Harry Kane celebrates

Free Premier League football betting tips, including Liverpool v Tottenham

Football

Sun October 22, 2017 · 7y ago

David John expects goals when Tottenham play host to Liverpool on Super Sunday.

Sunday

Everton v Arsenal (1330BST, Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event)

It is a significant afternoon for Merseyside as Everton stand on the brink of potential implosion under Ronald Koeman or perhaps the start of a positive momentum shift in a season that has thus far been a train wreck.

It is not necessary to go over old ground in terms of why the Dutchman’s expensively assembled squad are taking an age to get anywhere near being on the same page but the reality in mid-October is if results go against them over the previous 24 hours they will kick-off in the bottom three.

A Europa League campaign looks pretty much dead in the water too after a 2-1 home defeat to Lyon on Thursday but perhaps from the ashes of some extremely unsavoury incidents during that game, the Toffees could at last find an identity before the situation goes beyond recall.

The Ashley Williams-inspired brawl that almost spilled into the crowd was ugly and there will be ramifications for both teams down the line but I wonder whether all their frustrations came out in one flashpoint that you would hope represents rock bottom.

They were applauded off at the final whistle by a hard-core of fans and the message should resonate with both the players and management that those who part with their hard-earned week-in and week-out have not given up hope.

A marquee fixture like this serves as an ideal platform to reboot and I genuinely believe punters will get a good run for their money at 3/1 to secure the victory that this side of Stanley Park so desperately craves.

I would wager too Gylfi Sigurdsson, Kevin Mirallas and Wayne Rooney will all get the nod for the starting XI and while Williams has not been at his peak of late from a pure footballing perspective, he represents the catalyst once more having secured a pivotal win for them against this rival last December.

The visitors took plenty of heat as well following their 2-1 defeat last weekend at Watford as familiar failings saw them unable to press home an advantage when 1-0 ahead and in control at Vicarage Road.

The second-stringers restored some pride with a gutsy 1-0 success in a hostile Belgrade on Thursday, the most interesting aspect being Jack Wilshere’s continued progress after another cavalier display.

He surely can’t be far away from a return to the weekend line-up - particularly after Mesut Ozil deciding he is now a Manchester United player - and has certainly given Arsene Wenger something to ponder.

Whether he is involved or not, expect him to run rings around Norwich on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup at the Emirates.

It could be curtains for Koeman come Sunday evening without some kind of favourable result but Arsenal remain vulnerable away from home domestically with just one goal on their travels.

The last time they visited this part of the world it was an utter shambles at Anfield and Everton can make this a very uncomfortable return by displaying enough mental steel in a vital match to pick up all three points.

Prediction: Everton 2-1 Arsenal - Sky Bet odds: 11/1

Tottenham v Liverpool (1600, Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event)

Phase one of a high-profile run of fixtures for Tottenham went well on Tuesday night with a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid and it could have been even better bar an excellent save from Keylor Navas to thwart Harry Kane after 70 minutes.

This game, a Carabao Cup clash with West Ham, Manchester United away, Real Madrid again and a north London derby are all on the agenda in the next month so we will get a first-rate chance to see just how good Mauricio Pochettino’s classy outfit are at battling on numerous fronts.

The elephant in the room remains Tottenham’s effectiveness at Wembley Stadium, particularly in the Premier League, but they did finally manage to chisel out three points last week with a 1-0 success over Bournemouth.

The scoreline suggests it was far from convincing and Pochettino had to take a fresh approach after the break by moving Eric Dier into a back three as the Cherries certainly produced a couple of lively moments to give the hosts a scare without converting.

I doubt Sunday’s rivals will be quite as generous if the opportunities arise and having failed to break down Manchester United at Anfield, took their frustrations out on Maribor in the Champions League as they romped home in record-breaking fashion 7-0.

Consecutive clean sheets will have pleased Jurgen Klopp as well, which he referenced in his Friday morning press conference with the German feeling his team have become "much smarter in protection".

