Scott Thornton’s Premier League Props: Goals Galore in Early KO

Scott Thornton is back with his Premier League props as the teams look to make a positive start to the new year.

We kick things off with a game that promises goals in abundance as Tottenham host Newcastle. Later that day we have Bournemouth vs Everton to look forward to before Arsenal look to keep the pressure on Liverpool by beating Brighton. On Sunday, it’s Fulham vs Ipswich before Manchester United head to Anfield. Nottingham Forest are looking to continue their good form against Wolves on Monday night.

• Tottenham vs Newcastle: Over 14.5 Shots For Tottenham
• Bournemouth vs Everton: Over 15.5 Shots For Bournemouth
• Brighton vs Arsenal: Under 36.5 Tackles In The Match
• Fulham vs Ipswich: Over 31.5 Tackles In The Match
• Liverpool vs Manchester United: Under 8.5 Shots For Manchester United
• Wolves vs Nottingham Forest: Over 18.5 Tackles For Wolves

Acca odds: 35.18

The Football Betting Podcast, powered by bettingexpert: OUT NOW!

Scott Thornton, Sam Ingram, Daniele Fisichella and Daniel Jenkins return for the first show of 2025…

(02:00) – The Festive Period & Trent Alexander-Arnold
(07:35) – New Management in Milan and Betting Resolutions
(13:00) – FIRST BET: Liverpool vs Manchester United
(22:45) – SECOND BET: Tottenham vs Newcastle
(25:55) – THIRD BET: Fiorentina vs Napoli
(31:44) – FOURTH BET: Bournemouth vs Everton
(37:14) – FIFTH BET: Wolves vs Nottingham Forest
(40:48) – SIXTH BET: Roma vs Lazio
(45:00) – POD TREBLE

Tottenham vs Newcastle: Ange-Ball in Full Flow

England, Premier League, Saturday, 4th January, 12:30 (UK)

Tottenham were aiming to secure a return to the Champions League but the first half of this season hasn’t gone according to plan. They are 11th in the Premier League and their only win in their last six league outings came against Southampton.

Newcastle are in much better form. They have won their last five competitive matches, scoring 16 goals in the process. This has catapulted them to 5th in the table and they are knocking on the door of the Champions League places. Eddie Howe’s side also have the added advantage of no European football this season.

This is a big opportunity for Spurs to get their European chance back on track. Under Ange Postecoglou, they play attacking football so over 14.5 shots looks doable here. Tottenham are averaging 14.9 shots per home game this season.

The Magpies are conceding just 13.1 shots per away game this season but the recent numbers in their clashes with Tottenham are more promising for our bet. Newcastle conceded 20 shots when they faced Spurs at St. James’s Park earlier this season. This bet has also won in their last five matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the home side averaging 20 shots per game.

• Selection: Over 14.5 Shots For Tottenham (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.90
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Bournemouth vs Everton: Too Sweet For the Toffees

England, Premier League, Saturday, 4th January, 15:00 (UK)

Bournemouth continue to make progress under the tutelage of Andoni Iraola. The team are playing some exciting football and are capable of netting a few goals against any opponent. They are currently 7th in the table but the underlying data suggests they should be even higher. The Cherries have the third-highest xPTS tally in the division.

The Toffees have had to dig deep over the festive period. They earned morale-boosting draws against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. However, just one win in their last 10 matches means they are sailing dangerously close to the wind and sit just two points above the drop zone.

The Cherries have the 5th highest xG per home game in the league so expect them to have plenty of shots here. They are averaging 17.89 per game in front of their own fans, only Manchester City have had more.

Everton have been happy to sit back and absorb pressure in recent games so the home side should have plenty of opportunities to let fly. They conceded 24 shots in their last away game against Manchester City so over 15.5 for Bournemouth, the team that are closest to City in terms of attempts on home turf looks good. The Cherries had 17 shots when they played at Goodison Park in August.

• Selection: Over 15.5 Shots For Bournemouth (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.72
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Brighton vs Arsenal: Low Tackle Numbers When These Teams Square Off

England, Premier League, Saturday, 4th January, 17:30 (UK)

Brighton made a blistering start to the season but their progress has halted since the end of November. Fabian Hurzeler led the team to their best ever start to a Premier League campaign but a run of seven matches without a win has seen them slip further down the table. They sit in 10th ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

Arsenal are six points behind Liverpool after beating Brentford 3-1. The Gunners fell a goal behind but showed great character to get the victory they deserved. Mikel Arteta’s side have finished 2nd to Manchester City in the last two seasons but now it is Arne Slot’s side who stand in their way of an elusive title.

