BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Am I really thinking of backing Arsenal against Man City?

TODAY’S Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City is a tickly one, isn’t it?

For most of the season you’d have been laughed out of town if you’d
made the Gunners favourites to beat Roberto Mancini’s all-stars but
now I’m seriously thinking of a bet on Arsenal. They have won seven of their last eight league matches, you know, while City’s attempts to
win their first Premier League title remind me of the family’s
response to Mrs Bunter’s Sunday roast – first choking, then throwing
it away.

If we get down to the nitty-gritty – goals – then there’s only one
winner. Arsenal have scored 20 goals in their last five home games and Manchester City have managed just three in their last seven away from the Etihad Stadium.

But chuck in the fact that Arsenal lost to QPR – QPR! – last weekend
and the waters look even more muddy for punters. And that’s without
even considering what Mario Balotelli’s going to do – abseil into the
stadium, throw a custard tart at Arsene Wenger’s face or refuse to
play unless he’s allowed to be a rush goalie.

It could be a crazy game and I’ve talked myself out of backing
Arsenal. Instead I’m going to have a couple of first goalscorer bets
on the Gunners’ centre-backs Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny.

Both of them are dangerous from set-pieces and they could take
advantage of City’s chaotic defending, especially if Balotelli starts
distracting his own team-mates with his hilarious impressions of Tommy Cooper and Danny Devito.