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Manchester City set for Carabao Cup final after victory over local rivals

They are due to face Tottenham Hotspur in the final.

Manchester City took on rivals Manchester United in tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final. This fixture marked the second Manchester derby of the season. The first ended in a bore scoreless draw so viewers were hoping for a more entertaining spectacle this time around.

Although not a match of the season contender, viewers were treated to better football this time. Manchester City came out on top as they defeated their neighbours after a hard-fought battle. Goals from John Stones and Fernandinho sealed the win for City.

FIRST HALF

The first 5 minutes of action seen both teams hit the net, however both goals were disallowed.

Manchester United thought they scored after a Marcus Rashford shot was saved by Zach Steffen before deflecting off a City defender and into the net. The flag went up almost straight away, though, as Rashford was offside after being played through.

Ilkay Gundogan played a key role in Manchester City’s win over Chelsea at the weekend and he thought he made it 1-0 in the 4th minute. Phil Foden played a brilliant ball across to Gundogan who was left unmarked in the box but upon further inspection he was clearly offside.

Kevin De Bruyne very nearly opened the scoring in the 12th minute. He struck a thunderous effort from just outside the box and David De Gea was well beaten only for the left-hand post getting in the Belgian’s way.

City had another goal disallowed in the 23rd minute. Phil Foden was played through and he finished calmly past the keeper before the goal was called back for offside.

The first half finished scoreless after 3 disallowed goals.

SECOND HALF

After having 2 disallowed in the first half, Manchester City managed to get their goal in the 49th minute. John Stones was the unlikely goalscorer. The Englishmen was quickest to react to his compatriot Phil Foden’s inswinging free kick before tapping in past Dean Henderson in the United goal.

City veteran Fernandinho made it 2-0 to City in the 82nd minute with a brilliant volley from outside the box. The Brazilian capitalized on Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s less than convincing clearance and fired low into the bottom left corner.

Manchester United struggled to decrease the deficit thereafter, despite their best efforts.

The match finished 2-0 to Manchester City on the night. They will now face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup final.

Jason Knight set for Premier League move?

Burnley, Crystal Palace and West Ham United have reportedly shown interest in the young Irish international

Irish international Jason Knight has attracted the interest of several Premier League clubs, according to reports.

Knight is currently contracted to Championship club Derby whom he joined from Cabinteely in 2017.

The 19-year-old midfielder has been the shining light in Derby’s substandard Championship campaign this season. Despite his team sitting just 22nd in the table, Knight has produced consistently good displays which have led to the reported interest.

The clubs in question are Burnley, Crystal Palace and West Ham. Burnley are thought to be particularly keen on the teenager.

The transfer window opened at the beginning of the month, meaning clubs have until the 31st of January to secure a deal, if they so wish.

KNIGHT’S STORY SO FAR

As mentioned previously, Knight joined Derby County’s academy from Cabinteely in 2017. Cabinteely – as well as Derby – should be given plenty of credit for Knight’s development to this point. He joined Cabinteely at the age of 4 and stayed at the club until his move to England at the age of 16.

Knight progressed through the Derby County youth sides before making his first team debut on the 5th of August 2019 at the age of 18.

Since then, Knight has established himself as a key member of the Derby squad, particularly this season.

Despite his age, the young midfielder has already amassed bags of experience at a high level. Knight has made over 50 Championship appearances for Derby, scoring an impressive 8 goals from midfield in the process.

He has also earned senior international honours last year. He earned his first senior international cap against Finland in October and went on to make two further appearances, including a start against Bulgaria in a scoreless draw.

Knight has represented Ireland through u17 up to senior level.

WOULD A PREMIER LEAGUE MOVE BE GOOD FOR KNIGHT?

Of course, the thought of Premier League football would entice any young player to make the move to the highest level. Expectation is often different from reality, though.

While Knight is clearly a very talented player capable of playing at the top level, there is no guarantee of regular game time when moving to a new club, particularly in the Premier League.

He’s currently one of the first names on the Derby team sheet and there is a guarantee of football at a high level, something which he may not get in the Premier League.

Knight is still only 19, meaning there is more than enough time to establish himself as a Premier League player in the coming years.

In our opinion, he should stay at Derby, at least until the end of the season. That way Knight can continue to play in virtually every possible game until the end of the season and assess his position in the squad come the summer time.

 

Leinster 24 Connacht 35

Leinster 24 Connacht 35

Guinness Pro14, Round 10 
January 2nd, 2021 – RDS Arena, Dublin

Leinster’s long unbeaten run in the Guinness PRO14 stretching back 26 games came to a juddering halt after being blitzed by a superb first half-performance by Andy Friend’s Connacht side. Leo Cullen’s men tasted defeat for the first time in all competitions this season and for the first time in this competition since a 14-13 loss to Ulster in Ravenhill towards the end of the 18/19 season.

