2024/2025 EPL Week 16 Preview

One clash stands out above them all in the Premier League this weekend, as derby day comes to Manchester.

Ruben Amorim will get his first taste of the local rivalry as he leads United across town to face City who find themselves a long way adrift of their normal place on top of the table.

League leaders Liverpool host Fulham on Saturday night in what promises to be a tough clash for Arne Slot’s side with the Cottagers having taken points off Arsenal last weekend.

Read on for our previews and best bets for all ten matches below.

Arsenal dropped Premier League points for the seventh time this season against Fulham but they are expecting a big bounce back against Everton this weekend.

They have taken 17 of a possible 21 points at home this season, compared to 12 of 24 on the road.

Meanwhile Everton outside of Goodison Park has collected just five points and the sudden weekend off following the cancellation of last weekend’s Merseyside Derby is unlikely to be of any help.

The Gunners have won the last three head to head matches at the Emirates by a combined score of 11-2 and I’m expecting a comfortable victory.

Arsenal to Win -1 Goal @ $1.73

Liverpool will be in good spirits after their midweek Champions League victory in Spain, making it 18 matches without defeat in all competitions.

Even more impressive is the fact they have won 16 of those fixtures, so while Fulham might try, they probably are not going to get close.

In their last three outings, the Cottagers have taken points off Tottenham, Brighton and Arsenal, so you could make a case for them to do something here.

But Liverpool is on another level and while Fulham can score a goal or two, the Reds can score four or five in that instance.

Liverpool to Win and Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.50

It’s all coming apart at the seams for Newcastle with more dropped points last weekend at Brentford.

Leicester is making a nuisance of themselves under Ruud van Nistelrooy and the Foxes are working to give themselves some breathing room above the drop zone.

They will fancy their chances of getting something from this game solely because of their attack taking on a vulnerable Newcastle defence that has allowed seven goals in their last two matches.

Even with the talent deficit between the two teams, the gap in the market should not be this big and the value is on the visitors taking at least a point.

Leicester Win/Draw Double Chance @ $3.30

There is quite a lot of symmetry between these teams heading into this clash.

For starters they are both on nine points and will see this as a winnable match against a fellow relegation battler.

They have both lost their last three matches, some of which came against teams that they could have easily defeated.

Above all else though, both of these teams are struggling so much that you cannot back either one with any confidence.

So in a battle of two bad teams, take the over and hope for chaos.

Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.70

Coming off another Champions League win might give Villa confidence heading into this fixture, but their record on the back of European football this season is not exactly inspiring confidence in the market.

In their five Premier League matches on the back of European fixtures, they have defeated Wolves in September, before drawing with Manchester United and Bournemouth, before losing to Liverpool and Chelsea, a total of five points from five matches.

However Forest have been up and down in the worst possible way, winning just two of their last five including defeats against Newcastle, Arsenal and Man City.

While they did defeat United last weekend, a win in back to back testing games does not look all that likely, and not something worth backing at their current price.

It’s a bit of a leap of faith on Villa but they are well positioned to secure three points here.

Aston Villa to Win @ $2.63

Brighton’s season has hit a bit of a skid with two points from their last three outings, all of which came in matches they would have seen as winnable.

This is another “winnable” clash for them, at least on paper despite Palace’s resurgence.

The Eagles have drawn three tough matches against Villa, Newcastle and most recently Manchester City, while also defeating Ipswich in that run.

However the history in this fixture is firmly weighted towards one club and that is Brighton, winning two of the last three, both of which came at the Amex Stadium.

Palace’s last win in this matchup came in February 2021, but there is a reason they are at opposite ends of the table.

Brighton to Win @ $1.85

Last week’s busy fixture list got off to a great start for United with a rousing 4-0 win over Everton, before crashing back to earth with defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

Meanwhile, City’s domestic run hit another speed bump with a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace and the faith that they are going to bounce back is beginning to waver.

However it has not wavered enough to back anything other than a City win in this match given its greater importance than a standard match and United’s faltering confidence following the new manager bounce.

For a bit of extra value, both teams to score also looks like it will have a fair bit of value about it, it has hit in eight of the last nine competitive derbies and both sides have also had their dramas keeping a clean sheet.

Manchester City to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.60

Get ready for a high scoring fixture at the Bridge.

While we can’t actually guarantee it in these previews all signs are pointing towards plenty of goals as Chelsea hosts Brentford.

The Blues have scored 35 goals this season, the best total in the division while the Bees have 31 to their name, equal second with Tottenham.

While the over is the main play, it is also tough to back against Chelsea in this market given their red hot form has them second on the table and looking like the closest challenger to Liverpool.

Chelsea to Win and Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.30

If Tottenham cannot beat Southampton in this match, it might be curtains for Ange Postecoglou with the pressure continuing to build on the Aussie manager.

With one point from their last three matches in the league, it is easy to see why some supporters feel it is time for a change.

Anything less than a big win over the lowly Saints will not satiate the frustrated fans, and that looks to be the play here as they buy him at least another week in charge.

Tottenham to Win @ $1.75

Bournemouth is starting to round into some solid form heading into this time of year, picking up nine points from their last three matches including a statement 1-0 win over Tottenham.

Now with a full week to prepare, they host an out of sorts West Ham side that is capable of an upset victory, but cannot be banked on in their current form.

The Cherries are playing well and well worth a punt at their current price.

