Tuesday 19th November 2024

In Across the Leagues today:

• Johnson on the radar…
• Player picks at 3/1 and 5/1…
• The season starts now, for real… 

Nations League notebook – Wales v Iceland tonight…

I’ve got a few players on the watchlist to Score or be Carded this season…

For example, Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has ticked that box in eight out of 11 games. And landed both Anytime Scorer and Player to be Carded in the same match on two occasions.

Everton defender Michael Keane has paid out for a goal or a booking in four of his last seven Premier League appearances. Clicking for both bets in two of those matches - which is pretty good going (eg. a goal-scoring centre-back can be worth their weight in gold)...

Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate is also in my notes; the central defender has ticked at least one of those boxes in six of his last twelve appearances. Banking both the Score and Player Card payout in two of them.

Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes has also long been in my thoughts for this twin-attack betting tactic. Recently, he’s found the net in three out of four games (coinciding with Erik ten Hag leaving…). Prior to that, Bruno had been carded in three out of nine outings.

A player that catches my eye for this approach tonight is Brennan Johnson…

The 23-year-old attacker is having a great season. During September and October, he scored in six games in a row for Tottenham. A Harry Kane level of Spurs scoring streak.

• For club & country combined, Johnson has paid out for Anytime Scorer or Player to be Carded, in 10 of his last 15 appearances

If we isolate his Wales form, then the talented winger/ forward has scored or been booked in each of his last three starts. Including a yellow card on Saturday in Turkiye. And both a goal and a yellow in the reverse fixture at tonight’s Nations League opponents, Iceland…

On to the prices then, and standout odds of 3/1 to Score and 5/1 for a Card appeal this evening. It’s a match where both teams need points, as they look to move through to the next stage of the competition…

• The same can’t be said for Bosnia-Herzegovina tonight, who are already confirmed to finish slumped in last place in their Nations League group. They’re 11 games without a win at all levels, losing 10. Including a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Germany at the weekend. And a 5-2 defeat last time they faced today’s opponents, the Netherlands. You might want to look out for a high-scoring Dutch win there. The only saving grace for the hosts could be that the men in orange are already safely qualified, and look set to rest several players this evening. For example, Virgil van Dijk has been allowed to return back to Liverpool early

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TODAY’S PICKS & BEST ODDS

See above for full details

Wales v Iceland

UEFA Nations League
TONIGHT - 7.45pm, live on BBC iPlayer & S4C

• Anytime Scorer: Brennan Johnson @ 3/1 (4.0) Unibet (and BetUK, BetMGM & LiveScoreBet - same sportsbook), 2/1+ (3.0+) Bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, Betfred, 888 Sport, Boylesports
• Player to be Carded: Brennan Johnson @ 5/1 (6.0) Bet365, 4/1+ (5.0+) Unibet (and BetUK, BetMGM & LiveScoreBet - same sportsbook), Paddy Power, Betfair Sportsbook, Star Sports, Skybet, Betfred

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The season starts now, for real…

This is the end of the last International break of 2024. That means - at last - we can now crack on with back-to-back weeks of domestic league football… put all the stats and trends on our site to work… and target the midweek and weekend matches that will now be coming thick and fast, in the run-up to Christmas - and beyond…

I’ll see you on Friday with a full Weekend Preview, including the return of the Premier League.

Enjoy the football…

Best wishes,

Oliver Upstone

Across the Leagues