Mark Allen v Liam Highfield-(Sun)

Liam Highfield will be making his debut in Sheffield after comfortably coming through the qualifiers last week, but playing Mark Allen at the Crucible is a big step up in class – and it will prove a step too far.

It’s been a steady season for Highfield, his 11th as a pro, a quarter-final at the Indian Open last September the highlight. He’s a solid professional and his match play is underrated – comfortable victories over Chen Zhe, Tom Ford and Daniel Wells in the qualifiers are testament to that - but he regularly gets found out when he comes up against players who can score heavily.

Stating the obvious somewhat, but winning frames in one visit is the key at the highest level and Highfield averages a 70+ break every 25 frames this season. That statistic highlights the reason he doesn’t often progress beyond the last 16 and why he is has never broken into the top 60 in the world rankings.

Mark Allen has been a permanent fixture in the world rankings top 16 for the last 10 years and is a heavy scorer, averaging a 70+ break every 9.5 frames to contrast Highfield. Allen’s form has improved in the last 2 months and his scoring power against a Crucible debutant should see him to dispose of Liam Highfield with relative ease.

1.5 pts Mark Allen -3.5 frames at 5/4 (Coral)

#Snooker