Steve Davies
The Premier League returns from an international break with an enthralling eight-game card on Saturday before a Sunday double-header featuring the first Manchester derby of the season. We have a prediction for that derby right here, but you can also find our expert soccer picks for all of the big matchups across the EPL and MLS every week.
EPL best bet: Declan Rice to score or assist in Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest (+190)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Ange Postecoglou must have thought he had seen the last of North London for a while after being sacked by Tottenham in the summer, but he’s back again on Saturday, this time as the newly-installed boss of Nottingham Forest. The Australian’s first fixture is a trip to Spurs’ bitter rivals Arsenal, whose fans will give Postecoglou as much grief as possible before the home players do likewise.
This has ‘home banker’ written all over it with Forest in a degree of disarray following the controversial sacking of the hugely popular Nuno Santo last weekend. How they set up at the Emirates under Postecoglou is a mystery. How Arsenal set up is definitely not, and the home side’s big players can help put Forest in their place.
No player is feeling any bigger than Declan Rice right now. The midfielder starred for England over the last two weeks, netting a goal in the 2-0 win over Andorra with two assists and seven shots in the 5-0 win in Serbia. With Forest sitting deep, Rice can have an impact by either scoring himself or setting up a team-mate.
Read our full Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest prediction
EPL best bet: Fulham ML over Leeds (+100)
Odds available at DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Leeds’ most recent trip to the capital ended in a 5-0 drubbing at Arsenal, and while Marco Silva’s Fulham are unlikely to be quite as ruthless as the Gunners, they can still add to the Whites’ woes. Fulham have got two points to their name from draws with Brighton and Manchester United, yet it was their loss – 2-0 at Chelsea – which was arguably their best performance of the three.
The Cottagers were desperately unlucky to lose at Stamford Bridge, but should fancy their chances against a Leeds’ side who have managed one goal – a penalty – in their three games.
Find out the rest of our EPL and MLS soccer predictions for this weekend
EPL best bet: Everton ML over Aston Villa (+145)
Odds available at bet365 at time of publishing.
It is early in the season, but you’d have got long odds a month ago on Villa being in the bottom three at the start of September – and even longer odds on Everton being in the top five.
The fact is David Moyes’ Everton have shrugged off their opening-weekend loss at Leeds with a pair of decent efforts in seeing off Brighton (2-0) and Wolves (3-2). At their new, swanky, dockside home, Everton will be confident of another victory. Villa are there for the taking after three matches in which they have failed to score a single goal.
EPL best bet: Manchester United Win or Tie double chance vs Manchester City (+105)
Odds available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
With all respect to fans of the other 18 clubs, let’s get to the big one — Sunday’s Manchester derby. Rarely has it looked quite this intriguing. The narrative at the Etihad is of a team crying out for a spark, fearing a third defeat in a row after sorry losses to Tottenham and Brighton.
The narrative at Old Trafford is that Ruben Amorim has spent zillions trying to right the wrongs of last term, yet improvements, if there are any, are barely perceptible. What we do know is that a poor United side somehow won 2-1 at City last year, just a few months after beating them to win the FA Cup final in May ’24.
That’s four times in a row City have failed to beat a pretty poor United, and that is a worry just in case United start improving. Right now, this is a game packed with tension and a susceptible favourite. Take the visitors not to lose.
Read our full Man City vs Man Utd prediction