The latter issue comes under scrutiny if Kane and company are firing on all cylinders and with both teams to score currently trading at a well-backed 1/2, the opinion is the pair will try to get on the front foot and deploy their full array of attacking talent.

Tottenham are a best price of 5/4 as they bid to end a winless streak against this rival that stretches back to November 2012 but there is some potential for a bit of a drop-off having put so much into the performance at the Bernabeu.

So I am more tempted on this occasion instead to roll with Klopp and a couple of deadly counter-attacks to gain the day in the capital.

Prediction: Tottenham 1-2 Liverpool - Sky Bet odds: 10/1

Recommended bets:

1pt Everton to beat Arsenal at 3/1

1pt Liverpool to beat Tottenham at 5/2

Click here for our transparent tipping record.

Posted at 1530 BST on 20/10/17.

Saturday

Chelsea v Watford (1230 BST, Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event)

Saturday’s action starts with a home team who have admitted a worrying winless spell is starting to have an effect on morale so surely there would be an angle into the game to take them on at 2/5.

This is the reigning champions though, who remain highly dangerous even in the midst of a slump, although an injury list that is increasing by the day is becoming a massive headache for Antonio Conte with little depth to the squad all of a sudden.

N’Golo Kante and Victor Moses are already missing for the visit of Watford while David Luiz and Tiemoue Bakayoko both suffered issues during the 3-3 Champions League draw with Roma, so the club’s decision to rather stand still in terms of significant transfers over the summer is already hitting home.

It is all remaining hands to the pump then in a bid to avoid three consecutive Premier League defeats after no points from games against Manchester City and Crystal Palace but one positive is a return to scoring form of Eden Hazard, who netted twice in midweek against the Italians.

The fact they were 2-0 up and then trailed 3-2 highlights the team’s current inconsistency but there was at least some spirit on show to snatch a point and they will certainly need some more of that against Marco Silva’s upstarts.

Arsenal were guilty of treating them as a bit of a soft touch last week and Silva’s tactical switch to bring on the physical Troy Deeney to rough up the back four turned the game on its head as their late flourish pinched all three points at Vicarage Road.

They are a top-four team currently playing with little fear and this Chelsea side is simply not on the same level as Manchester City, who drubbed the Hornets 6-0 in the middle of last month - still their only Premier League defeat of the season.

It is no surprise to see any double-figure quotes for them to pick up all three points trimmed with Chelsea appearing rather vulnerable and they definitely have a fighting chance of heaping more misery on the hosts.

This is an improved side under Silva compared to the one that scored three times in this fixture last May and forced a 2-2 stalemate at Stamford Bridge the previous season so keeping them off the scoresheet will be tough and both teams to find the target is the way to go.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Watford - Sky Bet odds: 15/2

In-form Watford can get on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge

Huddersfield v Manchester United (1500)

It is all starting to unravel a little for the Terriers and there is not a great deal of faith that the situation will improve in the short term with this fixture and then a trip to Liverpool on the agenda.

They are 10/1 in places to end a six-game winless spell in the Premier League while an even more worrying situation for manager David Wagner is four games on the trot without a goal.

I quite like the physicality of Belgian Laurent Depoitre up front – the last man to find the net on September 16 – but the chance to get Steve Mounie back from a heel injury this weekend is not a moment too soon to give Wagner a valuable additional option.

I doubt the time has arrived just yet for the German to roll the dice a little and play both of his strikers against the Red Devils but even a shot in the arm with a goal in this encounter from some source would be a step in the right direction.

Tom Ince came as close as anyone for Huddersfield in last week’s 2-0 loss at Swansea but it was a disappointing effort against a team struggling themselves and a defence that received so much praise in the opening weeks of the season has now conceded six in their last two outings.

United slipped off the pace behind Manchester City following their wily 0-0 draw with Liverpool at Anfield and Jose Mourinho then expended the minimum amount of energy possible in midweek getting all three points in the Champions League at Benfica.

