Best Soccer Bets This Week: English Premier League, La Liga, and More!

The festive fixtures are officially behind us, and Europe’s top leagues return with a full Saturday slate across the Premier League, La Liga, and Serie A. With title contenders, top-four hopefuls, and relegation battlers all back in action, this weekend offers no shortage of betting opportunities for soccer fans.

Below, we break down our favorite soccer bets for Saturday, January 31, highlighting the best spots on the board using current soccer odds and matchup trends. Feel free to use these picks for your soccer bets this week, and be sure to check back as kickoff approaches for updated lines and late movement. You can also follow our elite handicappers for live picks, in-game opportunities, and odds updates throughout the weekend.

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Best Soccer Bets

Soccer Bet #1: Leeds vs Arsenal

EPL Leaders Arsenal head to Elland Road knowing this is exactly the kind of away fixture that can derail momentum. The Gunners’ recent three-game winless run has exposed some familiar issues in the final third, with dominance in possession not always translating into clean chances. That pattern showed up again midweek in Europe, where Arsenal controlled large stretches but faded badly after halftime. Meanwhile, Leeds United arrive with growing confidence at home, where they’ve been far tougher to break down than their league position suggests.

Elland Road has quietly become a difficult stop this season. Leeds have lost just twice at home in the league, are unbeaten in five there, and have scored in 10 of their 11 top-flight home matches. Daniel Farke’s side aren’t blowing teams away, but they’re organized, competitive, and capable of making games uncomfortable, especially against opponents who need rhythm and tempo to thrive. Arsenal’s recent away wins have largely come against sides willing to open up, and Leeds won’t offer that same generosity.

From a tactical standpoint, this feels like a controlled, low-margin game rather than a shootout. Arsenal still generate strong underlying numbers in build-up, but their open-play efficiency has dipped, and the lack of cutting edge late in matches has become a recurring theme. Leeds, for their part, are happy to sit compact, disrupt passing lanes, and force opponents into longer spells of patient possession. That combination often slows matches to a crawl, particularly if the opening 30 minutes pass without a breakthrough.

All of that points toward a tight contest where Arsenal may have more of the ball, but Leeds remain very much in it deep into the second half. A narrow away win or a draw would not be surprising, and goals could be at a premium unless something breaks early. Given Leeds’ home resilience and Arsenal’s recent struggles to fully put teams away, this matchup profiles as one where control outweighs chaos and the scoreboard reflects it.

Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (-115)

Soccer Bet #2: Chelsea vs West Ham

Chelsea return to Stamford Bridge riding a midweek Champions League high, having sealed knockout-stage qualification with a come-from-behind win in Naples. That result feels significant not just for confidence, but for momentum, as Chelsea have quietly started to stabilize after an uneven start to the season. This is their first meeting with West Ham United since August, when the Blues ran riot in a 5–1 win at the London Stadium, and recent history in this fixture heavily favors the hosts.

Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have been far more reliable at home, particularly against London-based opposition. They’ve already banked top-flight wins over Brentford and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, and those performances have helped lift them into the top-five conversation. Chelsea have also made a habit of beating West Ham convincingly in recent meetings, winning their last four Premier League clashes against the Hammers by an aggregate score of 15–2. Even when Chelsea aren’t at their attacking best, this matchup has consistently tilted in their favor.

West Ham, to their credit, arrive in better spirits than they did earlier in the campaign. Nuno Espirito Santo has steadied the ship after a long winless run, with recent victories over QPR, Tottenham, and Sunderland restoring some belief. That said, league form remains a concern. The Hammers are still sitting in the relegation mix, have struggled badly on the road, and have not beaten Chelsea away in the Premier League since 2019. While their recent attacking output is encouraging, replicating that against a stronger, more controlled Chelsea side is a different challenge altogether.

From a betting perspective, this shapes up as a professional rather than explosive Chelsea performance. West Ham are unlikely to completely roll over, but Chelsea’s defensive structure at home and West Ham’s tendency to fade against top sides point toward a lower-event game than recent scorelines might imply. A controlled Chelsea win where they limit risk once ahead fits both teams’ profiles, making a narrow but comfortable home victory the most likely outcome.

Bet: Under 3.5 Goals (-170)

Soccer Bet #3: Liverpool vs Newcastle

Anfield hosts a fascinating clash on Saturday night as Liverpool and Newcastle United look to steady their top-four ambitions after uneven starts to the calendar year. Liverpool’s league form has dipped sharply, with the Reds still searching for their first Premier League win of 2026, while Newcastle arrive bruised after losing midfield control without Bruno Guimarães in last weekend’s defeat to Aston Villa. On paper it feels like a heavyweight fixture, but both sides come in with clear vulnerabilities.

Liverpool’s recent issues have been hard to ignore, particularly late in matches. Once known for dramatic finishes in their favor, they’ve now conceded decisive goals deep into stoppage time on multiple occasions this season, most recently in a painful loss on the south coast. Injuries have only added to the strain, with defensive absences forcing constant reshuffles at the back. That said, Anfield has still been a source of resilience in all competitions, and a midweek Champions League rout helped restore some confidence after a frustrating domestic run.

