BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Focus on title race and not Carrow Road clash

Norwich and Wigan is probably the least appetising televised event since last year’s royal wedding so it’s time to focus on a crucial day in thePremier League title race.

The two Manchester clubs will be fired up – or at least mildly agitated – after their Europa League defeats but I’m expecting United to close the gap at the top today. Sir Alex Ferguson always gets his team to peak around lambing season and Wayne Rooney and co have looked really sharp in recent weeks.

United should end West Brom’s mini-renaissance although a plucky defeat from the Baggies – possibly including a missed penalty and a wrongly disallowed goal – would enhance Roy Hodgson’s England manager claims.

Then it’s over to City – not chronologically, because they bothkick off at 2pm – and I reckon that, like so many teams this season, they could stumble at Swansea.

I don’t want to blind you with science but City’s last five away games in the league have finished 1-0, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1 and 0-0 so I’m thinking it could be quite tight down at the Liberty Stadium. That’s a grand total of two goals in five matches and no amount of fuss about Noel Gallagher interviewing Mario Balotelli can make that exciting.

Back 0-0 and 1-1 at Swansea, and then during the Norwich-Wigan game you can enjoy Mick Hucknall’s interview with Chris Smalling on MUTV.

Probably.