Hearts returned to winning ways at the weekend and have now won seven of their last nine Scottish Premiership games. They can consolidate top spot against St Mirren, who are winless in their last eight matches and have lost four of them.

Harrogate have lost eight of their last nine matches to sit bottom of League Two, and they’ve suffered nine consecutive home defeats. Six of their last eight home games have seen them lose by a two-goal margin or greater, while Swindon have won by two or more in three of their four visits to the bottom eight.

Milan are on a seven-game unbeaten run, winning four, and they should be able to stay in touch with league leaders Inter by winning at out-of-form Bologna. The Rossoblù seem destined for a mid-table finish and are winless in five at home, with three defeats.

Arsenal put four past Leeds last time out and over 3.5 goals has landed in eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, including their five-goal thriller in the first leg against Chelsea. The Blues have seen four or more goals in five of their last seven matches.

Albacete have put Celta Vigo and Real Madrid out of the cup this term, with nine goals scored across those two ties. They face a sterner test against La Liga leaders Barcelona, who have won 16 of their last 17 matches. However, the Catalans have defensive issues, so back them to concede in another victory.

Barnsley have won their last two at home but conceded in both. Northampton have lost their last four games and sit 23rd. Tuesday’s trip to Oakwell is unlikely to provide too much respite, but they can at least get a goal against a side who are without a clean sheet in 11.

Both teams have scored in four of St Pauli’s five games since the turn of the year, while they were beaten 2-1 when they met Leverkusen in the Bundesliga earlier this season. The hosts have won six of their seven home league games against sides below them, but this cup clash offers a chance for the second-bottom visitors to get forward.

Albacete have put Celta Vigo and Real Madrid out of the cup this term, with nine goals scored across those two ties. They face a sterner test against La Liga leaders Barcelona, who have won 16 of their last 17 matches. However, the Catalans have defensive issues, so back them to concede in another victory.

Rochdale have won four straight games, while they’ve won 10 of 12 home matches this term. The hosts host a Boreham Wood side who have won only once in seven meetings with the top six, while the visitors have lost three straight games, scoring in each.

The Grizzlies have lost six straight, and they look set to miss out on the post-season entirely. With focus turning to their draft prospects, they’re expected to fall short against Minnesota days after a 131-114 defeat to the same opponents. Memphis is 3-9 as a home underdog against the spread, while the Timberwolves have won four straight.

The Grizzlies have lost six straight, and they look set to miss out on the post-season entirely. With focus turning to their draft prospects, they’re expected to fall short against Minnesota days after a 131-114 defeat to the same opponents. Memphis is 3-9 as a home underdog against the spread, while the Timberwolves have won four straight.

Since December 21st, the Clippers are 17-4, making them one of the most impressive sides in the NBA. They’re also 10-1 at home in that spell. The Clippers are 23-25 for the season, but they’re playing like a top side. With the Sixers losing 15 of 25 clashes with sides that are at .500 or better, the storming Clippers should prove too strong at home.

The Hornets are on a six-game winning streak, and they’re bearing down on a Play-In place. The Pelicans have lost successive away trips, and they should struggle to contain a high-scoring Hornets side that looks full of confidence.

The Pacers have put together some good wins of late, but they’re 4-12 against the Western Conference this season. The Rockets are 14-12 against the spread on their travels, and they can record a routine win over one of the weakest sides in the Eastern Conference.

The Grizzlies have lost six straight, and they look set to miss out on the post-season entirely. With focus turning to their draft prospects, they’re expected to fall short against Minnesota days after a 131-114 defeat to the same opponents. Memphis is 3-9 as a home underdog against the spread, while the Timberwolves have won four straight.

Since December 21st, the Clippers are 17-4, making them one of the most impressive sides in the NBA. They’re also 10-1 at home in that spell. The Clippers are 23-25 for the season, but they’re playing like a top side. With the Sixers losing 15 of 25 clashes with sides that are at .500 or better, the storming Clippers should prove too strong at home.

The Patriots were struggling before the snow fell at Empower Field at Mile High. Mike Vrabel’s team looked poor on offence and that is not a good sign ahead of their matchup with the best defence in the NFL. New England have done incredibly well to turn their fortunes around in just one year, but their offence is simply not good enough to live with the Seattle defence. Seattle have done everything right for the last two months after reeling off nine consecutive wins and they should cover the spread in San Francisco.

FEBRUARY –  The Texans’ suffocating defence has been the key to their eight-game winning run and with the AFC looking the less competitive conference this season after the demise of the Kansas City Chiefs, they have the talent to go a long way. Quarterback CJ Stroud is fully fit again and can look for an elite wide receiver in Nico Collins while former first-round picks Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. are just two of their many defensive stars.

