Premier League: In-form Sides Set for Sunday Showdown

Liverpool vs Aston Villa

As the excitement of Premier League transfer deadline day subsides, here is a game which could set pulses racing again.

Two sides who have been active in the market this summer as they look to improve in the new campaign.

For Liverpool, a new-look midfield is what manager Jurgen Klopp hopes can take them higher than last season’s disappointing fifth place finish.

For Aston Villa, their rapid climb from relegation strugglers to sealing a European berth has been inspired by Unai Emery who only took over at the Midlanders last November and now has his eyes on going even higher.

With these two at the helm, one suspects this could be an open and attacking contest ripe for Premier League highlights.

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Crystal PalaceWolverhampton Wanderers

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Talking Points

On Friday night, the Merseysiders snapped up midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich in a deal worth more than £34 million.

Yet the Dutch international, who has joined the club on a five-year contract, will not be available for this meeting, nor will captain and fellow Dutchman Virgil van Dijk.

He was sent-off during last Sunday’s dramatic 2-1 win at Newcastle and his subsequent reaction, initially refusing to leave the field, means the one match suspension could yet be extended.

The home team should otherwise be at full strength and it seems that their late goal hero in that game, Uruguayan Darwin Nunez, will be handed a starting berth.

This will be Klopp’s 300th Premier League game – he is the 17th manager to reach that landmark.

In Emery, Villa have a man who has transformed the club’s fortunes since succeeding the out of his depth Steven Gerrard and has taken them from relegation candidates to Europe in just over six months.

Emery’s first seven Premier League games brought five wins but they then suffered three defeats in a row, against Leicester, Manchester City and Arsenal, conceding 11 goals.

The sense was of a bubble bursting, of the new manager bounce wearing off. Notably, of those 11 goals conceded six stemmed from transitions (two also involving individual errors).

But Emery was able to adapt. He spoke of “changing the focus” and “becoming the protagonist”. Villa sought to control possession more and the press was reset.

They are now a team capable of causing problems for any other opponent and they cruised past Hibernian at Villa Park on Thursday night to book their place in the Europa Conference League group stage.

Sealing their spot was little more than a formality for Villa, who led 5-0 on aggregate from the first leg.

Jhon Duran set the tone for an easy night for the hosts with a 12th-minute opener.

Leon Bailey and Matty Cash extended the advantage as Emery was able to make six changes from the team who won 4-0 against Everton and inflicted second-half damage with the introduction of goalscorer Cash, Diego Carlos, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins.

Aston Villa sit at the seventh spot in the Premier League table with six points

Moussa Diaby in action during Aston Villa’s clash against Burnley

One of his summer recruits, Moussa Diaby, will start at Anfield and is bidding to become the first player to score in each of Villa’s opening three away matches of a top-flight season since David Platt in 1990-91.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has returned to training after a calf injury and will be assessed ahead of the game.

There’ll certainly be plenty of talent on show between two in-form teams when they meet before the first international break of the new campaign.

History

Villa have beaten Liverpool on 59 occasions since their very first meeting in 1894. Liverpool have won 101 times, while 41 of the meetings have ended all square.

That also includes the Merseysiders winning 32 of the 56 top-flight meetings with Villa.

In fact, they have only lost one of their last 10 clashes.

However, what a contest it was as they hit seven to humble the then defending champions at Villa Park.

Last term saw Liverpool win 3-1 at Villa Park on Boxing Day with goals from Mohamed Salah, van Dijk and Stefan Bajcetic.

Watkins replied for the home side.

Yet it took a late Roberto Firmino equaliser to prevent Villa from winning at Anfield in May after they had taken the lead through Jacob Ramsey.

It was a result which all but ended Liverpool’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Liverpool VS Aston Villa

September 3, 21:00 (GMT+8)

Total Goal 2-3

@ 2.24

The home team are clear favourites with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds.

They can be backed 1X2 @ 1.65 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.16.

That is in contrast to Villa who are priced 1X2 @ 4.20 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.33.

The draw is available @ 3.95 and a repeat of the corresponding fixture last term – Correct Score 1-1 – is on offer @ 8.00.

Goal options include over 3.50 @ 2.21, total goal 0-1 @ 5.80, 4-6 @ 2.43 and my tip 2-3 @ 2.24.

A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:

⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)

⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)

⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 05-Sep-2023 at 1:47 PM

Premier League is a Gift that Keeps on Giving!

It began with a history making moment in Bedfordshire and ended with a dramatic, and somewhat controversial, conclusion in North London.

The Premier League really is the gift that keeps on giving as far as drama and headlines are concerned.

After four straight wins, no one will be surprised to see the side which scooped pretty much everything last season are favourites once again with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds.

And it must be said they got a huge stroke of fortune as they saw off Fulham at the Etihad on Saturday.

In fact, it wasn’t even good fortune, Fulham were basically wrongly done to by a decision which should never happen with VAR in place.

Yet I wish to focus on Premier League highlights in three other contests ahead of the first international break of the new campaign.

Not since April 1992 had Kenilworth Road hosted a game in the top flight of English football.

Luton Town have been through so much since then, from the agony of dropping out of the Football League in 2010, to the ecstasy of last season’s improbable promotion, so in that context it hardly mattered that a few renovations were required before they could finally play at home this season.

UEFA EURO 2024

France

Republic Of Ireland

1X2 Draw @ 5.60

Over 2.75 @ 1.94

First Half Under 1.00 @ 2.13

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

The charms of the stadium remain and it warmed the cockles to read, before their Friday night clash with West Ham, about some of the associated idiosyncrasies.

For example, for away fans to get into the Oak Road Stand they have to walk through a row of terraced houses.

Once inside they will find terracing where the seats are so tightly packed as to make standing up compulsory. The Main Stand has stood for more than a century and is made of wood. To get to the toilets you have to stoop to pass through the exit. As for the toilets themselves, they are even described as “awful” by the club’s own historian.

The home fans had done everything to make Kenilworth Road’s first taste of the Premier League an occasion to remember, keeping the volume high from start to finish, and it would have been quite something if Carlton Morris had taken a late chance to equalise moments before Kurt Zouma scored the goal that carried West Ham to all three points.

Ultimately, goals from Zouma and Jarrod Bowen extended West Ham’s soaring start to deny Luton on their big return but the fact they were in that position was the real story of the night.

Moving onto Saturday, I read that the momentum was firmly with Chelsea as they welcomed Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge.

What followed suggested otherwise as Anthony Elanga scored his first Forest goal to secure a hard-fought Premier League victory in a meeting between two of the Premier League’s most active clubs.

How much is wholesale change a reasonable excuse for the west Londoners is unclear because Forest haven’t exactly been shy in the market either, signing seven players during a productive deadline day – including the club-record £30 million capture of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

Chelsea’s record-breaking summer outlay of more than £380 million on 10 players eclipsed everyone else of course, yet when substitute Elanga struck shortly after the break, racing onto the in-form Taiwo Awoniyi’s pass and slotting home, it ultimately settled the contest.

Nottingham Forest celebrate their second win in the Premier League 2023-24

Coach Steve Cooper celebrates with Nottingham Forest players after winning against Chelsea

Nicolas Jackson missed a glorious opportunity to equalise inside the final 10 minutes and Forest held firm under late pressure to secure a significant win.

A beaming manager Steve Cooper embraced Elanga following the full-time whistle as the travelling fans celebrated only their second win in 21 away games since making their Premier League return last season.

As for his opposite number, Mauricio Pochettino, there should be faith in him but he will need time to merge a group of strangers together.

If the fairytale story of deadline day was written on the south coast, so another was written on the pitch 24 hours later.

What Ansu Fati made of his new side, after joining on loan from Barcelona, is unclear, but he will surely revel getting the chance to play with someone who I think is destined for great things.

Deep down, he is someone I wanted my club, Manchester United, to sign this summer and, after Saturday, there may as well be an extra zero at the end of his price tag.

In teenager Evan Ferguson, there was another demonstration of his remarkable potential as Brighton outgunned Newcastle.

When boss Graham Potter left for Chelsea, Roberto de Zerbi came in and made them better. When left-back Marc Cucurella went to the Blues for £60m, Pervis Estupinan replaced him and made them better.

Their key midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister went to Chelsea for £100m and Liverpool for £35m respectively this summer. And here they are on three wins from four games.

Ferguson, as prodigious a talent as he is, might not have been given a regular run of games at another club after moving from Bohemians in 2021.

He is managed carefully by De Zerbi and he repaid him again on Saturday teatime with a hat-trick to down the Geordies.

Only Michael Owen (28), Wayne Rooney (15) and Francis Jeffers (12) scored more Premier League goals before their 19th birthday than Ferguson.

In the case of the former two, that is some company.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 05-Sep-2023 at 1:50 PM

Premier League: International Break is Welcomed by Some, But Not All

So, we have already reached the first international break of the new season and it has arrived at an ideal time for one or two clubs and a very inopportune moment for others.

Take the Premier League for example.

With a mounting injury list, the break appears good news for Manchester United who have yet to convince after two wins and two defeats in their opening four matches.

With new signing Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, and Tyrell Malacia amongst their walking wounded, the Red Devils will hopefully be a far more settled and strengthened proposition when they resume action a week on Saturday.

Perhaps the best news the club could receive, however, is to gain new owners, although if a newspaper report is to be believed, the Glazers are considering a U-turn on plans to sell, adding to the ire and uncertainty which is crippling progress.

Similarly, after showing promise in their first home matches against Liverpool and Luton, defeats to West Ham and, most pertinently of all, at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend has done little to quell unrest at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s Mauricio Pochettino has an ideal time to reevaluate his squad before Premier League action resumes

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino looks on during their Premier League match against Nottingham Forest

There needs to be faith in new manager Mauricio Pochettino as he attempts to merge a group of strangers together.

But after a record-breaking summer outlay of more than £380 million on 10 players eclipsed everyone else, patience may only last so long this time to regroup with so many new arrivals is no bad thing.

Likewise, the club with probably the most underwhelming transfer window in the top flight this summer, Everton, will be glad of the chance to make improvements behind the scenes with the spotlight off for a brief period.

Three straight defeats with six goals conceded and none scored, was followed up by a first point on Saturday against newly promoted Sheffield United.

In that game, their England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford prevented a possible fourth successive loss and the difference, psychologically, between still being on zero points and getting off the mark could be hugely significant as new £25 million striker Beto aims to hit the top flight ground running.

With three of their next four league games against Brentford, Luton, and Bournemouth, it may now be an ideal time for the Toffees to multiply that points tally.

Chances are their Merseyside neighbours Liverpool would have preferred this break to come at a different time.

Their last two victories, in dramatic fashion at Newcastle before a ruthless display at home to Aston Villa, have their fans dreaming of a title challenge and they certainly appear to have gained momentum from their late turnaround on Tyneside with 10 men when, a game they should have lost, was won in the most dramatic fashion.

Likewise, Arsenal have 10 points from their first three outings and their last-gasp success over United on Sunday suggests they may also have benefited from carrying on into this week, rather than a fortnight hiatus.

And what of West Ham who have delivered a fortnight of Premier League 2023 highlights?

They also have 10 points from their opening four matches and, following a disappointing league campaign last season, sit fourth in the table going into the international break.

Certainly, success in the Europa Conference League appears to have galvanised the club, despite losing skipper Declan Rice to Arsenal.

Of course, when the games come thick and fast and European football resumes, that will be the test of any new-found strength in depth.

UEFA EURO 2024

Ukraine

England

1X2 England @ 1.42

Under 2.50 @ 1.95

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.85

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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My final word is for Luton Town whose magic promotion has brought a smile to all bar their rivals.

Even at this stage of the campaign, they look a little out of their depth (no surprise given the paucity of their resources), yet they could adapt to prove the doubters and the SBOTOP Premier League 2023 betting odds wrong.

Who knows whether a break can help the Hatters find their feet but it is refreshing to see them back.

Until last Friday, Kenilworth Road had not hosted a game in the top-flight of English football since April 1992.

The club and its supporters have been through so much since then, from the agony of dropping out of the Football League in 2010, to the ecstasy of last season’s improbable promotion, so in that context it hardly mattered that a few renovations were required before they could finally play at home this season.

The charms of the stadium remain and it warmed the cockles to read before their Friday night clash with West Ham about some of the associated idiosyncrasies.

That they are back, even if just a brief sojourn, is a story that any club can make their way to the promised land – it’s just staying there that is the real test for the majority.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 07-Sep-2023 at 3:36 PM

Premier League Stars on Target in Europe

Domestic football has been on hold over the past week while the battles have been raging in Europe, and the big football nations all aim to be in Germany next year for Euro 2024.

There has been great entertainment and a chance for English football fans to see some of their heroes in action for their countries, a good number of them scoring crucial goals. While Premier League players, Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Manchester City’s Kyle Walker scored in England’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine, Liverpool striker Cody Gakpo has been in red hot form for the Netherlands. He scored in the Oranje’s 3-0 win over Greece last week and he was on target again on Sunday night as the Netherlands came from behind to beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1.

Gakpo levelled from the penalty spot before being subbed with seven minutes remaining; and Liverpool fans hope his form will continue when the Reds open the Premier League weekend with a game away to struggling Wolves.

Elsewhere, Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski were both on target during Sweden’s 5-0 rout of Estonia and their international boss Janne Anderssson says he expects Isak, in particular, to take the scoring responsibility on his shoulders.

Another Spurs man, Pierre Emile Hojbjerg, set Denmark on the way to a 4-0 romp over San Marino and the Whites, currently second in the Premier League table will welcome both their European stars back, along with Heung-Min Son who is in action for South Korea against Saudi Arabia in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Better news for Blues after Mudryk scare

Mykhailo Mudryk’s recovery is a huge boost for Chelsea as they strive to improve their standings in the Premier League

Ukraine’s Mykhailo Mudryk in pain during their Euro 2024 qualifier match against England

The internationals can also be a worrying time for managers and fans of Premier League clubs as their stars are at risk of injury while on overseas duty. But Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk seems to have recovered from a knock he received during Ukraine’s 1-1 draw with England. He was substituted in the final minute of normal time after signalling to the Ukraine bench that he felt a pull in his calf. But he was back in training with his international colleagues on Sunday.

The 22 year old was in a collision with England’s Walker when he felt the pain and Chelsea fans feared the worst, but he was seen running without discomfort when the Ukraine players went back in for training the following day. Manager Sergey Rebrov has listed Mudryk in his line-up for his team’s crucial tie against Italy in Milan on Tuesday. With England leading the way in Group C, Ukraine are in a battle for second place with the Azzurri who have recently lost their manager Roberto Mancini to the Saudi Arabia team and have appointed Napoli’s Scudetto winning boss Luciano Spalletti on a three year contract.

Chelsea already have 11 squad members out injured and their fans and boss Mauricio Pochettino will be watching Ukraine’s clash with Italy with some anxiety. The Premier League 2023 betting odds here at SBOTOP reckon the Blues have a tough task ahead as they try to return to the top four, and they need numbers back quickly…without the situation getting worse.

UEFA EURO 2024

Italy

Ukraine

1X2 Italy @ 1.47

Under 2.50 @ 1.80

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.85

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Some Hammers fans should be careful what they wish for

In other Premier League 2023 news David Moyes’ West Ham United have made a great start to the new league campaign and currently sit proudly in fourth place with ten points from their opening four games. The wily Scot led the Hammers to their first piece of silverware in years as they lifted the Europa Conference League last May. But the sale of captain Declan Rice had some worried Hammers questioning the direction of the club, and there are a few of the more sentimental types who think their club’s name is synonymous with playing beautiful football.

There have been rumblings on social media that Moyes’ pragmatic style is not the ‘West Ham Way’ but, over the past few years their club has been managed by Alan Pardew, Slaven Bilic and even Sam Allardyce.

So what exactly is the ‘West Ham Way’?

It wasn’t winning trophies until Moyes turned up… but it was dipping, now and then, into the Championship.

Things are going well at the London Stadium but fans, and indeed owners, can be fickle and with Manchester City and Liverpool to come over the next two games the mood may begin to change if results don’t go their way. Moyes has recently been joined at West Ham by former Ajax boss John Heitinga, and the two of them worked together during a successful period at Everton.It would be madness for the West Ham owners to consider a change at the helm, even if the Hammers settle into mid-table and the fans start to apply pressure; but then madness is often a feature of the game when it comes to hire and fire!

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 14-Sep-2023 at 4:34 PM

Premier League: Liverpool eye Top Spot in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool open up the domestic schedule again with a tasty trip to the West Midlands to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday lunchtime.

A win will take the Reds to the top of the table, and that’s what makes this Premier League match between Wolves and Liverpool all the more enticing.

If the Reds to go top, it may not be for long as the current leading two, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, have matches they expect to win in the 3pm kick-offs. But the Merseysiders might get a taste of the summit and that’s something all the title chasers love to have.

With three wins and one draw this season, Klopp’s men are on a sequence of 15 Premier League games without a defeat, the longest unbeaten run in the top-flight, and they are in a much better place than they were this time last season, when they had half the number of points.

The International Break is almost over, and this is a great game to get our teeth into as we return to Europe’s top leagues.

Gary O’Neil’s Wolves have lost three of their first four games, but they will fight tooth and nail to get something from this game; though Liverpool have recently had a boost which might just make them unplayable.

PREMIER LEAGUE

FulhamLuton Town

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Talking Points

Salah staying is huge for Liverpool

The Premier League, and particularly Liverpool, braced themselves last week as reports in the UK suggested that Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad had tabled an offer of £215 million for Mo Salah on Monday.

In August, reports flew around saying the Egyptian star had agreed a deal with the Saudis but, in the end, the club stood firm and Salah stayed at Anfield.

With 139 goals in 222 appearances for the Reds, Salah has become a legend on Merseyside, and Klopp will be delighted to have his main man in the team to push for silverware this term.

The Reds have already climbed to the position of third favourites to win the league at SBOTOP odds of 8.00 to take the 2024 title.

They are firing on all cylinders in attack. Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz all have two goals each, and Cody Gakpo has been in superb form, scoring twice in two games for the Netherlands, so there is no lack of firepower.

While Klopp has plenty of options up front, he has more to worry about in his defence, where Captain Virgil van Dijk is absent through suspension after he was sent off against Newcastle and then received an extra game ban for remonstrating with the referee.

Centre-back Ibrahima Konate continues to struggle with a hamstring injury, and Trent Alexander-Arnold suffered a similar strain during Liverpool’s victory over Aston Villa last week.

Joel Matip will likely play in the middle of defence where there could be a first-ever start for 20-year-old Jarell Quanash who has made appearances from the bench this season.

Cunha is determined to prove himself at Wolves

Matheus Cunha has set his sights on the Wolves' Premier League campaign after missing out on Brazil's World Cup squad

Matheus Cunha reacts during a Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton

While their visitors are aiming to win the title, Wolves are looking over their shoulders. These are early days but, at a price of 3.50 to get relegated, O’Neil’s side is in a clutch of teams searching for some early campaign momentum.

The Premier League 2023 betting odds reckon this will be a tough lunchtime date for the hosts. But one player in particular is hoping to catch the eye for Wolves. January signing Matheus Cunha missed out on Brazil’s World Cup squad in 2022, and he is keen to show what he can do to work his way back into reckoning with the Selecao who he has represented eight times.

Cunha scored 21 goals in 24 games for the Brazil U23 team and now he wants to replicate that form at senior level. At 24 years of age he has time on his side, though Wolves may not.

Cunha was on target in Wolves’ last game, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace while fellow striker Hee-chan Hwang scored his second goal of the campaign in that loss.

History

Liverpool have won 15 of the 22 meetings with Wolves over the past two decades, losing four and drawing three, but they did suffer a humbling 3-0 defeat at Molineux last season.

In terms of recent form, Wolves have two wins from five, including a 5-0 spanking of Blackpool in the Carabao Cup, while Liverpool have won three of their four league games, drawing their opener with Chelsea.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Wolverhampton Wanderers VS Liverpool

September 16, 19:30 (GMT+8)

First Half 1X2 Liverpool

@1.95

Manchester City and Spurs fans will be watching the Premier League 2023 updates hoping that the hosts can spring a surprise. At 5.41 to win, the Wolves have a fighting chance, and a draw at 4.55 is within reach too. Although, Liverpool’s price of 1.39 tells you where we think this one is going, and we expect the high-flying Reds to make a fast start at Molineux.

A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:

⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)

⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)

⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 14-Sep-2023 at 4:37 PM

Premier League: Fulham’s Summer Signings in the Spotlight

Four games into the new Premier League campaign and Marco Silva’s Fulham have made a fair start, with four points from four, a particularly useful return when you consider two of those games were against Arsenal and Manchester City.

