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

Joe is keen on Downing's West Ham pulling off another win

Joe Dyer edged back into profit in midweek to assume leadership of the battle - so how does he intend to stretch his lead and which teams will the chasing pack be backing this weekend? Read on to find out...

Joe Dyer
Back West Ham @ 2.447/5 v Swansea
Sunday, 13:30
Live on Sky Sports 1

They did me a favour in midweek and I see no reason to desert West Ham now - especially not when their Match Odds price is so very tempting. 

Available to back at 2.447/5, I am very happy to have Sam Allardyce's boys fighting for me this weekend (just like fellow B.B scribe Andrew Atherley). 

The east London outfit really are the Happy Hammers at the moment and Tuesday night's win at West Brom puts them just two points off third-placed Southampton. 

While I really like Swansea and I think this will be a hard-fought, potentially very close match I also think West Ham's price is a bit, well, wrong. 

The table and current form suggest two very closely matched sides, but the difference between the home and away form of the two is stark. Swansea's six away trips have yielded just one win, while West Ham are undefeated in their last five home games with just Aston Villa stopping the Boleyn boys from taking maximum points from that run. 

So, it's a simple repeat play for me: back West Ham. Hopefully the end result will be more profit as I strive to stay ahead of the chasing pack in the battle.

Joe Dyer 2014-15 P/L +2.40

Mike Norman
Back Any Unquoted Correct Score in Man City v Everton @ 5.39/2
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports 1

When I went through a bad spell last season I pulled out a few Any Unquoted Correct Score (any side to score at least four) bets to get me back on track. I haven't been quite so lucky in the last week with my 'Goals' wagers, but here's hoping for a change of fortunes on Saturday evening.

There are signs that Manchester City are hitting top gear - they did exactly the same at this stage last season if you remember - and if that's the case then we should just back them to score plenty of goals every week. You'll get rewarded in the long run, believe me.

Manuel Pellegrini's men have now won four on the spin, but just look at their goal count in their last five outings - 2,2,3,3,4 - it's on the rise. They scored three at home to Bayern Munich, three away to high-flying Southampton, and four at Sunderland in midweek. Sergio Aguero is not only scoring goals, but he's creating them too, and David Silva could be back - at least on the bench - on Saturday.

Vincent Kompany is missing, but that's great news because it hightens the chances of Everton getting on the scoresheet, and the more the Toffees score, the more City need to beat them.

Roberto Martinez's men lost 3-1 here last season, they've already lost 6-3 at home to Chelsea this term, and I believe our wager to have a great chance of landing, everything considered.

Mike Norman 2014-15 P/L: -17.60

Luke Moore
Back Hull to beat West Brom at 2.56/4
Saturday, 15:00

I am now in the midst of a terrible run, both in this battle and elsewhere. Crystal Palace looked like they were playing against Christian Benteke alone, rather than Aston Villa midweek yet still conspired to lose at home to a side that have scored just eight goals in total this season.

Anyway, onwards and upwards as they say. Hull are in dreadful form, have won just once in their last ten league games and are only out of the drop zone on goal difference. But I'm still going to back them, chiefly because they're playing a West Brom side that I happen to believe have completely lost the plot. 

Steve Bruce's men showed something against Everton; they battled back, worked their socks off and can use that as a platform to build on. And what better way to get back on the horse than against Alan Irvine's side? According to Opta, the Baggies have never beaten the Tigers in four meetings in the top flight and, with Saido Berahino misfiring in a big way after starting the season strongly, I can't see them getting a result at the KC Stadium. Back a home win.

Luke Moore 2014-15 P/L: -44.30

Dan Thomas
Back Man City and both teams to score v Everton at 9/5 (Sportsbook)
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports 1

Doubling up on the match odds and goals markets hasn't done me any favours in the past couple of weeks, but I'm giving it one more go in an effort to stop the rot.

After a couple of iffy results, Man City look to be hitting something like their best again and they were clinical in despatching Sunderland in midweek, with that man Sergio Aguero in sparkling form.

I see nothing other than a home win against an Everton side who looked a little laboured in drawing to Hull in midweek, perhaps not surprising coming on the back, as it did, of a hard-fought win in Wolfsburg and an intense game against Tottenham last Sunday.

To boost the skinny 1.51/2 on offer in the match odds market I'm going to take a chance on the Toffees notching in defeat. City have only kept one clean sheet in their past six matches and, looking further back, Opta tell us that they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 17 Premier League encounters with Everton.

Dan Thomas 2014-15 P/L: -62.70

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: +2.40
2. Mike Norman: -17.60
3. Luke Moore: -44.30
4. Dan Thomas: -62.70