Expert Premier League predictions and free football tips from Mark Langdon

Pep Guardiola can't read the room at the moment, and a week after he suggested it would be nice if more Manchester City supporters turned up at the Etihad the former Barcelona boss is now getting plenty of stick for his comments about B teams playing in the EFL.

Guardiola was wrong to call out the fans because there is only so much money to go around and it should not be an issue for any manager if people spend their hard-earned cash elsewhere.

It's always worth remembering the only people not being paid to be inside a stadium during matchdays are supporters and everyone else, even if it is a labour of love, are getting at least a free ride, while the vast majority are being paid to turn up

But ganging up on Pep's B team suggestion is misplaced criticism.

I typed Pep Guardiola B team into Google and the first three headlines on the news carousel read: Bolton boss Ian Evatt rejects City chief's plan; Pep Guardiola's radical EFL restructure idea is wrong and Man City fans should oppose it; Carlisle United-backed group blasts Guardiola's B Team comments.

The list could go on but Guardiola's exact words on Tuesday after the win over Wycombe were: "I'm not here to change anything of this country."

He was asked about his young players coming up against experienced professionals and was talking specifically about what would be best for their development when he said: "The better [thing] would be if every week they could play against Wycombe, That would be the best development for these players.

"They should play every day against teams like Championship and League One. That would be the best for English football."

Of course it can't be allowed to happen because the English pyramid is what makes football in this country so fantastic and Guardiola is not saying it should happen.

He was asked what is best in terms of development, which is a different debate, and it would be perfect from that point of view if those elite youngsters were able to remain in the same club environment with a manager and ideology which is built in the same shape as the first team rather than seek out loans.

RB Salzburg's B team FC Liefering play in Austria's second division and it is helping to produce players and managers of the future at speed. It's controversial and probably worse for the league as a whole, but in terms of production it works really well.

For a bet this weekend head to the Premier League, where backing both teams to score in the match between Watford and Newcastle appeals.

Steve Bruce is painted as a dour, defensive coach but the total xG in Newcastle's games this season is 16.9 according to fbref.com, which makes them third behind well-known attacking teams Liverpool and Leeds.

There were 16 shots on target in Newcastle's last match against Leeds and Bruce's side have scored in 12 of their previous 13 Premier League fixtures.

Defensively Newcastle have given up at least 2.2 xG-against in all bar one of their league games this term and United have only four league clean sheets in 2021. Three of those came against relegated trio West Brom, Sheffield United and Fulham.

Best bet

Both teams to score in Watford v Newcastle
1pt 4-5 general

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