The £45 million cash received on the transfer of Aleksandar Mitrovic to Al-Hilal has been re-invested as Silva has brought in three forward players and two defenders to strengthen his hand.

While we haven’t seen a goal from any of them yet, and we have seen a red card, there is enough to see that they can all make a big contribution as the Cottagers aim to build on last season’s tenth place finish.

Alex Iwobi: from Everton for £22 million

Almost half of the Mitrovic cash was splashed on the Arsenal academy graduate Iwobi who, at 27 years of age, is in the prime of his career.

A fast and skilful player, the Nigerian sometimes struggled to fulfil the promise he showed at the Emirates once he had transferred to a dogged Everton side, where he scored just six goals in 123 appearances.

He was the Toffees most creative player, playing a big part in their successful survival campaigns and, in a more expansive side, Iwobi can flourish and we may see a return to his Arsenal form in the White of Fulham.

Raul Jimenez: from Wolves for £5.5 million

A more like-for-like replacement for Mitrovic, Jimenez is a strong centre forward and, at 6’3”, he’s a powerful presence.

With 31 goals in 101 games for a strong Mexico side, the 32-year-old is proven quality, and the younger forward players can learn a lot from him.

While playing for Wolves, Jimenez suffered a fractured skull in a clash with Arsenal’s David Luiz in 2020 and was out for the campaign and that has limited his progress over the past two seasons.

He’s the second Mexican to sign for Fulham after Carlos Salcido, and Jimenez made his debut in the opening day 1-0 win over Everton, where his strong running and clever hold up play helped the Cottagers to see out the victory.

Adama Traore: from Wolves on a free

Adama Traore will be instrumental in Fulham’s plan to improve their defense in the Premier League

Fulham’s Adama Traore acknowledges the fans after their match against Manchester City

One of the most exciting and frustrating players in football has also joined from Wolves. Traore has pace to burn and his direct running has tormented defences in the Premier League, but his end product has been inconsistent to say the least.

Frequently finding himself in goal scoring positions, Traore has all too often fired high and/or wide and, remarkably, scored just 10 goals in 157 games for Wolves.

If he can add composure in front of goal to his undoubted flair, Traore can be a great asset and he’ll provide bags of Premier League 2023 highlights.

Barcelona took him on loan last season, so there is definitely a player there. At 27 years of age, it’s time for the Spain international to really shine.

Calvin Bassey: from Ajax for £18 million

He was sent off in Fulham’s impressive 2-2 draw away to Arsenal, and that meant he missed the match with Manchester City. But Cottagers fans are ready to see more of Bassey.

The 23-year-old Nigerian international can play at left-back or on the left side of a centre-back partnership, and he has impressed throughout his short career at Scottish club Glasgow Rangers and then at Ajax, which persuaded Silva to pay up for the star.

Bassey was a product of Leicester City’s youth system, and he is assured on the ball, strong in the tackle, and possesses good pace for a big defender.

His passion is in no doubt, and if he can channel that properly, then Bassey will be a big player for the Cottagers and his full-blooded displays are sure to make him a fan favourite.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Fulham

Luton Town

1X2 Fulham @ 1.64

Under 2.50 @ 1.94

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.90

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Timothy Castagne: from Leicester City for £15 million

Fulham have Leicester to thank for their other defencive recruit as 27-year-old right- back Castagne impressed in three seasons with the Foxes, but decided to move on when they were relegated to the Championship at the end of last season.

A Belgian international with 33 caps, Castagne is a cultured operator, making his name at Genk and then Atalanta before arriving in the Premier League in 2020.

Equally comfortable in defence or supporting his attack, Castagne has superb positional sense and a great range of passing, and he will pop up with the odd goal as well, scoring twice for Belgium and five times each for Atalanta and Leicester City.

Like these other four signings, Castagne can have a big impact at Craven Cottage.

Just four games into the new campaign, the Premier League 2023 betting odds have six teams at lower odds to take the drop than SBOTOP’s principal partners.

And with the quality Silva has brought in, another mid–table position is well within Fulham’s range.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 14-Sep-2023 at 4:39 PM

Premier League: Fulham Due Slice of Good Fortune as Hatters travel to the Thames

Fulham vs Luton Town

It’s Premier League matches like these which will determine whether Luton Town can defy the odds and prove virtually every single pundit in football world wrong.

For victories against teams expected to struggle, alongside picking up points in matches like this, should be the difference between survival or a brief sojourn back in the top flight following a 31 year absence.

In truth, the Hatters right now would probably be glad to just get off the mark after three straight defeats, but there is no such thing as an easy game in the battle to beat the drop.

Talking Points

It may seem disrespectful to be talking about Luton as relegation certainties at this stage, even if their most notable summer signing was Ross Barkley, the sort of risk a Premier League newcomer can take.

As the Guardian reported, the rest of the club’s recruitment work focused on bringing in players who could help the club move forward in the next three years because, in all likelihood, they will be relegated even if it means they are left with a stronger squad than the one they came up with.

Luton Town head coach Rob Edwards is ready to lead the club against Fulham in upcoming Premier League weekend

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards stands from the sideline before the match against West Ham United at Kenilworth Road

They certainly showed some improvement in their last outing, their first home match of the season, when they were narrowly beaten by West Ham, so perhaps a confidence-boosting result is not too far away.

On saying that, Fulham are due a degree of good fortune.

They were the victims of a scandalous decision at Manchester City last time out, and, while the gulf between the sides was evident by the full-time whistle, it was a key moment in a contest that deflated Marco Silva’s side so much they never recovered.

Until that point, the men from the Thames had been holding their own, just as they had seven days earlier when they drew 2-2 at Arsenal, last season’s runners-up, in a match full of Premier League 2023 highlights.

On that occasion, João Palhinha netted a late equaliser, and he could well be in the ranks again after a deadline-day move to Bayern Munich failed to materialise.

Reports suggest the Portugal midfielder may get his move to Germany in the New Year, but, in the meantime, the fact he has remained in West London is a massive boon for Fulham.

It has been a tricky time for the club this summer, with doubts over Silva’s future as manager at one stage and, while he did stay, Alexander Mitrovic opted for the lure of Saudi Arabia.

Despite losing the Serb striker, they can be a match for anyone on their day, and with Palhinha still amongst them, they will hope to kick on after making a few canny additions, including the signing of Alex Iwobi from Everton and the arrival of Timothy Castagne from Leicester.

History

These teams met for the very first time in a goal fest in 1908. The occasion was the first round of the FA Cup, and amazingly, Fulham recorded an 8-3 success.

That was the first of 30 Fulham wins in this fixture historically with 22 Luton successes and nine draws.

The majority of their early meetings came in the FA Cup and Division Three South, with the remainder in the former Divisions Two and Three until League Cup clashes in 1994.

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This will be their first ever meeting in the top flight as Luton chase a first victory over Fulham since October 1998. They won 3-1 in Division Two at Craven Cottage that day.

Their most recent meeting was also the most one-sided in their history. It came in May last year as Fulham celebrated promotion with a 7-0 thrashing to clinch the championship title in style. Mitrovic led the rout that day with a double.

Tom Cairney scored the team’s 100th goal of the campaign with a thunderous first-half strike and a thumping long-range shot from Kenny Tete doubled the tally as Luton crumbled under injuries and Fulham’s dominance. Fabio Carvalho made it three after the break, before Mitrovic scored his record-equalling 42nd goal of the campaign.

Bobby Decordova-Reid and Jean-Michael Seri extended the lead, before Mitrovic tapped in his second to set a new record for English league goals in a season post-1992 and Fulham’s title celebrations began.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Fulham VS Luton Town

September 16, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Half Time Full Time Home-Home

@2.46

The SBOTOP Premier League 2023 betting odds back Fulham and so do I.

With the home team available 1X2 @ 1.66 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.19, compared to Luton 1X2 @ 4.50 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.02, you won’t earn too much backing the home side.

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Premier League: Hammers Can Test the High-Flying Sky Blues

West Ham United vs Manchester City

Premier League leaders Manchester City are in action again on Saturday when they make the trip to the capital city to take on in-form West Ham United at the London Stadium.

I say the Sky Blues are high-flying, but the Hammers too are in the higher echelons of the Premier League, sitting in fourth place and just two points behind the leaders. A home win could even take David Moyes’ team to the very summit if other results go their way.

But they will need to be at their very best and hope Pep Guardiola’s side has a rare off day to expect anything other than a defeat.

City are at a SBOTOP price of 1.44 to win the title, while the Hammers are backed to finish just about in the top 10 after their bright start to the campaign.

West Ham won away to Luton Town before the international break, and they hope the pause will not have interrupted their momentum.

Manchester City slapped Fulham 5-1 before their players went off for international duty, and it will take more than a fortnight away to stop their juggernaut from rolling.

Talking Points

Post-Rice West Ham are doing just fine

I must admit I was one of those neutrals who thought the Hammers might struggle following the sale of their captain and talisman Declan Rice to Arsenal. But 10 points from a possible 12, including impressive wins over Brighton and Chelsea, have made a few of us sit up and take notice.

Hammers fans, well most of them, are delighted with the work David Moyes has done at the London Stadium and, after delivering the Europa Conference League title last season, they are dreaming of more silverware this time around.

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Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta will face the club who tried to sign him late in the summer transfer window, and he has been in good form, making an assist for the excellent Jarrod Bowen in the victory over Luton.

But the Hammers have also made a marquee signing of their own with the capture of James Ward-Prowse from relegated Southampton. He made an assist against the Hatters and has proved to be one of West Ham’s best players in their campaign so far.

There could be a first appearance for another summer signing, defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who has been suffering from a back strain. He is ready for action now and could line up alongside the highly rated Nayef Aguerd, while midfield ace Tomas Soucek faces a late fitness test.

Kovacic doubt for Manchester City

Mateo Kovacic of Man City could be sidelined with a sustained back injury against the Hammers in the Premier League

Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic in action against Fulham

The Sky Blues have a world-class squad of course, but they too are waiting on the fitness of a midfield enforcer, as their summer recruit Mateo Kovacic has been rested by his national team, Croatia, suffering from a muscle strain in his back.

Following his transfer from Chelsea, Kovacic has started every game for the Sky Blues, but he sat out both of Croatia’s games against Latvia and Armenia.

Of course I’m not suggesting Guardiola had anything to do with those decisions.

The City medical team will take a look at Kovacic and make a call, but don’t be surprised to see the 29 year old on the bench.

In other Premier League 2023 news, the Sky Blues are hoping to have two players back in the fold as John Stones and Jack Grealish are both well down the road to recovery from thigh injuries.

Centre-back Stones, who made an effective switch to a defencive midfield role last season, has not yet played in the Premier League this season and he could start on the bench as possible cover in defence and for the in-form Rodri.

Grealish missed the win over Fulham, but a two-week break has seen him back in full training.

Whoever starts for the Sky Blues, West Ham know full well they will face 11 of the very best.

History

Manchester City have won 33 of the head-to-head encounters with West Ham in the Premier League era, drawing nine and losing 11. The Sky Blues completed a league double last season with a 3-0 win at home and a 2-0 triumph at the London Stadium.

In fact, West Ham have only taken points from Manchester City once in the last seven years. Can the Happy Hammers possibly do it again?

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

West Ham United VS Manchester City

September 16, 10:00 (GMT +8)

Total Goals 2-3

@ 2.07

Well, the Premier League 2023 betting odds are right behind the Sky Blues, and the league leaders are at a very low price of 1.45 to win this game, with West Ham at 5.42 and the draw is at 4.07.

The Double Chance, West Ham or Draw, is there at 2.44 if you think the hosts can keep their unbeaten run going.

2-0 to Manchester City is at a price of 7.14 and the most likely outcome, but this will be a real test for Pep’s boys and I’m hedging on a mid-scoring tussle.

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Premier League: Can Blades Halt Spurs Resurgence?

Tottenham Hotspur vs Sheffield United

I recently came across a video of a match between these two sides.

It was March 1994 and both were struggling in the Premier League.

Then Spurs owner, Alan Sugar, had taken the unpopular decision to remove Terry Venables and replace him with a fans’ favourite, but very inexperienced manager in Ossie Ardiles.

Sheffield United, meanwhile, were continuing to punch above their weight under the wily Dave Bassett.

As it turned out, Sheffield United would be relegated in the last seconds of the final day of the season and would not return to the top flight for another 12 years, while Spurs would continue to tread water (although their outlook improved once they replaced the likeable Ardiles with Gerry Francis).

Times have changed now with bigger clubs like Spurs enjoying even more financial muscle, but the reality remains that, for the likes of the Blades – who have just begun only their fourth top-flight campaign since 1994 – the odds are stacked against them.

Talking Points

After narrow defeats to Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City – the latter two very late on – the Yorkshire club secured their first points of the season last time out in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Everton.

So, can they now get some more points on the board?

One thing is for sure that, based on the first four matches, they’re not going to be relegated due to a lack of spirit.

Spirit seems in abundance in the Spurs camp at the moment too.

Despite their promising start, I am not convinced they have the squad depth to mount a top for challenge this term, especially after the loss of goal king Harry Kane.

However, if they can avoid injuries and suspensions, and maintain consistency, then perhaps they should not be ruled out of the picture.

After all, fixture congestion should not be a problem with no European competition to contend with and the side already out of the League Cup.

Newly promoted Sheffield United have never had any winning Premier League highlights to shout about on Spurs’ own turf – now would be a good time to start.

History

Cameron Archer has scored his Premier League debut goal for Sheffield United against Everton

Sheffield United’s Cameron Archer celebrates scoring their first goal with Oli McBurnie

Historically, this has been a much closer contest than you expect.

Spurs have tasted victory on 38 occasions with Sheffield United enjoying 30 triumphs.

In addition, there have been 27 draws.

The very first two meetings were the biggest of them all.

In the 1901 FA Cup Final, played at Crystal Palace, the sides drew 2-2. The replay, seven days later, went the way of Spurs as John Cameron, Tom Smith and Sandy Brown scored the goals at Burnden Park in Bolton in a 3-1 success, which brought home the cup for the very first time to the North London.

Incidentally, all bar two of Spurs’ eight FA Cup triumphs have come in a year ending in one.

Their most recent meeting also came in the FA Cup in March.

Then Championship side Sheffield United won the fifth round tie 1-0 at Bramall Lane, thanks to a goal from Iliman Ndiaye, which ultimately pushed manager Antonio Conte closer to the exit door.

Both the league meetings two seasons ago went the way of Spurs. They won 3-1 at Bramall Lane with Serge Aurier, Kane and Tanguy Ndombèlé on target for Jose Mourinho’s side.

In the return match, Gareth Bale rolled back the years with a hat-trick and Son Heung-min netted the other in a 4-0 win.

You have to go back to the final season of the former Division One in 1991 to the last time Sheffield United won on Spurs territory.

The match in November 91 was settled by a solitary Kevin Gage goal nine minutes after the restart.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Tottenham Hotspur VS Sheffield United

September 16, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Total Goals 2-3

@ 2.14

The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds are predicting a home win with Spurs priced 1X2 @ 1.27 and the Blades well adrift at 1X2 @ 7.80.

The draw is not expected either given it’s on offer @ 5.40.

Asian Handicap odds also expect home comforts with odds of Spurs -1.75 @ 2.08 which contrast with Sheffield United +1.50 @ 2.07.

Just imagine if Sheffield United repeat their FA Cup triumph of six months ago and win at Spurs for the first time in the Premier League era.

Correct Score 0-1 will earn you a tidy payday of @ 29.00.

I’ve also taken a look at various goal options which include total goal 0-1 @ 5.00, 2-3 @ 2.13, 4-6 @ 2.56 and over 3.25 @ 2.12.

Ultimately, I expect Spurs to win but Sheffield United may well be strengthened by their deadline day arrival of James McAtee on loan from Manchester City.

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Premier League: Can Lightning Strike Twice at Goodison?

Everton vs Arsenal

When I said a week ago that the next batch of Premier League fixtures provided a real opportunity for Everton to recover from their early season setbacks, this wasn’t the game I had in mind.

It was, however, a chance for the Gwladys Street end to be at its most raucous, and you don’t need to cast your mind back too far to know what impact a rocking Goodison Park can have.

For it was in February in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge that Everton took on the then long-term league leaders and won 1-0 in a rousing encounter.

It was a result which gave Evertonians belief and three points which ultimately proved crucial in the final reckoning.

It was also a result which, I believe, sowed the first true seeds of doubt in Arsenal’s mind as to whether they could challenge champions Manchester City – and we all know how that ended.

This time, Arsenal will again arrive on Merseyside as clear favourites. But if Everton can show the same resilience and belief they displayed on that Saturday lunchtime seven months ago, then perhaps they can kickstart their season before forthcoming meetings against Brentford, Luton Town and Bournemouth.

Talking Points

Mikel Arteta prepares Arsenal ahead of their Premier League match against Everton

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during their match against Manchester United

This will be a first home match for £25 million signing Beto, whose presence in the Toffees’ attack seems to have boosted confidence at a time when they needed it most.

His impact from the bench at Doncaster in the League Cup was key, while he showed some encouraging signs as he made his Premier League bow at Sheffield United in a 2-2 draw last time out. Now he’ll be keen to make his mark in front of his new fans.

While Premier League highlights for Everton have been few and far between so far, Arsenal have made a good start to the season with 10 points for a possible 12, even if they have not fully convinced.

Their failure to beat 10-man Fulham at home posed questions and they certainly had the rub of the green with refereeing decisions in their last outing at home to Manchester United.

They’ve also suffered extremely bad luck with new signing Jurrien Timber ruled out for virtually the entire campaign and Gabriel Jesus only just making his way back from injury.

They also will be waiting anxiously to see how defender Gabriel is after he was forced off during Brazil’s international victory over Bolivia.

Should he be used in his nation’s second qualifier against Peru in midweek, Arsenal’s fitness concerns will likely be very much eased.

So much in football is about confidence and if Arsenal score an early goal, this could be a miserable afternoon for Everton. Yet if the hosts strike first, expect sprits to lift and it’s then that Goodison can be as difficult a place to visit as any.

History

The two longest established top flight clubs, Arsenal have enjoyed a distinctive edge in their meetings over the years.

The Gunners have tasted victory on 110 occasions compared to the Toffees who have won 65 clashes with 46 draws.

Everton have actually won four of their last six against Arsenal, however, including that memorable victory last season courtesy of James Tarkowski’s goal.

Arsenal gained revenge a few short weeks later in a 4-0 romp at the Emirates when Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli (two) and Martin Odegaard were the scorers.

In December 2019, former Everton player Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager, just before the sides played out a goalless draw.

It’s six years since Arsenal won at Goodison – a 5-2 victory which resulted in the end of Ronald Koeman’s tenure on Merseyside.

Nacho Monreal, Mesut Özil, Alexandre Lacazette, Aaron Ramsey and Alexis Sánchez were their scorers that day with Wayne Rooney and Oumar Niasse on target for the home side.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Everton VS Arsenal

September 17, 23:30 (GMT+8)

Half Time Full Time – Draw Away

@3.95

It’s an away banker as far as the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds are concerned.

You can back the Gunners in a variety of ways, including 1X2 @ 1.52 and Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.14.

The Toffees are priced 1X2 @ 4.90 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.00.

I would imagine many Evertonians would take a draw as it stands and level pegging will earn you a pay day of @ 4.20.

A repeat of February’s crucial win – Correct Score 1-0 – is available @ 17.00.

If Arsenal were to edge the contest by the same scoreline, the payout is @ 7.00.

You would imagine there will be a fair few goals in this one and available options range from total goal 0-1 @ 4.20, 2-3 @ 1.99 and 4-6 @ 2.93 to over 3.00 @ 2.11.

Right now, Everton need a boost but their confidence is below par.

I think they will hold out initially but there’ll be no repeat result.

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Premier League: Brighton Can Exploit Man United’s Ravaged Roster

Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton will be bidding to make it two wins on the bounce when they visit Manchester United this weekend at Old Trafford for their next Premier League matchup.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men have made a great start to their 2023-24 campaign with three wins and one loss to hold the sixth spot at the table. Meanwhile, the hosts are five notches below them because they recorded two wins and two losses.

The Seagulls have been a bogey team for the Red Devils in their recent encounters. However, Old Trafford has become a fortress under Erik ten Hag, so Manchester United are not to be counted out easily despite their on- and off-field issues.

Learn more about these two teams as SBOTOP previews this upcoming match.

Talking Points

Manchester United’s new boys can use this chance to step up

Erik ten Hag won’t have a complete cast once again because he will miss the services of Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, and Tom Heaton due to injuries.

