Tuesday Premier League preview & free betting tips
Nick Hext expects a wait for goals when Watford host Manchester United as part of Tuesday night's Premier League action.
Brighton and Hove Albion v Crystal Palace (1945 GMT)
The M23 derby is back on Tuesday night as Brighton host Crystal Palace at the Amex Stadium.
This is the first meeting between the clubs since their 2013 Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final. The Eagles progressed from that tie and went on to beat Watford at Wembley to seal promotion.
Brighton are priced up as favourites to get the bragging rights this time out and that's fair enough as they've impressed greatly to sit in the top half after 13 games.
Palace would gladly swap places with the Seagulls as they remain at the bottom of the standings despite a 2-1 victory at home to Stoke on Saturday.
That win was secured thanks to Mamadou Sakho's late effort and it ended a four-match run without a three-point haul in the Premier League since the shock success against Chelsea On October 14.
The Eagles though performed drastically better during that run than results would suggest. Roy Hodgson's side drew at home to both West Ham and Everton while they were hugely unfortunate to fall to 1-0 defeats against both Newcastle and Tottenham.
I don't see much between the teams in this contest despite an eight-point gap in the table and it's simply too close to call.
Brighton impressed when going down 1-0 at Manchester United on Saturday and that is just their third defeat in 11 top-flight games since August 19.
The Seagulls have drawn their last three home games in that stretch - 1-1 v Everton, 1-1 v Southampton and 2-2 v Stoke - and it's another stalemate I expect when the two rivals take to the field at the Amex.
I expect both Brighton and Palace to get on the scoresheet so odds-against for both teams to score is a bet to consider.
Prediction: Brighton 2-2 Crystal Palace (Sky Bet's odds: 16/1)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur (1945 GMT)
There's a best price of 300/1 available if you fancy a repeat of Tottenham's 6-1 win against Leicester at the King Power Stadium in the final stages of last season.
I don't think it will be quite as convincing for Spurs on Tuesday night but I do expect Mauricio Pochettino and his players to return south with three points.
Tottenham were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by West Brom at Wembley on Saturday but I still have faith in the 50/1 title contenders despite losing 2-0 against Arsenal in their previous away game.
Pochettino's side have also lost against Manchester United and Chelsea this season but they haven’t made a mistake in matches on the road against sides further down the Premier League table.
Wins at Newcastle, Everton, West Ham and Huddersfield have all been claimed with relative ease and Leicester's record this term suggests they will struggle to keep pace with Spurs.
The Foxes have lost five of their 16 games since the start of the campaign and all of those defeats have against the five clubs who join Tottenham in the Premier League's top six.
Leicester lost 2-0 at home to Manchester City in their last King Power Stadium outing. That is just one of two matches in which the East Midlands outfit have failed to score in their previous 12 outings.
I expect Claude Puel's men to cause Tottenham a few problems but ultimately it won't be enough to deny the visitors.
Getting 13/5 for Spurs to win and both teams to score is worth an interest in a match that should provide decent entertainment.
Watford v Manchester United (2000 GMT, BT Sport 1)
Manchester United face a tricky trip to Watford in Tuesday night's live BT Sport offering.
The Red Devils remain Manchester City's closest title challengers but they are back to eight points behind the table-toppers after Pep Guardiola's men netted late to win 2-1 at Huddersfield on Sunday.
Eighth-placed Watford have already got the better of Arsenal on their own turf this season but the most chastening match of the campaign for the Hornets came when leaders City won 6-0 at Vicarage Road.
That's a tough result for United to aim for (a 6-0 win for the visitors is on offer at 200/1) and I think they'll face a stern test with Watford having learnt the lessons of their City mauling.
Marco Silva's side have kept clean sheets in three of their last four outings and it's also a strong backline that forms the basis of United's strong start to the season.
The Red Devils have only conceded 10 goals in 21 matches this season and success can be expected if they maintain that record while reintegrating Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba back into their attacking.options.
Pogba played the full match in Saturday's 1-0 win at home to Brighton but Ibrahimovic's wait for a start should continue as Romelu Lukaku has escaped Football Association sanction for his alleged kick at Seagulls defender Gaetan Bong.
That 1-0 victory at Old Trafford was the fourth of United's last six outings that hasn't contained a goal in the first half.
You can get 21/10 for this Vicarage Road contest to be goalless at the break and that is my best bet.
Watford's defence is holding firm at the moment and everything points to this being a contest with all to play for in the second half.
Prediction: Watford 0-1 Manchester United (Sky Bet's odds: 6/1)
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United (2000 GMT)
My advice is to get to The Hawthorns on Tuesday night by plane, train or automobile if you want one more chance to watch Gary Megson taking charge of a Premier League club.
Megson is set to take caretaker charge of West Brom for the second and final time this season before a full-time successor to Tony Pulis is revealed.
Alan Pardew is odds-on favourite to be named the new boss of the Baggies and he's certain to have an interest in the midweek clash against his former employers Newcastle.
The Magpies have lost their last four outings and the previous two of those defeats have come by a three-goal margin - 4-1 at Manchester United and 3-0 at home to Watford.
Rafael Benitez knows that his side can do much better than that and I expect a response when they take on a fellow out-of-form team in the managerless Baggies.
Megson did lead West Brom to an impressive 1-1 draw at Tottenham on Saturday and that result ended a four-match losing run.
The 4-0 defeat at home to Chelsea was the catalyst for Pulis heading out of the exit door but the Baggies had been more impressive in the home game prior to that when pushing leaders Manchester City in a 3-2 loss.
I don't see too much wrong with the players at Megson's disposal and it certainly looks a much better group to inherit than David Moyes at West Ham and the eventual new manager at Everton.
Newcastle currently sit 14th in the standings and I fully expect West Brom to join them as two of the sides sitting between 11th and 15th when the campaign comes to a close.
Both teams have enough to stay out of trouble but don't expect much more.
A draw stops the panic for Newcastle and keeps West Brom on an upward trajectory for when the new manager does step in.
That's the call if looking for a bet.
Prediction: West Brom 1-1 Newcastle (Sky Bet's odds: 9/2)
Recommended bets: Tuesday Premier League
2pts Tottenham to beat Leicester and both teams to score at 13/5
2pts no goals in the first half of Watford v Manchester United at 21/10
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Posted at 1410 GMT on 27/11/17.