Bournemouth to Win @ $1.70

2023/2024

Matchweek 16 kicks off around 26 hours after the conclusion of Matchweek 15 and the frenetic December fixturing rolls on.

Arsenal will enter the weekend on top of the Premier League ladder but they will have their hands full with a tough assignment against former manager Unai Emery in his new home of Villa Park.

Manchester City will have their hands full when they head to Kenilworth Road to take on a Luton side that has given their fellow title contenders fits while Tottenham hosts Newcastle in a potential heavyweight bout.

It’s a busy weekend of football coming up so let’s get into it with our Premier League previews and best bets below.

When you are on a run that has yielded one point from the last four matches, the last thing you will want is an in form Liverpool side coming to town.

Selhurst Park has been anything but a fortress this season with the Eagles picking up just five points from seven matches, one of the worst returns in the Premier League.

Liverpool has won its last three games in all competitions and their only loss since the October international break came in the Europa League against Toulouse.

The Reds should win this one and they should be able to put a couple past a Palace backline that has not kept a clean sheet in their last four.

Liverpool to Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ $1.85

This is a Brighton match so backing both teams to score is a must as that market hit for the 15^th time this season in Seagulls matches.

On top of that, this is a very winnable match for the home side as they have started to find a bit of form, winning three of their four fixtures since the most recent international break.

The same cannot be said for Burnley whose massive win over Sheffield on the weekend looks like an anomaly after their limp effort in defeat against Wolves.

Take the home side with the usual addition for a nice bit of value in this market.

Brighton to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.80

United cannot be accused of playing the prettiest brand of football but it is at least getting results.

They managed to defeat Chelsea 2-1 during the week and in all fairness they could have had four or five were it not for some wasteful finishing but it was enough to allow under pressure manager Erik ten Haag to breathe easy in the lead up to this match.

Bournemouth look like a much trickier opponent than the were shaping up to be a month ago with ten points from their last four including a win against Newcastle and a draw with Aston Villa.

However that form is likely to come to an end with United’s nous the key difference between these two clubs.

In the last four head to head meetings at Old Trafford dating back to the 2017/2018 Premier League season, United has won each of them and I’ll back them to make if five here.

Manchester United to Win @ $1.60

This may be the most confident punters will ever be placing a bet on Brentford to win against a fellow Premier League opponent, although it has little to do with the Bees themselves.

Sheffield United remains anchored to the foot of the table and they have lost 12 of their 15 matches to date, prompting a change in manager.

However Chris Wilder is not going to find a way to work miracles in under a week with this squad and I’ll be sticking with the “back against the Blades” philosophy for the time being.

Brentford to Win @ $1.70

No side is on a worse run of form in the Premier League than Nottingham Forest with four straight losses putting them below Sheffield and Palace who have at least taken a draw in that run.

They are going to have their chances in this match since Wolves are contractually obligated to play in close games in the last few months.

Each of their last 11 matches have been decided by a one goal margin or finished as a draw, which is even more impressive when you consider both teams to score has hit in 10 of those.

I’ll back Wolves to win since Forest seem to be incapable of picking up a point but this one is likely to be in doubt deep into second half stoppage time.

Wolves to Win @ $1.87

Has Unai Emery turned Aston Villa into Premier League title contenders?

After their gritty 1-0 win over Manchester City during the week you have to at least ask the question and if they can knock off the league leaders this weekend, the answers to that question might be a bit more emphatic.

Arsenal were pushed all the way by Luton during the week and will need every minute of recovery to be ready for this one, but they will be without manager Mikel Arteta for this match.

The Gunners boss picked up his third yellow card of the season for celebrating Declan Rice’s winner a bit too enthusiastically (thanks fun police) and will serve his suspension in this match.

Villa is on a remarkable 14 match winning streak at home, with Arsenal the last away team to win at Villa Park back in February.

The hype for this one is justified and it is going to be a must watch encounter, but in this instance the value on Villa is too good to turn down.

Aston Villa to Win @ $3.30

Even when they were good, Chelsea have had their share of problems with Everton, with the Toffees picking up a win and two draws from their last four meetings.

Chelsea’s lone win came at Goodison Park last season in a real dour encounter and history does point towards an arm wrestle between these clubs.

Backing the unders has been a winning play in five of the last six matches between the two clubs and Everton are more than capable of turning this game into a scrap.

Even with Chelsea’s recent habit of playing end to end, attacking football they offered next to nothing in attack against United during the week and I’m expecting a regression in terms of goals for the Blues.

Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.95

It will be a short turnaround for West Ham after their clash with Tottenham on Friday morning, but it’s still a surprise to see them as outsiders here.

Fulham looked very good in their win over Nottingham Forest, putting five past them during the week, but they still seem to struggle with consistency.

They have not taken points from back to back Premier League fixtures since September and have not won consecutive matches all season in all competitions.

The Irons have won three of the last four matches between these clubs and as long as they are outsiders I’ll happily jump on the value here.

West Ham to Win @ $2.80

Should we start to worry about Manchester City?

That’s now four consecutive Premier League matches without a win and they look incredibly disjointed.

On paper they should be able to take care of business against Luton, and they are going to find a way to bounce back at some stage.

However Luton showed during the week they are not going to just roll over for the big boys, especially at Kenilworth Road.

The Terriers have not been blown out on their turf all season with every match decided by a single goal or finishing in a draw.

Perhaps City will win this one comfortably, but good teams in better form have fallen over in this unique setting for top flight English football and Luton might just find a way to put a scare through City.

