Football betting analyst Mark O’Haire returns to share his favourite fancies from the weekend with a pair of plays proposed from the Scottish Premiership and the Bundesliga.
SIDE WITH THE SAINTS
Interim Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock admitted the Dons are “absolutely” in a relegation battle after overseeing a meek home defeat to fellow basement battlers St Johnstone on Wednesday night.
The garrulous 75-year-old added, he “can’t see” the Dandies “winning another game” at present, such is their poor form.
Two points from five league games has been a miserable return for the Pittodrie boss, who was brought to the club to address a unravelling campaign under Barry Robson.
Instead, the picture only looks bleaker under the Englishman, who now concedes his side are in a fight to avoid a first top-flight demotion.
Aside from a Scottish Cup win over fourth-tier Bonnyrigg Rose, there have been no other victories for Warnock’s Aberdeen. Eleven goals have been shipped in just five league games, which have mustered up just two points in draws against Motherwell and Hibernian, leaving the Reds ninth and just four points above the relegation play-off place.
Across the campaign, Aberdeen have bagged only six victories in 26, and tasted Premiership success once since Christmas.
On their travels, it’s seven defeats in 13, whilst they’ve managed a paltry three clean sheets in the top-flight since the opening weekend – they’re therefore easily opposed at the prices ahead of a tough trip to St Mirren on Saturday.
St Mirren’s late equaliser at Ross County on Tuesday night keeps the Buddies comfortably inside the top-six with Stephen Robinson’s side enjoying the rest advantage over their opposition here.
Back at St Mirren Park, the hosts command plenty of respect too with three of their four home league losses arriving against the Old Firm.
Saints have posted shutouts in half of their 14 Premiership fixtures in front of their own supporters – the same tally as Celtic at Parkhead and Rangers at Ibrox.
Exclude the Glaswegian giants and St Mirren have delivered clean sheets in seven of 11, with their long-term record here against non-Old Firm opposition standing impressively strong.
Since the start of last term, St Mirren have lost just four times in 26 home Premiership matches when excluding Celtic and Rangers. And with Aberdeen clearly toiling, Saints should fancy their chances of enhancing those eye-catching numbers this weekend – St Mirren +0 holds plenty of appeal at 1.81 on the Asian Handicap.
- St Mirren +0.0 Asian Handicap in St Mirren vs Aberdeen – 1 unit @ 1.81
BOCHUM APPEAL AS BIG UNDERDOGS
RB Leipzig head coach Marco Rose was disappointed with his team’s display during their late 2-1 reverse at Bayern Munich last weekend, yet the Die Rotten Bullen boss felt his team still deserved at least a share of the spoils.
That was an opinion shared by many as Leipzig remained outside of the top-four following another below-par away result.
RB have tabled only four away triumphs this term (W4-D2-L5), conceding multiple goals on seven occasions, and allowing 1.82 goals per-game on average outside of their Leipzig base.
And the visitors’ most recent form on the road has been called into question with Rose’s outfit picking up a solitary success in seven Bundesliga games as guests (W1-D2-L4).
With RB Leipzig also facing a challenging clash with Real Madrid in the Champions League next midweek, the away side look a little too short to support here at 1.71, especially so considering Bochum’s atmospheric, chocolate box Ruhrstadion has proven to be an understated fortress over the past 18 months.
In 2024 alone, Bayern Munich and Stuttgart have been downed here, whilst both Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt have been held at the Ruhrstadion this term with the hosts suffering a solitary home reverse thus far.
In 2022/23, Bochum beat Leverkusen, Frankfurt, Union Berlin and Leipzig in front of their own supporters, as well as holding Dortmund to a draw.
Thomas Letsch’s unheralded team have proven to be a tough nut to crack, with numerous big clubs suffering in Bochum’s own backyard, and I’m prepared to believe Die Unabsteigbaren are capable of doing a similar job on RB this weekend.
I’m therefore happy to support Bochum +1 on the Asian Handicap at 1.81, knowing even a one-goal reverse will see our stakes returned as a push.
- Bochum +1.0 Asian Handicap in Bochum vs RB Leipzig – 1 unit @ 1.81
Recommended Bets
- St Mirren +0.0 Asian Handicap in St Mirren vs Aberdeen – 1 unit @ 1.81
- Bochum +1.0 Asian Handicap in Bochum vs RB Leipzig – 1 unit @ 1.81
Subscribe to the Matchbook Betting Podcast here
Subscribe to the Matchbook YouTube channel here
