Premier League Predictions > Sep 26th - 28th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

Here are the latest odds and ratings for the upcoming Premier League matches this weekend. It's been a tricky couple of opening weeks with a clear lack of home influence behind closed doors compared to crowds being present. It throws a spanner in the works but we just have to adapt our thinking. Let us know your predictions for these games down below! 

[neilovan]

Maybe slightly unrelated but was writing this page anyway so I thought I would post it here;

2020/2021 EPL Predictions

Top 2

Let’s run through the teams in the English premier league in 2020. For me the same top 2 as last year. Both Man City and Liverpool are light years ahead of the chasing pack. Liverpool have already bought well and have strengthened nicely. Will they be better this year? I think Liverpool will develop a maturity. You simply cannot play every game at helter skelter pace. You need to pick your teams well to deal with the opponent. I think Liverpool will do this well this season. Man City will be the closest chaser. They have a solid squad, but Pep may just wear these guys out. He is intense, and possibly the focus is on CL glory. Defensive weakness still exists.

Positions 3rd – 8th

Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Man United, Leicester and Tottenham in the mix here but in which order? Chelsea definitely seem to have the best squad out of this group, but they are missing a van Djik type defender that will take them up to the next level. I see them improving one position up to 3rd. If they would buy Koulibaly, they could challenge the top 2. Beyond me why United don't bid for him.

Man United for me are going to be poor. Are they going to get better than 66 points this season? Maybe up to 70 or so at best, but they have not really moved forward from last season. Solksjaer gone sometime in January when they are miles off the pace (again), and having another slump.

I do like Arsenal, and think they will make a huge improvement. They had two big problems. One was getting results against the top teams and the other was away form. At home they have been really good, especially against the lower half teams. I think they will improve the away record massively, and will finish 4th,  with between 68 and 74 points.

Everton, Man United and Spurs will be fighting for the 5th position, and I feel that United could even be as low as 7th (if no transfers come in). They just look so poor, and I think another huge slump may be coming sooner than later. Tottenham, under Mourinho, could surprise, but it could also go pear shaped quickly.

Everton under Ancelotti look good. He is an excellent manager. Playing with confidence, and nice patterns of play. The team looks really confident ... Calvert-Lewin to get close to 20 goals this season.  James Rodriguez looks ridiculously fit, and I'm pretty sure Ancellotti will get the best out of Moise Kean. Also good to see a fully recovered Andre Gomes back after a terrible injury. The good times for the other half of Merseyside are here !

(3/4/5)        Chelsea | Arsenal | Everton

(6/7/8)        Man United | Spurs | Leicester

Positions 9th – 13th

Wolves, Leeds United, Brighton, Sheffield United, Newcastle United. Not sure why Wolves are selling players, but it will not help them. Leeds and Brighton look good. They are playing with some style, and will score goals and entertain. Brighton may just chop Man United this weekend. Leeds may run out of legs towards the end of the season but they will be safe. Newcastle will continue to improve, and will finish higher than last season (13th). Callum Wilson an excellent signing. Always liked him, has such a good attitude, and always puts in a full shift! 

Positions 14-17

Burnley, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Southampton. Burnley will be comfortable in the end. They are always a difficult style/opponent and will find their way. Palace have already surprised me, but I don’t think they will find soft opponents like Man United every week. If Zaha goes they will be in a relegation battle ☹️

Positions 18-20

Fulham, West Brom, West Ham. I have not really seen any teams as bad as West Brom and Fulham, and my expectation is that both these teams will be relegated. West Ham got a little lucky last season, but not sure they can dodge relegation this time around. It will be close for them. They have a brutal run of fixtures to start, and could have less that 5 points after 7 or 8 games. 

First manager fired ?

For me the two candidates are David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. West Ham (no points after 2 games), have Wolves(H), Leicester(A), Spurs(A), Man City(H), Liverpool(A). Perhaps something against Wolves but the rest will be tough. Could have 3 or fewer points after 7 games, and already feel adrift.

Solksjaer is also staring down the barrel. United have Brighton(A), Tottenham(H), Newcastle(A), Chelsea(H), Arsenal(H), Everton(A). So 3 top 6 teams at home and 3 tricky away fixtures against decent opponents. Add to this that Crystal Palace gave the league a blueprint on how to beat United. Are Maguire and Lindelof really going to handle the pace of Aubameyang?   I see trouble ahead, in a blowout season. Hopefully they will move for a rejuvenated Potch and Edwin van der Saar as director of football, when the time comes.

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by neilovan

[neilovan]

One more strange post , more of a question really...

