By Antony Jordan
There were seven fantastic games playing in the Premier League on Saturday with action, goals and much more all on show across the country, but the biggest of the final three games yet to play promises much, much more!
This massive match up happens on Monday Night Football as Liverpool and Manchester United renew their rivalry at Anfield and we’re previewing this game, as well as the pair of clashes playing this Sunday, with online sportsbook Sportsinteraction.com to provide our best EPL picks.
Liverpool v Man United: 2.13 – 3.39 – 3.29
The biggest game of the weekend may not technically be played over the weekend as the first Jurgen Klopp versus Jose Mourinho clash in the Premier League as Liverpool and Manchester United managers takes place on Monday Night Football but it still promises an excellent game of football as last season saw four meetings between the sides and nine goals. United triumphed home and away in the EPL as Louis van Gaal helped the side more successful in the Premier League era claim all six points while Klopp guided Liverpool past the Red Devils and into the Europa League semi-finals. Which of these two giants of the English game will triumph in game week eight of the season?
The hosts at Anfield for this match do bring a fine record this season into this game as they have triumphed in each of their last five clashes, are unbeaten in seven games in all competitions and have only lost once this season. They have been in exceptional home form since the last meeting with Man United when Wayne Rooney netted in the 78th minute to win the game as they have not lost since that match at Anfield and with United having lost two of their last three away games the home side will fancy their chances on Monday.
Much of the talk regarding Manchester United recently has been about Wayne Rooney and whether he should be dropped for club and country. With United winning 4-1 against Leicester following Jose Mourinho leaving him out of the side and England performing well under new management without the striker it is not looking as if he’ll make the starting XI in Liverpool for this match. However, both himself and Zlatan will be ready for this game without any international action during the week and we can see United hitting the ground running on their return to EPL action – and with Liverpool scoring freely this season we see goals in this game.
Back Over 2.5 goals in this Liverpool v Manchester United derby game @ 1.76.
Southampton v Burnley: 1.36 – 4.54 – 9.00
Sunday’s second match sees The Saints welcome The Clarets to St. Mary’s looking to continue their unbeaten run against this weekend’s guests on home soil since losing 1-0 eight years ago in a second tier clash. The home side went into the international break in outstanding form with four wins and two draws in their final six matches in all competitions – Premier League, EFL Cup and Europa League – and each of these six matches have seen Southampton keep clean sheets. They will be desperate to continue this form upon their return to EPL action, but can they record a fourth successive victory on home soil against Burnley?
The match odds suggest they can but there is zero value in them to win this match against a Burnley side that has beaten both Liverpool and Watford this season. However, both of those wins came on home soil and all three matches away from Turf Moor – against Chelsea and Leicester in the league as well as Accrington Stanley in the cup – have seen them fail to find the net. We feel that this match is likely to follow similar patterns, despite Southampton missing their first choice full backs, and we see a home win on the south coast with another clean sheet for The Saints.
We are backing Southampton to be the only side to score at odds of 1.95 with Sportsinteraction.com.
Middlesbrough v Watford: 2.20 – 3.12 – 3.40
Two of the newly promoted sides from the Championship this season clash at The Riverside early on Sunday afternoon looking to kick start their seasons with all three points. The home side this weekend are without victory in five clashes against The Hornets, although both of their last two home games have seen draws, but with them coming into this match with an almost full squad to choose from, while Watford are missing key defenders Craig Cathcart and Daryl Janmaat, will this be their best chance to end a winless run last four years?
The hosts come into this game just two points above the relegation zone having collected just six points this season, beating only Sunderland and they are currently without a win in six games in all competitions. The first of these losses came to Championship side Fulham in the cup and while they have four goals in the following five EPL games they are yet to just get over the line to claim a second win of the season.
Watford are two points and five places better off than their hosts so far, but have had a much more strange set of results this season as while they have lost to Burnley and drawn with Bournemouth in their last two matches, they scored seven goals as they defeated West Ham and Manchester United in the pair of games prior to that.
We feel that this match could easily see either of the teams take all three points and we are not confident in backing either side to win, but with both sides scoring and conceding with regularity so far we are confident in there being goals at The Riverside this Sunday.