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Horse Racing Scott Thornton’s Premier League Props: Postecoglou Fighting for His Job in London Derby
Scott Thornton covers all five televised Premier League games in this week’s props piece. There are some mouthwatering fixtures as we head into the festive period.
On Saturday, Everton kick things off against Liverpool. Later that day, it’s Brentford vs Newcastle before Nottingham Forest head to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. Fulham vs Arsenal is the first game on Sunday before Chelsea and Tottenham resume their rivalry. Monday Night Football sees West Ham face Wolves.
- Everton vs Liverpool: Under 8.5 Goal Kicks For Everton
- Brentford vs Newcastle: Over 27.5 Shots In The Match
- Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest: Under 33.5 Throws In The Match
- Fulham vs Arsenal: Under 15.5 Shots For Arsenal
- Tottenham vs Chelsea: Over 39.5 Tackles In The Match
- West Ham vs Wolves: Over 26.5 Shots In The Match
Acca odds: 40.36
Everton vs Liverpool: Toffees to Show Fighting Spirit
England, Premier League, Saturday, 7th December, 12:30 (UK)
The Merseyside Derby kicks off the weekend’s Premier League action and it should be a cracker. Everton secured a morale-boosting 4-0 win over Wolves midweek but they now face a difficult run of fixtures. The Goodison Park crowd will be very vocal as the Toffees look to take points off their title-chasing local rivals.
Liverpool had to settle for a draw against Newcastle midweek but they still have a seven-point cushion at the top of the league. Mohamed Salah is proving to be unstoppable at the moment. He has 21 goal contributions in 14 league outings.
Everton have managed to shackle Liverpool in their recent clashes at Goodison. Sean Dyche’s side will undoubtedly try to stop the league leaders from getting into their rhythm again. The Toffees had just seven goal kicks in this fixture last season. They are averaging 7.57 goal kicks per home game this term.
The Reds are forcing an average of 7.29 goal kicks per away game this season. Under 8.5 goal kicks for their opponents has landed in six of their seven away games with only Crystal Palace having more.
- Selection: Under 8.5 Goal Kicks For Everton (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.10
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 7/10
Brentford vs Newcastle: The Bees and Magpies Set to Entertain
England, Premier League, Saturday, 7th December, 15:00 (UK)
Brentford have picked up more points at home than any other team in the Premier League. However, their lacklustre away form means they sit 9th in the table. Luckily for the Bees, they are back in front of their own fans this weekend after a 3-1 defeat at Villa Park.
Newcastle led twice against Liverpool but were unable to get more than a point. They come into this fixture 10th in the league, level on points with Brentford. Pressure is starting to build on Eddie Howe with the Saudi owners targeting European football.
The Bees have offered plenty going forward but they have also been vulnerable at the back. Therefore, their matches have seen the second most shots in the top flight with an average of 29.36. This drops slightly to 28.86 when playing at home but that’s still above the bookmaker’s line here.
There were 33 shots in the Magpies’ thrilling encounter with Liverpool midweek. They carry plenty of threat going forward and this is a hugely important game for them so expect plenty of shots.
- Selection: Over 27.5 Shots In The Match (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.72
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 8/10
Manchester United vs Nottingham Forest: Patient United Presents Opportunity
England, Premier League, Saturday, 7th December, 17:30 (UK)
Ruben Amorim suffered his first defeat as Manchester United boss against Arsenal but there have been some encouraging signs. The Red Devils have a clear playing style already, something that failed to develop under Erik Ten Hag. United now need to return to winning ways at Old Trafford.
Nottingham Forest are 6th in the league after a fantastic opening few months of the season. The congested nature of the Premier League means they could drop significantly if they follow up their loss against Manchester City with another defeat against United.
Manchester United are keen to hold onto the ball under the new manager and this has led to a decrease in the throw numbers. Their competitive matches at Old Trafford under Amorim have seen 25 and 21 throws. Their Premier League home games have seen an average of 32.71 throws, which is still below the line of 33.5.
When Forest played at this ground last season, there were 29 throws. There have been 33 throws or less in Nuno Espirito Santo’s side’s last four away games in the league.
- Selection: Under 33.5 Throws In The Match (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.90
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 8/10
Fulham vs Arsenal: The Cottagers to Halt the Assault
England, Premier League, Sunday, 8th December, 14:00 (UK)
Fulham are firmly in midtable but jumping into European contention is a big leap. They are in action against Brighton on Thursday night, meaning they will have less time to prepare for this fixture than their opponents.
Arsenal closed the gap to Liverpool to seven points by beating Manchester United midweek. The Gunners have finished 2nd to Manchester City in the previous two seasons but are hoping to finally get their hands on the Premier League trophy this season.
Marco Silva’s side are conceding an average of 11 shots per home game in the Premier League this season. Just one of the six teams that have travelled to Craven Cottage for a league game have reached the 16 shots mark.
With Odegaard returning, Arsenal have looked menacing. However, we are backing them to have under 15.5 shots here. They are averaging 9.43 shots per away game this season. This bet has also won in their last four games at this ground.
- Selection: Under 15.5 Shots For Arsenal (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1,72
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 8/10
Tottenham vs Chelsea: A Physical Battle at Spurs
England, Premier League, Sunday, 8th December, 16:30 (UK)
Tottenham are also in action on Thursday night so they will have very little time to train ahead of the game against Chelsea. Spurs have a poor record against Chelsea. They have managed to win just one of the last 16 meetings between the sides.
The Blues are emerging as unlikely title contenders. They are 2nd in the league ahead of matchday 15 but Cole Palmer has insisted the team are taking it one game at a time. Enzo Maresca has done a sterling job of galvanising the bloated squad and it could pay dividends in the form of silverware.
Spurs’ matches have seen the most tackles in the division with an average of 40.08. This climbs to 41.86 when playing at home. Ange Postecoglou needs his side to perform to stay within touching distance of the top four so expect a feisty affair.
The players are usually keen to get stuck in when these rivals lock horns and that should be the case once again. There were 42 tackles when these sides met at this ground last season.
- Selection: Over 39.5 Tackles In The Match (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.90
- Bookmaker: bet365
- Stake: 8/10
West Ham vs Wolves: Managers Must Throw Caution to the Wind
England, Premier League, Monday, 9th December, 20:00 (UK)
Julen Lopetegui faces the axe in the coming weeks if results don’t improve. West Ham were beaten 3-1 by Leicester in their last game so there could be a toxic atmosphere at the London Stadium this weekend.
Wolves also suffered a disappointing defeat midweek. They were beaten 4-0 at Goodison Park which saw them drop to 19th. Gary O’Neil’s side have also overperformed their xG significantly. A change could be in the offing at Molineux over the festive period.
West Ham matches have seen the most shows in the Premier League with an average of 30.5. There have 27 attempts or more in all seven of their home games heading into the weekend.
The shot count is more modest when Wolves are in action. Their away matches have seen an average of 25.86 attempts but this bet has won in their last four games at the London Stadium. There were 27 shots in this fixture last season.
Premier League Props Acca Tips Odds via bet365 as at 13:22, January 1st, 2023. Odds may now differ.
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