Premier League Predictions > Nov 27th & 28th

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

Check out the odds and ratings for this weekend's Premier League matches coming up. There are a set of midweek fixtures following these games so you might need to take that into account when placing your bets! 

[ALEXXXXXXXX]

Liverpool

They are on a run now. Even if they play two-fronted attack on the League and European games, they play well on both. After they qualify for next stage in UEFA Champions League, they rotate their key players in last game and make great preparation for EPL.

 

Southampton

It is a pity that their two-match winning streak is ended by Norwich City in last game though they have higher possession percentage. They do not play steadily. Now they rank the thirteenth in the table of the League.

 

Verdict:

Liverpool take the upper hand over Southampton. What’s more, Liverpool are in good condition. They are looking good for a shot at the title this season. There is no doubt that Liverpool are going to win in upcoming game.

 

Prediction: 2-0, 3-0

[DarrenTse]

 Arsenal vs Newcastle United

Kick Off: 11/27/2021 08:30

 

Arsenal

The Gunners lost 4-0 to Liverpool in the last league game, ending their 10-game unbeaten record in all competitions at Anfield Stadium. The resurgent Arsenal missed the chance to enter the top four last weekend. The team currently rank 5th in the table - three points behind West Ham United. In fact, Arsenal are tied for the best home record with Manchester City and Chelsea this year. Home game is advantage for Arsenal who have got 13 points from the last 15 at Emirates. 

Newcastle United

Newcastle United drew 3-3 with the upgrade team Brentford in the last league game. They are on a 13-match winless run, and seven of these were losses, which makes them at the bottom of the table ranking - five points behind the safe area. Newcastle United have a poor defense performance for having conceded three or more goals in three of their past five games, and it’s been six months since they last victory at away.

Prediction

Arsenal have been unbeaten in the last six meetings with Newcastle United without conceding a goal. With Arsenal's strong home performance and Newcastle's poor defense, the Gunners are expected to win this game. 

 

Pick: Arsenal

Total: Under 3 goals

[StevieDay1983]

Arsenal vs Newcastle

The first Premier League game of the weekend takes place at 12:30pm GMT on Saturday when Champions League-chasing Arsenal entertain bottom-of-the-table Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium. These two teams are competing at opposite ends of the table but can we expect any kind of shock after a recent managerial for the away side or will the home fans be validated in "trusting the process".

Arsenal suffered a setback to their improving season last week after the Gunners lost 4-0 away to title contenders Liverpool. It was a gut-wrenching defeat for Mikel Arteta's side who had gone unbeaten in 10 matches across all competitions prior to that loss. It was a disappointing result for Arsenal who had kept back-to-back clean sheets prior to that game but was it a one-off? The team are still 5th in the table and only 3 points outside the top four. Arsenal have still got their decent home form in tact with just 1 loss from their 8 home games so far in all competitions. They also come into this game knowing they have won the last 7 meetings with Newcastle and haven't lost to the Toon Army at home since 7th November, 2010.

Newcastle will have mixed feelings about last weekend's 3-3 draw with Brentford. Before the game there was a feeling of optimism amongst the Magpies faithful that they could get a win from this fixture. However, the fact they were 2-1 down and 3-2 down but managed to claw back the result twice will have pleased new head coach Eddie Howe at the level of character his players showed to get something from the game.  The team are still rooted to the foot of the table but are now just 5 points adrift of safety. Unfortunately, they have lost 17 of the last 18 clashes with Arsenal across all competitions so they can be forgiven for not having the most optimistic stance ahead of this encounter.

I think this is going to be a tough game for Newcastle as it is but their head-to-head record against Arsenal over the last decade has been atrocious. I am expecting to see a rebound performance from the Gunners in this game and I think it could take some time before we start seeing Howe's managerial impact on the team. Newcastle are one of only two teams along with Burnley who have yet to win a league game away this season and that will continue here.

Arsenal to Win & BTTS @ 3.00 with Bet365

Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.65 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa

The first game of the 3pm GMT kick-offs on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League that I'm previewing is the intriguing match-up between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at Selhurst Park. Both teams will be up for this one with the home side currently undergoing a decent run of results and the away team earned an impressive win last weekend under their new head coach. It's also the return of the iconic top flight battle between old rivals Patrick Vieira and Steve Gerrard.

