2024/2025 EPL Week 17 Preview

Tom Hanks once said there is no crying in baseball and a couple of managers found out last weekend that there is no festive sentiment in the Premier League.

In the aftermath of a dramatic weekend, both Southampton and Wolves parted ways with their first team coaches while a couple of others remain under plenty of pressure.

The frustration continues to build at City with Pep Guardiola hoping a clash with Aston Villa will help them respond from a collapse in the Manchester derby.

Check out who we are backing in every Premier League match below.

Manchester City’s last two trips to Villa Park have not gone well for the reigning champions having dropped points on both occasions.

In September 2022 they were held to a 1-1 draw before a shock 1-0 defeat last December.

Given their struggles of late including the collapse in last weekend’s derby, this is not a great spot for them.

While Aston Villa’s recent form has been spotty at best, their home record has been somewhat reasonable.

With five wins and four draws from their last ten at home in all competitions, with the only defeat coming in the Carabao Cup.

The upset could very well be on the cards, especially if the home side can get off to a fast start and get the crowd behind them.

Aston Villa to Win @ $3.10

Forest are one of the better teams in the league away from home, but they will face the ultimate challenge when they take to the pitch this weekend.

With four wins and two draws from eight away games, they face the best team at home in the competition.

Brentford has taken 22 of its 23 points this season in eight home games and they are just a different team at the Gtech.

So much so that they might be the best bet of the weekend.

Brentford to Win @ $2.15

Both clubs enjoyed a welcome return to the winners circle with Ipswich beating fellow battlers Wolves while Newcastle demolished Leicester.

Granted, neither of those wins were convincing signs that all is well with either club, but making it two in a row here could be.

On their day, Newcastle is the much better team and should be able to win this game.

Newcastle to Win @ $1.72

We are likely to see a whole lot of goals in this match with both teams to score a profitable play over the last few weeks for both West Ham and Brighton.

The Irons have a short rest after their draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday morning (AEDT) and it doesn’t set up well for this game.

Brighton is winless in its last four games but they have enjoyed some profitable trips to this part of London over the last few years.

Their record away to West Ham since 2017 is two wins and five draws and on their day they are the better team.

Brighton to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $3.50

There were more dropped points for Arsenal last weekend with another Premier League draw leaving them six points and one game adrift of Liverpool.

Palace is starting to make a real nuisance of themselves, earning nine of their 16 points this season from their five game unbeaten run.

If Arsenal is serious about mounting a challenge they will find a way to win this match, even if it has to be an ugly performance where they once again need set pieces to do it.

They have the talent to win, but their recent efforts suggest that it might not be the easiest of fixtures.

Arsenal to Win and Under 3.5 Goals @ $2.38

Everton’s resolute defence got the job done against Arsenal last week to hold on for a draw, but they will need more than 24% possession and two blocked shots toward goal to compete with Chelsea here.

That was their third scoreless draw in their last six and fifth time in that run they had been held without a goal.

Chelsea is going to find a way to score two if not three with relative ease and even if it is a mismatch, the over should be hit by the visitors alone.

Chelsea to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.25

Let’s keep this one fairly simple, Fulham should win this one and are worth backing to pick up all three points.

At $1.40 outright they are a bit short in that market, but the Saints are that bad it is still worth taking.

Especially given their attack should be able to take full advantage of Southampton’s leaky defence.

Fulham to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.91

Two bad teams facing off and it really is anyone’s guess who will be the winner of this game.

At home you would lean towards Leicester but with just the one win from their last five, it is tough to have any confidence in them.

Wolves are going through their own dysfunction after losing four in a row and players throwing tantrums at the end of their matches now.

They will be hoping for the new manager bounce but even if it does come, it won’t be enough to solve their issues.

Leicester to Win @ $2.40

Ruben Amorim did it again, knocking off City for the second time in a month with a different club and his side is looking pretty good.

They should be able to beat Bournemouth here, despite the Cherries riding a four game unbeaten run.

Whatever tweaks the Portuguese boss has made at Old Trafford, they appear to be working and look like a decent value play in this market.

Manchester United to Win @ $1.82

Ange Postecoglou bought himself a stay of execution last week as Spurs responded to the pressure on their manager by trouncing the hapless Southampton.

It might be a bit cruel to see this as a match that is a must-win contest, but the Aussie boss could go a long way towards building some security with all three points here.

However the Reds are primed for a response after back to back league draws where their previously stout defence was breached a total of five times.

That’s why I’m backing the visitors.

Liverpool to Win @ $1.75

2023/2024

Before you know it, we are going to be at the halfway mark of the Premier League season and the title race is alive and well.

Liverpool have taken over top spot on the back of three straight victories with Arsenal a point behind and surprise packets Aston Villa a further point back.

Then there’s the small matter of Manchester City who are more than capable of winning out and cruising to another Premier League title.

It’s a busy weekend of action as the hectic December schedule continues so let’s get into our Premier League previews and best bets below.

After a rough few weeks, Spurs are back in the winners circle thanks to a 4-1 victory over Newcastle.

They have a great chance to make it two in a row when they face Forest on Saturday morning (AEST), especially given the struggles of their foes.

Forest’s draw with Wolves last weekend was their first Premier League point in over a month and also produced their first goal in over three hours of football.

