“How many times do you see a coach get sacked and the team come out and win their next match?” sportbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said. “We think the Victory will do just that against Newcastle and with the team they have, they should.”

In other A-League matches, the Brisbane Roar ($2.10) are tipped to halt the run of the rejuvenated Adelaide United ($3.25), Wellington Phoenix are $1.75 favourites to continue their stellar home form against Perth Glory, who are $4.50 outsiders, the league leading Mariners ($2.19) are favoured to beat Sydney FC ($3.00) at the Sydney Football Stadium, while the bottom placed Gold Coast ($2.40) will go in to their match against the Melbourne Heart ($2.80) as slight favourites.

“Wednesday’s matches threw up a lot of interesting results and plenty of goals so there is value to be had if punters feel there are some upsets on the cards, as the majority of home teams will start their matches as strong favourites,” Hawes said.

In Grand Final winner betting, Wellington have been the biggest movers, shortening from $31 in to fifth favourite at $12 while the Victory have drifted from $8.50 out to $14. The Mariners have firmed back into favouritism at $3.10, followed by Brisbane at $3.30.

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar – Saturday, 7 January

$2.10 Brisbane Roar

$3.40 Draw

$3.25 Adelaide United

Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets – Saturday, 7 January

$1.73 Melbourne Victory

$3.60 Draw

$4.50 Newcastle Jets

Wellington Phoenix v Perth Glory – Sunday, 8 January

$1.75 Wellington Phoenix

$3.60 Draw

$4.50 Perth Glory

Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners – Sunday, 8 January

$2.19 Central Coast Mariners

$3.40 Draw

$3.00 Sydney FC

Gold Coast United v Melbourne Heart – Sunday, 8 January

$2.40 Gold Coast United

$3.35 Draw

$2.80 Melbourne Heart

A-League Grand Final Winner

(prices from Thursday, 5 January 2012 in brackets)

$3.10 Central Coast Mariners (in from $3.50)

$3.30 Brisbane Roar (out from $3.20)

$6.00 Melbourne Heart (out from $5.00)

$10 Sydney FC (out from $8.50)

$12 Wellington Phoenix (in from $31)

$14 Adelaide United (in from $23)

$14 Melbourne Victory (out from $8.50)

$18 Newcastle Jets (in from $26)

$26 Perth Glory (steady)

$34 Gold Coast United (steady)

“The pressure is really on the Victory to produce the goods given the team that they’ve got,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said. “It doesn’t get much tougher than facing the Mariners, who’ve won six straight games, on their home turf so it could be another tough week for the Victory players and coaches after this game.”

In his final game for the Mariners before heading to South Korea, Matt Simon is the $5.00 first goal scorer favourite, followed by teammates Bernie Ibini ($5.50) and Daniel McBreen ($6.00) with Archie Thompson the leading Melbourne Victory player at $7.50. A 1-0 Mariners triumph and 1-1 Draw are the favourite correct score options at $6.00 followed by a 2-1 Mariners win ($7.50) and a 2-0 Mariners win ($8.50).

Following the Mariners 0-0 draw with Gold Coast and Brisbane’s win last round, the Central Coast have eased from $3.20 out to $3.50 to win the A-League Grand Final, behind the Roar ($3.20) while the Victory continue to drift and are now out to $8.50.

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory – Wednesday, 4 January

$1.73 Central Coast Mariners

$3.60 Draw

$4.80 Melbourne Victory

First goal scorer

$5.00 Matt Simon

$5.50 Bernie Ibini

$6.00 Daniel McBreen

$7.50 Archie Thompson

$9.00 Harry Kewell

Others quoted

Correct score

$6.00 1-0 Central Coast Mariners, 1-1 Draw
$7.50 2-1 Central Coast Mariners
$8.50 2-0 Central Coast Mariners

$11 0-0 Draw
Others quoted

A-League Grand Final Winner

(prices from Thursday, 29 December in brackets)

$3.20 Brisbane Roar (in from $3.60)

$3.50 Central Coast Mariners (out from $3.20)

$5.00 Melbourne Heart (steady)

$8.50 Sydney FC (out from $7.50)

$8.50 Melbourne Victory (out from $7.50)

$23 Adelaide United (in from $34)

$26 Perth Glory (steady)

$26 Newcastle Jets (in from $29)

$31 Wellington Phoenix (out from $26)

$34 Gold Coast United (in from $36)

“Newcastle are struggling big time at the moment while Gold Coast should feel unlucky about being on the bottom of the ladder,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said. “The sides are relatively even across the park but the fact it’s a Jets home game and that United have a very poor record at Ausgrid Stadium sees Newcastle start as slight favourites.”

