Saturday 26th December 2020 Premier League Fixtures
Leicester City vs Manchester United (12:30pm) - BT Sport
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace (3pm) - BBC Sport
Fulham vs Southampton (3pm) - Sky Sports
Arsenal vs Chelsea (5:30pm) - Sky Sports
Manchester City vs Newcastle (8pm)- BT Sport
Sheffield United vs Everton (8pm) - BT Sport
Penalty to be awarded in Leicester City vs Man Utd!
Solskjaer's Man Utd head to the King Power to face Leicester City off the back of some impressive recent form. Since the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in November, Manchester United have won six of their last seven Premier League games.
Leicester City are in more mixed form having won three of their last six Premier League games. That's included a 2-1 home defeat against Fulham and a 2-0 defeat against Everton, which makes the 11/8 with Paddy Power on a Manchester United win look tempting. Even better when you consider Manchester United have won seven out of the last eight games between the sides.
It's a big game at the top of the league with 2nd vs 3rd, with a win for either side setting up a feel good factor into the festive fixtures. If Manchester United can win they could be within two points of the leaders, Liverpool, with a game in hand.
I reckon we'll see a shoot out with goals galore. Vardy, Fernandes, Martial and Maddison are all in good scoring form. You can get 9/5 with Bet Victor on Bruno Fernandes to score, which looks a decent bet.
Both teams have been involved in goal scoring games with seven out of eight Manchester United's games ending in over 2.5 goals, with four out of nine Leicester City games. With the way Man Utd are playing at the moment I think we're see goals so 7/10 with William Hill looks a good bet to me!
Both sides tend to like a penalty with Leicester City (1st in the league) having been awarded nine penalties so far this season and Manchester United (2nd) winning five. If you fancy another penalty to be awarded in this game you can get 6/4 with bet365. With the attacking and direct dibbling talent on show I reckon a penalty to be awarded is a good bet for the game.
1st Bet:
Leicester City vs Manchester United: Penalty to be awarded @ 6/4 with bet365!
Crystal Palace to bounce back with Win against Aston Villa!
Crystal Palace come off the back of a horror show against Liverpool, going down to a 7-0 home defeat! Aston Villa meanwhile played out a comfortable 3-0 win against West Brom after Jake Livermore was sent off in the 37th minute of the game.
Villa have been in decent recent form with two wins in their last three, and three clean sheets (Paddy Power offering 15/8 for an Aston Villa clean sheet). Villa are in such good form if they win their two games in hand they could climb above Leicester City in second place.
Both sides tend to create incident and bookings so a bet on a red card (sending off) at 5/1 with bet365 could be worth consideration. There's been four sending offs in Aston Villa's last five games whilst Crystal Palace games have seen two red cards in the last five games.
I reckon we'll see a reaction from Roy Hodgson's side and Villa might be a little complacent. Palace will relish a physical battle and you don't often see Crystal Palace knock out two poor performances in a row.
The last time the sides met on Boxing Day, Palace won 1-0 in 2013 (You can get 13/1 on a 1-0 Crystal Palace win with Bet Victor). Palace are unbeaten in their last three away games on Boxing Day and I'm certain we'll see a more stubborn Palace performance. I just fancy we'll see Palace grab all three points and that's why I'm backing Palace to beat Villa at 29/10 with Bet Victor!
2nd Bet:
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace: Crystal Palace to win @ 29/10 with Bet Victor!
Fulham and Southampton to play out a draw!
Southampton head to Craven Cottage to face a much improved Fulham side in the other 3pm game on Boxing day. Scott Parker Fulham team are unbeaten in three games with notable draws against Liverpool and a draw with Newcastle despite going down to ten men.
Fulham have started better in games than at the start of the season, scoring the first goal of the game in three out of their last five Premier League games. You can get 6/5 with Betfred for Fulham to score the first goal of the game.
For all Southampton's plaudits, they have only won three out of their last seven matches. You can get 13/10 with Paddy Power on the Southampton win if you fancy the Saints to get their first win in three games.
Fulham games have tended to be low scoring recently with the last four netting under 2.5 goals, and you can get 5/6 on under 2.5 goals with Unibet! Saints recent games haven't been high scoring with four games notching up under 2.5 goals.