Spurs have had plenty of issues defensively this season which has seen the over hit in their last seven matches, but I still like their chances of getting the job done against an out of sorts opponent.

Tottenham to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.40

Luton’s away form in the Premier League has left a lot to be desired thus far with six defeats from eight starts and just four total points away from Kenilworth Road.

Not to mention this will feel like a bit of a letdown after a pair of tough home defeats at the hands of Arsenal and Manchester City where they were in both of those matches right until the end.

Bournemouth meanwhile has the best form line in the league with four wins and a draw from their last five outings, which has produced 13 of their 19 points this season.

It’s no surprise then to see the Cherries as short priced favourites and I’ll back them to pick up another win while keeping a third consecutive clean sheet.

Bournemouth to Win to Nil @ $2.70

Some old habits are hard to break and even after their disastrous run over the last year plus, the natural instinct here is to take Chelsea in a cakewalk.

After all, the Blades remain stuck on the foot of the table and their win over Brentford last week was not really enough to swing opinions on them.

After all, they have lost 12 of 16 so far in the Premier League and scored a measly 12 goals in that time while conceding 41.

But Chelsea have been going through their own struggles, which makes it hard to justify backing them with any confidence, even at the incredibly short $1.25 on offer at publish.

With Sheffield’s leaky defence, this looks like the market to back the overs and hope that either Chelsea’s attack clicks for once or both teams just decide to go for the win against vulnerable opposition.

Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.30

As City heads into this one with an injury cloud over Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola might have to find another way to go about his business in this fixture.

Granted there is a slightly bigger margin for error this weekend against a Crystal Palace team that is winless in their last five matches.

With a depleted attack, this has the makings of City going ugly and finding a way to grind out three points as they look to build momentum heading into the Club World Cup.

Manchester City to Win to Nil @ $1.87

On the back of two successive defeats by three goal margins, alarm bells are going off at St James’ Park.

Especially knowing they have to play a Fulham side whose confidence will be peaking after consecutive 5-0 wins over Nottingham Forest and West Ham in the last week.

Maybe this is the week where the Cottagers get a reality check of their own and the Magpies find a way to bounce back, or this is where we really start to question Newcastle’s credentials.

Either way with both teams playing out plenty of high scoring matches of late, the over looks to be the way to go here.

Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.67

Ask any professional athlete about the value of a perceived slight and they’ll tell you how it can be used to motivate them.

Or you could just look at Everton and their response to the club’s 10-point deduction following their breach of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules.

They have been one of the best performing sides in the league with four wins from their last five and have pulled themselves straight out of the relegation zone.

Even more impressive is the three consecutive clean sheets they have kept and they look like great value to pick up another win.

Everton to Win @ $2.15

With top spot in their Champions League group already secured, the Gunners were able to send a second tier squad out for their Champions League tie during the week.

That ensured that key first team players like Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka were not asked to handle a full 90 minutes ahead of this critical game.

Having conceded top spot last week in their loss to Aston Villa, they return home looking to bounce back and the numbers are very much in their favour.

The Gunners have not dropped points in consecutive Premier League matches all season and Brighton have shown plenty of vulnerability as they battle at home and in Europe.

Look for another three points for the home side here and because it is Brighton, add in both teams to score as the Seagulls keep their remarkable streak alive in that market.

Arsenal to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.88

For some reason, Aston Villa is in third spot after recording their two biggest Premier League wins of the season against City and Arsenal, but are still at over even money to win at Brentford.

The same Brentford that has lost four of its last five in the Premier League and is looking very out of sorts.

Let’s not overthink this one and back the Villains to keep pace with the league leaders.

Aston Villa to Win @ $2.10

West Ham’s impressive unbeaten run came to a screeching halt last week as they were pounded by Fulham in one of the more surprising results of the season.

Not so much that Fulham won, but that West Ham was so far off the pace.

To make things even tougher, they have to take their last Europa League match against Freiburg somewhat seriously with top spot in the group on the line before this fixture.

The home side has won the last four matches between these clubs but I’m expecting that streak to come to an end here as the Irons turn this into a scrap on the back of their midweek duties.

Draw @ $3.30

What was once the Premier League’s marquee fixture does not quite have the same buzz about it this season with United in the midst of a form slump.

They have lost three of their last four in all competitions and in their last trip to Anfield, were blown off the park to the tune of a 7-0 scoreline.

There is a reason why the Reds are going into this match as $1.33 favourites and any major movement in that price would come as a shock.

With their progression in the Europa League already assured, I’m expecting a rotated side on Friday morning (AEDT) with an eye on putting United to the sword in this fixture.

It might not be 7-0 again, but Liverpool should have this one in the bag.

Liverpool to Win -1 Goal @ $1.87

2022/2023

After a seven week hiatus for the World Cup, the Premier League is back for a busy run home over the next five months.

A frantic fixture calendar means every side, regardless of their ambition will be put through the ringer between now and the end of May.

As we prepare to resume proceedings, Arsenal sits five points clear on top of the table however the prevailing sentiment wonders how long before the Gunners unexpected hot start to the season comes to an end.

They will resume their campaign with a home match against West Ham while title favourites Manchester City takes on a Nottingham Forest side that is going to spend their next 23 matches fighting to avoid relegation.

As we prepare to kick start the busy festive period of play, we’ve got our match previews for all 10 Boxing Day matches below so read on and see who we are backing.