Match Highlights

Both sides had their preparation interrupted by COVID cases within their camp, a reflection of a worrying rise in case numbers in wider society. Both managers were forced to juggle their squads ahead of this clash.

Match Report

Connacht started with the greater intensity. In their opening attack, Shane Delahunt was stopped just short of the Leinster line after a double hit from James Tracy and Peter Dooley. The opening score came 9 minutes in when Jack Carty intercepted a Ross Molony pass off the base of a ruck 40 meters out, to sprint clear for the score. Connacht then extended their lead when Carty was on the end of a team move and crashed over from short range, with a good shove from Quinn Roux ensuring the Athlone man wouldn’t be stopped. 

Leinster responded almost instantly when Scott Penny found space on the fringe of a ruck to sprint in untouched for a try which got the home side off the mark. Liam Tuner had entered the fray just prior to that score as a HIA replacement for Jonathan Sexton, who would fail to return to play. Rory O’Loughlin moved into the fly-half slot for the remainder of the match. 

A brace of Jack Carty penalties stretched the lead for the visitors. An Alex Wotton try after a good break from scrum-half Caolin Blade just prior to the interval gave Connacht a scarcely believable twenty point lead at the break.

Half-Time: Leinster 5 Connacht 25

Leo Cullen’s side came out after the interval with a heightened intensity and set about eating into that deficit. Luke McGrath sniped over three minutes after the restart. Then the score was converted by Jimmy O’Brien who had taken over kicking duties from McGrath.  Who had missed his own conversion effort in the first half. 

Jack Carty was on target from a penalty on 47 minutes to re-establish a two-score cushion. Just before the hour mark former Connacht hooker Sean Cronin brushed off a couple of would-be tacklers. He then fed Ryan Baird on the short-side, the young flanker then dived over from close range. O’Brien’s effort at the extra’s from the left-hand touchline was pulled across goal.

Turning point

With the scoreboard now reading 17-28 Leo Cullen’s side began turning the screw. It appeared that Leinster had further cut the margin when David Hawkshaw cut in for a try a few minutes later. However, an infringement was spotted in the build-up by TMO Ollie Hodges. Sam Arnold’s path to make a tackle in midfield had been obstructed by Andrew Smith and the try was duly struck off. 

Connacht weathered the Leinster storm. Both the win and the bonus point were ensured when Tom Daly intercepted on the 22’. He broke a covering tackle to grab a fourth Connacht try. An Ed Byrne try under the posts in the final play of the game gave Leinster the consolation of a bonus point themselves. However,  all the plaudits go to the men from the west on their first win in Dublin since a last-minute Mark McHugh drop goal gave them a victory in Donnybrook way back in 2002.

Full-time: Leinster 24 Connacht 35

Pro14 standings

It’s first v second in both Conferences this weekend. In Conference A Leinster will host Ulster at the RDS on Friday night at 7:35. The northerners are now ten points ahead of Leinster. However, Leo Cullen’s side do have two games in hand. Meanwhile in Conference B Munster are on top of the pile after 8 games on 33 points. Connacht are 8 points behind on 25. For the home side, a win is a must if they are to catch Johann Van Grann’s side at the top.

Table reproduced from Pro14.rubgy

Irish international Jack Byrne departs Shamrock Rovers

The midfielder is set to announce his new club in a matter of days.

Jack Byrne has announced his departure from Shamrock Rovers through a heartfelt statement posted on Instagram.

“Today, with the heaviest of hearts, I would like to announce that I’ve decided to leave Shamrock Rovers and the people I’ve come to love and I do so with a huge lump in my throat”, he wrote after reminiscing about his time at the club.

There has been no shortage of speculation regarding where Jack Byrne’s future lies but Cypriot First Division champions APOEL seem the most likely suitors as things stand.

The move would make sense considering Byrne’s former international manager, Mick McCarthy, is the current APOEL manager, a post which he has held since November 2020. APOEL also regularly compete in European competition, namely the UEFA Europa League and Champions League.

That said, though, APOEL are having a substandard season so far. They’ve lost their last 3 games and currently sit 11th in the Cypriot First Division.

Byrne appeared twice for the Ireland national team under Mick McCarthy, making his debut against Bulgaria in 2019. He also impressed in a cameo appearance against New Zealand a couple of months later.

Byrne has been linked with several clubs in the past few months. Bournemouth, Stoke and Colorado Rapids have reportedly taken interest in the midfielder.

