A successful weekend for our Premier League betting tips last time out, and while after pride often comes a fall we’ll be looking to take advantage of such good form with Saturday’s packed fixture list.
Some eight fixtures will be played out throughout the day, so let’s investigate the pick of the bunch now.
Manchester United vs Leicester City (12:30pm)
He’s a proud man, is Jose Mourinho, and not somebody who takes too kindly to his authority being questioned. But after back-to-back defeats in the Premier League, a 0-1 loss to PSV in the Europa League last week and a narrow win over Northampton on Wednesday (despite picking a strong side) the pressure is already mounting on the Special One.
The last team he wants to welcome to Old Trafford are Leicester then; the league champions are playing with the freedom of a collective on their victory lap, and their results prove it: going from the sublime to the ridiculous often in the space of a week.
But at their best the Foxes remain a handful, and having netted eight goals in their last three games in all competitions their frontline is starting to hit the heights that secured that unlikeliest of title wins in 2015/16.
That’s bad news for United, who have conceded in each of their last four outings. The manner in which their lines were exploited by Watford in particular in their 3-1 win was surprising for a Mourinho-led side.
Expect goals here then, with Leicester perhaps ready to pile more misery on the Portuguese gaffer.
Recommended Bet
Both Teams to Score at 4/5 with bet365
Bournemouth vs Everton (3pm)
It’s a bold statement but Everton’s start to the campaign has to be one of the main talking points of the Premier League campaign so far: Ronald Koeman has transformed the Toffees into an upwardly mobile side that attacks from all angles, and their results speak for themselves.
On criticism aimed at the Merseysiders is that they have had an easy run of fixtures to start the season; fair enough, but don’t expect that to change here.
And no disrespect is meant to Bournemouth or Eddie Howe with that statement: he has fashioned a dynamic and enterprising young side on the south coast, and on any given day they are capable of a fine performance.
But just look at their record at home against the division’s ‘big boys’: in their last seven alone, they have lost to Manchester United (1-3), Chelsea (1-4), Liverpool (1-2) and Manchester City (0-4). While it might be premature to lump Everton in with such fine company, the way they are playing at the moment certainly warrants it.
Recommended Bet
Everton to Win at 6/5 with Paddy Power
Swansea City vs Manchester City (3pm)
Swansea’s start to the campaign has been tepid at best, and but for two minutes of madness from Chelsea the Welsh side would be heading into a game with the league leaders with four straight defeats under their belt. No wonder manager Francesco Guidolin is under pressure, rightly or wrongly.
For Manchester City, well, even their most optimistic of fans couldn’t have imagined this. Five league games, five league wins and complete control achieved under Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard has done things his own way, brought in his own personnel, and their position of strength speaks for itself. They are odds-on to win the title already, and that is completely justified.
While City are knocking in goals at a rate of 3.00 per game on average, Swansea hve midfielder Leroy Fer to thank for keeping their ‘goals for’ column on the right side of embarrassing. His three goals have contributed so much to their cause already, and the inconvenient truth is that without his input the Swans would be desolate.
Assuming Fer doesn’t find the net here, where are their goals coming from? That’s a huge concern, but don’t expect Guardiola’s city to take pity on them: they’ve got a league to win. They should enjoy another comfortable victory here.
Recommended Bet
Man City -1 Handicap at 11/10 with Paddy Power
Arsenal vs Chelsea (5:30pm)
Sitting in fourth and fifth place respectively, Arsenal and Chelsea’s starts to the campaign have been eerily similar with their ‘can’t defend, won’t defend’ aesthetic.
The Gunners have conceded in four of their five league outings to date, and even their sole clean sheet was contentious as Leicester could and probably should have had at least one penalty.
Chelsea….well, their defensive woes appear to be ingrained, and even a pragmatic Italian coach has been unable to iron out the cracks. The Blues have also conceded in 4/5, and last time out against Liverpool – while admittedly Jordan Henderson’s strike was world class – their defenders went AWOL for Dejan Lovren’s opener. Even in midweek against Leicester in the EFL Cup their back four looked liable to commit a calamitous act at any given moment.
In attack the news is rather better: between them they have scored in nine of ten starts combined. Consequently, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that they will try to outscore one another on Saturday evening.
Recommended Bet
Over 2.5 Goals at 8/11 with Betfred
