Liverpool may cut loose here…

LIVERPOOL MAY CUT LOOSE HERE

Tottenham made an excellent fight of it in the Premier League but Friday’s surprising defeat at West Ham has all but handed the title to Chelsea. Although I thought Spurs would keep up the pressure for another game or two, I also feel that too many pundits ignore home advantage. All right, West Ham have not truly settled into their new home and have hardly set the world on fire this season but they remain tricky opponents on their own pitch. The result may have given Slaven Bilic some breathing space.

The latest word is that David Moyes may well stay at Sunderland and I think that would be the right decision. Whether they can bounce back is open to question but with funds made available Moyes is the right man to give it a go. Too many people have forgotten how many seasons he kept Everton in touch with the top clubs without having anything like their transfer budget. Roy Keane turned Sunderland around in double-quick time before it all went sour and Moyes can do the same.

More immediately, they are not bound to go under at Hull on Saturday. The players will be playing for the thousand or two who make the journey – true supporters now that relegation is confirmed. The value bet here may be the draw, giving SWANSEA a possible lifeline when they entertain Everton in the teatime game. The Swans played very well against Tottenham and even better against Manchester United for a grand total of one point. That Ronald Koeman will turn Everton into a top six club is not seriously in doubt but they may run into a team with self-belief rekindled here and, no matter what anyone may say, a Europa League place was the likely limit of their ambitions this time around and they are very nearly there. Swansea at 9/5, especially if Hull have faltered, is a fair wager.

Going straight on to Southampton from Punchestown, I couldn’t believe how poor they were against Hull, who should probably have won, never mind the penalty which might have robbed them of anything. (I wouldn’t have stopped Dusan Tadic’s spot kick, but I‘d certainly have thrown myself low to my left. It never seems to cross Dusan’s mind that people do their homework. He looks not only hurt but puzzled, as well.

There may be problems around the corner at St Mary’s, where Virgil van Dijk will probably go, followed by two or three other key players. There is no midfield goalscorer, Bertrand’s body language is that of a man checking timetables and Gabbiadini has suddenly realised the size of the task. At the end of the season, the Saints may not have many more than the 41 points currently against their name. On what we saw last week, it is very hard indeed to see how they will contain a Liverpool team buoyed by the narrow win at Watford and ready to cut loose.

It’s not in my nature to bet against my heart and I shall not be doing so but I suspect LIVERPOOL will be handsome winners here and you should be quite safe with a -1 bet as a bonus.

Hull v Sunderland 10 units THE DRAW AT 18/5

SWANSEA 20 units at 9/5 to beat Everton

LIVERPOOL 40 units at 8/13 to beat Southampton

LIVERPOOL -1 goal 15 units to beat Southampton at best price available