STEVEOCN

Chelsea came from behind to draw 2-2 with Aston Villa last Saturday night and their last home game against Spurs ended in the same scoreline. The Blues beat Everton and Manchester United at home and I fancy this will be an entertaining fixture at the Bridge with both sides going for it, the play is the draw on Thursday night.

The last eight away games for Everton have ended in four draws and four defeats and although they have won three in a row before this meeting with Luton they were however beaten twice this season by The Hatters. Everton are all but safe, Luton need a result, I fancy they cancel each other out at Kenilworth Road for a point a piece.

The Gunners are looking to stay in the title race and they have the chance to move top of the table with a home win against Bournemouth. The Cherries lost 4-0 at home to Arsenal and have lost four in a row against the North London side, I fancy Arteta’s men turn on the style at home.

The last four head to head were two Fulham wins and two Brentford wins and I fancy this fixture is due to finish as a draw. Three draws in six for Brentford, Fulham drew 1-1 last March with Crystal Palace and I am siding with a share of the spoils in what looks like it could be a tight affair.

The Toon Army have won the last three head to head matches with Burnley and with all the pressure on The Clarets I fancy Eddie Howe’s side pick them off at Turf Moor. United have beaten Sheffield United 5-1 and Spurs 4-0 in recent games and I can see them going to Burnley and winning.

Three of the last five head to head meetings ended in draws with the other two being tight 2-1 scorelines. The Blades won’t want to lose either of their last two home games and with Forest fighting for their lives I fancy both score at Bramall Lane end it ends in a share of the spoils.

Leinster and Northampton haven’t faced off since 2020 and the last six head to head matches have all gone the way of the Irish Provence. Leinster have reached the final the last two years in Europe and I fancy they will totally outclass Northampton at Croke Park.

Four straight home defeats for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bournemouth won 1-0 at Molineux last time out. Six wins in the last seven for Manchester City against Wolves and I fancy the Champions take another step towards retaining their Premier League crown by beating Wolves at the Etihad.

From 2014 to 2017 the Frenchman finished no worse than 25th at the Genzon venue and he won on this course in 2014. Four straight top ten finishes for Levy on the Challenge Tour, he was runner up in Abu Dhabi and then tied for 9th in the UAE Challenge last week. 29th at the Jonsson Workwear Open on his last DP World Tour start and I fancy back on a course that he ticks a lot of boxes on it, Alex Levy is one to watch this week in China.

16th in Bahrain and Singapore and 24th last week in the ISPS Handa Championship, the Austrian finished with rounds of 66-67-68 in Japan and I fancy he will go well this week in China. Bernd Wiesberger won on this course back in 2017 and was tied 14th on his next visit to Genzon two years later. Bernd Wiesberger’s game hasn’t looked too far away and I am siding with a big four days at Hidden Grace Golf Club.

17th in Saudi Arabia and then 18th last week in Japan at the ISPS Handa Championship, I fancy Li Haotong will be looking forward to returning to his homeland this week in the Volvo China Open. In 2016 he won this event and at this weeks venue he has three top five finishes, I am siding with Haotong playing his way into contention.

The South African hasn’t missed a cut since the end of September last year and he was tied 3rd in his homeland at the Limpopo Championship two starts ago. 36th last week doesn’t tell the real story as Jacques Kruyswijk opened with rounds of 68-66 and just didn’t hole anything of real importance over the weekend to finish a few shots outside the top ten. Kruyswijk is a quality ball striker and I fancy he will put four good days today in the Volvo China Open to feature coming down the stretch on Sunday.

The American has had a couple of big weeks in Texas finishing second in Houston and fourth in the Valero Texas Open down the years. 6th at the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year at Torrey Pines, I fancy Beau Hossler will have another good week in the Lonestar State, I feel he ticks a lot of boxes around a course like TPC Craig Ranch.

Tied 14th at the Houston Open at the end of March and he is a former winner at TPC San Antonio on the Korn Ferry Tour and he has had posted top ten finishes at the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Byron Nelson in recent years. 9th two years ago at TPC Craig Ranch, I fancy Davis Riley is a sleeper pick this week at a triple figure price.

Tied 9th last month at the Valspar Championship and tied 4th at the Cognizant Classic in March, the Korean has been in good form over his last half dozen starts. Kyoung Hoon Lee has won around TPC Craig Ranch in 2021 and 2022 and I fancy back in Texas this week that it's horses for courses and KH Lee plays his way into contention.

Tied 14th twelve months ago at the Byron Nelson and the Canadian has been playing nicely over the last couple of months. 30th at the Arnold Palmer, 26th in The Players and 3rd at the Valspar Championship, Mackenzie Hughes was 14th in Houston and I fancy he goes well this week at the Byron Nelson.

The Pistol has won three times this season at the Champion of Champions, the Snooker Shootout and the Players Championship and I fancy being in the top half of the draw makes the Northern Irishman a serious contender in Sheffield. He equalled his best record twelve months ago reaching the semi finals at The Crucible and it was his second time in the last four, I am siding with the Antrim man going all the way to the final this year after what’s been another strong season for the world number three.

The Rocket is after a special triple crown treble and with the UK Championship and Masters trophies already in his cabinet this season but fancy Ronnie can make history at The Crucible. O’Sullivan is a seven time winner in Sheffield and I am siding with the world number one being the man to beat in this years World Championship.

The Welshman was beaten in the final of last years Premier League extravaganza by Michael van Gerwen and he is a ruthless matchplayer who will surely enjoy the new nightly format in this years league. I fancy Gerwyn Price will go all the way to the finals night and lift the Premier League crown.

Voltage got to the semi finals of the World Championship in January and he ended 2023 looking like he was back to his best. In 2019 the Englishman reached the final of the Premier League losing out to MVG and I fancy the new format can see Rob Cross go all the way to the finals night.

Michael Smith won the 2023 World Championship and after a quiet season by his standards leading up to his defence, I fancy we see Bully Boy bounce back in style this year at The Ally Pally. Runner up in 2022, I am siding with the St Helens man going all the way to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy for a second time.

Rob Cross was a beaten semi finalist twelve months ago at the Ally Pally in London and he is a former world champion lifting the Sid Waddell trophy back in 2018. The Englishman tends to produce his best towards the back end of the year at the Grand Slam and Worlds and I fancy Voltage can contend for a second PDC World Title.