Luton to Win +2 Goals @ $2.65

Rest will not be a factor in this match with both sides backing up from Friday morning engagements, but it should not prevent this match from being a highly entertaining contest.

Perhaps the only part of the recent history between these clubs that is worth drawing on is the number of goals that have been scored.

Spurs will be looking to attack at every opportunity and Newcastle, who are a bit more defensively disciplined, will likely abandon that to match Tottenham’s intensity.

Let’s keep this one simple and back the overs since this could very easily turn into the match of the weekend.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.20

2022/2023

The final round of Premier League fixtures until Boxing Day is upon us, so we had better make the most of this.

At the request of the clubs there are no real “marquee matchups” for us to devour however there is still plenty of fascinating football to take in.

For starters every Premier League player going to Qatar for the World Cup will be desperate to avoid an injury that would ruin their tournament plans.

In terms of matches Liverpool will take on Southampton in a match both sides will be very desperate to win for very different reasons, while Tottenham and Leeds could turn into a veritable shootout.

We’ve got our previews and best bets for every Premier League match below so read on and see what we are backing.

We probably are not going to be in for the most competitive start to the weekend at the Etihad, it’s just a case of how much you want to back City to win by.

Brentford continued their run as the competition’s draw specialist, picking up their seventh of the season last weekend but they went down to City twice last season and failing to score a goal both times.

City should have no trouble keeping the Bees scoreless here and it looks to be the way to go.

Back Manchester City to Win to Nil @ $1.85

On the back of a Carabao Cup match between these clubs, they will reunite once again to face off in the league.

Not that it will have a whole lot of bearing on the outcome of this one given the massive overhaul’s both squads will undergo, but Bournemouth won the midweek match 4-1.

In the league, the Cherries continue to find new and creative ways to lose matches, blowing a 3-1 advantage over Leeds in the final half hour to lose 4-3.

Goals have been the story of their matches for a while now and on their day, Everton can score a goal or two as well.

With the Toffees looking out of sorts and being somewhat hard to get a read on in terms of which version of them will show up, the total goals market looks to be the way to go.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.15

Seemingly wanting to get a head start on a possible managerial bloodbath during the World Cup break, Southampton parted ways with Ralph Hasenhuttl during the week.

That won’t offer a whole lot of help this weekend however with Liverpool desperate for a much needed three points ahead of the hiatus.

In spite of their inconsistencies, Liverpool remains the better side and showed that they can still get the job done, even if it isn’t always pretty.

For many of their players this will simply be a case of “get the result and move on to whatever is planned for the next month.”

Back Liverpool to Win and Under 3.5 Goals @ $2.45

Even at Forest’s home ground, it’s tough to understand why the market has these teams as close as they do in the head to head market.

Forest has won just once in its last nine league matches (admittedly against Liverpool) and have been on the wrong end of some big scorelines in that time.

Palace on the other hand has won three of its last four in the league and look to be the value play of the weekend.

Back Crystal Palace to Win @ $2.40

Despite winning just one of their last four Premier League matches, Tottenham remains in the mix in the race for the top four.

Leeds will be desperate to give them a real test and continue their revival which has been sparked by a couple of dramatic wins.

A late winner at Anfield preceded a memorable comeback against Bournemouth and they would love to make it three in a row by knocking off Tottenham.

Leeds will try and pick up the pace and take Spurs out of their comfort zone but Tottenham has the attackers to not only play that way but succeed going on the attack.

Back Tottenham to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.30

This may be the final time Leicester will be offered at such a price in a match like this and their remarkable revival would be complete with a win here.

On the back of Youri Tielemans and James Maddison remembering they are damn good footballers, the Foxes have taken 10 points from their last five Premier League matches to get themselves out of danger.

West Ham’s form has been almost the exact opposite of their opponent’s, with four points from their last five and the one time contenders for European football find themselves amongst the early season stragglers.

I’m happy to take on West Ham here.

Back Leicester to Win @ $3.60

Chelsea just needs a break as they limp to the international hiatus in horrible form on the back of a limp loss to Arsenal.

The Magpies are the form team in the competition with four straight league wins and their last defeat coming on September 1 away to Liverpool.

Everything is pointing up at St James’ Park and if Newcastle can continue their red hot form in front of goal, they should have no troubles dispatching Chelsea and piling more pressure on new boss Graham Potter to find a solution over the next month.

Back Newcastle to Win @ $2.30

With a win over Wolves, Arsenal will be top of the Premier League at Christmas for the first time in 15 years.

Last season Wolves pushed Arsenal in both matches with the first victory at Molineux sparking the “they’re celebrating too much” faux outrage.

There has been plenty for the Gunners to enjoy this season with 11 wins from 13 starts, the best defensive record in the league and second most productive attack.

Wolves on the other hand found their shooting boots last weekend scoring multiple goals in a league game for the first time all season.

However it’s tough to back them to do a whole lot of anything against a team that is looking stronger and stronger.

Back Arsenal to Win to Nil @ $2.70

Unai Emery’s re-introduction to Premier League management could not have gone any better with Villa defeating Manchester United.

It might be a bit tougher this weekend when they head to Brighton to face off against arguably the biggest surprises of the season to date.

After battling through an enforced managerial change, the Seagulls have got themselves back on track with consecutive wins and will head into this one as favourites.

Emery is still adjusting to his new squad and if this fixture came in January, Villa might be the way to go but this weekend it is Brighton.

