Premier League week 17 opens with a bumper fixture slate on Saturday that features eight matches, starting with Newcastle hosting Chelsea at St James’ Park.
Elsewhere, Manchester City can climb to the table’s summit with a win over struggling West Ham in one of the four 3pm kick-offs.
Arsenal will have a chance to leapfrog City again at Everton later that evening, but not before Tottenham and Liverpool face off in the day’s teatime contest in North London.
On Super Sunday, Aston Villa are favourites to sweep a weakened Man Utd side aside, while Fulham’s encounter with Nottingham Forest is on the Monday Night Football menu.
As always, we’ve got Premier League predictions for all ten fixtures from this last round before Christmas.
Premier League Week 17 Saturday Games
Newcastle vs Chelsea
The Magpies’ meeting with the Blues on Tyneside is the Premier League’s live lunchtime fixture on Saturday, and we’re backing the hosts to harness home advantage against the visiting Londoners.
Eddie Howe’s side slipped to a frustrating 1-0 loss at local rivals Sunderland in the derby last weekend, but bounced back in midweek against Fulham (2-1) in the Carabao Cup to extend their excellent home record.
Newcastle have now won eight and drawn one of their last nine assignments on their own patch, while 16 of the 22 Premier League points they’ve collected this term have been earned in front of the Gallowgate End. Backed by the Toon Army, the Magpies can prevail again.
St James’ Park is a proper bogey ground for Chelsea, who have lost on each of their last four visits. The Blues have also dropped points in three of their last four league matches, including each of their last two away tests, and they risk faltering again here.
Newcastle have conceded in each of their last nine Premier League fixtures however, so they are unlikely to keep Chelsea at arm’s length for 90 minutes on Saturday, especially with key defender Dan Burn injured.
With that in mind, preference is given to a home win/BTTS combination at a bumper price of 7/2 on the top UK betting apps and sportsbooks.
Prediction: Newcastle to win & both teams to score – 7/2 (4.50)
Bournemouth vs Burnley
Although in the midst of a seven-game winless run (D3 L4) in the Premier League, the Cherries have a great opportunity to snap that sequence when they host relegation candidates Burnley on Saturday.
The ailing Clarets have lost seven league games on the spin and a defeat on the South Coast this weekend would see them equal their longest ever losing run in their entire league history.
Their chances of avoiding that unwanted accolade seem wafer-thin. Burnley have faced more shots (247), more shots on target (88) and have a higher expected goals against figure (33.4) than any other outfit in the division this term.
A Bournemouth side buoyed by their performance in Monday evening’s thrilling 4-4 draw with Man Utd at Old Trafford, look capable of tearing into this vulnerable opposition on Premier League week 17.
Burnley’s backline keeps conceding with their last seven league games averaging 3.14 goals per 90 minutes. The Clarets’ leakiness drives those numbers up, so the visitors could be picked apart again here.
Four of the Cherries’ five Premier League wins this season have been at home, so they can deliver there again on Saturday with some style. Linking a Bournemouth win with over 1.5 goals is the play here, though braver bettors might want to move the needle to over 2.5 goals (11/10).
Tip: Bournemouth to win & over 1.5 goals – 4/6 (1.67)
Brighton vs Sunderland
High-flying Sunderland make the lengthy trek south to lock horns with Brighton on Saturday for what could be a contest of slender margins and limited action at the Amex Stadium.
The Black Cats have been steely since their promotion and many of their matches have been tight. Indeed, just six of their 16 Premier League fixtures this season (38%) have beaten a target of over 2.5 goals, which is the joint-fewest number of matches (alongside Everton).
Sunderland’s away assignments have been averaging just 1.75 goals, which is another division-low tally, while only bottom club Wolves (2) have plundered fewer goals on the road than the Black Cats (4) overall.
With a squad lightened by seven AFCON absentees, Sunderland are likely to approach Saturday’s trip to Brighton with caution, so goalmouth action could be limited again.
