Weekend Review: Torment for top six as bookies revel in dull Manchester derby
Little to celebrate for football punters as Premier League big six fail to win a match between them for first time since 2008
The Premier League’s big six broke an unwanted 12-year record this weekend after each side failed to pick up three points to leave layers ecstatic.
Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal failed to secure a single win between them on the same weekend for the first time since 2008.
Manchester United and City played out a drab 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, while Spurs and Liverpool could only muster 1-1 draws against Crystal Palace and Fulham, respectively.
Frank Lampard’s Chelsea and Mikel Arteta’s stuttering Arsenal side both lost 1-0, with Everton and Burnley inflicting defeats on the London giants.
Full time in north London. #ARSBUR
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 13, 2020
The accumulator-busting results wreaked havoc for bettors across the country during a matchday 12 that well and truly belonged to the bookies.
Kindred Group’s Ali Gill told EGR it was a “fantastic weekend” in the top flight.
Gill said: “A fantastic weekend in the Premier League for us and all layers, as all the big teams scrambled not to take a grip of the top of the table, or get anywhere near it in some cases.
“The 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby was about as good as it gets, for layers, if not for anyone watching, and was comfortably our best result of the weekend. But there was no shortage of reasons to celebrate as Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal all failed to win, which additionally meant almost no winning acca in sight,” he added.
? The 183rd Manchester derby ends goalless.
? #MUFC
#️⃣ #MUNMCI
? #PL@Chevrolet— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 12, 2020
Betway’s Chad Yeomans said: “It was just one of those weekends, wasn’t it? We kept on waiting for one of the ‘good things’ to win for punters, but the wait kept on going.”
Yeomans did go on to note that it wasn’t a total whitewash, as punters heavily backed Leicester and Southampton wins, which duly came to fruition.
Yeomans added: “On Sunday, Southampton, who are 125/1 to win the Premier League and Leicester who are 33/1, both ran riot in their games on Sunday and were both well backed prior, but having Arsenal lose and Liverpool draw were strong results for us.”
We weren’t up to our standards first 30 minutes and that cost us in the end. Good response from the lads and need to take that into Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/DrsK6g3iJh
— Jordan Henderson (@JHenderson) December 13, 2020
Betfred’s Alan Firkins dubbed the weekend’s results a “cracking haul”, adding: “The Manchester bore-draw plus other misfiring big guns meant a cracking haul for once on the Premier League front.”
Elsewhere, in horseracing, pre-race favourite for the International Hurdle at Cheltenham, Goshen, failed to impress as trainer Gary Moore revealed the horse was suffering from a fibrillating heart.
Goshen had been tipped as a potential Champion Hurdle winner, but the discovery of the heart condition may well dampen expectations.
Gill said: “In the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, favourite Goshen was very well supported, but failed to fire as 6/1 shot Song For Someone won a great encounter, beating Silver Streak by a nose and leaving punters out of pocket.”
Song For Someone just beats Silver Streak ? pic.twitter.com/Mf8OuXLoJV
— ODDSbible Racing (@ODDSbibleRacing) December 12, 2020
Firkins noted that while Betfred’s football trading team had a great weekend, their horseracing counterparts were not so lucky.
Firkins said: “While the footie traders were on good terms with themselves, the racing desk wasn’t quite so buoyant. Fred pushed two out on Saturday morning – Sky Pirate, out to 5/1, won at 4/1, & The White Mouse, out to 5/1, won at 10/3.”
The new odds made for the perfect early Christmas present for one Betfred punter, who secured a £53,000 payout after The White Mouse pulled through as the last leg on a £2 Lucky 15 accumulator.