Back Brighton to Win @ $1.83

Our final Premier League match until Boxing Day comes from Craven Cottage and there’s a chance we could go out with a stunner here.

Fulham and United have each taken eight points from their last five in the Premier League and are looking to rebound from disappointing defeats in Matchweek 15.

However the tenor of the disappointment will be very different with Fulham falling just short of a stunning draw with Manchester City while United were clearly second best against Aston Villa.

If Fulham can find a way to score first and get United on the back foot, this could be ugly and I’ll happily take the Cottagers to win.

Back Fulham to Win @ $3.90

2021/2022

We are heading into the defining part of the Premier League season with the fixtures coming thick and fast.

This is the first of six Premier League Matchweeks set to take place between now and Tuesday January 4.

It gets underway with Brentford and Watford facing off after both sides were promoted from the Championship for the current campaign.

Elsewhere Chelsea is looking for a response after their shock loss to West Ham when they host Leeds at Stamford Bridge.

However the biggest match in terms of storyline is the return of Steven Gerrard to Anfield where the Liverpool faithful are sure to welcome him back with rapturous applause.

We have our previews and predictions for every Premier League match this weekend below so read on and see who we are backing.

The Brentford Community Stadium will be buzzing for this clash between the Bees and Hornets as both sides look to overcome lengthy injury lists.

With neither team having the deepest squad before half a dozen players on each side were ruled out, we could be in for a bit of an arm wrestle with both teams pushing for all three points.

Both Teams to Score has hit in each of Watford’s last four games so we’ll follow that trend for the first play of Matchweek 16.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.73

With City returning to form in the Premier League, you can bank on Pep Guardiola going all out in this fixture after a flat effort in the Champions League midweek.

Wolves will be the sacrificial team in this instance and their chances are not looking good considering they have scored one goal in their last five matches.

Instead of trying to force something creative in the win markets, we’ll dive into the goalscorer options to try and find some value.

Bernado Silva was not used midweek and is City’s leading scorer in the Premier League with seven goals to date.

Look for him to come back into the lineup and get at least one in what should be a comfortable City victory.

Back Bernardo Silva Anytime Goal Scorer @ $2.15

Arsenal reminded everyone the perils of fielding a young side that is still in development when they let a lead slip away to an underachieving Everton side.

Combined with the defeat at Manchester United, it was Arsenal’s first consecutive defeats since August.

They have won five of their last six at the Emirates however Southampton has taken a point in each of their last two trips to the North London venue.

All things considered, Southampton’s recent form is not exactly encouraging, winless in their last four matches and the Gunners should be able to take care of business in this fixture.

Their success has been based on a very strong defence and I like the value on Arsenal keeping a clean sheet as they record a victory.

Back Arsenal to Win to Nil @ $2.88

If there was ever a match for Chelsea to produce a response, this is the fixture for them.

Leeds might be returning to form however their midfield has suffered a huge blow with Kalvin Phillips reportedly out for at least two months and he is not the player you want to lose when you take on the reigning European champions.

We should see plenty of goals scored in this fixture with five of Chelsea’s last six matches seeing at least three goals scored.

Back Chelsea to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.80

Steven Gerrard will be experiencing plenty of emotion as he returns to Anfield as the manager of Aston Villa.

The odds of him getting an overwhelmingly positive ovation before kickoff are at around $1.01 but once the match kicks off, it could be the start of a long 90 minutes.

It was a case of job done in their last two fixtures needing a late winner away to Wolves before a professional display in Milan continued their perfect record in the Champions League.

Gerrard has breathed new life into Villa, winning three of his four matches in charge, however his lone loss came against Manchester City, a side of similar quality to Liverpool.

Best case for Villa here is they are able to keep it close, but with the Reds in rampant form you cannot back against them.

Back Liverpool/Liverpool Halftime/Fulltime at $1.75

This is another fixture where there is no need to overcomplicate matters, Manchester United are a much better side than Norwich and anything less than a comfortable victory would be a big surprise.

Interim boss Ralf Rangnick will continue to try and rebuild the confidence of this side as they try and climb back up the Premier League ladder.

Look for the Red Devils to jump on Norwich early and go on with the job.

Back Manchester United/Manchester United Halftime/Fulltime @ $2.25

West Ham’s price looks way too high as they prepare to take on a Burnley team that is winless in its last four matches.

Even with backing up from Europa League duty on Friday morning, West Ham will be trying to take maximum points to maintain their hold on fourth place.

Take this before it drops below $2.00.

Back West Ham to Win @ $2.05

At full strength, Leicester should have no trouble accounting for Newcastle but with the differing fortunes of both clubs, the visitors are in with a real chance in this fixture.

The Magpies picked up their first win of the season last week and have only lost once in their last five matches.

Leicester meanwhile has lost to Aston Villa and Napoli in the last seven days and will reportedly have a lengthy injury list for this match.

It just looks like a bad spot for Brendan Rodgers and company.

Back Newcastle or Draw Double Chance @ $2.00

Perhaps it was a last hurrah for Rafa Benitez, but Everton actually looked like the side many thought they would against Arsenal to end a three match losing run.

Crystal Palace is in the midst of its own three game losing run however they have been in each of those fixtures and it’s tough to split these sides.

Thankfully, that’s what backing the draw is for.

Back the Draw @ $3.15

2020/2021

The non-stop Premier League season rolls on with three action packed mornings.

It’s a challenging time of season for managers as squad depth gets tested by injuries, suspensions and fatigue.