Crystal Palace look like an exciting prospect under Vieira's management so far. The Eagles are in 10th place and only 4 points outside the European qualification spots as it stands. It's now 7 league games unbeaten for Palace including winning 2 of their last 3 league matches. You can't deny there is an entertainment factor about the team now as well with both teams scoring in 5 of their last 7 matches. Although I'm sure Vieira will want to tighten up on things defensively. The fact that Palace have drawn 7 of their 12 league games so far will equally please and frustrate their fans. Yes, they've become difficult to beat but they could be a top four side right now if they had turned 4 of those 7 draws into wins.

Aston Villa started life under Gerrard with a rousing 2-0 win at home over Brighton. It's a shrewd appointment by the Villa owners and it's started off very well. That victory ended a run of 5 straight league defeats. It has moved Villa up to 15th in the table and 4 points above the relegation zone. This will be an entirely different challenge for Gerrard now with his team going to a hostile stadium where Palace have proven to be unbeatable so far this season. Both teams have scored in 3 of the last 5 away league games for Villa so Gerrard will also be keen to see his defence sharpen up and stop leaking goals that have been costing the team points this season.

At face value, this is a clash between a team that is unbeaten at home in the league this season against the team that has the worst away record in the division. The arrival of Gerrard obviously skews that statistic slightly but it'll be interesting to see how the Aston Villa players perform on their travels under the new manager. Will we see a marked improvement or will the old problems creep in? I am going to hedge my bets and back a draw with both teams scoring.

Draw @ 3.45 with SBK

BTTS @ 1.84 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Liverpool vs Southampton

The 3pm GMT action on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League continues with Liverpool versus Southampton at Anfield. Both of these sides are pretty much par for the course so far this season with the home team knocking on the door of the title race in 3rd place just 4 points behind league leaders Chelsea and the away side down in 13th position but 5 points clear of the relegation zone.

Liverpool might have only won 1 of their last 3 league games but the 4-0 home win over Arsenal in their last league outing was followed up by a convincing 2-0 home victory against Porto in the Champions League in midweek. Jurgen Klopp's men are back to winning ways and they're playing like a wounded animal. It's now 22 league games scored in a row for the Reds and they have now scored more than 1 goal in 16 games straight across all competitions. It's also interesting to note that Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in each of their last 9 league victories. If you want an anytime scorer bet other than the obvious Mohamed Salah this week then Sadio Mane has scored 8 goals in his last 8 league appearances for Liverpool.

Southampton come into this game as the underdogs but it'll be more interesting to see how Ralph Hasenhuttl's side reacts after the 2-1 defeat away to bottom three placed Norwich last weekend that was a loss that ended an unbeaten run of 4 league games, including 3 wins, for the Saints. Despite their upturn in form before last weekend's loss, Southampton have only won 1 of their 6 league games on the road this season. That has totalled up to 13 losses in their 17 away league games during this calendar year. Intriguingly, only Chelsea and Manchester City have conceded less goals in the first half this season.

The head-to-head statistics don't make for pretty reading for Southampton fans with Liverpool having won 7 of their last 8 games against Southampton in the league. Southampton also haven't won in the last 7 league games played at Anfield. Not only that but they've lost the last 4 trips to Liverpool without scoring a single goal. I wouldn't be surprised to see another clean sheet win for Liverpool here.

Liverpool to Win to Nil @ 2.45 with SportNation

Anytime Scorer: Sadio Mane @ 2.15 with SpreadEx

[StevieDay1983]

Norwich vs Wolves

The final preview for the 3pm GMT kick-offs on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League is a potential firecracker affair between a seemingly rejuvenated Norwich and an in-form Wolves at Carrow Road. If you had put this game forward to me a few weeks ago then I'd have said there was only one winner but football is a funny old game. Fast forward a few weeks and suddenly it's not quite so cut and dry.

Norwich were looking like a team all at sea under Daniel Farke but the arrival of new head coach Dean Smith appears to have galvanized the troops. The Canaries ushered in the new era with a storming 2-1 win at home to Southampton last week. That made it back-to-back victories and lifted Norwich off the bottom of the table to 19th position and just 3 points from safety. Suddenly, things are looking more positive for last season's Championship winners. There is a chance for the team to win three straight wins in the top flight for the first time since 2012. 