Jets leading goalscorer Ryan Griffiths ($6.00) is once again the favourite to score the first goal of the match, ahead of Francis Jeffers, Michael Bridges, Maceo Rigters and Dylan MacAllister – all of whom are at $6.50. A 1-1 draw is the $6.00 correct score favourite followed by 1-0, 2-0 and 2-1 Newcastle wins which are $7.50, $8.50 and $9.50 chances respectively.

In A-League Grand Final winner markets, Gold Coast sit last at $34 while Newcastle are only two spots better at $26, drifting from $17 chances in early December 2011.

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Newcastle Jets v Gold Coast United – Wednesday, 4 January

$2.25 Newcastle Jets

$3.30 Draw

$3.00 Gold Coast United

First goal scorer

$6.00 Ryan Griffiths

$6.50 Francis Jeffers. Michael Bridges, Maceo Rigters, Dylan MacAllister

$7.00 Jeremy Brockie,

$7.50 James Brown, Chris Harold, Labinot Haliti

Others quoted

Correct score

$6.00 1-1 Draw
$7.50 1-0 Newcastle Jets
$8.50 2-0 Newcastle Jets

$9.50 2-1 Newcastle Jets, 1-0 Gold Coast United
Others quoted

A-League Grand Final Winner

(prices from Thursday, 29 December 2011 in brackets)

$3.20 Brisbane Roar (in from $3.60)

$3.50 Central Coast Mariners (out from $3.20)

$5.00 Melbourne Heart (steady)

$8.50 Sydney FC (out from $7.50)

$8.50 Melbourne Victory (out from $7.50)

$23 Adelaide United (in from $34)

$26 Perth Glory (steady)

$26 Newcastle Jets (in from $29)

$31 Wellington Phoenix (out from $26)

$34 Gold Coast United (in from $36)

“Wellington beat Sydney FC at home earlier this season and we all know how much better a team they are in New Zealand but in saying that, the Sky Blues have only dropped one of their seven away games this campaign so it will be a tight contest and the odds reflect that,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.

Phoenix talisman Paul Ifill is the $6.00 favourite to score the first goal of the match followed by Chris Greenacre ($6.50), Bruno Cazarine, Juho Makela, Mark Bridge, Alex Smith and Mirjan Pavlovic ($7.00), while a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 Wellington win are the favoured correct score options at $6.00 and $7.50 respectively.

Following their 4-0 humiliation at the hands of the Melbourne Heart, Sydney FC have drifted from $7.50 out to $8.50 to win the A-League Grand Final while Wellington are $31 outsiders, only ahead of the lowly Gold Coast.

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC – Wednesday, 4 January

$2.30 Wellington Phoenix

$3.30 Draw

$2.90 Sydney FC

First goal scorer

$6.00 Paul Ifill

$6.50 Chris Greenacre

$7.00 Bruno Cazarine, Juho Makela, Mark Bridge, Alex Smith, Mirjan Pavlovic

$7.50 Dimi Petratos

Others quoted

Correct score

$6.00 1-1 Draw
$7.50 1-0 Wellington Phoenix

$8.50 2-1 Wellington Phoenix
$9.00 1-0 Sydney FC, 0-0 Draw
Others quoted

A-League Grand Final Winner

(prices from Thursday, 29 December 2011 in brackets)

$3.20 Brisbane Roar (in from $3.60)

$3.50 Central Coast Mariners (out from $3.20)

$5.00 Melbourne Heart (steady)

$8.50 Sydney FC (out from $7.50)

$8.50 Melbourne Victory (out from $7.50)

$23 Adelaide United (in from $34)

$26 Perth Glory (steady)

$26 Newcastle Jets (in from $29)

$31 Wellington Phoenix (out from $26)

$34 Gold Coast United (in from $36)

In other Round 11 matches, Adelaide United ($1.95) are tipped to continue Gold Coast United’s ($3.65) poor season, while Perth Glory ($2.30) are favoured to overcome the Melbourne Heart ($2.95) at home, as are the Melbourne Victory ($1.76) in their clash with Wellington Phoenix ($4.40) at AAMI Park.

“Some people might not agree with us here but with the expected return of Thomas Broich, and the fact it’s a home fixture, Brisbane head into the game as warm favourites,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.

