Turns out there are no meaningless games when you’ve got a live Golden Boot hope.
If you followed the calls here in the Autumn – in fairness, we’d all had a drink – you’ll be on the triple threat of Harry Kane at 8/1, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 6/1 each-way, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin 80/1 each-way.
Having three runners in the Boot market might look like belt-and-braces, plus a safety pin and a roll of duct tape.
But in the modern game you can never rule out one of your lads coming down with malaria and dropping five per cent of their total body weight in a tearing hurry.
The less said about Aubameyang’s Boot run the better, though I imagine he’s a strong shout for Bed Pan of the Season.
Kane is on his longest club blank streak of the campaign. Three whole games. The visit of Wolves (2.05pm) is a very decent chance to nip that in the bud.
If he starts, back Kane ‘anytime scorer’ at Evens (BetVic, Skybet) - that’s bob-on for his club stats this term.
Going into this weekend some firms had Chelsea 9/2 pokes for the title next season, with Liverpool 13/2 (Skybet).
As it stands that’s ‘This Liverpool, plus Virgil van Dijk’. The price compared to Chelsea is clearly daft – assuming that you believe Mo Salah is going to be staying on at Anfield.
Pep Guardiola might be able to rule the Prem and have a top scorer barely into double-figures, but a machine like Mo does come in handy.
The trip to relegated West Brom (4.30pm) looks trappy, and team news is murky after Sadio Mane got the hump in midweek. But ‘penalty awarded in match’ can amuse us at 15/8 (Boylesport).
Jack Grealish had 20 minutes on Thursday – his first for three months – and will hope to make his Euros case with Aston Villa at Crystal Palace (12pm).
The data still shouts loudest for ‘no goalscorer’ at 10/1 (Bet365).
But I can’t resist a lucky nugget too on Tyrone Mings 33/1 ‘first scorer’ and 12/1 ‘anytime’ (Bet365).
Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks fair at 20/21 (Bet365) ‘anytime scorer’ for Everton-Sheffield United (7pm).
In Spain, punt Joselu, the pound-shop Peter Crouch, ‘anytime scorer’ at 8/5 (Bet365) for Alaves vs Granada, who could very well be wearing their flip-flops in La Liga (5.30pm).
Last week: Ante post winner at 8/1 (Fulham-West Brom-Sheffield Utd relegation treble)
