Home and Away: Home advantage key in Swedish top of the table clash

 

Jonno Turner looks at action in Sweden and the English sixth tier, as he bids to pick more winners...

 

We're off to Sweden for our first selection of the day - and it's a top of the table clash in the Allsvenskan, as leaders IFK Goteburg welcome second placed Malmo to the Gamla Ullevi Stadium.

 

The hosts, managed by Mikael Stahre, have soared into pole position this campaign following four wins and a draw from their opening five outings - and will be desperate to take maximum points in this clash in order to move clear of their rivals.

 

Four clean sheets from those five exchanges this campaign shows just how dominant the Blavitt have been lately, and they will be looking to make the most of their home advantage by securing their fourth home win on the bounce here.

 

Goteburg have attacking threat in abundance, and will be looking to the likes of Tobias Hysen, who has already bagged twice this season, to provide more flashes of brilliance in this big game.

 

Malmo travel to the the Gamla Ullevi in good form themselves - and are unbeaten this campaign. But in the bigger picture, Rikard Norling's side have won just seven of their last 15 on the road.

 

That suggests that the Himmelsblatt are susceptible to inconsistency away from the Swedbank Stadion - and their hosts will be hoping that they have an off-night here.

 

Malmo have only beaten Goteburg once in five meetings at the Gamla Ullevi, and I reckon that, in a tight encounter, home advantage could be key. Alternatively, backing the hosts in a DRAW NO BET market returns odds of 1.61 - and that could be an option for those who want a bit more insurance.

 

Bet 1: IFK Goteburg (HOME) @ 2.4

 

Switching our attentions back to more familiar climes now, and the Conference North, as Stalybridge Celtic welcome Oxford City to Bower Fold.

 

Jim Harvey's side go into this one having won just one from their last seven, and that leaves them sitting 16th in the table - just five points outside the drop zone.

 

In the bigger picture, the Badgers have only taken maximum points from two of their last 16 outings, pointing to a lack of cutting edge which could still cost them dearly this campaign. And just three goals notched in their last half a dozen suggests that the hosts are a bit thin in the final third - which will give their visitors confidence ahead of this one.

 

Oxford City travel north having won three of their last four on the road, and eight goals in that time shows that they are more than capable of notching here.

 

A 3-1 win at Droylsden on Saturday will have boosted morale in the away camp, and although Mike Ford's side have nothing left to play for, their recent results suggest that they are still putting in some good performances.

 

That makes just one loss in eight outings home and away for the Marston side, and I think that their momentum will steer them to another three points here - at cracking odds.

 

Bet 2: Oxford City (AWAY) @ 3.05

 

Bet HERE

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