Brentford and Tottenham have been given the honour of resuming Premier League play with the early kickoff on Boxing Day.

The Bees sit in tenth place but have seen star striker Ivan Toney charged with 262 breaches of the FA betting rules between 2017 and 2019, however it sounds like he will be available for this fixture while the investigation is taking place.

Both of Brentford’s big defeats have come away from home this season and their form at the Brentford Community Stadium has been quite strong with 12 points from seven matches.

Spurs have been able to take 11 points from their seven away matches so far however goals have been a bit tough to come by with just ten goals.

That plays into Brentford’s hands with a much stronger defence at home and with some of Spurs key players likely experiencing a bit of a World Cup hangover.

Back Brentford/Draw Double Chance @ $1.91

Palace has been very busy over the last few weeks as they prepared to resume their league campaign, playing four friendlies with mixed results.

Fulham only played the one recorded match with West Ham, but the break would have been a welcome relief for them with just one point from their last three Premier League outings.

Patrick Viera’s side have started to make Selhurst Park a real fortress and they have the defensive fortitude to slow down Fulham’s dangerous attack.

Getting Palace at over even money looks to be the value play from this market.

Back Crystal Palace to Win @ $2.05

Wolves used the Premier League hiatus to full their vacant managerial role and the Julen Lopetegui has been charged with lifting this side off the bottom of the table.

The first task on his list will be to solve an attack that has managed a meagre eight goals through 15 matches, but it’s tough to see how he can address that issue with the players he has at his disposal.

Everton’s attack is not exactly setting the world alight either with just 11 goals from their first 15 matches, which goes a long way towards explaining how they have only acquired 14 points.

One goal might be enough to win this game and with the respective struggles on both sides, we might be lucky to even see that.

Back Under 1.5 Goals @ $2.95

Leicester is another side that will have been ruing the enforced break having won 13 of their 17 total points in their six matches before mid-November.

With Youri Tielemans and James Maddison both the subject of transfer rumours in the upcoming window, they will be eager to hit the ground running.

However Newcastle cannot be treated like just another opponent now, with just one loss on the season and their new owners pumping all sorts of money into the squad.

If the Magpies are the team we think they might be, they are excellent value at their current price and well worth backing here.

Back Newcastle to Win @ $2.15

Losing the manager who was overseeing the most successful period in the club’s history might have upset some teams but clearly not Brighton.

They remained in contention for a European place and currently sit ahead of their departed boss at Chelsea and would surely love to keep that going for at least another week.

Southampton is always a team I am happy to take on and with the side seemingly set on fighting relegation once again, it’s tough to expect a whole lot from them.

Back Brighton to Win @ $2.10

Liverpool was one of the few teams to benefit from the World Cup with their star man Mo Salah able to kick back and relax after his Egyptian side failed to qualify.

Those fresh legs will help as he looks to get the Reds back into a Champions League place following a slow start to the campaign.

Villa will present a tough challenge first up however with Unai Emery having time to work with his squad having only taken the job on November 1.

The 51-year-old will be able to get the best out of this Villa side having won both of his league matches in charge but it’s tough to back against a rejuvenated Salah.

Back Liverpool to Win @ $1.70

Now we get to see just how realistic Arsenal’s title charge is, as they have to endure their first injury to a key contributor in the squad.

Striker Gabriel Jesus will miss a significant period of time with a knee injury suffered in Qatar which thrusts Eddie Nketiah into the limelight.

He will have a couple of matches to show his ability to lead the line but it will put plenty of pressure on a defence that has been very strong in the league this season.

Their 11 goals conceded is the equal best record in the league with Newcastle and they will be out to keep West Ham quiet.

Back Arsenal to Win to Nil @ $2.55

Chelsea might have been able to use the break to sort out the many, many issues that have been plaguing them, but until they show something, you have to take them on at this price.

Only five points separate them and Bournemouth and the Cherries can cause plenty of problems with their frontline.

They scored nine goals in their last three league matches and Chelsea have been far from resolute at the back.

The Blues might have straightened things out but the value is there taking them to drop points.

Back Bournemouth/Draw Double Chance @ $3.30

The first Premier League meeting between these sides since February 1999 will place plenty of pressure on a Forest side that has already seen plenty of highs and lows this season.

A 1-0 win over Liverpool was the high point of their campaign but they were also on the end of big losses at the hands of Manchester City, Leicester and Arsenal as well.

If United get going early, the blowout could be on and Forest just does not have the look of a team that can keep pace with the hosts.

Back Manchester United to Win -1 Goal @ $1.91

If last season is anything to go by, Leeds will be in for a very long day with the two Premier League meetings ending with a combined score of 11-0 in favour of the reigning champions.

City dropped their last match before the World Cup break and Pep Guardiola will have spend the last month and a half simmering over that result, looking to make amends.

It might be oversimplifying the matter, but with Erling Haaland having time to rejuvenate after his history making start to life in the Premier League, it’s tough to see this going any other way than a big win for City.

Back Manchester City HT/FT @ $1.91

2021/2022

More midweek football awaits us in Matchweek 17 of the English Premier League season.

Each of the title contenders were pushed to the limit last weekend and they will all face different challenges in the coming slate of matches.

Manchester United gets the action underway with its first ever trip to Brentford while City will host Leeds on Wednesday morning (AEDT).

