With international football put on ice until next year, the Premier League week 12 is the point from where the campaign can flow virtually uninterrupted until March.
There are seven games scheduled for Saturday, with five 3pm kick-offs sandwiched between Burnley’s live meeting with Chelsea and Newcastle’s skirmish with Manchester City at teatime.
On Super Sunday, the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham will take centre stage, with the in-form Gunners aiming to tighten their stranglehold on top spot.
Everything concludes on Monday evening when Everton and David Moyes make the short hop across to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
Below, we’ve got Premier League predictions and betting tips for all ten fixtures, starting with Chelsea’s lunchtime date with the Clarets.
Premier League Week 12 Saturday Games
Burnley vs Chelsea
Chelsea collected nine points from a possible 12 between October November international breaks, and the Blues can pick up where they left off with another victory at Turf Moor in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.
Burnley were always likely to struggle this season and they have done little to shed their relegation candidates tag so far.
Scott Parker’s side have had the fewest shots (90), lowest expected goals (8.3), lowest possession (38.6%), faced the most shots (192), and have the highest xGA (24.0) in the division.
The Clarets shipped 14 goals in their last five Premier League assignments combined and the leaky Lancashire outfit are easy to oppose here against a Blues side with plenty of firepower.
Only Man City (23) have outscored Chelsea (21) in the top flight this term, though Enzo Maresca’s Londoners top the pile for xG (20.4) and shots on target per 90 minutes (5.45).
Burnley, who have won just one of their 18 Premier League games against the Blues (D5 L12), could struggle to contain their visitors at Turf Moor, so look to combine an away win with over 2.5 goals in this one.
Prediction: Chelsea to win & over 2.5 goals – 5/4 (2.25)
Bournemouth vs West Ham
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries are short-priced favourites to claim three points at West Ham’s expense on the south coast on Saturday afternoon; however, there is better value on offer in the goal markets.
The Irons have been a bit of a bogey side for Bournemouth in recent seasons. The Cherries are winless in their last eight Premier League encounters with West Ham, a record that convinced us to look past the match result stakes.
Instead, we’re banking on excitement at the Vitality Stadium. The Hammers sparked into life before the international break with back-to-back wins over Newcastle (3-1) and Burnley (3-2).
Callum Wilson, Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville showed real quality and chemistry in those wins, and that dangerous-looking quartet could cause Bournemouth problems.
The Cherries conceded 3+ goals in three of their four league games before the recent international pause, and they are likely to give up chances again to West Ham.
Bournemouth aren’t short on menace either and are happy to trade blows with most opponents. As a result, six of their last eight league fixtures have seen over 2.5 goals, while BTTS landed in a further five of those games. Expect more entertainment when the Cherries host an improving Irons under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals & both teams to score – Evens (2.00)
Brighton vs Brentford
Brighton and Brentford sit side-by-side in mid-table on 16 points each, ahead of Premier League week 12, having enjoyed similar starts to the campaign, and a competitive clash should unfold when they collide at the Amex Stadium.
The Bees have won four of their last six top-tier fixtures, a spike in fortunes that was triggered by a fine 3-1 victory over Man Utd in late September. Brentford have taken the scalps of West Ham, Liverpool and Newcastle since, so they can make the trek south to Brighton with confidence.
Albion’s overall form has been patchy, however, they are generally reliable at the Amex, where their unbeaten record for the campaign remains intact. Indeed, Brighton have lost only three out of 24 home games since the start of last season.
While positive results are common at home for the Seagulls, clean sheets are rare. Both teams have scored in four of their five home assignments this term, a bet that has also landed in seven of the Bees’ 11 Premier League games since the summer.
In fact, Brighton and Brentford can be relied upon to register in general. Both have notched at least once in nine of their 11 league tests overall, which suggests the BTTS market could be worth exploring here.
Tip: Both teams to score – 8/13 (1.62)
Fulham vs Sunderland
Struggling Fulham and high-flying Sunderland have had very different starts to the campaign. Similarities between the teams exist elsewhere, however, particularly in the goal-scoring and chance-creating departments.