However, it is looking increasingly likely that Jack Byrne is set for a move to Cyprus. Several reports have already suggested that a deal has been agreed between Byrne and APOEL.

All will be revealed shortly with Byrne set to announce his new club in the coming days.

Manchester United kick off 2021 with victory over Aston Villa

The Red Devils are now level on points with Liverpool at the top.

Manchester United took on Aston Villa in the 2nd Premier League game of 2021 – following West Ham’s win over Everton earlier.

Both teams had plenty on the line going into the game. Aston Villa had the chance to move into the top 4 with a win while United could have gone top of the table with a similar result.

Manchester United came out on top in the end thanks to goals from Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes. The match finished 2-1, meaning United are now level on points with Liverpool on top of the table.

FIRST HALF

Manchester United started the game brightly, attacking with pace and intent.

Emi Martinez had his first real tester in the 10th minute. Anthony Martial struck from outside of the box but the Villa keeper denied the Frenchman with an agile save.

Aston Villa had a chance of their own just moments later. Matty Cash’s overlap allowed him space to cross and his ball into the box fell to John McGinn. The Scottish international struck low on the volley before David de Gea got a good hand on it to avert the danger.

After a period where both teams had their half chances, Anthony Martial finally made the breakthrough for Manchester United in the 39th minute. The goal came a typical Manchester United counter attack. Aaron Wan-Bissaka bombed down the right flank before delivering a cross into the box which was met by the head of Martial before going into the net. He did well to anticipate and react to the opportunity. Tyrone Mings was at fault for the goal, having failed to intercept the cross into Martial.

The first half ended 1-0 to Manchester United as a result of Anthony Martial’s goal. Aston Villa showed signs of promise but also faded out of the game for large periods. A better second half was needed for Dean Smith’s side to warrant a good result.

SECOND HALF

Aston Villa started the second half much better than they played for the majority of the first.

Their pressure nearly culminated in a goal in the 51st minute. Jack Grealish was involved heavily as he crossed into the box and onto Ollie Watkins head. David de Gea produced a superb save to hook Watkins’ shot over the bar and out for a corner.

Aston Villa continued to knock on the door and their efforts paid off in the 58th minute with a Bertrand Traore goal. Aaron Wan-Bissaka was largely to blame for the goal. His poor positioning gave Jack Grealish of all people acres of space to work. Grealish took advantage of Wan-Bissaka’s error and crossed low into the box which was met and finished by Bertrand Traore.

Aston Villa’s equaliser didn’t last long. Manchester United were awarded a penalty in the 61st after some good work by Paul Pogba. VAR were called into action to discuss the validity of the penalty and after some consultation, the penalty stood. Bruno Fernandes stepped up to the spot and he dispatched his effort low and hard into the corner.

Paul Pogba had a great chance to make it 3-1 in the 72nd minute. Luke Shaw crossed in low from the byline to Pogba who was in space, but he fired wide of the post.

Emi Martinez was on hand again in the 76th minute, this time he kept out in-form Bruno Fernandes. The Portuguese international shot from outside the box but Martinez managed to get a good hand to divert the ball behind.

Tyrone Mings had an excellent opportunity to atone for his mistake in the 83rd minute. Matty Cash delivered a fantastic free kick into the box from wide. Mings got his head on the ball after a battle with Harry Maguire but his shot went just wide.

Matty Cash had a good second half and he nearly ended the half with a goal. He struck well from outside the box but David de Gea was at hand to tip it behind.

Eric Bailly produced a brilliant challenge/block right at the death to keep out Keinan Davis.

The match finished 2-1 to Manchester United after Bailly’s heroic defending. The Red Devils are now level on points with Liverpool.

2020 Premier League team of the year: Bruno Fernandes, Mohamad Salah, Harry Kane..

Our choices for the best performers over the past year.

2020 is finally coming to an end after a long, bizarre and extraordinary – for all the wrong reasons – 12 months.

It’s been a unique year of football. The suspension of the Premier League for a number of months, Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years and the absence of fans in football stadiums made for one of the most peculiar Premier League years in recent memory.

There have also been several key performers over the past year, but which of those make our Premier League team of 2020?

GOALKEEPER

ALISSON – LIVERPOOL

Alisson has proven himself as an indispensable member of the Liverpool squad since joining from Roma in 2018.

The Brazilian’s importance was not only demonstrated as he helped his team to a league title for the first time in 30 years, but also during his absence. Backup keeper Adrian came into the team on several occasions to replace the injured Alisson, but despite his best efforts, he was unable to emulate the latter’s performances.

Known for not only his excellent shot stopping skills, but also his elite distribution among other attributes. He displayed his goalkeeping acumen against Newcastle on Wednesday as he made a number of important saves.

