Ian Wilkerson
The Premier League season enters its fifth week, and the big games keep on coming with Manchester United looking to get over its recent disappointments when Chelsea heads to Old Trafford on Saturday. Meanwhile, two teams with their eyes on Liverpool’s title, Arsenal and Manchester City, battle for three vital points at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Here are all of our expert soccer picks for the weekend action in England, with the odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
EPL Best Bet: Burnley ML over Nottingham Forest (+225)
Burnley booked their place in this season’s Premier League on the back of some great defensive performances in the Championship, and the signs are strong that Scott Parker’s team will be difficult to beat at Turf Moor this season.
The Clarets have already seen off fellow-promotees Sunderland at home this season, and they were unfortunate to lose to a late penalty from champions Liverpool on Sunday despite performing well for a majority of the match against their illustrious opponents.
Burnley takes on Nottingham Forest on Saturday, who are getting to grips with life under new manager Ange Postecoglou.
The Tricky Trees’ defense was broken three times at Arsenal last week and allowed two injury-time goals against Swansea in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, so the visitors could be vulnerable on the road.
EPL Best Bet: Crystal Palace ML over West Ham (+140)
West Ham’s defensive issues were exposed again last week when they lost 3-0 at home to London rivals Tottenham. Unfortunately, things may not get better for Graham Potter’s side when Crystal Palace pays them a visit on Saturday.
The Eagles are flying high having won the FA Cup in May, and were in commanding mood the last time they were on their road – posting a 3-0 success at Aston Villa.
Oliver Glasner’s team has not been beaten in its last 16 league and cup matches, and a victory against a team that also lost 5-1 at home to Chelsea should be within Palace’s capabilities.
Read our Crystal Palace vs West Ham prediction
EPL Best Bet: Chelsea ML over Manchester United (+145)
It is beginning to look like a difficult season for Manchester United, and it may continue being bleak when Ruben Amorim’s team faces Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The Red Devils were outclassed in last week’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, and were fortunate to get past newly-promoted Burnley in their previous home match – coming through 3-2 courtesy of a late penalty.
Chelsea has already shown it can dismantle a team having beaten West Ham 5-1 at the London Stadium, and this looks a good fixture for Enzo Maresca’s team to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Bundesliga-winners Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Find out our Chelsea vs Manchester United prediction
EPL Best Bet: Manchester City Win or Tie (Double Chance) vs Arsenal (-115)
Arsenal will take on Manchester City with an advantageous two days of extra rest after this week’s UEFA Champions League matches, but the visitors showed enough in their 3-0 derby win over United that they can take something from their trip to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners got back in the groove with a 3-0 win over Forest last week, but their odds look on the short side against a team who have already posted a 4-0 win at Wolves this season. City also look to have star-striker Erling Haaland back to his best.
City has the motivation to get back in the race following defeats to Tottenham and Brighton, and Mikel Arteta’s defense could be in for a difficult time on Sunday.
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