Liverpool’s wretched home league form continued as they failed to record a victory for the 13th time in 18 games, in a meeting between two of new England manager Roy Hodgson’s most recent employers. More alarmingly, for the first time since 1954, Liverpool could also end the season outside the top eight in the top division of English football.

A powerfully driven cross by John Arne Riise hit the standing leg of Skrtel and squirmed past goalkeeper Alexander Doni at the Kop end. Liverpool lacked any real incisiveness, although they dominated possession and chances, as usual at home. The hosts were short of star quality. They were without Captain Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina and they had rested Luis Suarez, who scored a sensational hat trick at Norwich.

Andy Carroll headed a good opportunity wide and Dirk Kuyt volleyed just off target, Jonjo Shelvey had a shot cleared off the line for Liverpool. With substitute Karim Frei shooting against the post at the other end in the second half, the margin of defeat could have been worse for Liverpool.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said that he does not think that can be described as a performance and he thought it would be fair to give them an opportunity to get some minutes on the pitch with an important game on Saturday, but the performance and the attitude was very poor, very unlike his team.

In the past four home games, against Wigan, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham, Liverpool has now picked up just one point. These were the teams that one would typically expect it to beat. Despite a dispiriting 1-0 home loss to Fulham in their last game before the Wembley showpiece, Liverpool manager insisted that his team would still enter Saturday’s FA Cup Final with Chelsea in confident mood.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that when Chelsea walks out at Wembley for Saturday’s FA Cup final, they will not be distracted by thoughts of the Champions League.

There are two matches coming up for Liverpool and the betting odds are as follows:

8 May 2012 – Liverpool (8/5) vs. Chelsea (9/5)

13 May 2012 – Swansea (12/5) vs. Liverpool (11/10)

City will have to face a Chelsea for whom Fernando Torres has scored. He has now scored after 25 hours of football time on the pitch. The interim head coach, Di Matteo has brought some calm to the dressing room after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked following poor results, tensions with certain players and strange starting line-ups. Di Matteo restored senior players such as Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard. He also introduced a successful 4-2-3-1 system. The team has won all four games under him.

Carlos Tevez, Manchester City’s controversial Argentinean, could be in line to make his first Premier League appearance in six months. Tevez, who left the club without consent following a quarrel with manager Roberto Mancini over his unwillingness to come on as a substitute during City’s Champions League tie not in favor of Bayern Munich, could be set on 22 March to welcome Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium.

So far, City have had a wonderful season, although their recent elimination from both the Europa League and the Champions League. Rivals Manchester United also replaced them at the top of the Premier League table. They are currently in a tight spot. However, City goalkeeper Joe Hart feels that the addition of Tevez will definitely make a difference. This is a vital time in the season with only 10 games left to play. Although without Tevez, City has actually done quite well for themselves and they have managed to score more than a 100 goals. Mancini will know that the club is in real danger of not winning silverware this season, despite their impressive performances. In order to have his 28-year-old star striker around, he could be willing to forgive and forget.

The betting odds for Premier League match is Manchester City (18/19) and Chelsea (10/3). City is favorites to win the match.

Manchester United is a +140 favorite and Chelsea a +200 underdog in Soccer Betting Odds.

Chelsea has won their last five EPL matches to get back in contention. They have looked scary lately, with goalie Petr Cech regaining his edge. He has allowed just 28 goals in his 35 starts. Offensively, Chelsea has found rhythm as well. Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, and Salomon Kalou have carried the offense. In addition, Fernando Torres has adjusted to the team. With the way they are playing in all phases, Chelsea looks unbeatable.

Manchester United has played consistently well all season. Edwin van der Sar has been solid in goal all season for the team, so goals will be at a premium. Dimitar Berbatov has been the big star, leading the team in goals. In addition, Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney have also made large contributions on offense. The team is among the most explosive in the soccer world.

