Top 3 bets for tonight's football & Ashes cricket

Can Eddie Howe’s Newcastle stop Liverpool closing the gap at the top of the Premier League?

Liverpool have scored in a club record equalling 31 consecutive league and cup games, and they can set a new mark if somehow they find a way past the Premier League’s leakiest defence when Newcastle go to Anfield tonight! The Magpies are industry best priced 25/1 to win, not surprising given they’ve won only once all season, at home to Burnley, and were thrashed 4-0 at Leicester last time out. Newcastle look like lambs to the slaughter tonight, but they can point to the fact they didn’t lose either game with the Reds last season, drawing 1-1 at Anfield and 0-0 at St James’ Park.

Mo Salah Anytime Goalscorer (boosted to 40/85)

Salah has scored against Newcastle at Anfield in each of the past four seasons, and he has taken another step forward this season, with a series of excellent performances. He can equal Jamie Vardy’s record of 15 successive games with either a goal or an assist tonight, and our traders have pushed him out to score. Salah scored the only goal of the game at the weekend as Liverpool beat Aston Villa.

Will Rafa Benitez enjoy his trip back to Chelsea?

Everton head to Stamford Bridge on a run of four consecutive Premier League away defeats, and it’s difficult to see them getting anything at highflying Chelsea. The Londoners are unbeaten in 26 home games against the Toffees, and while they’ve been a little off their clinical best of late, conceding nine times in the past 4 games, as many as they had in the first 21, Everton are struggling, with Richarlison and Andros Townsend joining their lengthy injury list. Rafa Benitez hopes to become the first ex-Chelsea manager to win on his return to Stamford Bridge.

Mason Mount Super Mega Minutes (30-36)

England midfielder Mount is in fine goalscoring form since his return to the team, and tonight he will be looking to become the first Chelsea player to score in 4 consecutive league games since Eden hazard in 2016. He scored the opener in this fixture two years ago, setting up a 4-0 win, and after goals against Leeds, West Ham and Watford, will be full of confidence as struggling Everton come to town.

Can England get back into the 2^nd Ashes Test and the Series?

In almost identical fashion to their 1^st innings at the Gabba, when the Aussies batted England out of the game, on day 1 in Adelaide they lost an early wicket before David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne put on a massive partnership to put the hosts in control. Australia start day 2 on 221/2 and England really need to take a couple of early wickets if they are to get back into the match and series.

Fall of 3^rd Wicket (272-277)

Both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith seem to enjoy batting against England, but the tourists know they must make an early breakthrough and then hopefully turn 221/2 into something like 250/5. Armed with a newish ball and England’s two greatest ever fast bowlers, Joe Root’s side will be fired up. Progress was very slow with the bat as England stuck to line and length bowling in the final session of day one and we’ve seen plenty of patriotic punters selling at 272 and desperate to see a wicket before another 50 runs are scored.