Saturday Accumulator Tip

A four-game accumulator taking two from the Premier League and two from the Championship comes in at a best price of 13/1 with BetVictor.

We start off with a match between two teams who will both be feeling pretty confident when they meet at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. Swansea City showed why they’ve made the Liberty Stadium such a fortress with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Arsenal last Sunday. But after so many plaudits and much excitement, the Welsh side may struggle to cope with a slightly more mundane trip to the north-east. If they do allow their performance levels to drop even a fraction, Martin O’Neill has a side ready to take full advantage.

It’s a sign of how far Sunderland have come that there was genuine disappointment to lose 1-0 at Stamford Bridge last weekend. Indeed, the visitors had ample opportunities to extend their fine run. But in front of their own supporters they should expect to claim the spoils in this one having taken seven points from nine on their own patch since ‘the saviour’ arrived. The last home game was a last gasp triumph against league leaders Man City on New Year’s Day; the natives have had to wait a while for more of the same. For all their success, Swansea have only won once on their travels and I expect that run to continue for now.

I’m also backing Wolves to prosper at Molinuex in a highly significant local derby. A win for McCarty’s side would move the hosts within three points of Aston Villa and really pile on the pressure for Alex McLeish. The Wolves boss has come in for some criticism himself after making 10 changes to his starting line-up for the FA Cup replay against Birmingham. The reserves lost 1-0 as the league was made a very clear priority. McCarthy defended his decision and is bullish about the weekend.

“We’ll come back having rested our legs and we’ll be fresh, so I’m sure we’ll get three points,” he added confidently. After the fine 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane last week, I think there’s a very good chance he’ll be right. Villa look like a side slowly sliding towards a relegation dogfight.

In the Championship I’m following logic that proved correct a couple of weeks ago. I backed Crystal Palace to play a weakened side and lose away to Derby ahead of their Carling Cup semi-final first leg. I suspect it will be the same story again with the second leg coming up on Tuesday, this time Blackpool should benefit. The Tangerines are in fine fettle anyway having scored 10 goals in their last three outings, including an eye-catching 3-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Finally, and most easily, it’s West Ham to win against beleagured Nott’m Forest at Upton Park. It looks like such a home banker that even 8/13 looks like reasonable odds to add to the accumulator. The Hammers are joint top of the league and face opponents who really had the stuffing knocked out of them in midweek when their local rivals Leicester beat them 4-0 in the FA Cup. By all accounts it could have been worse for a Forest side who find themselves back in the relegation zone. Saturday looks like nothing more than a damage limitation job.

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