There’s plenty to look forward to over the next few days so read on to see who we are backing here.

It’s hard not to like Leicester in this fixture, they have won their last two against Palace and have kept clean sheets on both occasions.

Not to mention Palace is woefully inconsistent on a good day.

At this time of year these games are always a grind and I’ll back them to get over the line at their price.

Back Leicester to Win @ $2.02

If there’s one thing you learn watching the matches at this time of year, it’s that they’re never the spectacles you hope they will be.

Both teams have short turnarounds from their clashes with Arsenal and Crystal Palace so this one could very easily be decided by a solitary goal.

There’s value to be had with taking a low scoring clash.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.45

*MATCH POSTPONED*

We keep hearing that this is a new Everton this season and while that theory certainly has merit, it might be expecting a bit much for them to overturn a woeful history against City.

Their last win came almost four years ago to the day, in January 2017 and the last five have all gone the way of the Citizens.

It might not be a vintage Guardiola performance but they could take plenty of confidence from shutting out a talented Everton attack.

Back City to Win to Nil @ $2.90

When neither team looks to be overly appealing in the head to head market, the draw is probably the best play.

Arsenal has a surprisingly torrid history against the Seagulls losing three and drawing twice in their last five.

Brighton’s overall form lately does not inspire a whole lot of confidence either with too few wins to think they are good value at anything under $5 odds.

Neither side can afford to drop points but with they way both have looked, it’s hard to see either side putting together a performance worth all three.

Back the Draw @ $3.20

If any match screams “dour affair due to a busy fixture list” this is as close to the dictionary definition as we can get.

Neither side offers a whole lot going forward and will probably be happier with a clean sheet than anything else.

If either team scores twice it might be a slightly belated Christmas miracle.

Back Under 1.5 Goals @ $2.50

This one is starting to have the makings of a sneakily competitive match with both teams having plenty of high moments during the season.

In terms of overall firepower Southampton definitely has the edge however West Ham can certainly hold their own if this turns into a shootout.

Generally the rule is to back unders in these fixtures but both teams have enough going for them to give me confidence taking a high scoring clash.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.80

The hot and cold Leeds train heads to West Brom as Bielsa’s frenetic style gets put to the test on short rest here.

West Brom’s may set out to park the bus but they don’t have the overall fortitude to repel Leeds for 90 minutes so I’ll take the visitors to leave with all three points.

Back Leeds to Win @ $1.98

It’s all coming together nicely for Manchester United as they try to insert themselves into the Premier League title race.

They have a surprisingly tough outing here against a Wolves team which has given them plenty of trouble over the last few years.

United only won once out of their last seven head to head meetings and of the four matches last season, there were only three goals scored.

Get ready for another arm wrestle between these teams.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.85

*MATCH POSTPONED*

Even Fulham’s defence won’t be saved by the frantic fixture list.

The only question for this match is Tottenham to win by how much?

If Spurs don’t score at least two here it will be another late festive miracle.

Back Tottenham to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ $1.80

In a normal situation there is a strong case to be made to back Liverpool to win by a whole lot.

After struggling with Newcastle in the early part of his Anfield tenure Jurgen Klopp seems to have solved the Tynesiders with the Reds winning the last five meetings.

What’s stopping me from taking a blowout however is Klopp’s long running complaints about fixture congestion so it would not be at all surprising if he saw his side take a lead then looked to close out the victory instead of going on with it and putting up a rugby score.

Back Liverpool & Under 3.5 Goals @ $2.30

2019/2020

Only a handful of hours after the conclusion of Matchweek 15 does Matchweek 16 of the English Premier League season kick off with Everton hosting Chelsea.

Of course most eyes will be firmly locked on the Etihad Stadium in the very early hours of Sunday Morning for a pivotal Manchester Derby.

Plenty of managers are starting to feel the pressure all over the competition and with fixtures beginning to pile up as the temperatures continue to drop in the UK, now is not the time to take it easy.

We’ve got 10 Premier League fixtures coming up over the weekend and the plays for each of them are right here.

Fresh off a Merseyside Derby battering from Liverpool’s backups, Everton hosts Chelsea with (at the time of writing) huge questions over the future of Marco Silva.

It’s the second part of a brutal stretch for the Toffees that continues through to Christmas so whoever is the manager will have a tough task ahead of them.

For that reason, there’s no other choice than to back Chelsea to win outright, even though they have to travel for this game.

The Blues were good enough to beat Aston Villa during the week and while it might not be the most aesthetically pleasing performance, style points don’t matter here.

Back Chelsea to Win @ $2.05

As good as Liverpool have been this season, it’s getting to that point in time where you might want to back off trusting them no matter what.

Even the best sides can be undone by a busy schedule and no English side is going to be as busy as the Reds over the next few weeks.

After this match they have to avoid defeat in the Champions League to ensure progression to the knockout stage (and ideally win their midweek match) followed by one last Premier League match before jetting off to the Club World Cup.

They should beat Bournemouth but at that price, it’s not the worst time to say “no, I’ll just watch this week” instead of forcing a play.

NO BET

Spurs were well below par at Old Trafford but I like their chances of a bounce back against a Burnley side that didn’t wake up until the 89^th minute of their loss to City.

The Clarets losses all tend to come in matches where they concede far too many goals and can’t catch up.

It’s been a long time since Spurs kept a clean sheet though for a Same Game Multi I’ll back a Spurs win with a fair few goals coming in from both sides.

