After 33 goals and a string of unexpected results in midweek, there’s little time to draw breath with Premier League week 15 starting Saturday and finishing Monday as the mayhem continues.
Aston Villa’s clash with Arsenal in the “Unai Emery Derby” is the perfect curtain raiser at lunchtime on 6 December, with the head-to-head between Leeds and Liverpool at Elland Road a similarly eye-catching act on Saturday Night Football.
Two Super Sunday fixtures featuring Brighton battling West Ham, then a London derby between Fulham and Palace follow. Monday Night Football sees Man Utd close out this round of games at bottom-club Wolves.
As always, we’ve got free Premier League predictions and betting tips for every match, starting with Saturday’s early kick-off at Villa Park.
Premier League Week 15 Saturday games
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
A collision between the Premier League’s two most in-form sides starts off the weekend’s action when third-place Aston Villa host leaders Arsenal in a clash that could captivate in the Midlands.
The Gunners are the division’s frontrunners; however, no club in the league has won more matches than Villa (16) since the start of March. More recently, the Villans have won eight of their last nine top-tier assignments, with their 2-0 reverse to Liverpool the exception, and they can tackle Arsenal head-on here.
Unai Emery, who was Mikel Arteta’s predecessor at the Emirates Stadium, has a decent record against his old club, with Villa losing only one of their last four encounters with the Gunners.
Honours were split when these teams last met in North London in January (2-2), so something similar could unfold at Villa Park on Saturday.
Emery’s Villa have scored at least once in 90% of their last ten league fixtures. They appeal to net again facing an Arsenal side in the grip of a defensive injury crisis visit.
Ollie Watkins, who has scored six career goals against the Gunners, made a welcome return to the scoresheet bagging a brace against Brighton in midweek. With him back firing, Villa should be even more threatening.
Arsenal are just as reliable in the final third, however, and have failed to score in only one of the 21 matches they’ve played in all competitions this term. With few holes in the form for either outfit making match result selections tough, we’re looking to BTTS for profit.
Prediction: Both teams to score – 17/20 (1.85)
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
The Cherries’ slide down the Premier League standings continued in midweek when they limped to a 1-0 loss at home to Everton. Bournemouth have now lost four of their last five matches in the division with defensive issues at the heart of their recent demise.
They let in just the once against a low-scoring Everton side on Tuesday, however, Andoni Iraola’s team shipped 12 goals across four league games before that, while just a quartet of teams have been conceding more shots on target per 90 minutes overall (4.43).
The loss of three members of their starting back four (Ilya Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez) over the summer was always likely to have an impact, so the Cherries could continue to suffer until their replacements build chemistry.
Until then, punters can feel confident in backing them to concede. Step forward Chelsea. The Blues lost at Leeds in midweek (1-3), however, they’re on the longest current scoring streak of any side in the Premier League, netting in all 13 of their games since blanking against Crystal Palace on the opening weekend.
Enzo Maresca’s top-four hopefuls are also the league’s joint-top-scoring away team (15), so offer plenty of value at 4/5 on the best UK betting sites to register at least twice against a Bournemouth side struggling to plug gaps.
Prediction: Over 1.5 Chelsea goals – 4/5 (1.80)
Everton vs Nottingham Forest
Sean Dyche, who was unceremoniously sacked by Everton in January, returns to his old stomping ground with a point to prove on Merseyside, where a battle of inches could develop on Premier League week 15 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Saturday’s game has the makings of a grind. The Toffees, who have scored one or fewer goals in six of their last seven Premier League games, rarely play expansively under David Moyes. Indeed, no side has had fewer shots on target per 90 minutes (2.86) than Everton in the league this season.
Forest, meanwhile, eked out an uninspiring 1-0 win at Wolves in midweek and that was the sixth time in seven away assignments in the division where they notched one or fewer times.
When the teams last met in April, a stoppage time goal from former Toffees midfielder Abdoulaye Doucouré was enough to separate the sides on a drab afternoon at the City Ground.
