Game Week 30 is upon us, and with the title race, European spots, and relegation scrap all heating up, there’s plenty on the line across the Premier League this weekend. From a struggling Tottenham side heading to Anfield, to Manchester City looking to keep their fading title hopes alive, the margins are getting thinner by the week. Let’s dive into the best bets for another massive round of EPL action.
The Cherries look to extend their incredible run of nine league fixtures without defeat (4W,5D) when hey travel to Turf Moore to take on the Clarets.
Alternatively, Burnley are staring down the barrel of three straight league defeats, and have lost five of their last seven games in all competitions (1W,1D).
The Clarets have lost their last three homes game in all comps, including an FA Cup defeat to League One outfit, Mansfield.
Give me the Cherries and over 1.5 total goals.
Just three competition points separate Sunderland in 11th and Brighton in 14th, as we prepare for a mid-table showdown.
The Seagulls’ two game winning streak was snapped last time out, as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to league leaders Arsenal, with Brighton’s manager claiming his opponents weren’t trying to play football.
Alternatively, the Black Cats are two games unbeaten in the league (1W,1D), but have lost their last two fixtures at the Stadium of Light.
Four of Sunderland’s last six games in all comps have seen under 1.5 total goals scored, while five of Brighton’s last six fixtures have seen at least one side fail to score.
I’m backing no more than one goal to be scored.
Strap yourself in for a contest that is shaping up to be an all-time snoozer.
The Gunners look to extend their lead in the league title race and build on a 12 game unbeaten run across all comps when they welcomes the Toffees to London.
Meanwhile, Everton are attempting to win a third straight league fixture for the first time this season, after seeing off both Burnley and Newcastle.
Two of the last three games between this pair have finished as stalemates, with under 2.5 goals saluting in each.
Won’t be surprised if this one is decided by a corner.
Fulham
The Blues take on the Pies, with both sides looking to find some consistency.
Chelsea enters this one going five home games without defeat (3W,2D), although their last two home league fixtures have seen them draw against newly promoted Burnley (1-1), and Leeds (2-2).
Alternatively, the Toons three game winning streak on the road came to an end against the Citizens, losing 2-1.
You have to look all the way back to 2012 to find the Magpies last ‘W’ at Stamford Bridge, a game which will be remember for an incredible brace by Toon striker Papiss Cisse.
Over 2.5 Goals have been score in 19 of both Newcastle’s and Chelsea’s 29 league fixtures this season, with only Tottenham (20) featuring in more of such fixtures.
Defense? Never heard of it.
The Citizens title charge is hanging on by a thread, and they’ll need to be collecting three competition points off the likes of West Ham should they continue to be in the hunt.
If history is anything to go by, we can chalk this one down as a Man City win, with the Sky Blues going unbeaten across their last 20 games against the Hammer, with Pep never tasting defeat in this fixture (17W,2D)
Erling Haaland will be hoping to rediscover his form in front of goal, and will enter this fixture know he has from the back of the net 11 times in seven matches against the Irons.
Let’s jump on a Man City x Haaland combo.
The Red Devils are eager to bounce back from their first ever defeat under the management of Michael Carrick when they play host to an out of sorts Villa side.
Man U has won each of their last four fixtures at Old Trafford, scoring multi goals in each victory.
Meanwhile, Villa are now winless in four games across all comps (1D,3L), including a 2-0 defeat to cellar dwellers Wolverhampton on their last road trip.
The Red Devils have won their last five competitive fixture at home against the Villans, and I’m backing them to make it six here.
The Eagles and Leeds face-off in a fixture which could have relegation ramifications.
Leeds are without a win in four league fixtures (2D,2L), leaving themselves just three points above the drop zone.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are still in the race for a top half finish despite a major drop off in form during the middle third of the season.
Palace are only just rediscovering some of the form which saw them qualify for Europe this season, and I have them collecting all three points here.
Forest vs the Cottagers reads a similar storyline to the match above, with Notts fighting for survival, while Fulham have an eye on the top 8.
Forest earned an extremely unlikely point against the Sky Blues last time out, breaking a run of four straight defeats across all comps.
Meanwhile, the Cottagers have lost back-to-back fixtures after going on a three game winning streak.
Fulham has won the last three competitive fixtures against the Tricky Trees, and I think they’ll go on to make it four straight.
Are the Spurs going down? Everyone seems to hope so.
Tottenham are at DEFCON 2, have lost their last six games in all comps, most recently embarrassed 5-2 by Atletico in the UCL, and are just one competition point above the drop zone.
They’ll now travel to Anfield, where they have won since 2011, a game in which Peter Crouch was their starting striker!
Liverpool and over 3.5 goals.
Game Week 30 wraps up in London, as the Bees play host to the “too little, too late” Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Wolves are in a position to win three straight league fixtures here and draw level with Burnley on competition points, still another 10 points from safety.
Meanwhile, one league defeat in six starts (3W,2D), has the Bees knocking on the door to the top 6, four points back from UCL birth.
I think we’ll see both sides find the back of the net in this one, with Brentford ultimately getting the job done at home.