The third week of the 2015/16 kicks off this weekend at Old Trafford as Manchester United continue their form of playing the first match of the weekend this season. They face a Newcastle side that has beaten them just once in 21 Premier League visits, so can they make it three wins in a row this Saturday?
There are big games for Sunderland and Leicester too this Saturday and we take a look at all six matches to provide our best EPL picks with online sportsbook Bet365.com.
Man United v Newcastle: 1.36 – 4.75 – 8.00
The most successful side in the history of the EPL kick off the league action for a third straight week at the start of this season and they’ll be looking for a third straight victory to move three points clear of Man City, Liverpool and surprise package Leicester City. They have not looked the brightest at the start of this 2015/16 season with 1-0 wins against Tottenham and Aston Villa, but their 3-1 defeat of Club Brugge in the Champions League during the week will have them full of confidence for this weekend opening EPL clash.
United are missing the goalscorer of that third European goal in Marouane Fellaini as the Belgian is suspended, but former Manchester United assistant manager Steve McClaren has bigger problems for his Newcastle side than that of the hosts. He is missing defender Daryl Janmaat after the Dutch defender was red carded against Swansea last weekend, while Moussa Sissoko is a doubt for the game after limping off against the Welsh side last week with a groin injury.
Add to this the fact that Newcastle have won just a single match at Old Trafford in 21 Premier League visits and with United looking like they’ve found their feet we do not expect this number to double this Saturday lunchtime. We see the home side scoring early on again and then taking all three points so our money is on Man United/Man United HT/FT at odds of 1.95 with Bet365.com.
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa: 1.83 – 3.40 – 4.50
Both of these two teams battling at Selhurst Park this Saturday afternoon come into the third match of the season having won one and lost one of their opening two games. As the odds suggest for this Palace v Villa game it is the Londoners who have looked the better of the two teams so far this season with them beating Norwich 3-1 on the opening day before pushing Arsenal all the way last weekend in a 2-1 loss, while Villa edged Bournemouth 1-0 before losing 1-0 to Manchester United in two dour matches.
We see the home team having the more invention and creativity of the two sides and we see another three points for Alan Pardew’s men. Back the home win at 1.83 in the Bet365 Sportsbook!
West Ham v Bournemouth: 2.25 – 3.40 – 3.10
Goals have been the difference between these two sides in their opening pair of EPL matches this season as West Ham sit eighth in the table having won one and lost one while newcomers Bournemouth are yet to score a goal in their debut season in the top flight and they sit second bottom in the league.
West Ham may have been eliminated from Europe before the domestic season began, but they started their EPL campaign with a stunning 2-0 win over Arsenal at The Emirates but they were quickly brought back to earth with a home loss to Leicester last weekend. They saw their goalkeeper Adrian red carded late on so they will be without their first choice shot stopper, so will this give last season’s Championship winners a chance with new signing Darren Randolph likely to make his debut? Bournemouth have had chances in their opening matches but they have failed to seize any of these and while they are certain to do so sooner rather than later we cannot see them beating a West Ham side that have shown glimpses of brilliance this season. Back a West Ham victory at the Boleyn Ground @ 2.25
Norwich v Stoke: 2.25 – 3.30 – 3.20
There is certainly the potential of goals in this match as three of the total four games played this season by Norwich and Stoke have seen four goals in them. Norwich were unlucky to have been beaten 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace on the opening day of the season after having a certain goal ruled out at 2-1 down but they hit back with a 3-1 win of their own at Sunderland last weekend and with youngster Nathan Redmond looking the real deal with two goals in two games they will believe they can win this match.
Stoke were beaten 1-0 at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend in a poor match and found themselves 2-0 down at half time to Tottenham last weekend. However, to come back to take a point at White Hart Lane with a 2-2 draw showed the strength of the team, as well as the goal scoring ability, and with new signing Xherdan Shaqiri likely to make his debut after moving from Inter Milan they too will believe that they claim their first win of the season. We feel that there will be goals in this Carrow Road clash and our money is on both teams to score in this game at odds of 1.83 with Bet365.
Sunderland v Swansea: 3.75 – 3.40 – 2.00
Sunderland are a side in crisis at the start of this 2015/16 season as they have played two matches and conceded seven goals, finding themselves 3-0 down against Leicester and Norwich in 25 and 57 minutes respectively. They did score in both matches as they were beaten 4-2 and 3-1 but their defence will be a big worry for manager Dick Advocaat and with Swansea having bagged two against both Chelsea and Newcastle in their opening two games it is sure to be the Welsh side that fancy their chances of taking all three points.
Swansea are unbeaten in six against Sunderland and, despite both of last season’s meetings ending level, we see the away team outscoring their hosts this Saturday afternoon to take all three points. Back Swansea to beat Sunderland at 2.00.
Leicester v Tottenham: 2.60 – 3.30 – 2.62
The final match that we’re looking at from this Saturday afternoon promises to be the most intriguing match of the weekend as the joint league leaders and joint top scorers welcome winless Tottenham Hotspur to the King Power Stadium. Along with Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs Leicester are one of less than a handful to have taken maximum points from the first two weekends of EPL football and add 13 goals in three meetings between the sides last season, plus it being more than 15 years since there was last a match between the two sides that saw less than three goals, we’re expecting fireworks.
There is plenty of value on both sides to win this match, and of the two we’d fancy the home team the most, especially with new midfielder Gokan Inler likely to play after moving from Napoli. Tottenham collapsed against Stoke last weekend and Leicester have gone all out in both games so far so we favour them to win, but we’re putting money on goals in this game as these sides both have history of goals and plenty in them this season. Our money is on +2.5 goals in Leicester v Tottenham at odds of 1.72 in the Bet365 Sportsbook!