The fixtures are beginning to pile up as we head into Game Week 26 of the Premier League.
The action gets underway in Manchester, as City faces a wounded Toon side fresh off a Cup Final defeat.
Elsewhere, Chelsea looks to show some fight against Leeds, Arsenal hopes to keep City at bay with a win over the Cherries, and Manchester United attempts to sink the boot into bitter rivals Liverpool!
As always, we’ve previewed all 10 Premier League fixtures across the weekend and provided our best betting plays below!
Manchester City is looking to claim their 14th straight home league victory against the Toon when the pair meet on Saturday night (AEST).
Newcastle’s dream of UCL qualification is beginning to waiver in recent weeks, claiming just three competition points across their last four PL starts (3D,1L), while suffering just their 2nd loss of the season last time out (both to Liverpool).
While the Toons’ offense has been found lacking, the defensive unit continues to perform, conceding a league-low seven goals across 11 away fixtures this season!
These sides played out a highly entertaining 3-3 draw earlier in the season, this time around I’m expecting a far more organised showing from both outfits, with Newcastle’s defensive structures and discipline to keep this one under 2.5 total goals.
Aston Villa is out to claim back-to-back league wins when they play host to the Eagles.
Alternatively, Crystal Palace are winless across their last nine league starts (5D,4L), playing out five draws over their last six!
Palace will take confidence in beating Villa 3-1 in the reverse fixture, though Wilf Zaha scored twice in that fixture and is still an injury doubt for the coming weekend.
Not much separates this pair on the table and I think this fixture will reflect just that.
The Spurs can consolidate their position in the top four with a fifth win in six PL fixtures.
Defense has been at the forefront of Tottenham’s run of form, with all four victories across five league games accompanied by a clean sheet.
Meanwhile, the Wolves have dropped points in two winnable fixtures against Bournemouth (L) and Fulham (D), scoring just once across the trip.
I’m going to keep this one simple and back the Spurs to complete the double over the Wolves here at what looks to be decent value in the H2H market.
If pressure creates diamonds, then Graham Potter would fetch a mint on the open market!
Despite spending more money than a FIFO worker on holiday, the Blues have won just once across all competitions this calendar year (4D,6L) and are starring down the barrel of three straight league defeats.
Meanwhile, Leeds has won three games across the same trip (5D,5L), though continue to struggle in the league, picking up four points across their last five games (1W,1D,3L).
Chelsea is a total shambles at the minute, Potter is just getting his teeth and praying to see out the rest of the season.
I’m happy to take on the underdogs in this one, backing Leeds to pick up at least one point.
The Gunners prepare for their second game in three days as they take on cellar dwellers Bournemouth.
The Cherries enter this fixture off the back of a 4-1 drumming to Arsenal’s title race rivals Man City, a game in which could’ve easily finished 10-0.
The Gunners won the reverse fixture against the Cherries 3-0, with captain Martin Odegaard bagging a rare brace.
I’m expecting the Gunners to run through the Cherries with ease here, outscoring their opponents in both halves.
Brighton looks to bounce back from a rare defeat when they play host to their Premier League bunny.
Amazingly, from 11 H2H fixtures between this pair, West Ham is yet to pick up three competition points (0W,6D,5L).
The Seagulls have won the last two league fixtures against the Hammers, with an aggregate score of 5-1.
West Ham surprised punters when they put four past Forest last time out, though Brighton represents a huge step up in class, a step up I don’t think they are quite ready to take.
The Saints will be looking to move off the bottom of the league table with their 2nd win of the season over the Foxes.
Meanwhile, Leicester will be looking to avoid getting dragged into the relegation conversation with a third straight league defeat.
I’m extremely wary of dabbling in the H2H market in a fixture featuring a side as inconsistent as the Foxes, though backing the goals has proven profitable.
Over 2.5 Goals have been scored in 15 of Leicester’s 24 league fixtures, with only Fulham (16) and Man City (17) hitting the mark more frequently.
The last two league matchups between this pair have seen 3+ goals scored, a trend I’m backing to continue here.
Notts Forest vs Everton could prove a pivotal fixture at the foot of the table.
This pair played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at the beginning of the season, with both goals scored in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Nottingham enters this off the back of getting humble 4-0 away to the Hammers, though their home form will give them a reason to believe, with 5 of their 6 league wins coming at The City Ground.
Alternatively, the Toffees have managed just one win on their travels this season (4D,6L), scoring just six times in 11 games.
Nothing much separates the two sides in the way of form, but the home advantage gives Forest a clear edge in this one.
We’re forced to wait until the early hours of Monday morning (AEST) for the match of the round, as Liverpool hosts Man United in the North West Derby!
At the time of publishing (1st March) Liverpool had won three of their last 11 fixtures in all comps (3D,5L), losing their last home game 5-2 to Real Madrid after scoring the opening two goals.
Meanwhile, you have to go back 11 games to find United’s last defeat (2-3 vs Arsenal), with the Red Devils going 10 games undefeated (8W,2D), a run which includes a victory against Barca in the Europa League and an English League Cup Final win against the Toon.
Liverpool may have an extraordinary record at home in the PL, but their current form is rank ordinary, and they’ll be facing a side whose midfield should run rings around the likes of Fabinho, Hendo, Thiago, and co.
I’m jumping on the Erik ten Hag hype train and riding it all the way to the last stop!
Game Week 26 wraps up on Tuesday morning when Brentford hosts Fulham in what should be an entertaining London Derby.
Astonishingly, Brentford hold the longest current unbeaten run in the league, with their last defeat coming back in GW12 (5,6D), a run which includes results against Arsenal (D), City (W), Liverpool (W), and Tottenham (D)!
In fact, Fulham is just one of the four sides who have bettered the Bees this campaign, claiming a 3-2 victory thanks to a 90th-minute strike from Mitrovic!
Though the Cottagers will draw confidence from their previous outing, the Bees’ record at home is to be commended, with their only defeat coming at the hand of league leaders Arsenal (6W,5D).
Brentford are one of the toughest sides in the comp, unfortunately, they have made a habit of drawing fixtures they should be winning, with no other side involved in more stalemates this season (11).
Both teams are punching well above their weight this season, with “surrender” not a word in either unit’s vocabulary, as such I’m taking the cowards’ rout out here and backing the draw.