With both Everton and Nottingham Forest ranking among this season’s four lowest-scoring Premier League teams, margins are likely to be similarly tight on Saturday, and a wager on under 2.5 goals is fancied as a consequence.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals – 8/11 (1.73
Manchester City vs Sunderland
Successive trips to Anfield and the Etihad Stadium looked like a daunting task for Sunderland but, having passed their test against Liverpool (1-1) in midweek, the impressive Black Cats could be similarly competitive at Man City on Saturday.
The Wearside outfit have taken points off Chelsea, Arsenal and now Liverpool since late October, so they should relish this latest challenge against Pep Guardiola’s Citizens.
Man City won a nine-goal thriller at Fulham (5-4) on Tuesday, though their habit of taking their feet off the pedal made that victory over the Cottagers more awkward than it needed to be.
They nearly dropped the ball in similar style against Leeds last week (3-2) before netting a winner in added time, and there has been enough iffyness in their recent showings to suggest Sunderland can be a nuisance here.
We successfully tipped the Black Cats with a +2.0 goal handicap in midweek and prices in that direction appeal again. City are as short as 2/9 to win, so taking the visitors with a decent advantage makes sense.
Sunderland have lost by two clear goals only twice this term (0-2 vs Burnley & Man Utd). Their commitment to defending was on full show at Anfield, where they made 20 blocks, so this robust side can put in more good work in Manchester.
Tip: Sunderland +2.0 goal handicap – 1/1 (2.00)
Newcastle vs Burnley
Newcastle missed out on a third Premier League win on the spin in midweek when Cristian Romero’s shinned overhead effort deep in stoppage time earned Tottenham the latest of points on Tyneside.
The Magpies clocked 18 attempts to Spurs’ eight, and an xG of 2.00 to their visitors’ 0.70, so really should have dragged themselves over the line. A winnable date with Burnley on Saturday of Premier League week 15 gives Newcastle a chance to exorcise their frustrations, however.
Scott Parker’s Clarets lost for the fifth time in a row when they tasted defeat at home by Palace (0-1) on Wednesday evening. With their confidence levels dwindling, Burnley are easy to oppose again here.
The trouble here is finding value, with Newcastle offering little bite at 1/4 with football betting sites for the win. Looking to corners could provide an alternative with more punch.
Newcastle’s league fixtures have been averaging 11.43 corners this term and only West Ham’s (12.07) and Tottenham’s (11.50) have seen more.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies like to put the squeeze on opponents at home, as evidenced by their 11-corner tally against Spurs at St. James’ Park in midweek. They’ve beaten a target of over 6.5 corners in five out of seven Premier League home games overall this term, and they are likely to pin struggling Burnley back here.
Tip: Over 6.5 Newcastle corners – 4/5 (1.80)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Brentford
Spurs have been priced as favourites to triumph against London rivals Brentford; however, the visitors earn the nod instead, with prices for the Bees/draw in the double chance market more appealing.
New Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is already dividing opinions, and a poor result against the Dane’s former club on Saturday is likely to deepen the fractures between him and the fanbase. Expect nerves and a tense atmosphere to count against the hosts.
Spurs rescued an undeserved point at Newcastle in midweek, needing a brace from defender and captain Cristian Romero to do so. His teammates in attack have been producing next to nothing, however, resulting in a run of just two wins in 11 games in all competitions.
Tottenham’s home form remains miserable, with their only Premier League win in seven attempts there since the summer coming at the expense of Burnley on the opening weekend.
As expected, Brentford lost at Arsenal on Wednesday, though they have won five of their last seven league fixtures overall. The Bees have a better chance at succeeding in the white half of North London.
Tip: Brentford/draw double chance – 4/7 (1.57)
Leeds vs Liverpool
Daniel Farke eased the pressure when Leeds delivered their best performance since their promotion, snapping a four-game losing streak with a superb 3-1 win over Chelsea in midweek. They will be targeting another big scalp on Saturday evening when a troubled Liverpool land at Elland Road.