Moreover, there’s a gaping hole in the right wing, as Antony will take an extended leave due to assault allegations, while Jadon Sancho is at odds with Erik ten Hag following his tirade when he was dropped out of the squad against Arsenal.

With these problems mounting, ten Hag will be forced to make drastic changes to the squad against the Seagulls.

Facundo Pellistri suddenly emerges as a viable candidate for the right wing spot, while we might get to see the likes of Sofyan Amrabat and Rasmus Hojlund make their full debuts on Saturday, and all of them can contribute to the team.

Premier League: Manchester United’s new boys are expected to help extend their unbeaten run at Old Trafford

Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund reacts during their Premier League match against Arsenal

Hojlund came off the bench against Arsenal, and he has shown glimpses of his full potential. The young Dane almost scored with his first touch six minutes in, and he bullied Arsenal centre-back Gabriel with his hold-up play minutes later, which almost led to a second goal by Marcus Rashford.

And during the September international break, Hojlund moved up to second in the Euro 2024 qualifying tournament scoring list with six goals for Denmark.

Amrabat, meanwhile, will beef up Manchester United’s midfield. He’s particularly great at progressing the ball because he’s in the 85th percentile in terms of progressive passes at 7.00 per 90.

Fati could make his Brighton debut

Brighton are fresh from a 3-1 win against Newcastle United, thanks to Evan Ferguson’s hat-trick. Unfortunately for the Seagulls, the 18-year-old striker left the game with an injury, and the Premier League 2023 updates suggest that he won’t play against the Red Devils.

With Danny Welbeck also listed as doubtful to play, Brighton are going to be short in the no. 9 role, and they might consider starting Ansu Fati there, who arrived recently on loan from Barcelona.

Fati has fallen out of favour in Catalunya, which explains his switch to Brighton. But with Roberto De Zerbi coaching him and the likes of Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma in the wings, the 20-year-old may finally be able to find some success to reinvigorate his career.

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History

Manchester United will stake their long unbeaten record at Old Trafford when they host Brighton this weekend. Prior to Saturday, the Red Devils hadn’t lost in 31 straight home matches.

Their last defeat at home was at the hands of, you guessed it, Brighton, who won this exact fixture last term with a score of 2-1, which was also Erik ten Hag’s first loss as Manchester United manager.

Brighton have won their last three league meetings with Manchester United, scoring six goals in the process. This is as many as they had in their first 17 league games against them (D2, L12).

Should Brighton beat Manchester United again, they will become the third team to defeat the Red Devils in four consecutive Premier League matches after Liverpool (December 2000–January 2002) and Manchester City (April 2013–November 2014).

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Manchester United VS Brighton

September 16, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Brighton Asian Handicap 0.00

@2.31

Just like in their most recent encounters, the Premier League 2023 odds expect a tight affair between Manchester United and Brighton on Saturday. The Red Devils are at 2.09 odds to win, while the Seagulls are not far behind at 2.82, and a draw is priced at 3.75 in the 1X2 market.

While Manchester United are slightly favoured to win because they’ll be playing at home, it’s important to note that Brighton were the last team to beat them in a league game at Old Trafford, so this might be taken with a grain of salt.

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Premier League: It’s a Game of Two Halves!

On another spectacular weekend of Premier League football, the top sides handed out an important message to the other runners: going one goal ahead is never a guarantee of success.

The league’s top three teams all came from behind to win, and there was incredibly high drama in North London as Tottenham Hotspur left it until the 98th minute to even draw level against Sheffield United.

The early kick-off gave Liverpool a chance to go top when they visited Wolverhampton Wanderers. But when Hee-Chan Wan met Pedro Neto’s low cross at the back post, he was unmarked, and he slotted home. Suddenly the task seemed so much harder.

Wolves were buoyant and could have had a second, but Matheus Cunha was wasteful in front of goal.

Whatever was in the Reds’ half time cup of tea worked wonders!

Liverpool worked hard to keep Mo Salah away from the clutches of the Saudi Pro League last week, and the Egyptian once again showed why, as he made two assists to give Liverpool a vital three points and four wins on the bounce.

Cody Gakpo, who has been in fine form for the Netherlands, poked home a cross shot from Salah, and then Liverpool’s main man rolled the ball across for Andrew Robertson to rifle home the second. Wolves defender Hugo Bueno deflected a third into his own net to make it 1-3 in injury time.

Jurgen Klopp’s team were top of the table, but only briefly as Manchester City responded, as expected.

A trip to West Ham was never going to be easy, and an incredible series of saves from Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola made it even harder.

Erling Braut Haaland even made a glaring miss in a frustrating first half, and he was made to pay when the excellent James Ward-Prowse gave the hosts the lead with a diving header.

Jeremy Doku has scored Manchester City's first goal in their Premier League match against West Ham

Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku celebrates after scoring an equaliser in recent Premier League match with West Ham

City made an explosive start to the second half, and when Jeremy Doku ran at the Hammers defence, he swept his shot into the far corner beyond Areola. Julian Alvarez crashed a free kick against the crossbar, and Areola made another great save from a Haaland volley.

But City’s pressure eventually counted when Bernardo Silva lifted his shot over the Hammers keeper, and Haaland eventually got his goal with a deadly finish on 86 minutes.

The Premier League 2023 betting oddsare right behind Manchester City, and that is why!

Aston Villa were the third team to come from a goal down to win 3-1 after Odsonne Edouard had given Crystal Palace a 47th-minute lead. Late goals from Jhon Duran, Douglas Luiz, and Leon Bailey helped the Villains to leapfrog the Eagles into seventh place.

But the most dramatic comeback of all came at the London Stadium, where high-flying Tottenham beat struggling Sheffield United thanks to two late, late goals.

Gustavo Hamer gave the Blades a shock lead against the run of play as Spurs launched wave after wave in attack. The Whites had 70 per cent possession and 28 shots, and a roar went up in the stadium when the fourth official signalled 12 minutes of added time.

98 minutes had passed when Richarlison glanced home a header and then Spurs threw the kitchen sink at it, and when Dejan Kulusevski fired home the winner on 110 minutes, the Tottenham Hotspur stadium exploded into bedlam.

It was the latest Premier League comeback in history, and Kulusevski’s goal, which was timed at 99 minutes and 53 seconds, was the latest Premier League winner on record.

Spurs went second.

Red Devils in Disarray

My SBOTOPwriting pal James was not a happy chap on Sunday morning after he watched Brighton give his beloved Manchester United an education on Saturday afternoon.

The Seagulls are one of the most upwardly mobile sides in the English top flight, and they moved up to fourth place after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford with the most popular score-line of the weekend: 3-1.

SERIE A

AS Roma

Empoli

1X2 Empoli @ 8.50

Over 3.00 @ 2.61

Total Goals 0-1 @ 3.30

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Former Red Devil striker Danny Welbeck gave Brighton a lead before Pascal Gross made it two, and Joao Pedro was the third scorer to take advantage of poor defending.

Substitute Hannibal gave the hosts a consolation with his first goal for the club. But Erik Ten Hag’s team has now lost three of its opening five games, and even James will admit they were rather lucky to beat Wolves and Nottingham Forest for their six points.

All is not well at the Theatre of Dreams, but in other Premier League 2023 news,Marco Silva’s Fulham are going nicely after beating new boys Luton Town 1-0 at Craven Cottage, a win that took Fulham up to ninth in the table. Carlos Vinicius climbed off the bench to tap in the winner and give Silva his 50th win in 100 games as Fulham manager.

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Premier League: Surprise and Unsurprising Strugglers Five Games In

So, the start of the Premier League season hasn’t gone too well for a number of clubs – and they’re not all the perennial strugglers you might expect.

For while you would think Everton and Bournemouth may be among the lower echelons, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Chelsea all find themselves in the bottom half of the table, five games in.

That was not what the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds ordered.

A handful of teams have some mitigating factors but not many, particularly the Red Devils and the west Londoners.

Following their last-day survival, the Toffees’ failure to strengthen this summer always suggested they would struggle again but a seemingly encouraging run of early fixtures provided an opportunity to get points on the board.

While an opening weekend defeat at home to Fulham showed some signs of improvement but.no end product, the next week’s capitulation at Aston Villa was a reminder of their vulnerability.

When they then dominated for spells at home again only to go down to a late goal against Wolves, the natives were really getting restless.

A 2-2 draw at Sheffield United preceded the first international break of the season before a new striker made his home debut against Arsenal on Sunday.

Given what had gone before, the home team could be forgiven for being obstinate with zero ambition but one piercing move and stylish finish from the substitute Leandro Trossard sufficed for a first win at Goodison Park in almost six years.

LIGUE 1

Monaco

Nice

1X2 Draw @ 3.45

Under 2.75 @ 2.16

First Half Over 1.25 @ 2.06

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It was another galling afternoon for Sean Dyche as his side succumbed to a third 1-0 defeat in three home matches. A struggling Everton have now lost four of their opening five games for the first time since 2005-06 and the manager can be thankful that the wantaway owner Farhad Moshiri is unlikely to contemplate another change at the top.

Everton’s performances do not warrant such talk. Indeed, Dyche needs to be backed and can organise his troops.

Yet their woeful run of results would have undoubtedly tested Moshiri’s patience back in the day when he had the resources and ambition to demand better. The next run of games for them appears pivotal to what level of struggle awaits.

Of course, Everton are far from the only big club struggling, even if their light is more predictable.

All is not well for the Red Devils right now with uncharacteristic defensive errors (not just from defenders) combined with injuries to key players, proving far from helpful.

Luck has not been on their side since an opening victory over Wolves – when fortune did favour them – and some players are still to find their groove, yet despite some negative media, there appears to be some be genuine quality and much more can be rightly expected.

Likewise, Newcastle have yet to settle fully but have had a really testing run of fixtures in which they should gave gained more points than they did.

On Sunday there was a meeting between Bournemouth and Chelsea, the big spenders from west London.

After four points from the opening four matches, Chelsea needed a win, something that represented a spark. Instead, there was only frustration and even fewer Premier League highlights.

Chelsea are on the 14th spot of the Premier League table

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling in action against Bournemouth

Raheem Sterling hit the underside of the crossbar with a free-kick at the start of the second half but there were not too many regrets in terms of glaring missed chances as they threatened in a vague and increasingly empty sort of way.

Bournemouth will take the point, especially as they were in containment mode for the majority, although they did almost nick something late on as things became more open.

What manager Mauricio Pochettino wanted to highlight was the long list of injured and unavailable players; it was up to 12 on the south coast with Moises Caicedo (knee), Marc Cucurella (illness) and Noni Madueke (muscular) the latest additions.

Chelsea might have spent around a billion pounds on new signings under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali but nothing can insulate a manager from this volume of absentees. He had only three players on the bench who had kicked a ball for the club.

While their lacklustre start to the campaign continued with the first goalless draw of the new Premier League season, it should be noted the Cherries are yet to win in the league under Andoni Iraola.

Gary O’Neil helped keep Bournemouth up last season but was replaced this summer by highly-regarded Iraola who has become only the second Spanish manager to remain winless in his first five Premier League games, after Pepe Mel at West Brom in 2014.

This is Bournemouth’s first time not winning any of their first five league games since 2008-09 when they were in League Two.

The omens don’t sound too healthy but the jury remains out, just as it does for Everton, Chelsea and the United’s of Manchester and Newcastle.

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Premier League: Turnaround Time for Manchester United?

In response to a shaky start to the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, Manchester United have sacked a clutch of five academy coaches, presumably in an attempt to launch an overhaul of the club’s recruitment and player development.

It may be a little late for such a move, but I guess if United’s academy had been working well, the club may not have shelled out over £230 million on Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Antony, all of whom look unlikely to have a future at Old Trafford.

The move may see the club progress in good time; but manager Erik Ten Hag must have an eye on the present as well as the future.

He has the small matter of a Champions League clash with FC Bayern on Wednesday, then a tricky away game to Vincent Kompany’s Burnley on Saturday. The Bavarians are the more illustrious opponents, but when Manchester United head to Turf Moor at the weekend, they will be aiming to avoid a third successive league defeat as a minimum.

The latest Premier League 2023 betting odds here at SBOTOP put the Red Devils in a battle for seventh place with Chelsea, and that is not good reading for either club.

The United boss has his fair share of injury problems, particularly in defence, where Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are both in the treatment room. But Ten Hag remains optimistic that things will get better and that his two biggest summer recruits will have a serious impact.

UEFA – Champions League

Bayern Munich

Manchester United

1X2 Manchester United 6.20

Manchester United Asia Handicap +1.00 @ 2.28

Over 3.00 @ 1.58

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He believes that striker Rasmus Hojlund will forge a lethal strike partnership with Marcus Rashford, who was rejuvenated under the Dutch boss last season.

Hojlund made his first start in the Red Devils’ home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion last week and had a goal ruled out by VAR, and it looks like Ten Hag will use the pair ahead of a diamond formation in midfield.

The signing of Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana made some hefty Premier League 2023 news headlines after he moved from the Champions League finalists to Old Trafford.

Onana is a brilliant keeper with superb footwork, and those qualities have landed him on the 30-man list of 2023 Ballon d’Or candidates.

He’s a big character, not afraid to speak out, and he has insisted this week he was not brought to Old Trafford just because he is a talented ball player. He has replaced David de Gea, who won the Golden Glove last season, but the Spaniard couldn’t hold down a place at centre back, whereas it would be interesting to see Onana in a lower league outfield.

The problem is that Onana has been beaten ten times in five games, and while he hasn’t committed any howlers, he had a VAR gift on his debut when he wiped out Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic and escaped a red card, and even a penalty.

Onana is a fine keeper, but he needs to show he can save goals as well as De Gea could.

Spurs have Kane buyback clause

Manchester United are about to meet an old foe when they face FC Bayern, in the shape of former Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

The England skipper has started well with Die Bayern following his £100 million switch from the Premier League to Bundesliga, already scoring four goals in four games.

Tottenham Hotspur might bring back Harry Kane to the Premier League if his contract's buy-back clause is invoked

Harry Kane during their Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen

Spurs are a notoriously difficult club to deal with, and chairman Daniel Levy has announced that he inserted a buy-back clause when Kane moved to Bavaria.

The goal machine is 30 years old and has a four-year contract with Bayern, and it does look likely he will settle well in Germany. Levy told fans about the buy-back clause at a club forum on Tuesday, adding that they had to sell their prized asset rather than let him run down his contract.

Manchester United were one of the English clubs pursuing Kane but the striker is adamant he went to the right place, saying: “Obviously over the summer I know there were some talks between a few clubs in the background, but Bayern were a team I was really interested and excited by. I just decided to come here and am really happy I have.”

Brentford ready to sell Toney

From one top striker to another.

While Kane is enjoying himself in Bavaria, Brentford forward Ivan Toney is having a less enjoyable time as he sits out his eight-month ban for betting irregularities.

And on Monday, the Bees boss Thomas Frank said he may sell the hot striker in January if the club’s valuation is met. Brentford are doing just fine without Toney, and Frank is brilliant at bringing through new players.

Toney scored 20 goals last season, and that puts him in the category of a very expensive commodity. Frank cited fees paid for midfielders such as Declan Rice, Enzo Fernandez, and Moisis Caicedo who all commanded over £100 million, also saying that to score 20 goals in a mid-table team is some achievement.

So the big spenders may have to dig deep to buy Toney.

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Premier League: Fulham Keen to Extend Undefeated Crystal Palace Streak

Crystal Palace vs Fulham

It’s ninth versus 10th for this particular matchup, as Crystal Palace host Fulham on the sixth matchday of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.

The Eagles are fresh from a 3-1 loss against Aston Villa, whereas the Cottagers won against Luton Town 1-0 on Saturday.

Crystal Palace and Fulham have had a mixed bag of Premier League 2023 results to start the season, with both teams each recording two wins, two losses, and one draw for seven points.

Moreover, these two clubs are currently level with the eighth-seeded Nottingham Forest, who have a big (mis)match against Manchester City on Saturday. A win by either side would propel them to the top half of the standings.

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Manchester CityNottingham Forest

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Talking Points

Hodgson’s back, but Olise remains sidelined for Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is expected to be back in the dugout against Fulham on Saturday as he has recovered from an illness.

The oldest manager in Premier League history, who replaced Patrick Vieira late last season, missed Crystal Palace’s defeat to Aston Villa last weekend as assistant manager Paddy McCarthy took charge.

The Eagles could have been loftily placed in the top half of the Premier League standings had they held on against the Villans. When Odsonne Edouard put them up 1-0, Crystal Palace were about to park the bus, only to be derailed by late goals from Jhon Duran, Douglas Luiz, and Leon Bailey.

But despite the defeat, Crystal Palace are still in good shape. That’s because goals have been easy to come by for the Eagles, who have notched 10 goals in all competitions so far this season, with their last three games all having four goals or more (for both teams).

Palace’s goal scoring exploits are a tip to the cap for Hodgson, who loves his attacking style of football. He is enjoying his second tenure at Selhurst Park, especially after he navigated the team away from the relegation zone last year.

Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta have been the primary beneficiaries of Hodgson’s tactics since they already have eight goals thus far, but they need help from others.

Eberechi Eze will have to up his current tally of one goal and two assists, and they’re also waiting on the return of Michael Olise, who sustained a hamstring injury while playing for France at the European U21s Championship in June.

Fulham are glad Palhinha stayed

Joao Palhinha is expected to help Fulham win their upcoming Premier League game against Crystal Palace

Fulham’s Joao Palhinha in action against Luton Town’s Marvelous Nakamba during their match at Craven Cottage

Fulham fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when they learned that Joao Palhinha is not leaving the club anytime soon. The box-to-box midfielder just signed a new contract on Thursday to signify his long-term commitment to the Cottagers.

He was supposed to move to Bayern Munich this summer, but the deal collapsed at the last minute because Fulham couldn’t find a suitable replacement. Prior to that, the Cottagers also rejected a £45 million offer from West Ham United.

Against Luton Town, Palhinha reminded everyone why he’s so highly rated because his quality on and off the ball was on full display. Since his arrival last season, Palhinha has made 160 tackles in the Premier League, and behind him are Idrissa Gueye and Moises Caicedo with 109 and 107, respectively.

History

Fulham have had Crystal Palace’s number lately, as they’ve gone undefeated in their last three meetings (W1, D2) following a three-game losing streak between 2018 and 2020.

The Cottagers beat the Eagles 3-0 at this exact fixture last term. Should they win again this weekend, they will have defeated them in consecutive away league games for the first time since 1978 (W3).

But that will be easier said than done as the Eagles have lost just two of their last 12 home Premier League matches (W4, D6), with the losses only coming against Manchester City in March and Arsenal last August.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Crystal Palace VS Fulham

September 23, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Over 2.50

@2.09

The SBOTOP Premier League 2023 odds expect a lively encounter at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Because they’re at home, Crystal Palace were given the edge at 1.97, while Fulham are at 3.45 odds to win, and a draw is pegged at 3.30 in the 1X2 market.

But while the Eagles are fancied to win, the Cottagers are more than capable of beating the hosts to extend their unbeaten streak against them, especially after coming off a win last time out.

One thing’s for sure: we should see a handful of goals from both sides, save for their February 2021 matchup, so Over 2.50 at 2.09 appears to be your best available bet, while we wouldn’t rule out going for Total Goal 4-6 at 4.00.

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Premier League: Ragged Red Devils Prepare to Meet Kompany’s Boys

Burnley vs Manchester United

Erik Ten Hag brings Manchester United 30km north on Saturday night to take on Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, and he’s aiming to avoid a fourth defeat in a row.

Premier League: Burnley vs Manchester Unitedis a red-hot prospect for fans in East Lancashire; Turf Moor will be packed to the rafters, and you will be able to hear the noise in neighbouring Blackburn.

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany is not a fan of the Red Devils. He is a Manchester City playing legend, and there is nothing he’d like more than to prolong the visitors’ miserable run.

Kompany is a young manager with a young team, but he has a wealth of Premier League experience, with four title triumphs, and as much as he loves a big game, he hates losing.

The Clarets got their season off the mark with a well-earned point at Nottingham Forest on Monday, while Manchester United lost to FC Bayern on Wednesday to make it three defeats on the bounce.

While Ten Hag’s team are favourites to pick up all three points, the Red Devils the Premier League 2023 betting odds say this is a game that could go either way, and this is a cracking prospect for the neutrals among us.

Talking Points

Kompany’s clear strategy

Three defeats to open the campaign are not a great start, but matches against Manchester City and Aston Villa, the two best teams over the past six months, and then Spurs, the other form team of this campaign, were never going to be easy.

And in Burnley’s other two games this season, both away to Nottingham Forest, they picked up a 1-0 Carabao Cup win and a 1-1 Premier League draw.