Chelsea and Liverpool will wrap up the action on Friday with home games against Everton and Newcastle respectively.

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

Both of these teams were forced to settle of “honourable defeats” in their last outings when taking on a pair of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.

While Norwich’s last two results might suggest they are falling back into old habits, those results came against Tottenham and Manchester United, prior to that they were taking points off lesser teams.

Aston Villa’s last two defeats came against Liverpool and Manchester City while their last three wins came against Leicester, Crystal Palace and Brighton.

Considering both teams are coming into this game on short rest, this could be a game where the two sides cancel one another out.

The draw looks like the value play in this market.

Back the Draw @ $3.25

Goals should be plentiful in this festive football fixture, with Leeds finding their goalscoring form in the past 10 days.

Unfortunately it was not enough against Chelsea at the weekend however they will look to put a scare into the reigning champions.

City created plenty of chances on the weekend against Wolves but were wasteful in front of goal however you would back them to produce a better conversion rate here.

While much of City’s success has been built on a resolute defence, they have struggled to keep a clean sheet lately, with both teams to score hitting in five of their last six matches.

Leeds have scored a goal in six of their last seven games so if you like City to win, double it with both teams to score in a Same Game Multi.

SGM: Manchester City to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $2.88

This might not be the most aesthetically pleasing contest but there is plenty on the line for two sides desperate to get their seasons back on track.

Wolves have now gone 392 minutes of Premier League football without a goal and will head into this match without their player who scored against West Ham on November 21.

Raul Jiminez had what can politely be described as a moment of madness, earning two yellow cards in under 60 seconds to get sent off at the Etihad on the weekend, forcing him to miss this one through suspension.

Brighton meanwhile has drawn in five of its last six matches, however only one of those has seen more than two goals scored.

With that in mind, the market has skewed itself heavily towards a low scoring contest with Under 2.5 Goals at odds of $1.58 at the time of writing.

Instead, the draw looks like the play to take for this fixture with 0-0 or 1-1 seeming like the most likely scoreline.

Back the Draw @ $3.10

There was a lot to like about Palace’s performance on the weekend and it could prove to be a launching point for a run over the coming few weeks.

Up next for them is a Southampton side that was outclassed by Arsenal on the weekend and looks like it is devoid of confidence.

Palace at its current price in the head to head market looks like it might be the value bet of the week.

If they can jump on the Saints early the blowout could be on.

Back Crystal Palace to Win @ $2.30

On the balance of play over the course of the season, West Ham look like phenomenal value here, but you can make a solid case for Arsenal on their most recent outing.

The Gunners have taken 19 of 24 points at the Emirates Stadium, including their comfortable 3-0 win over Southampton.

Conversely, West Ham has been strong on its travels taking 14 points from eight away fixtures.

Any head to head play would be purely speculative but you can back Over 2.5 Goals at a fairly solid price.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.83

After struggling through the early part of December, look for Chelsea to put down a market against an Everton that seems set on a relegation scrap despite having a squad capable of challenging for a European place.

It turns out the Toffees’ win over Arsenal was nothing more than a blip on their season as normal service resumed in a 3-1 loss against Crystal Palace.

You can back Chelsea with a -1 handicap at a surprisingly high price considering the mismatch between these clubs.

Not that it should be considered a bad thing.

Back Chelsea to Win -1 Goal @ $1.75

If you wanted to stay away from this match with Liverpool at such short odds and looking highly likely to belt Newcastle all over the Anfield pitch, nobody would blame you.

While their goalscoring has dried up in the last week from its previously rampant pace, they should have no problems scoring for fun on Newcastle.

After all, Leicester just hit them for four on Monday morning.

There is a lot of work to be done with Newcastle and Liverpool could highlight just how wide the gap between the two clubs is here.

Back Liverpool to Win and Over 3.5 Goals @ $1.91

2020/2021

The final Premier League weekend of the frantic festive period comes with a massive asterisk as COVID cases begin to cause massive disruption to the teams.

With one fixture already postponed, all eyes are on whether or not this round will be able to go ahead.

If so there are plenty of excellent clashes in store as the congested table continues to try and separate the contenders from the imposters.

There is plenty of value to be had in all ten Premier League fixtures so read on to see who we are backing.

We are faced with two VERY contrasting form lines for these clubs as they head into what is a must win clash.

Everton’s midweek fixture with Manchester City was postponed a few hours before kickoff, giving them a bit less wear and tear on their legs heading into this clash.

Before that they had won their last four while West Ham were winless in their four prior matches.

Everton look to be over the odds here and I’ll take them outright here.

Back Everton to Win @ $1.95

Get ready for another festive arm wrestle as this has all the makings of a scrappy affair between two in form teams.

Villa has picked up three wins and a pair of draws from its last five and they now boast one of the stingiest defensive records in the Premier League.

United has proven to be a bit vulnerable at the back but what I keep coming back to is the fact both teams would be very happy to have this match finish 1-0.

Considering Villa has only conceded once in their last five matches and United has kept clean sheets in two of its last three, this should be a low scoring affair and at that price, it’s the value option.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.35

Leeds has looked really good in the last couple of weeks, even with a hammering from Manchester United thrown in there.

Marcelo Bielsa’s squad is scoring for fun but they have shown the ability to get down off their perch and fight for results as well and that is probably what they will have to do against Spurs here.