JULY – Elena Rybakina looks a bet in her bid to repeat her 2022 triumph at the All England Club. The Kazakhstani has had a tough couple of years, due in the main to off-court issues, but she finished last year on a high with victory at the WTA Finals. She’s a superb grass-court player who is as good as Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek when she’s on her game.

JULY – Alex Noren enjoyed a resurgence in his career in 2025, winning twice on the DP World Tour, and 2026 could finally be the year he ends his long wait for a maiden Major. The Swede has an affinity for links golf, evidenced by his victory at the 2016 Scottish Open and his two top-10 Open finishes, he could go all the way and land the Claret Jug in 2026.

DECEMBER – Mercedes may have botched the ground-effect era, but the Silver Arrows have a strong record of responding well to rule changes, and the sweeping regulation shift coming in 2026 should bring the title back into play. Their power unit has already come under, and been cleared, of scrutiny, suggesting it is likely to be among the strongest engines on the grid, and they have the driver lineup to win the consistent points necessary to land the constructor crown.

The Patriots’ resolute defence will give Kenneth Walker III some problems, but he should be able to relieve the pressure on quarterback Sam Darnold and pick up some valuable receiving yards. Walker III will get the majority of carries due to an injury to Zach Charbonnet. He caught four passes for 49 yards last week against the Rams to make it three games in his last five that he has surpassed 25 receiving yards.

Deportivo Pereira finished last season with six defeats in seven, and they’re winless across the first three games of this campaign. Junior won on the road in their opener, and they picked up 10 wins in 20 on their way to a fifth-place finish in the Clausura campaign, which included a 3-2 win over Deportivo.

Sheffield United have been solid at home lately, but they are without a clean sheet in eight games and could come under fire against underdogs Oxford United, who have seen goals at both ends in four of their last five away fixtures.

Both teams have scored in four of St Pauli’s five games since the turn of the year, while they were beaten 2-1 when they met Leverkusen in the Bundesliga earlier this season. The hosts have won six of their seven home league games against sides below them, but this cup clash offers a chance for the second-bottom visitors to get forward.

Bottom side Port Vale claimed a key win at Leyton Orient at the weekend, and they meet a Dons side which is struggling for form. The visitors have scored and conceded in all four visits to sides below them, while they drew 1-1 in their home clash with Port Vale. The hosts have struggled defensively all season, while Wimbledon have conceded in eight straight away games.

Both teams have scored in each of Forest Green’s last five games, while visitors Woking have averaged 1.3 goals per away trip this season. Three of the visitors’ last four trips have finished with both teams finding the net. Forest Green have kept one clean sheet in their last 16 league games, with BTTS landing on 13 occasions in that stretch.

Viktor Gyokeres has found his shooting boots of late, netting at Elland Road on Saturday to make it four goals and two assists in his last six appearances, including a goal and an assist in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Milan’s Christopher Nkunku has found a bit of form with four goals in his last five games. The Frenchman can to add to his haul on Tuesday.

Hull picked up their fourth successive victory at the weekend to put themselves third in the Championship table. They have won eight of their last ten in the league, and come up against a Watford side winless in five and without a manager following Javi Gracia’s resignation.

Arsenal put four past Leeds last time out and over 3.5 goals has landed in eight of their last ten matches in all competitions, including their five-goal thriller in the first leg against Chelsea. The Blues have seen four or more goals in five of their last seven matches.

These are the two lowest-scoring sides in the Championship, with just 44 goals netted in a combined 58 games. Under 2.5 goals has landed in each of Sheffield Wednesday’s last five games and in seven of Blackburn’s last ten.

Two of the National League’s top four meet on Tuesday night, and visitors Boreham Wood have already seen some high-scoring trips to the league’s top sides. They’ve drawn 3-3 and 2-2 in their first two visits to the top three, with 77% of their away games featuring three or more goals. Rochdale have scored 25 goals in 12 home games, but they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet at home to top-half opposition.

Sheffield United have been solid at home lately, but they are without a clean sheet in eight games and could come under fire against underdogs Oxford United, who have seen goals at both ends in four of their last five away fixtures.

Hull picked up their fourth successive victory at the weekend to put themselves third in the Championship table. They have won eight of their last ten in the league, and come up against a Watford side winless in five and without a manager following Javi Gracia’s resignation.

Ipswich failed to win for the second successive game on Saturday and they have only won one of their last six Championship away games, while the resurgent Portsmouth have only lost one of their last nine league outings, with a win over West Brom last time out leaving them unbeaten in four.

