Manchester United | Manchester City |Tottenham Hotspur |Everton |Arsenal |Fulham |West Bromwich Albion |West Ham United |Newcastle United |Swansea City |Liverpool |Stoke City |Sunderland |Wigan Athletic |Norwich City |Aston Villa |Reading |Southampton |Queens Park Rangers
Garcia, who joined the club from Benfica in a £16m switch in the summer, has suffered a series of niggling injuries this season and initially struggled to impress at the Etihad.
However, the midfielder grabbed a goal in City’s impressive 3-1 display at Newcastle United at the weekend and put in his best display since his arrival.
He has also handed boss Roberto Mancini a selection poser ahead of Saturday’s home clash to Reading, with midfielder Gareth Barry available again after a one match suspension.
City remain six points behind rivals United at the top of the Premier League, but Garcia feels the win on Tyneside put a marker down for the rest of the campaign with regards their mental strength.
Garcia insists: “I think if we maintain those standards that we showed against Newcastle, I think that we can chase down United.
“If we play as well as that we are going to be very difficult to stop and if we continue to have that attitude we’ll be very hard to beat.”
City can be backed at 2/1 to overhaul United and secure a second successive Premier League title, while the current leaders are 1/2 to take the top prize and third placed Chelsea are 14/1.
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Beleaguered Premier League team Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will have money to spend in the January transfer window, according to the club’s Supporters’ Trust.
The Gunners’ chief executive Ivan Gazidis has told the club’s fans Wenger has plenty of resources to strengthen a squad that is currently seventh in the Premier League table and out of the Capital One Cup.
There is plenty of money there. That was the message that Ivan and his finance director were giving.
Tim Payton
Wenger was already being criticised before Tuesday’s humbling Capital One Cup quarter-final defeat at League Two side Bradford City and there have been calls from a section of Arsenal fans for him to step down.
Arsenal’s last major honour was the 2005 FA Cup, a competition they are 10/1 to win this season but they have clinched a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, which they can be backed at 33/1 to win this term for the first time in their history.
They are also available at 5/6 to finish in the top four of the Premier League once again.
Reassured Supporters’ Trust spokesman Tim Payton said: “There is plenty of money there. That was the message that Ivan and his finance director were giving.
“He apologised for the result [at Bradford] and said it was not good enough and had to be better. The Arsenal fans were dissatisfied with the strength of the squad and particularly don’t understand whether there were resources to be used.
“But it’s crystal clear that Arsenal fans need to wait until January for Arsene Wenger to use the cheque book he has been given well.”
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Manchester United travel to West Ham in the stand-out tie of the FA Cup third-round draw.
Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool face a tricky test.Sir Alex Ferguson’s men last won the FA Cup in 2004 and will know they face a real challenge if they are to progress to the fourth round this season against a West Ham team who are increasingly growing in confidence.
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In other ties, holders Chelsea face a tricky trip to Southampton, Arsenal travel to Swansea, while Liverpool face a potential giant killing against Lincoln City or Mansfield Town.
United are rated as 13/2 to win the FA Cup, with Liverpool 10/1.
FA Cup third Round Draw in full:
Crystal Palace v Stoke
Brighton v Newcastle
Tottenham v Coventry City
Wigan v Bournemouth
Fulham v Blackpool
Aston Villa v Ipswich
Charlton v Huddersfield
Barrow or Macclesfield v Cardiff
Barnsley v Burnley
Manchester City v Watford
Swansea v Arsenal
Leicester v Burton
Millwall v Preston
Cheltenham or Hereford v Everton
Derby v Tranmere
Crawley v Reading
Aldershot v Rotherham or Notts County
Middlesbrough v Harrogate or Hastings
Accrington Stanley or Oxford v Sheffield United
Southampton v Chelsea
QPR v West Brom
Peterborough v Norwich
Lincoln or Mansfield v Liverpool
Bolton v Sunderland
Nottingham Forest v Oldham
West Ham v Manchester United
Hull v Alfreton or Leyton Orient
Blackburn v Bristol City
Leeds v Birmingham
Bury or Southend v Bradford or Brentford
Luton v Wolves
Sheffield Wednesday v MK Dons
Premier League Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo is pondering a change of tactics to try and arrest a slump in form by his side, who have won just once in their last seven games.
The Blues were beaten 2-1 at in-form West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and Di Matteo is seeking a swift response with a tough trip to Juventus in the Champions League next on the agenda.
Maybe it is time where we might have to change a little bit in terms of our selection and the way we play.
Roberto Di Matteo
The Italian said after a below-par display at The Hawthorns: “This season we are playing a little bit different, but we might have to go back to be able to win games and make sure first and foremost we don’t concede.
“Maybe it is time where we might have to change a little bit in terms of our selection and the way we play.
“We are disappointed and maybe it is time to look at things, maybe change it a bit and get a win.
“We will look at the set-up of the team and maybe sacrifice a bit the attacking options to go a little bit more defensive.”
Chelsea are currently second in Champions League Group E, level on points with Shakhtar Donetsk and just a point in front of Juve ahead of their Tuesday showdown.
The Blues are 14/5 to gain a draw in Turin on Tuesday and are 16/5 to win the game and secure a knockout stage place, while they are 4/1 to keep a clean sheet.
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Manchester United have been warned to dismiss Champions League rivals FC Cluj at their peril this week.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side take on Cluj on Tuesday and the Romanian outfit are something of an unknown quantity in the Champions League. United are 11/1 to win the match 3-0 and 7/1 to clinch a narrow 2-1 success.
