Liverpool’s draw with Newcastle has brought Chelsea right into the title race, after a massive week of English Premier League football. The action rolls on for Matchday 16, with a massive Manchester Derby the highlight fixture of the weekend. Jack Tobin has you covered with his best bets below!
EPL 2024-25: Matchday 16 Preview & Betting Tips
Liverpool vs Fulham
Anfield, Sunday 15th December, 2:00am AEDT
After looking like they were running away with the Premier League title, one draw has brought the chasing pack back into the race. Arne Slot’s side are now only four points ahead of second placed Chelsea after conceding a 90th minute equaliser against Newcastle on Matchday 14, while their Matchday 15 game against Everton was postponed due to bad weather. Fulham had a brilliant week against two of the better sides in the league, beating Brighton 3-1 before backing up with a 1-1 draw against Arsenal. To get four points out of six against two of the top seven sides in the league was remarkable given, Fulham only had eight shots on goal across the two games.
One positive out of the postponed Merseyside Derby for Liverpool will be the fact that the Reds will be vastly better rested than the other clubs who played two games last week. Fulham had two taxing games where they were well and truly on the back foot, which is certainly not going to help coming up against the best team in the league. The Reds have been led by a stunning season from Mo Salah who has scored 13 goals (equal most in the league) and 8 assists (second most in the league).
Liverpool have certainly had the better of Fulham over the twelve years, with nine wins, two draws and one loss in Premier League fixtures against Fulham since 2012. Liverpool are the best defensive side in the league having conceded only eleven goals, which is a major issue for a Fulham side that has struggled to find the back of the net this season. A fresh Liverpool side will run rampant as the damn wall will finally burst for a brave Fulham defence.
Liverpool -1
$1.80 (2 Units)
Manchester City vs Manchester United
Etihad Stadium, Monday 16th December, 3:30am AEDT
The first Manchester Derby of the season provides a fascinating tale of two struggling sides that are a long way off where they should be. Manchester City ended a four-game losing streak in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Matchday 14. However, they failed to back it up on the weekend, being held to a 2-2 draw against seventeenth placed Crystal Palace. The Red Devils had a horror week, losing 2-0 to Arsenal and 3-2 to Nottingham Forest to fall to thirteenth on the table.
Manchester United are the fourteenth ranked attacking side in the Premier League with just 19 goals scored this season. The Red Devils have also been terrible against teams above them on the table, with Brentford (9th) the only team currently above them that they have beaten. Against the top seven teams in the league, United have four losses and two draws.
The other issue Manchester United are facing is their struggles against their crosstown rivals since 2011. In that time period the Red Devils have recorded 15 losses, 3 draws and 8 wins in Premier League fixtures against Manchester City. Their last six games make for even worse reading, with five losses by score lines of 2-0, 4-1, 6-3, 3-0, and 3-1. United have won only two of their last seven games in the Premier League, so this should be an easy kill for the defending champions.
Manchester City -1
$2.30 (2 Units)
Chelsea vs Brentford
Stamford Bridge, Monday 16th December, 6:00am AEDT
Chelsea had another brilliant week last week, with a 5-1 smashing of Southampton followed up by a come from behind 4-3 win over Tottenham on the weekend. Chelsea are currently on a seven game unbeaten run, with their only defeats this season coming against Manchester City and Liverpool. Brentford had a mixed week with a 3-1 defeat against Aston Villa, atoned for by a 4-2 win over Newcastle on Matchday 15.
Chelsea’s rise to a genuine title contender has been built on their outstanding work in the front half this season. Chelsea are the highest scoring team in the league this season (35 goals) and have scored twelve goals across their last three games. Brentford remarkably are the second highest scoring team in the league with 31 goals, so this fixture pits two brilliant attacking sides in what should be an entertaining affair.
The difference for Brentford is that their fixture has been a lot easier, having only played three top seven sides while Chelsea have played five, Brentford have lost all three games against top seven opponents. Across those three games for Brentford, they have an aggregate score line 7-2, clearly showing they aren’t up to the level against the better sides in the league despite being ninth on the table. Brentford have the 17th ranked defence, which will be incredibly vulnerable against a red-hot Chelsea outfit.
Chelsea -1
$1.83 (1 Unit)
