Manchester City’s unwavering dominance headlines the stories heading into Matchweek 26 of the Premier League.
Recent Club World Cup winners Chelsea will be back in action domestically for the first time since they notched a 2-0 win over Tottenham. The battle for the top-four is also continuing to heat up with just seven points separating five teams from potential Champions League qualification.
Here are the top picks heading into a weekend loaded with riveting matchups in the best league in the world.
Top 1×2 Bet: Arsenal to Win (-220) vs. Brentford
Arsenal has won consecutive games and needs four points from its three games in hand to climb into the top four; after a narrow 1-0 victory over seventh-place Wolves last week, the Gunners should have the necessary momentum to get past the challengers. AFC will also be seeking revenge on Brentford, who beat them in the opening match of the season.
Brentford has lost four matches in a row and is in total free-fall, moving down to 14th in the league table. The Bees had a nice start to their campaign but are regressing to the mean and are unlikely to trouble an improving Arsenal side.
Top Over/Under Bet: Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace Under 2.5 Goals (-118)
The last time Chelsea and Crystal Palace met, the reigning champions of Europe secured a 3-0 victory behind goals from Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic, and Trevoh Cahlobah. This is not the same hard-hitting Chelsea side any longer, however. The Blues are averaging just 1.3 goals in their last six games against top-flight competition.
Crystal Palace is presumably going to sit back and attempt to absorb the pressure from a Chelsea team missing its two starting wing-backs, which are often the engines of the attack. Even if Palace scores a goal against the usually stout defense of Chelsea, the favorites have shown a tendency to draw games rather than pull ahead with a late winner.
Top Asian Handicap Bet: Everton +0.5 (-126) vs. Southampton
Everton has been showing very promising signs under newly-appointed manager Frank Lampard, regardless of their poor form in the league. The good news for them is that, with this handicap, they only need a draw to win the bet.
Everton’s challenger in Southampton recently put up a good scrap against Manchester City, just as they seem to always do, and walked away with three points their last time on the pitch. Still, they are getting a side with growing confidence that will bring the game to them, which favors the visitors.
Parlay Bet: Manchester City to Win (-375) / Aston Villa to Win (-145)
Tottenham vs. Manchester City Preview
Manchester City is the best team in the league, perhaps even the world, and should be able to breeze past a Spurs team that flashed worrying defensive signs their last time out. City’s attackers will be licking their chops at the chance to get a run at that backline.
Aston Villa, similar to Everton, is in the early stages of new manager Steven Gerrard’s tenure, and also will be benefiting from a couple of solid signings in the January transfer window. Their opponent in Watford seems destined for relegation and has not shown much life in quite some time.
Check out all of our soccer predictions for this weekend.