Following a packed midweek schedule, the Premier League returns for another exciting weekend of top-flight action. However, things didn’t quite go to plan this week, as Manchester United’s game against Brentford on Tuesday was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak at Old Trafford. The Reds were supposed to be hosting Brighton in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off, but this fixture also looks in doubt following the disruption.
There should still be plenty of excitement elsewhere though, with all three title contenders in action on Sunday. Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool are all playing away from home, so there could be some ground gained and lost in what looks like being a three-horse race in this season’s Premier League title race. Take a look at our Premier League betting tips to see who we recommend backing this week.
Leeds United v Arsenal Betting Tips
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds play host to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at Elland Road in Saturday’s late kick-off. This is a fixture that has the potential for fireworks, as it features two teams who are capable of scoring plenty of goals – but who are highly susceptible at the back.
Arsenal may have scored 21 goals in their opening 16 Premier League matches, but the Gunners conceded 22 for a negative goal difference not far off the halfway stage of the season. Leeds also have a negative goal difference, scoring at a rate of a goal a game, but shipping 25 in their first 16 games.
The Whites let in another three away to Chelsea last weekend, giving away two penalties to lose at Stamford Bridge. Despite that, Leeds could take plenty of positives from their performance as their form continues to improve in wake of a poor start to the season.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are a team who blow hot and cold – and all the heat this week has been on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon striker has been dropped and stripped of the captaincy after failing to stick to the agreed terms of a trip to France. It remains to be seen if he features this weekend.
Arteta is trying to stamp his authority on the Gunners, but Arsenal are a team with very few leaders. As such, it’s not hard to see why our Premier League tips back underdogs Leeds picking up the three points on home soil this weekend at 11/5.
Bielsa’s side are 9/2 to win with both teams scoring in these Leeds v Arsenal tips, while a home victory with over 4.5 goals could be interesting at 12/1. The Whites lost 3-2 last weekend, but are 30/1 to win by the same scoreline this time out.
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Everton v Leicester City Betting Tips
Everton may only be a few wins away from being right in the mix for the European places, but the Toffees are not playing well at present. Rafa Benitez is struggling to get a solid performance out of his players, with Leicester City up next at Goodison Park.
The Foxes are searching for consistency, but Brendan Rodgers is a manager who knows his players and what he wants from them. That doesn’t appear to be the case with the home team, and the Goodison faithful could be in for another tough afternoon.
Leicester thrashed Newcastle 4-0 last weekend, netting four goals in consecutive home games while scoring 16 in their last six in total. Everton, on the other hand, conceded four to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at the start of the month – although they did respond to that by beating Arsenal on their next outing.
The atmosphere at Goodison Park is teetering on a knife-edge at present, while Benitez was roundly booed by Everton’s away fans for substituting Richarlison in the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend. Even though the manager was trying to protect the Brazilian from injury, it was representative of the mood surrounding a club increasingly in turmoil.
As such, the away win this weekend is well worth a look at 9/5, although Everton will still attract plenty of interest at the same price. The away team are far from infallible, with a draw and over 3.5 goals being another attractive selection at 10/1 in these Everton v Leicester matchday betting tips.
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Wolves v Chelsea Betting Tips
Chelsea are the first of the title contenders in action on Sunday, as Thomas Tuchel takes his Blues to the Midlands to face Wolverhampton Wanderers. The hosts have toiled for much of this season, and it’s hard to envision Chelsea slipping up here.
The European champions may be the least-fancied of the three teams battling at the top of the Premier League table, but Chelsea have a talented squad that affords them far more opportunities than their hosts this weekend. That could be a key factor in the midst of a very busy spell.
Wolves need their first-choice XI to start clicking before they can think about keeping players fresh. The Wanderers only scored 12 goals in the first 16 games of 2021-22, and that has to improve if they’re to stage a challenge for a return to Europe. Bruno Lage’s side are conceding at an average of less than a goal a game, but they need much more in attack.
Chelsea, on the other hand, have the second-best attack in the league, averaging more than two goals a game. The issues have been at the other end for the Blues. Tuchel’s side let in two against Leeds last weekend, taking them to seven goals conceded in four games, having only shipped four in their opening 12 Premier League fixtures.
The Stamford Bridge outfit also let in three goals away to Zenit St Petersburg in the Champions League. This game gives them a chance for a much-needed clean sheet, which they are priced at evens to get.
The away team are the 14/25 favourites in these Premier League predictions, while a Blues win to nil is 29/20. Despite Raul Jimenez’s stupid red card, Wolves only went down 1-0 to Man City last weekend, and they are 11/2 to lose by the same scoreline here.
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Newcastle United v Manchester City Betting Tips
Kicking off 15 minutes after Chelsea, Manchester City are set to take their imperious form to a struggling Newcastle side. They may be on home soil at St James’ Park, but the Magpies are set to be in for a very long day at the office on Sunday.