Georghe Hagi
The Old Trafford boss has already insisted that he will field an experienced side to ensure there are no embarrassing slip-ups.
Cluj provided a glimpse of their emerging pedigree when they beat Basel home and away in early qualifying, the Swiss team having helped to dump United out of the competition last season.
United defender Jonny Evans is carrying a knock from the weekend defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and midfielder Michael Carrick could again be drafted in as an emergency centre-back.
Former Romanian international football legend, Georghe Hagi, boss of Cluj’s domestic rivals, Viitorul Constanta, insists: “United need to be careful.
“Cluj are a good team and they have won all five of their European games so far this season. They were not a big club in Romania until five years ago when they started winning trophies.
“They are well-organised and are a very strong side.”
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bet365 is the place for all your Soccer betting and there are always matches to keep you interested. Europe’s major leagues may be yet to kick off, but with qualification for the coming season’s two UEFA club competitions already underway, there’s still high-class action to excite fans everywhere.
The Champions League has reached the third qualifying round, with the first legs taking place on 31st July and 1st August. Entering at this stage, Celtic must be wary of eager opponents who are keen to make a mark and progress to the play-off round.
At the same point in its qualification process, the Europa League first legs are played on 2nd August. As the draw includes Liverpool and Internazionale, clubs steeped in a history of great European exploits, the standard of Soccer on show is sure to be high.
If any of these qualifiers should fail to deliver and end goalless, you can rest in the knowledge that you will still be able to enjoy the result with bet365’s superb Bore Draw Money Back offer.
Simply place a pre-match Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time or Scorecast bet and if the game finishes 0-0 then bet365 will refund all losing bets on these markets.
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Sweden’s Martin Olsson says it will be special when he lines-up against England on Friday, a game he admits the Swedes must win.
Martin Olsson says Sweden must focus on the win against England.The Blackburn Rovers full-back was 17 when he made the decision to move from Helsingborg to Lancashire.
Now aged 24 and having firmly established himself on the domestic and international scene, Olsson is looking forward to being part of the Sweden team that takes on his adopted home.
The Group D encounter is a must win one for Erik Hamren’s men after their defeat to Ukraine on Monday.
Sweden are 11/4 to defeat England, with the Three Lions 11/10 and the draw 23/10.
The Swedes will start the game bottom of the table but will take heart from their good record against England in competitive matches, and the way Roy Hodgson’s men struggled to keep the ball against the French.
Both teams are likely to field similar, if not the same teams for the game in Kiev, meaning Olsson is likely to start at left-back again.
“To face them (England) in a major tournament will be a dream. I’ve been living there for close to seven years as well, so it’s going to be special,” Olsson told Uefa.com.
Martin Olsson
With Sweden staring elimination in the face if they do not win Olsson has called on his compatriots to up their game and focus on victory.
“We can’t think about it like that,” he said. “If we do we will lose, we will be out before we even start playing. We have to focus on winning, like we always do.”
Sweden are 5/1 to make it out of Group D, while England are 8/15.
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Will Spurs do any better without Harry Redknapp?
Harry Redknapp has left Spurs and bet365 have opened a market on where Tottenham will finish the 2012/13 Premier League campaign.
bet365 spokesman Steve Freeth said: “The search for Harry’s successor is now on and whoever fills his boots could have a tough job bettering his fourth place finish last season.”
Spurs are currently 9/2 to finish the campaign as the capital’s top club and also 5/2 to win a major trophy.
2012/13 Tottenham Hotspur Specials
Finishing Position
| Position | Price |
|---|---|
| 1st | 25/1 |
| 2nd | 18/1 |
| 3rd | 12/1 |
| 4th | 4/1 |
| 5th | 7/2 |
| 6th | 7/2 |
| 7th or lower | 2/1 |
To Win A Major Trophy
Yes 5/2 No 2/7
Top London Club - Who Will Finish Higher?
Chelsea 4/6
Arsenal 2/1
Spurs 9/2
Fulham 100/1
QPR 150/1
West Ham 200/1
Spain face the Republic of Ireland on Thursday night and bet365 are odds-on about Vicente del Bosque’s team scoring more than their Group C rivals.
Sean St Ledger is now 5/4 (from 40/1) to finish top team scorer after his header against Croatia, 25/1 to be man of the match on Thursday and 11/1 to be the first player cautioned.
Thursday Euro 2012 Specials – June 14th
Top Scoring Team (win only)
Spain 4/7
Italy 16/5
Croatia 11/2
Rep Ireland 16/1
Total Goals
Over 4.5 4/6
Under 4.5 11/10
Spain v Republic Of Ireland
Man Of The Match
| Player | Price | Player | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andres Iniesta | 5/1 | Cesc Fabregas | 5/1 |
| Fernando Torres | 6/1 | Hernandez Xavi | 6/1 |
| David Silva | 6/1 | Fernando Llorente | 8/1 |
| Robbie Keane | 10/1 | Shay Given | 14/1 |
| James McClean | 20/1 | Sean St Ledger | 25/1 |
First Player Booked
| Player | Price | Player | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Dunne | 7/1 | Darron Gibson | 8/1 |
| Keith Andrews | 9/1 | Glenn Whelan | 9/1 |
| Aiden McGeady | 11/1 | Sean St Ledger | 11/1 |
| Sergio Ramos | 12/1 | Jordi Alba | 14/1 |
Tournament Special – Top Team Goalscorer
Republic of Ireland
Sean St Ledger 5/4
Robbie Keane 4/1
Kevin Doyle 9/1
Shane Long 12/1