Week 17 of the Premier League will be contested on Wednesday and Thursday mornings Australian time and we are set for ten exciting matches in England’s top tier.
Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are all offered good opportunities to return to winning form in Week 17, while league-leaders Manchester City can extend take another step towards the title when they travel to Wales.
Burnley vs Stoke City
It was polar-opposites for Burnley and Stoke on Matchday 16 and the two clubs will square off in the opening fixture of Week 17.
For Burnley, it was another gritty 1-0 win, this time over Watford and they remain tied in overall standings with Tottenham; seventh on goal difference alone. Nothing is a bridge too far for the Clarets this season and if they can continue this form through Christmas and into the new year, they will remain a genuine threat of a European berth.
Stoke’s largely disappointing start to the season continued with another loss, this time to the tune of 5-1 at the hands of a rampant Spurs outfit. With other results also going against them, the Potters are a loss away from falling into the drop zone and they have plenty of work to ensure they don’t find themselves in the Championship come season’s end.
If recent weeks are anything to go by, Burnley should be odds-on favourites to win this match at Turf Moor and they subsequently represent terrific value at a current $2.25 quote.
Tip: Back Burnley to win @ $2.25
Crystal Palace vs Watford
This is one of the more intriguing fixtures in Week 17 of the Premier League and there is plenty of value to be taken from a betting perspective.
Crystal Palace have yet to kick into gear and they look likely to head into the new year in last place. That is, unless they can take at least something from matches like this one with Watford. The Eagles have notched only two wins from their sixteen fixtures this campaign and again failed to capitalise on a very winnable game when held to a 2-2 draw by Bournemouth at Selhurst Park last weekend.
Watford suffered a red card and a loss in Week 16 and they will be without the services defender Marvin Zeegelaar for this game as a result. Prior to that performance, the Hornets managed a number of terrific results and they are a team that looks likely to continue on a positive trajectory this season.
Watford have beaten Arsenal this season and pushed teams like Tottenham and Chelsea all the way. At $3.25 odds to beat Crystal Palace, they represent massive value and are over the odds.
Tip: Back Watford to win @ $3.25
Huddersfield Town vs Chelsea
Chelsea suffered a humiliating loss to West Ham last weekend and will attempt to reverse their fortunes away to Huddersfield Town on Wednesday morning.
For a team that comfortably won the league last season, Chelsea were pretty slow from the blocks this time out, but worked themselves back into familiar territory with wins over Manchester United, Newcastle and Swansea City in recent weeks.
On the other side of the coin, Huddersfield were outstanding throughout the first few weeks and appeared on track for a glittering debut season in England’s top flight. While they have slowly dropped off the pace recently as new clubs tend to do, they secured a smart win over Brighton last weekend and have consolidated 12th position in overall standings as a result.
The result of this match appears pretty clear cut; Chelsea won’t lose for a second-consecutive week, but they also represent little value at current odds.
Tip: No Bet
Southampton vs Leicester City
Southampton are offered the opportunity to push into the top ten when they host Leicester City on Thursday morning.
Having put Everton to the sword on Matchday 13, the Saints were unlucky not to take anything away from their trip to Manchester City, but have since drawn with Bournemouth away and also with Arsenal at home most recently. Charlie Austin’s third-minute strike looked to have secured the South England side all three points in that match, but they leaked an 88th minute equaliser.
It’s been a season of ups and downs for Leicester City, but they will take plenty of confidence into this game following a last-gasp win over Newcastle last weekend. Its been a fruitful few weeks for the Foxes, who will actually be seeking a fourth-consecutive Premier League win here.
There’s value for both teams in this match, but this is a step back in quality opponent-wise for Southampton and at home, they can get the job done.
Tip: Back Southampton to win @ $2.10
Newcastle United vs Everton
If recent results are anything to go by, we’re set for a tight clask when Newcastle hosts Everton on Thursday morning.
Newcastle’s disappointing run of form continued when they suffered a late loss to Leicester City at home last weekend, in what shaped as a very winnable game for the North England team. The Magpies’ defence simply cannot withstand continual attacks and they have bled 15 goals in their last five Premier League fixtures.
Everton’s steady return to form continued last weekend when they held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw in the Merseyside Derby. They were probably helped by Liverpool Manager Jurgen Klopp’s decision to start a weaker side, but they rallied well late and were more than deserving of a point.
It’s still tough to completely trust Everton from a betting perspective, but they’ve strung together a few good performances and results since October and this looms as another opportunity to climb the ladder.
Tip: Back Everton to win @ $3.10
Swansea City vs Manchester City
Swansea City faces a huge task in overcoming league-leaders Manchester City in Week 17.
It has not been a great season for the Swans thus far, but they return to the Liberty Stadium off the back of a pleasing, albeit unconvincing 1-0 win over West Brom.
City have arguably found club-best form throughout the first half of this Premier League season and have shot out to an 11-point lead in overall standings, having delivered old foes Manchester United a 2-1 defeat on Monday morning.
Swansea and Manchester City are like apples and oranges and the only real value here is including the latter as a fold in a multi-bet.
Tip: No Bet
Liverpool vs West Bromwich Albion
Liverpool will start clear odds-on favourites in their Thursday morning match with West Brom at Anfield.
The lion’s share of support was thrown the way of Liverpool in the lead-up to last weekend’s Merseyside Derby, but as fierce rivalries tend to go, the match simply did not pan out as an easy win for the Reds and they managed to take only one competition point away from the tie.
They are offered something of a ‘soft kill’ on Matchday 17 in the form of a Baggies outfit that was beaten by 19th-placed Swansea most recently and who have dropped into dangerous territory, following a torrid run of form.
This match should produce a similar result to the Manchester City/Swansea game and Liverpool are worth consideration as a fold in a multi-bet.
Tip: No Bet
Manchester United vs Bournemouth
Manchester United will look to put their Derby Day loss to City behind them when they host Bournemouth.
To add insult to injury, the loss to City was their first in 40 home games under the management of Jose Mourinho and it also means that they are now 11 competition points behind their bitter rivals in overall standings.
Bournemouth have not been terrible in recent weeks, but this is realistically a bridge too far and Manchester United should just win.
Tip: Back Manchester United to beat the handicap (-1.5) @ $1.78
Tottenham Hotspur vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Tottenham and Brighton have never met in the league during the Premier League era, but will break the drought in Week 17.
Spurs put five past a lacklustre Stoke City outfit last week, while Brighton failed to take anything from their match with a similarly-positioned Huddersfield outfit and will be desperate for a return to winning form.
Brighton’s defence, including Aussie shot-stopper Mat Ryan has undoubtedly punched above its weight this season and that has been key in the newly-promoted club being somewhat competitive, however they lack the firepower that is necessary to flourish in the Premier League and Spurs will prove too great a task this time.
Tip: Back over 3 goals to be scored @ $2
West Ham vs Arsenal
Giant killers West Ham are faced with the opportunity to claim another big scalp on Thursday morning.
The Hammers record over ‘big 4’ clubs in recent seasons is terrific and they managed to notch up another big win, in the form of a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea last weekend.
Transversely, it was another frustrating outing for Arsenal, who were lucky to salvage a point from their trip to Southampton after an 88th minute strike from Olivier Giroud tied scored at 1-1.
One thing that is for sure is West Ham will not be overdone by this situation, but the Gunners are usually pretty good at responding and they can return to winning form here.
Tip: Back Arsenal to win @ $1.70