12:30 Tottenham vs Arsenal - Prediction 3.1 Current Form * Spurs are unbeaten in their last 12 home PL matches (8 wins, 4 draws) * Spurs have scored 2 goals or more in 5 of their last 6 home league matches. * Spurs won all 5 of those games that they scored 2 goals or more * Spurs have seen BTTS in 4 of their last 7 home PL matches * Spurs sit 5th in the table, 4 points ahead of Arsenal * Arsenal have seen BTTS in 10 of their last 11 matches in all competitions. * 9 of those 10 games also went over 2.5 goals * Arsenal have seen BTTS in 8 of their last 10 away PL matches * 6 of those 8 also went over 2.5 goals * Arsenal have conceded 2 goals or more in 6 of their last 10 away PL matches * Arsenal have lost 6 out of 13 away PL matches this season including their 2 most recent away matches at Bournemouth and Swansea * Arsenal only won 3 of those 13 matches Past Meetings * 6 of the last 8 meetings have seen BTTS. 3 of those also went over 2.5 goals * Both of last season's PL matches finished with a 2.0 home win * Spurs have scored 2 goals or more in 7 of their last 9 home PL meetings with Arsenal Final Verdict Goals are expected at Wembley this Saturday lunch-time with the North-London derby getting the weekend action underway in what is a crucial fixture in the battle for Champions League places in the Premier League. Arsenal have invested heavily in January with P.E Aubamayang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan replacing the outgoing Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud and while those signings have certainly raised expectations at the Emirates, I can't see them yet having enough in the locker to stop a Spurs side that really impressed in their 2.2 draw at Anfield last weekend. With the visitors struggling badly on the road this season, I expect the hosts to score 2 or more @4/6 in a match that the bookies fully expect to deliver goals. BTTS is currently as short as 4/9 so I'll take a chance on BTTS and over 2.5 goals @4/6 with Arsenal likely to score given their impressive 5 goal destruction of Everton in their most recent outing and having done so in most of their away trips to Spurs over the years but with a defense that leaked 3 at Swansea, we have to be confident of Spurs getting the goals to bring up the BTTS and over 2.5 goals pick. Spurs have improved at their temporary Wembley home and I expect them to put in the better all-round performance against an Arsenal side that seems to be more a collection of talented individuals, rather than the cohesive unit that Spurs have become under Pocchetino. With a fully fit squad to choose, plus the addition of their January signing, the Brazilian winger Lucas Moura, I fancy a home win, with Spurs scoring at least a couple in a fixture that should see both teams scoring as well with Arsenal likely to give derby debuts to their former Dortmund men Aubamayang and Mkhtaryan. Best Bets BTTS and over 2.5 goals @4/5 - 3 stars Spurs to score 2 or more @4/6 - 3 stars 15:00 Stoke vs Brighton - Prediction 2.0 Best Bets - Stoke to win @6/5 - 2 stars 15:00 West Ham vs Watford - Prediction 1.1 Final Verdict Watford have only scored in 2 of their last 6 away PL matches but will surely have taken a massive lift from their Monday night smashing of Chelsea and I fancy them to score on their travels here against a West Ham side that conceded 3 in their loss at Brighton last weekend. The Hammers certainly aren't in the best of form, with only 1 win in 5 but each of their last 8 PL matches has seen BTTS and a similar outcome can be expected here with David Moyes side scoring in 10 out of 12 home matches this season. West Ham have drawn their last 2 home outings 1.1 and a similar result could be on the cards here. Best Bets - BTTS @8/11 - 2.5 Stars 15:00 Everton vs Crystal Palace - Prediction 2.2 Current Form * Everton have won only 1 of their last 9 matches in all competitions * Everton have seen BTTS in 4 of their last 5 matches (all comps) * Palace have seen BTTS in 4 of their last 5 away PL matches. * Palace have scored in their last 5 away PL matches. They failed to score in any of their previous 10 away PL matches * Palace have seen BTTS in 5 of their last 6 matches (all comps) * Palace are missing multiple first-team players including the influential Wilf Zaha and Martin Kelly. * Palace have lost only 3 of their last 16 matches in all competitions. They had lost 8 of the previous 11 Past Meetings * 6 of the last 7 meetings at Goodison saw BTTS * Palace are unbeaten in their last 4 trips to Goodison * Everton are unbeaten in their last 6 matches against Palace (4 draws, 2 wins) * Palace have won 3, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their last 7 away matches at Everton Final Verdict Palace have a great recent record at Goodison, unbeaten in their last 4 but face a tough task on Saturday with a whole host of important players missing for the visitors who have lost only 3 of their last 16 matches under new boss Roy Hodgson. Had Wilf Zaha been available, I would have fancied the visitors to get at least a point but that being said, recent form and history suggest BTTS has a good chance at rather tasty 19/20 odds in a fixture that has proved entertaining in recent years, especially when held in Liverpool. Palace have improved hugely under Roy Hodgson, but with that injury list growing and growing, they will do well to maintain their recent unbeaten record at The