The festive football frenzy continues on Saturday, albeit with a slight lull in the pace.
There are four games from Serie A across the day alongside action from the second and third tiers in Scotland.
We have picked out our three best bets for Saturday’s football action.
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Bet of the day
Atalanta to beat Lazio – 11/8
Lazio are fresh off getting hit for six by Inter Milan at the Stadio Olimpico in their previous home game and the last sight manager Marco Baroni would want to see coming is Serie A leaders Atalanta.
The Bergamo outfit are top of the pile and much of their success comes down to a stunning record on the road, with seven wins in eight games so far, including each of the last five – a run in which they have only conceded once.
They are the joint-leading scorers in the Italian top flight with 42 goals in 17 games and face a Lazio outfit whose 24 goals conceded is at least five more than any other side in the top eight going into this round of games.
Atalanta have only lost one of the last seven meetings against Lazio in Rome, winning three, and have scored 14 goals in their last six visits.
Special of the day
Inter Milan Half-time/Full-time – 11/10
Champions Inter are getting into their groove again in Serie A, racking up four wins on the trot before Christmas, including the 6-0 mauling of Lazio on their previous road trip.
They have scored 16 times and conceded just once and are starting to purr. Simone Inzaghi’s side are the only team in the Italian top tier that have not trailed at half-time in a league game so far this season.
They head for the Sardegna Arena to face a Cagliari side in the relegation zone after three successive defeats. The hosts have been behind at half-time in nine of their 17 Serie A games. Inter can take control of this game early on and win.
Long shot of the day
Patrick Thistle vs Queen’s Park – Over 3.5 Goals and Over 10.5 Corners – 24/5
The ‘other’ Glasgow derby gets top billing on Saturday as Partick Thistle welcome Queen’s Park to Firhill in the Championship, before the Old Firm go at it in the New Year.
One place separates these sides, though Thistle are four points better off with a game in hand. The home side should win – they haven’t lost any of the previous 11 head-to-heads with Queen’s Park in 90 minutes.
Eight of the last 11 meetings between these two have gone over 3.5 goals in the 90 minutes, while all bar one of those encounters went over the 2.5 goal mark.
Queen’s Park have notched eight corners in their defeats against Raith and Hamilton recently, while Partick Thistle’s previous three league outings have all gone into double figures for corners.
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