Wolves present quite the opposition to Norwich this week. Bruno Lage's side bounced back from defeat to win 1-0 at home against West Ham last weekend. It was a superb 3 points for Wanderers and lifted them to 6th in the table and just 4 points outside the Champions League qualification places. It's now 5 wins from their last 7 league games and it appears that Lage's reign is one that is moving the club in the right direction. A key part of those results has been the return of Raul Jimenez who scored the winner last weekend. This is officially their best start to a top flight campaign since 1979. The team's record against newly promoted teams is also impressive having won 5 of the last 7 of those such encounters.

I think this will be a tricky tie for Wolves with Norwich seemingly building up a bit of form and momentum. However, this is a Wolves side that fear nobody at the moment. Lage has got them playing effective football and last weekend's result against one of the league's best performers was a huge statement. I can see Norwich giving it a real good go but I think Wolves could still have too much for their hosts.

Wolves to Win @ 2.20 with Betfred

Anytime Scorer: Raul Jimenez @ 2.90 with Mansion Bet

[malabgd]

Liverpool vs Southampton

2021-11-27T16:00+01:00

 

Liverpool

Doubtful: -

Out (injuries/other): Naby Keita (7/2 m), Curtis Jones (5/1 m), Joe Gomez (2/0 d), Roberto Firmino (8/4 f), Harvey Elliott (4/0 m)

Suspended: -

 

Southampton

Doubtful: -

Out (injuries/other): Stuart Armstrong (4/0 m), Jack Stephens (5/0 d)

Suspended: -

 

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

 

Interesting facts based only on statistics

Liverpool scored at least one goal in 100% of home games.

Southampton scored at least one goal in 83% of away games.

Liverpool scored at least two goals in 83% of home games.

67% chance that there will be more than 2 goals in this game.

50% chance that there will be more than 3 goals in this game.

75% chance that there will be at least 1 goal in the first-half.

33% chance that there will be a draw at half-time and draw at full-time.

[StevieDay1983]

Brighton vs Leeds

The evening kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday comes up at 5:30pm GMT when out-of-form duo Brighton and Leeds go head-to-head at the Amex Stadium. Is this the game where one of these two sides start to turn their results around or will we see both teams cancel out each other? The importance to earn 3 points here is evident for both teams but is there much separating them?

Brighton might have started this season with a bang but the problems of last season appear to once again be setting in. The Seagulls are without a win in 7 league matches now and it's seen them drop down to 9th in the table. Graham Potter's side are still just 6 points outside the Champions League qualification spots though so all is not lost. Defensive concerns are a big worry for Potter with his team conceding 9 goals in their last 4 league games and have also seen 23 shots on target on their own goal. A pick for anytime scorer here is Neal Maupay who has bagged 4 goals in 6 appearances against Leeds.

Leeds are slowly getting all their big players back but the Whites remain down in 17th place and just 2 points above the relegation zone. Marcelo Bielsa's men have won just 1 of their last 5 league games. The biggest concern for Leeds is the fact they have dropped 10 points this season from winning positions. Interestingly, only Chelsea and Leeds are yet to concede a league goal from outside the penalty area. There is also a fascinating statistic that Bielsa has a 65% win rate against English managers in the top flight compared to just 23% win rate against non-English managers in the Premier League.

Both of these teams are going through their own tough spells at the moment. Brighton have shown at times this season that they could be a real force in the top flight where as Leeds just haven't really got going yet. Brighton have won 8 of their last 9 league matches against Leeds but the ELO ratings are favouring the away team by quite a way. I am concerned that Leeds have lost their last 5 away games against Brighton but I just feel a Leeds win is due so I'm putting my faith in the ELO ratings.

Leeds to Win @ 3.85 with SBK

BTTS @ 1.81 with SBK

[DarrenTse]

Chelsea vs Manchester United

Kick Off: 11/28/2021 12:30

 

Chelsea

After the 1-1 draw with Burnley before the international match day, Thomas Tuchel's team's fate in the Premier League also improved as the shining Blues beat Leicester City 3-0 at King Power. Then the Champions League holders beat Juventus 4-0 at Stamford Bridge. The victory over Juventus marked Chelsea's ninth victory in nearly 10 games. The league leaders still led Manchester City by three points and concede four of the league's lowest goals in the whole season - but three of them have come at home.

Manchester United

Manchester United are currently seven places and 12 points behind Chelsea. No Manchester United fan needs to remind Ole Gunnar Solskjaer how his rule achieved the worst results in Watford in the last Premier League game. Solskjaer lost five of his last seven Premier League games at Manchester United. Fortunately, Michael Carrick led the Red Devils to win the much-needed Champions League knockout seat in the 2-0 victory over Villarreal in midweek.