Kompany is a smart guy, a disciple of Pep Guardiola, and he has steely focus on what he is trying to achieve at Burnley. He knows the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is huge, and he insists his young team will improve as the season goes on.

He also knows how important it is to stay in the top flight, and that is why he uses Premier League experience in his squad to provide a solid base for his exciting new incomers to thrive and entertain.

Kompany brought in Josh Brownhill and Charlie Taylor to face Forest, but for a world class strike from Callum Hudson Odoi Burnley would have recorded a clean sheet.

From what we have seen so far, 19-year-old winger Luca Koleosho is sure to make some special Premier League 2023 highlights. During Burnley’s draw with Forest he rinsed World Cup winner Gonzalo Montiel so much that the Argentine was substituted by Steve Cooper.

Add into the mix Zeki Amdouni, known as the Swiss Messi by Burnley fans, and new signing Mike Tresor, and this is an exciting attack. But can they deliver against the Red Devils?

Were United better against Bayern?

4-3 away to the second favourites for the 2023-24 Champions League doesn’t sound like such a bad result, but the final score line masked just how easily Bayern took the Red Devils apart.

Casemiro of Manchester United will try to score goals against Burnley in their away match in the Premier League

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro scores twice against Bayern Munich in the Champions League

Two late goals from Casemiro made the score look more respectable, but the United defence collapsed in the first half, conceding two goals in four minutes and keeper Andre Onana had a nightmare when he let in the opener.

On a brighter note, striker Rasmus Hojlund scored and Marcus Rashford made an assist, and the manager is counting on those two to forge a profitable partnership.

But with a lengthy injury list, off-field problems and a losing run, Ten Hag desperately needs a turnaround,but he won’t expect a comfortable evening in Burnley.

History

Manchester United have won 11 of the 18 meetings with Burnley over the past two decades, with the Clarets winning just two and drawing five. The two teams met in the fourth round of last season’s Carabao Cup, and the Red Devils ran out 2-0 winners at Old Trafford, thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford.

In terms of recent form, both teams have lost four of the last six and are in need of three points, but I would argue Manchester United’s immediate need is greater.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Burnley VS Manchester United

September 24, 03:00 (GMT +8)

Total Goals 2-3

@ 1.94

Manchester United are the favourites to win this clash at a SBOTOP price of 1.75, with the Clarets at 3.78 and the draw at 3.50.

Conventional wisdom would say that United’s riches and quality in their squad should be too much for the young Clarets, but the hosts will be fearless while the visitors are under some serious pressure.

A 1-1 draw or a 1-2 away are both pitched at 6.56 as the lowest priced score lines; Ten Hag would be delighted with a win and maybe relieved with a draw, while Burnley will simply keep on trying to get better and the results will follow soon enough.

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The Old Gold Host Wolves: A Premier League Matchup 40 Years in the Making

Luton Town vs Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.

The Hatters will host Wolverhampton at Kenilworth Road this Saturday for another electrifying Premier League contest! This will be the first time since the 1983-84 campaign that these clubs will meet in England’s top-flight.

Luton are looking to turn their season around and get their first win, and there’s no better way to trailblaze that journey to the top of the league table than in front of your patrons at home. The Hatters are looking to score their first league point this Saturday against the struggling Wolves.

Wolves are on the hunt for wins as well. They’re not far from where Luton is in terms of League standings and form. They had lost all but one match this season, so they should get points as much as they can, especially against weaker teams in the top-flight.

Talking Points

Luton Town struggle in top-flight

The newly promoted Luton Town face an early relegation threat as they have lost all of their matches this season in top-flight. The Hatters are looking to avoid becoming the latest addition to one of the shortlist teams in the history of the Premier League to lose their first five games in a season.

The Hatters have already conceded 10 goals and have only scored twice. That gives them a goal difference of -8, an evident concern early in the campaign and something they would want to work on if they wish to climb the league table.

But it seems like Luton are well aware of this issue. Manager Rob Edwards stated “We have to learn that we can’t give any gifts away. [We need to be] more compact, resilient and to defend the box very well, but [also] be more ruthless in transitional moments and, when we get the opportunity, have attempts on goal.”

Wolves on the prowl for another talented left-back?

Wolverhampton is set to clash against Luton Town in the Premier League this weekend

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Fabio Silva applauds after their Premier League match against Crystal Palace

The Old Gold, to their standards, are having an abysmal start to their Premier League campaign. They are currently 16th in the league table with just three points to their name.

Their defence is struggling to keep opponents from scoring, as Wolves have already conceded 11 goals this season. Only Burnley have allowed more goals with 12. What is Gary O’Neil’s solution? Sign a new left-back.

According to sources, Gary O’Neil has put the Old Gold’s name in the cauldron for teams that are interested in signing Boca Juniors phenom Valentin Barco. This would be a large order for the struggling Wolves, as multiple top-flight teams, such as Man City, Chelsea, and Brighton, are also keen on signing the Argentinian wonder-boy.

It’s a little questionable for O’Neil to pursue a left-back, given that he already has a young left-back with a huge upside available for him in Rayan Ait-Nouri.

History

It will be the first time these two teams will meet each other in the top-flight since way back in the 1983-84 season, with Luton winning all their matches against Wolves in the Premier League that year.

In recent years, Wolves have had the upper hand, losing just once in five of their last six matches since 2005.

Both teams are struggling to get favourable Premier League 2023 results. Luton Town had lost all of their first four matches in Premier League this season and are currently at the bottom of the league table. They’re aiming to get their first league points against a fairly matched Wolves team this Saturday.

Wolverhampton share the same luck as Luton Town. They are currently 16th on the league table and only a few points above the Hatters. Gary O’Neil and his team have lost all but one game this season in the Premier League.

They managed to get three points against Everton last month with a 0-1 victory in Goodison Park.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Luton Town VS Wolverhampton Wanderers

September 23, 22:00 (GMT+8)

First Half Under 1.00

@ 1.96

There is no clear favourite to win this one, as the Premier League 2023 odds at SBOTOP have Luton to at 2.98 to win, Wolves at 2.21, and draw at 3.20. I personally agree with where these lines are priced at as these two teams are both showing lacklustre form so far this season.

My betting tip would be under 1.00 priced at 1.96 for the first-half O/U. Wolves have only netted five goals for all of their matches, while Luton have only managed to find the back of the net twice this season. These clubs struggle to score goals so there is tremendous value in Under 1.00 goals in the first-half priced at 1.96.

Another line I would recommend is First Half 1X2 Draw priced at 2.06. This goes hand in hand with the first-half under 1.00. As I stated earlier, both clubs are struggling to score at the moment. Not just that, all but one of Wolves’ goals this season came in the second-half, as Luton on the other hand, have yet to score in the first-half of their games this season.

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Premier League: Champs Aim for Six of the Best

Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest

It’s five out of five so far for the Premier League champions so can Manchester City now make it six out of six?

Nottingham Forest are this weekend the visitors to the Etihad, a venue where they were hit for six of the best by City shortly after they were promoted last term.

Twelve months on they now seem a bit more settled, but few would back any away side on a trip to the top team in the country.

Talking Points

Despite that, Forest have impressed to date and have enjoyed some Premier League highlights of their own.

They were somewhat unfortunate to leave Old Trafford empty handed a few weeks ago and have since secured a fine win at Chelsea before drawing 1-1 with Burnley on Monday night.

City, though, are on a different level to most and come into this contest after launching the defence of their Champions League title in midweek with a 3-1 victory over Red Star Belgrade.

Last weekend they also showed why they are champions with a superb second half performance to come from behind at West Ham and record a 3-1 success.

SERIE A

EmpoliInter Milan

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It was a display which showed persistence paid off as second half goals from Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland helped them defeat the in-form Hammers and continue their perfect start to the new league season.

Doku, on the left, provided the ball-carrying ability lost by the summer departure of Riyad Mahrez, while there was another excellent all-round display from Julián Álvarez.

West Ham had played well, with Edson Álvarez and Lucas Paquetá holding their own at times in midfield, but somehow there always seemed to be other gears, other angles for the champions.

That is the difficulty that Forest will face on Saturday, even though they have already made life difficult for all of the top clubs since being promoted.

That included in their last meeting in February when they soaked up the pressure, conceded just once and managed to fight back late on. Doing similar on City’s own turf may be beyond them, however, even if manager Pep Guardiola is concerned by their injury list.

City only had six outfield players on their bench for the victory over Red Star and their seventh successive triumph in all competitions came at a cost as midfielder Bernardo Silva became the latest player to pick up an injury which, according to Guardiola, will keep him out for “the next few weeks”.

The Portuguese international joins Kevin de Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and John Stones on the sidelines.

Given the riches he has lavished on his squad, few neutrals will have sympathy for Guardiola and it will still be a major shock if Forest end their 100 per cent start to the campaign.

History

Steve Cooper and Nottingham Forest are on for challenge as they clasha gainst Manchester City in the Premier League

Nottingham Forest coach Steve Cooper celebrates after winning against Chelsea

Last season the gap was clear in an early encounter as City romped to victory with Haaand netting a hat-trick against opponents still adapting to life back in the top flight.

The return match in February threatened to derail City’s title chances as Silva’s goal was pegged back by a late Chris Wood equaliser in a 1-1 draw – a result which proved important in Forest’s survival bid.

Historically this has been a close contest with 41 City victories, 33 Forest triumphs and 28 draws.

The very first meeting came in December 1899 in League Division One and a 2-0 Forest success in Nortingham.

Last season as well as Haaland’s first half hat-trick, he was joined on the scoresheet by Joao Cancelo and Alvarez.

It was their first league meeting since 2002 when a Darren Huckerby hat-trick sealed a 3-0 home City win in the second tier.

Until last season they had not met since the third round of the 2009 FA Cup when Forest stunned City on their own turf with Nathan Tyson, Robert Earnshaw and Joe Garner the goal-getters in a 3-0 win in Manchester for the then Championship side.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Manchester City VS Nottingham Forest

September 23, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Over 3.75

@2.28

Certainly, it seems that visits to the Etihad are like Old Trafford used to be in that visiting sides feel beaten in the tunnel.

So, City and the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds include 1X2 @ 1.14 and Asian Handicap -2.50 @ 2.19.

Forest, by contrast are priced 1X2 @ 13.50 and Asian Handicap +2.00 @ 2.20.

If the visitors could hold the champions once more – just as they did seven months ago in Nottingham – Correct Score 1-1 will pay out @ 16.50.

There will be goals I think it’s fair to say and the options include Total Goal 0-1 @ 6.40, 2-3 @ 2.31, 4-6 @ 2.30 and Over 3.75 @ 2.28.

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Premier League: Wolves Bite Does Catch the Sky Blues!

So, last week, I asked whether Wolverhampton Wanderers could possibly beat Premier League leaders Manchester City, and I swiftly ruled it out.

But Gary O Neil’s side have only gone and done it!

Manchester City met Wolves on the back of a Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle United, albeit with a much changed team, and the SBOTOP odds backed Pep Guardiola’s side to get back to winning ways; but Hwang Lee Chan had different ideas as he finished off a lightning Wolves break to win the game.

It was a classic smash and grab by the hosts, who had 32 per cent possession and lost the shot counts by 23 to three and eight to one on target.

Wolves managed to win with only one shot on target because they went ahead when Ruben Dias diverted a cross from the livewire Pedro Neto, and the Wolves defence, marshalled by the magnificent Craig Dawson, threw themselves in front of every chance or opening City could muster.

The returning Erling Braut Haaland cut a frustrated figure, as did former Wolves star Matheus Nunes who was hooked at halftime.

It looked like the Sky Blues were set to turn the match around when Julian Alvarez scored a brilliant free kick on 58 minutes, but Hwang’s winner just eight minutes later took the wind out of their sales.

Of all the Premier League 2023 results so far this campaign, this was by far the biggest. But does it give the runners in the chasing pack any hope? I’m not so sure because Guardiola’s teams tend to improve as the season progresses.

Tottenham Hotspur remain undefeated in the Premier League courtesy of Son Heung-min’s current outstanding form

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min in action during their Premier League match against Liverpool

But it was a great result for Tottenham Hotspur, who later beat Liverpool 2-1 to climb up to second place, and just a single point behind the Sky Blues.

It was a fiery clash in North London as the Reds ended up with nine men and the Spurs winner came thanks to an own goal, six minutes into added time.

Curtis Jones was the first Liverpool player to make the long walk when he tackled Yves Bissouma. Curtis seemed to take the ball, but his boot connected with the Spurs player. It looked bad, but I doubt it was an intentional foul.

VAR then totally messed up a Luis Diaz goal for Liverpool, incorrectly ruling him offside, and PGMOL has already apologised to Jurgen Klopp. Which is nice of them.

The red-hot Heung Min-Son gave Spurs a lead before Cody Gakpo levelled on the stroke of halftime. Diogo Jota was the second Liverpool star to see red when he lunged into Destiny Udogie, just a minute after he had been harshly booked for clipping the same defender.

It looked like Liverpool would hold on, but the pressure finally told as the unlucky Joel Matip put through his own goal.

Luton earn a historic victory

At the other end of the table, Luton Town picked up their first ever win in the Premier League, fighting three points away to toothless Everton.

The Toffees clearly targeted this as a potential three points, and they came out on the front foot, with Dwight McNeil firing a volley close and Idrissa Gueye missing the target when he should have scored.

The Hatters weathered the storm and had a slice of luck when they went ahead. Carlton Morris’ header hit the crossbar and bounced in off the unsuspecting Tom Lockyear as Ashley Young tried to clear.

And the shell-shocked Merseysiders went two down when an unmarked Morris side-footed home at the far post. Everton pulled one back through Dominic Calvert-Lewin before half time, but the hosts failed to break down a resolute Luton defence and the Hatters fans were in dreamland.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Luton Town

Burnley

1X2 Draw @ 3.10

Under 2.50 @ 1.75

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.89

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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The Premier League 2023 betting odds still have Luton heavily odds on to take the drop, alongside Sheffield United, with Everton, winless Burnley, and Bournemouth currently around 3.25.

The Cherries were spanked 4-0 at home by Arsenal, while Vincent Kompany Clarets continued their difficult start to the campaign with a 2-0 defeat away to Newcastle United.

Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom came under serious pressure after his team was walloped 8-0 by the Magpies last week, and his side certainly looked like relegation fodder as West Ham coasted to a 2-0 first-half lead through Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.

It was a very comfortable afternoon for the Hammers, who have suffered back-to-back defeats and they climb to seventh, while Sheffield remain rock bottom.

So this weekend belongs to Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town, two unlikely winners.

Next up? The Hatters host Burnley on Tuesday, and that has turned into a potential cracker!

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 05-Oct-2023 at 5:23 PM

Premier League: Mudryk Off the Mark for the Blues

You can’t take your eyes of the Premier League at the moment. The best league in the world continues to deliver week after week with high octane drama, spectacular football, and a torrent of controversy.

After Wolves pulled off the biggest of all Premier League 2023 results on Saturday by beating Manchester City, there were fireworks at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where Spurs edged out Liverpool, and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is still raging. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s dismal start to the campaign continued with a loss at home to Crystal Palace.

Chelsea’s visit to Fulham on Monday night presented another chance for one of the Premier League giants to be felled, but the Blues survived thanks to two quick-fire goals early in the first half. And finally, there was a first Chelsea goal for Mykhailo Mudryk.

The Ukrainian striker has struggled at Stamford Bridge since his £89 million move from Shakhtar Donetsk in January, and the relief was clear to see as he celebrated his 18th minute strike. Armando Broja added a second just a minute later to give the Blues a vital win which took them up to 11th place.

Skippered by the 23-year-old Conor Gallagher, in some ways, Chelsea have become one of the less experienced sides in the Premier League despite the £1 billion spending spree at the club.

They have opted for youth, and that requires patience, but with the likes of Brazilian ace Thiago Silva in the squad, the young players have someone to look up to. And when the going gets tough, that could prove crucial.

Liverpool VAR row rumbles on

It was a horrific experience for Liverpool fans who made the trip to North London as their side went down 2-1 had a goal wrongly disallowed and had two players sent off.

And to make matters worse, the club will be hit with a £25,000 fine after picking up more yellow and red cards than the league deems reasonable.

But I suspect Klopp doesn’t have much time for the league officials’ opinions after a Luis Diaz goal was wrongly ruled out against Spurs, leading to the PGMOL apologising. And I also suspect the apology only served to raise the temperature at Anfield.

Curtis Jones was sent off during Liverpool's Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur

Liverpool’s Curtis Jones is shown a red card by referee Simon Hooper

On an unforgettable afternoon, Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were both sent off, and now Liverpool are considering appealing the red card handed out to Jones for a tackle on Yves Bissouma, a decision by Simon Hooper which split opinion among Premier League pundits at the time.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think the league would uphold an appeal in Liverpool’s favour and, in that case, the ban for Curtis would increase from three to four domestic games.

Erik ten Hag feeling the heat

There are a lot of unhappy fans in the Northwest at the moment. As well as Liverpool and Manchester City both hitting the skids at the weekend, Manchester United’s defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday gave head coach Erik ten Hag the uncomfortable accolade of becoming the first manager in the Red Devils’ history to lose four of the opening seven Premier League games.

In addition to those four losses, United were also well beaten by FC Bayern in the Champions League and, some might say they were fortunate to narrowly win their three league games against Wolves, Nottingham Forest, and Burnley.

Erik ten Hag conceded that his team deserved to be booed off after defeat to Roy Hodgson’s Eagles. Palace defender Joachim Anderson struck in the first half, and the hosts barely laid a glove on their visitors until a late onslaught which was too little and too late.

This is the Red Devils’ worst league start since 1989, and the Premier League 2023 betting odds have all but written off the Red Devils. Just seven games into the campaign, that is a bitter pill for the fans to swallow.

“I can’t blame the players, they gave everything. We were in control but we have to be sharper, more clinical and more determined if we want to score. I understand to boos. We have to do better,” said ten Hag.

“It’s a bad start. We have to catch up; it’s frustrating for everyone, especially the fans, he added.”

Too right it is. But there are so many problems at Old Trafford at the moment with injuries, off-field issues, and the never-ending saga of a potential sale hanging over the club.

So that’s all for now folks. It’s been a fascinating and controversial few days in the English top-flight. Rest assured, here at SBOTOP, we’ll keep following all the big stories and bringing you the action as it unfolds.

Hold on tight.

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Biggest Blowouts in the Premier League

Even though the Premier League 2023 campaign is still young, it has not failed to give us action-packed matches, on- and off-field drama, and world-class football that lures fans all over the world. The Premier League boasts itself to be one of, if not the most competitive, top-flight football leagues where you can witness multiple illustrious clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Fulham, etc. all competing for football immortality.

A league with this much talent can fairly be held to such expectations that matches will be highly competitive, but at the same time, it’s also fair to foresee ridiculously high-scoring games.

Courtesy of SBOTOP, here’s a trip down memory lane to relieve some of the biggest wins in Premier League history by margin of victory.

Sheffield 0 – 8 Newcastle (Sep. 24, 2023)

Just last month, Newcastle United shook the football world when they made history as the first team in Premier League history to have eight different players score in a single game.

The Magpies took the lead in the 21st minute thanks to a powerful strike from Sean Longstaff. Then, eight minutes later, Dan Burn found the back of the net with an off-balanced header, giving his team their second goal. Less than five minutes later, Trippier launched a free-kick from the right-hand side. Sven Botman timed his leap perfectly and was able to head the ball past a determined Wes Foderingham. Newcastle led 0-3 to end the first half.

Most would expect Newcastle to ease off the attacks and protect their lead in the second half, but Eddie Howe and his club had other things in mind. The Magpies continued their onslaught against Heckingbottom’s squad as they increased their lead to four goals courtesy of Callum Wilson’s header.

Next up was Gordon, who arguably had the best goal of the match and one of the most impressive Premier League 2023 highlights so far. The winger struck a low curling ball that slotted perfectly towards the bottom corner of the net, which bolstered the lead to five.

In the 68th minute, Bruno Guimaraes threaded the ball, slicing multiple Sheffield players, and found its way perfectly towards Miguel Almiron, who coolly struck the ball for the sixth goal before Bruno Guimaraes scored their seventh goal. To put icing on an already well-frosted cake, Alexander Isak went on a beautiful carry, sending Tom Davies the wrong way before he went on and scored Newcastle’s eighth goal.

Liverpool 9 – 0 Bournemouth (Aug. 27, 2022)

Luis Diaz and Firmino helped Liverpool have their biggest home victory in the Premier League against Bournemouth

Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Luis Diaz against Bournemouth

Coming into this game, Liverpool found themselves in 16th place in the Premier League table, after a loss to Manchester United and draws against Fulham and Crystal Palace to start their campaign. The Reds were hungry for their first league win, so they did so in the loftiest way possible.