SGM: Tottenham to Win, Both Teams to Score & Over 3.5 Goals @ $4.09

Watford are one of the few Premier League sides that you should have a pretty good read on by now.

There’s a reason they are languishing in the doldrums of the competition and it seems like the bubble of that miracle FA Cup run has well and truly burst as they can’t seem to win a match.

For that reason, Palace looks like a great value play even as an underdog away from home so why not take a punt here.

Back Crystal Palace to Win @ $3.10

Manchester United’s big week continues with their first Derby of the season and it will be a massive test for the under fire Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

After outplaying Tottenham during the week, they now have to face a City side that is undermanned due to injuries, but still more than capable of going off in any given match.

With their margin for error in the title race already down to a miniscule level, the defending champions need to win this one.

So far this season United has been pretty successful against the rest of the “Big 6” but I can’t back against City here.

With a makeshift defence set to take to the pitch once again though, I’ll also back United to score at least once and maybe make a few faces around the Etihad a bit nervous.

SGM: City to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $2.75

Nine goals in his last seven matches is why Jamie Vardy is the most in form striker in the Premier League and one of the better Anytime Goalscorer bets going at the moment.

He should have no problem adding to that tally against a struggling Aston Villa side that has kept just three clean sheets all season including just once in the last ten.

Teams have been able to get on a roll against them and boost their goal difference, something Leicester already leads the Premier League in.

It should be another three points for the Foxes as they look to keep Liverpool in range and stay just ahead of Manchester City.

SGM: Leicester to Win & Jamie Vardy Anytime Goalscorer @ $2.40

Two sides that hovering just above the relegation zone face off in a fixture that could produce plenty of goals if the recent form lines hold.

Southampton’s last six matches have all had three or more goals and their last five have seen the both teams to score market hit.

For Newcastle, both teams to score has hit in their last three home matches including a 2-2 draw with City last weekend.

The only concern here is that Newcastle might be a little bit flat on short rest but I still like their chances of scoring against a pretty poor Southampton backline.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.80

Another game that should see quite a few scoring chances come through with the early season cult hero Teemu Pukki working his way back into form.

He scored for the second straight match during the week against Southampton but Sheffield will be a much tougher side to break down,

It’s tough to split these teams and with Sheffield’s penchant for draws, why not take a punt on that here.

Back the Draw @ $3.40

This one is all about Wolves and whether or not they can overcome a pretty poor history against the Seagulls.

In the last four meetings between these clubs, including two Premier League matches last season, Brighton has kept a clean sheet every time and recorded three wins and a draw.

While the highly patronising “honourable losses” stat is of little comfort to pretty much anyone, the Seagulls have shown they can compete with just about anyone, even if they don’t get over the line.

What we have seen over the course of the season though is that Wolves are a much better side and should win, although with both teams to score hitting in 11 of their 15 matches so far, they might struggle to keep a clean sheet.

SGM: Wolves to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $6.14

For the most part, this fixture has favoured Arsenal but every so often, West Ham pop up and steal a point or two off the Gunners.

The thing is, West Ham is so inconsistent that you can never tell when they are going to produce an all time great or all time frustrating performance.

Meanwhile with Freddie Ljungberg still settling into life as interim Gunners boss, they are a risk to back at the moment as well.

If I had to make a pick here, I’d shade Arsenal but since I don’t and neither do you, avoid the risk in this one.

NO BET

2018/2019

This is the time for squad depth to come to the fore as all 20 Premier League sides face their third game in the space of a week.

There are no signs of football fatigue just yet though, as the big games keep coming this weekend.

It is hard to look past Chelsea hosting Manchester City as the biggest contest of the weekend, but all 10 games carry a certain level of intrigue from a punting perspective.

Read on for our previews, predictions and same game multis from every Premier League fixture coming up.

Bournemouth will be eager to back up from their first win in over a month when they host the rampant Reds at the Vitality Stadium.

Unfortunately for them, the market for this game does not paint a pretty picture for their chances here and neither does their recent history.

They lost both games against Liverpool convincingly last season, 4-0 at home and 3-0 when they travelled to Anfield.

With the way Liverpool looked in the second half of their win over Burnley midweek, this game only appears to have one clear result and that is a convincing Liverpool win.

Back Liverpool to Win Both Halves @ $4.60

SGM: Liverpool to Win, Liverpool to Score 2+ Goals, Mo Salah Anytime Goalscorer

After a couple of tough games against Tottenham and Manchester United, Arsenal won’t want to overlook a tough test against relegation battlers Huddersfield.

Every point is critical for the Terriers and they will be hoping to do better than their last trip to the Emirates where they were crushed 5-0 last season.

The Gunners have not lost at home since the opening day of the Premier League season and enter this game as heavy favourites.

After their midweek draw at Old Trafford they will be eager to take all three points with a convincing performance here.

Back Arsenal to Win to Nil @ $2.10

SGM: Arsenal to Win, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang First Goalscorer

After another loss, this time against Liverpool, this season goes from bad to worse for Burnley as they prepare to host a Brighton side unbeaten in three.

They were very impressive in their last up win over Crystal Palace, especially after being reduced to 10 men in the first half.

There were no goals in either meeting between these sides last season and it would not be at all surprising if they can’t be split again.

Back the Draw @ $3.00

SGM: Drawn Match, Both Teams to Score, Sam Vokes Anytime Goalscorer

There were more blues for Cardiff as they could not turn a promising start into points against West Ham during the week.