Craven Cottage club Fulham have been averaging just 3.09 shots on target per 90 minutes this term, in fact, only one team in the Premier League has posted lower figures, Saturday’s opponents, the Black Cats (2.64).
Sunderland have produced some stunning results since their promotion, however, underlying markers suggest significant masking. The Wearsiders’ open play expected goals tally of 5.1 is the division’s lowest, while only three clubs have registered fewer shots in total (110).
In addition, Sunderland failed to score completely in three of their first five Premier League away games, while four of the same matches featured under 2.5 goals, so bettors shouldn’t expect fireworks from the visitors at Craven Cottage.
Fulham, meanwhile, are averaging 1.09 goals per game and can’t seem to get a proper tune out of any of their misfiring forwards.
Manager Marco Silva, who was offered a new contract this week amid speculation about his future, has tried different combinations of players in attack without success, so the hosts could struggle to get behind a committed Black Cats rearguard.
Action could be thin on the ground in West London, so a wager on under 2.5 goals through football betting sites looks smart as a consequence.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals – 4/6 (1.67)
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
Liverpool limped to a fifth Premier League defeat in six games on the eve of the international break when they were thoroughly outplayed in a 3-0 loss at Man City, and even at this early juncture, their hopes of successfully defending their already look flattened.
Despite their floundering, Arne Slot’s Reds are as short as 2/5 to pass the test against Forest, but they are unbackable in the extreme at those prices. Instead, we’re looking to the visitors in the +2 goal handicap stakes at Anfield.
Nottingham Forest have become a more hardened unit under the instruction of tactical traditionalist Sean Dyche. They have lost only once in five games since their new manager came in and impressed in their last two league fixtures against Man Utd (2-2) and Leeds (3-1).
Forest made 17 tackles and played 80 long balls in their draw with United, and made a further 27 tackles against Leeds, while pinging 73 long balls forward in that victory.
Dyche’s Tricky Trees are already performing with the physical, no-nonsense hallmarks of a typical team of his style and could unsettle Liverpool.
Slot has been vocal about his team’s inability to combat direct football and Saturday’s fixture looks like another potential banana skin for the champions. Back Forest with a two-goal head start at Anfield.
Tip: Nottingham Forest +2.0 goal handicap – 8/11 (1.73)
Wolves vs Crystal Palace
The Rob Edwards era begins at Wolves on Saturday and with the fabled new manager bounce likely to have an influence, we expect Wanderers to deliver an improved performance against Crystal Palace.
A new hire usually triggers an increase in energy and commitment from players eager to impress, so punters should anticipate more running and enthusiasm than usual from the hosts at Molineux.
Wolves have only failed to score once in five Premier League fixtures on their own patch this season, with BTTS landing in each of the last four games hosted there, and the same market appeals this weekend.
Had previous boss Vitor Pereira still been in the Wanderers hotseat, an away win for Palace would have been easy to forecast; however, the Eagles should find the going tougher after the managerial switcharoo at Wolves.
This fixture also has a history of delivering action. At least four goals were scored in each of the last four meetings between the West Midlands club and Palace (2-4, 2-2, 1-3, 2-3), with both teams chipping in on each occasion.
With Edwards’ appointment casting doubt over the result, it makes more sense to readjust for goals and BTTS provides plenty of value at just shy of evens.
Tip: Both teams to score (4/5 – 1.80)
Newcastle vs Manchester City
Newcastle have been grinding through the gears this season and a date with title-chasing Man City on Saturday Night Football looks like another tough assignment for the Magpies.
The Tyneside team were beaten three times in their last four Premier League fixtures and looked alarmingly abject in their back-to-back 3-1 defeats to West Ham and Brentford before the international break.
Newcastle have also won only one of their last 35 Premier League meetings with City, while manager Eddie Howe has never enjoyed a victory over them in 18 previous attempts.
This current iteration of Pep Guardiola’s side isn’t the juggernaut it once was, however, as they dropped points in three of their last four top-flight away games.
That record makes City hard to fancy at St. James’ Park and instead we recommend hitching on to Erling Haaland’s hot streak, with the prolific Norwegian backed to score anytime at 4/5 with top UK bookmakers here.