Could Aaron Wan Bissaka possibly play as a central defender? Ok he is not the tallest guy around at 5 ft 11, but he is a great one-on-one defender, and his speed could make up for Maguire, who is strong in the air but as slow as a 16 wheeler turning.

What do you think ?

 

[thfc]

This looks a tough set of fixtures.  Of the 18 matches played in the PL so far, there have only been 7 home wins, vs 11 away wins and not a single draw as yet.  Perhaps we'll get a few draws this weekend with Palace-Everton, Sheffield-Leeds, and West Ham-Wolves for me looking good candidates on the basis I think the teams are quite evenly matched.

I quite like the look of Brighton +1 at around 2s, as I think as usual Man U are being priced up partly on name.  But Man U will surely be better than the last game vs Palace.  Both teams had good away wins in the league cup in midweek.  It's not a fully confident shout but I think the price on Brighton is bigger than it should be, so taking them to win or draw seems the logical play.

I also thought about Burnley who are outsiders against Southampton.  Saints have started the season poorly, whereas Burnley have only had the one league game, but won a couple of league cup games.  However, I think Southampton will come good sooner or later, and they were excellent away from home last season, so I think i'll pass on this one.

Otherwise, nothing really stands out.  Chelsea would be my most confident 'banker' of the short priced teams, and I wouldn't be touching spurs at odds around 1.5, although BTTS would be a good shout in this one.  

[StevieDay1983]

On 9/22/2020 at 3:17 PM, neilovan said:

One more strange post , more of a question really...

Could Aaron Wan Bissaka possibly play as a central defender? Ok he is not the tallest guy around at 5 ft 11, but he is a great one-on-one defender, and his speed could make up for Maguire, who is strong in the air but as slow as a 16 wheeler turning.

What do you think ?

 

I was initially going to say no but the whole reason we brought Curtis Nelson in for Aden Flint in the Cardiff back-line was because we needed a fast-paced player next to Sean Morrison at centre back. It's improved our defensive immeasurably over the last year. So even though Nelson might not be the "better defender" he complements Morrison better than Flint. Could be the same for Wan Bissaka and Maguire?

[StevieDay1983]

Brighton vs Manchester United

OK, so speaking of Manchester United, we'll kick off our weekly previews with the 12:30pm BST game on Saturday afternoon which is Brighton versus Manchester United at the AMEX Stadium. Both of these teams have had mixed starts to their 2020/21 campaigns so this match offers a great opportunity to put their seasons on a more positive footing at this early stage.

Brighton have had a campaign of ups and downs so far already. Graham Potter's side suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss to Chelsea at home in their opening game but hit back with an impressive 3-0 victory away to Newcastle last week. The mixed fortunes in the league have been boosted by the superb performances in the EFL Cup that has seen the Seagulls reach the 4th Round after a 4-0 win over Portsmouth at home and a 2-0 victory away against Preston. Scoring goals isn't a problem for Brighton right now with the club having hit the net in 8 of their last 10 games. The fact this statistic is combined with the team keeping 3 clean sheets in their opening 4 competitive matches of the season is positive reading for their fans. Anyone watching their games will know how well the likes of Ben White and Tariq Lamptey have been playing. It's all encouraging stuff.

Manchester United haven't quite had as much to shout about as Brighton in their season so far. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already had to hit back at the critics after the club started their league campaign with a 3-1 battering at home to Crystal Palace. The Red Devils answered that result with a 3-0 win away to Luton in the EFL Cup 3rd Round. However, the fans will be concerned that the team has only won 2 of their last 5 league games. There are already rumours that Ed Woodward is courting the idea of bringing in Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa to replace Solskjaer if results don't improve immediately. It feels like we've been here before with United.

Right, so this is where we get a better idea of where these two teams are placed at this early phase of the season. Brighton have made me raise an eyebrow of interest so far. I admire Potter as a manager and think Brighton are in good hands with him at the helm. In White and Lamptey, they have two exciting prospects and there's potential for this team to establish themselves as a mid-table Premier League side. Manchester United just feel like a club that still possess something not quite right about them. I think it's only a matter of time before Solskjaer is removed. They've hit their peak under him and I have no confidence they can win this game. Maybe their front line will squeak them through but they still have issues at the back. I just can't back a United win so I have to go for a Brighton double chance. I can certainly see both teams scoring.

Brighton Double Chance @ 2.20 with RedZone

BTTS @ 1.72 with Betfair

[StevieDay1983]

Crystal Palace vs Everton

The second game in our Premier League previews this weekend is the 3pm BST kick-off on Saturday afternoon between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park. Both of these two clubs have enjoyed productive starts to their league campaigns but at least one side will drop points in this game. In a battle between two experienced managers, who will come out on top?

