Home and Away: Blades too sharp for Orient

26Feb 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner started the week in style with two winners from his opening two selections - and he's looking to continue that form as he focuses on two table toppers this evening.

Two winners from our two selections yesterday was a cracking start to the week, and we're looking to continue that success here with a couple more picks.

We're off to South Yorkshire for our first tip of the day - as Sheffield United host Leyton Orient at Bramall Lane, looking to secure their fifth straight league win.

Danny Wilson's side sit top of League One, and after a small blip around a month ago, look to be back on track in style - and formidable as at any point this season.

A 1-0 win at high-flying AFC Bournemouth at the weekend was impressive by anyone's standards, and Danny Wilson's side will be looking to secure their fourth consecutive clean sheet here, in order to extend their lead over second placed Swindon Town.

The Blades have no new injury or suspension news, and are likely to put out the same team that beat the Cherries, with forwards Dave Kitson and Jamie Murphy - who has scored in his last two outings - set to remain up top.

Visitors Leyton Orient travel north in the midst of a miserable run - and have won just one of their last five ahead of this clash.

Confidence down at Brisbane Road will have taken a knock last week, as the O's lost two games and were dumped out of the Football League Trophy - and the away side are likely to be missing key players too.

Martin Rowlands missed the defeat by Crawley at the weekend with a groin injury, and could join top scorer Kevin Lisbie and defender Gary Sawyer amongst the absentees.

Just one win from seven on the road suggests that Orient are susceptible to suffering travel sickness, and that has played a key part in their position of 13th in the table.

The hosts are unbeaten in half a dozen clashes against Leyton Orient - winning four and drawing two - and I expect them to take three points here, too.

Bet 1: Sheffield United (HOME) @ 1.73

Switching our attentions to a slightly more glamourous tie now - as Barcelona welcome Real Madrid to the Camp Nou in the second leg of their Copa Del Rey semi-final.

Barcelona are going well this campaign, and are unbeaten in 22 at home ahead of this clash - but the last side to beat them on their own patch was Real, and this is an encounter when the form book often goes out of the window.

Indeed, Barca have won just one of their last six meetings with their rivals, and haven't been at their best of late - a 2-0 defeat in Milan last week reminding us that Tito Vilanova's side are human after all.

And the Catalans have not kept a clean sheet in 11 games - a stat which makes rather interesting reading, given that they line up against an in-form Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored in his last five appearances against Barca (he is a cracking 2.3 to notch here).

Real Madrid go into this tie unbeaten in four, and welcome back key players such as Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema, who missed their 2-1 victory at Deportivo La Coruna at the weekend.

Visiting defender Pepe has already mooted that his side will have to 'stay true to their style' if they are to come out on top here, so expect a tough tackling performance (and plenty of acrobatics) - and that makes the 2.32 available on a sending off worth a look. There have been 28 yellows and one red dished out in the last five meetings between these sides.

This promises to be another fast flowing and exciting encounter - and, in truth, these El Clasico games can go either way. For that reason, I'm tempted by the whopping odds of 5 available on Real Madrid to win this outright. We've already concluded that they are likely to notch a goal or two here, and if they make their mark first against an off-colour Barca side, this game could be a traders' dream.

Bet 2: Real Madrid (AWAY) @ 5