Alisson is still only 28, also, meaning he could continue to dominate for years to come.

Honourable mentions: Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Arsenal), Nick Pope (Burnley).

RIGHT-BACK

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD – LIVERPOOL

Although Alexander-Arnold hasn’t been quite as good this season as he was last thus far, but his worth to the Liverpool squad is still invaluable.

Alexander-Arnold contributed to the 2nd most assists in the league last season, only topped by Kevin De Bruyne. His passing range is undoubtedly one of the best in the league, and inarguably the best in his position.

His performances last year earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year. He was also honoured as PFA Young Player of the Year.

At only 22, Alexander-Arnold has a long and decorated career ahead of him. We could be looking at a Liverpool captain in the making.

Honourable mentions: Tariq Lamptey (Brighton & Hove Albion), João Cancelo (Manchester City).

LEFT-BACK

ANDREW ROBERTSON – LIVERPOOL

Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold make up the best full-back pairing the league so it would be unfair not to include Robertson, especially considering his consistency over the past year.

Robertson put up 12 assists in the league this season on his way to a PFA Team of the Year inclusion. The Scottish international has started this season in a similar vein of form, coming up with 5 assists so far.

Not only is Robertson masterful in his attacking output, he’s also one of the most defensively accomplished left-backs in the league.

He has arguably been Liverpool’s most consistent player this term in a season riddled with injury problems and surprise results – despite sitting 1st in the table.

Honourable mentions: Lucas Digne (Everton), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea, Leicester City).

CENTRE-BACKS

JAMES TARKOWSKI – BURNLEY

This might come as a strange selection to some, but James Tarkowski has quietly proven himself as one of the best centre-backs in the league over the past few seasons.

Tarkowski joined Burnley in 2016 and has been ever-present since.

Burnley rely very much – maybe overly so – on their defensive quality and Tarkowski, along with his partner Ben Mee, have that in abundance. In fact, no defender has kept more clean sheets in the league this year than Tarkowski.

The centre-back helped Burnley to a respectable 10th place finish last season. Burnley have struggled so far this season but have showed signs of a resurgence in recent weeks.

VIRGIL VAN DIJK – LIVERPOOL

Van Dijk has barely featured in the Premier League this season due to an ACL injury suffered in October. His form before the injury, though, more than warranted an inclusion in this team.

Van Dijk was key in ensuring Liverpool captured the evasive Premier League trophy last season after coming so close in 2018/19.

His performances earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year alongside fellow Liverpool defenders Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Van Dijk has all the attributes of a world-class defenders. His positional awareness, physicality and elite tackling ability make him one of the best defenders in recent memory. He also possess one of the best passing ranges of any centre-back worldwide which compliments Liverpool’s style of play to a tee.

Van Dijk has been sorely missed for Liverpool so far – despite Fabinho filling in capably – and his return will be a massive boost to members of the club and fans alike.

Honourable mentions: Michael Keane (Everton), Fabinho (Liverpool), Çağlar Söyüncü (Leicester City), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton).

MIDFIELDERS

KEVIN DE BRUYNE – MANCHESTER CITY

Kevin De Bruyne arguably had his best season in a Manchester City shirt last season which is no mean feat considering his displays in previous seasons.

De Bruyne won PFA Player’s Player of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season last term in a spectacular season.

The Belgian equalled Thierry Henry’s long-standing record for most assists in a Premier League season as he finished with 20 assists. He also surpassed his career best for most league goals in a season, scoring 13.

Manchester City have failed to live up to their remarkably high standards this season and De Bruyne’s form has also dipped as a result. He is still, however, one of the best players in the league and it’s only a matter of time before he gets back to his best.

BRUNO FERNANDES – MANCHESTER UNITED

Bruno Fernandes only arrived at Manchester United in January but has already established himself as one of the best players at the club, if not the best.

Nobody was quite sure how Fernandes would fare in the Premier League given the jump in quality but he has proved his doubters wrong and has taken to the league like a duck to water.

In fact, Fernandes has contributed to more Premier League goals (32) than any other player in the league, despite missing the first month of the year.

He has completed transformed the fortunes of Manchester United since joining and is very much the focal point of the squad. They currently sit 2nd in the table with much thanks due to the creativity and goalscoring instincts of the Portuguese international.

A Premier League Player of the Season award – as well as other honours – is very much in sight for Bruno Fernandes if he continues his impressive form.

JORDAN HENDERSON – LIVERPOOL

Jordan Henderson should be a shoo-in for any team of the year.

The Liverpool captain’s ability has been called in question numerous times over the year but he has proved his doubters wrong time after time.

