3/16 Recap: After my highs of Thursday, I knew I was going to be brought back down to Earth. To be honest it could have been worse. Monaco looked the team battling relegation against Lille before Stevan Jovetic saved their blushes at the hour mark. Eibar carried the lion’s share of possession and chances against Levante, but could not slot home an equalizer. But Eibar getting on the board at all helped a good deal with my Both Teams Score prop. Nevertheless, I get knocked down but I get up again, and I’m not going to finish the Chumbawumba lyric. But what I am going to do is dish out a double from England with a pick from an abbreviated Premier League slate as well as the FA Cup.
3/16 Results:
My Picks: Monaco 3 Lille 0 (Monaco -1.5 [-120])
Levante 2 Eibar 2 (DRAW MATCH [+220], Both Teams Score [-105])
Actual Results: Monaco 2 Lille 1
Levante 2 Eibar 1
As I try to sort out my FPL squad as well, let the England-centric multi-tasking begin!
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Watford FC @ Liverpool FC (1:30 PM ET/NBC Sports, UNIVERSO, fuboTV, SiriusXM FC 157)
I’m not going to lie, this game scares the crap out of me. Yes, there are bigger fish to fry with Manchester City in the Champions League. But with a small schedule in England’s top flight, the weekend’s showcase game gives me unnecessary anxiety.
You see, I still have visions of EPL Opening Day in my head. On that afternoon Liverpool shockingly fell behind the home side 2-1 before roaring back with two goals shortly after halftime. In the end, they capitulated on a bungling goal by a central defender and I had a decent buzz by breakfast. My habits aside, let’s look at where the two teams are at now.
The crazy thing about the Premier League this year is that 10th placed Watford isn’t really safe yet. Yes, they are nine points off the drop zone, but still have some tough matches still to come including today’s match, a trip to Spurs, and ending the year at Old Trafford. But for all intents and purposes, Watford shouldn’t be relegation fodder.
And while Liverpool has Manchester City square in their sights in Europe, they can’t forget about the task at hand in England. Staying in the top four is vital and after losing to Manchester United they now sit 4th, just four points clear of Chelsea. Liverpool has an agonizingly commonplace habit of playing down to lesser competition. It is one of the reasons they’ve gone as long as they have without league silverware on the island. I am wary.
I see a two-goal spread and while I have faith in my Reds, I can’t lay that type of lumber. I’ll pick them to win, but the props will be the play over any spread bet.
PREDICTION: Liverpool 3 Watford 1 (Both Teams Score [+105], Goal scored in both halves [-260], Firmino 1st scorer [+330])
ENGLISH FA CUP
Brighton & Hove Albion @ Manchester United (3:45 PM ET/Fox Sports 2, Fox Deportes, fuboTV, SiriusXM FC 157)
England’s schedule is always going fourteen different directions this time of year following reschedulings from their two domestic cups and the Champions League. But that chaos is what draws the most eyes to the product, and today is going to be no different in prime time as England’s most decorated outfit tries to put a Champions League exit behind them.
Man U bowed out of the UCL meekly to Sevilla, watching two Wissam Ben Yedder goals oust them from Europe. But with the EPL title out of reach, United’s last chance for silverware is in the FA Cup. And if they are going to learn anything from their cross-city rivals, don’t underestimate a team in blue and white.
Brighton comes into the game having won five of their last eight across all competitions. This is their first FA Cup quarterfinal since 1985-86. If they advance it will be the furthest they have gone since losing 1983’s final…to Manchester United.
While as a Liverpool fan I want to see United go empty-handed this year, I can’t see the Seagulls turning over the Red Devils at Old Trafford. I think the game will be close, and probably ugly, leaving me to hate the 1.5 goal spread (per Bovada) in United’s favor. I’ll take Brighton and the goals, but for United to advance to the semi-finals.
PREDICTION: Manchester United 2 Brighton 1 (Brighton +1.5 [-110], Manchester United advances [-900])
If you have any games you’d like me to pick over the weekend you can contact me on Twitter @TREVORutley. In addition to the available media listed for each game, be sure to try out our Gameview service while watching as well. Also, here is a link for my results throughout and the points system. Cheers!