It's another Saturday and under pressure Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be hoping it doesn't turn into a Halloween horror show as the "Special One" takes on the "Normal One" with Chelsea vs Liverpool kicking things off in the live lunch-time kick-off on BT Sport. It's a rare Saturday with all of the big guns in action and I'm expecting some really good matches with Arsenal's trip to Swansea another tasty looking fixture. Here are my "Key Facts" and "Suggested Bets" for the best of Saturday's PL action. .Premier League
12:45 Chelsea vs Liverpool - Prediction - 1.1 - Suggested Bets - BTTS @5/6, Draw @23/10 Key Facts * Champions Chelsea have had their worst start in PL history with just 11 points from 10 fixtures. They sit 15th and 11 points behind leaders Man City and Arsenal * Chelsea have seen BTTS in 5 of their last 7 home league fixtures * Chelsea have kept only 2 clean sheets in their last 13 PL fixtures * Liverpool have seen less than 2.5 goals in 13 of their last 16 away PL fixtures * Chelsea have seen more than 2.5 goals scored in 10 of their last 12 games in the Premier League. * Chelsea have conceded 7 goals in their last 4 PL fixtures * Chelsea have drawn their last 3 matches against Liverpool in all competitions * Chelsea have seen 4 of their last 14 matches at home in the PL finish in a 1.1 draw * Liverpool have drawn their last 3 matches in the Premier League and a remarkable 8 of their last 10 in all competitions Final Verdict - BTTS and a 1.1 draw my call here This is a huge fixture for both sides, particularly Chelsea and I don't expect a mountain of goals but i do fancy BTTS with Klopp's Liverpool still unbeaten and looking sharper and more focused than in previous weeks and Chelsea still vulnerable at the back with 7 conceded in their last 4 in the Premier League. Both sides have had big problems this season and the pressure is hugely on the shoulders of Mourinho who knows this is probably a must win fixture if his team are to go on and challenge for a top 4 position. Defeat would be unthinkable for the Portuguese and could easily cost him his job. Quite a remarkable turn of events in such a short space of time and at this point, it would seem somewhat insane to get rid of the club's most successful ever manager but Mourinho's behaviour has been increasingly hostile and neurotic in recent months and it's hard to imagine where he would go from here, should his side lose this one. And that prospect is certainly not out of the question with Chelsea in such dog awful form and a high energy Liverpool are sure to make this a difficult and compelling fixture that looks likely to finish even but hopefully not after a 0.0 stalemate. That is a worry here but the visitors should have Benteke and Firmino ready to play for this one although Daniel Sturridge misses out once more. For Chelsea, Ivanovic and Courtois remain sidelined while Spanish duo Diego Costa and Pedro face late fitness tests. BTTS is 5/6 and the bookies expect this to be a low scoring affair with under 2.5 goals @4/5 but a lot depends on how this game develops in the first half and with it being Liverpool's biggest fixture under Klopp thus far, I expect a good performance from the visitors while Chelsea will probably have enough to score at least one so I'm calling it even at 1.1 and that means BTTS @5/6 will land and conversely, so too would under 2.5 goals @4/5. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 15:00 Man City vs Norwich - Prediction - 4.1 - Suggested Bets - Over 2.5 goals @1/2, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @ 1/1, Man City to score 3 or more @10/11 Key Facts * Man City have seen 9 of their last 11 fixtures at home in all competitions go over 2.5 goals including each of the last 6 * Man City have seen over 2.5 goals in 6 of their last 8 at home in the PL * Man City have scored 18 goals in their last 4 home fixtures * Man City have seen BTTS in each of their last 6 home fixtures in all competitions * Man City are still missing key men Aguero and Silva but the form of De Bruyne and Sterling in their absence has been terrific * Norwich have seen 4 of their 5 away PL fixtures this season going over 2.5 goals * Norwich have scored in 4 out of 5 away PL fixtures this season with 8 goals scored in the process * Norwich have conceded 13 goals in those 5 fixtures * Norwich have yet to keep a clean sheet this season. What price on one here? * Norwich have seen BTTS in 8 out of 10 PL fixtures this season * Norwich lost 6.2 in their last away PL fixture at Newcastle * Norwich are without a win in 5 PL fixtures * Man City have scored 24 goals in their last 6 meetings with Norwich * Norwich lost 7.0 in their last visit to Man City in 2013 * Norwich had won the home fixture for the 2013 campaign 3.2 before that thumping in Manchester Final Verdict - Over 2.5 goals looks nailed on while BTTS and over 2.5 has a good chance Norwich are an attacking if somewhat naive team and while this is their toughest fixture to date, they are capable of making a game of it here and while I expect the hosts to run out comfortable winners, Norwich have enough ability to make this an interesting fixture, at least for a while. Still, the visitors are in very poor shape at the back and they will be grateful that Aguero and Silva are still missing for City but the form of Sterling and De Bruyne has helped to fill the gap with the Beligan particularly impressing since his huge switch from Wolfsburg. I'm going for a 3.1 win for the hosts so over 2.5 goals is my banker selection here while BTTS and over 2.5 goals has every chance if Norwich can apply some pressure to a City defence that has conceded in each of their last 6 home fixtures. City to score 3 or more @10/11 also looks good to me with Norwich looking so poor in their recent 6.2 away loss at Newcastle. