Premier League Week 26 offers up a rare midweek fixture slate to dig through, with ten matches served up between Tuesday and Thursday.
Clashes in the capital between Tottenham and Newcastle, as well as West Ham and Manchester Unitedd anchor Tuesday’s line-up. Manchester City meet with Fulham, while an out-of-sorts Liverpool’s visit to Sunderland should also entertain on Wednesday evening.
On Thursday, Premier League leaders Arsenal will have to work hard to secure a third win on the spin when they cross London to take on Keith Andrews’s in-form Brentford.
Below, we’ve got betting tips for all ten matches this midweek, starting with Chelsea’s encounter with Leeds at Stamford Bridge.
Premier League Week 26 Tuesday Games
Chelsea vs Leeds
Chelsea maintained their 100% Premier League record since hiring Liam Rosenior with a win at Wolves (3-1) on Saturday, so they will be targeting more of the same when they host Leeds at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues left a clean sheet behind at Molineux following a second-half Wanderers consolation, however. Chelsea have been struggling to keep the door shut at the back in general, conceding at least once in each of their last five matches in all competitions.
Leeds, who have failed to score in only two of their last 16 games in league and cup, should have chances to impact the scoresheet again here. They beat the Blues 3-1 in December in the last days of Enzo Maresca, and with Tuesday’s game being something of a free hit in terms of expectations, Daniel Farke can let them play with the shackles off again.
It makes sense to look to goals for this one then. Four of Chelsea’s last five assignments have featured at least four of them, with BTTS also landing in all but one of the same games. Expect similar in West London.
Prediction: Over 2.5 goals and Both Teams to Score – Evs (2.00)
Everton vs Bournemouth
Everton’s comeback win at Fulham on Saturday was a rarity for David Moyes, in that the game produced three goals. That was only the second time in the Toffees’ last 11 fixtures in league and cup that beat the over 2.5 goal line.
That triumph at Craven Cottage was aided by a second-half own goal by home team keeper Bernd Leno, however, which is why we’re anticipating a return to the norm when Everton host Bournemouth on Tuesday.
When the teams last met in December, a low-key contest was decided by a single Jack Grealish intervention in the 78th minute, while Bournemouth had just five shots on goal on that occasion, their lowest tally in a single sitting this term.
That was the third meeting between Everton and the Cherries that rewarded under 2.5 goal bettors and the same market appeals during Premier League week 26 with the best online bookmakers at a price of 19/20.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals – 19/20 (1.95)
Tottenham vs Newcastle
Booed off at half-time and full-time in their 3-2 loss at home to Brentford at the weekend, Newcastle could relieve some of the pressure on boss Eddie Howe with a positive result at struggling Spurs.
The Magpies manager has a more than decent record against Thomas Frank, winning six of his nine Premier League encounters with his counterpart, suggesting that he might have a tactical edge over the Dane.
Tottenham, who have won only four of their last 26 league fixtures on home soil, have also lost five of their last six top tier meetings with the Tyneside team, including last season’s corresponding fixture.
Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon also seems to relish these games and has delivered five goal involvements in his last four outings against Spurs. He can take aim against a Tottenham defence weakened by the suspension of skipper and centre-half Cristian Romero here.
The Magpies have a chance to turn things around in this one. There is a temptation to back them to win (13/10), however, with Romero out and Spurs poor defensively, but the visitors appeal instead to score over 1.5 goals at Evens (2.00)
Tip: Over 1.5 Newcastle goals – Evs (2.00)
West Ham vs Man Utd
West Ham are in season-best form at present and their 2-0 victory at relegation rivals Burnley at the weekend was their third win in four Premier League fixtures.
The only misstep by the Hammers during that spell came in a London derby defeat at Chelsea, though Nuno Espirito Santo’s side gave a decent account of themselves in that 3-2 loss at Stamford Bridge.
West Ham could hardly be in better shape for the visit of Man Utd, an opponent they’ve conquered in four of the clubs’ last six encounters.
United, of course, are also purring under the instruction of former Hammers player Michael Carrick, making Tuesday’s game a clash between two of the division’s form teams.
The Red Devils made it four wins from four under Carrick with a routine 2-0 win over ten-man Tottenham on Saturday. Cristian Romero’s early red took the heat out of that one, though Tuesday’s trip to West Ham should be more taxing.
Each of United’s two wins before Spurs featured five goals and this tussle with the Hammers could be just as open. Expect the teams to go toe-to-toe in the capital.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals and Both Teams to Score – 8/11 (1.73)
Premier League Week 26 Wednesday Games
Aston Villa vs Brighton
The Seagulls may have won only one of their last 12 Premier League fixtures, but they still tend to overperform against the division’s leading lights and they could spring a surprise at Villa Park on Wednesday.
Brighton & Hove Albion unexpectedly drew at Man City (1-1) in January and gave Arsenal a run for their money before losing narrowly (2-1) at the Emirates Stadium a few weeks before that, so they have it in them to up their game again here.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, have failed to win four of their last five league games, and were fortunate to escape with a point at the weekend when they conceded 20 shots in their 1-1 draw at Bournemouth.