Even if Mourinho sets up to frustrate the promoted side, Leeds will continue to pound at the door and find a way to break it down.

The value here is on the visitors as they push for another statement victory.

Back Leeds to Win @ $3.80

It takes a lot to abandon a successful betting strategy but in this instance, it’s time to steer clear of the “back against Sheffield United” play.

Mostly because Palace has looked almost as bad as the Blades have in the last three weeks but have at least found ways to fight to a few draws.

It’s two of the most inept attacks in all of England taking to the pitch so get ready for a war of attrition.

Back Under 1.5 Goals @ $2.70

Wolves woes continued with a late loss to Manchester United during the week as their confidence took another hit.

On the plus side, Brighton’s confidence is close to, if not already at rock bottom after picking up four points from their last seven.

If this side is serious about challenging for a Champions League place, these are the sorts of matches they should not only win, but win convincingly.

15 goals from 16 Premier League matches does not cut it but Brighton is certainly vulnerable at the back, even with the change in goalkeepers.

Wolves should not be underdogs here so it’s worth jumping on the value of the “upset”.

Back Wolves to Win @ $2.80

The Gunners have finally shown some signs of life in the last week, taking maximum points off Chelsea and Brighton.

Up next is a West Brom team whose form can be politely described as “atrocious” with just on win on the season and that came against Sheffield.

The market for this one looks like its guarding against an Arsenal implosion but that just means there is value to be had on the visitors.

Back Arsenal to Win @ $1.60

*MATCH POSTPONED*

Newcastle will not be looking forward to seeing Leicester again, last season the Foxes chewed up the Magpies in both Premier League meetings, winning 5-0 at the King Power Stadium and 3-0 at St James’ Park in January.

After being held to back to back draws by Manchester United and Crystal Palace, Brendan Rodgers’ side knows they have to pick up maximum points in this one with the top of the table poised to separate from the chasing pack.

For better or worse we get goals in Leicester matches and it’s been nearly two months since one of their Premier League matches did not have at least two goals scored in it.

Back Leicester to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ $2.00

It’s probably worth leading off with the caveat that this match is every chance of being postponed considering the situation at Manchester City.

A rise in COVID cases among the City squad saw their clash with Everton postponed and if this does go ahead, there is no chance they are going to be in the right head space.

This is the perfect opportunity for Chelsea to shake off their recent struggles as City heads into this game underdone.

Back Chelsea to Win @ $3.05

Liverpool has not had a whole lot of trouble with Southampton in recent seasons.

They have won all six meetings in the last three seasons by a combined score of 17-2 and in spite of some stumbles this season, this is where they lay down their title credentials.

Expect an early barrage from Klopp’s men before they go on and finish the job with a convincing final scoreline.

Back Liverpool HT/FT @ $2.63

2019/2020

The festive fixtures are coming thick and fast in the English Premier League now.

For seven clubs they have just wrapped up their European commitments across the Champions League and the Europa League with every side advancing to the knockout phase of their respective competitions.

This is where Liverpool’s title challenge will be put to the test if they can find a way to maintain or even increase their lead over Leicester and Manchester City.

After facing Watford on Saturday they have to travel to the Club World Cup in Qatar adding to their fixture congestion later on in the season.

Elsewhere we also have the David Moyes Derby between Manchester United and Everton before Manchester City visits Arsenal.

We’ve got previews and plays for all ten Premier League matches right here.

Are we going to get a full strength Liverpool side before their journey to Qatar?

There is no chance they will take the 20^th placed side lightly here and even at $17, I can’t see Watford having much of a chance here and it just comes down to how much Liverpool want to put them to the sword.

This is a great chance for Liverpool to pick up it its second straight clean sheet with Watford scoring a grand total of one goal in its last four matches and just nine on the season.

Back Liverpool to Win to Nil @ $1.95

Full credit to Steve Bruce, he’s done something that few expected him to, make Newcastle a competitive side.

They seem to have worked out how to be competitive against mid to low table sides and Burnley has been knocked around in the last three weeks with three straight multiple goal losses.

It feels strange opting to back Newcastle here but at this price it’s worth taking a punt on.

Back Newcastle to Win @ $3.80

Let’s throw out that Everton aberration for Chelsea, it was a classic case of “the manager just got fired so let’s wake up for the Toffees” although in all honesty, Lampard’s troops were not that good.

Bournemouth is a perfect get right opponent as they try to find some form to take into the festive period.

Last January Bournemouth stunned the Blues with a 4-0 but that won’t be repeated here, I like Chelsea to win but I don’t have faith in them keeping a clean sheet so I’ll toss Both Teams to Score in for some added value.

SGM: Chelsea to Win & Both Teams to Score @ $2.63

The automatic “Vardy to Score and Leicester to Win” play isn’t the value bet it was a couple of weeks ago sadly, so we’ll have to get a bit creative finding some value for the Foxes clash with Norwich.

We’ll still start with Vardy as an Anytime Goalscorer since he’s still the in form striker in the Premier League.

Instead of just backing Leicester outright we’ll back them for the Halftime/Fulltime double since Norwich is in a bad way with just one win from their last five games, however, they have scored in their last four matches so I like their chances of getting one here in defeat.

SGM: Leicester Halftime/Fulltime, Both Teams to Score, Jamie Vardy Anytime Goalscorer @ $4.80

After both sides enjoyed promotion to the Premier League back in May, they will face off in the top flight for the first time since 2007.