Crystal Palace were one of my tips to go down this season. I'm not afraid to say it. I could be wrong based on this early season form but I still think over the whole campaign they will struggle. Especially if Wilfried Zaha goes. For the time being, life is good for the Eagles. Roy Hodgson has done a cracking job so far with the 1-0 win at home to Southampton and the 3-1 victory away to Manchester United. Granted, Zaha has done the game-defining magic with 3 goals in those 2 league games but the whole team unit has worked very efficiently with a high intense pressure game in the middle of the park working wonders. The fact remains that Palace have lost 8 of their last 11 league games stretching back into last season and they've played two teams that have had off days.

Everton finally look like a team that will give the top four places a real good go this season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is already getting the best out of his trio of new signings with Allan, Abdoulaye Doucoure, and James Rodriguez all thriving so far. He's also turned Dominic Calvert-Lewin into the lead striker he had the potential to become. Then there's the back-line that is protecting the vulnerable Jordan Pickford with their lives! The Toffees have won both of their first two games of the season beating Tottenham 1-0 away and West Brom 5-2 at home. The back-to-back wins over Salford and Fleetwood in the EFL Cup has also guided them to the 4th Round in that competition. It's all sunshine and rainbows on the blue half of Merseyside right now.

It's just the third game of the season and already one of the form teams will drop points. Credit to both of these clubs for the way they've started their respective campaigns but I feel the results have been slightly off giving us a true picture of how these two teams compare. I feel this is a game where we'll once again see Everton's talented pool of players get the job done as they continue their journey into the next level. Crystal Palace will likely give another good account of themselves but it's failing to win games like this that will keep them in a mid-table position at best this season before what I feel will become the inevitable decline as the season goes on and their lack of squad depth is exposed.

Everton to Win @ 2.20 with Matchbook

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.75 with Betfair

[StevieDay1983]

West Brom vs Chelsea

The third game for the Saturday kick-offs in the Premier League this weekend is the 5:30pm BST start between relegation favourites West Brom and a new-look Chelsea side at the Hawthorns. It's been a rough re-introduction to the top flight of English football for the home side and it doesn't get easier as they take on a lucrative away team that is showing signs of being potential Champions League qualifiers at the very least.

West Brom earned a reputation for being a yo-yo team in English football. They were always seen as the side that was too good for the Championship but not good enough for the Premier League. Based on their first two league games this season it appears that not much has changed for the Baggies. Slaven Bilic has seen his team lose 3-0 at home to Leicester and 5-2 away to Everton. The team was also eliminated 5-4 on penalties against Brentford in the EFL Cup 3rd Round in midweek after a 2-2 draw. Conceding 8 goals is a worry for Bilic even though his team probably weren't expecting to win many points in these opening few fixtures. On the plus side, it seems they have found a surprise goal scoring outlet in Wales international Hal Robson-Kanu who has bagged 3 goals in all competitions already.

Chelsea spent big in the summer and it's hard to tell whether it will prove money invested wisely. The Blues stormed to a 3-1 win away to Brighton in their opening game but then lost 2-0 at home to reigning champions Liverpool in their second league match after going down to 10-men when Andreas Christensen was sent off and Jorginho missed a penalty. The 6-0 win over Barnsley in the EFL Cup 3rd Round gave a glimpse of the ability of new signing Kai Havertz who bagged a hat-trick. At least three goals have been scored in all of Chelsea's last 8 away league matches including failing to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 away league games. So we can expect goals here.

I think you can count West Brom as one of the relegated sides already. It's clear they don't have the quality or manager to keep them in this division. It's effectively a waste of a Premier League spot. It's a shame Brentford couldn't have gone up instead. No offence Baggies fans! Anyway, I expect another harsh dose of reality for them here with Chelsea running riot. I can see the away side winning by 2-3 goals.

Chelsea -1 @ 2.13 with RedZone

Chelsea HT/FT @ 2.10 with Novibet

[StevieDay1983]

Burnley vs Southampton

Our final preview for the Saturday matches in the Premier League comes from Turf Moor where Burnley host Southampton in an 8pm BST kick-off. Neither of these two teams have managed to pick up a point in the league so far this season but the home team will be hoping to build on their EFL Cup fortunes with a win over a travelling side that are looking as bad at the start of this campaign as they did at the beginning of the 2019/20 season.

