Punters know that a Fox in the hand is worth two in the bush.
We’re still guessing what Frank Lampard might pull out of a Stamford Bridge thicket crammed with whiskery old lags and baby-faced maybes.
Leicester ’s Jamie Vardy is at the whiskery stage too of course – but all his cards are face-up, he's a known quantity. Razor-sharp and bristling with goals.
Vardy has scored in three of his last five against Chelsea , and takes the penalties, which could be a massive boost today (4.30pm) given the hosts’ backline development issues.
On the evidence of the 4-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Lampard might already have achieved what many thought impossible and found a defender flakier than Whoopsy Luiz.
Kurt Zouma will surely settle and thrive, in time – as will plenty of Lamps’ youngsters – though playing in an Istanbul sauna until the wee hours of Thursday morning could be a negative right now.
Punt Vardy ‘first goalscorer’ at 6/1 and ‘anytime’ at 2/1 (Paddy).
Crystal Palace are no one-man team. It’s really a classic double act.
Luka Milivojevic is Bernie Winters.
Wilfried Zaha is Schnorbitz. Enters stage left dribbling, rolls over as if shot, gets standing ovation.
He was the most fouled St Bernard in the Prem last season. Straight man Milivojevic scored 10 penalties.
VAR weighs against ‘home refs’ in theory - so grab 8/1 (Bet365) ‘Palace score a penalty’ at Sheffield United (2pm).
Marcus Rashford could have won the Golden Boot last season, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows it.
Ole blindsided punters last Sunday by taking Paul Pogba off penalties and handing the duties to Rashford. If that had happened 12 months ago Rashford would have been nailed on for 20+ Prem goals.
Take the hint when Manchester United go to Wolves (Monday, 8pm) . New rules and VAR are fancied to make spot-kicks more likely. United were already the Prem penalty kings.
Wolves have been strolling in the Europa slow lane, and could struggle with the pace change.
Back Rashford ‘anytime scorer’ at 9/4 (Lads, Coral) and ‘United score a penalty’ at 7/1 (Bet365).
Last week: Winners at 6/1 & 5/4