Last season he captained his side to their first Premier League title in 30 years. This season the responsibility upon his shoulders has increased tenfold given the absence of several key players and the introduction of numerous youth players into the first team, a pressure which he has taken into his stride.

Henderson received several honours for his performances and leadership last season, including but not limited to; Liverpool Fans’ Player of the Season, FWA Footballer of the Year and an inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year.

Henderson is often underrated by fans but his value to the Liverpool squad and system is immeasurable.

Honourable mentions: Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham Hotspur/Southampton), Tomáš Souček (West Ham United).

RIGHT-WINGER

MOHAMED SALAH – LIVERPOOL

Currently leading the Premier League scoring chart with 13 goals, Mohamed Salah has had a fine start to the season. The Egyptian needs just 6 more goals to match his total of 19 league goals last season.

Himself, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have formed a potent attack over the years which would be the envy of most – if not all – clubs in world football.

Salah’s direct movement, close control and remarkable finishing is perfect for Liverpool’s system. His finishing is of such high quality that he’s significantly outperforming his expected goals of 8 this season (according to understat).

Reports of Salah’s desire to leave Anfield have been circulating in recent weeks to the dismay of Liverpool fans. No doubt Salah’s departure would be a monumental loss but he remains at Anfield and has shown no signs of unhappiness other than rumours.

Honourable mentions: Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City), Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United).

LEFT-WINGER

HEUNG-MIN SON – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Few footballers have had a more accomplished 2020 than Heung-min Son.

The Tottenham forward has been one of the Premier League’s top performers – particularly this season – over the past year. Not only that, though, he also completed mandatory service for the South Korean military for a period of 3 weeks between April and May, during which he finished in the top 5 over 150 other trainees in basic military training.

He has moulded a formidable partnership with Harry Kane over the course of the season so far. The pair have combined with each other for a total of 32 Premier League goals during their times at Tottenham. For context, that’s just 4 goals off Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard’s record of 36.

In total this season, the pair have combined with each for 12 goals, just 1 goal off equalling the record of 13 set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton during the 1994/95 season.

Son is joint 2nd in the Premier League scoring charts with 11 goals, the same tally as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jamie Vardy.

Honourable mentions: Sadio Mané (Liverpool), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).

STRIKER

HARRY KANE – TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

There are a number of Premier League strikers deserving of an inclusion in this team, namely Jamie Vardy, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Ings. We’ve gone with Harry Kane, though.

Despite suffering an injury which kept him out for months at the start of the season, Kane has managed to rack up the same amount of goal contributions as Jamie Vardy (26).

Kane has proven himself not only as one of the deadliest finishers in the league, but also as one of the best creative outlets. He has by far the most assists to his name this season with 10, his closest competitors in Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne have 7 to their name respectively.

Tottenham started the season magnificently but have dipped in form over the past few games, collecting just 2 points in their last 4 games.

They’ll be hoping, with the help of Harry Kane among others, for a positive result against Leeds at the weekend to kickstart their 2021.

Honourable mentions: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Danny Ings (Southampton).

Understanding the Dynamics of Horse Betting

Horse races are events where people gather to enjoy a day out in the sun socialising, enjoying a picnic and viewing some magnificent animals in action.

They also present the audience with an opportunity to bet on their favourite horses and make some extra money. Betting on horse races started as far back as the 1600s and continues to be a popularly enjoyed activity. If you are stepping into the horse betting world here are a few things to help you along the way.

Win, place and show bets

There are a few basic bets in horse betting that are most commonly placed during races. Beginners are encouraged to go through BetPop racebook and give these bets a try before moving on to the more complex ones. The first of these straight wagers are win bets.

Win bets are pretty straightforward since you bet on the horse you expect to come first in the race. If the horse does win, you get your payout.

You bet that a particular horse will come in at either first or second place in Place bets. If this happens, you can collect your winnings less than what you would have received at a Win bet.

In the case of a Show bet, the horse you bet on must place first, second or third. Since this bet gives you better odds of winning, the payout is much lower than that of the last two bets.

Across the Board bets involve betting Win, Place and Show on a horse. This means that you will be paying the amount for each bet, usually thrice the amount you would have bet otherwise. If your horse wins Across the Board, it means that it came first place and you won all three bets. If it is only second, you will get back your Place and Show amount, and if it comes third, you will get your Show amount back.

Exotic bets

Exotic bets come with more significant profits and involve single bets made on multiple horses simultaneously. These bets might require you to spend more, and it is also harder to win, so only get started with exotic bets once you earn the skills needed for picking out the winning horses.

