Betting Tips and Previews: Premier League 2021

Who Will End The Year With A Bang



Like Tweet +1

Manchester City are almost out of reach at the top of the table but the chasing pack is desperate to maintain their form, aware the rivals will leapfrog them in the blink of an eye.

Six points separate Manchester United from Arsenal in sixth. Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are relentless in their pursuit of Jose Mourinho’s team but keeping a nervous eye over their shoulders.

Watford are 10th and 8 points clear of the relegation zone. One defeat, a draw or two and the Hornets will find themselves in the mix. The visit of Swansea City, new manager and all, to Vicarage Road is one of the matches which will have far-reaching consequences for both teams.

Bournemouth vs. Everton

Kick-off: 3pm 30th December 2017

Bournemouth ended their losing streak with a 3 – 3 draw against West Ham, but for the third match running, the Cherries conceded three goals. It’s this defensive weakness which Eddie Howe must address quickly.

Bournemouth_celebrating_against_West_Ham.jpg

It’s eight without a victory for the Dorset club (D4, L4) and they remain in the bottom three. One win could see them rise as high as 13th; it’s that tight at the bottom.

Howe has no good news on the injury front with his five injured long-term absentees, including Jermaine Defoe, still missing. Harry Arter, Charlie Daniels and Andrew Surman all face a race against time to be fit for this encounter.

Everton are slowly climbing the table, sitting 9th. Seven unbeaten in the Premier League (W4, D3), the Toffees have won 1 of their 10 away games this season (W1, D5, L4).

Everton_in_solid_recent_form.jpg

Barkley, Gueye, McCarthy, and Rooney are all doubts

Bournemouth vs. Everton Premier League betting tips:

Chelsea vs. Stoke City

Kick-off 3pm: 30th December 2017

Chelsea struggled to break down Brighton’s defence but the 2 – 0 victory was their 6th home win on the trot. They aren’t free-scoring with -2.5 goals in their last three Premier League games although each match finished with a clean sheet for the Blues.

Andreas-Christensen.jpg

David Luiz and Charles Musonda will miss the match while Andreas Christensen is a doubt.

Mark Hughes received a vote of confidence from Stoke City owner Peter Coates, but the Potters position is becoming increasingly precarious. One win in their last 10 away games has seen them slide to within three points of the relegation places.

This isn’t a fixture where Stoke have done well in the past with Chelsea scoring 2.5 goals + in the past three meetings.

Ryan_Shawcross.jpg

The absences of Zouma and Martins Indi will hurt while Shawcross, Johnson and Pieters face fitness tests.

Chelsea vs Stoke City Premier League betting tips:

Huddersfield Town vs. Burnley

Kick-off: 3pm 30th December 2017

Two of the Premier League’s unlikeliest success stories meet at the John Smith’s Stadium. Huddersfield Town in 11th are over halfway to the magical 40 points total while Burnley sit in 7th on the fringes of the Europa League places. How Sean Dyche must be hoping Arsenal win that trophy this season.

David_Wagner.jpg

The Terriers drew their last two games but have lost just one of the last 5 while at home, it’s three wins out of six with one draw. David Wagner is under no illusions that it will be tougher in the second half of the season but their form is such that Huddersfield should feel confident going into each game.

No fresh injury worries for Wagner who is expected to rotate his squad for this match.

Sean Dyche’s side have lost 1 in their last 5 away games and like Huddersfield, they have drawn their last two games, albeit away from home in this case.

Sean-Dyche-Ginger-Mourinho.jpg

While the ‘Ginger Mourinho’ will be unhappy at dropping a two-goal lead, their performance at Old Trafford last weekend was outstanding. Manchester United’s brace meant Burnley conceded more than once for the first time in four games.

Dyche is expected to field an unchanged team.

Huddersfield Town vs. Burnley Premier League betting tips:

Liverpool vs. Leicester City

Kick-off: 3pm 30th December 2017

Liverpool continue their goal-rush with their third game in a row of score 3 or more goals. Swansea were the sacrificial lambs in a 5 – 0 drubbing. It followed a 4 – 0 win over Bournemouth and 3 – 3 draw with Arsenal.

