The tenth round of the Premier League campaign kicks off this Saturday and with five of the top six sides in the league all in action we are hopeful of some exciting football as a number of sides return to full strength after resting players in the EFL Cup in midweek. We preview all seven of the matches playing on the first day of this weekend with online sportsbook Bet365.com to provide our best EPL picks from around the UK.
Tottenham v Leicester: 1.61 – 3.75 – 5.50
The biggest match of the weekend sees Tottenham host the EPL champions, who start the weekend in 12th place after a shaky start to the defence of their title, at White Hart Lane looking to end their own shaky run of form that has seen them fail to win in four matches in all competitions. They rested players in midweek against Liverpool in the EFL Cup as they exited the competition 2-1 at Anfield and now they’re the big favourites to take all three points from the side they spent much of last season battling against for the Premier League title.
They will need to improve on both their recent form and the result at White Hart Lane from last season as they were 1-0 here as Robert Huth netted a late winner for The Foxes, while they have netted just two goals since beating Man City on this ground at the start of the month. All four of those games have been away from North London and they have conceded just one goal in five matches in front of their own fans this season.
Leicester may have lost just one of their last five games in all competitions, including winning two in a row coming into this match, and are the more rested of the two teams after no midweek action so will be confident for this match, but with four domestic losses in a row away from The King Power Stadium this season they are deservedly the outsiders to triumph this Saturday. We feel that while the home side are in poor form right now they have impressed at home and are rightly the favourites to win, but there is very little value to be found in them to take all three points. Leicester have failed to find the net just once on the road this season and we feel that, as a result, goals in the way to go in this clash.
Our money is on Both Teams to Score – Yes at odds of 1.80 in this Tottenham v Leicester match.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool: 5.00 – 3.80 – 1.66
This game will forever be linked to that moment that Liverpool let the Premier League title slip at the end of the 2013/14 Premier League season as they were so close to lifting the title but a collapse from losing 2-0 to Chelsea and throwing away a 3-0 lead at Selhurst Park with 11 minutes to play against Palace saw Man City snatch the title by two points. While that game may be the match that sits longest in the mind, clashes between these sides have been excellent for more than a decade and the last time that there were fewer than three goals scored between the sides was nine matches and 11 years ago. Will we once again see goals this at Selhurst Park?
With Christian Benteke having moved to South London from Anfield to become the focal point of the attack for The Eagles he will be desperate to show that he still has the form that persuaded Liverpool to spend £32m on him from Aston Villa. He has been scoring reasonably well, with three in seven appearances, and he’ll certainly make the away defence work in this match, but with Liverpool being the joint top goalscorers in the EPL and unbeaten in ten matches – winning eight of those – there will certainly be goals from the visitors too. We fancy the pattern of goals to in matches between these two sides to continue this weekend.
We are backing Both Teams to Score – Yes and Over 2.5 goals @ 2.10 with Bet365.com at Selhurst Park.
West Brom v Man City: 7.50 – 4.20 – 1.44
While they come into this clash at The Hawthorns as the big favourites to take all three points, the visiting side from the blue half of Manchester are without a win in six matches across all competitions since they triumphed 3-1 away at Swansea more than a month ago. They will take solace in the fact that they have won all of their last nine clashes with The Baggies, including all of their last four away trips to the Midlands, and that they are heavily favoured to secure end their current run.
West Brom are themselves without a win in four games as they were beaten 2-1 at Anfield last Saturday to see them unable to turn three successive matches into a four game run, but can they get back into the winners circle this weekend? They will not be an easy target for Pep Guardiola’s Man city as West Brom have won one and drawn two of their last three on home soil with a 4-2 win over West Ham and a 1-1 draw with Tottenham the stand out performances. With the addition of Nacer Chadli this season they have their biggest goal threat in a long time and City have been making a large amount of mistakes defensively recently – and they’ll be down after losing to United in the EFL Cup Manchester derby clash in midweek – so we see an entertaining game that will feature goals from both of these sides.
Our top tip from The Hawthorns is back Both Teams to Score – Yes at odds of 1.95.
Sunderland v Arsenal: 8.00 – 4.75 – 1.36
Both of these sides were in action in the EFL Cup during the week and their results saw Sunderland eliminated at Southampton to move to four losses and a draw in their last five games in all competitions while Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Reading saw them unbeaten in 13 matches – with them victorious in ten of those – and they have recorded seven clean sheets in their last eight fixtures. This coupled with the fact that Arsenal have won six and drawn three of the last nine meetings of the sides leads up to believe that there will be just a single winner of this clash of the sides sitting bottom and second in the Premier League this weekend.
