Another big weekend of Premier League action is upon as the battle for a top four position heats up. Manchester United take on West Ham and Chelsea face Tottenham, in games that will separate the logjam of teams between fourth and seventh. As always, we’ve got you covered with our preview and tips!
EPL Matchday 23 Betting Tips
Everton vs Aston Villa
Saturday 22nd January, 11.30pm (AEDT)
Everton’s 2-1 loss to relegation bound Norwich was the final straw as Rafa Benitez was sacked just six months after he began at Everton. The Toffees are in a crisis sitting in 15th place on the Premier League table with just nineteen points from nineteen games. Since their 2-0 win over Norwich in September, Everton have gone 1-3-9 and they’re now just six points away from the relegation zone.
Aston Villa produced a stunning late comeback to pick up a 2-2 draw, as Philippe Coutinho scored on his Villa debut. Coutinho adds massive quality to a Villa attack that ranks ninth for goals scored this season (27), that is going up against an Everton defence that has conceded the seventh most goals in the Premier League (34).
Aston Villa have had the wood over Everton since their return to the Premier League in 2019. In that time, Villa have a 3-2-0 record against the Toffees, including a 3-0 win when the two sides met earlier this season. Everton are in a world of hurt at the moment, and it’s difficult to see their form turning around any time soon. Aston Villa will be buoyed by their second half performance against United, and will carry that momentum when they take on the Toffees.
Manchester United vs West Ham
Sunday 23rd January, 2.00am (AEDT)
It’s a battle of fourth vs seventh, with Manchester United just two points behind West Ham, with a game in hand on the Hammers. This game looms crucial in the logjam of four sides between fourth and seventh that are battling it out for fourth position. United got back to winning ways during the week with a 3-1 win over Brentford. The Red Devils withstood a Brentford onslaught in the first half, before getting back to their attacking best during the second half.
West Ham had their three game winning streak snapped in a shock loss to fifteenth placed Leeds at home last week, with the 3-2 defeat leaving them incredibly vulnerable to losing their spot in fourth.
Manchester United have won their last three Premier League fixtures against West Ham, including a 2-1 win at the London Stadium earlier this season. This game will be an end to end affair, with these two sides ranking 4th and 5th for goals scored this season. The Hammers last five games have all been against bottom half opposition, and the fact they still managed to lose two of those games leaves concerns about their form. The Red Devils are 5-2-1 in their last eight Premier League games, and have shown form against better opposition. This should be an entertaining clash, but United will come out on top.
Chelsea vs Tottenham
Monday 24th January, 3.30am (AEDT)
Matchday 23 finishes with a blockbuster clash between two London sides in very different patches of form. Spurs will be riding high after a thrilling come from behind victory against Leicester during the week, while Chelsea’s draw to Brighton in their last game extended their winless run to four matches.
Spurs are unbeaten in their last nine games, with a 6-3-0 record in that timespan as they’ve moved into fifth place just one point behind fourth placed West Ham, with three games in hand. Despite being one of the top scoring teams in the Premier League, Chelsea’s attacking game has struggled badly across their last four games. Chelsea have scored only four goals across their last four games, after averaging 2.2 goals per game across the first nineteen games of the season.
Tottenham are still yet to lose a Premier League game under Antonio Conte, and he comes up against his former side at the best possible time. There’s plenty of off field drama at Chelsea at the moment, which is clearly hindering their performances. Spurs are at excellent odds given the contrasting form lines of both teams, and they can cause an upset in this clash and move into the top four.
Other Tips
Watford vs Norwich - Over 2.5 Goals ($1.88 with Sportsbet)
Brentford vs Wolves - Wolves H2H ($2.55 with Sportsbet)
Leeds vs Newcastle - Under 2.5 Goals ($2.25 with Sportsbet)
Southampton vs Man City - Man City -2.0 ($3.10 with Sportsbet)
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool - Liverpool -1.0 ($2.50 with Sportsbet)
Arsenal vs Burnley - Arsenal -1.0 ($2.00 with Sportsbet)
Leicester vs Brighton - Over 2.5 Goals ($1.93 with Sportsbet)
