English Premier
2009-04-18 - Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Stoke City
Stoke City have 36 points which leaves them 6 points clear of the relegation zone and another home win is likely to keep them in the Premier League for another season, something that would not have been expected by the 'experts' at the start of the season. Stoke have compiled a 9-9-14 record this season but the importance of their home games is shown by their 8-5-3 record at the Brittania Stadium. In those games they have scored 19 goals and conceded 14. Only Manchester United, Chelsea and Everton have won here this season in the Premier League and only 6 teams have managed to win more games at home.
The Potters are looking likely to survive as they have only lost 1 of their last 7 games in the League and they are unbeaten in their last 6 home games. They have managed to win 3 of their last 6 at home and should have perhaps beaten Newcastle United here last week. Defensively, Stoke have been impressive in recent weeks with only 2 goals conceded in their last 5 Premier League games home and away.
James Beattie will start this game after requiring stitches last weekend and Stoke will keep an unchanged side.
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn looked like they had turned a corner in their fight for survival with their late win over Tottenham Hotspurs recently, but they find themselves in 16th spot in the table, with only 4 points between them and Newcastle in the relegation zone. Blackburn are 8-10-14 in the League this season, and are 4-4-8 away from home. They have scored 17 goals in those games and conceded 31. Only those sides in the top 6 have managed to win more away games than Blackburn this season but only Stoke have conceded more goals in their away games.
Rovers have been inconsistent of late with their performances which can be indicated by their 2-2-2 record over their last 6 games. They have suffered 2 heavy defeats at Arsenal and Liverpool but managed to beat Tottenham and Fulham to keep their heads above water. They may have lost their last 2 away games (the games mentioned), but they had won their previous 2 at Fulham and Hull. Blackburn have lost 3 of their last 7 away games, but all of those were against top 4 sides.
El Hadji Diouf and Morten Gamst Pedersen are both back and available after missing the defeat at Anfield last weekend but Roque Santa Cruz, Brett Emerton and Steven Reid are all out.
Head to Head
This is their first league meeting in Stoke since 1988 but the reverse game this season ended 3-0 to Blackburn Rovers in Sam Allardyce's first game in charge.
Prediction
Stoke have built the foundation for their survival on their home form and the Brittania Stadium is something of a fortress with very few sides coming here to take home all 3 points. They will be disappointed to have not taken all 3 points last week against Newcastle and will know a win is likely going to be enough to keep them up.
Blackburn have been very difficult to beat on their travels under Allardyce but this is going to be a tough ask with injuries effecting their team. They have performed well recently against other sides near the bottom of the table away from home but they have a tendency to concede goals away and that could be a problem for them here.
I think the odds are very reasonable on Stoke here and I will play them to win. Their home form is excellent and odds are nice for a team that has won 50% of their home games against a side that has lost 50% of their away games.
The Pick :
Stoke City 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
BEST BETTING TIP :
Stoke City WIN