Burnley continue to head into a Premier League being tipped to go down due to their lack of investment. Yet once again it seems Sean Dyche has his team organised and drilled to defy the odds. The Clarets might have lost their first and only league game of the season so far by a 4-2 score-line away to Leicester but the progression to the EFL Cup 4th Round thanks to wins over Sheffield United and Millwall suggests there's still plenty of fight in this Burnley team this season. Just 1 loss from their last 8 league games at home is decent form heading into this match and the fact they're also unbeaten against Southampton since 2016 with 4 wins and 3 draws in their 7 meetings since gives them every reason to be confident ahead of this clash.

Southampton were a team many felt could push on up the league table after a strong finish last season despite their torrid start. The manner in which the Saints have started this campaign has to leave you wondering what on earth Ralph Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff do with the players in the off-season?! A 1-0 loss away to Crystal Palace and 5-2 defeat at home to Tottenham is disappointing and the 2-0 loss at home to Brentford in the EFL Cup 2nd Round added further misery to their early season schedule. On the plus side, Danny Ings has already scored 2 goals this season so that gives them hope in any game if he's scoring.

This is one of those games where I'm torn between the home win and draw. Southampton have not given me any reason to feel I can back them at the moment. There have been moments of encouragement but over a 90 minute period of a game they're lacking. Burnley will always be a side under Dyche that you can't bet against without feeling it's a big risk. I just think Ings is still hitting the back of the net and he could be the difference between Southampton drawing and losing games like this right now so I'm going to back a draw.

Draw @ 3.35 with Unibet

BTTS @ 1.86 with Betfair

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Premier League

Man Utd have won with at least a 2 goal margin in their last 4 away matches in Premier League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Chelsea’s last 8 away games in Premier League.
Man Utd have won their last 4 away matches in Premier League.
Everton have kept a clean sheet in 88% of their last 8 away matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions.

You can find interesting 52 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 26.09.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-26-09-2020-20790/

[malabgd]

Burnley FC vs Southampton

 

 

Burnley FC

Doubtful: Robbie Brady (1/0 m), James Tarkowski (0/0 d), Jay Rodriguez (1/0 f)

Out (injuries/other): Johann Berg Gudmundsson (0/0 m), Jack Cork (0/0 m), Ashley Barnes (0/0 f), Ben Mee (0/0 d)

Suspended: -

 

Southampton

Doubtful: Mohamed Salisu (0/0 d)

Out (injuries/other): Nathan Redmond (1/0 m)

Suspended: -

 

Daily updated injuries and suspensions information from more then 100 football leagues and competitions worldwide at: www.injuriesandsuspensions.com

[neilovan]

4 hours ago, StevieDay1983 said:

I was initially going to say no but the whole reason we brought Curtis Nelson in for Aden Flint in the Cardiff back-line was because we needed a fast-paced player next to Sean Morrison at centre back. It's improved our defensive immeasurably over the last year. So even though Nelson might not be the "better defender" he complements Morrison better than Flint. Could be the same for Wan Bissaka and Maguire?

Probably United's best center back pairing was Vidic and Ferdinand.  Neither was an absolute giant, yet they were pretty damn good. Probably Bailly will play instead of Lindelof, and he could do a similar job to Bissaka. Height is not a show stopper. Blind is on 5F 10 and he did pretty well.

I'm a United fan, and I think they won't get 3 points against Brighton. Brighton were excellent against Arsenal. Played really good football, and gave a soft first goal away after dominating. Then they equalized and went immediately behind to an absolute thunderbolt, that misses 9 times in 10. So they were unlucky. Against Newcastle they were very good.

I expect another bumpy outing from United, but maybe Bailly and Maguire click!

I'll just watch this one from behind the couch !

Edited September 25, 2020 by neilovan

[betcatalog]

I expect an effective match at the Amex Stadium. Brighton lost 3-1 to Chelsea in the first round, but have since won three times. The EFL Cup victories over Portsmouth and Preston, as well as last weekend's 3-0 victory in Newcastle, have restored the confidence and psychology of the players. The Gulls have scored 9 goals in the 3 games we mentioned. Manchester United, meanwhile, have no room for calculation. The red devils will attack from the first minute. At least three goals must be scored here
Brighton vs Manchester United @@ Over 2,5, odds 1.83

I expect Chelsea to win this match. I believe that they will cover their disadvantage of a goal. The Blues have been pretty good so far, even in the defeat by Liverpool. Liverpool is very good for any team with ten players. West Brom do not have two important players - Gibbs has been penalized, while Conor Gallagher is not eligible to face his home team. Not only that, some players are doubtful, including the double scorer in the last match of Kano. I do not see West Brom getting anything out of this game
WEST BROMWICH ALBION vs CHELSEA @@1.50 Ah CHELSEA, ods 1.85

[StevieDay1983]

Sheffield United vs Leeds

An early kick-off greets us on Sunday afternoon as the first Premier League game of the day when Sheffield United play Leeds in a 12pm BST start at Bramall Lane. These are two sides that are showing the Championship can produce competitive and dangerous sides when they get promoted from the second tier into the top flight. Which one of these innovative sides will come away the happier?