Toffees who have won 5 of their last 8 at home. Everton are hardly in great form though, suffering a 5.1 spanking at Arsenal in their most recent league outing and the early impact made by new manager Sam Allardyce is now beginning to wane with Everton winning only 1 of their last 9 matches in all competitions and only 2 of their last 5 at Goodison. The home side are a best priced 5/4 to claim the spoils and while I do fancy Palace to perhaps nick a point, the 4/6 on the visitors not to lose is too skinny for me so I'll take BTTS @19/20 as my only selection here. Best Bets BTTS @19/20 - 2.5 stars Draw @12/5 - 1 Star 15:00 Swansea vs Burnley - Prediction 1.0 Current Form * Swansea have taken 11 points from their last 6 games. They had only taken 12 points from their previous 19 matches! * Swansea have beaten Liverpool and Arsenal in their last 2 home league matches * Swansea thrashed Notts County 8.1 in their most recent fixture in the FA Cup * Swansea have lost just 1 of their last 10 matches in all competitions, and are now unbeaten in their last 8 (4 wins, 4 draws) * Swansea have won their last 4 home matches (all competitions) * Burnley have failed to win any of their last 10 matches in all competitions (5 losses, 5 draws) * Burnley have drawn 4 of their last 5 away PL matches * Burnley have seen under 2.5 goals scored in 9 of their last 12 away PL matches including 5 of the last 6 Past Meetings * Swansea have won their last 3 home matches against Burnley * Swansea have won 4 of their last 5 matches against Burnley Final Verdict Current form suggests that Swansea have every chance of recording a 5th successive home win under new boss Carlos Carvalhal against a Burnley side that have failed to win any of their last 10 matches in all competitions. Still, the visitors remain tough to beat and we shouldn't see many goals here on Saturday and while I do fancy a home win, Burnley have drawn 4 of their last 5 on the road and remain a tough nut to crack under the follically challenged, Sean Dyche. Goals should be at a premium, and under 2.5 goals is a bit short @1/2 but seems likely with Burnley seeing that outcome in 9 out of 12 on the road this season while a Swansea win DNB @8/13 is safer than the 11/8 on the outright home win. I fancy this one to finish as a low-scoring narrow home win but the draw wouldn't surprise either. Best Bets Under 2.5 goals @1/2 - 3 stars Swansea DNB @8/13 - 3.5 stars Swansea to win @11/8 - 1.5 stars 17:30 Manchester City vs Leicester - Prediction 3.1 Current Form * Man City are unbeaten in their last 25 home PL matches * Man City have won their last 12 home PL matches * Man City scored 3 goals or more in 10 of those 12 wins * Man City have scored in 33 of their last 35 home PL matches * Man City saw BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored in 6 of their last 8 home PL matches * Man City have seen BTTS in 4 of their last 5 PL matches * City have won by more than 1 goal in 13 of their last 15 home PL wins * Man City remain 13 points clear at the top of the table * Leicester have seen BTTS in 8 of their last 9 away PL matches * 7 of those 8 games also went over 2.5 goals * Leicester have scored 15 goals in their last 9 away PL matches * Leicester conceded 2 goals or more in 5 of their last 8 away PL matches Past Meetings * 4 of the last 5 meetings saw BTTS * 3 of those 4 also went over 2.5 goals * 3 of the last 4 meetings in Manchester saw BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored Final Verdict A city home win seems more than likely considering Pep Guardiola's side's imperious record in front of their own support and the Citizens will fully expect a 13th successive home win against a Leicester side that do have some decent memories of their recent trips to the Etihad including their stunning 3.1 win during that remarkable title-winning season of 2015. The hosts though have banged in 3 goals or more 10 of their 12 home matches this season so we can be confident of City getting at least a couple here but they have conceded in 6 of their last 8 at home as well and I fancy Leicester to score to bring up the BTTS and over 2.5 goals selection here @1/1 odds with the visitors at their most dangerous on the counter-attack. While Riyhad Mahrez is expected to be missing for the visitors following his deadline day strop, Jamie Vardy has a terrific goal-scoring record against the top 6 and with City sure to leave plenty of gaps in behind, I believe Leicester can score even without their magical Algerian. If you fancy City to score 3 or more again, the price is a bit short @8/11 with Leicester only conceding 3 goals or more in 1 of their last 17 away PL matches but City are certainly the strongest side in the division, and Leicester have now lost 3 of their last 4 on the road, conceding exactly 2 goals in all 3 defeats so that outcome is by no means unlikely. City though have some injury problems and are perhaps not at their absolute sharpest, while they dropped points in their most recent outing at Burnley but you would still expect them to have enough in the tank to get the win even if they don't score as many as 3 but my only selection here is BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored with both sides seeing that outcome in plenty of their recent fixtures. Best Bets BTTS and over 2.5 goals @1/1 - 3 stars Comments are closed.
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