The absences of midfielders John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara have hit them hard, with the disconnect between defence and attack obvious in recent outings. We expect those gaps in the middle to be troublesome again during Premier League week 26.
Uni Emery’s wilting Villans have scored one or fewer goals in four of their last five league contests, failing to score completely in three of those and they might find it tough to outgun Albion here.
Prediction: Brighton / Draw Double Chance – 5/6 (1.83)
Crystal Palace vs Burnley
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace notched a much-needed 1-0 win over rivals Brighton on Sunday, snapping a run of nine Premier League fixtures without a victory. With their flightpath steadied, the Eagles can win again at Burnley’s expense.
The Clarets’ 2-0 loss at home to fellow relegation candidates West Ham on Saturday virtually extinguishes any lingering hopes they had of mounting a great escape.
Scott Parker’s side are now 11 points from safety and they haven’t won a league game since October, while only bottom club Wolves have collected fewer points on the road.
Palace kept Burnley off the scoresheet when the teams last met in December and they can record a second win-to-nil at the Lancashire outfit’s expense on Wednesday.
Tip: Crystal Palace to win to nil – 7/5 (2.40)
Man City vs Fulham
A dramatic 2-1 comeback win for City over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday kept the title race alive and Pep Guardiola’s troops can close to within three points of leaders Arsenal with a follow-up victory against Fulham.
This is a fixture that Man City have dominated. They’ve won each of their last 19 meetings with Fulham in all competitions, which is the longest winning run one side has had against another in English football history.
The Sky Blues’ meetings with the Cottagers have also produced plenty of excitement. This season’s reverse fixture in December finished 5-4 in the Citizens’ favour and that was the fifth time in six previous encounters between them where over 2.5 goals landed.
Another goal-filled Man City win during Premier League week 26 could be in the offing on Wednesday, so link a home win with over 2.5 goals to massage prices into a better position.
Tip: Man City to win and over 2.5 goals – 1/1 (2.00)
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves
Following a 3-1 loss at Leeds last time out left them just three points clear of the drop zone, Nottingham Forest are in trouble. Another consequence of that defeat was the slashing of manager Sean Dyche’s odds in the Premier League’s sack race odds.
The Tricky Trees have an opportunity to get their survival push back on track at home to rock bottom Wolves, though the hosts offer little value as odds-on favourites at 4/6.
Instead, we’re taking a punt on Wanderers in the Double Chance market, which is better than Evens at the bookies. The City Ground is a venue Wolves like and they haven’t lost there in nine previous visits in all competitions.
Wanderers have also secured draws in two of their last three away games and, in their only loss on the road during that spell, they matched Man City for shots (11-11) in a spirited 2-0 loss at the Etihad Stadium. Another share of the spoils could be on offer for dogged Wolves in this one.
Tip: Wolves / Draw Double Chance – 11/10 (2.10)
Sunderland vs Liverpool
Liverpool’s domestic woes continued on Sunday when they threw away a second-half lead to lose at home to Man City in a defeat that leaves them five points off fourth spot.
The Reds have now dropped points in six of their last seven Premier League fixtures and 14 of their last 20 games in the division overall.
Arne Slot’s wilting champions drew 1-1 with Sunderland at Anfield during that sequence and the Black Cats were easily worth the point they earned on Merseyside on that occasion.
Regis Le Bris’s side can ruffle Liverpool feathers in a similar way on Wednesday. Sunderland hold the league’s only remaining unbeaten record, so it’s surprising to see them priced at Evens in the Double Chance stakes.
As Liverpool’s only win in their last five away assignments came at nine-man Tottenham, they really are struggling for form. They’ve also been held by newly-promoted Leeds and Burnley since the turn of the year, so we’re opposing them again.
Tip: Sunderland / Draw Double Chance – Evs (2.00)
Premier League Week 26 Thursday Game
Brentford vs Arsenal
Keith Andrews keeps penning fresh chapters for his unlikely Brentford success story and the Irish coach masterminded another superb result on Saturday in a 3-2 triumph at troubled Newcastle.
Now, the high-flying Bees can test themselves against the league leaders and champions-elect on Thursday when Arsenal visit the Gtech Community Stadium.
The Gunners have won four matches on the bounce since their shock 3-2 loss to Man Utd, including twice in the league with wins to nil over Leeds (4-0) and Sunderland (3-0).
A clean sheet should be harder to bank against a supremely confident Brentford outfit, however. The hosts are built for counter-attacking purposes and they should be menacing on the break.
Seven of the Bees’ last 11 home games and four of Arsenal’s last seven away fixtures have produced goals at both ends, as have three of the clubs’ last four encounters, and the BTTS market on top betting apps are worth dipping into again.
Tip: Both teams to score – 4/5 (1.80)
