Mark O'Haire best bets

Mark O'Haire's football tips, best bets and nap: Shots and goals



Football betting tips: Weekend best bets

3pts Over 2.5 goals and BTTS in Marseille vs Nice (16:00) at 23/20 (Ladbrokes)

2.5pts Tyrick Mitchell 1+ shots in C Palace vs Leicester (15:00) at 6/5 (Betfair)

2.5pts Ayr to beat Partick (15:00) at 19/20 (Betfair)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair


Crystal Palace vs Leicester

Crystal Palace have endured a difficult start to the new Premier League campaign with the Eagles still searching for their first victory. Oliver Glasner’s squad will surely be targeting Saturday’s showdown with newly-promoted Leicester at Selhurst Park, with Palace boasting a solid W5-D1-L2 return as hosts under their Austrian head coach.

Tyrick Mitchell’s positional switch to a more attack-minded left-wing-back for Glasner hasn’t been noticed by the markets despite his increased attacking output. The 25 year old has had 10 shots in his last 10 appearances and is also averaging 2.30 touches in the opposition box and is making 5.13 runs into the opposition box since Glasner took charge.

TYRICK MITCHELL 1+ SHOT has paid-out in eight of his past 10 league appearances, including five of his last six at home, and is available to support at 6/5 (2.20) this weekend against a Leicester side that ranks second-bottom for shots faced thus far, allowing 15-18-10 across their first three matches.


Ayr vs Partick

Scottish Championship leaders AYR are well worth supporting at 19/20 (1.95) on Saturday when Partick arrive at Somerset Park. The hosts have posted W4-D1-L0 across their opening five league fixtures, plundering 13 goals in the process with Scott Brown getting the group motoring in the right direction.

The Honest Men have won the shot count in all five of their Championship matches, averaging a league-high 14.40 shots and 6.80 on-target efforts. Ayr have also faced the fewest attempts across both metrics thus far, and ran out eye-catching 5-0, 3-2 and 2-0 winners in all three of their home encounters this term.

Partick finished third in 2023/24, yet Thistle did the majority of their best work on home soil. Indeed, the visitors won just five times on their travels last term, conceding 30 goals in the process, and the Jags have already been turned over at Raith and Falkirk this season. Meanwhile, last weekend Kris Doolan’s group were beaten 3-1 by League One side Alloa.


Marseille vs Nice

It’s no surprise to see Marseille’s matches proving particularly entertaining since Roberto De Zerbi took charge. OM’s opening three Ligue 1 outings have delivered a 14-goal haul with over 3.5 goals and both teams to score backers hacking up on each occasion.

I’m therefore more than happy to support OVER 2.5 GOALS & BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE at 23/20 (2.15) quotes when Marseille meet Nice on Saturday afternoon. The Côte d'Azur clash promises plenty with Nice well able to play their part in an enjoyable encounter.

No longer the dreary and uninspiring side of previous seasons, Nice are enjoying their own new lease of life under former Lens boss Franck Haise. Les Aiglons’ first three fixtures have actually featured a higher expected goals (xG) output than Marseille’s with all three seeing BTTS pay out and two of those three delivering profitable over 2.5 goals plays.


Odds correct at 1030 BST (12/09/24)

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