Boro worth waiting for

Last week was another profitable week with Aston Villa proving too good for Cardiff and Leicester v Middlesbrough paying out at 13/5 for the draw. A single goal for Stoke at Watford cost us a clean sweep but things are going along well.

MIDDLESBROUGH have taken quite a few people by surprise and look like holding their place in the top section without undue difficulty. It is a little surprising that 4/5 is the general offer before they take on a modest Hull side on Monday evening. Hull are not about to spend in January, just as they didn’t during the summer, prompting Steve Bruce to leave. The owner wants to sell, the supporters are disenchanted and this looks a very difficult game.

I suspect TOTTENHAM will put Swansea to the sword and put themselves back on track in the Premier League. I saw some 18/1 about Spurs for the title the other day and this is too big. True, they were disappointing in the Champions League but that may work in their favour in the end. Pochettino’s whole attitude seems to suggest that he knows he is somewhere close with this team and my guess is that they will be right there at the death. On everything I’ve seen so far this season, my finishing order would be 1 Liverpool, 2 Tottenham 3 Chelsea. Be in no doubt, Spurs were the better side at Stamford Bridge last week until Chelsea scored at the perfect time with the interval seconds away. I cannot see Swansea holding out at White Hart Lane and 4/11 is not too short.

Watford, very poor at home to Stoke, are in a flattering position in the Premier League and the 6/5 about West Brom is sort of all right, as opposed to appetising. The Baggies turned it on against Burnley and should have held on against Hull. They represent a modest investment here.

Newcastle’s somewhat unfortunate defeat at Forest on Friday evening gives Brighton the chance to go top in the Championship but CARDIFF are not bad value to beat them at home. Crucially, Rickie Lambert is starting to score again after a spell of injury and he is a very handy man to have around at this level. Brighton are in good nick but Cardiff can be backed at 21/10 with a couple of firms, which is quite a price about the home team when there is no appreciable gap in class.

Fulham and Reading should both score in their encounter at Craven Cottage.

TOTTENHAM 50 units at 4/11 to beat Swansea

MIDDLESBROUGH 30 units at 4/5 to beat Hull

WBA 20 units at 6/5 to beat Watford

CARDIFF 15 units at 21/10 to beat Brighton