The odds certainly suggest that this will be an easy win for the away side at the Stadium of Light and we cannot disagree with this as the home side are without a goal in three goals, while Arsenal look as if they cannot be beaten right now. Add to this a lengthy injury list for both sides which is certainly affecting Sunderland more in the opening stages of this season and out thoughts on this match are reinforced, so we are all over the away win.
Back Arsenal to beat Sunderland by at least two goals (Arsenal -1) @ 1.95 at Bet365.
Man United v Burnley: 1.16 – 6.50 – 19.00
The Bet365 match odds for this Manchester United versus Burnley match at Old Trafford suggest that this will be a very easy win for the Jose Mourinho’s men and as they have not lost at home to The Clarets since 1962 we feel that this could sort of result could very well be on the cards if United can perform at their best. They have been inconsistent of late with the last week alone seeing a 4-0 loss at Stamford Bridge to Chelsea before they saw off local rivals Man City in the EFL Cup, but four wins and one draw in five on home soil certainly sees them more comfortable in front of the United faithful.
Sean Dyche’s men have not taken a single point on their travels this season as they conceded three goals to Chelsea, Leicester and Southampton while their solitary goal away from Turf Moor has come from the penalty spot. Their other away match this season saw them eliminated from the cup to fourth tier side Accrington Stanley and with all of this combined we see this match going the way of the home team.
Our best Man United v Burnley bet is back the home win and Over 2.5 goals to be scored at odds of 1.72.
Watford v Hull: 1.70 – 3.60 – 5.00
Hull are on their travels again this Saturday as, after winning 2-1 at Championship side Bristol City in the cup during the week to make the Quarter Finals, they will play at Vicarage Road looking to replicate their 2-1 win the last time that they visited in 2012. They will hope that the midweek win will boost confidence as they ended a four match losing streak that has seen them concede 15 goals and slide into the relegation zone at the bottom of the league.
Unfortunately for Mike Phelan and Hull they face a Watford side that is finding its feet under a new manager this season as they have won three and drawn two of their last six clashes to move into the top half of the league. Their last two matches have seen them score five goals as they defeated Man United 3-1 and drew 2-2 with Bournemouth in a thriller, and with them having had midweek to rest unlike their guests we can see them taking another three point haul this weekend.
Our money is on Watford to beat Hull @ 1.70 with Bet365.com.
Middlesbrough v Bournemouth: 2.30 – 3.10 – 3.25
The final match we’re previewing from this seven game card on Saturday sees a meeting of two sides not in midweek action, but both desperate to get on the field of play and build on last weekend’s performances. The home side at The Riverside this weekend secured a fine away point at The Emirates Stadium as they drew 0-0 with Arsenal, while Bournemouth went a third match without loss as they drew with Arsenal’s local rivals Tottenham to secure a fifth point in three games. Both sides had opportunities to net the winning goals last weekend but could not find the net, but which of these sides will manage it this Saturday?
There have only been four meetings between the sides in recent times and it is the away side who have done the better of the two sides with three draws and one victory in the home game during the 2014/15 season as they were promoted to the EPL for the first time. The Cherries have lost just one of four away matches coming into this game and with Middlesbrough having lost four of their last six, taking just two points in this time, it is Eddie Howe’s men who offer the value as the more in-form side but being longer in the match odds with Bet365.
However, we feel that with their excellent performance against Arsenal last weekend Middlesbrough are likely to up their game for this clash. We cannot see them claiming their second win of the season, but we feel that both sides to share the spoils offers excellent value considering that 75% of their recent meetings have ended level.
Back Middlesbrough v Bournemouth to finish as a draw at odds of 3.10
Best EPL Picks:
We’re cherry picking our best three EPL picks from the seven Saturday matches as we’re sure these are the trio to be on to give you the best base to build your weekend of betting from!
- Watford to beat Hull @ 1.70 – Hull have lost all of their last four matches and look as if they’ll be beaten by all other EPL sides at the moment. They played in midweek while Watford rested up and this match will end the way of the in-form hosts at Vicarage Road.
- Both Teams to Score – Yes and Over 2.5 goals in the Crystal Palace v Liverpool match @ 2.10 – Both of these sides are attacking teams who go for the jugular in matches and there will be goals in this game – especially when you consider the history of the tie!
- Arsenal -1 v Sunderland @ 1.95 – Sunderland are the worst side in the league as they have taken just two points from their nine games this season, scoring just six goals. Arsenal scored that many against Ludogorets in the Champions League ten days ago and they’ll cruise past the hapless Black Cats this weekend.