This Saturday sees eight matches from the seventh round of Premier League football as a number of sides look to bounce back from defeats in the Capital One Cup during the week and others look to build on their victories. The earliest and biggest match of the day sees a defeated Spurs side look to see off Man City side that netted four goals during the week and will have a striker that loves to play against Tottenham.
We, along with online sportsbook William Hill, preview all eight games and provide our top EPL picks from the day’s football.
Tottenham v Man City: 4.00 – 3.40 – 1.95
Both of these sides had their streaks ended in the Capital One Cup during the week as Tottenham saw their three match winning run ended by their biggest rivals, Arsenal, on the same ground as this match is being played and City bounced back from back to back losses with a 4-1 win at Sunderland. The visitors to White Hart Lane this Saturday lunchtime will be looking to continue winning matches and with four successive victories against the North Londoners there could not be a better place to play to extend their resurgence.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be happy with Sergio Aguero’s recovery from a recent injury as he played 74 minutes at the Stadium of Light and scored one goal, and with the Argentine striker having a fantastic record against Tottenham with ten goals in seven at an average of one goal per 54.8 minutes you can be sure that their talisman will start this game. It is possible that captain Vincent Kompany and key midfielder David Silva will return at White Hart Lane too to give City a boost all over the pitch. With Tottenham having scored just five goals all season, including just three in their last four, and last season’s top striker Harry Kane yet to find the net during this campaign we see this game going the way of the league leaders this weekend. Back Aguero to score anytime and City to win at White Hart Lane @ 4.00 with William Hill.
Leicester v Arsenal: 4.00 – 3.75 – 1.83
If you’d asked football fans before the start of this season would Leicester City be ahead of Arsenal after six games of the 2015/16 Premier League season there would have been many incredulous looks at the question asked and very few positive replies. Yet, here we are as the Midlanders lead the Londoners by two points as they welcome The Gunners to The King Power Stadium looking for their first win over the current FA Cup holders in more than two decades, but can they continue their excellent start to the season against one of the biggest names in the league?
Despite the fact that Leicester have not beaten Arsenal since 1994 their last two home matches against Arsene Wenger’s men have seen the sides share the spoils and with an almost fully fit squad boosted by a massive amount of confidence after three wins and three draws in six games with a league best 13 goals scored this season The Foxes will be aiming to go better this time around. Arsenal are still missing a number of players across the park, but after only shutting out the league’s lowest goalscorers in Newcastle away from home this season we can see goals in this game. Our money is on both teams to score and at least three goals in this match at odds of 1.85 in the William Hill Sportsbook.
Liverpool v Aston Villa: 1.53 – 3.80 – 7.00
The pressure is building once again at Anfield as Brendan Rodgers’ men failed to be Carlisle in normal and extra time in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday night as they needed penalties to see off a side sitting tenth in League Two. They are now six games without a win and have taken just two points in the league since beating Stoke and Bournemouth 1-0 in their first two games of the season. They are missing £32m striker Christian Benteke through injury who they signed from Villa in the summer and with just four goals to their name this season in their six EPL games they may once again struggle in front of goal.
This will suit Villa who currently occupy 17th place in the league as they come into this match boosted by their second half performance against their biggest rivals Birmingham City in the league cup on Tuesday night that saw them edge a close game 1-0, but after losing 1-0 at home to West Brom and letting a 2-0 lead slip in the last 20 minutes at Leicester do they have the confidence to take the fight to a top flight side? Villa won two of the three meetings with Liverpool last season, including winning at Anfield 1-0, and we can see this match being another close match between two sides lacking in confidence in front of goal. Back under 2.5 goals to be scored at Anfield @ 1.95 with WilliamHill.com.
Stoke v Bournemouth: 2.50 – 3.10 – 3.00
This Stoke v Bournemouth game is another clash that few people would have seen the EPL newcomers sitting four points clear of their hosts after six games of the season and with Eddie Howe having the away side at The Britannia Stadium this weekend playing some nice football his team will believe that they can move seven points clear of Mark Hughes’ men. Can they win this first meeting of these sides in 13 years when Bournemouth claimed a 3-1 in League One?
