Striker! Costa can bank profits in glamour tie

Dave Tindall
Diego Costa: Backed to score for Chelsea against Manchester City

Diego Costa: Backed to score for Chelsea against Manchester City

Diego Costa and Ross McCormack are both in Dave Tindall’s anytime scorer staking plan this weekend.

This column has already brought you one 50/1 winner this season and has had successful tips among its selection every week since launch.

Premier League Top Scorers

19 Jamie Vardy (Leicester) Last 6 in all comps: 1-0-2-1-0-0 = 4

16 Romelu Lukaku (Everton) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-0-0-0 = 1

16 Harry Kane (Tottenham) Last 6 games: 1-0-2-0-1-0 = 4

14 Sergio Aguero (Man City) Last 6 games: 0-1-1-1-2-2 = 7

14 Odion Ighalo (Watford) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-1-1-0 = 2

14 Riyad Mahrez (Leicester) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-0-0-0 = 1

Analysis: The FA Cup usually throws a spanner in the works with this preview as the leading players either don’t have a game or are rested/benched.

The latter could certainly be the case this weekend with European games also coming back onto the fixture list

Therefore, the best bet could lie outside this leading half-dozen and the one I’m really keen on is Chelsea’s Diego Costa.

The Blues have already played in Europe this week so, after Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Manchester City, don’t have another game until next Saturday.

As the Premier League is a write-off, Chelsea will focus strongly on the cups – and Costa looks likely to be unleashed for the big one against City.

After his wretched start to the season, the Spaniard is looking more like his bullish self and has plundered eight goals in his last 11 games since Christmas Day.

At Stamford Bridge, the scene of Sunday’s clash, he’s netted in six in six, scoring in five of those games.

City are hardly watertight and also face a long trip to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday before taking on Liverpool in the Capital One Cup final four days later.

This could allow Chelsea to pounce so back Costa to ruffle their feathers and get on the scoresheet at 6/4.

Best bet:

Diego Costa to score anytime v Man City at 6/4

 

Championship Top Scorers

18 Andre Gray (Burnley) Last 6 games: 0-0-1-0-1-0 = 2

16 Ross McCormack (Fulham) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-1-1-0 = 3

16 Abel Hernandez (Hull City) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-1-3-1 = 6

12 Alan Judge (Brentford) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-1-1-0 = 2

12 Fernando Forestieri (Sheff Wed) Last 6 games: 1-0-0-0-0-1 = 2

Analysis: Ross McCormack has done this column plenty of favours – memorably scoring a late goal to land a 50/1 acca and also coming up with the goods when 12/5 to net at QPR last week

Many are baffled as to why he isn’t at a Premier League club, but while heads continue to be scratched, we can keep cashing in on him at a level where he continues to score better than a goal every two games.

Next up for the Fulham marksman is a home game with second-bottom Charlton so it’s a great chance for him to bag another.

The Scot has already scored against the Addicks in a 2-2 draw earlier this season and, although they’ve tightened up in recent games, McCormack should feel confident of picking them off again.

Take the Fulham No.44 at at 13/10 to net his 19th of the season in all competitions.

Abel Hernandez has found the net in three of Hull’s last four away games but will need to score at Arsenal to add to that sequence.

To be honest, he’s been an unused sub in the previous two rounds so might not see any action anyway.

Fernando Forestieri is the other candidate having ended a mini-drought with a goal in the 4-0 home win over Brentford last weekend.

The 11/4 is tempting but preference is for Owls team-mate Gary Hooper, who has smashed in eight in his last seven games, including three in the last two.

Have a wager on Hooper to wheel away in celebration again when Wednesday travel to Preston as the 23/10 looks decent.

Best bets:

Ross McCormack to score anytime v Charlton at 13/10 (General)
Gary Hooper to score anytime v Preston at 23/10 (General)

Ross McCormack

League One Top Scorers

19 Adam Armstrong (Coventry) Last 6 games: 2-0-1-0-0-3 = 6

16 Sam Winnall (Barnsley) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-1-0-3 = 5

15 Nicky Ajose (Swindon) Last 6 games: 2-0-0-0-2-2 = 6

14 Billy Sharp (Sheffield United) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-1-1-1 = 3

14 Paddy Madden (Scunthorpe United) Last 6 games: 0-1-0-2-0-0 = 3

Analysis: An interesting option in League One this weekend is to back Swindon’s Nicky Ajose to score two or more.

Why? Well, look at the last five games in which he’s registered and you’ll note that in four of them he went on to get a second goal.

Backing him at 13/8 to score at home to Blackpool looks a safe enough play, but why not push the boat out and take the Swindon man to score two or more at a much more mouthwatering 8/1.

The bet would have landed in three of his last six games and in two of his last three home games so the numbers support the idea that one goal can lead to another against the 18th-placed Tangerines.

For the acca, I’ll look towards Barnsley’s Sam Winnall again given that the Tykes have a home game.

Winnall has walloped in seven goals in Barnsley’s last five home games and is surely worth at bet at 7/5 to get the Oakwell crowd roaring again.

The visitors are local rivals Doncaster, who have lost four and drawn the other two of their last six games.

Best bet:

Sam Winnall to score anytime v Doncaster at 7/5
Nicky Ajose to score 2 or more v Blackpool at 8/1

Nicky Ajose

League Two Top Scorers

22 Jay Simpson (Leyton Orient) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-1-1-0 = 2

15 Marc Richards (Northampton) Last 6 games: 1-0-1-0-0-0 = 2

14 Matty Taylor (Bristol Rovers) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-1-0-0 = 1

12 Jabo Ibehre (Carlisle) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-0-0-0 = 0

12 Barry Corr (Cambridge) Last 6 games: 0-0-0-0-1-1 = 2

12 Lyle Taylor (AFC Wimbledon) Last 6 games: 2-0-0-1-1-1 = 5

Analysis: The country’s leading scorer, Jay Simpson, has now fired blanks in three straight games so he’s off our team for now.

Matty Taylor, Jabo Ibehre and Barry Corr have also failed to increase their tallies of late so we’re left with Marc Richards of Northampton and AFC Wimbledon’s Lyle Taylor.

With Wycombe having the best away defensive record in the division, enthusiasm for Richards wanes a little so let’s play Taylor for the first time this season.

The man from Montserrat scored twice at home to Luton last time out and, going back further, has seven in his last eight.

That run includes four in his last four away games and, indeed, seven of his last 11 strikes have come on the road.

As is the norm, strikers are always bigger prices to score away from home even if their numbers suggest otherwise so take Taylor at 7/4.

Best bet: 

Lyle Taylor to score anytime v Barnet at 7/4 (General)

Best-priced goalscorer accumulator:

Costa, McCormack, Winnall & Taylor at 30.88/1

Dave Tindall