This is a huge showdown, and it will say a lot about who wins the championship. Manchester United has the advantage, with the lead in the standings. However, Chelsea won the first match between the two in league play. Manchester United defeated them twice since then, winning both legs of their Champions League quarterfinal. This game is all about the EPL title, and both teams will be playing hard for it. According to online sports handicappers, Manchester United is a favorite to win this match.

In English Premier League Odds, Arsenal is a +150 favorite, Manchester United is at +188, and a Draw is +225.

By yielding just 28 goals in his 30 starts, Edwin van der Sar has been strong in goal for Manchester. A major reason why the team is threatening to claim another EPL title is because of Edwin. The club relies on Dimitar Berbatov on offence, who has a remarkable 21 goals. For the most prolific offense in the league, Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez are also double digit scorers.

The goaltending has not been a strong for Arsenal. By allowing a total of 36 goals, four different goalies have started EPL games for them this season. Robin Van Persie has emerged as the top goal scorer on offence and he has 15 to lead the club. Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri are also potent scorers. Although Arsenal can score goals the offense isn’t as strong as that of Manchester United.

In their last three EPL matches Arsenal is winless. They also lost their EPL match to Manchester this season as they have a recent loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup. Arsenal will be hungry playing at home and a win would ease the pain of their recent slide. To take the win here, expect whichever side scores first.

Manchester United is a -138 moneyline favorite in Soccer Betting, while Newcastle is at +375.

Manchester got a strong performance from Edwin van der Sar in goal against Chelsea in a Champions League game. He has missed the last few starts in EPL action, but it shouldn’t matter. Van der Sar and Tomasz Kuszczak are both capable goalies. Offensively, Manchester can score without problem. Dimitar Berbatov has an amazing 21 goals this season. Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, and Nani can also score. Manchester has 70 goals through 32 games so far this season.

For Newcastle, the offense will have to come through. Tim Krul and Steve Harper have both struggled in goal. As a team, Newcastle has allowed 47 goals. The offense is capable, but not as dynamic as that of Manchester. Kevin Nolan and Andrew Carroll lead the team in goals, and both are elite players. The rest of the roster is going to have to step up if they want to win this game.

Manchester defeated Newcastle in the first EPL game this season. They won that game 3-0 and have looked great ever since. They are the superior team, but Newcastle is capable of scoring. They have beaten Arsenal this season and forced a draw with Chelsea. They shouldn’t be overlooked.

Liverpool is a slight favorite in soccer betting lines at +162 while Manchester City is +175.

Manchester City has thrived on defense. They have allowed 27 goals in EPL action, good for the second fewest in the league. Joe Hart has been solid all season, and he has kept the team in most games. The offense has come to life as the season has gone as well, taking some of the pressure off of Hart and the defense. Carlos Tevez has been the star with 19 goals, nearly half the total for the team.

Liverpool hasn’t been as consistent this year. They got off to a tough start but are starting to settle in to their game. Goalie Pepe Reina has stepped up lately. He has allowed 38 goals on the season so far. Offensively, Liverpool is still missing the departed Fernando Torres. Still, Dirk Kuyt and Raul Meireles are capable scorers for this team. Liverpool has gotten recent wins against Chelsea and Manchester United, so they are capable of winning big games.

Manchester City won the first game with a 3-0 score. They have better talent on defense, so Liverpool will be hard pressed to score. However, playing at home should work to Liverpool’s advantage. Expect a tight game where one goal could make all of the difference.  In online betting free picks Manchester City are favorites to win this mach.

Soccer Betting Odds published in online sportsbook have Chelsea as a -333 favorite to win the match and Blackpool a +900 underdog.

Chelsea has been a dangerous offensive team. They have dangerous scorers in Didier Drogba and Flourent Malouda. They also have Fernando Torres. Torres is still trying to break in with Chelsea, but he is always a threat to score. With Petr Cech in goal, Chelsea is tough to beat. Cech looked very strong against Manchester United, allowing just one goal in the 2-1 victory.