Stoke have rarely shown anything this season with the second half of their match away at Tottenham that saw them come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and the first half at home against Leicester last week that saw them lead 2-0 before taking just a point at the full time whistle has seen them show what they are capable of. They are yet to win their first EPL game of the season, but victory over Fulham in the cup during the week will see them confident for this match, and with Bournemouth losing two of three on the road in the league as well as going to penalties against Preston on Tuesday this match could easily see Stoke take their first win of the season. However, we do not see the newcomers going down without a fight and we’re backing goals from both of these teams at the Britannia at odds of 1.73.
West Ham v Norwich: 2.20 – 3.40 – 3.20
The Boleyn Ground hosts a clash of the sides sitting third and 11th in the Premier League in what promises to be an excellent match between two of the most exciting sides in the EPL this season. West Ham have become the first side in ten years to win away at Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City to sit in the top three of the league with 12 points, just five off the lead, and after they were beaten 2-1 in extra time at Leicester in the League Cup during the week they will be desperate to bounce back with a fourth successive league win.
Norwich have collected eight points from their six matches and with nine goals so far this season they have scored the most goals outside of the top four sides in the division. They have also conceded ten goals to see them have the fourth most goals in their matches all season so we are expecting a thriller in East London. Norwich are without key midfielder Matt Jarvis as he cannot face his parent club and as The Canaries have not won away to The Hammers since 1989 we believe that we’re likely to see a home win this Saturday. Back the home win at odds of 2.20 with WilliamHill.com.
Man United v Sunderland: 1.22 – 6.00 – 13.00
There are two big talking points for this Manchester United v Sunderland game at Old Trafford with the first point being able players out of the match and the other about a player that will be playing. United are having some serious issues at left back with Luke Shaw a long term absentee after breaking his leg in the Champions League as well as Marcos Rojo and Paddy McNair also missing. As well as this new signing for the home side Anthony Martial has scored three goals in his two league games and as he faces the leakiest defence in the league the question is can he live up his impressive start?
Sunderland may miss key striker and midfielder Jermaine Defoe and Jack Rodwell are doubts with hamstring and ankle injuries. With Defoe the only player to score more than a single goal in the league this season and Sunderland lacking in attacking ability this season, we cannot see the visitors to Old Trafford getting anything in this match. Back Manchester United to win and Anthony Martial to score anytime @ 2.25 in the William Hill Sportsbook.
Southampton v Swansea: 2.05 – 3.10 – 4.00
Recent meetings between Southampton and Swansea have been closely contested matches with just two away goals last season as both teams claimed 1-0 wins to see it being six games and more than six and a half years since there were more than two goals between the sides. With Swansea arriving at St. Mary’s this Saturday without a goal in three matches, including 1-0 to Hull in the Capital One Cup during the week, and having failed to win on the road in the league this season it will be the home side that fancies their chances more this weekend.
Southampton ran in six goals at Championship side MK Dons in the League Cup as they bounced back from losing 3-2 on home soil to Manchester United last weekend. They will be boosted by that result and the fact that defender Ryan Bertrand is likely to make his first start for the club this season to help shore up the defence. Striker Graziano Pelle is likely to overcome a foot injury too and we can see The Saints continue their resurgence this weekend with victory on home soil. Our money is on the home win at odds of 2.05 at William Hill.
Newcastle v Chelsea: 6.00 – 3.60 – 1.61
Newcastle are another side that come into this seventh round of Premier League football struggling for goals as they have netted just three goals all season – and two of those came on the opening day! They bring a four game losing streak to this clash with the defending champions from all competitions having lost 1-0 here to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday during the week and their lack of goals sees them joint bottom with their biggest rivals Sunderland with just two points.
Crystal Palace and Everton have both beaten Chelsea this season as they appear to be floundering at the start of this campaign with them occupying 15th in the EPL table prior to this weekend’s action but defeat to Newcastle in the late kick off this Saturday afternoon would be a the biggest shock of all. They have scored ten goals in three successive wins before this match and despite Diego Costa suspended for violent conduct against Arsenal we see the away side being far too strong for The Magpies. We are backing Chelsea to beat Newcastle in this match at odds of 1.61 with WilliamHill.com.