The Seagulls’ home matches have seen an average of 36 tackles, which is in line with the line set by the bookmaker here. However, under 36.5 appeals when delving into the recent head-to-head data. This bet has won in the last 10 matches between these sides and there has been an average of just 30.2 tackles.

Mikel Arteta’s side’s away matches have seen 34.9 tackles on average. They were patient in their win over Brentford and we should expect a similar approach for what looks to be another tricky test. There were just 26 tackles in that match.

• Selection: Under 36.5 Tackles In The Match (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.80
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Fulham vs Ipswich: Reverse Trend in the Reverse Fixture

England, Premier League, Sunday, 5th January, 14:00 (UK)

Fulham will be delighted with the way the first half of the season has played out. They are sitting pretty in 8th and have established themselves in the top flight under Marco Silva. The Cottagers are no longer a yo-yo team and have ambitions of qualifying for Europe.

For Ipswich, it’s all about survival. They find themselves in the top tier of English football after back-to-back promotions and have every chance of staying up. Kieran McKenna’s team earned a surprise 2-0 win over Chelsea in their last match so they are just a point from safety.

There were just 24 tackles when these sides met earlier in the season but we should see more at Craven Cottage. Fulham’s home matches have seen an average of 34.1 tackles per game, well above the line of 31.5 set here. There were 38 in their last match in front of their own fans.

Ipswich’s away matches also see more tackles than their home games. On the road this season, their matches have seen an average of 33.56 tackles. There were 41 tackles when they faced Arsenal in their last away game.

• Selection: Over 31.5 Tackles In The Match (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Liverpool vs Manchester United: The Red Devils Lack Fire

England, Premier League, Sunday, 5th January, 16:30 (UK)

Liverpool have the lead in the title race. They hammered West Ham 5-0 in their last match and will be hoping for another emphatic win here. Arne Slot has built on the foundations left by Jurgen Klopp to ensure the Reds remain one of the most formidable teams in Europe.

It’s been a miserable festive season for Manchester United. The decision to change the manager and the style of play has proven to be disastrous. Erik Ten Hag’s summer contract extension looks a bigger blunder by the day and now the Red Devils are in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle. The team looked toothless as they were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle in their last match.

The Reds have the best defence in the league and should be able to keep their great rivals at bay here. Liverpool conceded just eight shots when they welcomed Manchester City to Anfield last month and Pep Guardiola’s side have a bit more about them than the red half of Manchester.

United are averaging 10.44 shots per away game this season but they have failed to reach the nine-shot mark in seven of their last eight visits to Anfield. They are averaging just 6.5 shots per game during that dismal run.

• Selection: Under 8.5 Shots For Manchester United (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.72
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Wolves vs Nottingham Forest: Wolves to Tackle the Forest

England, Premier League, Monday, 6th January, 20:00 (UK)

Wolves have turned to Vitor Pereira to help them stay in the Premier League and he has made a dream start. The team have picked up seven points from his first three games in charge, enabling them to climb out of the relegation zone and into 17th.

Nuno Espirito Santo was tasked with keeping Nottingham Forest in the Premier League when he took over in December 2023. 13 months on, his team are soaring high in 3rd place. There is every chance that they can break into the top four this season. They beat Everton 2-0 in their last game and are full of confidence ahead of the trip to Molineux.

The Old Gold have made the third most tackles in the league thus far with an average of 21.42 per game. Over 18.5 tackles for Wolves has landed in all three of their matches under Vitor Pereira so far. His only home game in charge saw his team win 26 tackles.

Nottingham Forest aren’t forcing a huge number of tackles but that should change here. Wolves had 23 when the teams met earlier in the season. Nuno also has plenty of tricky players who can stretch the game and draw tackles from the home side if it is a cagey affair.

• Selection: Over 18.5 Tackles For Wolves (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.90
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Premier League Props Acca Tips Odds via bet365 as at 13:36, January 2nd, 2024. Odds may now differ.

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