Weekend betting: Preston North End’s chances against West Brom assessed

Local betting expert Joe Whitaker casts his eye over the weekend’s sporting action in the Premier League, Championship and horseracing.

North End are going through something of a sticky patch at the moment and it’s an odd situation to be in.

They find themselves a point off third place and yet fans were very critical midweek after they were soundly beaten at Hull.

Injuries have a tendency to cost them at some point and they are doing so here.

A patched-up defence with players out of position doesn’t tend to work at such a high level and they will need bodies back for Monday’s visit of West Bromwich Albion.

Their home form is solid however and I’m going to back them to fight for a 1-1 draw at 6/1.

David Nugent came on and showed his experience in midweek and I fancy him to get a start here.

He needs a goal and what better stage to do it than under the lights at Deepdale? He can be backed at 7/1 to score first.

At first glance it looks pretty straightforward for punters this weekend on the football coupons.

The bookies will be looking at the list of short-priced teams and hoping for a slip up somewhere. They usually get one as well, and finding the most likely one to avoid is the key to punters making some profit.

For me Chelsea look an incredibly short price at home to West Ham. The biggest price on the high street is 2/7 and you have to ask yourself could your money be invested better elsewhere?

They have had a tough trip to Spain on Wednesday night and with West Ham you never know what you’re going to get. I’d avoid this one and instead turn to Turf Moor where Burnley welcome Crystal Palace. I was surprised to see the away side as big as 9/4.

This is a side which were unlucky not to get a point at home to the league leaders last weekend and Roy Hodgson’s men will be looking at this as one they should be winning.

Now we have a decent away price in there we can afford to look for a bit of home comforts and you can look no further than a resurgent Tottenham at home to Bournemouth.

Jose Mourinho appears to have got key players Dele Alli and Harry Kane on board with what he is trying to do from the off and I was surprised to see them a ½ shot.

For the third leg of a Saturday treble I like the look of Southampton at home to Watford where you can get better than evens at 23/20. This is a side who look determined to make amends for that dreadful night at home to Leicester. It really is a case of the loser will go down in this one and you would expect the home side to prevail. The treble pays a tasty 9/1.

The Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle looks a closed book on first inspection with the top class hurdler Buveur D’Air a short price at odds of around 2/7. It’s always worth taking a favourite on over the jumps on this ground however and the younger SILVER STREAK could give the favourite something to think about. He’s a 7/2 shot and not a bad price for a two horse race after the impressive win at Kempton last month.