Newcastle’s problems have been more familiar on the road. Eddie Howe’s side have struggled to impose themselves away from St James’ Park, winning just three league matches on their travels all season. The absence of Guimarães was glaring last week, and although his return would help stabilize midfield control, the Magpies remain short-handed in key areas. Recent results show a team capable of competing but not consistently finishing the job, with scoreless draws and narrow defeats becoming a theme against stronger opposition.

All signs point toward a tight, attritional contest rather than a free-flowing shootout. Liverpool may control possession and territory, but their injury-hit back line leaves them open to moments of danger, while Newcastle’s conservative road approach limits their attacking ceiling. With both teams cautious and points at a premium, this matchup profiles as one where neither side fully takes command, making a low-margin outcome feel more likely than a statement win in either direction.

Bet: Over 2.5 Goals (-160)

Soccer Bet #4: Elche vs Barcelona

Barcelona head to Estadio Martínez Valero with a clear opportunity to strengthen their grip on the La Liga title race, knowing three points would open daylight at the top of the table. Fresh off securing Champions League knockout qualification in midweek, the Catalans can now turn full attention back to domestic business. For Elche, this matchup arrives at an awkward moment, as recent form has dipped after a solid start to life back in the top flight.

Elche have been competitive for much of the season, picking up a healthy share of points through organization and home resilience, but 2026 has not been kind to them so far. They’ve collected just two points from four league matches this calendar year and enter Saturday’s contest on the back of a 3–2 defeat to Levante. While their home record remains respectable, the margin for error against a possession-heavy side like Barcelona is slim, particularly if they’re forced to chase the game early.

Barcelona’s away form has been one of the key drivers of their title push. They boast one of the league’s best road records and are riding an extended unbeaten run against Elche that stretches back decades. Even with rotation likely after European action, the depth and control in Hansi Flick’s squad allows them to manage matches efficiently, especially against teams that struggle to sustain pressure for long stretches. Barcelona don’t need to play at full throttle to impose themselves here.

This sets up as a methodical away performance rather than a goal-fest. Elche are unlikely to open up willingly, and Barcelona have shown a willingness to prioritize control and clean sheets in these spots. That combination points toward a comfortable but unspectacular Barcelona win, where patience and quality eventually tell without the match ever becoming chaotic.

Bet: Over 3.5 Goals (-115)

Soccer Bet #5: Napoli vs Fiorentina

Napoli return to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in a strange spot, still dominant at home in league play but clearly shaken by recent events. Back-to-back defeats against Juventus and Chelsea effectively ended their hopes of retaining the Scudetto and dumped them out of Europe, exposing a side that suddenly looks fragile under sustained pressure. Even so, Napoli’s Serie A home record remains one of the most reliable in Italy, with just one home league loss in over a year and a long-standing habit of responding well after setbacks in Naples.

The underlying numbers at the Maradona still favor Napoli heavily. They are unbeaten in 21 straight Serie A home matches and have already beaten Fiorentina 3–1 in Florence earlier this season. Historically, this fixture leans strongly toward the hosts, with Fiorentina managing just one clean sheet in their last 11 league meetings against Napoli and conceding goals at a steady rate. Even with recent turmoil, Napoli’s structure at home tends to limit chaos and keep matches within their control.

Fiorentina arrive needing points just as badly, if not more. The Viola have slid back into the bottom three after a pair of damaging defeats and a Coppa Italia exit, halting what had briefly looked like a turnaround. Away from home, results have been especially bleak, with just one road win all season and little attacking consistency against stronger opposition. While their overall point total over the last two months suggests some improvement, their margin for error in hostile environments remains extremely thin.

This matchup sets up as tense and tactical rather than explosive. Napoli will be desperate to reassert control and stop the slide, but they are unlikely to overextend given recent defensive lapses. Fiorentina, meanwhile, would gladly take a slower tempo and play for long spells without the ball. That combination points toward a narrow, low-scoring contest where Napoli’s home discipline gives them the edge, but Fiorentina’s desperation keeps things uncomfortable well into the second half.

Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (-130)

Soccer Picks and Parlays of the Week

Here are our favorite soccer bets for Saturday:

• Under 2.5 Goals: Leeds vs Arsenal (-115)
• Under 3.5 Goals: Chelsea vs West Ham (-170)
• Over 3.5 Goals: Elche vs Barcelona (-115)

These three plays line up cleanly with how each matchup is likely to unfold. Leeds and West Ham are both set up to keep games controlled against superior opposition, while Barcelona’s firepower against an Elche side struggling for form creates a spot where goals can stack quickly.

A three-leg parlay using these selections delivers roughly $455 on a $100 wager. That’s a 4.5x value on your stake, balancing lower-variance unders with one high-ceiling total for upside.