Using Expected Goals (xG) data from Infogol, Tom Victor provides Premier League result and scoreline predictions as the top two face off at Anfield…
“City gave a good account of themselves in Paris despite their defeat to PSG, and it’s rare to see Pep Guardiola suffer successive losses.”
United to draw line under recent tough spell
Manchester United v Everton
Saturday, 12:30
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Bruno Fernandes’ late penalty miss against Aston Villa made it back-to-back domestic games without a goal, and United rode their luck to shoot down Villarreal on Wednesday, but the Red Devils haven’t gone successive league games without scoring since early March. Opponents Everton snatched a late equaliser at Old Trafford last term, and are level on points with Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side, but Infogol’s model still favours the hosts in a match which should produce a fair amount of action.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-1 @ 9.4017/2
Burnley to build on Leicester point
Burnley v Norwich City
Saturday, 15:00
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The Premier League’s bottom two sides meet at Turf Moor, but Burnley can count themselves unfortunate to be the closest team to bottom-of-the-pile Norwich after six games. Sean Dyche’s side rode their luck at times against Leicester last week but will still be disappointed by the offside flag which denied them victory, and they can feel confident of a victory if they can turn solid home performances into the outcome the displays warrant.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-1 @ 9.4017/2 or 1-1 @ 7.6013/2
Chelsea to bounce back after first defeats
Chelsea v Southampton
Saturday, 15:00
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Chelsea’s attacking impotency in last week’s defeat to Manchester City and failure to convert chances at Juventus might worry Thomas Tuchel, but an immediate league response can help see to that. Winless Southampton’s 1.5 xGA average doesn’t tell the full story of their season, with an impressive defensive display earning them a point at the Etihad in their last away game, but a repeat of last season’s 3-3 draw between these sides seems unlikely.
BTTS? No
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 3-0 @ 10.009/1
Leeds to finally get off the mark
Leeds United v Watford
Saturday, 15:00
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Last week’s second-half collapse against West Ham will worry Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, who has been forced to deal with an injury crisis, but if his side are able to welcome back players against Watford they can earn the win they need to escape the bottom three. The visitors allowed Newcastle a worryingly high number of chances last weekend, but have been defensively sturdier away from home so far, suggesting a tight game could be in the offing.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-1 @ 9.208/1
Wolves to climb towards mid-table
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
Saturday, 15:00
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Wolves’ 1.85 xGF average is comfortably the highest in the bottom half of the table, and they’ll hope what looks like an unsustainable scoreless run at Molineux proves to be exactly that. Last week’s winner from Raúl Jiménez was his first league goal since these sides met last season, a game in which the visitors claimed a late equaliser from one of their two shots, and the hosts will hope their talisman can rediscover his goalscoring form in earnest.
BTTS? No
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-0 @ 9.008/1
Arsenal to continue revival at Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion v Arsenal
Saturday, 17:30
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Brighton are in the top six for points but the bottom six for xGF, and a late equaliser against Crystal Palace ensured visitors Arsenal won’t be able to catch them even if they win at the Amex Stadium. Victory for Mikel Arteta’s side would be a fifth on the spin in all competitions, and Infogol expects them to secure a repeat of last season’s home and away victories over the Seagulls, which were achieved without the concession of a single goal.
BTTS? No
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 0-2 @ 14.50
Leicester to end away struggles
Crystal Palace v Leicester City
Sunday, 14:00
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Back-to-back away losses have hit Leicester’s momentum, and they’ll hope to arrest the slide against opponents who held them to a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park last term. The most worrying thing about the Foxes’ bottom-half berth is that the numbers suggest they deserve to be there, with the absence of Wesley Fofana hitting them hard defensively, but Infogol’s model believes they can pip a Palace side one point behind them going into this weekend.
BTTS? No
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 0-2 @ 13.0012/1
Spurs to break out of recent rut
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
Sunday, 14:00
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After being blown away by Arsenal in last weekend’s derby, Spurs boss Nuno Espírito Santo will be desperate for a response at home to an Aston Villa side who came from behind to win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in May. Infogol backs the home side against opponents who had lost their first two on the road before winning at Old Trafford, but the momentum of that late victory is something Dean Smith will want to turn into something bigger.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-1 @ 10.009/1
West Ham to build on win at Leeds
West Ham United v Brentford
Sunday, 14:00
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West Ham’s 1.95 xGF average is the fourth-best in the Premier League this season, but a failure to keep things tight at the back will give Brentford hope of beating goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański at the London Stadium. The Bees impressed going forward in their draw with Liverpool last week, but their lower-scoring away games make for a situation where anything is possible in terms of goalmouth action.
BTTS? Yes
Over/Under 2.5? Over
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 2-1 @ 9.208/1
City to end Liverpool’s unbeaten start
Liverpool v Manchester City
Sunday, 16:30
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The Premier League’s top two meet at Anfield with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool coming off the back of a very impressive Champions League display away to Porto. City gave a good account of themselves in Paris despite their defeat to PSG, and it’s rare to see Pep Guardiola suffer successive losses. Infogol anticipates a tightly-fought contest, rather than the attacking dominance which brought a 4-1 away win in the corresponding game last term, but City remain favourites.
BTTS? No
Over/Under 2.5? Under
Correct Score Prediction – Back the 0-2 @ 15.50
Source: Betfair Premier League