Barnsley have won their last two at home but conceded in both. Northampton have lost their last four games and sit 23rd. Tuesday’s trip to Oakwell is unlikely to provide too much respite, but they can at least get a goal against a side who are without a clean sheet in 11.

Hull have lifted themselves to within sight of the Championship’s automatic promotion positions, and they can take a step closer with a fifth successive win against a managerless Watford outfit.The Hornets parted ways with Javia Gracia for the second time after their weekend defeat to Swansea left them winless in five, and the Tigers look primed to roar to victory on Tuesday.

Arsenal won a five-goal thriller in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, and another high-scoring affair is expected at the Emirates on Tuesday.Four or more goals have been scored in eight of the Gunners’ last ten fixtures and Chelsea have scored 19 goals in seven games since Liam Rosenior took charge, with five of these producing four or more goals.

Salford City’s 2-0 win at Tranmere on Saturday lifted them into the top three in the League Two table, and The Ammies can consolidate their promotion position with a fifth successive win on their travels.Accrington Stanley have admittedly looked a solid side of late, but they have lost to Salford’s fellow promotion hopefuls Bromley and MK Dons in their last five home matches and the quality of the visitors could shine through on Thursday.

Only Bayern Munich and Hoffenheim have scored more Bundesliga goals than Eintracht Frankfurt this season, but that comes at the cost of the worst defensive record in the division and their high-scoring ways should treat neutrals again on Friday.Both teams have scored in seven of their last eight games, for 13 goals scored and 21 conceded, while there have been goals at both ends in four of Union Berlin’s last five. Expect fireworks in Berlin.

Serie A’s bottom two get gameweek 24 underway in Italy, and underdogs Pisa could avoid dropping to the foot of the table against a Verona side that have taken just two points from the last 24 available.Pisa may be struggling for victories, but they have played out a league-high 11 stalemates, and they have only lost two of their last eight away days.

After starting the season with a long winless run at home, Celta Vigo have found their form at Estadio de Balaidos and look good value to score multiple goals for the fourth successive home game against Osasuna.The visitors sit ninth in the table, but only three La Liga teams have a worse away record than Los Rojillos, and they have conceded twice or more in four of their last seven away days.

Promotion-chasing Stockport County can pick up another three points on Saturday as they lock horns with a struggling Leyton Orient side that have lost three games on the spin.The Hatters are unbeaten in six matches and are on the hunt for a sixth successive home win, which they should achieve against an Orient outfit that have lost their last six away games by an aggregate scoreline of 16-3.

Lecce’s battle against Serie A relegation took another blow on Sunday as their winless run was extended to eight games, and little is expected of the league’s lowest scorers when they host Udinese.The Salentini have lost six of these eight winless matches and visitors Udinese have won their last two away assignments against Torino and Verona, while they have won their last four meetings with the struggling hosts.

Bayern Munich remain one of the most devastating attacking outfits in world football, and they can add another few goals to their burgeoning tally against the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorers.Die Bayern have notched an incredible 74 goals this season and have averaged four goals per game at the Allianz Arena. Hoffenheim shipped four to the Bavarian side in the reverse fixture and have conceded 18 goals in their last five meetings with the league leaders.

Volendam have the worst away record in the entire Eredivisie, and their winless record on the road looks set to continue in Zwolle.PEC  have won their last five home league games, and their out-of-sorts visitors are on an eight-game losing streak away from home in the Dutch top flight.The Hatters are unbeaten in six matches and are on the hunt for a sixth successive home win, which they should achieve against an Orient outfit that have lost their last six away games by an aggregate scoreline of 16-3.

Four of Arsenal’s last nine matches have ended 3-2, with three of those being victories for the Gunners. This includes their first leg against Chelsea, while the Blues have seen 3-2 scorelines in three of their last six matches.

The most recent meeting between this pair ended 2-0 to Hearts, which was the most recent of three 2-0 losses that St Mirren have suffered since Christmas. Hearts have scored exactly two goals in five of their last nine league fixtures and have the second-best defensive record in the top flight.

Liverpool look like the best value pick, with the Reds putting their struggles behind them with an eight-game unbeaten run. The Reds have the fourth-best Expected Goals record across the first six Champions League gameweeks, while they’ve recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins over Real Madrid and Inter Milan in Europe. Arne Slot’s side have a kind double-header in January, leaving them primed for a top-eight finish. With the Premier League coasting towards a fifth Champions League berth, the Reds should be in a good position to focus on European success in the spring.

Spain have some incredibly talented individuals, Lamine Yamal being the prime example, but are strong in all areas and don’t have any particular weaknesses. They won Euro 2024 with relative ease and they should be too good for their continental rivals at the World Cup. They also look a level above South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, suggesting they will be the team to beat at the World Cup this summer.