Southampton are one of the few sides doing worse than Cardiff this season with an 11-game winless run, most recently extended with a 3-1 loss at Tottenham during the week.

This will be the first meeting in four and a half years for these sides and both will see this as a big three points to pick up in the context of the relegation battle.

This game has the makings of a low scoring affair where one goal might just be enough to win it, although a scoreless draw would not surprise either.

Back Both Teams to Score (No) @ $1.87

SGM: Drawn Match, Under 2.5 Goals

It wasn’t pretty but Fulham’s five match losing run ended with a point at home to Leicester as they now travel to Old Trafford.

On their last trip there in 2014, they did pick up a point on a late equaliser but their last outright win at this venue came in 2003.

As you would expect this fixture has been dominated by United and even with the hosts in their current malaise.

Three straight draws and at least two of those games they should have been able to find a way to win, but something is not right with this side.

Despite the struggles Mourinho has finding a balance in his team, they still should be able to fluke their way into a couple of goals even if they turn in a wretched performance, a clean sheet probably won’t happen, but a win will.

Back Manchester United to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.80

SGM: United Win, Jesse Lingard Anytime Goalscorer, Aboubakar Kamara Anytime Goalscorer

It was hard not to be impressed with West Ham’s strong finish during the week as they wound up with a comfortable 3-1 win over Cardiff.

Palace endured a rough evening at Brighton going down 3-1 despite enjoying a man advantage for over an hour.

Consistency has been a big problem for West Ham as of late, with their midweek victory the only time they had won back to back Premier League games since January 2017.

With that in mind, even though they are still the better side compared to Palace, it would not be at all surprising to see them stumble to a draw here, especially when both meetings last season ended in a draw.

Back the Draw @ $3.25

SGM: Drawn Match, Both Teams to Score, Lucas Perez Anytime Goalscorer

The big games just keep coming and Chelsea are next in line as they try to hand Manchester City their first Premier League defeat of the season.

After 15 games, the defending champions have won 13 and drawn twice so far and should enter this game full of confidence having won both League meetings between the sides last year.

Chelsea were flat and out of sorts against Wolves during the week and perhaps were caught with one eye on this fixture, but the fact they have won just once in their last four matches and this is one of their toughest tests of the season.

Even as a clear road favourite, City are the play here, they are just too good and should find a way to hold off Chelsea.

Back Manchester City to Win @ $1.87

SGM: City to Win, Both Teams to Score, Sergio Aguero Anytime Goalscorer

Tottenham’s busy schedule continues with a trip to Leicester, ahead of a massive Champions League encounter however Mauricio Pochettino cannot afford to rotate his squad too much with every point critical for his side right now.

These sides split the fixtures last season with both sides taking all three points at home and both enter this contest in decent form.

Leicester are unbeaten in their last six, by way of battling for draws and they are at a good price to repeat that effort here, although Tottenham winning four of their last five is very tough to back against.

Spurs did have trouble with Southampton early on and Leicester could get on top of them early, forcing them to battle back into the match.

Back the Draw @ $3.50

SGM: Draw, Harry Kane Anytime Goalscorer, Jamie Vardy Anytime Goalscorer

After a season apart, Newcastle and Wolverhampton are reunited once again and both enter this game with relatively high levels of confidence after their midweek performances.

Newcastle battled for a draw away to Everton which has been a tough place for visiting teams and Wolves pulled off one of the best upsets of the season topping Chelsea.

With Newcastle picking up 10 points from their last five games they have been able to give themselves some breathing room away from the bottom of the table.

That being said Wolves have travelled well, picking up points in four of their seven road games and are at good value to continue their winning form.

Back Wolves to Win @ $2.63

SGM: Wolves to Win, Over 2.5 Goals, Raul Jimenez Anytime Goalscorer

This past week has been rough for Everton, starting off with a Merseyside Derby defeat on basically the last kick of the game before dropping points at home to Newcastle.

To close out Round 16 of the Premier League, they host a Watford side they have had mixed fortunes against over the past three seasons.

With two wins each and two draws, this is the very definition of an even fixture, however home ground advantage has been pivotal in these results.

Everton have won the last two meetings at Goodison Park and enter this game as favourites and should be able to take care of business as they look to put the last two games behind them.

Back Everton to Win @ $1.75

SGM: Everton to Win, Over 1.5 Goals, Theo Walcott Anytime Goalscorer

2017/2018

A couple of massive derbies headline EPL Round 16 with bragging rights on Merseyside and Manchester up for grabs.

Everton are spiraling and will hope that Sam Allardyce’s familiarity with the Premier League having managed so many other clubs will come in handy when they go across the park to visit Liverpool.

Manchester United would love nothing more than to end their neighbours unbeaten start to the year.

Without a win since October 1, West Ham are going to have a hard time breaking that streak when Chelsea visit the Olympic Stadium.

The Blues last loss came on October 15^th and they have dropped points once since that day against Liverpool.

Eden Hazard is starting to look like a player of the season candidate once more and his double against Newcastle is cause for concern for all opponents going forward.

These games sometimes have the makings of a major upset, but the top five sides as a whole are on a great run of form against the rest of the league and that should continue here.

Back Chelsea to Win to Nil @ $2.45

The Premier League’s “best of the rest” face off with seventh and eighth placed sides looking to continue their impressive starts.

Burnley have lost two of their last three outings against Arsenal and Leicester but they have been far from disgraced in either showing.

