When you consider your options on Monday night's Premiership match between Manchester City and Middlesbrough take a moment to reflect back on our advice for Sunday's tense West Ham v Blackburn game at Upton Park.

In tipping the Hammers at 11/8 with Betterbet.com, our words were: 'We have a gut feeling - no more - that the Hammers will get it right this time in front of their disgruntled fans.'

Happily for us - and Alan Pardew - the Irons came through and it is that same gut feeling that takes us to tip under-fire Stuart Pearce to calm the nerves of his board and supporters by getting a win against Boro.

City are enduring a somewhat wretched time of it this season with Pearce - a one time candidate for the England job - the latest boss to have his future questioned.

At Eastlands they're unbeaten in four games, haven't conceded a goal and have claimed the scalp of Arsenal but it is their disastrous away form that has heaped pressure on the man still known in many quarters as 'Psycho'.

On the other hand, City have never beaten Boro in the Premiership or in their last 11 meetings. But we will be brave and back the Sky Blues to lay that bogey to rest.

Betterbet.com offer a decent 5/4 for the home win and that's where we will be putting our cash.