Home and Away: City looking for three points to end a traumatic few days

 

Jonno Turner looks to build on his winning 5.2 tip of Crystal Palace last night, with two more domestic selections...

 

We're off to Ireland for our first pick of the day - as St Patricks welcome Shamrock Rovers to Richmond Park, looking to secure their third win on the bounce.

 

Liam Buckley's side go into this clash sitting third in the Premier League, and will be keen to ramp up the pressure on the top two, with leaders Sligo Rovers just  four points ahead.

 

The Saints are unbeaten in their last four in front of their own fans, but with two draws from their last two outings, they will be desperate to take maximum points  from this clash, and get back to winning ways. Hard-fought victories over Cork City and Drogheda last weekend will have boosted morale in the home camp, and Buckley  will be keen for his side to maintain that recent momentum this evening.

 

Shamrock Rovers line up for this one in miserable league form on the road, and are without a win in five away from the Tallaght Stadium.

 

Trevor Croly's charges occupy sixth place in the table ahead of this encounter, and two defeats on the bounce away from home have left them looking out of sorts and  low on confidence.

 

The hosts are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with Shamrock on their own patch, and I fancy them to continue their impressive recent form here, at decent  odds.

 

Bet 1: St Patrick's (HOME) @ 2.64

 

Switching our attentions to the English Premier League now, and the Madejski Stadium, as Reading host a Manchester City side who have had a week to forget.

 

The Blues were disappointed in the FA Cup Final on Saturday as they were beaten by a battling Wigan side, and will be in further disarray this evening as their boss  Roberto Mancini was brutally sacked last night.

 

But the visitors' recent league form has been impressive - six unbeaten from seven sees them looking comfortable in second place with just a couple left to play, and a  point or more here would see them secure that position.

 

Their results on the road have been a little more inconsistent of late, but still, three unbeaten from five away from the Etihad Stadium is a decent return by most  other sides' standards - and I think that the City players could take out their recent frustrations on their hosts.

 

Reading go into this one with their fate already sealed - and they know that they will be lining up in the second tier next campaign.

 

With just one win since the beginning of February, it's easy to see why that is the case, and Nigel Adkins will already by eyeing up his summer rebuild at the Royals.

 

It's five home outings since the hosts last won in front of their own fans, and they will be desperate to pull off a shock victory here - but 10 goals shipped in half  a dozen games suggests that they have weaknesses at the back, and I think that a wounded City side could run their backline ragged in this one.

 

Bet 2: Manchester City (AWAY) @ 1.61

 

Bet HERE

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