This is a close game to call and I reckon the draw looks like the most likely result. Scott Parker's side can give any Premier League team a game and Southampton are unbeaten in six away from home, so I think we'll see a fourth consecutive draw in a Fulham game, so I'd recommend the 23/10 offered by bet365 for the draw.
3rd Bet:
Fulham vs Southampton: Draw @ 23/10 with bet365!
Arsenal to Win and Both Teams to Score (vs Chelsea)
The big game of Boxing Day! Arsenal are in desperate trouble and can all but write off this season as a bad mistake. Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 3-0 win over West Ham on Monday!
Arsenal amazingly haven't won in the league since the start of November when they beat Man Utd 1-0. Arsenal have only scored two other goals in open play in the league since. Something needs to change at Arsenal, but with both Martinelli and Aubameyang a doubt it may have to fall on Alexandre Lacazette (9/4 with bet365 to score) to grab the goals!
Chelsea's form hasn't been brilliant recently (Chelsea have lost two of their last three), but Chelsea seem to moving in the right direction generally. Chelsea have plenty of options, perhaps too many options for Frank Lampard to truly know what his best eleven is.
This time last year (29th December 2020) when crowds were allowed at stadiums, Chelsea nicked a 2-1 victory at the Emirates after Arsenal dominated play. You can get 17/2 with bet365 on a 2-1 Chelsea correct score result. Both teams have usually scored and that bet would have won in the last four meetings between the sides, you can get 4/5 with bet365 on both teams to score!
I can't justify an Arsenal victory based on form or any stats, but at some point this dreadful run of form will end for Arsenal. One bit of luck or the first goal in the game will change the mentality. Arteta is undefeated against Chelsea as Arsenal manager and I think we'll see a reaction in this one, but it might be more scrappy than beautiful.
I have a feeling we'll see something more positive from Arsenal in the evening Boxing Day game. By hook or by crook Arsenal need a result and I reckon they'll get it. I'm going for a punt on an Arsenal win and both teams at 6/1 with bet365!
4th Bet:
Arsenal vs Chelsea: Arsenal to Win and Both Teams to Score @ 6/1 with bet365!
Manchester City to Win by Two Goals!
Manchester City are stuttering back to form bit by bit, with a good 1-0 against Southampton and a demolition of Arsenal in the EFL Cup! Newcastle scrapped a 1-1 draw against Fulham despite being a man up for much of the game and went down to poor 1-0 defeat against Brentford in the EFL Cup.
Newcastle's form hasn't been too bad with only one defeat in the league in their last four, but Newcastle don't usually get much out of City at the Etihad, with City winning the last 11! The bookies don't fancy Newcastle hence the 24/1 being offered by Unibet for the Newcastle win!
City have a big squad to choose from and with a fixture congestion pile up like the football festive time, you would think City can take advantage. Will Pep rest players from the 4-1 win at Arsenal or stick with the same to keep the momentum?
Let's face facts, it would be a big shock if this didn't end up as anything other than a Manchester City win! However the 1/8 odds (William Hill) you can get on the Manchester City victory isn't exactly tempting. Even Manchester City Half Time/Full Time at 4/9 with Betfred isn't great.
I don't usually like winning margin bets, but I'm tempted by the 3/1 bet365 are offering for Man City to win the game by two goals!
5th Bet:
Manchester City vs Newcastle: Manchester City to Win by Two Goals @ 3/1 with bet365!
Everton to beat Sheffield United
The other late evening Boxing day game is Sheffield United vs Everton!
Everton will fancy their chances against a Sheffield United side who are struggling to get positive results. Sheffield United have only amassed two points and are 24 points behind the Merseysiders.
Everton are in decent form in the league with wins against Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester City. Both sides have recently been beaten by Manchester United; Everton lost two nil in the EFL cup on Wednesday and Sheffield United lost 3-2 last week.
Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that former Blade, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to be rested at some point over the festive period. Therefore this could be a good time to back Richarlison for first goal scorer in the game at 6/1 with Unibet!
For Sheffield United the issue is the lack of goals, drawing blanks in too many games and when they have scored goals they have let in more goals! Given Sheffield United's lack of goal threat, Everton clean sheet at 13/8 with bet365 looks a tempting bet!
I'm going to go for a bread butter match result for this one. Everton should have more than enough to get the win against Sheff U, and 5/6 with Paddy Power looks good value! Have a bet on it!
6th Bet:
Sheffield United vs Everton: Everton Win @ 5/6 with Paddy Power!
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