Eddie Howe may think his team are playing better than results are showing, but one win from their opening 16 Premier League matches is relegation form. Newcastle are somewhat fortunate that so many other teams are struggling so badly too, meaning they aren’t too far from safety as it stands.
Even so, there appears no chance of Newcastle climbing out of the drop zone this weekend. Man City have been in sensational form of late, with last weekend’s victory over Wolves taking them to six wins in a row in the Premier League.
The Blues have won their last four games against Newcastle, scoring 13 goals in the process. That includes a 5-0 demolition at the Etihad in July of last year, as well as an action-packed 4-3 victory at St James’ towards the end of last season.
Considering the disparity in form of these two teams this term, it’s tough to see this one being anything like that. Even though they aren’t scoring as many in this campaign, City are barely conceding any goals and they are 5/4 to beat Newcastle while keeping another clean sheet this weekend.
The visitors are 1/4 in the outright market, while you can back a comfortable 3-0 victory for Pep Guardiola’s side at 15/2 in these Newcastle v Man City betting tips.
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Tottenham v Liverpool Betting Tips
We could be in for a pre-Christmas cracker when Tottenham welcome Liverpool to north London in the final match of the weekend. The Reds have been dominant against Spurs in recent years, but this will be the first time Jurgen Klopp takes on Antonio Conte with the Italian in the Tottenham dugout.
Conte has made a good start to life at Spurs, immediately improving the club’s fortunes in the wake of Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure. Tottenham only conceded one goal in their first four games under their new manager – although three of those games were on home soil.
Tottenham will be playing at home again here, but this Liverpool side is a completely different proposition to anything Conte has faced so far on his return to the Premier League. The Reds are the division’s top scorers by some distance, with Mohamed Salah hitting the back of the net at a rate of a goal a game.
Liverpool are on a seven-match winning run against Spurs, which includes the 2019 Champions League final. The Reds have scored 14 goals at an average of exactly two per game across that spell, while conceding five at the other end. The visitors are 15/2 to win this game 2-1 as part of our Premier League betting tips.
If you’re more interested in the outright prices, you can back the away team at 7/10. Spurs are 19/5, while the draw is priced at 16/5. Liverpool to win and under 3.5 goals has paid out in six of the last seven meetings between these clubs, and the same outcome this weekend is 17/10.
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Premier League Predictions
There are plenty of other fixtures to look at this weekend, including in-form Brentford’s trip to struggling Southampton. The Bees have been nothing short of sensational so far on their Premier League bow, and they’re looking more like genuine challengers for Europe rather than being involved in a relegation battle as we approach the halfway stage of the season.
The Saints, meanwhile, were beaten by Arsenal last weekend, which stretched their winless run to five games. As the 5/2 underdogs, there could be plenty of interest in Brentford causing an upset on Saturday afternoon.
West Ham United are a team who have confounded expectations so far this term, finding themselves in the thick of the battle for fourth place. David Moyes is doing a great job, but needs to find a way to give Michail Antonio more goalscoring support if the Hammers are to maintain their challenge for the Champions League.
The Irons should have very few issues doing just that this weekend, as they welcome basement boys Norwich City to the London Stadium. The Canaries raised their game to put in a strong performance against Manchester United last weekend, but still lost and failed to score for the 10th time in 16 matches. Expect West Ham to win easily at 1/2.
With Norwich likely to lose, there are two further key games at the foot of the Premier League table kicking off at 3pm on Saturday. Watford have a huge game at home to Crystal Palace, who are really starting to impress under Patrick Vieira.
The Eagles bounced back from a tough spell of three successive defeats by beating Everton 3-1 last weekend, and they could prove excellent value at 29/20 to beat Watford at Vicarage Road. The Hornets’ late 2-1 loss to Brentford last weekend took them to four defeats on the bounce.
Meanwhile over at Villa Park, Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa host Sean Dyche’s Burnley. The Clarets are scoring more goals than last season but failing to keep as many clean sheets, which has left them struggling near the bottom of the table as we approach the busy festive period.
Burnley always seem to come good eventually, but they can’t leave it too late. The Clarets will be in for a tough afternoon against the rejuvenated Villans, who are the 4/5 favourites after pushing Liverpool all the way last weekend.
Finally to Old Trafford and the fixture in doubt between Manchester United and Brighton. If it goes ahead, it’s a chance for Ralf Rangnick to make it three wins from three in the Premier League as Man United manager. The German tactician has already tightened up his defence, although there’s plenty of work to be done at the other end too.
United have only won Rangnick’s first two games 1-0, while Brighton’s games this term have been very tight too. Only Manchester City have beaten the Seagulls by more than two goals, with Graham Potter’s side drawing half of their opening 16 matches. Don’t expect them to get anything out of this game though, as the smart money goes on a United win at 8/13. Another 1-0 victory for the Reds is 13/2.
For more matchday betting odds for popular competitions, take a look at our competition analysis hub, or visit our English Premier League guides.