So far they have experienced very different campaigns with Sheffield fulfilling the role of “the little club that could” as they sit in eighth spot, having taken points in 12 of their 16 matches so far.

Villa on the other had sits in 17^th spot and is going to need to start picking up points in matches such as this one if they want to avoid a relegation battle after New Years.

Until they can improve on their away form, there’s no reason to back Villa to do anything other than lose this match,

Back Sheffield United to Win @ $1.87

The pressure continues to build on Manuel Pelligrini who (at the time of writing) is still the West Ham manager despite five losses in his last six Premier League matches.

Assuming there is no last minute change to the situation at West Ham the temptation here is to back against the side in a bad run of form.

The problem there is that means you have to show some faith in Southampton which is a big ask.

West Ham has won the last three meetings between these sides but they are as frustrating to back as anyone at the moment so we’ll steer clear of the result and back both teams to score which has hit in 12 of Southampton’s 16 matches.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.53

For a while, this was one of those bogey fixtures that Manchester United always seemed to struggle with.

Maybe Everton is able to pull out a performance similar to what they did last week against Chelsea in the aftermath of Marco Silva’s departure, but do they have that in them two weeks in a row?

As long as United does not have any sort of hangover after their huge Manchester Derby win last weekend they should be able to pick up all three points here.

Back Manchester United to Win @ $1.75

Forget the midweek Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, Spurs will have a full strength squad taking to the pitch against a rejuvenated Wolves team this weekend.

Since September 29, Wolves have not lost a match, with five wins and six draws to get them up to sixth place and ahead of Spurs by a point.

I’ll back the visitors to overtake Wolves with a win here, but it should be a good game with Wolves also saving players for this weekend’s Premier League clash.

Both Teams to Score has hit in 12 of 16 matches for both teams so far this season so it’s worth tossing that into a Same Game Multi, along with Spurs leading marksman Harry Kane to back up from his brace against Burnley with another goal here.

SGM: Tottenham to Win, Both Teams to Score & Harry Kane Anytime Goalscorer @ $6.70

The relief was evident around the Gunners as Freddie Ljungberg picked up his first win as interim manager, ending the nine game skid which brought about the departure of Unai Emery.

Unfortunately up next is a frustrated Manchester City side that is looking to atone for a derby defeat and keep their Premier League title hopes alive.

An optimistic Arsenal fan (the three that are left anyway) would be hoping to take advantage of a vulnerable City side with just two wins from their last five in the league.

Realistically though, the Gunners have lost five straight against City in all competitions and one good half against West Ham is not enough to convince me that they will get over the line here.

SGM: Manchester City to Win, Both Teams to Score @ $2.39

This is a game that looks like it should be well worth making the effort to watch with Palace on a three game unbeaten run and Brighton finding some form thanks to a win over Arsenal and taking a point off Wolves.

Last season Brighton won both clashes with Palace, however this looks like a much more evenly matched contest.

In terms of the result, a draw looks like the most likely outcome however I’ll go for the slightly safer play and back both teams to score which hit in both meetings last season.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.85

2018/2019

With the European commitments wrapping up for 2018 midweek, the six English clubs all know their respective fates on the continental stage, some will be pleased with their performance, others… less so.

That means that for the next couple of months they can devote their focus solely to their domestic competitions, starting with the Premier League as fixtures start to come in thick and fast.

This weekend is bookended by two very tantalising fixtures with Everton facing Manchester City while Manchester United travel to Anfield.

Read on for our previews, predictions and same game multis from all ten Premier League fixtures.

City suffered their first loss of the Premier League campaign, just their third in the last two seasons last weekend at Chelsea.

They will look to bounce back against an Everton side who needed a last minute goal to draw with Watford, but have managed to hold their own in the last few meetings.

In their last five Premier League meetings each side has won one each and drawn three times with all three of those draws coming at the Etihad.

Even with those numbers at least giving some cause for concern, it is too hard to go consider City losing two in a row.

There just isn’t a lot of value in this game unless you fancy an Everton upset so steer clear of this one and look for better prospects over the rest of the weekend.

NO BET

After back to back away losses, Palace return home to face a Leicester side they won both matches against last season.

They won their last game at home two weeks ago and would love to build some sort of winning streak at Selhurst Park as they try to climb up the table.

With just one win from their last five, Leicester will be desperate for all three points here but it is unlikely either side will be able to find a key breakthrough here.

Back the Draw @ $3.00

SGM: Draw, Jamie Vardy Anytime Goalscorer, Andros Townsend Anytime Goalscorer

The Socceroos suffered a big blow to their Asian Cup hopes with midfielder Aaron Mooy suffering a knee injury but his club side Huddersfield will feel his absence even more.

They take on a Newcastle side they have split their results with over the last two seasons as both earned promotion following the 2016/2017 campaign.

Last season both fixtures were decided by the game’s lone goal and it would not be at all surprising to see a similar scoreline this time, especially with both teams struggling to score this season.

Back Under 1.5 Goals @ $2.60

SGM: Draw, Under 2.5 Goals

Spurs got another honour to add to their trophy cabinet with their Champions League progression thanks to an impressive draw in Barcelona.

They return home to face struggling Burnley and while nothing should ever be viewed as a certainty, a Spurs win here is pretty close to that.

