In-play Football Tips: PSV to take down Ajax post-break

Phillip Cocu is poised to dethrone Frank de Boer and Ajax

Michael Lintorn offers in-play insights for blockbuster Sunday triple header Liverpool v Man City, PSV v Ajax and Monaco v Paris St-Germain...

Liverpool v Man City
Sunday, 12:00
Live on Sky Sports 1

Match Odds: Liverpool 3.39/4, Man City 2.3611/8, The Draw 3.55n/a

Both sides arrive at Anfield fresh from midweek European misery, albeit tempered by fine Premier League progress, with Liverpool unbeaten in ten and Man City winning their most recent two by a 9-1 aggregate score. While that leaves the outcome uncertain, the one thing that you can usually count on when these teams collide is goals. There were 24 in their previous six showdowns.

A Man City goal trend is our focus, as in seven of their past nine Premier League games, the second goal came in the ten minutes following the opener: four times in favour of the club leading and three times a leveller. So if the first strike lands within half an hour of kick-off, it is advisable to back over 2.5 goals, with the likelihood being that a Cash Out window will open shortly afterwards.

PSV v Ajax
Sunday, 15:45
Live on Sky Sports 5

Match Odds: PSV 1.654/6, Ajax 5.59/2, The Draw 4.67/2

This encounter has the feel of a PSV title coronation, with the guys from Eindhoven 14 points clear of the reigning champs with ten matches to play. Though the initial reaction is to wonder what Ajax got so wrong, their 50-point total beats their 24-game average of 48 across their four title triumphs this decade. Instead, PSV really have been that good, dropping an exceptional eight points all season.

If you're confident in the hosts - and there is every reason to be as they won the reverse fixture 3-1 and have a faultless Eredivisie record at the Philips Stadion in 2014/15 - then beware that you are likely to find handsomer odds at half time than the pre-match 1.654/6. They haven't led at the interval in any of the last six league head-to-heads, even the ones that they ultimately bossed 4-0 and 3-1.

Monaco v Paris St-Germain
Sunday, 20:00
Live on BT Sport 1

Match Odds: Monaco 3.412/5, Paris St-Germain 2.526/4, The Draw 3.211/5

Monaco probably won't be winning the Ligue 1 title this term - even if they win both games in hand they will be five points off the pace - but Arsenal's conquerors still have substantial sway in deciding where it ends up. Lyon and Marseille are both relying on the 2013/14 runners-up for a favour after losing earlier on matchday 27, aware that a Paris St-Germain victory lifts the capital club to the top.

Helpfully for those of us trying to make sense of a rather well-matched contest, all three of their meetings since Monaco returned to the top tier in 2013 have followed an identical format. Paris St-Germain take the lead (often within ten minutes) and the principality's finest rally for a 1-1 draw. So if the visitors break the deadlock, take that as a sign that history is repeating itself and back 1-1.