England - Croatia

From the bad squad with good players, Fabio Capello made excellent squad with the same players. Seven wins in group 6 from same number of games and goal difference 22 (26 goals scored and just four conceded!) raised national confidence and public already expects a fight for the trophy in South Africa. Capello solved the problem in attacking line with Defoe and Heskey (beside Rooney), but goalkeeper position remains as the biggest problem. Robinson, Green and Foster (including veteran David James) are not the names that can be equal with the other lines in the team. And after Saturday’s friendly against Slovenia, Capello was thundering on defense line that allowed average visitors to make some goal opportunities and finally to score five minutes before the end. Also, the fact Rio Ferdinand is injured won’t help. Midfield is fantastic, as always. Only dilemma for Don Fabio is who will take a place on the right flank, Lennon, Wright-Phillips or Beckham. In attack will be Rooney and one of the mentioned duo Defoe-Heskey. With three points here, England would be theoretically in WC, one point should also do the job, but home side will have additional motive. Steve McClaren's England lost a crucial qualifier to Croatia at a sodden Wembley in November 2007 - a result that cost the team a place at the Euro 2008 finals. Despite Capello’s trying to reduce the tension, press in both countries just add a fuel into the fire. So, players should be motivated, focused and probably very nervous.

Croatia hold a second spot in group 6, with three points more than Ukraine (visiting Belarus in clash earlier today), but also a game more. They’re in position where tonight’s win would guarantee play-off spot (and fight for the first place), but defeat would bring a nightmare. In recent campaign, they have five wins, two draws, while the only defeat suffered from England at their home, Maksimir 1-4. At Saturday, they played not so good game against Belarus (1-0 at home) where visitors probably deserved a point, but Croats were with their minds already at Wembley. It seems Croatian side is consciously raising the pressure for this encounter, probably counting on some errors on the pitch that can cause. Even national coach Slaven Bilic involved in the press war, pointing that under the leadership of the Italian coach the team lost to English nature! However, visitors will miss some key players. Midfield playmaker Luka Modric is injured, while right-back Corluka got a red card at Saturday’s game. Regular goalie Pletikosa is also out. Bilic doesn’t talk too much about tactic, but he’ll surely try to use English weakness in back line where his fast forwards like Olic, Eduardo, Srna or Pranjic can make some escapes and mess. However, visitors know how to play games like this and they’ll fight till the limits of fanaticism and if the things go wrong surely won’t give up.

Both sides will go for three points, hosts want revenge, visitors ticket for World Championship. Highest motivation in combination with the highest pressure usually produces goals on the pitch. And both sides carry an attacking style of play, so over seems as a logic conclusion. 2.10 at Betway, 1.98 at Pinnacle. High stake.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h.

Stoke City – Wigan Athletic

This will be the game between two clubs from middle of the table, with the same number of points. Potters were moved into Championship, even before the season start. Team without a leader and the big names was declared as luck in quality. But, with fighting attitude and frenetic crowd at their Brittania Stadium, they made solid record and Saturday's 2-1 win at Hull guaranteed that they would retain their place in the Premier League next year. Stoke has a strong and very well organized defense line and they’re very dangerous from set-plays (who said Delap?). They have just one defeat from last eight home games(West Ham United, 0-1). And very interesting data is, Stoke didn’t lost at home from a bottom-half club. Their four home losses have been against Manchester United, Chelsea, Everton and West Ham. Now, they’ll play without a pressure, just for fans. Tony Pulis has all team available, except on-loan striker Henri Camara, who is ineligible to face his parent club. Full-back Andy Wilkinson is likely to be involved, after having sugar injections (hm…what?) as a remedy for a slight back strain. Excellent performances at home ground set Potters as the favorites, today. 

.