A once stingy Burnley defence is now conceding at an average of two goals per game this season, the second worst number in the competition.

To find value here you have to look for the handicap market and it is simply a case of how much you think Tottenham will win by or if you have confidence in them winning to Nil.

Back Tottenham to Win -1 Goal @ $1.53

SGM: Tottenham to Win, Over 3.5 Goals, Christian Eriksen Anytime Goalscorer

Watford are firmly entrenched as a mid-table side this season although another couple of losses could see them drop down to the relegation battler zone with Cardiff.

These sides last met in December 2014 when both sides were in the Championship and both will be desperate to win the first Premier League meeting between the two.

Cardiff are making a steady rise up the table with three wins from their last five and are picking up points against the sides they are expected to beat.

With Watford in a major form slump, this could be a perfect opportunity for the Welsh side to close the gap on their opponents.

Back Cardiff to Win @ $5.50

SGM: Cardiff to Win, Both Teams to Score, Andre Gray Anytime Goalscorer

Write off either of these sides at your own peril, two of the battlers this Premier League campaign have built impressive campaigns as they sit just one point apart.

Wolves are the form side at the moment with back to back wins in the last week, including an impressive upset against Chelsea.

Bournemouth on the other hand have just one win from their last five.

Earlier on we mentioned that you should steer clear of the Everton-City game and find better value plays, this is one of them with Wolves at their current odds.

Back Wolves to Win @ $2.00

SGM: Wolves to Win, Wolves to Score 2+ Goals

This will be the first meeting between these clubs since New Years Day 2014 and West Ham are looking for their fourth straight win.

Given they are facing the Premier League’s bottom side in Fulham, they do enter this game as slight favourites.

With Fulham having conceded 40 goals already this season, this is a great chance for West Ham to add to their current streak of scoring three goals in three straight games.

Back West Ham to Win @ $2.38

SGM: West Ham to Win, West Ham to Score Over 2.5 Goals

It has been six long games since Brighton last kept a clean sheet but they have been able to weather that storm with two wins and a draw in that time.

They are in for a touch task when Chelsea come to town, even with the visitors fresh off a Europa League tie.

Despite being at home, the Seagulls will set up to frustrate Chelsea and make life difficult but if the Blues can score first they should be able to go on with it and win by a few goals.

Back Chelsea to Win Both Halves @ $3.50

SGM: Chelsea to Win to Nil, Chelsea to Score Over 1.5 Goals

Arsenal away to Southampton is not the automatic result many might assume, with the Saints giving the Gunners plenty of trouble over the last few seasons.

Over their last six Premier League trips to St Mary’s Stadium, Arsenal have won just once and have been held to draws on three occasions.

This isn’t the old Arsenal of the Wenger era and they have shown this year they are capable of picking up points and breaking old trends so you should be able to back them with some relative confidence here.

Back Arsenal to Win @ $1.83

SGM: Arsenal to Win, Over 2.5 Goals, Both Teams to Score

A huge clash for both sides as they back up from their final Champions League Group Stage games.

United managed to arrest a four game winless run in the Premier League in their last outing while Liverpool took over top spot with their 13^th win of the campaign.

With four of the past five matches finishing as draws, that is a good value option here but instead, take a look at the total goals market.

United’s last three matches have seen the Both Teams to Score Market hit, bringing that tally to 13 of the 16 games this season so try to add that in for the Same Game Multi.

Back Over 3.5 Total Goals @ $2.63

SGM: Over 3.5 Goals, Both Teams to Score, Draw

2017/2018

You know that feeling around mid-December when things start to get so ridiculously busy you don’t know how you can fit everything in?

Well with the Premier League’s calendar starting to fill up, these players will be just like the rest of us.

The good news for fans however is that there will be plenty of Premier League action to keep us entertained.

Burnley’s solid start continued with another win at Turf Moor against Watford and they will be feeling pretty confident about their chances as they face a Stoke side coming off a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of Tottenham.

Burnley however are not blowing teams out of the water or leaking goals; thirteen of their sixteen matches have featured two or fewer goals.

Expect a similar defensive resolve to get Burnley over the line here.

Back Burnley to Win & Under 2.5 Goals @ $4.20

Don’t look now but previously unable to even get a point Palace are now unbeaten in their last five matches.

Ideally for them it would be more than four draws in that time but those points might come in handy come May.

Watford will be smarting after just going down to Burnley at the weekend and will be hoping to put an end to their opponent’s streak.

Even though Watford are without a win in their last three this should be the game they get back on track.

Back Watford to Win @ $3.10

Huddersfield ended their losing streak and freefall down the table with a win against Brighton but they have their work cut out for them with an angry Chelsea coming to down.

Their shock loss at West Ham caused Antonio Conte to all but concede the title race but thy will still have one eye on the Manchester clubs currently ahead of them on the table.

Expect Chelsea to come out firing and ready to make amends for their performance here with a much more ruthless showing.

Back Chelsea to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.05

Confidence at Goodison Park is sky high after nabbing a draw in their derby to extend their unbeaten run to three.

Newcastle are a side that needs something to break their run of poor results and even a point here would be an achievement.

Two sides that are relative mainstays in the Premier League have a long history of games against one another and that recent history is heavily slanted towards Everton.

That being said, playing at home should give Newcastle enough to find a way to get a point here.