Exacta bets involve placing wagers on two horses to come in at the first and second place respectively. The payouts are often pretty big, and so this bet is popular among seasoned horse race bettors. If you box an exacta bet you will get paid if the two horses come first and second in either order. But the price you must pay for a boxed exacta is often double the price of a normal one.

In a Trifecta bet you place your wager on three horses you expect to come first, second and third in a specific order. You can also box a trifecta bet, but the amount you pay will significantly increase since many more combinations can be made out of three horses.

A Superfecta bet involves placing a wager on four horses of your choice to come in at first, second, third, and fourth places. Just like the other two bets, you can also box a Superfecta bet.

A Quinella bet is similar to a boxed exacta bet in which two horses must come first and second in any order. While Quinella bets cost less than boxed exacta bets, their payoutsare also smaller.

Understanding horse racing odds

Let us now understand horse racing odds. Odds describe the money that you will get back in terms of the money you bet if the horse you bet on wins.

If the odds of a horse are given as 9-2, and you bet on that horse, for every $2, you will get $9, a total of $11. If the odds listed are equal, such as 1-1, you will get a profit equal to the money you wagered, doubling your investment. The odds listed beside each horse will tell you if it’s the favourite or not. Favourite horses come with lower odds. If a horse is not expected to win by a long shot, its odds will increase, bringing up the payouts.

So, before you place your bets, you must understand how to handicap or pick the right horse. You can do this with the help of race-day programs, researching upon the past race results of the horses and jockeys, or even observing the horse’s temperament before the race begins.

Summing up

There is a specific format for placing your bet on a horse. When you get to the bookie, you place a bet by saying the racetrack, the number of the race, the wager amount, the bet type and finally the horse’s number.

When you start out on the racecourse, do not stress yourself out and only place smaller bets. Learn more about the horses, jockeys, and the racecourses before you start making bigger exotic bets.

World Darts Results – Price & Anderson into quarterfinals

Gerwyn Price and Gary Anderson advanced to the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Championship with comfortable victories at London’s Alexandra Palace on Wednesday.

World number three Price saw off Mervyn King in five sets, while two-time World Champion Anderson demolished Devon Petersen 4-0 as the quarter-final line-up was completed on the final day of darts in 2020.

Daryl Gurney, Dirk van Duijvenbode, Dave Chisnall and Stephen Bunting also progressed to the last eight of the £2.5 million tournament, which will resume on New Year’s Day.

Price put on an exhibition of finishing, with three ton-plus checkouts and a double success rate of 52 percent in a convincing victory over King.

The Welsh star won by three sets in a high quality affair, in which no leg took more than 16 darts to complete.

“I felt quite comfortable for most of the match but it was little bit patchy at times,” said Price, who will take on Gurney in the last eight.

“Mervyn wasn’t quite as good as he has been in the last few weeks and I took advantage.

“I just did what I do best and finished well. I never felt under pressure. I hit at the right time and he missed at the wrong time.

“Daryl is a fantastic player and I’ll have to be at my best to beat him but I’m determined to go on and win the tournament because I’ve got my eyes on that world number one spot.”

Price hit double top to win each of the first four legs, which included combination checkouts of 148 and 115, but only claimed one of the first two sets as King edged the second in a deciding leg.

Last month’s Players Championship Finals runner-up King took the lead in set three with a 106 finish, only to see Price win the next three legs to regain the advantage.

The Welshman then took out 93 in the deciding leg of the fourth set to move into a 3-1 lead as he edged towards a second successive World Championship quarter-final.

A fabulous 116 checkout moved Price 2-1 ahead in set five and a leg away from the win, which he wrapped up in the next leg after King missed three darts to stay in the tie.

Anderson’s straight sets victory against South African star Petersen saw the 2015 and 2016 World Champion progress to the quarter-finals at Ally Pally for the eighth time.

The Scottish ace raced through the first set with three unanswered legs before checkouts of 160 and 97 saw him come from two legs behind in the second set to double his lead.

Petersen also led by two legs in set three but was punished for three missed doubles as Anderson again overturned a two-leg deficit to move within a set of victory – and he promptly made it six successive legs to wrap up the win.

“Devon’s scoring wasn’t where it has been this year and I nicked it,” said Anderson.

“I’m nowhere near where I should be playing but next year I’ll start from scratch and get myself back to it.

“I’ve managed to scrape through like I did when I got to the World Matchplay final. This run is a real bonus for me.”

Anderson will meet Van Duijvenbode on New Year’s Day after the Dutch talent continued his fine form in 2020 with a sudden-death success over Premier League champion Glen Durrant.

Van Duijvenbode, who reached the World Grand Prix final in October, came from 3-1 down to win another thrilling battle in a memorable fourth round, which saw four of the eight ties go to last-leg shoot-outs.