Prediction

History may be on the side of the Red Devils because they have been unbeaten in the last seven Premier League games against Chelsea. But now Tuchel's team have shown an unstoppable momentum, Chelsea should should have no problem ending their winless record against the Red Devils.

 

Pick: Chelsea

Total: Over 2.5/3 goals

[DarrenTse]

Manchester City vs West Ham United

Kick Off: 11/28/2021 10:00

 

Manchester City

Manchester City eased to a 3-0 win over Everton in last weekend's Premier League battle, and the charming Champions League victory against PSG represented their  fourth consecutive victory in all games - and their eighth home victory in 10 home games. Manchester City have been putting pressure on leader Chelsea to rank second in the table - three points behind the European champions - but Liverpool are only one point behind the defending champions.

West Ham United

West Ham United ended their four consecutive wins in the Premier League by losing 1-0 to Wolves in the last Premier League. This is the first time they have lost the Premier League away since April. But they swept the Europa League with a calm attitude and beat the Rapid Wien 2-0 in the group stage in the middle of the week. West Ham United are fourth in the ranking and they are still firmly competing for a place in the Champions League.

Prediction

The hammers have won an unforgettable victory in Manchester City this season - ending their long-term dominance in the EFL cup through a penalty shoot out. But Manchester City's recent excellent form and the threat of goals in all areas of the pitch should help them win this game.

 

Pick: Manchester City

Total: Over 3 goals

[StefanBB]

Chelsea vs Manchester United

Chelsea heads to this game after trashing Juventus 4:0 in the Champions League clash on Tuesday. That victory launched them to the top of the table, and they’ll stay there if they beat Zenit. Thomas Tuchel’s side has been pretty confident this season in the Premier League as well since they are three points ahead of Manchester City. Chelsea’s rock-solid defense allowed only four goals in 12 games in the English top flight, while the conceded only once on the previous five occasions. On the other hand, Reece James and the lads have been pretty efficient, scoring in each of the last ten matches. The Blues are full of confidence, and they want to keep it that way.

Manchester United sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after last weekend’s heavy defeat away to Watford. It was the Red Devils’ fourth loss in the last five rounds, and they slipped to 8^th place. Michael Carrick stepped in as an interim manager against Villarreal on Tuesday, while Ralf Rangnick will take over the bench ‘till the end of the season. Cristiano Ronaldo cannot do everything on his own, and Manchester’s defense has been very leaky. Nevertheless, they bounced back with a win in the Champions League, beating Villarreal 2:0 on the road. It’s going to be a tough challenge for Man Utd, and we’ll see if they can provide a surprise.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Chelsea has been much more confident this season, and they are firm favorites in this clash. Although derbies are very tricky to predict, we believe the Blues will meet the expectations, and pick up another three points.

Goals Market Prediction

Although Chelsea has been very disciplined in the back, they’ll face a team with an excellent attacking potential. Manchester United will do its best to get a result here, and we don’t think either team will keep the clean sheet.

Chelsea to Win @ 1.60 

BTTS Yes @ 1.75 

Correct score 2:1 @ 9.00

[StevieDay1983]

Brentford vs Everton

The Premier League has an array of matches kicking off at 2pm GMT on Sunday afternoon and I'll look to be covering all of them. The first of those previews is the clash between Brentford and Everton at the Brentford Community Stadium. I think it's fair to say that both teams could do with the 3 points here but will either side have the confidence and quality to go ahead and grab them?

Brentford come into this game down in 15th position and having failed to win any of their last 5 league matches. It's a disconcerting time for the Bees as they are now only 4 points off the relegation zone. If results go against them today then that gap could be reduced to just 1 point. Thomas Frank will welcome back the trio of Yoane Wissa, Mathias Jensen, and Mads Sorensen which is a boost. It's still 5 Premier League home games without a win for Brentford and have conceded 15 goals in their last 7 league games. Conceding goals in the first half of games is a problem with the team letting in 11 first half goals this season already. Has the top flight worked them out already?

Everton are not in a much more positive position than their opponents for this game. The Toffees are down in 12th place and only 2 points better off than Brentford. Rafa Benitez has seen his team go 6 league matches without a win and they haven't even scored in their last 204 minutes of league action. The absence of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin is having a clear impact on their results with Everton only winning 21% of matches without their talismanic goal scorer compared to 50% when he is playing since the start of the 2020/21 season. The club's return of just 2 points from their last 6 matches puts them at the bottom of the form table over that period. However, there is reason for Everton to be optimistic having won 5 of their last 6 away games in the league in London and having won 5 games in a row against newly promoted teams in the Premier League.