Luis Diaz started the demolition job just a few minutes into the match. Roberto Firmino elegantly fired a bending cross that found a leaping Diaz, who headed the ball over a towering Mark Travers for the opening goal. Harvey Elliot quickly followed up with a powerful left-foot strike from 20 yards in the sixth minute to give the Reds an early two-goal lead.

Trent Alexander-Arnold followed with the goal of the match. The right-back, primarily known for his defence, struck a stunning goal from 25 yards. Travers had no chance of getting to the ball and found itself at the back of the net to give Liverpool a commanding 3-0 lead.

After assisting on two of the first three goals, Firmino then bagged one for himself. He scored an acrobatic goal from a botched cross from Salah. Liverpool led 4-0 in just 31 minutes. The Reds netted their fifth right before halftime courtesy of Virgil van Dijk’s header from a corner kick.

Chris Mepham joined the scoring barrage, but for the wrong team. Mepham scored an own goal just a few seconds after the start of the second half, bringing Liverpool’s lead to six.

Firmino had the game of his career as he scored a second in the afternoon before getting benched. Anfield gave the Brazilian a well-deserved standing ovation as he left the field.

Fabio Carvalho then scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool with 10 minutes left in regulation. Diaz then ended the match as he had opened it, scoring with a header, which caps off a historic 9-0 win over Bournemouth.

Manchester City 8 – 0 Watford (Sept. 21, 2019)

The Sky Blues are currently the heavy favourites in the Premier League 2023 odds to win it all, as they remain one of England’s most dominant clubs. But their most dominant win came a few years ago when they squashed Watford 8-0 at Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City came from a humbling defeat at Norwich, but they quickly redeemed themselves against Watford by scoring five goals in just 18 minutes, the fastest any side has gone 5-0 ahead in a Premier League match. Talk about venting frustration.

Guardiola made it clear that they were out for blood as he stated post-match: “What I like the most is normally when it’s 5-0 at halftime, the second half is not serious, it’s boring,”. Guardiola added, “But we did the opposite and we were more aggressive and made a very good second half.”

David Silva wasted no time and began the blitz in the opening minute of the match with a close-range goal. Six minutes later, Ben Foster curiously gave away a penalty when he rushed from his line, that sent Franchman Riyad Mahrez tumbling. Aguero took the penalty to give City a 2-0 lead.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Fulham

Sheffield United

1X2 Fulham @ 1.65

Fulham Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.17

Over 2.50 @ 2.02

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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Mahrez had the last laugh as he scored the third goal after 12 minutes when his free kick deflected off Cleverly. Just three minutes later, Bernardo Silva headed in City’s fourth goal from an Otamendi corner. This sparked what would be Bernardo Silva’s magnum opus.

Otamendi got himself a goal of his own in the 18th minute to give the Sky Blues the quickest 5-0 lead in Premier League history.

Bernardo Silva then continued the hot streak as he scored the next two goals for Manchester City. Bernardo not only helped Man City make Premier League history, he fulfilled personal achievements as well by scoring his first professional hat trick.

After assisting on two goals, it’s only fitting that it would be De Bruyne who would cap the historic night for City. He launched a powerful right-footed strike to give the Sky Blues their eighth and final goal of the match.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 05-Oct-2023 at 5:25 PM

Premier League: The Cottagers and the Blades Do Battle with Similar Aims

Fulham vs Sheffield United

These two Premier League clubs may disagree but, in an era where the established big hitters financially dwarf those around them, survival should be seen as the initial priority for both Fulham and Sheffield United.

You may query that given Marco Silva did a wonderful job last season and came fairly close to securing a return to European football for the famous club by the Thames.

Yet realistically, how could they build on that when those aforementioned clubs came sniffing this summer to take away the man who spearheaded so many of their Premier League highlights last term (Aleksandar Mitrovic) and were also within a whisker of snaffling their best midfielder too (Joao Palhinha).

Likewise, two of Sheffield United’s best players in the Championship last season (James McAtee and Tommy Doyle) were on loan and were back at their parent club before a ball was even kicked following promotion.

McAtee has since returned on another loan but it highlights the uphill task these clubs with fairly modest budgets face.

Talking Points

Jack Robinson of Sheffield United will be determined to defeat Fulham at the Craven Cottage in the Premier League

Sheffield United defender Jack Robinson looks disappointed after their away match against West Ham United

Talking of the Blades, I have already nailed my colours to the mast and said I do think their return to the top flight will be for one season only.

Confidence must be low following the humiliation they suffered 10 days ago at home to Newcastle United when Paul Heckingbottom’s players delivered their worst performance of his reign – he labelled their efforts during a second half capitulation as ‘unacceptable’.

It should be pointed out, Heckingbottom was not responsible for the capitulation of some of his charges once they crossed the white line. And history shows that even a reverse on this scale does not mean you are doomed for the drop.

Their next game at West Ham last Saturday, however, did not indicate they will survive.

Perhaps it all began when late heartbreak, conceding two goals deep into added time to lose at Tottenham, severely damaged their confidence.

The Newcastle nightmare followed and they never really seemed to possess belief against West Ham and looked vulnerable almost every time the Hammers attacked.

In Silva’s words, Fulham were ‘flat’ as they were beaten at home by Chelsea on Monday evening but I don’t think they will be again and expect them to create much more than they have managed in recent weeks.

That may give the slightly under pressure Raul Jimenez (no goals in seven league starts), signed as a replacement for Mitrovic, an opportunity.

Fulham’s lack of goals is becoming a stark issue. Since the international break, they have scored once in three Premier League games, and even seemed to struggle to find the net against a second-string Norwich City in the League Cup.

Without wishing to be disrespectful, the Blades could be the perfect opponents in that regard.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester UnitedBrentford

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History

Sheffield United have historically had the upper hand in this fixture with 32 victories compared to Fulham’s 23 and an additional 16 draws.

The Cottagers enjoyed quite a day though in their first ever meeting as the sides met three days apart in April 1935 in the then Division Two.

Fulham were home first and promptly hit seven past the Blades in a 7-2 victory at Craven Cottage.

The return game in Yorkshire three days later was a lot closer but Fulham still prevailed, 2-1 on that occasion.

Sheffield United enjoyed their most recent clashes in the Championship two seasons ago.

That was the season in which Fulham romped to the title but could not defeat the relegated Blades.

Shortly before Christmas, Iliman Ndiaye’s wonderful solo goal gave them victory against the league leaders.

The return fixture the following May came after Fulham had already clinched the championship in record-breaking style and, with little to play for, Sheffield United took full advantage with a 4-0 success, courtesy of goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Ndiaye, Sander Berge and Enda Stevens.

The last time they met in the top flight was in February 2021 when Ademola Lookman netted the only goal for the west Londoners.

The earlier season encounter had ended 1-1 when another Lookman goal was cancelled out by a late Billy Sharp penalty.

Both teams were relegated at the end of that campaign.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Fulham VS Sheffield United

October 07, 22:00 (GMT +8)

Half Time Full Time

@ 2.48

The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds back Fulham and so do I.

They are priced 1X2 @ 1.65, First Half 1X2 @ 2.35, Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.17 and First Half Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.36.

Sheffield United are on offer via 1X2 @ 4.50, First Half 1X2 which is also @ 4.50, Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.33 and First Half Asian Handicap +0.25 @ 2.00.

The draw is available @ 3.70 and a re-run of their last meeting in the top flight – Correct Score 1-0 – will pay out @ 5.40.

A goalless draw between those two is extremely rare – a 0-0 in 1965 remains the sole occasion – so no wonder total goal 0-1 is available @ 3.05, compared to 2-3 @ 1.91, 4-6 @ 3.85 and over 2.75 @ 2.29.

After their reverse at home to Chelsea on Monday night, I cannot see them slipping up at home twice in a week.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 05-Oct-2023 at 5:28 PM

Premier League: Tottenham Might Humiliate Luton Town at Kenilworth Road

Luton Town vs Tottenham Hotspur

After beating Liverpool 2-1 last time out, albeit under controversial VAR circumstances, Tottenham are going to visit Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

The Hatters are currently 17th in the standings, and that’s their minimum target position in order to maintain their top-flight status.

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou is definitely cooking up something at Spurs, as they’re the second-seeded team in the Premier League standings. And if certain Premier League 2023 results fall in their favour, they might find themselves on top of the food chain, at least for a few days.

While taking care of business against the Hatters, the Spurs would also look closely at the epic battle between Manchester City and Arsenal, with the hope of them ending with a draw.

Talking Points

Captain Son unleashed under Postecoglou

Son Heung-min is expected to help Tottenham win their next Premier League game

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min celebrates after scoring their first goal against Liverpool

Heung-Min Son is having a brilliant campaign since being handed the captain’s armband in lieu of Harry Kane’s departure this summer. The South Korean forward has essentially changed his position from winger to central striker, and it’s working under Ange Postecoglou because he already has six league goals.

In this new-look, possession-based Spurs, one of Son’s main responsibilities is to press from the front. Son’s lightning-quick pace throws defenders off guard, and he also has an eye for goal, particularly when fed by his fellow attackers and midfielders.

An example of this was in their victory against Liverpool, where Son showed off his speed to sprint past multiple defenders to tap home Richarlison’s cross into an empty net.

Son is now at the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals (0.42) and non-penalty xG (0.33) per 90. His overall xG is 2.9, which is impressive, to say the least.

The jury is still out over Tottenham’s title credentials, but with Son captaining their side, they will always have a chance.

Luton Town were given a reality check

After defeating Everton 2-1 last Saturday to earn their first-ever Premier League victory, Luton Town were ecstatic. The joy soon faded, though, after they suffered a similar defeat to Burnley last night.

The Hatters fell behind by one goal as Lyle Foster scored before halftime, but Elijah Adebayo netted the equaliser during the 84th minute, and it felt like they were going to take home another point.

65 seconds after Luton tied the game, Jacob Bruun Larsen fired a stunning shot into the far top corner for what proved to be Burnley’s first win of the 2023-24 campaign.

Right now, Luton Town are dangling above the dotted line, and the odds are stacked against them in their upcoming games. After hosting Tottenham, the Hatters are going to be up against Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa next.

Carlton Morris has been the bright spot for the Hatters with three goals, but he really needs help to keep the team afloat.

PREMIER LEAGUE

ArsenalManchester City

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History

Saturday marks the first-ever Premier League meeting between Luton Town and Tottenham. Their last encounter was a goalless draw in a top-flight game at Kenilworth Road back in 1992.

Tottenham are undefeated in nine league games against Luton Town (W5, D4) since losing 2-0 on the road in November 1987, with Ian Allinson notching a brace for the Hatters.

Luton Town have only won one of their last 10 home league games against London-based sides (D5, L4), with their lone win being a 3-1 result against QPR last term.

The Spurs have won 12 of their last 14 Premier League matches against newly promoted sides (D1, L1), and they’ve already defeated Burnley and Sheffield United this year. Their last loss against a side in their debut Premier League season was a 3-1 result against Blackpool in 2010-11.

And they hold the longest undefeated streak in the English top-flight right now, as Spurs have yet to lose in eight consecutive Premier League matches (W6, D2).

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Luton Town VS Tottenham Hotspur

October 07, 19:30 (GMT+8)

Tottenham Asian Handicap -1.50

@ 2.25

Given their sizeable gap at the table, the SBOTOP Premier League 2023 odds have Tottenham as the big favourites to win on Saturday. This comes as no surprise as the Spurs are at 1.42 odds to win, while a Luton Town victory is priced at 6.20 and a draw is at 4.30 in the 1X2 market.

Ange Postecoglou’s men are in scintillating form, so they should have little difficulty breaching Rob Edwards’ porous backline to claim maximum points.

Other than our recommendation above, we also advise going for alternative bets like Over 3.25 at 2.21 and Total Goal 4-6 at 2.72, while Correct Score 4-0 for Spurs at 19.50 is also on offer and has a substantial payout.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 06-Oct-2023 at 8:08 PM

Premier League: Can Brighton Rock the Reds?

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Liverpool

Sixth plays fourth in the Super Sunday match by the seaside, where Premier League: Brighton vs Liverpool is the main attraction at 2 p.m. local time.

It’s a fascinating clash between two top-four-chasing sides who are both in the 2023-24 Europa League. But, while Brighton are relative newcomers to the higher reaches of the English top flight, Liverpool are elder statesmen, and a season without Champions League football is indeed a rarity.

The Amex Stadium will be bouncing when the teams take the field, and both are in desperate need of a boost after suffering, in very different ways, last week.

Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton come into the game on the back of a right royal thumping at the hands of Aston Villa, while Jurgen Klopp is still smarting after his side lost a controversial match away to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Premier League 2023 betting odds predict a close encounter with plenty of goals, so it’s a brilliant prospect for the neutrals and maybe a nail-biter for the Seagulls and the Reds.

Talking Points

Fati’s chance to show how good he is

Brighton hit the headlines in the summer transfer window with one of the most eye-catching signings in Europe, as Barcelona star Ansu Fati joined the Seagulls on a season-long loan.

The Spain international is a real talent, given the Barca Number Ten shirt worn by Lionel Messi, and, still only 20, he has scored 22 goals in 80 games for the Blaugrana.

Reports in Spain suggest Fati was set to join Spurs before De Zerbi made his audacious swoop, and it shows just how far the Seagulls have come to say they are a more attractive option that Tottenham.

Over at Camp Nou, it seemed that Xavi was unlikely to play Fati as a key member of his team in their title defence, but he could be a huge player for Brighton. He scored his team’s only goal when the Seagulls entered the Villain’s lair last week, striking the consolation just five minutes after coming on as sub, and Ansu looks set to start against Liverpool.

Another young Brighton star sure to feature in the Premier League 2023 highlights is 18-year-old wonderkid Evan Ferguson. He is the Seagulls’ top scorer with four goals and has attracted the interest of big sending Chelsea in recent weeks.

But De Zerbi has worries in midfield, where Pascal Gross and James Milner are in a race to be fit, and he has just suffered a blow in defence as Ecuadorian fullback Pervis Estupian limped off after scoring an own goal against Villa.

Van Dijk rallies the Reds

Virgil van Dijk will try to help Liverpool get back to winning ways against the Seagulls in the Premier League

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk looks disappointed after their defeat against Tottenham Hotspur

There will be a fair amount of pressure on referee Antony Taylor, who needs to manage the VAR intervention carefully on Sunday after the technology was blamed for Liverpool’s 2-1 loss to Tottenham last week. Coach Klopp has even suggested the game should be replayed, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Captain Virgil Van Dijk prefers to take the positives from the nightmare in North London and has praised his club’s togetherness, saying: “I was proud to be captain of this club and proud of the supporters who backed us to the hilt.

There is nothing stopping us from using the positives and the biggest one for me was definitely the way we all stuck together.”

Fine words, but the Reds need to get back to winning ways, and they will be without the red-carded Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota for the trip to the South Coast. Prior to the loss at Spurs, Liverpool won four games on the bounce, all by a 3-1 score line.

Uruguayan hit-man Darwin Nunez has scored three goals and is looking more comfortable in his second season at Anfield, while the fit again Luis Diaz will be desperate to score after his strike at Spurs was wrongfully wiped off.

History

Of the last 15 meetings between these two teams, Liverpool have won nine, drawn three, and lost three. But the Seagulls have beaten the Reds twice in this calendar year, winning 3-0 in the league and 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup in quick succession back in January.

Brighton have won three and lost three of the last six games, while Liverpool were on a five-match winning run before the reversal at Spurs.

Betting Tip

⭐

Brighton & Hove Albion VS Liverpool

October 08, 21:00 (GMT +8)

Correct Score 2-2

@ 9.75

At SBOTOP odds of 2.52 to win, the hosts are slight underdogs, with Liverpool at 2.18 and the draw at 3.64. Both teams are in Europa League action on Thursday, so there is no advantage to either team in preparation, and, while Liverpool are without two suspended stars, the Seagulls have injury worries to be content with.

But both teams have talented forwards who are in fine form, and I expect goals, so I’m going out on a limb with a four-goal draw.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 06-Oct-2023 at 8:09 PM

Premier League Top Two Get Down to Business – Again!

Arsenal vs Manchester City

The Premier League’s top two (based on last season) and a match between the side who won the lot and the side who had their heart set on glory only to have it broken into pieces.

For a few months it looked like the North Londoners may be able to surprise the red-hot favourites and claim English football’s top prize for the first time in almost two decades.

Yet the smart money was always on Manchester City and so it proved as the Gunners were unable to replicate their superb first half of the campaign and were reeled in and, ultimately, spat out.

Three times in three months they met and all three victories went the way of City.

Now they clash again seeking Premier League highlights and in the case of the Gunners, revenge.

Talking Points

So how are both teams faring as they prepare for the contest?

Well, Arsenal suffered a blow in midweek when Bukayo Saka sustained an injury in their defeat to Lens, their first of the season, in the Champions League.

Premier League Update: Bukayo Saka has picked up a slight hamstring problem against Lens

Bukayo Saka suffered a minor hamstring strain in Arsenal’s Champions League clash with RC Lens

The England international was a doubt heading into the game but he was named in the starting XI, despite hobbling off in the last two Premier League matches against Spurs and Bournemouth.

Ahead of this potentially decisive showdown, some of an Arsenal persuasion were hoping for a Saka rest during the visit to France to take on Lens.

However, Saka started and manager Mikel Arteta was made to regret that decision.

Although it is too early to say for sure, it does seem he is a doubt for a match between sides separated by just a point at the summit.

City were also in action in midweek aiming to bounce back from back-to-back domestic defeats.

Pep Guardiola’s men suffered a 1-0 loss to Newcastle United in the League Cup last week before going down 2-1 Wolves on Saturday, despite their opponents only having one shot on target (the other was an own goal).

In Germany, they showed that class is permanent as they scored twice late on to take complete control of their Champions League group in a 3-1 victory at RB Leipzig.

They have absentees of their own this Sunday with midfielder Rodri completing a three-match suspension and midfield counterpart Kevin de Bruyne also out.

Even without that duo in the XI, City have fantasy that can break open tight contests.

One of them. Bernardo Silva, played on Wednesday night after a few weeks out, while John Stones was fit enough to be named on the bench so will give them more options for their trip to North London.

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Luton TownTottenham Hotspur

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History

While Arsenal have vast superiority in the overall head-to-head record, City have held a distinct upper hand since their takeover in 2008 saw them inherit new-found wealth.

Indeed, they have won their last 12 matches against the Gunners in the Premier League.

In the FA Cup in late January, a contest between much-changed sides was settled by a Nathan Ake goal.

That was seen as potentially a big help to Arsenal in their quest for league glory.

Just a few weeks later, though, City went to North London and returned with three points as de Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland scored in a 3-1 win. Saka netted a first half penalty for Arsenal.

By the time of the return league game in late April, City were firmly in the ascendancy and effectively ended Arsenal’s challenge with a 4-1 romp.

De Bruyne (two), Stones and Haaland were the marksmen with Rob Holding adding what amounted to no more than a consolation.

It was City’s eighth straight win over Arsenal and a 15th success in the last 16.

Overall, they have 65 wins in these clashes with 99 Arsenal triumphs and 45 draws.

Arsenal did edge the Charity Shield last month, triumphing on penalties after a 1-1 draw in which Cole Palmer (now of Chelsea) and Leandro Trossard traded goals.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Arsenal VS Manchester City

October 8, 23:30 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@ 3.40

As you would expect for a clash between the champions and last season’s runners-up, there’s not much between the sides with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds.

However, City are still favourites 1X2 @ 2.24 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.12, compared to Arsenal who are available to back 1X2 @ 2.82 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.53.

A repeat of the corresponding fixture last term – Correct Score 1-3 – will pay out @ 18.50 with goal bets including Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.70, 2-3 @ 1.96, 4-6 @ 3.35 and Over 2.75 @ 2.12.

It may not surprise you to hear I am going to sit on the fence with this one and opt for honours even, so my *** tip is 1X2 Draw @ 3.35.

A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:

⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)

⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)

⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 06-Oct-2023 at 8:11 PM

Premier League: Week 7 Standouts Duel at the Molineux

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa

The Wolves and Aston Villa make up much of the Premier League XI of the seventh matchday of the 2023-24 campaign. That comes as no surprise, given how they performed last time out.

Wolves managed to score one of the biggest Premier League 2023 results so far this season with a shocking 2-1 victory against defending champions Manchester City, while Aston Villa recorded their largest win this term, a 6-1 result against an up-and-coming Brighton team.

Aston Villa became the fifth seed, while Wolves improved to 15th as a result. And these two West Midlands sides will convene at the Molineux on Sunday with the aim of sustaining their momentum.