Albion managed to score just once in their last two league outings combined and seem to be lacking a little confidence in the final third. A well-marshalled Black Cats defence, with in-form stopper Robin Roefs behind it, can set up to frustrate here, so look to the under 2.5 goal market for profit.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals – 19/20 (1.95)
Manchester City vs West Ham
The Hammers’ record against Man City makes for grim reading from a Londoners’ perspective, so more misery in Manchester looks likely for the relegation-threatened side on Saturday.
City have won each of their last five Premier League encounters with West Ham, scoring at least three times along the way. Pep Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their last 19 league tussles with the Hammers overall (W16 D3).
West Ham can hardly boast about a dismal losing record of 15 in their last 16 visits to the blue half of Manchester. If that wasn’t enough, Erling Haaland has hit nine league goals in previous runouts against them, and has only registered more often against Wolves (10).
Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo has an unenviable task, then, though finding value in this Premier League week 17 game is difficult here with City priced as short as 1/6 to collect maximum points.
Backing the hosts to be leading at half-time and full-time massages odds to a more palatable 4/7 with the best football betting sites in the UK, however.
City have been ahead at the interval in 11 of their 16 Premier League fixtures this term, in fact, if matches ended after 45 minutes, they’d be top of the table.
We expect them to be in total command from the first whistle on Saturday against a West Ham side they regularly conquer with comfort.
Tip: Half Time/Full Time – Man City/Man City – 4/7 (1.57)
Wolves vs Brentford
Wolves’ 2-1 loss to Arsenal last weekend was their ninth successive Premier League defeat, although they did put in a spirited shift against the table toppers before conceding two unfortunate own goals.
Despite failing to win any of their last 20 league matches overall, Wanderers’ display against the Gunners was dogged enough to convince us to avoid the match results markets when Brentford visit Molineux.
Instead, we’re looking to the set piece stakes, where we’ve picked out the Bees to win the most corners in the West Midlands at 4/6.
Struggling Wolves have won fewer corners (44) than any other Premier League team this season, while no side in the division has conceded more at the opposite end (104).
Brentford have won nearly twice as many corners (82) as Wanderers, while also conceding 30 fewer corners than Saturday’s opponents along the way (74).
Wolves managed to win one or fewer corners in five of their last seven league games and their inability to sustain enough attacks has limited their opportunities to get to the byline.
The Bees have won at least five corners in 70% of their last ten Premier League contests, so a similar tally at Molineux should get this bet over the line with room to spare.
Prediction: Brentford to win the most corners – 4/6 (1.67)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
Meetings between Tottenham and Liverpool usually come with a guarantee of goals, so another high-scoring slugfest could be in the works when the teams collide in North London on Saturday evening.
This is the highest-scoring fixture in Premier League history (206) and more recently, at least three goals have been notched in 14 of their last 16 top-tier encounters. Last season, the defence-shredding went into overdrive.
Spurs and the Reds met four times in league and cup during the 2024/25 campaign, with the Anfield outfit delivering a trio of meaty wins (5-1, 4-0 and 6-3) and the remaining clash also going to Arne Slot’s side 1-0.
Indeed, the last three league matches between Tottenham and Liverpool produced 21 goals (7 per game) and, with both backlines looking brittle, excitement levels in the capital could be just as high.
The Reds’ last away test at Leeds was the perfect snapshot of the season so far. For all the class they showed in attack, calamitous defending resulted in a pulsating 3-3 draw at Elland Road, and the pattern of their skirmish with Spurs could be similar.
Some 75% of Liverpool’s away games this season have seen over 2.5 goals, while BTTS has landed in 63% of the same fixtures. Combine the two for a price of 5/6 on Saturday Night Football from Premier League week 17 for this one.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score – 5/6 (1.83)
Everton vs Arsenal
Victory for Arsenal at Everton would see them top the table at Christmas for the third time in the last four years, so we’re backing the Gunners to deliver the festive win they need on Saturday night.
David Moyes’s Toffees have lost all five of their previous meetings with Premier League sides competing in the Champions League this term, which accounts for 83% of their total defeats, and they could toil against another high-calibre opponent here.
