It seems like an eternity since we have had any EPL action to sink our teeth into but the Premier League returns this Wednesday morning with a full mid-week round going through until Friday morning.
The Sunday League Shark is on deck to give you his preview and betting tips for the key games in the round. Remember to check out our Soccer Tips page for regular updates in the Premier League, A-League, Champions League and the continuing Socceroos World Cup qualifying campaign.
EPL MD24 Betting Tips
West Ham vs Watford
Wednesday 9th January, 6.45am (AEDT)
West Ham have been the surprise packet of the season so far, maintaining a 11-4-8 record to sit in 5th place on the EPL table, above big clubs in the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton. They will square off agaisnt Watford on Wednesday morning in a bid to bounce back from a two game losing streak which has seen them go down to Manchester United as well as an uncharacteristic loss to Leeds a few weeks ago.
Watford are in a tight battle to try to keep themselves out of the relegation zone. They currently sit in 18th place on the table, but could potentially jump out of relegation with a win here. They are just one point behind Norwich and also have Everton in their sights. They have not won a game in any competition in their last 10 matchups, dating back to a 4-1 Premier League win over Manchester United in November.
West Ham start as favourites here but they aren't quite as short as I expected them to be, probably due to their two game slide. They have an absolutely dominant record over Watford in recent history though, winning their last four games with a combined goal aggregate of 14-4. Back them to win this one by multiple goals as well.
Manchester City vs Brentford
Thursday 10th January, 6.45am (AEDT)
Manchester City have been the team to beat throughout the EPL season so far and currently have an 18-3-2 record and sit a whopping 9 points clear at the top of the table. They did drop points in their last Premier League game, drawing 1-1 with Southampton on the road, but they were dominant in the FA Cup on the weekend, recording a 4-1 win over Fulham to move into the final eight.
Brentford started their first season in the Premier League in solid fashion but have since slipped away. They have lost their last four Premier League games on the trot and were also bounced from the FA Cup after a 4-1 loss to Everton on the weekend. They sit in 14th place on the EPL ladder, currently safe from relegation by eight points, although that could be reduced drastically in the coming weeks with games against Man City, Crystal Palace and Arsenal in their next three.
Can't really see a way in which Manchester City fail to win this one by a pretty wide margin. They have played Brentford just once before, back in December when they recorded a 1-0 win. At home though, they have won their last nine games in all competitions with a combined goal aggreagate of 30-7.
Liverpool vs Leicester
Friday 11th February, 6.45am (AEDT)
The game of the mid-week round sees Liverpool hosting Leicester on Friday morning in what should be an interesting clash. The Reds will be hunting a win to stay in touch with Manchester City at the top of the table. They are currently in 2nd place, 9 points behind their main rivals but have won their last two games on the trot.
With a loss and a draw in their last two games, the Foxes have dropped to 10th on the EPL table and desperetely need a win to stay in contention for Europa League qualification. They were also bounced from the FA Cup in an embarassing 4-1 loss to Nottingham on the weekend to compund their poor form.
The Reds should win this one but I'm leaning towards the overs for value here. The Foxes have allowed a whopping 37 goasl this season, which is the 6th most in the league while Liverpool have scored the most foals in the Prem this season with 58. In their last six games, the two teams have combined for an average of 3.66 goals.
Liverpool + Over 3.5 Goals
$2.30