Virgil_Van_Dijk_Liverpool.jpg

More impressively, the Reds have kept 5 clean sheets in the last 7. However, the concern for Jurgen Klopp is the ease with which Arsenal parted the defence; Virgil Van Dijk might make a difference for Liverpool in the second half of the season.

At Anfield, Liverpool haven’t conceded more than once while in the 10 Premier League fixtures, they have won 5 and drawn 5, with 3 of the latter in the last four games.

Jamie_Vardy.jpg

Leicester are on a good run, unbeaten in 5 of the last 7. However, the 2 – 1 defeat at Vicarage Road last weekend punctured their confidence but was their first in 7 away games. Their last three away games featured +2.5 goals.

Liverpool vs. Leicester City Premier League betting tips:

Newcastle United vs. Brighton and Hove Albion

Kick-off: 3pm 30th December 2017

The top two from last season’s Championship meet at St James Park with Newcastle’s season sliding from the ridiculous into the relegation abyss. Manchester City’s 1 – 0 win was their fifth consecutive home defeat. It’s of little comfort that the three of those are by a single-goal.

raheem-sterling-ball-net-manchester-city-lascelles-elliot-newcastle-united-nufc.jpg

More worryingly for Rafa Benitez, it was their 9th in 11 games overall as they slide down the table. With under 1.5 goals in three of their last four games, the Magpies issue is scoring goals – they lost all three – and the Spaniard has yet to find a poacher who will convert the chances created by his XI.

Aleksandar Mitrovic is out, but Lejeune and Hayden both face pass fitness tests.

Brighton are equally as out of form. One win in nine with three draws in that spell is bad enough but failing to score in four of the last five is hurting Chris Hughton’s side’s chances of survival.

chris_hughton.jpg

On the road, Brighton’s last the matches have all finished in 2 – 0 defeats.

Newcastle United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League betting tips:

Watford vs. Swansea City

Kick-off: 3pm 30th December 2017

Watford’s win over Leicester last weekend was very welcome, giving them an eight-point gap to the bottom three. It’s an advantage which can quickly disappear and in a match like this, victory can breathe life into a struggling team’s campaign. Watford must be on their guard for any slip-ups.

Marco_Silva.jpg

It was the Hornets first win in four but that has the makings of an entertaining clash with their last five home games featuring 2 or more goals.

Britos and Hughes are doubts while Marco Silva has six others missing.

Carvalhal_Swansea.jpg

Swansea received a boost with the appointment of Carlos Carvalhal as manager and they needed it; the 5 – 0 hammering at Anfield made it 7 away defeats in a row. They are goal-shy at the moment with just two scored in the last five away from the Liberty Stadium, a spell in which they have conceded thirteen.

Watford vs. Swansea City Premier League betting tips:

Manchester United vs. Southampton

Kick-off: 30th December 5.30pm

While United stumbled to a 2 – 2 draw with Burnley, Southampton were licking their wounds after a humiliating 5 – 2 thrashing at Wembley.

Jesse_Lingard.jpg

The performance as Burnley took a two-goal lead had been coming. Maybe the Clarets woke Mourinho’s side from their torpor of the previous week. Despite that, United have suffered just one defeat in the previous 27 home games.
They have netted two in four recent home games, all of which featured 2.5+ goals. Burnley were only the second visiting team in six to score twice at Old Trafford.

United are without Rojo who is suspended, as well as five long-term injured, including Eric Bailly and Chris Smalling. Darmian and Martial are adding to Mourinho’s problems with both expected to face late fitness tests.

Southampton conceded four goals for the second time in four games earlier this week and are enduring a horrible end to 2017 with a run of one win in ten. On the road, they have lost five of the last seven games, with two drawn. Compounding their problems is a leaky defence which hasn’t kept a clean sheet since their second away game of the season, 8 matches ago.

mauricio-pellegrino-southampton.jpg

Manchester United won three of the last six at Old Trafford but must be wary: the Saints have won two.

Manchester United vs. Southampton Premier League betting tips:

 Please note all odds are correct at the time of publishing (12:00 29th December 2017) and are subject to change.

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply

Click to Claim
Stuart is a freelance writer and well-known Arsenal blogger, writing A Cultured Left Foot since 2006. As well as football, he regularly writes about cricket, tennis, rugby, baseball and American football.

View other articles by

Comments & Feedback

Please log in to join the conversation. Login