Watford showed they can compete with the big boys after a 1-1 draw with Tottenham last weekend.

Neither side will want to give up any ground here and as a result of that they both drop points with a draw.

Back the Draw @ $3.10

Bournemouth will not be fazed by their trip to Selhurst Park, they are yet to lose at this venue in the Premier League.

Of course that span only covers two matches in the top flight with a 2-1 Bournemouth win and a 1-1 draw.

A lot has passed in that time and Bournemouth have not won since the November international break.

Palace are undefeated in their last four and I like them to win at home here and take another step forward.

Back Palace to Win @ $2.00

About as close to an Aussie derby as we will get in the Premier League this season with Aaron Mooy and Mat Ryan set to start for their respective clubs.

These two sides are almost inseparable having been in the same division for the past twelve seasons. Life in the Championship was slightly more favourable to Brighton with four wins and five draws in their ten meetings.

As of late Huddersfield’s solid start has come undone, losing five of six and being on the receiving end of some big scorelines.

Brighton will be looking to get bounce back from an embarrassing 5-1 loss to Liverpool and both sides will find a way to cancel each other out.

Back the Draw @ $2.90

Anchored to the bottom of the Premier League table, Swansea will view this as a great chance to get their third win of the campaign.

Fellow strugglers West Brom come to town and while a win for the home side will not be enough to get them off the bottom of the table, it would at least close the gap to the safety zone.

Swansea have won the last three matches between these sides at the Liberty Stadium.

West Brom are on a run of three straight draws and are winless since the second game of the season.

Back Swansea to Win @ $2.60

Working in Tottenham’s favour is the fact they will not have played the most competitive Champions League match midweek.

They will be relatively fresh for a league match that they desperately need to win.

Their stars are not getting the job done with just two points in their last four matches, this form slide needs to be arrested quickly.

With three straight wins against Stoke this should be the right time to get themselves back on track.

Back Tottenham to Win & Under 2.5 Goals @ $4.00

Much like last season, Leicester have experienced a resurgence after their manager has been sacked.

They have been able to grind out one goal wins in their last two games and have a great chance to do that once more when they visit a Newcastle side that cannot buy a win.

Leicester’s away form has been encouraging too with two losses, both coming in August to Manchester United and Arsenal.

Since then they are unbeaten in five and should stretch that to six here.

Back Leicester to Win @ $2.75

Until last season, league fixtures against Southampton were a cause of great frustration for Arsenal.

At one point it was three straight games where the Saints had taken points of the Gunners.

Last year though that streak snapped and Arsenal completed their first sweep in the league since their Invincibles campaign.

After a frustrating loss at home to Manchester United it is a great opportunity to bounce back and I like their odds to do just that.

Back Arsenal to Win @ 1.91

Two sides whose grounds are separated by Stanley Park get together for the 280^th time.

They say you can throw out recent form in a derby which is great for an Everton side that have struggled this season.

Their record in this fixture is not much better with their last win coming in October 2010 while Liverpool are on a run of three straight wins.

It might not be overly pretty, as derbies rarely are, but Liverpool will find a way to win and I like Salah to find the key goal.

Back Salah to score and Liverpool to Win @ $2.15

While this game will not mathematically end the title race, a win for City would put them eleven points clear at the top of the table and in their current form that is a big lead to have.

So no pressure on Manchester United to perform in this game.

They are fresh off a smash and grab win at Arsenal, who will go into this game without Paul Pogba due to suspension.

As much as they may be tempted to try and replicate that game plan here, they cannot afford to give the likes of Sergio Aguero that many chances.

Back the Draw @ $3.40

2016/2017

It is the first midweek round of the 2016/2017 English Premier League season as the depth and fitness of the 20 teams in the competition will be tested.

The pick of the games on Thursday morning is the intriguing clash between Everton and Arsenal at Goodison Park, while Crystal Palace will take some confidence into their battle with Manchester United at Selhurst Park.

There is nothing better than midweek EPL action and you can find the best betting plays for all ten matches below.

Bournemouth have won just four of their past 10 games as home favourites for a clear loss, while Leicester City have taken at least a point from six of their past 11 games as away underdogs.

Back Leicester City To Win @ $2.90

Chelsea have won nine of their past 13 games as away favourites for a clear profit, but Sunderland are 3-2-5 as home underdogs.

No Bet

West Ham have won lost only two of their past ten games as home favourites and Burnley have lost five of their past six games as away underdogs.

Back West Ham To Win @ $1.67

West Bromwich Albion have won only three of their past nine games as home favourites, while Swansea City have been highly profitable as away underdogs.

Back Swansea City To Win @ $3.80

Middlesbrough have lost both their games as home underdogs this season, but Liverpool are an unconvincing 7-1-7 as away favourites.

No Bet

Everton have been able to take a point from three of their past four games as home underdogs, while Arsenal have drawn four of their past 13 games as away favourites.

Back The Draw @ $3.60

Crystal Palace have won only one of their past seven games as home underdogs, while Manchester United have won four of their past 11 games as away favourites.

No Bet

The over has saluted in 25 of the past 36 games played by Manchester City, while it is 20-16 in games involving Watford.

Back Over 3.6 Goals @ $4

Southampton have won only three of their past nine games as away favourites, but Stoke City don’t have a much better record as home underdogs.

No Bet

Tottenham Hotspur have won 10 of their past 16 games as home favourites and Hull City have won just one of their past seven fixtures as away underdogs.

Back Tottenham To Win To Nil @ $2