The pre-game SBOTOP betting odds make a good reading for Aston Villa, but as we’ve learned from last weekend, the Wolves should not be underestimated at all.

PREMIER LEAGUE

ArsenalManchester City

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Talking Points

Wolves’ “Korean guy” deserves respect

Gary O’Neil’s men were off to a great start when Ruben Dias scored an own goal after 13 minutes, but the complexion of the game changed when Julian Alvarez netted the equaliser 13 minutes after halftime.

Just when it looked like Manchester City would extend their undefeated streak, Nelson Semedo’s forward run inspired a second goal for the Wolves.

The Portuguese wing-back’s cross was deflected, and the ball went Hwang Hee-Chan’s way. Hwang’s first shot was blocked, but Matheus Cunha had the presence of mind to give it back to the South Korean for the marginal goal.

Hwang Hee-Chan now has five goals to lead the whole team, which is already a significant improvement after a lacklustre 2022-23 campaign where he only netted three times.

The Wolves’ social media admin certainly had fun trolling Pep Guardiola, who was serving his one-match touchline ban, after they beat the Sky Blues last weekend.

During their pre-game press conference against the Wolves, Guardiola heaped praise on Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha, and Hwang Hee-Chan, except that he called Hwang “the Korean guy” rather than his actual name.

Another Wolves player who deserves a shoutout is their centre-back Craig Dawson.

The veteran defender, who signed with the team for a cheap fee in January, was able to limit Erling Haaland while making crucial interventions to save the Wolves from conceding certain goals.

Watkins’ Villa performances justifies England recall

Following his outstanding performances in the Premier League, Ollie Watkins has been called up to the England squad

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins celebrates with the match ball after scoring a hat-trick against Brighton & Hove Albion

Ollie Watkins scored his second hat-trick of the season against Brighton, which certainly caught the attention of Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, who promptly called him up to the squad after the strong performance.

The 27-year-old, who last played for England in March 2022, is the frontrunner of the Golden Boot race this season with seven goals, and he also has three assists. Under Unai Emery, Watkins has been simply unplayable, and there are now talks of a long-term extension between the striker and the club.

As of this writing, Aston Villa boast the second-most potent attack in the Premier League, with 18 goals already.

And the scary part is that Watkins is not the only one producing for the Villans, as Leon Bailey, Jhon Duran, Douglas Luiz, Matty Cash, Moussa Diaby, John McGinn, Lucas Digne, Jacob Ramsey, and Boubacar Kamara have already opened their accounts this season too.

History

If you didn’t look at the current Premier League standings, you might be led to believe that the Wolves are better than the Villans.

That is because the Wolves have won three of their last four league matches against Aston Villa (D1), which is as many as in their first 12 encounters with them (D4, L5).

Also, Aston Villa have lost five of their last six road visits at the Molineux, with their sole win being a 1-0 result during the 2020-21 campaign.

This year, the Wolves have lost just four of their 13 Premier League home matches (W8, D1) after losing each of their final four at home in 2022. They have won five of their last eight at Molineux (D1, L2), with four of those victories being clean sheets.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Wolverhampton Wanderers VS Aston Villa

October 8, 21:00 (GMT+8)

Total Goals 2-3

@ 1.91

The Premier League 2023 odds expect a tight contest between the Wolves and Aston Villa. The visitors were given the slight edge at 2.12, while a home win for Wolves is at 3.00 odds, and a draw also offers great value at 3.40 in the 1X2 market.

The hosts are probably planning yet another smash-and-grab, just like in their improbable result against the Sky Blues, but the Villans have the capability to breach their low block and score enough goals to get the maximum points.

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⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 06-Oct-2023 at 8:15 PM

Drama from Start to Finish in Absorbing Premier League

It started on Saturday lunchtime with drama and ended, nearly 30 hours later, in equally dramatic fashion. I suppose that is the gift of the English Premier League which, if it’s compelling storylines you’re after, rarely disappoints.

Kenilworth Road kickstarted the first action of the weekend as high-fliers Spurs were the visitors to Luton Town.

After missing early chances, Spurs were frustrated by the newly promoted Hatters, fresh from earning a first top flight win of the campaign in three decades at Everton.

The outside SBOTOP Premier League betting odds in their favour then shortened on the stroke of half-time when Yves Bissouma saw red.

The talented midfielder had already ensured he would miss Spurs’ next game by picking up a fifth booking of the season for dragging down Chiedozie Ogbene.

But the Mali international, who has had an impressive start to the campaign, then picked up a second yellow for diving on the edge of the Luton area.

However, the home side could not take full advantage and, seven minutes after the restart, came the decisive moment as two summer signings combined with Micky van de Ven poking home his first goal for the club after James Maddison cut the ball back from a short corner.

Dutch defender Van de Ven said it was an “amazing feeling” to score the match-winning goal for the North Londoners who are now unbeaten in eight Premier League games.

Elsewhere, there was better news for Everton who finally earned their first Goodison Park success of the season.

The Toffees stayed up on the final day of last season by beating Bournemouth 1-0, yet this 3-0 triumph was far more convincing – so much so it has convinced me that the Cherries may be the side destined to join Luton and Sheffield United in my predicted bottom three.

Premier League: Everton ended their match against Bournemouth in a 3-0 win

Everton players celebrate after winning against Bournemouth at Goodison Park

Everton are in a state of flux at the moment, awaiting the completion of a takeover of the club by 777 Partners, who agreed a deal to purchase current owner Farhad Moshiri’s 94% stake in the club.

The Miami-based investment firm are on a charm offensive with the Blues faithful, with co-founder Josh Wander writing to the fans before the games, and afternoons like this only help lift the optimism.

Manager Sean Dyche had asked his side to “change the story” and this was the first time in a year that Everton had scored more than once at home in a league game, with the previous occasion being a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace under ex-boss Frank Lampard

James Garner’s cool finish after 10 minutes gave them the lead before the second came courtesy of a poor punch by goalkeeper Neto, with the ball falling to Jack Harrison 25 yards out. The on-loan Leeds winger brilliantly lofted a first-time finish into an unguarded net.

The Toffees could have had a third on the stroke of half-time, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’’ towering header at the back post rattled the crossbar.

But the home side remained buoyant against a dire Cherries team and sealed victory on the hour mark when Abdoulaye Doucoure smashed in,

Their west London neighbours Fulham also enjoyed victory against Sheffield United which included a fluke goal from Tom Cairney.

Sadly, the match was overshadowed by a severe injury to Blades captain Chris Basham.

The game at Craven Cottage was stopped for 13 minutes midway through the first half as Basham received treatment, the centre-back raising a thumb to the crowd as he left the field on a stretcher before being taken to hospital.

Everyone in football wishes him well in what is the latest blow Paul Heckingbottom’s men have suffered in recent weeks.

You simply cannot question the spirit of Brighton who delivered more Premier League highlights for their fans to enjoy.

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Croatia

Turkey

1X2 Draw @ 3.35

Under 2.00 @ 2.20

First Half Over 1.00 @ 2.25

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

After another summer selling their leading players – and following a 6-1 drubbing at Aston Villa last weekend – the south coast club continue to mix it at the top end under Roberto de Zerbi.

They may be without a win in four games in all competitions but, for the second time this week, the Seagulls left the pitch to a standing ovation from their supporters after refusing to lie down.

Having fought back from 2-0 down to draw their Europa League encounter with Marseille 2-2 in France on Thursday, De Zerbi’s side produced a similarly spirited performance to rescue a point against Liverpool.

It was the same score in east London where West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus netted an 89th-minute equaliser to deny Newcastle United victory in a thriller at London Stadium.

The Geordies looked to be heading for a fifth straight win when Alexander Isak’s second-half double turned the game around, following Tomas Soucek’s eighth-minute opener for the Hammers.

Yet Kudus’ first Premier League goal since joining West Ham in the summer, a driven effort into the bottom corner, ensured the points were shared in the capital as the Toon – fresh from their 4-1 drubbing of Paris St Germain – tired.

And so onto the final game of the weekend and last season’s top two getting down to business.

In a match of few chances, the drama continued until almost the very end as Gabriel Martinelli scored a deflected late winner as Arsenal earned a statement victory over defending Premier League champions Manchester City at the Emirates.

Making his return from a hamstring injury as a substitute, Martinelli’s strike deflected in off Nathan Ake to earn Arsenal a first league win over City since December 2015.

It was a moment that sparked wild celebrations and put the Gunners level on points with north London rivals Tottenham at the top of the table – a result more impressive given the absence of Bukayo Saka, although City can also point to how much they miss Rodri. They have lost all three matches in which he has been suspended over the last 11 days.

Although it was only one game, Arsenal made City look mere mortals was how one journalist described it.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 12-Oct-2023 at 6:55 PM

Premier League 2023-24 – The Best Moments So Far Come with a Caveat

So as football continues at a breathtaking pace — and the number of games in which top class professionals are being made to play brings its own concerns —now is an apt time to reflect on the early Premier League highlights in 2023-24.

As we take a brief break for internationals, my choice may surprise you.

What it does show, though, is the absorbing Premier League is still very capable of delivering unimaginable results against the odds.

Nowhere was the drama more evident than at Old Trafford last Saturday where, barely 24 hours after the announcement of the passing of Lady Cathy Ferguson – the rock behind the rock of Manchester United – the most successful team in the history of the competition somehow defeated spirited Brentford amid scenes of elation.

How fitting that United won in ‘Fergie time’ through a fellow Scot who was brought to the club during his legendary tenure.

United had been heading for a third successive home league loss and a seventh from 11 games as they trailed to Mathias Jensen’s 26th-minute opener. But Scott McTominay, on as a substitute two minutes before the end of normal time, scored in the third and seventh minute of added time to take United to 12 points from eight matches.

The Stretford End serenaded, singing “Every single one of us loves Alex Ferguson” and, although absent, he must have been immensely touched by the tributes on the terraces and on the pitch.

It also spoke volumes that tribute was paid elsewhere with former United man Ashley Young wearing a black armband as he turned out for Everton 30 odd miles away.

Yes, United had ended a galling losing streak and avoided breaking unwanted records dating back to the year Neville Chamberlain entered No.10 Downing Street.

There was no third successive home defeat for the first time since October 1962; no third successive home league defeat since February 1979 and this was not Brentford’s first victory at Old Trafford since 1937.

But most tellingly of all, the way the match was won was typically United and extremely emotional.

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Everton

1X2 Everton @ 7.00

Everton Asian Handicap +1.25 @ 2.20

Under 3.00 @ 2.20

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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Even by their standards, this result turned the ongoing SBOTOP Premier League betting odds upside down, inside out and back to front in four amazing minutes.

It was not the first impressive comeback so far this season, of course.

The first of those unlikely scenarios actually came at St James’ Park in late August as Uruguayan Darwin Nunez struck two late goals to complete a remarkable turnaround and give 10-man Liverpool a dramatic victory against Newcastle United.

Make no mistake, the Merseysiders had been second best for much of a thrilling encounter, falling behind to Anthony Gordon’s opener after he cashed in on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s mistake, then seeing captain Virgil van Dijk sent off for a foul on Alexander Isak three minutes later.

Goalkeeper Alisson kept Liverpool in it by miraculously turning Miguel Almiron’s shot on to the woodwork in the first half, the forward also hitting the post after the break, before that old adage of failing to score when on top and converting chances came back to haunt the Toon Army.

In complete command but failing to take full advantage, they ultimately paid a heavy price to leave the majority inside the stadium stunned.

Also worthy of mention, but not quite the same, was when Spurs, trailing until the 98th minute, provided the latest winning comeback in Premier League history to see off Sheffield United.

Yet unlike the games at Old Trafford and St James Park, should there really have been that much added-on time?

No-one likes time wasting and balance has to be found but encounters such as this – and that of Aston Villa v Crystal Palace – really does beg the question of the amount of football currently being played in an already congested calendar – a route not being repeated on the European scene.

This past week it has emerged that Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes played more minutes of football than any other elite player last year.

New data from world players union Fifpro said the Portugal international played 6,666 minutes between September 2022 and September 2023.

The body analysed data on 1,800 players to illustrate the physical and mental demands top players face.

It is campaigning for changes to the football calendar to protect players and that surely should be looked at.

Let us finish on a positive.

Kenilworth Road hosted its first ever Premier League match vs West Ham

General view inside Kenilworth Road the home Stadium of the newly promoted team Luton Town FC

One of the most heartening sights for me so far has been the return of Luton Town.

Until welcoming West Ham in early September, not since April 1992 had Kenilworth Road hosted a game in the top flight of English football.

Luton have been through so much since then, from the agony of dropping out of the Football League in 2010, to the ecstasy of last season’s improbable promotion, so in that context it hardly mattered that a few renovations were required before they could finally play at home this season.

The charms of the stadium remain and it warmed the cockles to read, before their Friday night clash with West Ham, about some of the associated idiosyncrasies.

For example, for away fans to get into the Oak Road Stand, they have to walk through a row of terraced houses.

Once inside they find terracing where the seats are so tightly packed as to make standing up compulsory. The Main Stand has stood for more than a century and is made of wood. To get to the toilets you have to stoop to pass through the exit.

A wonderful tale amidst the heavy duty, business-focused relentless demands of top flight football.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 12-Oct-2023 at 6:57 PM

Eden Hazard Will be Remembered as a Premier League Icon

Depending on which team you’re rooting for, Eden Hazard is considered a major flop or one of the football GOATs of the past decade.

If you’re a Real Madrid supporter, he is arguably one of their most underwhelming transfer additions ever, and that may be an understatement. But if you’re a Chelsea fan, many consider him one of the team’s greatest players due to his exploits in the Premier League.

Eden Hazard made headlines in the Premier League 2023 news when he announced his retirement from football at just 32 years old. Many say that he’s too young to walk away from the beautiful game, but it’s hard to blame him given what he has dealt with in the past few years.

As we look back, join SBOTOP today as we evaluate the Belgian’s football career as a whole.

He reached cult hero status at Chelsea

After spending the first five years of his professional career (2007-2012) with Lille in Ligue 1, Eden Hazard made the switch to Chelsea in what was perhaps one of the greatest transfers ever.

He became an instant household name in West London as he dazzled the Blues fans with his unique blend of creativity, athleticism, and goal scoring. In his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge (2012-13), Hazard notched 13 goals and 23 assists, helping them win the Europa League title that season.

It was a sign of more things to come from the Blues’ No. 10 because he would do more of the same in the next few seasons, which includes back-to-back player of the season awards following Jose Mourinho’s return. In his six Premier League campaigns, Hazard has won the individual citation four times.

Eden Hazard had his best individual Premier League season in 2018-2019, scoring 16 goals with 15 assists

Eden Hazard celebrates with his teammates after winning the Europa League during 2018/19 season

His best individual season at Chelsea was probably in 2018-19, where he recorded 16 goals and 15 assists, as only three other players have ever scored and assisted 15+ in a single campaign. In fact, in 2018, Hazard was a Top 10 candidate in the Ballon d’Or, which was eventually won by Luka Modric.

But while more accolades came his way as the years went by, his then-manager Jose Mourinho, who seems to always get it right with his predictions, revealed an eerie premonition about Hazard’s career trajectory.

The Portuguese boss feared that, while Hazard’s star was shining the brightest at the time, he might fizzle out sooner than expected because of his poor habits.

It was revealed that Hazard was not exactly a role model at practice, and he also wasn’t the most fastidious when it came to taking care of his body, which clearly didn’t help because he was one of, if not the most, fouled players at the time since it was the only way that his opponents could stop him from wreaking havoc all over the pitch.

With everything he had done at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea could’ve kept him for a few more years (especially now to improve their Premier League 2023 odds). But in a surprise twist, they opted to sell him to Real Madrid, who paid a fortune to bring him to the Bernabeu.

It just didn’t work out at Real Madrid

Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and the club’s fallout with Gareth Bale, Eden Hazard was expected to be the one who would carry Los Blancos to more titles. However, Hazard’s bad health prevented it from coming to fruition.

All in all, the Belgian forward suffered 18 separate injuries during his time in the Spanish capital, most of them to his lower extremities.

Despite that, Real Madrid managed to win six more trophies, including two La Liga titles (2019-20 and 2021-22) and one Champions League (2021-22), but Hazard was largely anonymous in those triumphs.

Real Madrid terminated Hazard’s contract in July because he never got over his fitness woes. In 76 appearances, Real Madrid only got a poor return of seven goals from Hazard.

UEFA EURO 2024

AustriaBelgium

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Hazard could’ve had a better ending

It’s sad that Eden Hazard never reached his full potential, whether through his own fault or not, especially since there have been a few players as naturally gifted as him.

However, he will take solace knowing that he did it his way. Yes, he retired too early, but it also means that he has his whole life ahead of him, and he has more than enough to pursue what he wants to do next. It remains to be seen what’s next for Hazard. Either way, the streets in West London will always remember what a fantastic footballer he was. Just don’t tell that to Real Madrid fans.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 12-Oct-2023 at 6:59 PM

Premier League: Tim Ream is Fulham’s Captain America

Tim Ream has seen it all. In his nine seasons at Craven Cottage, he has played under five different managers and had more than 20 partners at centre-back, and he has been one of the main reasons why the club earned three promotions to the Premier League.

In Fulham’s 3-1 win against Sheffield United on Saturday, Ream made his 300th appearance for the club, making him only the 28th player in club history to hit the said milestone and the first from outside Europe to do so, as per the Premier League 2023 updates.

Ream has come a long way, and SBOTOP is here to have a brief look back on his career.

Ream was a can’t-miss talent

Ream’s journey started at home in St. Louis, Missouri, where he became an instant football star.

In 2004 and 2005, Ream was named All-State, All-Conference, and Class 2 Defencive Player of the Year. He was also named on the NSCAA All-Midwest Region selection team while finishing his high school career with 15 goals and a record 39 assists for St. Dominic.

Ream also won two national titles for academy club St. Louis Scott Gallagher (SLSG), and he also helped lead St. Dominic to the 2004 Missouri Class 2 championship. He was also a St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro selection, as well as being the Archdiocesan Athletic Association Player of the Year following his senior season.

Tim Ream has been a prolific player in Fulham's Premier League campaign so far

Fulham manager Marco Silva talks to Tim Ream during a Premier League match against Sheffield United

Ream played for St. Louis University, where he became the team’s first-choice defender for the Billikens while earning NSCAA first-team All-Region and second-team All-Conference honours. In three seasons, Ream recorded six goals in 82 appearances.

He would go on to play for the Chicago Fire Premier in the semi-professional USL Premier Development League. Ream would only have 19 appearances there before moving on to the NY Red Bulls in Major League Soccer after he was drafted 18th overall in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.

The versatile defender made his full Major League Soccer debut against the Chicago Fire on March 27, 2010, which ended in a 1-0 win for the NY Red Bulls. Six months later, Ream scored his only Major League Soccer goal against the Colorado Rapids in a 3-1 victory.

He helped the NY Red Bulls win the Eastern Conference title in the 2010 season, as he started in 30 matches. Ream was named the team’s Defender of the Year, and he was on the three-man shortlist for MLS Rookie of the Year.

In his second year in New York, Ream played and started in 28 of 34 matches during the regular season. As his stock kept rising, it felt inevitable that he would move elsewhere.

Bolton gave him his first EPL foray

The Wanderers got a hold of Ream, signing him to a three-and-a-half-year contract in the 2012 winter transfer window. Ream actually revealed that he canceled his honeymoon to complete his signing, which just goes to show how dedicated he is as a player.

Ream made his full Bolton debut in a 2-0 FA Cup victory against Millwall on February 18 that year, and he made his Premier League debut the following weekend in their 3-0 defeat against Chelsea. Unfortunately for the Wanderers, they were relegated to the Championship after finishing 18th that season.

In the 2013-14 season, he won his first Bolton Player of the Year award and was voted the fans’ player of the year, which earned him a three-year contract ahead of the 2014-15 campaign.

Ream became a fan-favourite because he was always available when called, and for the second year in a row, he was named Bolton’s player of the year.

The American international was eventually sold to Fulham, with whom he signed a four-year contract. All in all, Ream had 114 appearances for the Wanderers in three seasons.

UEFA EURO 2024

Croatia

Turkey

1X2 Draw @ 3.60

Over 2.25 @ 1.84

Total Goals 0-1 @ 2.83

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

He is now a Craven Cottage icon

At Fulham, Ream was one of the team’s regular starters at the backline, either as a centre-back or a left-back, although he can be deployed as a defencive midfielder when necessary. He had to wait three seasons before getting back to the Premier League in 2018-19.