Sheffield United defied all belief last season by finishing in 9th place and it had even looked like the Blades would gate crash the European qualification places at one point. Chris Wilder has done a remarkable job at the club and after making a few shrewd signings during the off-season there was a feeling they could establish themselves further as a solid Premier League club. Unfortunately, results haven't quite gone their way so far. A 2-0 loss at home to Wolves was disappointing but the 1-0 defeat away to Aston Villa was purely gut-wrenching. Especially because the red card given to John Egan after just 12 minutes was so influential on the outcome. The team comes into this game knowing they've lost just 4 of their last 16 home league matches but have also only kept 3 clean sheets in their last 9 league matches at home.

Leeds won over a horde of admirers over the past couple of seasons in the Championship thanks to their intense attacking style of play under Marcelo Bielsa. The Whites finally sealed a return back to the Premier League as champions last season and have continued to earn the plaudits after impressive displays this season. OK, so it's been mixed results but the 4-3 loss to Liverpool was a brave effort and the 4-3 win over Fulham was exhilarating. It's a high risk approach by Leeds as a team that might have scored 7 goals in their 2 league games but they've also conceded 7 and have had an average of 18 shots fired at their goal across the two games. That's more than any other team in the division.

This is a tricky game to call. I love what both of these clubs are doing in their approach towards competing in the Premier League. It's ambitious, it's attractive, and it's admirable. I do have a concern that Sheffield United need to win a league as soon as possible otherwise it could start getting in their heads. Leeds will be safe this season and I think they'll be tricky opposition for anyone. I'm swaying towards an away win but I think I'll have to back a draw because I honestly don't see too much separating these two clubs.

Draw @ 3.45 with Unibet

BTTS @ 1.78 with Betway

[StevieDay1983]

Tottenham vs Newcastle

The Premier League action continues at 2pm BST on Sunday afternoon when Tottenham play Newcastle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. These two clubs have experienced mixed results to start their campaigns so far. When it's been good, it's been good. When it's been poor, it's been terrible. In this battle of two Jekyll and Hyde teams, which manifestations will appear on the pitch in this game?

Tottenham endured a very tough start to their new season at home against Everton. It might have only been a 1-0 defeat but the performance left Jose Mourinho and Spurs fan annoyed and concerned. Fortunately, it appears that certain issues have been addressed. The team have beaten Southampton 5-2 away in the league and both of their Europa League qualification matches against Lokomotiv Plovdiv and Shkendija since. A clean sheet still escapes the London team but it's clear they have found a way to score in abundance. This will be the team's fourth game in just 10 days so it'll be interesting to see what rotations Mourinho makes, if any.

Newcastle had performed so impressively in their opening weekend 2-0 win away to West Ham but as the days have passed it appears that was more a damning indictment of the Hammers' current predicament rather than the quality of the Toon Army. The Magpies followed that match up with a disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton. However, progression to the EFL Cup 4th Round after convincing clean sheet wins over Blackburn and Morecambe have helped to make it three wins in four competitive matches with three clean sheets. Steve Bruce can also take optimism from the fact that Newcastle have won on 4 of their last 6 visits to Tottenham.

I know that a lot of tipsters are favouring a draw in this and some are even backing Newcastle as a double chance but I still think that Tottenham will come good under Mourinho. The Everton loss was a bad way to start their season but they've looked much-improved since. I think Mourinho is identifying the areas of weakness and addressing them as best as he can. After the performances of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min it's impossible to bet against them here.

Tottenham HT/FT @ 2.30 with BetVictor

Anytime Scorer: Son Heung-min @ 2.50 with Bet365

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Premier League

Man City have scored at least 2 goals in their last 11 home matches in Premier League.
Man City are undefeated in their last 11 home matches in Premier League.
Sheff Utd have lost their last 5 matches in Premier League.
Man City have won their last 7 home matches in Premier League.
Man City have won with at least a 3 goal margin in 83% of their last 6 home matches in Premier League.