A potential knee injury for Marcus Rashford was the only piece of bad news and even if the Portuguese has to shuffle his pack yet again, they should still have too much in the locker for the side from West Yorkshire.

Mourinho enjoys having a smirk about how Manchester United’s strength still remains the defence despite Rashford, Anthony Martial and Romelu Lukaku all being in sparkling form and expect the backline and an imperious David De Gea to have a good day with another clean sheet.

Prediction: Huddersfield 0-2 Manchester United - Sky Bet odds: 9/2

Manchester City v Burnley (1500)

Burnley continue to get a big thumbs-up from pundits and rivals alike as Sean Dyche’s side build an impressive start to the season which has them inside the top eight of the table.

Another point was carved out at home to West Ham last week as the Clarets displayed good determination to snatch a late draw against a team that had all but shut up shop for an hour having been reduced to 10 men.

They now take the short trip to the Etihad Stadium and surely have a better chance than the 33/1 quote suggests to derail a pace-setting Man City for Dyche’s finest coup de grace.

Then again, maybe not. Pep Guardiola believes this could be the greatest team he has ever coached after they put seven past Stoke last week and even when the Potters flickered into life to make the scoreline 3-2, it was the equivalent of foolishly poking a hornets’ nest with a big stick.

Napoli gave them some sort of game in midweek but were always chasing having trailed 2-0 inside 13 minutes so Guardiola’s message to his team seems to be get on top quickly and decisively.

Five of their players are quoted at 9/5 or shorter to score at some stage as the goals flow from all directions with brilliant Belgian Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings and seeing all the angles for at least one or two killer passes per outing.

The law of averages says City’s run of bludgeoning rivals at home will end at some stage and Burnley certainly have the capacity to keep things respectable.

They can be backed at odds-against with a three-goal start on the handicap and in all honesty have nothing to fear bearing in mind already tucked away are a victory at Chelsea and hugely creditable 1-1 draws with Tottenham and Liverpool.

It is a dangerous game crossing swords with City currently but who is to say that they won’t have a quieter afternoon or even experience some frustration against this well-drilled visiting defence, so the visitors with that tasty start get the vote.

Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Burnley - Sky Bet odds: 11/1

Burnley won't be a pushover at Man City

Newcastle v Crystal Palace (1500)

Toon are never very far away from the headlines and more upheaval off the pitch lies ahead as owner Mike Ashley announced this week his intention to finally cash in his chips and sell the club.

New owners and new investment would be a tremendous boost ahead of not only the January transfer window but also in terms of hanging on to Rafa Benitez, who has put this team on his shoulders after a decidedly sticky start.

A 2-2 draw last week at Southampton was probably a fair result for both sides in a helter-skelter affair but the onus will be on Benitez to get three points back on Tyneside, which they are general even-money shots to achieve.

They have not lost at home in the Premier League since the opening day against Tottenham but this is certainly a potential banana skin against a Palace side trying to build on a first win and Premier League goals after a convincing 2-1 victory over champions Chelsea.

The understandable euphoria after that performance needs to be put in some sort of context and we will have a clearer idea of whether Roy Hodgson really has turned a corner come 5pm on Saturday evening.

The return of Wilfrid Zaha at Selhurst Park was a major factor but Andros Townsend had a very good game too and the threat of pace from that duo constantly gave the Chelsea backline palpitations.

That crucial point will not have escaped the attention of Benitez and the Spaniard has set up his teams in the past to counteract bigger threats than Palace possess so I like the hosts to deliver the goods.

Prediction Newcastle 2-1 Crystal Palace - Sky Bet odds: 15/2

Stoke v Bournemouth (1500)

Watford showed recently that an utter spanking from Manchester City was not detrimental to their immediate future prospects and the Potters have a chance to add weight to that theory back at the Bet365 Stadium.