Durrant recovered from losing the opening leg to win the first set 3-1, before a sublime 154 checkout helped him edge the second set after Van Duijvenbode had missed four darts to level.

Two 11-darters helped the Dutchman win the third set 3-1 but Durrant claimed the fourth by the same scoreline to move within a set of victory.

A spell of flawless finishing saw Van Duijvenbode stay in the match as checkouts of 113, 106 and 92 earned him the fifth set.

He then executed his second 170 finish of the tournament as he levelled up the match, before going on to edge the seventh set to progress by pinning double six.

“I felt like I was better than Glen for most of the match and found myself 3-1 down,” said Van Duijvenbode.

“I would have been devastated to have lost but I had to make sure I didn’t get too frustrated. I dug deep and I won.

“I kept believing in myself like I always do. I think I hurt him with the 170. I was pretty nervous for a lot of the match to be honest but that is good thing and I managed to use it in a positive way. I enjoyed the match and I’m really happy to be through.”

Chisnall won a high quality encounter against World Matchplay champion Dimitri Van den Bergh 4-2 to set up a quarter-final clash with world number one Michael van Gerwen.

Both players averaged over 101 in exciting encounter that saw Van den Bergh threaten to fight back from losing the opening three sets before Chisnall finished the job with a classy 102 checkout.

World number eight Chisnall expertly executed a 144 finish to take the first set before punishing two missed set darts by Van den Bergh to double his lead.

The Belgian ace missed the bullseye when attempting to take out 161 to win the third set, allowing Chisnall to punish again as he closed in on victory.

Van den Bergh kept his hopes alive by taking set four in three legs, with the aid of two 12-darters, before kicking off the fifth set with a 121 checkout for another dozen-dart leg.

Yet another 12-darter for the former World Youth Champion saw Chisnall’s lead reduced to a single set, but he won a nervy third leg in the sixth set before landing a sweet match-winning 102 checkout to reach the last eight at Ally Pally for the third time.

“I could’ve won that game a little bit more comfortably but I’m just happy to have won it,” said Chisnall.

“I’ve felt really confident throughout the whole tournament and I think it will be a great match against Michael van Gerwen.

“I will just have to tidy up a few sloppy darts but I know I can beat him. It will be a fast, exciting game and I’m looking forward to it.”

Former World Grand Prix champion Gurney progressed to the last eight at Alexandra Palace for the second time in his career after a 4-2 victory over Vincent van der Voort.

Gurney took out 125 to break in the opening leg and went on to win the first set 3-1, before Van der Voort responded with a 111 checkout on the way to winning the second set in five legs.

Gurney missed double 12 for a nine-darter in the first leg of set three, which he won, before a 120 finish saw him move two sets clear.

Two-time Ally Pally quarter-finalist Van der Voort used just 41 darts in the fourth set, which he won without reply.

Gurney missed six darts to win the sixth set 3-1 but returned to finish the job in the following leg after his opponent missed a dart at the bullseye to stay in the contest.

Former Lakeside Champion Bunting also made it through to the quarter-finals for the second time after winning in a sudden-death shoot-out against Ryan Searle.

Bunting, who had previously reached the last eight on his PDC World Championship debut in the 2014/15 event, won the first two sets but missed seven darts to make the scoreline 3-0, allowing Searle to pinch the third set before levelling the tie.

The St Helens man kicked off the fifth set with an 11-darter and went on to win it in three legs, but Searle responded with 12, 15 and 13 dart winning legs as he took the sixth set 3-1 with the aid of a 100 checkout.

Brilliant finishes of 145 and 90 followed as the Wellington ace put the boot in and moved within a leg of victory.

Bunting battled back, however, taking out 84 to complete an 11-darter before a fabulous 107 checkout forced a deciding leg, which he won with a 13 darter on tops, with Searle waiting on 16.

The action resumes on New Year’s Day with all four quarter-finals being played across two sessions, as Bunting takes on Krzysztof Ratajski in the opener before Anderson and Van Duijvenbode do battle.

The evening session will start with the contest between Price and Gurney, with three-time World Champion van Gerwen’s meeting with Chisnall also taking place on Friday evening.

Global coverage of the £2.5 million tournament is headlined by the dedicated Sky Sports Darts channel, while the PDC’s international broadcast partners will include RTL7 in the Netherlands, DAZN in various territories, Fox Sports in Australia, Sky Sport in New Zealand, PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers and at matchroom.live.

