should be on song at El Madrigal

Atletico Madrid have been climbing up the table in recent weeks

David Moyes faces his biggest test since taking charge of Real Sociedad and Tobias Gourlay thinks he might pass it. Elsewhere, the big Madrid clubs and Barcelona should all win with something to spare

Elche v Atletico Madrid
Saturday 15:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Elche 7.87/1 Atletico 1.68/13 draw 4.03/1

Atletico Madrid have recovered a semblance of last season's title-winning form and are up to third in the table.

Diego Simeone's men have won five of their last six at home and away. The margin of victory was more than just the odd goal in 4/5.

The champions have scored only four times in their last four on the road, but Elche are a more gentle test than most they've faced so far this season.

The Martinez Valero has seen just a single home win this term (W1-D2-L3). None of the previous visitors were at Atletico's level. Sevilla were probably closest and they won 2-0.

Recommended Bet
Back Atletico Madrid -1.0 on the Asian Handicap @ 2.0621/20

Real Madrid v Celta Vigo
Saturday 19:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Real 1.11/10 Celta 30.029/1 draw 14.5n/a

Real Madrid are probably Europe's most in-form team right now.

Carlo Ancelotti's men have won 17 games in a row since mid-September. At the Bernabeu they have scored 18 goals in winning their last four La Liga home games. That includes scoring five against each of the two teams directly below Celta Vigo in the current table.

As we noted last week, Celta Vigo have been struggling for goals recently. They were blanked by Eibar last Saturday, which means it's now three games without scoring at all.

Their defensive record is much better - just three goals conceded in six matches at home and away - but they will do well to contain Bale, Benzema and Ronaldo for 90 minutes.

Recommended Bet
Back Real Madrid -2.5 on the Asian Handicap @ 2.01/1

Deportivo La Coruna v Malaga
Saturday 21:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Deportivo 3.613/5 Malaga 2.3411/8 draw 3.39/4

In the last five seasons Deportivo La Coruna have won 3/3 Liga home matches with Malaga, keeping a clean sheet in all three.

More recently, Depor have failed to score in 4/5 home and away since a 3-0 win at the Riazor over Valencia. 

Malaga, however, have kept just one clean sheet on the road this season - at Real Sociedad when they were at their nadir. 

Depor have been quite solid defensively (four clean sheets in the last six rounds of La Liga) and might be a little overpriced to win on their own patch this weekend.

The draw is a serious runner whenever a game looks likely to be low scoring - Under 2.5 Goals is trading at 1.635/8 - so we will keep that on side too.

Recommended Bet
Back Home or Draw Double Chance @ 1.84/5

Barcelona v Espanyol
Sunday 16:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Barcelona 1.11/10 Espanyol 30.029/1 draw 14.013/1

Barcelona have won the home leg of the city derby with Espanyol in each of the last five seasons. The combined score from those games is 12-0.

This time Espanyol arrive at the Camp Nou in worse away form than ever, having taken two points from 30 on the road since March.

Since Luis Enrique took charge in the summer Barca have won 5/6 at home La Liga and four of those wins came with a winning margin of at least three goals.

The visitors, who have scored just seven goals across their last 10 away games, have lost half of those matches by margins of two goals and worse. Their results at teams now in La Liga's top 10 are 1-3, 0-2 and 1-3.

There was an 0-1 aberration with Celta Vigo, but in the three other La Liga home games around that one Barca scored 14 times. With Leo Messi and Neymar in good form, and Luis Suarez desperate to break his duck, they will show their rivals no mercy and could end up winning handsomely. 

Recommended Bet
Back Any Unquoted Correct Score @ 2.3611/8

Villarreal v Real Sociedad
Sunday 18:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Villarreal 1.748/11 Sociedad 5.59/2 draw 4.03/1

Real Sociedad have not conceded a goal since David Moyes took over, keeping clean sheets in two La Liga games and a cup match.

The Basques haven't won away from home this season, but were never that bad defensively, even in the dark final days of the old regime. In total they've conceded seven times across six road games.

With Carlos Vela hitting a hat trick last week, the visiting forwards appear to have been revived by the new boss and can do their bit to help the team avoid the expected defeat at El Madrigal.  

Recommended Bet
Back Sociedad +0.5 & +1.0 on the Asian Handicap @ 2.03n/a

Granada v Valencia
Sunday 20:00 (Live on Sky Sports 5)
Granada 3.9n/a Valencia 2.1411/10 draw 3.55/2

Valencia have won 3/3 at Los Carmenes since Granada came back into La Liga. 

Los Che have scored just once across the last three rounds of the season, however, and a W2-D2-L2 away record is not strong enough to support a bet on the away win this weekend.

Granada have been thrashed at home by Real Madrid, but outside that game they have conceded just three times in five other appearances at Los Carmenes.

The problem for Joaquin Caparros is at the other end of the pitch, where his Andalusians have not scored since an opening-day win over Deportivo La Coruna. 

With both teams in poor scoring form, Under 2.5 Goals is a worthy favourite.

Recommended Bet
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.758/11

2014/15 La Liga P/L

Staked: 45.5pts
Returned: 41.46pts

P/L: -4.04pts

2013/14 P/L: +18.77pts (11.55% ROI)