Saturday 31st December Premiership Betting Analysis

The feast of festive football continues on Saturday with another bumper list of Premiership fixtures - offering plenty of punting opportunities for those of us looking to line our pockets before the New Year.The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United all look more than capable of grabbing maximum points, but away from the Big Four, surprise package Wigan Athletic look the pick of the coupon at 6/5 to rack up their twelfth Premiership victory of the season at home to mid table Blackburn Rovers.Quite simply, Paul Jewell has done an unbelievable job with the unfashionable Latics, leading his side to fifth place in the Premiership (at time of writing) and playing a brand of football that?s completely in keeping with their heady position.All this after the bookies had them as odds on favourites to return to the Championship, following last season?s promotion to the top tier behind Sunderland.Summer signings like Mike Polliitt, Pascal Chimbonda and Stephane Henchoz have slotted into the side perfectly, complimenting last seasons playing staff, while going forward Wigan have unearthed one of the most deadliest strike forces in the top flight, with Jason Roberts and Henri Camara running defenses ragged on a regular basis.Indeed, Roberts and Camara have scored 10 of Wigans last 11 goals, and have been a major factor behind the blue and white stripes winning their last three league games, as well as advancing to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup via a 2-0 win over Bolton.Blackburn, whose game with Sunderland was called off on Wednesday, are unlikely to prove an easy touch. But they have only won two league games away from Ewood Park all season, and may struggle to contain a buoyant Wigan side that has already seen off Sunderland, Bolton, Newcastle, Fulham, Charlton and Man City on their own patch this term, and who beat West Ham 2-0 away from home in midweek.Elsewhere, struggling Everton merit a small interest at 8/5 to get their season back on track away at basement boys Sunderland.The pressure is firmly on David Moyes following Wednesday?s derby defeat to Liverpool, their fourth consecutive Premiership loss, but if the Scotsman could have hand picked a game to get back to winning ways, it would have been a clash against the Premierships worst side.Sunderland, who ended a run of ten consecutive defeats with a 0-0 draw at home to Bolton last time, have been found severely wanting on their return to the top-flight, mustering just six points from a possible 54, to leave them stranded at the bottom of the table.Mick McCarthy will no doubt be telling his charges that the visit of Everton is an excellent opportunity to record their second Premiership victory, but in truth the Toffees should have more than enough about them to become the eighth side to leave the stadium of Light with maximum points this term.Despite losing to in-form Liverpool, the Blues produced a much improved display and had James Beattie not have had a legitimate goal chalked off in the first half; the game would have been much closer than the final 3-1 score line.Moyes doesnt need telling twice the importance of this fixture, and with James Beattie looking particularly sharp in recent weeks, he and the likes of Tim Cahill and former Mackem Kevin Kilbane, can help fire the men in blue to three vital points.Finally, Man City look slightly overpriced at 11/5 (Centrebet) to win away at an inconsistent Middlebrough outfit. Stuart Pearce?s troops pushed champions Chelsea all the way in midweek, before losing out to a late Joe Cole strike, and have already impressed away from home this season, most memorably when stuffing Charlton 5-2 at the Valley earlier this month.They may have lost 4-3 to Wigan in their last away game, but that match could have gone either way, and with the likes of Andy Cole, Darius Vassell and in the in-form Antoine Sibierski in their line up, they will always create chances on the road.Middlesbrough for their part, have a squad more than capable of pushing for a European spot, but they have flattered to deceive in recent weeks, with consecutive home defeats to Blackburn (one cup, one league) putting some degree of pressure on manager Steve McClaren.It?s impossible to predict which Boro side will turn up at the Riverside on Saturday, but if they are not on their guard, expect Stuart Pearce?s well oiled unit to give them a thorough examination.Advice2.5 pts Wigan to beat Blackburn1.25 pts Everton to beat Sunderland1.25 pts Man City to beat Boro