Blackpool has had an up and down season in the English Premier League. They are currently tied for 13th in the standings. They have had some strong wins and some shaky losses. However, they are not an easy out for any team. DJ Campbell and Charlie Adam have been the leading scorers for this team. The offense clicks when those two play well. Goaltending has been an issue for this team. Richard Kingston has established himself as the regular goalie, but he has had his share of struggles.

Blackpool is coming off of a 4-0 loss to Wolverhampton. The defense has been a weakness during a tough stretch for them. They also lost 4-0 to Chelsea earlier this year. Of course, a lot has changed for both teams since then. Chelsea looks like they have weathered their bad stretch. It doesn’t look like Blackpool has done the same. A draw in this contest would be a huge achievement for Blackpool and a crushing blow for Chelsea.

Soccer Betting Odds are available at online sportsbooks.

Edwin van der Sar has been strong in goal for Manchester. He has allowed 23 goals in 24 starts for the team. His stellar play keeps the team in every game they play. Offensively, Manchester has relied on Dimitar Berbatov. He has scored a remarkable 19 goals so far this season. Nani also provides a big offensive boost with over a hundred shots on goal.

For Chelsea, Peter Cech has been reliable goal. He has made every start for the team, yielding only 22 goals on the season. Offensively, Chelsea has a lot of big names. Didier Drogba and Florent Malouda lead the team with nine goals each. They also have Fernando Torres, who has appeared in two games since coming over from Liverpool.

These are two teams that are used to winning championships. Despite their struggles, Chelsea can never be counted out. This is the first meeting of the season between the rivals. Chelsea won both meetings last year. Of course, this is a different Manchester team. They have looked like one of the most dominant teams in the world for a while now. This should be a game that lives up to the hype.

Soccer Betting Odds will be available closer to match time.

Ben Foster is the goalie for Birmingham. He has allowed 33 goals in his 23 starts. While that’s not great, Foster has hardly been the problem. Offensively, Birmingham has struggled. Craig Gardner leads the team with just five goals. As a team, Birmingham has scored an EPL low 24 goals. That could be a serious problem in this match.

Newcastle has been solid since switching to Steve Harper in goal. He has allowed 13 goals in 11 games. That is a marked improvement over Tim Krul. Offensively, Newcastle is led by Kevin Nolan and Andrew Carroll. They each have at least ten goals on the season. The scoring threats on Newcastle give them a major offensive edge.

Newcastle is the better team on paper. They now have better goaltending and more offense. However, they can’t overlook Birmingham. Birmingham has played well in some big games. They have managed draws against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City. They also have a win against Chelsea. If Birmingham can play like they did in those games against Newcastle, they will have a shot to get the win. Playing at home should also work to their advantage.

In online sportsbook, Soccer Odds have not yet been posted.

Chelsea had been struggling lately. That’s why they decided to shake things up and sign Torres. Torres didn’t play against Sunderland, but he should be ready in time for the Liverpool match. Petr Cech has been a consistent rock in goal. He has started every EPL game for Chelsea. Offensively, Didier Drogba and Flourent Malouda lead the club with nine goals. One major question facing Chelsea is how Torres will play with Drogba.

The loss of Torres is a major blow to the Liverpool offense. He had led the team in goals and shots. Now, Liverpool will look to Steven Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt to pick up the slack on offense. Goalie Pepe Reina has been erratic in league play, allowing over 30 goals on the season. However, he has led the team to consecutive shutouts.

Liverpool got off to a rough start but has found some footing. Still, more is expected of this traditional team. On the flip side, Chelsea saw their hot start fall apart. They are starting to regain their edge, and the addition of Torres figures to help. Liverpool pulled out a 2-0 win against Chelsea earlier in the season. Ironically, Torres scored both goals for Liverpool in that contest. As long as Chelsea can get their star players to mesh, they should have the edge in this game. For Liverpool, their best hope is to capitalize on Chelsea’s new offensive system.