Who knew Liverpool would be so horribly diminished by the absence of Mo Salah and Sadio Mane?
Everybody. At least everybody who wasn’t asleep, or headless, or both.
How many of those types on the Anfield committee working out whether to pay the pair enough?
Salah the peerless goal machine, who has scored in 18 of his 26 Reds games this season – including in five of six against Big Six rivals.
Mane the only current Prem ton-up king who got his top-flight century without the assistance of a single penalty.
Liverpool looked bereft without them against Arsenal. They managed one shot on target.
Thomas Frank and his Brentford (2pm) have got lucky with the timing of this afternoon’s visit to Anfield.
Probably not lucky enough, but the 1/4 Reds WIN is very thin indeed.
I’ll take 5/6 (Bet365) for ‘NO goal before 25:00 minutes’ in the Early Goal market instead.
IF he thought it was a work event, Antonio Conte got a rude awakening. The Italian isn’t the first fresh Tottenham boss to be alarmed at how Spurs struggle to get any job done. Not even the first this season.
Now 14 games into the Conte era of hard graft and no sugar puffs, things are very slightly better if you cherry-pick some data. And if Harry Kane kicks on, and if Spurs win their FOUR games in hand... they’d go second!
The 9/4 (Fred) ‘Spurs top-four finish’ is ‘iffy’ – but that price is OK.
Leeds head to West Ham again in better shape than they were last Sunday. That FA Cup defeat had a bit of ‘men against boys’ about it, with debuts or debut starts for three Elland Road teens.
Even Patrick Bamford is a possible this time (2pm) after recovering from his ill-judged whoopee injury.
It looks closer than advertised. Marcelo Bielsa could pull a rabbit out of his ol’ bucket and Brazil ace Raphinha is too big at 16/5 (Paddy) ‘anytime scorer’.
Over in Italy, Lautaro Martinez is a solid ‘anytime scorer' poke at 13/8 (Skybet, BetVic) when free-scoring Inter head to Atalanta (7.45pm, Serie A)
Last week: Winners at 7/1, 5/6 and 41/20