The Cottagers may have gone in and out of the English top-flight, although the Premier League 2023 odds like their chances of staying this time despite the tough grind ahead. But the one constant for them has been Ream, who has been an image of resilience for the club. At 36 years old, Ream may no longer be the undisputed choice at centre-back, but that has not changed his character at all. He remains an integral cog for the team, as he serves as co-captain alongside Tom Cairney.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 12-Oct-2023 at 7:17 PM

Premier League: A Trio to Delight!

After the latest international break, Premier League highlights are set to return this weekend.

So, who are you looking forward to seeing in action?

My three (two of whom are teenagers) may not be the most obvious but they are players who can undoubtedly make their respective sides tick and provide moments of magic.

Rodri (Manchester City)

They may have lost two of their last three top flight games (and three in four in all competitions) but the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds still make Manchester City favourites to regain the title.

One of the reasons for that – and perhaps one of the reasons they have had a fairly poor last few weeks – is the return (and previous absence) of this Spanish midfielder.

It has been noted by football writers that, for all the changes manager Pep Guardiola can make, Rodri – the matchwinner in last season’s Champions League Final – is rarely left out when it matters.

In fact, he and Erling Haaland are never ‘Guardiolad’ out of the team because of tactics; in a sense, he is tactics.

It is Rodri’s passing that gets City going, Rodri whose positional discipline allows whatever else is happening to happen, and Rodri whose niggly fouls lie just beneath the yellow-card threshold.

This is possible because he combines the classic Spanish midfield model – deft touches, superior intelligence, disquieting confidence – with more traditionally English qualities – brutish strength, exhibition commitment, set-piece headers – such that when it comes to picking the country’s best No 6, he is always in the conversation.

He is back this weekend.

Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)

Alejandro Garnacho reminds me of a young Cristiano Ronaldo.

That excites me, yet offers a degree of concern in almost equal measure.

For a start, there is no doubting the genuine talent of the 19 year-old Argentinian.

He has the potential to be one of the world’s best attacking players and is capable of causing twisted blood for any defender at any level.

Just a glimpse at his impact since coming off the bench to grab a last-gasp winner at Fulham last November is proof of that.

Alejandro Garnacho will try to score goals and help Manchester United secure points in the Premier League

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho during their home match against Brentford

Yet the concern lies in keeping his feet on the ground and ensuring, like Ronaldo, his talent becomes as big as his ego.

Now there’s nothing wrong with having an ego – there can be a thin line between confidence and arrogance – and the swagger that this young player brings is as refreshing as it is illuminating.

The key now, as his club manager Erik ten Hag has already outlined, is to keep improving so he warrants more regular starts than appearances from the substitutes bench, from which he can make an electrifying impact.

The support network of club and family will be crucial for a young man who has just become a father.

With that in place, this boy can fulfil his dreams at the Theatre of Dreams and cement his place as one of the most exciting prospects, not just in the Premier League but the football world generally. By following the advice of his manager and coaches, Garnacho can certainly realise his sky-high potential under the blistering spotlight of Old Trafford.

Evan Ferguson (Brighton)

As a Manchester United fan, there were two players I cast envious eyes on all summer.

They both played for Brighton, in fact one of them still does.

Ewan Ferguson is the teenager who came from nowhere to catapult himself into the limelight.

The young Republic of Ireland forward has remarkable potential as she has shown on more than one occasion, including when he outgunned Newcastle last month.

Ferguson, as prodigious a talent as he is, might not have been given a regular run of games at another club after moving from Bohemians in 2021.

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Everton

1X2 Everton @ 6.80

Liverpool Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 1.96

Over 3.25 @ 1.91

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He is managed carefully by Roberto De Zerbi and he repaid him with a hat-trick to down the Geordies.

Only Michael Owen (28), Wayne Rooney (15) and Francis Jeffers (12) scored more Premier League goals before their 19th birthday than Ferguson.

De Zerbi predicts that the Bettystown-born boy “will become one of the best players and the best strikers in the Premier League”. With a 6ft 2in frame, clinical finishing and all-round game, it feels inevitable that the Irishman will also soon be regarded as an elite talent.

Manchester United, City and Tottenham have been linked with a move but do not be surprised to see him stay put for a while yet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 19-Oct-2023 at 3:53 PM

Is Manchester City’s Premier League Reign in Danger?

Manchester City have found themselves in uncharted territory prior to the international break, as they’ve lost back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since 2018.

And with their recent stretch of lacklustre Premier League 2023 results, the defending champions are now third in the English top-flight standings with 18 points, although they trail by only two points behind the league leaders.

In the past few years, the Premier League has been as competitive as it has been in such a long time. So, even if you’re a powerhouse like the Sky Blues, they cannot afford to overlook certain games because even relegation candidates can beat them on any given day; just ask the Wolves.

So, this begs the question: is this the year where Pep Guardiola’s side finally cedes the Premiership crown? And if so, which teams are capable of dethroning them?

Postecoglou’s Tottenham revolution

Tottenham Hotspur are the front-runners of winning the Premier League this season

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou celebrates with James Maddison after their match against Luton Town

Ange Postecoglou has now won back-to-back Premier League Manager of the Month awards, which is not bad for his first-ever Premier League stint, and it’s not hard to see why.

The Spurs are playing a more proactive style of football than we’ve seen in years past, with Postecoglou emphasising the importance of having a possession-based approach.

The decision to deploy Heung-Min Son as their No. 9 in lieu of Bayern Munich-bound Harry Kane has certainly paid dividends. Unlike before, when he often started slow, Son is taking the league by storm because he is one of the Golden Boot race leaders with six goals thus far.

And what makes Spurs fans giddier is the fact that they’re not overly reliant on the Taeguk Warriors star.

The addition of James Maddison has proven to be a masterstroke, as the former Leicester City playmaker now has two goals and five assists, while Dejan Kulusevski and even centre-back Cristian Romero have already recorded two league goals each.

When Antonio Conte was sacked, Ange Postecoglou was actually not on Daniel Levy’s shortlist to replace the Italian tactician. In fact, Tottenham were eyeing Arne Slot to be their next manager at the time, but it didn’t happen, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Tottenham are one of the two remaining teams who have yet to lose a league match this season, and they are technically on top of the standings with a superior goal difference.

Are the Spurs actually capable of winning it all this year to dust off their bare trophy cabinet, or is this yet another false dawn? Watch this space.

Arsenal are deeper and healthier (?) than last year

The other side who has yet to suffer a Premier League loss this season is Arsenal, and they are on a high after they finally broke their long-standing drought against Manchester City recently.

At this point last year, the Gunners actually held the top seed for long stretches, but a couple of bad results late saw them ultimately lose the title to the Sky Blues. Many felt that they weren’t ready to be champions anyway because they lacked depth, and untimely injuries hit them hard.

William Saliba, whose absence was crucial last season, is finally back at 100-per cent, while the team has brought in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, David Raya, and Jorginho as their new reinforcements.

Mikel Arteta has been afforded enough time and patience for his project compared to most managers, so it is understandable why their fans at the Emirates are starting to grow impatient, and they are eager for a return in the form of new Premier League silverware.

UEFA EURO 2024

Malta

Ukraine

1X2 Draw @ 5.60

Over 2.75 @ 2.06

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.98

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Lurkers ready to pounce

But Tottenham and Arsenal are not the only teams who can realistically knock Manchester City off their perch. Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Brighton are within arm’s reach of the Sky Blues, while Newcastle United seem to have gotten over their slump with a four-game unbeaten run.

Liverpool were the last non-Manchester City side to win the Premier League in 2019-20, and if their players stay healthy, they certainly have the tools to mount a significant challenge.

Aston Villa, Brighton, and Newcastle United are a couple of up-and-coming squads who can give Manchester City trouble, but the Premier League 2023 odds believe that they are not ready just yet. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to how the Sky Blues respond. We won’t be surprised if they come out swinging after the international break, but to be honest, SBOTOP football fans like myself would prefer to see a new champion at the end of this season.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 19-Oct-2023 at 3:56 PM

Premier League: London Calling for a Post-Break Belter!

Chelsea vs Arsenal

The Premier League is back in action after the international break and the box office match of the weekend is in the capital city, where Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

West London will be awash with Blue and Red and the anticipation for this game is higher than for a while, higher even than it would have been just a few weeks ago. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have been one of the best sides in England for a couple of years now, pushing Manchester City all the way last season. Meanwhile, Chelsea have been something of a basket case.

A big money takeover and rapid turnover of managers has done nothing to improve matters on the pitch at Stamford Bridge; but owner Todd Boehly finally seems to have made a good decision with his appointment of Mauricio Pochettino for the 2023/24 campaign. And after an understandably sketchy start the Blues are beginning to look like a threat again; and that’s what makes this game such an enticing prospect.

The Gunners come into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Manchester City before the break and while the Premier League 2023 betting odds still make the Sky Blues odds on to win the 2023/24 title, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are second favourites at 5.00, ahead of Liverpool at 6.00. Chelsea thrashed Burnley 4-1 last time out and a packed crowd at Stamford Bridge will be hoping, or dreaming, of more of the same.

Talking Points

Old hand Sterling can lift the Blues

This Chelsea squad is the youngest in the Premier League, though Vincent Kompany’s Burnley Babes have a younger starting 11. But while a young team can bring energy and ambition, every team needs to have some experience in the toughest league in the world. Raheem Sterling was simply sensational in Chelsea’s 4-1 win away to the Clarets. He had a hand in all four goals, scoring one, assisting one, winning a penalty and forcing the own goal which gave the Blues an equaliser on the cusp of half time.

Premier League: Raheem Sterling provided 2 assists and scored a goal vs Burnley

Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring their third goal vs Burnley

Chelsea visibly grew in confidence as the match went on and the win, coming on the back of victories over Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion, will do the team the world of good. Sterling’s performance against Burnley was so good it was a mystery that England manager Gareth Southgate had left him out of his squad to face Italy.

Sterling will be a good mentor for striker Nicolas Jackson, whose arrival at Stamford Bridge was greeted with a fanfare but he has made the wrong kind of Premier League 2023 news, picking up a stunning five yellow cards in his first six games and collecting a suspension before the end of September. But Jackson has scored two goals now, including one against Burnley and he can improve game by game.

Former Chelsea legend Eden Hazard has just announced his retirement and how the Blues fans would love to see their Belgian maestro in the current line up. But with some exciting young players and summer marquee signing Christopher Nkunku still to come back from injury I think Pochettino’s team will get stronger as the season progresses.

Back to back league wins have taken Chelsea up to 11th position in the table and now they have their eyes on the top four which is just six points away.

Saka set for Arsenal return

Arteta has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal, led by inspirational skipper Martin Odegaard and with some serious talents in his ranks including Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz. The best of the lot, on the evidence of the last 12 months, is wide man Bukayo Saka. His pace, footwork, vision and shooting prowess make Saka one of the most exciting talents on the planet and Arsenal fans feared the worst when he was missing from the line up against the Sky Blues. Martinelli’s deflected strike gave the Gunners their shock win to lift them above the champions and, if they are to stay in the title race then the return if Saka is a must.

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The 22-year-old missed out on England’s internationals but reports emerging from North London say that his injury is not ‘too serious’ and he s targeting a return for this London shootout. Leandro Trossard picked up an injury in the win over City so Saka could slot straight back in.

History

Arsenal have been in charge of the head to heads in the Premier League era, but it’s been a competitive battle with 33 victories to Chelsea’s 27 and there have been 20 draws. Arsenal won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge last season as centre back Gabriel poked the winner home from close range.

In terms of recent form, Arsenal have won four, drawn one and lost one of the last six games, while Chelsea have won three, drawn one and lost two…but the Blues have won their last three.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Chelsea VS Arsenal

October 22, 00:30 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@ 3.30

Arsenal are in second place in the Premier League table, behind Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference alone; and a win on Saturday will keep them ahead of favourites Manchester City; but this is a really tough task.

Chelsea are at SBOTOP odds of 2.62 to win this game with Arsenal at 2.29, and when Pochettino’s team starts playing as he wants they will be a force to be reckoned with…and that might not be too far away.

For an alternative bet, a 1-1 draw at 5.41 is a likely outcome.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 19-Oct-2023 at 4:13 PM

Premier League: A Wounded City Can be Quite an Animal

Manchester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion

“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”, so the old saying goes and that could easily be applied to the Premier League this weekend and the reigning champions Manchester City.

After three straight domestic defeats (two in the league, one in the League Cup), they certainly will be determined to get back to winning ways.

That potentially spells very bad news for Brighton who have never won at City (with 11 defeats and two draws in their 13 league meetings) and are not expected to start now.

Talking Points

It was in December 2018 when City last suffered successive Premier League defeats, losing at home to Crystal Palace and away to Leicester City.

They dropped only three further points all season after that double jolt and went onto win the title – ironically, clinching it on the south coast at Brighton.

Now they must recover again after losing in the league at Wolves and at Arsenal just under a fortnight ago.

On that occasion, they had plenty of possession but lacked their normal thrust and sharpness, with striker Erling Haaland reduced to the role of a virtual spectator.

Indiscipline spilled over at the final whistle too as a clutch of City players including Haaland and Kyle Walker were involved in a heated exchange with a number of Arsenal’s backroom staff.

Pep Guardiola’s side will be bitterly disappointed with their past two league results and will still be hurting from conceding late on at Arsenal.

Yet history shows City have the quality and character to return to their best swiftly, and that could well mean Premier League 2023 highlights at the Etihad this weekend.

If City are a wounded animal, then they face an opponent who will not be cowed by reputation.

This is merely the latest leg of Brighton’s epic journey under the passionate gaze of a 44 year-old Brescia-born coach, regarded by many as one of the finest to make it into the Premier League since Guardiola arrived in Manchester.

A manager who is admired by many and, as his side travel to the champions just two points behind them, is already being eyed as a potential Guardiola replacement once his Etihad Stadium era ends.

Brighton will attempt to give Manchester City another heartbreak when they clash in the Premier League

Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi talks to his players during training

Brighton knew about the Italian manager since his days at Sassuolo, who had top-eight finishes in two consecutive seasons and were admirers of his brand of attack-minded football. The English club imagined a time where an approach would be inevitable.

Last season, the Seagulls, nowhere near being among the six biggest clubs in England, finished the season in sixth place and were a penalty shootout away from the FA Cup final.

Despite another summer losing many of their best players, they continue to defy the odds and punch above their weight.

They have shown that in their most recent two matches, coming from 2-0 down to draw with former European champions Marseille – in the club’s first European campaign in its 122-year history – and also coming from behind to gain a point against Liverpool last time out.

If they can hold off this wounded animal on Saturday, it will be one of their greatest triumphs yet.

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History

Since their very first meeting in the FA Cup back almost a century ago – February 1924 – City have always held the upper hand. In total, they have enjoyed 19 victories and tasted defeats just six times with a further five draws.

That included their most recent meeting on the south coast in May when Phil Foden and Julio Enciso traded goals. That was the penultimate league match of the season by which time City had already regained the title.

The corresponding fixture last season – a year ago this weekend – saw City run out 3-1 winners with Haaland (two, one penalty) and Kevin de Bruyne the goal-getters. Leandro Trossard (now of Arsenal) replied for the Seagulls.

Their very first meeting in 1924 saw City emerge 5-1 winners in the FA Cup third round tie.

City have won 11 of their last 13 meetings too with last season’s draw and one reverse – in May 2021. Again, that came after they had been crowned champions.

Ilkay Gundogan and Foden put them in front before Trossard, Adam Webster, and Dan Burn secured a 3-2 Brighton victory.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Manchester City VS Brighton

October 21, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Half Time Full Time Home Home

@1.96

Few bet against City, especially at home, and the SBOTOP Premier League 2023 betting odds are no different.

The home side are priced 1X2 @ 1.42 and Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.16 with Brighton out as far as 1X2 @ 5.80 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.28.

A draw @ 4.60 may tempt some, but the law of averages suggest City will end their run of three domestic defeats.

Another 3-1 success will pay out @ 8.50 with Correct Score, and I do think there will be a few goals from two sides who like to – and are very good at – attack.

Goal options include over 3.75 @ 2.20, total 2-3 @ 2.33 and 4-6 @ 2.19. If it is tight, then total goal 0-1 @ 7.20 will earn you a nice payday.

Brighton were excellent in beating Manchester United and drawing with Liverpool last time out, yet this could be one game too far.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Oct-2023 at 2:03 PM

Premier League: This Merseyside Derby is Important for Both Liverpool and Everton

Liverpool vs Everton

One of the biggest Premier League matches this weekend is the upcoming Merseyside Derby, as Liverpool host Everton anew at Anfield this Saturday.

Over the past few seasons, the gap between Liverpool and Everton has grown significantly, with the former consistently contending for trophies and the latter having to deal with a couple of relegation battles.

But when it comes to derbies, those don’t matter much because pride is on the line, and a win by either side would give them the much-needed points.

For Liverpool, a victory would solidify their title credentials, while the same result for Everton would put them above the relegation scrap, at least for now.

Another exciting tussle awaits, and SBOTOP is here for a preview of this fun contest.

Talking Points

Who is available to play for Liverpool?

Liverpool must keep up in the Premier League title race, but it’ll be easier said than done because they’re dealing with a raft of injuries.

Andy Robertson became the latest casualty for the Reds, as he injured his shoulder during the international break. The diagnosis is that the Scot might be sidelined until December at the earliest, which is a major blow to their backline.

Understudy Kostas Tsimikas will likely deputise for Robertson, while Jurgen Klopp could also slot in Joe Gomez from time to time in the vacated left-back position for cover.

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson is yet to be back in Premier League games due to injury

Andy Robertson walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury during the Euro 2024 qualifier between Scotland and Spain

Meanwhile, Cody Gakpo, Ben Doak, Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajcetic, and Thiago could or will miss out due to injuries and suspensions, further giving Klopp selection headaches against the Toffees.

Team captain Virgil van Dijk would have to rally his troops, and he’ll remain the heartbeat of their defence, while Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez are going to lead the Reds up front.

While Salah’s goals are a given, we’re particularly looking at Nunez because he’s the team’s x-factor.

Liverpool are hoping that the 24-year-old maintains his fine form, as he was fresh from leading Uruguay to defeat Brazil in their recent CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying match, scoring the first goal and assisting the second in a 2-0 result.

Calvert-Lewin gives Everton a shot in the arm

The Toffees managed to avoid their worst start to a season in 65 years when they defeated Brentford four weeks ago in a game that saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin score his first goal of the campaign.

Since then, Calvert-Lewin hasn’t looked back because he scored two more goals, including the game-winning goal in their 2-1 EFL Cup third round victory against Aston Villa and another one in their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Luton Town.

For the past few years, Calvert-Lewin has failed to make a sizeable impact on the Toffees because he spent the majority of his time in the infirmary. Since the start of 2021-22, he has missed 55 matches, and the last time he had anything close to a full season, he scored 21 goals.

Everton certainly could do with a fully fit and firing Calvert-Lewin this season in order to avoid getting into yet another relegation scrap.

LA LIGA

SevillaReal Madrid

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History

Liverpool have dominated Everton head-to-head here in the Premier League recently, as they have lost just one of their last 25 league meetings against them, with the lone defeat being a 2-0 result in favour of the Toffees at Anfield in February 2021.

In their most recent matchup in February, Liverpool defeated Everton 2-0 at Anfield, as Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo found the back of the net.

After winning five of their first 11 league games against Liverpool, Everton have won just five of their last 51 against Liverpool in the English top-flight (D21, L25).

The Reds have also kept 26 Premier League clean sheets against the Toffees, which is more than they have against any other opponent.

Saturday marks the 243rd edition of the Merseyside Derby (in all competitions). Overall, Liverpool have the edge with 98 wins, whereas Everton have 77 wins and 67 draws.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Liverpool VS Everton

October 21, 19:30 (GMT+8)

Liverpool Asian Handicap -1.75

@2.21

No surprise that the Premier League 2023 odds are backing the hosts this weekend, as Liverpool are priced at 1.81, while Everton are the underdogs at 5.40, and a draw is at 2.61 in the 1X2 market.

Prior to the international break, both sides had contrasting Premier League 2023 results, with Liverpool dropping points in two of their last three, while Everton did the opposite in the same period. But while Everton have progressed under Sean Dyche this year, beating Liverpool at Anfield is a daunting task for any club, hence our recommended bet above.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Oct-2023 at 2:08 PM

Premier League: Toon Return Home as Eagles Head to North-East

Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace

This Saturday afternoon at three o’clock may, even to the most ardent Geordies, seem a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s Show and all that.

For while they will be back at St James’ Park to cheer on their Toon heroes, the visit of Crystal Palace in the Premier League could appear to be significantly less exciting than the last time the Tyneside faithful were all together.

That is not to be dismissive of the Eagles who continue to punch above their weight and, at times, flourish under the septuagenarian Roy Hodgson.

