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Sunday 31 March 2024 22:01, UK
Our tipster Jones Knows previews the weekend Premier League card as the title race hots up. Read on for his analysis and betting selections.
Football is all about timing, isn't it? And the Liverpool job just might be available at the wrong time for Roberto De Zerbi, whose stock is dropping.
I'd just love to see someone of De Zerbi's maverick nature get given a chance at a club like Liverpool as I'd like to think it's a style that would only thrive if he had better quality players to teach it to. He'll want to showcase what his teams can do at Anfield - that could lead to a bonkers match against Liverpool's deadly attack.
De Zerbi has faced Klopp four times and never lost though - his football does tend to cause Liverpool problems.
Brighton have scored 10 goals in those four meetings and registered 24 shots on target.
Although I'm not brave enough to trust Brighton to get a result just down to their lack of current ruthlessness in their attack, I do think De Zerbi's style will lead to them finding lots of situations down the flanks in behind the Liverpool full-backs. I'm liking the look of Simon Adingra's shot on target prices for Brighton, where we can get 4/5 with Sky Bet for one or more.
The Brighton recruitment wizzes have done it again with this guy - he cost just £6m two years ago and is developing at a rapid rate this season. He's had 25 shots in his last nine starts and nine of those hit the target. He scored and had two shots on target in the reverse fixture at the Amex, again showcasing how influential the wide forwards are likely to be in this game for Brighton.
Time to put some big-boy pants on for a big-boy opinion. I think Manchester City are a great bet here at 10/11 with Sky Bet.
Until I've seen Arsenal play with cool heads in a make or break game at this stage of the season, I can't trust them with my money. I've had this fear with Arsenal for most of the season and the performance in the second leg against Porto only heightened those fears. I thought they were really poor against a very limited Porto side where even William Saliba and Gabriel - their two most important players - looked very shaky and nervous.
On the evidence my eyes are telling me, City are a more mature, more ruthless and more robust team than Arsenal in these kind of a high-stakes environments.
Plus, home advantage here is massive. City are unbeaten in their last 38 games in all competitions at home (W33 D5) and they've beaten Arsenal seven times on the spin in the Premier League at the Etihad by an aggregate score of 21-4.
Also a key factor is just how strong Man City are defending set-pieces. They've conceded the fewest set-piece goals this season, just two, that's three fewer than any other team. Arsenal have scored 27 per cent of their goals via se- pieces this season, that's the third highest percentage in the Premier League. City have the organisation and aerial dominance to cut off Arsenal's key weapon. Sign me up to the home win.