With dangerous winger Iliman Ndiaye competing at AFCON, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall likely out with a hamstring issue and Jack Grealish rated as touch-and-go, Everton are set to be without a clutch of major difference makers this weekend.
Arsenal weren’t at their best against Wolves last weekend and needed own goals in the 70th and 94th minutes to see off the division’s worst team.
Ex-Everton captain and Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will hope that their issues there will serve as a wake-up call for his troops, however, and will demand more focus against a Toffees team weakened by absentees.
With Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus back available, Arsenal have enviable depth in forward areas, and they should have too much firepower for Everton here.
Tip: Arsenal to win – 4/7 (1.57)
Leeds vs Crystal Palace
Away-day specialists Crystal Palace are on their travels again in the Premier League’s second Saturday 8pm fixture, this time to Yorkshire and to Elland Road, where a winnable fixture against Leeds awaits.
The Eagles have collected more away points (16) than any other team in the division so far this season, while Oliver Glasner’s side have also conceded the fewest away goals (5).
In fact, no Premier League side has won more away points in the calendar year of 2025 than Palace (34), so, it’s a surprise to see the visitors listed as slight underdogs at 7/4 ahead of their tussle with Leeds.
Performances against relegation-threatened teams this term often go well for Palace. They’ve already put West Ham, Wolves and Burnley to the sword since August, conceding just once along the way.
Leeds upset the odds to extract four points from their last two home games against Chelsea (3-1) and Liverpool (3-3), though an encounter with am Eagles outfit happy to cede possession represents a different challenge entirely.
Fifth-placed Palace have been averaging just 42.3% possession per game this season, the second-lowest figure in the league after Burnley (41.4%). The Eagles can set successful counter-attacking traps for Leeds on Saturday.
Tip: Crystal Palace to win – 7/4 (2.75)
Premier League Week 17 Super Sunday Games
Aston Villa vs Manchester United
The only Super Sunday offering comes from Villa Park, where in-form Aston Villa, who are targeting a tenth straight win in all competitions, host Manchester United.
Rubem Amorim’s Red Devils have kept only one clean sheet in the Premier League this season, and their suspect defence was exposed again by Bournemouth in Monday evening’s 4-4 draw with the Cherries at Old Trafford.
With Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt still doubtful and midfield enforcer Casemiro suspended, that United backline looks fragile again here, and the red-hot Villans could take full advantage.
Amorim will also be without AFCON stars, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, in the West Midlands. That pair have been dovetailing beautifully down the right flank this term, so their absence should be hard felt.
With up to five first-team regulars missing, Sunday’s assignment looks like a very tricky one for visiting United and any pro-Villa market would be a decent choice in the circumstances.
The Red Devils have shipped 2+ goals in seven separate Premier League fixtures already this season and, with the same defence further exposed by injury, we’re backing Villa to net at least twice on Sunday.
Tip: Over 1.5 Aston Villa goals – 4/5 (1.80)
Premier League Week 17 Monday Night Football
Fulham vs Nottingham Forest
The last game before Christmas in the division is at Craven Cottage on Monday evening, where Fulham (14th) and Nottingham Forest (16th), sides separated by two places and two points, face off.
Marco Silva’s Cottagers will feel like they aren’t getting the rub of the green of late, though their underlying performances have been promising, particularly from a chance-creation and goal-scoring perspective.
Fulham have lost three of their last five games in league and cup, though they impacted the scoresheet in all five matches, with BTTS landing on each occasion. The Cottagers should be ready to go toe-to-toe with another opponent when Forest visit on Monday.
Sean Dyche’s Reds showed plenty of attacking intent last weekend when they pummelled Tottenham (3-0) into submission at the City Ground, so they won’t be short on confidence in the capital.
Both teams registered when Fulham and Forest last met in February in last season’s corresponding fixture, and the same market has plenty of appeal here at 8/11.
Tip: Both teams to score – 8/11 (1.73)