You can find interesting 48 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 27.09.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-27-09-2020-20793

[betcatalog]

In England, the newly enlightened Leeds of Bielsa has impressed in the first two matches. Today, he is being tested at the home of Sheffield United, which counts two defeats, without scoring in the league, while he was eliminated between Burnley, in the English League Cup, on penalties. I think that with the forum that Leeds has taken, it will not lose even today
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs LEEDS UNITED @@ +0 Ah LEEDS UNITED, odds 1.80

I think Leicester City will not lose by more than one goal. The foxes play with great form and the confidence of the players is high. Manchester City, meanwhile, have a lot of absences and Leicester will have to take advantage of the issues that Pep Guardiola has to deal with.
MANCHESTER CITY vs LEICESTER CITY @@ +1.50 Ah LEICESTER CITY, odds 2.00

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester City vs Leicester

Apologies for the late posting of the next two previews. It's been mine and my daughter's birthday this weekend so been a bit all over the place! Anyway, here is a quick look at the 4:30pm BST kick-off between Manchester City and Leicester that is scheduled to take place at the Etihad Stadium. Is there any other outcome likely than a home win in this encounter?

Manchester City feel like a wounded animal this season after the disappointment of last season with the league, FA Cup, and Champions League all escaping their grasp. Pep Guardiola sent a message last weekend with his team convincingly beating renowned bogey side Wolves away by a 3-1 score-line. The Citizens come into this game having won 10 and drawn 1 of their last 11 home league games. Those 11 matches have also seen an average of 3.63 goals scored per game. A concern is that Pep may need to shake things up with the double injury blow to Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus. Will he decide to play Raheem Sterling or Kevin De Bruyne in a false nine role or will he opt for youngster Liam Delap who impressed midweek in the 2-1 win at home against Bournemouth in the EFL Cup 3rd Round?

Leicester have started this campaign in the same manner they started the last one. Brendan Rodgers has got his team playing free flowing attacking football. The 3-0 victory over West Brom away probably wasn't a surprise but the ruthless style of their 4-2 win at home to the experienced Burnley was certainly a statement of intent. A 2-0 loss at home to Arsenal in the EFL Cup 3rd Round in midweek was disappointing but it shouldn't affect their spirits ahead of this game. A lingering mental issue could be the fact the Foxes have only won 1 of their last 9 away league games but that did come in their opening match of this season.

This is always an enjoyable encounter between these two teams. Over 2.5 goals have been scored with both teams scoring have been recorded in 4 of the last 5 meetings. You can already see this season how relentless their attacking play is so I'm anticipating an end-to-end contest here. I do feel Manchester City are really well prepared for a title challenge and they're my favourites. Leicester have every chance of qualifying for Europe again but I think they're still some way off challenging City.

Manchester City to Win & BTTS @ 2.60 with Betway

Manchester City HT/FT @ 1.91 with BetVictor

[StevieDay1983]

West Ham vs Wolves

The final Premier League I'm covering today is the 7pm BST clash between West Ham and Wolves from the London Stadium. These two teams will probably both be disappointed with the start to their campaigns so far but more so for the home side. Fan discontent, criticism of the board, and now and outbreak of covid-19 has caused yet another toxic atmosphere at the club. Can they win against an away side that is always a dangerous opponent to boost the morale?

West Ham are the team that keep on flattering to deceive. David Moyes undoubtedly has a squad of talented players that really shouldn't be embroiled in the relegation candidates chat but it once again seems that the Hammers will be fighting at the wrong end of the table this season. Back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Arsenal have left the club without a single point in the league after two games. The progress to the EFL Cup 4th Round is a shining light of the campaign after the midweek 5-1 win over West Ham. It still seems astounding that the club has the likes of Sebastien Haller, Andriy Yarmolenko, and Felipe Anderson yet they're still struggling to get points on the pitch. Just 4 wins from their last 17 home league games is a disconcerting stat in its own right as well.

Wolves could well be a team to watch this season with only the league and the FA Cup to draw their attention this season. Nuno Espirito Santo has continued his Portuguese revolution this season. The opening weekend 2-0 win away to Sheffield United was a potential banana skin overcome in comfortable fashion. Unfortunately, the 3-1 loss at home to Manchester City was then a dose of reality about how far left they have to go before reaching the next level. Wanderers have beaten West Ham with a clean sheet in each of their last four meetings.

It was only back in June that these two sides played each other here and it was the visitors that came away with a 2-0 win on that occasion. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a similar result. Moyes is still in self-isolation after testing positive for covid-19 in midweek and so the managerial reigns will be temporarily taken by Alan Irvine. I feel no matter who is in charge of the Hammers for this game it's Wolves' game to lose.

