EPL Round-Up

The drama continues this weekend all over the EPL table.  Whether it’s keeping tabs on the race for league supremacy between Chelsea and Tottenham, the quest for UCL inclusion in top 4, or the cellar dwellers fighting to stay up plenty of matches this weekend offer plenty of intrigue.  Like he’s done all season James Kempton is here to run it all down like only he can before you head to the window

Southampton v Hull City
Southampton -0.75 and 2.5 goals

Whatever we may think of Marco Silva in terms of the way he has impressed in his job at Hull so far he’s yet managed to turn around the club’s terrible away form. They are 1-2-14 on their travels and have netted just nine goals in those fixtures, fewer than Burnley who’ve not yet won away from home. The Saints are an indifferent 6-4-5 on home soil and although I want to take the unders in this game the fact that Hull have conceded no fewer than forty one times in those seventeen away games really makes me wary of that bet. 

Stoke City v West Ham United
Stoke -0.25 and 2.5 goals

It was one apiece earlier this campaign and Yes on Both Teams To Score has gone 5-1 in the previous six meetings of the sides. The Potters have not lost any of the last seven meetings of the teams and have netted seven times in the last three games played at this venue. At this stage of the season and with nothing for either side to play for I will take the Yes on Both Teams To Score to to keep those trends going.

Sunderland v Bournemouth
PK and 2.75 goals

Sunderland won 2-1 on the south coast back in November in one of their rare successes this season. This fixture ended one apiece last season and it will be a sombre atmosphere at the Stadium of Light which could turn somewhat acrimonious if the home team struggle again. The teams’ thirty four combined games in this spot, Sunderland home and Bournemouth away, have seen a total of 102 goals so it is no surprise to see this goal line set at 2.75 goals. Both goal and match lines appear too prohibitive for me to get involved and at this stage of the season this is a game to be wary of betting in.

West Bromwich Albion v Leicester City
West Brom -0.25 and 2.5 goals

This line is priced spot on where I thought it would be as both teams have nothing to play for at this juncture of the season. If I was betting this game I’d probably lean just to the under as West Brom have not scored in any of their last four meetings and failed to net in six of their last seven.  Wins are more important for Craig Shakespeare at this stage of his managerial career than Tony Pulis but I will swerve the match market. 

Crystal Palace v Burnley
Crystal Palace -0.5 and 2.25 goals

Burnley won 3-2 at Turf Moor when the sides played on Bonfire Night and we all know the strength of the Clarets on home soil. It was interesting though that Palace scored twice on that visit and only Bournemouth, Man City, Man Utd and Tottenham have achieve that feat this season. There is always a team that makes a strong run in the final weeks of the campaign and pulls away from any impending relegation trouble. Palace have been that team this season as before that midweek loss at home to Spurs they had gone 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Palace -0.5 looks a rare bit of value this weekend.

Manchester United v Swansea City
Man Utd -1.5 and 2.75 goals

Yes on Both Teams To Score is on a 5-0 run in EPL meetings and is a 9-3 in all meetings of the sides since November 2011. When they faced off back in November the match in Wales finished in a 3-1 win for the Red Devils. Swansea did win their trip to the Theatre of Dreams back in August 2014 and they desperately need to take all three points from this trip to aid them in their survival quest. United have lost just once at home all season and that was to their city rivals who they frustrated in midweek. Surely the need of the away team will keep them in this game till late on?

Everton v Chelsea
Chelsea -0.5 and 2.5 goals

The last five EPL meetings of the sides have seen twenty five goals and that includes a 1-0 Chelsea win, the other games have been free for alls. I was at Stamford Bridge when the sides met for the first time this season with Chelsea ripping Ronald Koeman’s side to bits and were worthy 5-0 winners. Everton are 12-4-1 on home soil this season, only loss to Liverpool in the last minute, and the way Koeman has them playing stops me from even contemplating backing Chelsea on this line. Can I trust Everton? I’m not sure but it’s home dog or pass for me. 

Middlesbrough v Manchester City
Man City -1.5 and 3 goals

It was 1-1 when City hosted Middlesbrough earlier in the campaign and that was a shock draw for Pep’s men. Games at the Riverside this season are averaging less than two goals per game and under 2.5 goals have gone 10-7 and there is a lot of faith being placed in Boro’s attack, or lack of faith in City’s defence, with this line set at 3 goals. Will City score four? That is the question bettors have to ask themselves and they’ve done that just four times all season and failed to score at home to the Mourinho led United side in midweek.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
Tottenham -0.5 and 3 goals

Four of the past five EPL meetings of the sides have ended all square and all of them saw a Yes on Both Teams To Score bet cash. Arsenal have won just one of their last eight EPL visits to White Hart Lane and they would love to win what could be the final North London derby at this famous old ground. This is a huge game in its own right but when you put into context what this could mean for the title race if Everton are able to slow down the Chelsea machine then this match could be played in a feverish atmosphere. A tough game to call but if Chelsea win at Everton then the pressure to keep up could just be too much for this Spurs team to take.

Watford v Liverpool
Liverpool -1 and 2.75 goals

Liverpool won 6-1 when the teams faced off back in November as they handed the Hornets a beating.  Last season though  they lost this fixture 3-0 with a catastrophic defensive performance from Jurgen Klopp’s side. There is a lot of faith being placed here in a Liverpool side who have not covered this line on the road since mid-December at Middlesbrough and just twice all season. Watford have not lost since New Years Day, four wins and two draws in that run, and receiving a full goal I am happy to back them here against this hot and cold Liverpool team.