Wigan is finishing a very good season. Steve Bruce did an excellent job at the club who was at one moment (at the end of previous year), even contender for European competition, next year. Then club’s management sold Heskey and Palacios, clearly announced avoiding relegation as a main season objective. Bruce had a lots of problems with motivating his players in the previous weeks. But in the last game, against Manchester United at home, lads responded well. Wigan took a lead, but first Tevez and five minutes before the end Michael Carrick scored and left Wigan empty handed. Now, additional problem for Bruce is how to rest players for just three days. It is clear, visitors are in a bad shape with five defeats from last six competitive games and a draw (Bolton, at home 0-0), three away defeats in a row. Goalkeeper Chris Kirkland missed the United match because of a back injury and Richard Kingson is set to deputise for him again. Prince of Egypt, Amr Zaki is in doubt, while the rest of crew is available.

.

This game won’t decide too much. Both clubs will stay where they are. For home side this game is enjoy, for visitors one less before summer holiday. Hosts are in excellent mood, visitors feel tired and indifferent. I expect another home win, with a storming from the crowd. Pinnacle offers 2.31, 888sport 2.25. Home win.

.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers. 1. Register an account with expect.com, here, 2. Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account, 3. Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h.

Liverpool 5-0 Aston Villa

Rafa Benitez sat back and enjoyed the view as his side blitzed Aston Villa to pile the pressure on Manchester United. 
Goals from Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera, followed by a Steven Gerrard spot-kick, left Liverpool home and dry before the interval. 
But Gerrard quickly added to the tally in the second period as United's lead at the top of the league was cut to just a point. 
And the England ace completed his hat-trick with a second penalty of the afternoon after Brad Friedel was red-carded for bringing down Fernando Torres. 
Liverpool made the perfect start when Kuyt smashed them ahead after just eight minutes. 
Gerrard's free-kick was headed against the bar by Xabi Alonso but the Dutchman was on hand to drill home the rebound. 
Villa tried to hit back immediately with a swift break. Ashley Young fired in a decent cross but the ball flew off the arriving Gareth Barry's knee and away to safety. 
Young continued to cause Liverpool problems without finding a telling delivery for strike duo John Carew and Emile Heskey. 
And it was the hosts who came closest to scoring again in the 16th minute when Gerrard narrowly missed at the far post after latching on to a deflected cross. 
Villa nearly grabbed an equaliser five minutes later and again it was Young who created the opportunity. 
The England international's delivery was met by Carew but the striker's clever left-footed flick was turned away by Pepe Reina. 
Liverpool cleared their lines from the resulting corner and Gerrard became the first player to go in the ref's notebook just seconds later for a lunge at Curtis Davies. 
The physical presence of Villa's front two became a more dominant factor as the half wore on. 
Nigel Reo-Coker swung a long ball into the box with 25 minutes on the clock and Reina had to be at his best to turn away Carew's goalbound header. 
The game continued to swing from end to end before Reina decided to take the direct approach and create Liverpool's second of the afternoon. 
He launched a long kick into the Villa box and Riera raced through to smash the ball past Friedel 12 minutes before the break. 
The visitors should have fallen further behind when Friedel's stray pass went straight to the feet of Alvaro Arbeloa. 
But the defender tried to cut the ball back to Torres instead of shooting and the danger was quickly cleared. 
Villa, however, contributed to their own downfall once again in the 39th minute when Reo-Coker sent Riera crashing in the box. 
Gerrard stepped up to net the resulting spot-kick, lifting the roof at Anfield in the process. 
With nothing to lose in the second half, Villa came out looking to salvage some pride. 
But the red juggernaut quickly battered them into submission with Gerrard's expertly placed free-kick making it 4-0 with 50 minutes played. 
Liverpool continued to pour forward after the goal and Alonso wasted a golden chance when he found himself in acres of space. 
The unmarked Spaniard picked up Kuyt's pass in the box but could only drag his shot disappointingly wide. 
Villa's day went from bad to worse when Friedel sent Torres crashing. 
The American keeper did his best to get out of the striker's way but could have no complaint when the referee pointed to the spot. 
And with the visitors down to 10 men, Gerrard clamly sent substitute stopper Brad Guzan the wrong way to net his third goal.
www.thesun.co.uk