EPL Picks: Can Tottenham end a 22 year run of finishing behind Arsenal with a derby win this Sunday?

The 35th round of EPL football this season comes to a close this Sunday and Monday with five matches playing around the UK and after Saturday’s games focused mainly on the relegation battle near the foot of the table it is the turn of the title battlers in the second half of the weekend. The biggest match comes from North London as Arsenal travel the single mile to their biggest and closest rivals Tottenham for one of the biggest derby games in the country, but will the home side be able to triumph and close the gap to Chelsea at the top of the table?

We preview this massive match along with the other four EPL games playing this Saturday and Sunday to bring you our best EPL picks.

Tottenham v Arsenal: 1.85 – 4.00 – 4.20

Going into this massive local derby it is the home side that are the top side in North London and unlike last season it appears that this season will be the time that they end their 22 year wait to finish above their neighbours in the league table. Tottenham came close last season but when they failed to overtake Leicester in the title race they collapsed and were overhauled by Arsenal, now this weekend sees them come into this North London Derby with a 14 point advantage knowing that victory would make it impossible for Arsenal to catch them in their five remaining games. Adding to the fact that they’re just four points behind league leaders Chelsea as well as this and you can be sure that the home side at White Hart Lane will be more desperate than usual to win this match.

The hosts bring some excellent form into this game having won all of their last eight EPL clashes and they’ve lost just once in the league in 2017, while all three of their defeats in the league this season have come on the road. They have won 15 of 17 on home soil this season and have eight clean sheets in their last 11 in the top flight so will believe that they can win this match and go a sixth North London Derby in the league unbeaten, although four of the last five meetings between the sides have ended level.

Arsenal will be boosted away from the EPL as they reached the final of the FA Cup by beating Man City in extra time last weekend, but with them losing four of their last five away clashes in the league are they good enough to defeat their local rivals? They have not defeated any side in the top nine of the league away from home this season and with Tottenham being in such good form we cannot see them changing this kind of form around, so our money is on the home win in this capital city battle this Sunday.

Our best Tottenham v Arsenal bet is back the home win at odds of 1.85 with Bet365.

Everton v Chelsea: 3.80 – 3.60 – 2.05

Chelsea have not had the best of times against Everton recently as they have won just one of their last four meetings with The Toffees and have lost both of their last two visits to Goodison Park, losing by two goals on both occasions. They will not find this visit to the blue half of Merseyside any easier either as Everton have suffered just one single defeat on home soil all season – against their local rivals Liverpool – and bring eight successive home league wins into this match where they have netted 29 times.

Chelsea have been very good on the road this season with just three defeats all season long, but they were beaten by Manchester United in their last away match and suffered a home defeat to Crystal Palace recently too. With them keeping just a single clean sheet away from home in 2017 and having no clean sheet in any of their last 11 games in the EPL we believe that they’ll struggle this Sunday too and this, as per our North London Derby pick, could see them in trouble in the title race. There is value to be had on Everton for this match, but Chelsea could just as easily secure all three points themselves and, as such, we feel that the value at Goodison Park comes on the goal markets in what promises to be a thrilling clash.

Our money is on Both Teams to Score – Yes AND Over 2.5 goals to be scored @ 2.10 in this Everton v Chelsea clash at Bet365.com.

Man United v Swansea: 1.40 – 5.00 – 9.00

After losing three matches in a row to Swansea, Manchester United have seemingly turned things around with back to back wins over the Welsh side in the second half of last season and start of this season to see them arrive at this weekend’s clash as the heavy favourites to take all three points once again. They will the more tired of the two sides following their Thursday night game at Man City that saw them grab a point, but with Jose Mourinho having guided United to 26 unbeaten home matches in all competitions this season they will be confident about securing this third successive win over The Swans.

Swansea really need all three points though as they currently occupy 18th place in the league and if they cannot overhaul Hull or any of the other sides above them in their final four matches they’ll find themselves in the second tier next season. Unfortunately for them they find themselves having lost six successive away games and they’ve won on the road just twice since August. With these respective home and away forms we are not surprised to see United the big favourites and we’re backing a comfortable home win in this one.

Our top Man United v Swansea tip is back Man United to win by at least two goals (Man United -1) at odds of 2.05 in the Bet365 Sportsbook!

Middlesbrough v Man City: 12.00 – 6.00 – 1.28

This match is vital for sides at the bottom and top of the table as Middlesbrough need to build on their midweek victory over Sunderland to move closer to exiting the bottom three places in the EPL, while after their 0-0 draw with local rivals Man United during the week City know that they must win to overhaul Liverpool and settle into the top four positions in the league so that they reach the Champions League next season. With their respective positions in the table it is no surprise to see the away side as the big favourites to win and with them triumphing 2-0 on this ground earlier this season in the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup they will believe that they’ll take all three points again this weekend too.

In addition to this, while Middlesbrough have taken most of their points in the league this season on home soil, the home side for this Sunday afternoon clash have not beaten anyone above 13th in the league and their only home wins in 2017 have come against bottom of the table Sunderland and sides outside of the top flight in cup competitions. City have not had the best of forms on the road recently as they have won just one of their last five on the road in all competitions, but with only Chelsea beating them away from home since January we are confident that there will be only one winner of this match and they’ll take all three points comfortably.

We are backing Man City to beat Middlesbrough by at least two goals (Man City -1) @ 1.72 at The Riverside this Sunday.

Watford v Liverpool: 6.50 – 4.33 – 1.55

Vicarage Road hosts this week’s Monday Night Football as Watford host Liverpool with both sides looking to shake off a defeat last weekend with all three points as they aim to consolidate their mid-table and top four placings respectively. While Watford secured their only victory over Liverpool since 1999 on this ground last season the last two meetings between the teams have seen the visitors net eight times and concede just once, including securing a 6-1 home win earlier this season.

However, with Watford having won five and drawn two of their last eight matches on home soil since the start of the year and Liverpool having beaten on Stoke and West Brom away from home in 2017 we feel that this game could be closer than the odds suggest. Liverpool’s two away league wins did come in their last two road trips and this will give them confidence for this clash but with Watford having three clean sheets in a row on home soil and Liverpool just one clean sheet in 2017 away from Anfield we see this match having plenty of goals in it from both sides. We feel that this has better value than the outright markets where we feel that either side could take the points.

Back Both Teams to Score – Yes in this Watford v Liverpool match at odds of 1.80 in the Bet365 Sportsbook!