Watford let in six with the tally one worse for Stoke and Mark Hughes might be best just shrugging his shoulders and moving on although it was a shock to watch them utterly capitulate having almost got back in the shake-up at 3-2 from 3-0 down.

The layers don’t feel there will be too much of a hangover with them priced up at 11/10 so this represents an obvious opportunity to immediately get up and running again against the league’s second-bottom team.

Bar a 4-0 reverse to Chelsea, Stoke tend to be much more reliable on their own patch anyway with seven points from a possible 12 so far, including a win over Arsenal and a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

The Cherries’ lowly position is probably not a fair reflection of the quality of some of their performances and they gave Spurs a pretty decent game at Wembley last time before falling to a 1-0 defeat.

Christian Eriksen's winner even had an element of bad fortune for Eddie Howe’s side as the ball ricocheted back into the Dane’s path but if they keep spirits up and create chances then they should not be long in doubling their win tally for the season.

I have my doubts whether it will be this week as Stoke are a useful proposition at home but I would not put it past the visitors to find the net and potentially pinch a draw.

Prediction: Stoke 1-1 Bournemouth - Sky Bet odds: 5/1

Eddie Howe and Bournemouth can grab a point at Stoke

Swansea v Leicester (1500)

The theory that a team tends to respond positively after a stricken manager parts company with an out-of-form group of players will be tested here as Leicester move on from Craig Shakespeare.

The demanding owners at Leicester had seen enough and six top-flight games without a victory was enough for Shakespeare to been given his marching orders.

The problem is that the latter was a very popular figure and his dismissal came as a real shock for the playing staff so I just wonder whether the feeling of negativity over the whole affair will spill over from dressing room to pitch in the short term.

Interim boss Michael Appleton reported a positive training session on Thursday but I would be pretty keen to swerve a quote of 17/10 for them to claim victory in south Wales and it is just a case of whether the hosts can take advantage of any lingering uncertainty and animosity.

Some pressure was released for them following a much more efficient effort in the 2-0 win over Huddersfield as manager Paul Clement was far happier with his team’s balance between defence and attack.

They were given a helping hand along the way with some pretty average defensive work from the visitors but it was a welcome boost to secure a first victory in the Premier League since the end of August.

What they will do next is also rather tricky to predict and that uncertainty along with the prices on offer leads me to leave this one alone with a token suggestion it will end in stalemate.

Prediction: Swansea 1-1 Leicester - Sky Bet odds: 5/1

Southampton v West Brom (1730, BT Sport 1)

Southampton string-puller Dusan Tadic admitted this week that the Saints are "nervous hosts" at St Mary’s but did manage to overcome the problem and winkle out a point against Newcastle despite trailing twice.

There will certainly be better odds-on chances this season but at least they managed a couple of goals – one from the penalty spot – and did pose a threat in the final third on numerous occasions.

There is plenty more to come too from Virgil van Dijk after he completed a full 90 minutes while summer arrival Mario Lemina looks absolute quality in the middle of the park hoovering up and distributing all of the loose balls.

They face another tough test in front of the TV cameras as the Baggies will be tough to unlock at the back as usual and are always capable of popping up with a goal from somewhere without ever looking like giving the opposition a good hiding.

Their whole relatively risk-free ethos is reflected in four of their last six Premier League fixtures ending in draws as Tony Pulis rarely gives too much away but at the same time remains reluctant to chance his arm and go all out for three points.

The onus will be on the home side to try and coax them out of their shells by getting in front with Tadic adding that a fast, aggressive start is the plan.

Manolo Gabbiadini scored a lovely goal against Newcastle to get his side level but they still remain less than clinical despite riding high in the stats when it comes to the number of shots taken.

Under 2.5 total goals in the game can be backed at 4/7 and should pay out so with van Dijk marshalling the home defence, Southampton being able to convert one of their chances could be good enough.

Prediction: Southampton 1-0 West Brom - Sky Bet odds: 4/1