Haaland bagged braces in successive outings for Norway (vs Estonia & Italy) while on international duty, and in his last 18 appearances for club and country overall, he failed to score only once (vs Villa).
That staggering output reads 32 goals in 20 runouts for City and Norway combined since August, a haul that includes 14 Premier League strikes in 11 starts. Haaland is bristling with goal-scoring prowess and he can punish Newcastle on Saturday.
Tip: Erling Haaland to score anytime – 4/5 (1.80)
Premier League Week 12 Super Sunday Matches
Leeds vs Aston Villa
Leeds’s form started to sour before the international break, with four defeats from five league fixtures pushing them to within a point of the drop zone, and a reversal of fortunes against visiting Villa on Sunday feels unlikely.
Daniel Farke’s Whites have three wins since their promotion, though a couple of those came against two of the current bottom three sides in the division (Wolves & West Ham).
In tougher tests, Leeds have been wilting and they looked well off the pace in defeats to Brighton (0-3) and Nottingham Forest (3-1) before the international break.
Conceding 5.50 in xGA combined in those losses against Albion and Forest, United’s leakiness in defence could be exploited by both Villa and bettors on Sunday.
Unai Emery’s side were building up a serious head of steam before the domestic campaign paused, winning 80% of their ten matches in all competitions and five of their six games in the Premier League.
Their 4-0 demolition job on Bournemouth on 9 November was the work of a team high on confidence, and that was the sixth time in nine games where the Villans hit two or more goals.
Villa can repeat the trick against a regressing Leeds outfit and the visitors can be backed to score over 1.5 goals at a very generous 11.8 at Elland Road.
Tip: Over 1.5 Aston Villa goals – 11/8 (2.38)
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal have been the North London Derby’s dominant force in recent seasons, winning seven of their last nine Premier League meetings with rivals Tottenham, though we’re ignoring the temptation to back a straight Gunners win on Sunday.
Instead, we suggest looking at the card markets, where Tottenham appeal to earn over 1.5 cards at 4/7 on the best betting apps in the UK.
The North London Derby is an established favourite with card-market bettors. Last season’s two tussles between Arsenal and Spurs produced 12 cards combined. Sunday’s renewal could be just as heated.
We’re looking to Tottenham for profit here, however. Only Brighton (28) and Bournemouth (27) have collected more bookings than Spurs (26) so far this term, and Thomas Frank has his charges playing with more aggression than his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, ever did.
Tottenham have also been committing 11.50 fouls per 90 minutes since August, a rate only five teams can claim to top. Spurs rank first in the division for total tackles attempted (227).
In terms of individuals, Tottenham also have some obvious card-market prospects in fiery Argentine defender Cristian Romero and Portuguese destroyer Palhinha, while summer signing Mohamed Kudus has three yellows in his last six outings in all competitions.
Expect Spurs’ combative streak to be on show again in Sunday’s derby at the Emirates Stadium.
Tip: Over 1.5 Tottenham cards – 4/7 (1.57)
Premier League Week 12 Monday Night Football
Manchester United vs Everton
Man Utd are finally starting to see some green shoots under Ruben Amorim, though they are far from the finished article and their inability to sustain performance levels over 90 minutes has become a real issue.
United have become fast starters of late. If Premier League matches ended at half time, the Red Devils would be sitting pretty in second spot in the table.
However, whether down to the game state, energy levels or confidence, United have been fading badly after the interval this term. In fact, they have yet to win a single second half of football. If examining results after the break in isolation, Man U sit in the relegation zone.
Still, their knack for coming out of the blocks quickly allows us to approach their Monday Night Football clash with Everton from a niche angle.
The Red Devils have scored first and within 30 minutes in each of their last four league games at Old Trafford (vs Burnley, Chelsea, Sunderland & Brighton). They went into half-time ahead on each occasion, just as they did in each of their last four away matches (vs Liverpool, Forest & Spurs).
United haven’t dropped a point at Old Trafford since (unluckily) losing there to Arsenal on the opening weekend, so they should have enough confidence to hit the ground running against Everton.
Don’t be surprised if the Toffees make life awkward for their hosts in the second half, but for now focus on backing United to hold a half-time advantage.
Tip: Manchester United to lead at half time – 13/10 (2.30)