“The Jets always find another gear in their games against Sydney FC and with solid home form they head into this important clash just ahead of the Sky Blues.”

Brisbane’s third loss in a row has seen them ease out to $2.87 to win the 2011/12 A-League Grand Final, while Wellington has firmed from $34 into $18.

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Adelaide v Gold Coast

$1.95 Adelaide

$3.30 Draw

$3.65 Gold Coast

Newcastle v Sydney FC

$2.45 Newcastle

$3.25 Draw

$2.80 Sydney

Brisbane v Central Coast

$2.04 Brisbane

$3.30 Draw

$3.24 Central Coast

Perth v Melbourne Hear

$2.30 Perth

$3.25 Draw

$2.95 Melbourne

Melbourne Victory v Wellington

$1.76 Melbourne Victory

$3.30 Draw

$4.40 Wellington

A-League Grand Final Winner (prices from Monday, 12 December in brackets)

$2.87 Brisbane Roar (out from $2.60)
$4.00 Central Coast Mariners (in from $4.50)

$6.00 Sydney FC (in from $6.50)

$7.00 Melbourne Victory (in from $8.50)

$10 Melbourne Heart (in from $11)

$18 Perth Glory (out from $15)

$18 Newcastle Jets (in from $19)

$23 Adelaide United (out from $21)

$18 Wellington Phoenix (in from $34)

$46 Gold Coast United (steady)

Now narrowed down to three players, the Argentinian’s nearest rival is Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid at $6.00, with his Barcelona teammate Xavi the outsider at $17.

“Messi never puts a foot wrong, gives 100 percent every game and has scored goals for fun in 2011. He looks to be across the line for the award,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.

Market courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

2011 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

$1.12 Lionel Messi
$6.00 Ronaldo
$17 Xavi

At home against Norwich is most likely says online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au, installing the match as the $2.50 favourite to be the game Cahill finally finds the back of the net.

Second in the betting at $3.75 is any game after 2 January 2012 followed by Swansea ($4.50), who Everton face on Wednesday 21 December, and Arsenal ($5.00) on Saturday 10 December.

“Cahill usually knows how to find the back of the net and we expect his barren run to end within the next few weeks,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.

“We just hope for David Moyes and the Toffees’ sake that he bags one soon.”

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au
When will Tim Cahill score in the EPL?

$5.00 Arsenal (Saturday 10 December)

$2.50 Norwich (Saturday 17 December)
$4.50 Swansea (Wednesday 21 December)

$8.00 Sunderland (Monday 26 December)

$13 West Bromwich (Sunday 1 January 2012)

$3.75 Any game from 2 January 2012 onwards

“Sydney were outstanding from start to finish against Brisbane and if they can replicate even half of that performance against Perth they will be far too strong,” sportsbet.com.au’s Ben Hawes said.

Sydney FC have also been the biggest movers in A-League Grand Final winner betting, firming sharply from $8.50 into $6.50 to take out the title with their locals rivals the Central Coast Mariners also shortening from $6.00 into $5.50 following their recent strong form.

“After their recent hiccup, Brisbane have eased out from $2.00 to $2.25 but are still the clear favourites to win the big one,” Hawes said.

“Sydney FC have attracted a lot of interest since their win over the Roar, while a steady stream of money continues for the Mariners to go one better this time around.

“Although the Victory are struggling right now, their star power sees them remain as fourth favourite at $8.50.”

Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au

Sydney FC v Perth Glory

$1.73 Sydney FC

$3.50 Draw

$4.75 Perth Glory

First goal scorer

$5.50 Bruno Cazarine, Chris Coyne

$6.00 Dimi Petratos, Juho Makela

$7.50 Shane Smeltz, Nicky Carle

$8.50 Brett Emerton

$9.00 Billy Mehmet

Others quoted

Correct score

$6.00 1-0 Sydney FC

$6.50 1-1 Draw
$7.50 2-1 Sydney FC
$8.00 2-0 Sydney FC

$9.50 0-0 Draw
Others quoted

A-League Grand Final Winner

$2.25 Brisbane Roar (out from $2.00)
$5.50 Central Coast Mariners (in from $6.00)

$6.50 Sydney FC (in from $8.50)

$8.50 Melbourne Victory (out from $7.50)

$13 Perth Glory (in from $15)

$17 Newcastle Jets (in from $21)

$19 Melbourne Heart (in from $23)

$21 Adelaide United (out from $14)

$36 Wellington Phoenix (out from $26)

$56 Gold Coast United (out from $41)