Seeley’s Selections – Saturday’s Live Premier League Stats & Tips

Two live games on Saturday to start this penultimate weekend of the Premier League and the first offering is one that many will look at as a pretty boring one between Southampton and Aston Villa at St Mary’s, but don’t be fooled this looks a belter.

Southampton v Aston Villa, BT Sport 1, 12:45pm

This game I believe could be a real classic with two teams needing the points for differing reasons going at it full pelter.

Villa still have a slim chance of relegation, but for me, I just can’t see that. I will eat my hat if they do go down and the hosts are in that position that nobody wants to be in: within touching distance of the Europa League.

BoyleSports make the Saints’ 4/5 to win this one; a month ago I would have snapped your hands off for that price but with four successive defeats I think they can be opposed.

Ronald Koeman’s side have been rock solid at the back all season, but since Fraser Forster has been injured they’ve kept just three clean sheets in their last 11 matches and against a Villa side scoring for fun, I can see them conceding again on Saturday.

Since Tim Sherwood has arrived at Villa Park the transition has been a spectacular one. They’ve gone from a side that can’t score to one of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League in just two months.

Despite their fight for survival at the foot of the division they’ve now scored in their last seven matches and have scored 13 goals in those games. I’m confident that they will score again on Saturday.

My best bet in this one, and my banker in the whole Premier League this weekend, is the 20/23 with BoyleSports on both teams scoring.

Villa’s need for points is greater than their hosts and at the 4/1 on the away win with BoyleSports, that’s just too big for me not to get involved in.

Villa won here 3-2 last season and that was the second time they’ve won by that scoreline in their last three visits to the south coast. With both teams full of goals another 3-2 away win at 40/1 is a bet with BoyleSports.

In the first goalscorer market it’s impossible to ignore the claims of in-form Villa striker Christian Benteke. At 5/1 with BoyleSports that’s far too big about a man who has now scored 11 goals in his last 12 games.

Hopefully the Belgium international nets inside the opening 20 minutes to land the Double Bubble bonus in this one.

Seeley’s Selections:
Aston Villa To Win @ 4/1
Both Teams To Score @ 20/23
Christian Benteke First Goalscorer 5/1 (10/1)
Correct Score Villa 3-2 @ 40/1

Liverpool v Crystal Palace, 5:30, Sky Sports 1

The second live game on Saturday evening comes from Anfield where all eyes will be on one man only, yes it’s a final Anfield farewell for Glen Johnson.

No seriously, it’s the final game at Anfield for Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard when he leads his Liverpool side out for the final home match of his Liverpool career after 17 years against Crystal Palace.

The Reds’ are 40/85 with BoyleSports to win this and give Stevie G a winning send-off. They probably will get the three points, but in a a game which means very little for both sides, there are much better bets on offer than to take the short odds on a home win.

The visitors are 7/1 with BoyleSports to gatecrash the party, but with four successive defeats their season is over – they have one eye on the post-season trip to Dubai.

So how do we make any money?

You just have to back Gerrard at 13/10 with BoyleSports to score at anytime in this game in the 90-minutes.

I really would be staggered if he never got on the scoresheet.

The former England captain will take every free-kick, he will take a penalty if awarded and if they are one nil up, every one of his Liverpool teammates will be trying to play him in so he can score in front of his adoring Kop for the final time.

Take the sentimental factor out of this for a moment and he would still be a bet.

Gerrard has scored in his last two matches against QPR and Chelsea and his price isn’t much different from what it is normally for a Premier League match.

The other bet I like is Gerrard to get the last goal at 5/1 with BoyleSports.

The prices for the first goal and the last goal are exactly the same and at 5/1 I can see him netting a goal which gives the home side a comfortably home success, then Brendan Rodgers taking him off to a heroes’ reception.

With the double bubble bonus also on offer, it would be crazy not to put him in for the first as well, which is 5/1, with that boosted up to 10/1 if he did open the scoring inside 20 minutes and if they won this 1-0 with a Gerrard goal we would kop the lot.

I wouldn’t really like to have too much money on the match outcome as this could be anything, but I do fancy a few goals.

I wouldn’t rule out an entertaining finale for Stevie G and a small play on both teams to score at 5/6 with BoyleSports, and a little bit on a 3-1 Liverpool win would give you a run for your money at 10/1.

Seeley’s Selections:
Steven Gerrard Anytime Goalscorer @ 13/10
Steven Gerrard First Goalscorer @ 5/1 (10/1)
Steven Gerrard Last Goalscorer @ 5/1
Both Teams To Score – Yes @ 5/6
Correct Score Liverpool 3-1 @ 10/1

B Lucky.

Nigel