2020/21 William Hill World Darts Championship
Wednesday December 30
Afternoon Session
3x Fourth Round
Daryl Gurney 4-2 Vincent van der Voort
Stephen Bunting 4-3 Ryan Searle
Gary Anderson 4-0 Devon Petersen

Evening Session
3x Fourth Round
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-3 Glen Durrant
Gerwyn Price 4-1 Mervyn King
Dave Chisnall 4-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Friday January 1
Afternoon Session (1200 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Krzysztof Ratajski v Stephen Bunting
Gary Anderson v Dirk Van Duijvenbode

Evening Session (1800 GMT)
2x Quarter-Finals
Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall

All matches best of nine sets (no tie-breaks in deciding sets)

Liverpool draw to Newcastle in final Premier League game of 2020

Thiago made his long-awaited return for Liverpool in the match.

The final Premier League game of 2020 took place tonight after what was a strange, unprecedented year. Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool befittingly took to the stage as they faced Newcastle in St. James’ Park.

Liverpool had the chance to go 5 points clear – momentarily – of their nearest rivals, Manchester United, with a win tonight. Newcastle, on the other hand, could create some distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

Liverpool suffered a shock draw to West Brom last time out. Tonight would be a similar story as the Reds were unable to penetrate a formidable Newcastle defence. The match finished 0-0, but there was no lack of entertainment on display.

FIRST HALF

After a period of both teams settling into the match, Newcastle had the first real opportunity just past the 11-minute mark. Callum Wilson skinned Nathaniel Phillips and continued his run into the Liverpool box before shooting from an acute angle. His shot, though, was blocked by Fabinho and went out for a corner.

Callum Wilson was then involved in another good opportunity for Newcastle. He played in DeAndre Yedlin after good build up in the final third but the American full back scuffed his shot to the relief of Liverpool.

Liverpool had an opportunity of their own in the 24th minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold was highly involved throughout. He whipped a pinpoint crossfield ball out to Sadio Mane before the former found himself receiving the ball in the box, but his shot was tame and the keeper produced a straightforward save.

Mohamed Salah doesn’t miss too many but he missed the chance of the half in the 33rd minute. He managed to stay onside and was played through in acres of space. He closed in on the keeper but his shot was brilliantly saved by the fingertips of Karl Darlow before going out for a corner.

Robert Firmino had a good chance in the dying embers of the first half. He met a cross into the box with his head but again Karl Darlow was at hand to keep the score level.

No further chances of note occurred in a first half that finished 0-0. Liverpool would have been disappointed going into the second half level with Newcastle. Their decisiveness and cutting edge in key moments let them down on more than one occasion.

SECOND HALF

The second half started in an end-to-end fashion with both teams attacking at will. As was the story of the match to that point, though, neither team was able to fashion quality chances.

Salah missed another great opportunity in the 65th minute. He was played in by Roberto Firmino before taking a good touch inside the area to make space but his resulting shot placed wide of the post.

Just moments later, Firmino missed what was effectively an open goal as his header went wide from a corner.

Thiago made his long-awaited Liverpool return in the 72nd minute. The accomplished midfielder has missed much of the season due to fitness issues, most recently a knee injury which kept him out for a number of weeks.

Irish international Ciaran Clark nearly made the breakthrough for Newcastle in the 78th minute but was denied by a great Alisson save. He powered a header towards goal from an accurate free kick but Alisson did just enough to keep it out.

Moments later and Liverpool very nearly made the breakthrough themselves. Sadio Mane just needed a touch in the 6-yard-box to guide the ball into the net but Fabian Schar reacted quickest to avert the danger. It was a brilliant clearance by the Swiss international.

Karl Darlow was called into action again in the 87th minute. He reacted brilliantly to a header as a result of a Liverpool corner. A scramble in the box then ensued but Liverpool were unable to make anything more of the situation.

The match finished 0-0 after an impressive Newcastle performance. Liverpool’s draw means they are now 3 points ahead of Manchester United in 2nd, but the Red Devils have a game in hand and could draw level on points with a win against Aston Villa on Friday.

Tottenham vs. Fulham fixture postponed due to COVID-19 fears

Manchester City vs. Everton was also cancelled earlier in the week.

The Tottenham vs. Fulham bout which was scheduled to take place this evening has been called off due to COVID-19 fears. The decision was made by the Premier League after a significant rise in cases within the Fulham camp.

Manchester City vs. Everton was also postponed during the week after an outbreak of cases in the City squad.

The Premier League today announced that fixtures would resume despite the increase in cases, a statement which they reaffirmed following the cancellation of this evening’s match.

“With low numbers of positive tests across the overwhelming majority of clubs, the Premier League continues to have full confidence in its COVID-19 protocols and being able to continue to play our fixtures as scheduled.”, the Premier League stated.

The date for the rescheduled bout is yet to be confirmed.

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