Mohammed Salah was named on the bench again as the Reds look short on spirit and quality in a draw with Sunderland (1-1) at Anfield on Wednesday, and they have now failed to win ten of their last 14 matches in all competitions.
With Leeds buoyed by their victory over Chelsea, the temptation here is to look to the hosts/draw double chance line (10/11). Goals might prove a safer route to profit in Yorkshire, however.
Nine of the Whites’ last ten league games have vaulted the over 2.5 goal hurdle, while eight of the same fixtures featured goals from both teams.
Leeds look like both scoring and conceding every time they step onto the pitch, though the same could be said of Arne Slot’s top-heavy Liverpool side.
The Reds have had more shots (215) than any other Premier League outfit this season, but have already conceded 2+ goals in ten different skirmishes in all competitions.
More drama should be in the works at Elland Road, so combine over 2.5 goals with BTTS for this one on top UK betting apps at a price of 5/6.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals & both teams to score – 5/6 (1.83)
Premier League Week 15 Sunday Games
Brighton vs West Ham
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers secured a share of the spoils in a drab contest against Man Utd at Old Trafford in midweek. They might find it tough to avoid defeat again, however, when they head south to take on Brighton Sunday.
Albion just love nailing the Irons. They’ve lost just one of their last 16 Premier League meetings with West Ham. The Seagulls have put more goals past the Hammers (31) than any other side in the division.
In addition, their leading marksman, Danny Welbeck, has scored more league goals against West Ham (6) than any other team. The veteran played just 24 minutes as a sub in Brighton’s 4-3 loss to Aston Villa in midweek, so he should be rested and ready to go again here.
The Hammers showed some battling qualities at Man Utd last time out, though they rarely win on the road. West Ham have won only one of their seven away games in the top flight since the start of the campaign and that record is unlikely to improve on Sunday.
Prices are on the narrow side here, though there is still just enough wiggle room to go with a straight Brighton win.
Tip: Brighton to win – 8/15 (1.53)
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace are built for success on the road, so the Eagles appeal to put their counter-punching prowess to good use again when they visit Fulham on Sunday.
Palace have won each of their last three domestic away games to nil, with their 1-0 victory at Burnley in midweek preceded by wins at Wolves (2-0) and Liverpool (3-0 – Carabao Cup).
Glasner’s robust side have also kept four clean sheets in their last five Premier League games overall and their defensive work has been tidy enough to suggest they can keep Fulham at arm’s length.
They’ve conceded fewer goals on their travels (four) than any other team in the division this season, securing another shutout in last season’s corresponding fixture, a 2-0 triumph at Craven Cottage in February.
In fact, Fulham have failed to win each of their last six Premier League home games against the Eagles (D3 L3), so we expect them to struggle against the London rivals again on Sunday.
With their backline providing the foundation, Palace can push for more points when they cross the capital, with a chance taken on the visitors in the draw no bet market for added insurance.
Tip: Crystal Palace draw no bet – 10/11 (1.91)
Premier League Week 15 Monday Game
Wolves vs Manchester United
Man Utd rarely produce the goods when they expected to and, having dropped points at home to West Ham in midweek, they could be embarrassed by another bottom dweller when they visit Wolves on Monday evening.
Wanderers are still searching for their first win of the campaign and lost for the twelfth time in 14 league fixtures when they were toppled by Nottingham Forest (0-1) on Wednesday evening.
In fact, Wolves haven’t even scored a goal since netting twice (in another loss) against promoted Burnley on October 26 but, despite all that, you get the sense that something could be on offer for the hosts on Monday.
United had 65% of the ball against West Ham on Thursday, but did little with it and their lack of spark in the final third drew boos of derision at full time at Old Trafford.
When teams cede possession, United toil, so Wanderers boss Rob Edwards has a tactical blueprint to copy at Molineux. Wolves did the Premier League double over Manchester United last season and they can force at least a point from the teams’ latest encounter.
Tip: Wolves/draw double chance – Evens (2.00)
