10th April 2015

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McCoy and McIlroy Can Keep the Sacking of Pellegrini off the Back Pages.

The Manchester derby could be Manuel Pellegrini’s last stand at City and provide a chance for Louis Van Gal to finally win over the fans and cement his position as manager of United for next season and beyond. The match is the highlight of the programme of matches live on television over a weekend in which in terms of sporting venues beginning with letter A Anfield will be overshadowed by Aintree and Augusta. Pellegrini could be fired if City lose badly at Old Trafford but events elsewhere will keep his glum face off the back pages.

Liverpool host Newcastle United on Monday evening and by then we will know if Rory McIlroy has completed the career Grand Slam and if AP McCoy has retired. The US Masters and Grand National could provide truly historic sporting occasions and its one of the few weekends in the year when Premier League football is not the main topic of betting news. Several fixtures are relatively meaningless in the context of the main issues at either end of the table over two days in which Rocky Creek and Jason Day can spoil the Tony and Rory parties.

McCoy has said he will retire on the spot if Shutthefrontdoor wins the National and if McIlroy wins the Masters he will be just the sixth player in the history of the sport to win each of the four majors at least once. The cross-sport double will be popular and bookies will be fearing a payout at combined odds of about 80-1. Even news of the biggest match of the football season in Manchester will be taken off the back pages on Sunday if McCoy has won the Grand National and McIlroy is contending in the Masters.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that we could see two of the best British sportsman ever producing their finest achievement in the space of less than 36 hours. McCoy will retire having been champion jockey 20 times and nobody will ever come close to matching his records in terms of rides and races won. No European golfer has won three different majors so McIlroy can take the game to a new level in this continent if he completes the set of majors at Augusta on Sunday.

McCoy is the favourite to be the leading jockey at the Grand National meeting and McIlroy has been in demand to win the Masters. This could be the greatest weekend ever in the history of Irish sport and all we need now is for Roy Keane to make a stunning return to the Manchester United team and score the winner against City. The dream Yankee would be complete if the Pope passes away and is replaced by a cardinal from Ireland. Paddy Power should offer odds on the Irish dream acca.

When United and City kick-off on Sunday the winner of the Grand National will be known and the final round of the Masters will be about to start. United have won their last five league matches and City have lost their last three away fixtures. For the first time since the start of the season United are higher in the league and City could come fourth in a two horse race. Ever since last August Chelsea and Manchester City have dominated the Premier league table but now the nightmare scenario of not qualifying for the Champions League is not out of the question for Pellegrini’s side.

United have the best home record in the Premier League this season, winning 13 of 16 matches, scoring 36 goals and conceding 11. They have won their three most recent league matches at Old Trafford without conceding a goal in the first half. City average two goals per game on the road and rarely prevent the opposition finding the net on their travels. The recent stats point to a game in which both teams will score and the tally of goals will be more than 2. A bet on the correct score of 3-2 to United would boost the weekend acca but an Irish Pope will probably let us down.

In theory Manchester United could still win the Premier League but they need to win all seven remaining matches which would include beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. However, the gap of eight points is too much to overhaul and Chelsea also have a game in hand. Chelsea have lost just two league matches to date so they won’t lose three of their last eight fixtures. They will win their first title in the second Jose Mourinho era so United, City and Arsenal are playing for second place.

The two London clubs have eminently winnable away fixtures this weekend and neither should drop points at Burnley and QPR. Both those sides are scrapping at the wrong end of the table and will be highly motivated to avoid defeat. However, class and quality will probably prevail which means Chelsea and Arsenal can pick up three points making the Manchester derby critical in the context of finishing league positions. McCoy and McIlroy both support United and if they beat City in the derby and both realise their dreams of sporting immortality the Guineas will be flowing.

Liverpool and Everton are now both becalmed in upper to mid-table safety, free of relegation issues and not likely to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League respectively. Merseyside is a sporting Mecca and the locals are passionate about their teams but the sports news agenda will be dominated by Tony McCoy if he wins the Grand National at Aintree and the bars in Ireland will be rocking if McIlroy also wins the Masters. Luck Maith Tony and Rory!

Back Next Friday.

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