Indeed, since returning to the club in March, his steadying influence has been clear for all to see.

It’s just after waiting 20 years for a Champions League night in front of the Gallowgate end, what followed against Paris St Germain will almost be impossible to match, let alone better – at least for a while.

Talking Points

That was the evening when the Parisiens were overpowered in a highly charged atmosphere on Tyneside.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson during their Premier League match against Man United

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson celebrates after the match vs Manchester United

The French champions – including superstar Kylian Mbappe – found the atmosphere and intensity on and off the pitch just too much as Eddie Howe’s side secured a richly deserved win in Newcastle’s first home game in Europe’s elite competition since a 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in March 2003.

After a night which announced their European arrival, they now need Premier League highlights to climb up the table where they currently occupy eighth place.

Under ‘old master’ Hodgson, a senior statesman in English football and a master tactician, you underestimate Palace at your peril.

After arriving in mid-March, the former England manager found a way for their talented attacking trio of Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze to express themselves in a manner they were not quite able to do under his predecessor Patrick Vieira.

In the ex-France international’s last nine games, Palace had a total of 16 shots on target but they equalled that tally in just two games under Hodgson, scoring seven of those.

Losing the talismanic Zaha in the summer was a blow for a club which can naturally struggle to hold onto its best players.

Yet they have already shown this season that they have retained some skilled attackers and remain tough to beat, as they proved against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month.

With the recently-redeveloped Palace Academy based just over the road from the first-team training ground at Copers Cope, Hodgson has also outlined how he is never short of numbers during sessions – and how that generates opportunities for the club’s stars of the future.

They go to Newcastle, who they held twice last term, with nothing to lose and a fine example of a Premier League club holding their own against opponents with significantly greater resources.

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History

These two sides met for the very first time in the FA Cup first round in 1907 when Palace triumphed 1-0 at St James’ Park.

That was the first of 12 victories they have enjoyed against the Toon, the most recent being in February 2021 when Jaïro Riedewald and Gary Cahill scored in five first half minutes to cancel out Jonjo Shelvey’s opener and seal a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park.

There have also been 12 draws and 30 Newcastle victories.

Both league meetings last season ended goalless, as did a League Cup third round tie on Tyneside which the hosts won 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out.

You have to go back 10 years to the last time one side managed a league double over the other.

On that occasion, Yohan Cabaye, an own goal and a Hatem Ben Arfa penalty fired Newcastle to a 3-0 victory at Selhurst Park before a last minute Papiss Cisse goal won the day at St James’ Park.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Newcastle VS Crystal Palace

October 21 22:00 (GMT+8)

Newcastle First Half Asian Handicap -0.50

@ 2.03

The Geordies have a strong backing from the stands and an equally strong backing with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds.

They are priced 1X2 @ 1.44 and Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.31.

Palace will naturally be underdogs but have a history of causing surprises and would earn you a tidy payday with both 1X2 @ 6.60 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.16.

The draw is available @ 4.00.

All three matches were level (after normal time) last season, of course, and a fourth successive 0-0 draw – surely that won’t happen – is on offer @ 10.50 with Correct Score.

That makes Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.60 an interesting proposition, alongside 2-3 @ 1.98 and 4-6 @ 3.35, along with under 2.50 goals @ 2.08.

I think Newcastle will have the edge here and my *** tip is First Half Asian Handicap Newcastle -0.50 @ 2.03.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 20-Oct-2023 at 2:12 PM

Premier League: Will Fulham Deal Arsenal a Huge Blow to Their Title Hopes?

Fulham vs Arsenal

Marco Silva’s men are back on the drawing board after the floodgates seemingly finally opened for them earlier this month.

After back-to-back wins against Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, the Cottagers have now lost three consecutive Premier League matches, and they have fallen to 13th in the standings as a result.

Arsenal have dropped points too in the past few games since they drew with Liverpool and lost to West Ham United. And for this game, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Manchester City will be looking closely at the Premier League 2023 updates, with the hope that the Gunners’ mini-slump continues.

Talking Points

Fulham can’t wait to have Jimenez back

Raul Jimenez is set to make a return in Fulham's upcoming Premier League fixture against Arsenal

Raul Jimenez is shown a red card during the Premier league match between Fulham vs Newcastle United

Raul Jimenez has missed Fulham’s last three games after being given the red card against Newcastle United when he hit Sean Longstaff with a high knee, and it’s not a coincidence that they lost to Burnley and Bournemouth while they escaped Everton in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

After scoring 13 goals prior to the Longstaff fiasco, Fulham haven’t scored a single Premier League goal while conceding five on the other end, so it’s clear that Jimenez’s return couldn’t come soon enough.

With Jimenez sidelined, Rodrigo Muniz has started as Fulham’s No. 9 instead of Carlos Vinicius, but it’s safe to say he hasn’t delivered.

Meanwhile, the bright spot during Fulham’s poor stretch has been their team captain, Tom Cairney. After starting the campaign on the bench, he has worked his way back into Marco Silva’s starting XI in a double-pivot midfield role alongside Joao Palhinha.

Cairney, 32, is showing no signs of slowing down. The former Blackburn Rovers player has already recorded two goals and two assists this season.

Too many missed opportunities for Arsenal

While the draw with Liverpool is commendable, the 2-0 loss to West Ham United earlier today was particularly tough since they were arguably the dominant side in the match.

Their inability to convert possession into goals has led to frustration for Mikel Arteta’s side, as they didn’t make any of their 30 shots, while they had 77 touches in the opposition box, which is the most on record (since 2008-09) in a Premier League game for a side that has failed to score.

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Leandro Trossard all had their chances, but to no avail.

Among the title contenders this term, Arsenal (36) have scored fewer goals than the likes of Liverpool (39), Aston Villa (40), and Manchester City (43), and their top scorer is Bukayo Saka with only five goals.

Mikel Arteta knows that they need to be better than this. And the hope is that this isn’t déjà vu for the Gunners since they were in a similar situation just last year, when once they relinquished the top spot, they couldn’t get it back, only to see another team lift the Premier League trophy.

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History

Fulham and Arsenal have already met in August, which ended in a 2-2 draw despite the former being reduced to 10 men after Calvin Bassey was sent off.

Andreas Pereira got Fulham off to a flying start, scoring after just 57 seconds, but Arsenal regained the lead via a 70th-minute penalty by Bukayo Saka and another effort by Eddie Nketiah two minutes later.

However, Joao Palhinha saved the day for the Cottagers, as he finished off a corner in the 87th minute to share the spoils with the Gunners.

Following the 2-2 draw, Fulham will be aiming to avoid defeat in both Premier League meetings with Arsenal in a single season for the third time ever, last doing so in 2011-12 and 2008-09 (both W1, D1).

However, it’ll be easier said than done because Arsenal have won their last five Premier League road matches against Fulham while netting at least three goals in each of the last four.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Fulham VS Arsenal

December 31, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Over 2.75

@2.00

Arsenal are the huge favourites to win, based on the updated SBOTOP Premier League 2023 odds. The visitors are pegged at 1.53, whereas Fulham are at 5.20, and a draw is at 3.88 odds in the 1X2 market.

But more than the victory for Arsenal, this has the potential to be yet another high-scoring duel. So other than our recommended bet above, you may also want to consider Total Goal 2-3 at 1.94 or Total Goal 4-6 at 3.03.

On the other hand, if you fancy another draw between these two sides, check out Correct Score 2-2, the result of their reverse fixture, since it is on offer at a staggering 18.00.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Dec-2023 at 9:58 AM

Premier League: January is a Big month for the Magpies and the Gunners

Christmas has come and gone, and we’ve seen some fantastic Premier League action over the festive period. But as January approaches, things are about to heat up.

Agents are getting busy, players and managers are becoming twitchy, and Manchester United fans are waiting to see what happens as and when Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25-per cent purchase of their club goes through.

But there are more worried faces in the North East and in North London, as Newcastle United and Arsenal are at pivotal moments in their campaign.

While the Gunners are trying hard to stay in charge of the title race and struggling to do so, the Magpies have had a wretched time recently, and their Saudi owners will be anxious to see their investment moving in the right direction.

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has asked his owners to back him, but admits it won’t be easy, saying: “January is a difficult month to bring in quality players. FFP continues to play a part in our decision making.”

The Magpies’ shock reversal to strugglers Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day left them down in ninth place and eight points off the top four, and they have already crashed out of the Champions League. And Howe has had to cope with a horrendous injury list.

Defenders Sven Botman and Dan Burn have recently returned, but they looked well off the pace against Forest, while the long-term injury to Nick Pope has put the spotlight on reserve keeper Martin Dubravka.

The defencive group needs protection, and with summer recruit Sandro Tonali into his long-term ban for betting irregularities, this is another area where Howe needs to strengthen and there could be a solution.

Premier League: Newcastle United are in advance talks to sign Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips during their Champions League match against Crvena Zvezda

Reports have emerged in the UK press to suggest that champions Manchester City are ready to let England star Kalvin Phillips go, and Newcastle are now at the front of the queue.

City returned from Saudi and got straight back into action on Merseyside with a 3-1 win over in-form Everton. And with the best midfield line-up in the league that has Rodri, opportunities for Phillips are few and far between.

Newcastle may have competition from Juventus and Everton, but the Geordies are confident of landing the 28-year-old.

Meanwhile, down in London, Arsenal’s Thursday date with West Ham gave Mikel Arteta’s Gunners a chance to return to the top of the league, but they fluffed their lines, losing 2-0 despite having 75-per cent possession, 30 shots, and eight on target.

The Premier League 2023 betting odds here at SBOTOP rate the Gunners as third favourites to win the 2023/24 title, and they have drifted out to a price of 5.00 following defeat to the Hammers, and they desperately need a proven goal scorer.

Gabriel Jesus is a wonderful player, but he us not an out-and-out striker, while Eddie Nketiah is yet to prove that he can be.

Arsenal have been strongly linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who is due to return from his eight-month betting ban, but two factors might stand in their way.

First, the price tag may be out of the Gunners’ reach and, second, the Bees might try to persuade their man to stay in an attempt to arrest their slide down the league table.

Arsenal could turn their attention to Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke, who is finally looking like a top class Premier League striker, scoring 12 goals and chasing down Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal are looking for reinforcements in defence, and they are tracking Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt.

The Dutch star moved from Ajax to Juventus in 2019 before switching to Bayern in 2022 on a five-year deal. Arteta might try to arrange a loan deal, but he may have to wait until the summer.

Pedro could be in demand

Brighton got back to winning ways with a highly entertaining 4-2 triumph over early season pacesetters Tottenham, a victory which took them back up to eighth in the Premier League table and ahead of the super-rich Magpies.

Roberto De Zerbi has done a fine job at the helm, and he is the perfect man to help the club grow while selling on its most valuable assets.

Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo left in the summer in mega money deals, while attacking midfielder Joao Pedro arrived after switching from Championship club Watford.

The Brazilian ace scored two penalties and made an assist against Spurs, and he has now scored 13 goals for the Seagulls. De Zerbi praised his dynamism in attack and how he played like a seasoned centre-back in defencive phases

“He’s becoming a top player,” said the manager, “I hope in the next year to work with him, but it will be very tough.”

In other Premier League 2023 news, rumours are circulating in South London that Roy Hodgson’s time may be running out at Crystal Palace. The 76-year-old has been a brilliant manager, but there are suggestions his enthusiasm may be on the wane.

He has worked miracles to keep the Eagles in the top-flight but, following the departure of talisman Wilfried Zaha to Galatasaray, he has lost the other man who is most responsible for Palace’s top-flight status.

While the club has remained tight-lipped, the UK press is speculating that former Forest manager Steve Cooper could rock up at Selhurst Park before long, though Championship club Birmingham City are also reported to be interested in the talented Welshman.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Dec-2023 at 9:59 AM

Premier League: Cherries can Leave a Bitter Taste in Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur vs AFC Bournemouth

Back in late October Spurs versus Bournemouth would have been a sure-fire home win as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham raced to the top of the Premier League, while Bournemouth had to wait until their tenth game to register their first win.

After a difficult start to the campaign Bournemouth kept faith with head coach Andoni Ariola and he has since led the Cherries on an amazing run of six wins from eight games and they are now sitting happily in 12th place and ten points above the drop zone. That long awaited victory, over Burnley was a catalyst to launch Bournemouth’s campaign but, in the meantime, Tottenham have been going the other way, five losses from nine games seeing them drop to fifth place and the latest Premier League 2023 betting odds rate their chances of finishing in the top for as increasingly slim.

With Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal likely to finish in the top three, Spurs are battling with Aston Villa, Manchester United and West Ham for that fourth place, and I wouldn’t rule out a run from either Newcastle United or Brighton and Hove Albion either, especially as the Seagulls have just thumped Spurs 4-2.

The way things look right now I reckon the Cherries can make things difficult when they visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on New Year’s Eve and the Spurs fans may well end up with a nasty hangover.

Talking Points

Kulusevski blow for tired Tottenham

In Spurs’ Thursday date with Brighton they could hardly have had a worse night and only two late goals made the score respectable. They are missing some key players, including attacking midfielder Jams Maddison, who was hugely influential during Spurs’ explosive start to the campaign, midfield general Rodrigo Bentancur and the first choice centre back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky ven de Roon.

Hot head midfielder Yves Bissouma is in the middle of a three match ban following his second red card of the season, and now there is more bad news for Postecoglou. Swedish winger Dejan Kulusevski has been in sensational form, scoring five goals and putting in a man-of the match performance in a recent victory over Nottingham Forest as he made a world class assist with a pin point cross for Richarlison to score the opener. But he didn’t have so much fun against the Seagulls and Kulusevski picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign to join Bissouma in the sin bin.

Spurs winger Dejan Kulusevski picked up a fifth yellow card in the Premier League defeat to Brighton

Tottenham Hotspur’s Dejan Kulusevski talks to the referee Jarred Gillett

Of course Postecoglou will go out on the attack against the Cherries and will hope that captain Heung Min Son will add to his 11 goals and Richarlison to his five, while midfielder Oliver Skipp is likely to be drafted into the squad. I suspect Spurs will need to score two or more to win this game.

Solanke has found his Premier League feet

With 12 goals for the campaign Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has announced himself as a top class striker to be feared. The former Liverpool player is now level with Liverpool’s Mo Salah and behind only Manchester City’s goal machine Erling Braut Haaland who has 14.

He struggled to live up to his potential in his early twenties but he learned how to hit the back of the net with Bournemouth in the Championship and now, at 26 years of age, Solanke has stepped up to the Premier League in some style. He’s a player in demand, with Arsenal one of the clubs following his progress closely, but Solanke extended his contract at Bournemouth in September in a deal which commits him to the Cherries until 2027…and that now makes him an expensive prospect for any potential buyer.

Spurs will be well aware of the threat that Solanke carries, but they will also need to be aware of the danger presented by players like Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie, while defensive midfielder Phillip Billing has a superb shot on him and, at 6ft 4in he’s a real threat at set pieces.

History

Tottenham have won 11, drawn two and lost two of the head to heads including a 2-0 win at the Vitality Stadium in August as Maddison and Kulusevski were on target but, of course, the Cherries don’t need to worry about that pair.

With five wins and a draw from the last six games the visitors have been on an amazing run while Tottenham begun to recapture their early season form, winning the last three before they were stopped in their tracks by Brighton.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐

Tottenham Hotspur VS Bournemouth

December 31, 22:00 (GMT+8)

Double Chance: Bournemouth or Draw

@ 2.08

With Spurs are at SBOTOP odds of 1.63 to win, the draw at 3.94 and a Bournemouth victory at 3.83 a home victory is the more likely outcome, But the Cherries’ recent Premier League 2023 results have been outstanding and I can see them getting something to take back to the South Coast on Sunday.

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Premier League: Leaders Liverpool Bring in the New Year

Liverpool vs Newcastle United

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will play the first Premier League match of 2024 next Monday when Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United are the visitors to Anfield.

The Reds are currently the league leaders, but they may well be knocked off the top of the table by Monday, should second placed Arsenal win away to Fulham on New Years Eve. This game will be huge whatever comes before it and Liverpool, on the back of a 2-0 win away to Burnley will be devilishly difficult to beat.

Their opponents are in an unwelcome rut at the moment and will arrive on Merseyside with the memory of back-to-back defeats, to relegation candidates Luton Town and Nottingham Forest, etched in their memory. It’s been a miserable Christmas up on Tyneside but I suspect the New Year will not bring the Geordies too much cheer. The Reds are hot favourites at SBOTOP odds of 1.38 to win and I’m finding it hard to disagree.

Talking Points

Reds are Manchester City’s biggest rivals

Liverpool’s trip to Burnley on Boxing Day was not as miserable as Klopp had feared and although Vincent Kompany’s young Clarets gave the Reds an uncomfortable second half, any nerves were settled when Diogo Jota fired in from a tight angle on 90 minutes. While Burnley came close to levelling Darwin Nunez’ opener, Liverpool could have been out of sight had Mo Salah had a little more luck in front of goal as he saw his best effort cannon back off the crossbar.

The latest Premier League 2023 betting odds say Liverpool are now the clear second favourites to win the 2024 Premier League crown, and they currently have a five point lead over Manchester City, though the favourites do have a game in hand. Liverpool have gone nicely through the gears in recent weeks and there are a number of reasons why. Firstly Salah looks as sharp as ever and his strike partner Nunez is having a superb season. And then there is the return to form of centre back Virgil Van Dijk and the re-invention of Trent Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder. Trent’s ability to make accurate long range passes is the perfect weapon to release the Reds’ lethal strikers on goal.

And if Liverpool’s current injuries clear up they will get even stronger. Inspirational wing back Andy Robertson is a long term absentee and Klopp hopes he may be back in the not too distant future though the Newcastle game will be much too early. But the Liverpool boss is hopeful that Alexis MacAllister might be ready, and the Argentine will provide competition for the impressive Dominic Szoboszlai in advanced midfield.

Newcastle’s search for goals

Newcastle United lost 3-1 at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League

Newcastle United’s Joelinton in action with Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams

The Magpies have suffered with injuries in recent weeks and, while Liverpool have a multiple goal threat, Howe’s men have laboured in front of goal, only scoring more than one on one occasion over the past six games. A blank against Luton Town was damaging enough but scoring just once against Forest, when they could have been four up by the break was a real blow. And a poor run of Premier League 2023 results has put more pressure on the front men.

Howe has proven quality up front and I think he will put his trust in Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, and the return of midfielder Joelinton will provide a welcome boost. Antony Gordon will likely stay on the left wing but Howe may opt to give the hard working Miguel Almiron a rest.

In defence, the recently returned Dan Burn has looked a little leggy and the Newcastle boss may opt to bring Timo Livramento back in the line-up, as he put in a run of strong performances earlier in the campaign.

The Magpies are out of the Champions League and now they must concentrate on climbing back up the table… but their 2024 opener could hardly be more difficult.

History

With 35 wins to 11 Liverpool have had the better of the head to head encounters and, when they met in Newcastle in August Klopp’s men ran out 2-1 winners as Nunez scored two late goals.

In terms of recent form three wins, two draws and a single loss for Liverpool is much stronger than Newcastle’s one victory and five losses, and the Geordies have failed to win at Anfield on any of their last 28 visits, while Liverpool’s home record reads seven wins and two draws this season.

Betting Tip

⭐⭐⭐

Liverpool VS Newcastle United

January 2, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Liverpool Asian Handicap -1.25

@ 1.95

The draw is at 4.42 to draw and a Newcastle win is at 5.61 but all the stats, the recent form, the injury situation of each clubs and home advantage all point one way.

For a correct score-line, a 3-1 win to Liverpool is priced at 9.64 and I’d say that’s a very decent long shot bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 30-Dec-2023 at 10:02 AM

Premier League: Pep’s Sky Blues to Pile more Misery on the Magpies

Newcastle United vs Manchester City

Manchester City are aiming to make it six wins on the run when they cross the country to the North East to meet Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.

The Sky Blues enter the second half of the campaign in third place in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand; and while the Reds are missing their talisman Mo Salah during the African Cup of Nations Manchester City don’t have any players flying off, and that gives Pep Guardiola a nice advantage as he plans for another trophy assault.

Like City, Newcastle United have oil rich owners but, unlike City, they are still in the early stages of their journey. That said, after qualifying for the Champions League last season, the first half of the 2023/24 campaign looks like a step backwards, with their European adventure brutally ended and their recent Premier League results falling off a cliff. Howe is a cool customer but he must be feeling the heat.

Both teams come into the game on the back of an FA Cup triumph over second tier opposition, Newcastle winning the Wear-Tyne derby 3-0 while Manchester City thumped Huddersfield Town 5-0, and my money is on the Sky Blues picking up another victory.