Weekend Review: Liverpool capsize in capital while Nick Rockett shoots to Grand National victory 

Liverpool (9/10) were beaten for just the second time in the Premier League this season, as Arne Slot’s men succumbed to a 3-2 defeat away at Fulham (16/5) in a big boost for the bookies.

After Alexis Mac Allister’s first half strike put the Reds in front, goals from Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz put the home side out of reach.  

A second half reply from Luis Diaz made it 3-2, but it wasn’t enough, as Liverpool lost in the league for first time since September.  

In the weekend’s marquee fixture, Manchester United (12/5) and Manchester City (6/5) played out an uneventful 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

The gameweek began with second-placed Arsenal (11/10) drawing 1-1 away at Everton (3/1), with an Iliman Ndiaye penalty cancelling out Leandro Trossard’s opener.  

In a frantic match at Selhurst Park, nine-man Crystal Palace (3/2) edged out rivals Brighton (9/5) 2-1 in a match where the Seagulls ended with 10 men.  

There were also 2-1 wins for Aston Villa (11/10) at home to Nottingham Forest (12/5) and for Wolves (8/5) away at Ipswich (7/4).  

Tottenham (9/25) confirmed Southampton’s (6/1) relegation from the Premier League with a 3-1 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Brentford (19/10) and Chelsea (7/5) played out a 0-0.

FDJ United’s Ali Gill explained how the weekend’s Premier League results largely fell in the operator’s favour. 

He said: “A great weekend overall as results fell nicely right across the board. The Manchester Derby will perhaps go down as one of the most boring games on record, with no one cheering at the end except traders as 0-0, as always, was a fantastic result for the book.  

“Liverpool’s loss to Fulham was unsurprisingly also very much in our favour, while Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Everton meant our three biggest Premier League games of the weekend all had a significantly positive margin.

“Chelsea drawing 0-0 was also a strong result, and only Wolves beating Ipswich left us in the red.” 

Bet365’s Steve Freeth added: “It was all smiles in the bet365 trading room this weekend after a strong set of bookmaker-friendly results.

“Arsenal’s 1-1 draw versus Everton kicked things off nicely and, while there was a brief fightback with both Wolves and then Aston Villa winning, it continued into Sunday with Liverpool losing, Chelsea drawing and the same 0-0 scoreline in the disappointing derby in Manchester.”

Across Europe, Real Madrid (7/25) fell to a shock 2-1 home defeat to Valencia (9/1) in a game where Vinicius Jr missed a penalty for the reigning champions.

It was Valenica’s first victory at the Bernabéu since 2008 thanks to a stoppage time winner from Hugo Duro.

Unable to fully capitalise on Los Blancos’ slip up, Barcelona (9/25) drew 1-1 at home to Real Betis (11/2).

Elsewhere in La Liga, Atletico Madrid (6/5) won 2-1 away at Sevilla (5/2).

In the Bundesliga, Harry Kane was on target as Bayern Munich (2/5) ran out 3-1 winners away at 10-man Augsburg (13/2).  

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen (1/ 2) kept up the pressure with a 1-0 win away at Heidenheim (19/4) while Borussia Dortmund (11/10) won 4-1 away at Freiburg (23/10).  

In Serie A, league leaders Inter Milan (1/ 2) drew 2-2 away at Parma (11/2), while city rivals AC Milan (3/4) drew 2-2 at home to Fiorentina (15/4).  

Juventus (21/10) played out a 1-1 draw away at Roma (29/20).  

Freeth said the operator saw even more success from the weekend’s European games. 

He remarked: “We had an outstanding day in La Liga on Saturday. We’re so used to seeing the two Spanish giants winning from behind to break our hearts, but it didn’t go to script this weekend.  

“A Carlos Corberán-inspired victory for Valencia at Real Madrid was followed by Barcelona drawing 1-1 with Real Betis. Alaves winning at Girona was the cherry on the top of the cake. 

“Sunday was much better for La Liga-backers as 6/5 Atletico Madrid bagged a late winner at Sevilla and 6/4 Real Sociedad won 3-1 at Las Palmas to take the gloss off it slightly for us.”

Gill added: “In La Liga both Barcelona and Real Madrid dropped points, with Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Real Betis coming out as our biggest turnover event of the weekend and unsurprisingly both matches notching big results for layers.”

In Italy, the privately owned operator paid out via its two goals ahead early offer, as Freeth noted: “We paid out on 1/2 Inter just before half time against Parma before the leaders were pegged back and backers of 15/4 Fiorentina were collecting after 10 minutes before AC Milan fought back to take a point at the San Siro.”

Looking at France and Scotland, the bet365 head added: “While PSG might have confirmed their umpteenth title on Saturday, it was the manner of the result which was pleasing with the 1/8 shots getting over the line 1-0.

“A similar scoreline at St Johnstone had us jumping through hoops as 1/6 Celtic produced another coupon-buster.” 

Meanwhile, in horseracing, the weekend saw The Grand National take place at Aintree, as 33/1 outsider Nick Rockett romped home to victory.

The Willie Mullins-trained horse was ridden by the trainer’s son Patrick, coming in ahead of I Am Maximus (7/1), Grangeclare West (33/1) and 13/2 Iroko.

Nick Rockett’s previous wins in the Thyestes and Bobbyjo in Ireland earlier this year meant The Grand National was his third consecutive victory.

I am Maximus was unable to secure back-to-back wins in the race, with 16 of the 34 runners completing the four-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece.

There was a heavy fall for Broadway Boy, who was leading the race before tumbling at Valentine’s Brook. Positive reports over the weekend have stated the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained horse was heading home.

Regarding the weekend’s showpiece racing event, Betfred’s Alan Firkins said: “Aintree was bathed in sunshine for the three-day Grand National festival, huge crowds attended, and the big one on Saturday was won by 33/1 chance Nick Rockett.

“The peerless Willie Mullins trains – no great shock there – but his son Patrick, the hugely accomplished amateur, was in the saddle and it was all too much for the great man in post-race interviews, understandably moved to tears by the magnitude of what had just been achieved.

“Having won both the Thyestes and Bobbyjo chases earlier this year in his native Ireland, it’s a mystery why the eight-year-old Walk In The Park gelding went off at such a big price, but despite going seven places each-way, we just about kept our noses in front. It was a tremendous, dramatic showpiece for the sport. 

Freeth added: “Willie Mullins could train the stable cat to win a race, so we were always going to see interest in Grand National winner Nick Rockett, and the heavy Mullins presence in the places behind the 33/1 shot meant we lost on The Grand National itself having originally thought we’d got away with it.”

Gill concluded: “The Grand National on Saturday capped another great festival at Aintree. 33/1 winner Nick Rockett bought the great Willie Mullins to tears, and overall it was another great result for us at the end of a festival, which saw some fantastic racing, and margin finish nicely in the black.”