Wolves to Win @ 2.30 with Gentingbet

Anytime Scorer: Raul Jimenez @ 2.38 with VBet

[Magic0024]

Football Facts and Streaks regarding Premier League

Fulham have lost their last 4 matches in Premier League.
There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 89% of Aston Villa’s last 9 games in Premier League.
Liverpool are undefeated in their last 39 home matches in Premier League.
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 83% of Arsenal’s last 6 games in Premier League.
Fulham have conceded at least 3 goals in their last 3 matches in Premier League.
Aston Villa have failed to win their last 8 away matches in Premier League.

You can find interesting 27 Football Betting Facts and Streaks for 28.09.2020 on this link ... https://eurofootballrumours.com/football-facts-and-streaks-28-09-2020-20796

[StevieDay1983]

Fulham vs Aston Villa

The Premier League matches continue into the standard Monday night double header and the first of those two games coming up is between Fulham and Aston Villa in a 5:45pm BST kick-off at Craven Cottage. Both of these sides were tipped to struggle heading into this season. The home side are still yet to pick up a point so far and they face a travelling side that have only played one league game so far and prevailed victorious.

Fulham have been my tip to finish bottom of the top flight of English football this season and so far they are well on their way to fulfilling that prediction. Scott Parker has seen his team struggle in their two league defeats with a 3-0 loss at home to Arsenal and 4-3 defeat away to fellow promoted side Leeds. The fact the Cottagers have conceded 7 goals in those 2 games will be Parker's biggest concern. In Aleksandar Mitrovic, they have a striker who appears to be able to bag enough goals to keep them in games if the defence can tighten up so there is hope. However, they'll have to improve on the 11 shots per game average they are conceding at the moment.

Aston Villa actually look like they have the potential to stay up this season. Dean Smith has pulled off decent business in the transfer market this off-season and the signing of Ollie Watkins could provide the goal poaching instincts in the opposition area that his side missed dearly last season. The Villains defeated 10-man Sheffield United in their opening game by a 1-0 score-line so it's still hard to judge how well they are set for this season but it is now 5 league games undefeated. The convincing wins over Burton and Bristol City in the EFL Cup to reach the 4th Round with 3 goals scored in each shows they're certainly not lacking goals this year.

How do we call this one? I think if home advantage was more relevant than it currently is then I'd be thinking this could be a game that Fulham could seal their first win in. Unfortunately, home advantage appears to no longer be a thing with fans still not allowed back into grounds so I have to say I think Villa could add even more misery onto Fulham's early season start. That said, the way results have gone this weekend anything could bloody happen! 

Aston Villa to Win @ 2.63 with Novibet

Anytime Scorer: Ollie Watkins @ 3.00 with Bet365

[StevieDay1983]

Liverpool vs Arsenal

The final match in the Premier League schedule this week is the 8pm BST kick-off on Monday night between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield. These two teams have both started their campaigns with a 100% record in the league. There wasn't a lot separating them when they have met recently in the league and FA Community Shield so this could be an intriguing clash.

Liverpool have started their title defence in a very positive manner with a 4-3 win over newly promoted Leeds at home followed by a 3-1 victory over Chelsea away. A ruthless 7-2 win away to Lincoln in the EFL Cup 3rd Round showed that Jurgen Klopp is intent on his side maintaining this highly intense attacking style of play that has brought so much success to date. The Reds come into this game having won 19 of their last 20 matches at home in the league. One issue Klopp will want to see addressed is the fact that his team have conceded 6 goals in their 3 competitive matches so far. Especially when you consider the opposition, with all due respect, has been a newly promoted side, a team with just 10 men, and a League Two club.

Arsenal continue to look like a team heading in the right direction under Mikel Arteta. The penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the FA Community Shield came off the back of the Gunners winning 2-1 against Liverpool at home in the league at the end of last season. It certainly seems that Arteta has the edge over Klopp right now. Arsenal have been clinical so far with a 3-0 win away to Fulham in their opening game and then a 2-1 victory over a hard-working West Ham. A 2-0 win away to in-form Leicester in the EFL Cup 3rd Round has also boosted their morale. Scoring goals certainly isn't an issue for the team with them scoring in 15 of their last 16 competitive matches.

The same thing always happens in Liverpool versus Arsenal games. Goals. Goals. Goals. Both teams have scored in every single one of the last 8 competitive meetings between the two sides. I love the fact that Arsenal have had the better of their opponents in this fixture recently. If Arsenal do win this then can we actually consider them as genuine title contenders for the league this season? It's a potential season-defining game and I'm expecting drama in bucket loads. Goals too. I'm not sure I can separate them though so I'll have to back Arsenal double chance simply because the price is too tempting to ignore.