This will be the first time these two sides have met in the league since 1954. Everton prevailed as 6-1 winners over Brentford in the second tier of English football back then but a lot has changed since those days. Both sides are in diabolical form right now and I do fear for Brentford now this season. They are in a rut that is hard to get out of with their defence conceding heavily and their attackers not scoring enough. Everton, you feel, can dig themselves out of this with the stronger squad and the more competent head coach. I'm backing an Everton win but I'll put the double chance as an insurance policy!

Everton Double Chance @ 1.70 with Unibet

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.70 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Burnley vs Tottenham

The second game I'm previewing from the 2pm GMT kick-offs on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League is the battle between Burnley and Tottenham at Turf Moor. This will be a huge test for a travelling team that are starting to pick up under their new head coach but can the home side who are looking a lot more organised and resilient now be able to take anything from this game?

Burnley might have started the season appallingly but their form has started to pick up. It's now just 1 loss from their last 7 league games and they are undefeated in their last 4 league matches. The Clarets are still down in 18th in the table but they are now just 3 points adrift of safety with a game in hand. Sean Dyche will be without a number of key players for this one including Ashley Barnes, Ashley Westwood, and James Tarkowski due to injuries and suspensions. Maxwel Cornet has been a key provider of goals for the team with 5 goals in his last 6 league starts. It does still remain that Burnley have only won 1 of their last 15 Premier League games stretching back to last season. 

Tottenham are starting to show signs of improvement under Antonio Conte. The 2-1 win over Leeds in their last game showed a strength in character that we've not seen for a while from these Spurs players. The team are up to 7th in the table and just 4 points off the Champions League qualification places. Harry Kane has started scoring goals again. Things are looking brighter for Spurs. Worryingly, only Norwich have had less shots on goal than Tottenham's 124 this season. Kane could well be the man to back as an anytime scorer with the England striker scoring 8 goals in his last 10 games against Burnley.

The head-to-head record doesn't read well for Burnley with the Lancashire club only winning 1 of their last 12 meetings with Tottenham. Tottenham have also scored in every one but one of their last 14 matches against Burnley. I can see a classic turgid game here with Burnley probably happy to take a point and Tottenham adopting a typical Conte-style approach of progressive football to seal a narrow one goal win.

Tottenham to Win @ 2.02 with SBK

Anytime Scorer: Harry Kane @ 2.14 with Unibet

[StevieDay1983]

Leicester vs Watford

The 2pm GMT kick-offs in the Premier League on Sunday continue with this game between Leicester and Watford at the King Power Stadium. Both of these sides have been struggling to find any real consistency this season that has left them scrambling at the wrong end of the table but with contrasting results last weekend will we see performances repeated in this fixture?

Leicester were being hyped up as a team that could break into the top four this season but things haven't quite gone to plan for Brendan Rodgers and his players. The Foxes are down in 13th place and closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League qualification spots. The 3-0 hammering the team suffered away to Chelsea last weekend made it 3 league games without a win. Injuries continue to pile up for Leicester with Ricardo Pereira and Jonny Evans both potentially missing out here. There is a chance that Leicester could lose three home league games in a row without scoring for the first time since 1983. A defeat would also give them the unwanted club record of 9 top division home league defeats in a calendar year. It's only 1 clean sheet from their last 18 Premier League games showing how much of an issue the defence has become for Rodgers.

Watford took the controversial decision to appoint Claudio Ranieri as a replacement for outgoing gaffer Xisco and it's still hard to ascertain if that was a wise decision or not. The Hornets are down in 16th position and just 4 points above the drop zone with the Italian only picking up 2 wins in his 5 league games in charge so far but their 4-1 victory at home to Manchester United last weekend was magnificent and also contributed to the sacking of United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. How much of that game was United gifting the result to Watford though? It's now 22 league games in the top flight without keeping a clean sheet stretching back to their last spell in the Premier League.

I think we can look forward to some goals being scored here with both defensive units looking very fragile this season. I think it's fair to say that this is a must-win for both teams otherwise the pressure coming from below could start to really crank up. I'm not sure I can separate these two sides so I'm torn between the draw and home win. The ELO ratings back Watford but I'm not sure we can look too deeply into that win over United last week given how poor United were. I can see Leicester winning this one.