Back the Draw @ $3.20

Three wins in a row for Leicester now and that is good enough for the second longest active streak in the Premier League behind Manchester City.

They needed a bounce or two to go their way against Newcastle, but it will take a bit more than that to get by a resilient Southampton side.

Fresh off a 1-1 draw against Arsenal where they were defending for almost the entire game, they showed just how dangerous they can be.

Even then it is hard to back against Leicester in their current form and I will ride them until the streak ends.

Back Leicester to Win @ $3.40

A clash of sides at opposite ends of the table, Swansea clawed their way onto 19^th spot thanks to a 1-0 win against West Brom.

City of course had the derby against that other team in Manchester (their words not ours) and sit even further ahead at the top after their victory.

It has been a long time since Swansea tasted victory against Manchester City was in 2012 and the odds suggest it might be a little while before that happens again.

Even if City do opt to rotate players, having had a midweek Champions League fixture last week and a busy slate coming up, they should still win here.

There is not a lot of value with such short odds so dip into the goals markets and back City to put three or more past the Swansea defenders.

Back Manchester City to Score Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.91

It’s been a while for West Brom, their last league win against Liverpool came in February 2013 at Anfield.

Since then it has been slim pickings with four draws and four losses in that time.

It will be interesting to see how Liverpool handle backing up after their derby draw but they should have enough to get by.

Unfortunately there is not enough value to really recommend a play here.

NO BET

United’s derby loss snapped a 40-game unbeaten run at home and Jose Mourinho would ideally like to get a new one started as soon as possible.

Since Bournemouth’s ascension to the Premier League two seasons ago, they have lost and drawn at Old Trafford.

As much as they would be hoping to continue that progression with a win in this game, the mismatch is just too great.

Back Manchester United to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.85

It is the first time these sides have met in the league since their Division One matchup in April 1983.

That was won by Brighton 2-1 however it would take a monumental effort to produce something similar with Spurs coming into this game in red hot form.

They put five past Stoke at the weekend and while Brighton will put up a fight, they simply cannot compete with the firepower and it may be a very long night for Mat Ryan.

Back Tottenham to Win to Nil @ $1.87

After upsetting the Champions at the Olympic Stadium over the weekend the Hammers now get to host another London side with European aspirations in Arsenal.

Last season the Gunners were rampant in this fixture winning both matches 5-1 and then 3-0.

After seeing what West Ham are capable of against Chelsea they will not take this game lightly and instead approach this as a great opportunity for three points.

Back Alexis Sanchez to Score and Arsenal to Win @ $2.75

2016/2017

This is the final weekend of English Premier League action before Christmas and this is when the majority of experts really start to pay attention to the table.

The rivalry between Everton and Liverpool is one of the fiercest in all of English football and they will go battle in another Merseyside Derby this weekend.

The other highlight of the weekend will take place at Etihad Stadium when Manchester City take on Arsenal in what is likely to be an extremely crucial fixture.

Chelsea have continued their outstanding run of form and they have now won nine of their past 13 games as away favourites for a clear profit, while Crystal Palace have won just one of their past seven games as home underdogs.

Back Chelsea To Win To Nil @ $2.63

Middlesbrough will start this trust as clear favourites, but they have won just two of their past five games as home favourites.

Swansea City have been one of the most profitable teams in the English Premier League as away underdogs and they are capable of recording an upset win.

Back Swansea City To Win @ $3.50

Leicester City were beaten as away underdogs by Bournemouth earlier this weekend and their record away from home this season has been very poor.

Stoke City have won six of their past 11 games as home favourites for a narrow profit and their recent form has been strong.

Back Stoke City To Win @ $2.40

There is very little between these two teams and Sunderland will go in as narrow favourites.

Sunderland have won three of their past eight games as home favourites for a loss, but Watford have generally struggled as away underdogs and they are 4-3-10 in this scenario.

No Bet

West Ham have won just five of their past ten games as home favourites and they have been a tough team to trust from a betting standpoint this season.

Hull City have not been any better and they have won just one of their past seven games as away underdogs.

No Bet

Manchester United finally returned to winning form last weekend, but they have still only won four of their past 11 games as away favourites for a clear loss.

West Bromwich Albion have won four of their past nine games as home underdogs for a big profit and they are the type of side that can frustrate Manchester United.

Back West Bromwich Albion To Win @ $5

Bournemouth beat Leicester City earlier this weekend, but they will still go into this clash as underdogs.

The Cherries have won three of their past eight games as home underdogs for a clear profit, while Southampton have won just three of their past nine games as away favourites.

Back Bournemouth To Win @ $2.90

Manchester City have lost to both Chelsea and Leicester City in recent weeks, but they will still go into this clash with Arsenal as clear favourites.

They have won just eight of their past 17 games as home favourites for a clear loss, while Arsenal have drawn their past four games as away underdogs.

Back The Draw @ $3.50

Tottenham are the shortest-priced favourites of the weekend and they have won ten of their past 16 games as home favourites, while Burnley are yet to win a game away from home this season.

Tottenham should be able to get the job done, but there is no value at their current price.

Liverpool will start their clash with their crosstown rivals as clear favourites and need to win in order to stay in touch with the leading English Premier League contenders.

Liverpool have only won seven of their past 15 games as away favourites, while Everton have drawn three of their past four games as home underdogs.

Back The Draw @ $3.60