Arsenal Double Chance @ 2.63 with 888Sport

BTTS @ 1.64 with Novibet

[MkayaGG]

On 9/22/2020 at 4:40 PM, neilovan said:

Maybe slightly unrelated but was writing this page anyway so I thought I would post it here;

2020/2021 EPL Predictions

Top 2

Let’s run through the teams in the English premier league in 2020. For me the same top 2 as last year. Both Man City and Liverpool are light years ahead of the chasing pack. Liverpool have already bought well and have strengthened nicely. Will they be better this year? I think Liverpool will develop a maturity. You simply cannot play every game at helter skelter pace. You need to pick your teams well to deal with the opponent. I think Liverpool will do this well this season. Man City will be the closest chaser. They have a solid squad, but Pep may just wear these guys out. He is intense, and possibly the focus is on CL glory. Defensive weakness still exists.

Positions 3rd – 8th

Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton, Man United, Leicester and Tottenham in the mix here but in which order? Chelsea definitely seem to have the best squad out of this group, but they are missing a van Djik type defender that will take them up to the next level. I see them improving one position up to 3rd. If they would buy Koulibaly, they could challenge the top 2. Beyond me why United don't bid for him.

Man United for me are going to be poor. Are they going to get better than 66 points this season? Maybe up to 70 or so at best, but they have not really moved forward from last season. Solksjaer gone sometime in January when they are miles off the pace (again), and having another slump.

I do like Arsenal, and think they will make a huge improvement. They had two big problems. One was getting results against the top teams and the other was away form. At home they have been really good, especially against the lower half teams. I think they will improve the away record massively, and will finish 4th,  with between 68 and 74 points.

Everton, Man United and Spurs will be fighting for the 5th position, and I feel that United could even be as low as 7th (if no transfers come in). They just look so poor, and I think another huge slump may be coming sooner than later. Tottenham, under Mourinho, could surprise, but it could also go pear shaped quickly.

Everton under Ancelotti look good. He is an excellent manager. Playing with confidence, and nice patterns of play. The team looks really confident ... Calvert-Lewin to get close to 20 goals this season.  James Rodriguez looks ridiculously fit, and I'm pretty sure Ancellotti will get the best out of Moise Kean. Also good to see a fully recovered Andre Gomes back after a terrible injury. The good times for the other half of Merseyside are here !

(3/4/5)        Chelsea | Arsenal | Everton

(6/7/8)        Man United | Spurs | Leicester

Positions 9th – 13th

Wolves, Leeds United, Brighton, Sheffield United, Newcastle United. Not sure why Wolves are selling players, but it will not help them. Leeds and Brighton look good. They are playing with some style, and will score goals and entertain. Brighton may just chop Man United this weekend. Leeds may run out of legs towards the end of the season but they will be safe. Newcastle will continue to improve, and will finish higher than last season (13th). Callum Wilson an excellent signing. Always liked him, has such a good attitude, and always puts in a full shift! 

Positions 14-17

Burnley, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Southampton. Burnley will be comfortable in the end. They are always a difficult style/opponent and will find their way. Palace have already surprised me, but I don’t think they will find soft opponents like Man United every week. If Zaha goes they will be in a relegation battle ☹️

Positions 18-20

Fulham, West Brom, West Ham. I have not really seen any teams as bad as West Brom and Fulham, and my expectation is that both these teams will be relegated. West Ham got a little lucky last season, but not sure they can dodge relegation this time around. It will be close for them. They have a brutal run of fixtures to start, and could have less that 5 points after 7 or 8 games. 

First manager fired ?

For me the two candidates are David Moyes and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer. West Ham (no points after 2 games), have Wolves(H), Leicester(A), Spurs(A), Man City(H), Liverpool(A). Perhaps something against Wolves but the rest will be tough. Could have 3 or fewer points after 7 games, and already feel adrift.

Solksjaer is also staring down the barrel. United have Brighton(A), Tottenham(H), Newcastle(A), Chelsea(H), Arsenal(H), Everton(A). So 3 top 6 teams at home and 3 tricky away fixtures against decent opponents. Add to this that Crystal Palace gave the league a blueprint on how to beat United. Are Maguire and Lindelof really going to handle the pace of Aubameyang?   I see trouble ahead, in a blowout season. Hopefully they will move for a rejuvenated Potch and Edwin van der Saar as director of football, when the time comes.

 

Intresting fixtures coming up for week 4

Nothing stands out. I think defence will rule the weekend with the suprise results already noted

Low Scores predicted