Leicester to Win @ 1.77 with Betway

BTTS @ 1.76 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester City vs West Ham

The final game kicking off at 2pm GMT on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League is an enthralling encounter between Manchester City and West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. These two sides have been playing some attractive attacking football this season with the results also coming with the positive performances. Will either side take the win here or will they play out an entertaining draw?

Manchester City have bounced back well after that shock 2-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace before the international break with back-to-back clean sheet wins over Manchester United away and Everton at home. Pep Guardiola's men have also thrown in a 2-1 win at home to PSG in the Champions League to secure their place in the last 16. It's all looking good for the Citizens at the moment. Kevin De Bruyne is still isolating after testing positive for covid with Phil Foden and Jack Grealish also injury doubts for this game. Defence has been key for City at home this season with the team keeping 6 clean sheets in their last 7 home league games stretching back to last season. Raheem Sterling could be the key man here. Not only did the England international score in midweek but he has also bagged 6 goals in his last 8 league matches against West Ham.

West Ham will be keen to get back to winning ways after the disappointing 1-0 loss away to Wolves last week. David Moyes saw his team win 4 league matches in a row before that loss but he faces a side here that he has failed to beat in the league since leaving Everton back in 2013. The Hammers have won 20 top flight league games in a single calendar year for the first time since 1986 which shows the progress they are making. However, the only away win they have earned against reigning Premier League champions came back in 2001 in a 1-0 win over Manchester United. They have only taken 5 points from a possible 75 points from such matches losing 22 of the 25 encounters. It looks like Angelo Ogbonna remains the only injury concern for the team.

Head-to-head statistics don't read well for West Ham against Manchester City under Guardiola. The Spaniard has seen his team win 9 of their 10 league matches against the London club. West Ham did grab a 2-1 win at this venue back in 2015. That being said, the two teams have met already in a 0-0 draw at the London Stadium in the EFL Cup and West Ham prevailed 5-3 winners on penalties. I think City will have too much here though and Sterling has to be backed to score.

Manchester City HT/FT @ 1.86 with SBK

Anytime Scorer: Raheem Sterling @ 2.56 with SBK

[StevieDay1983]

Just been confirmed that the Burnley versus Tottenham game has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions. ?

[StevieDay1983]

Chelsea vs Manchester United

The big game this weekend is the 4:30pm GMT kick-off on Sunday afternoon between the two big guns of Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. It's a match-up between the league leaders and a side that are struggling to stay in the hunt for the title. Can the new era for the away team begin with a win or will we see the table-topping home team extend their lead at the top?

Chelsea have been impressive so far this season and shown exactly why they're many people's favourites to win the league title. The Blues are in 1st place with a 1 point lead and game in hand over 2nd placed Liverpool. Thomas Tuchel's men do have a few worries over team selection for this game with the trio of Ben Chilwell, Mateo Kovacic, and N'Golo Kante all unlikely to be involved. It's just 1 loss this season in the league for Chelsea. Defence has been a key foundation for Tuchel with the team conceding just 4 league goals. Scoring goals at home is also not a problem with Chelsea scoring 17 goals in their 6 home league matches. Could Reece James be a cheeky outside bet for anytime scorer having bagged 4 goals in his 7 league appearances so far?

Manchester United agreed to appoint Ralf Rangnick as their interim head coach until the end of the season this week but it's interim interim head coach Michael Carrick who takes charge of this game. Rumours are that Carrick is set to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, and Fred all unavailable or looking highly unlikely to be involved. It's now 5 losses from their last 7 league games for United leaving the team down in 9th place and 6 points off the Champions League qualification places. During that spell of games they have conceded a league-high of 17 goals showing the defensive issues the club are suffering from right now. The bad news for United is that Ronaldo has failed to score in any of his 10 league games against Chelsea... so you can see why Carrick could well leave him out.

This game is one of those that should be an absolute cracker on paper but in reality it's probably one that will see Chelsea dominate and feel like they've been poor if they don't take all 3 points against Manchester United. I think it's fair to say that United are a shambles right now and it'll be interesting to see what impact Rangnick has on this side but it'll take time. It could be a painful time until his influence kicks in.

Chelsea to Win & BTTS @ 3.50 with Boylesports

Chelsea HT/FT @ 2.48 with SBK