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 15:00 Swansea vs Arsenal - Prediction -1.2 - Suggested Bets - BTTS @8/11 Key Facts * Arsenal have seen BTTS in 8 of their last 12 away PL fixtures * Arsenal have won 9 of their last 11 away PL fixtures * Arsenal have won their last 4 PL fixtures, scoring 14 goals in the process * Arsenal were unceremoniously dumped out of the League cup by Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday. * Arsenal are facing a mounting injury crisis (what else is new) with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain joining Arteta, Rosicky, Ramsey, Wilshere, Ospina and Danny Welbeck on the sidelines. * Arsenal have scored in 18 of their last 20 away PL fixtures * Swansea are unbeaten in their last 3 meetings with Arsenal while they did the double over the Gunners last season, winning both at home and at the Emirates * Swansea got their first win in 6 PL fixtures in their last outing at Aston Villa * Swansea have failed to win any of their last 3 home PL fixtures * Swansea have seen BTTS in 7 of their last 12 home PL fixtures * Swansea have failed to score in 2 of their last 3 home PL fixtures. They had scored in 16 of the previous 18 at home * 5 of the last 6 meetings between these two sides in Wales have seen BTTS while 3 of the last 4 meetings have also seen BTTS Final Verdict - BTTS looks likely here Arsenal are in the midst of their 453rd injury "crisis" under Arsene Wenger and while they should still field a strong 11 against Swansea, they do have the prospect of a trip to Munich to come on Wednesday and with the squad now stretched to it's limit, I doubt this is going to be an easy afternoon for the visitors who don't usually get an easy ride in the Valleys. Swansea recorded two well deserved wins over Arsenal last season and they are unbeaten in 3 with the Gunners and while their own form isn't particularly impressive lately, they do usually raise their game for the bigger teams in the division and I expect BTTS in what should be a good game at the Liberty stadium. I won't be betting on a winner and it wouldn't surprise me if this one finished in a score draw but given Arsenal's impressive away form, they should have just enough to edge to victory although the loss of the on form Theo Walcott is undoubtedly a big blow for Wenger who would certainly have started Walcott in Germany on Wednesday with his pace so crucial to what Arsenal are achieving lately. His absence here could be telling but the ever so handsome Olivier Giroud will fill the void and the Frenchman is finding some form again with the emergence of Walcott in the striking position giving Giroud the push he needs to kick on and perform at his top level again after an indifferent run of form between the end of last season and the start of this. BTTS is priced at 8/11 with bet365 and that's my only selection from this game. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 15:00 West Bromwich Albion vs Leicester - Prediction - 1.2 - Suggested Bets - BTTS @4/5, Leicester to win @8/5 Key Facts * WBA have lost 5 of their last 9 home PL fixtures * 3 of those defeats all produced a 3.2 home loss for WBA, including Leicester's last trip to the Hawthorns in April * Only 4 of those 9 fixtures saw BTTS * WBA have won 3 of their last PL fixtures * WBA's last 4 wins have all come with a 1.0 scoreline * WBA have scored in 10 of their last 13 home PL fixtures * WBA have kept clean sheets in 6 of their last 9 PL fixtures and in 8 of their last 15 at home * Leicester are still flying high in the PL, sitting 5th in the table, with 19 points and only 3 behind leaders Man City and Arsenal * Leicester are unbeaten in their last 8 away PL fixtures * Leicester have conceded 17 goals in 10 PL fixtures so far this season with only 1 clean sheet * Leicester have seen BTTS in 10 of their last 11 PL fixtures * Leicester have seen BTTS in 7 of their last 9 away PL fixtures * Leicester have scored in 20 of their last 22 fixtures in all competitions since March * Leicester have scored in 16 of their last 18 away fixtures in all competitions * Leicester have scored 2 or more in 4 of their last 5 away PL fixtures and in 7 out of their 10 PL fixtures this season * Leicester have lost only 2 of their last 19 PL fixtures, scoring 39 goals in the process * 6 of the last 7 meetings between these two sides have seen the away team win including both of last season's matches between these two sides * 6 of the last 9 meetings between these two sides have seen BTTS Final Verdict - Who can stop Leicester? This will likely be a tough test for Leicester with WBA good at keeping clean sheets but their home form is less than stellar and given the history between these two sides, I quite fancy another away win for the vibrant and exciting Leicester who continue to delight and surprise most Premier League observers. Leicester have picked up a fantastic 41 points in their last 19 PL fixtures and if they could maintain that form they would surely finish in the top 4 come May. Unlikely perhaps but this is a side that are full of confidence, energy and real quality with the likes of Vardy and Mahrez now courting attention from some of Europe's more glamorous clubs. Still, I had to laugh when I saw Vardy linked with a January move to Real Madrid but 9 goals in 9 starts is a great return from a player who only managed 4 in all of last season's campaign. Given WBA'S defensive strengths you wouldn't mark this down as a banker for BTTS but Leicester are such an attacking group that I expect most of their fixtures to produce BTTS and until the pattern changes, I will be backing them in this market. BTTS is 4/5 and that's more than fine for me and I do fancy the visitors to emerge with 3 points as well at very decent 8/5 odds __________________________________________________________________________________________ PL Suggested Bets Chelsea vs Liverpool - BTTS @5/6 Man City vs Norwich - Over 2.5 goals @1/2 Man City vs Norwich - BTTS and over 2.5 goals @ 1/1, Man City vs Liverpool - Man City to score 3 or more @10/11 Swansea vs Arsenal - BTTS @8/11 West Bromwich Albion vs Leicester - BTTS @4/5 WBA vs Leicester - Leicester to win @8/5 Chelsea vs Liverpool - Draw @23/10 Comments are closed.
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