Contributors: S. Moseley & M. Jacobus
This weekly column is specially written for our football fans who place wagers on their favourite teams across the top five European Leagues (La Liga, English Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1 & the Bundesliga). Our predictions are made using statistics and recent form along with insights to help you maximize your chances of winning. This week we have selected five of the best fixtures from the Barclay’s Premier League and Ligue 1.
Under no circumstances should persons below the age of 18 be involved in betting and this column is strictly for our adult audience. Happy hunting!
Barclay’s Premier League:
Liverpool vs Leeds United (September 12th)
Defending champions Liverpool will start their title defence against newly promoted Leeds United, while Liverpool ended last season in a poor vein of form, they should be refreshed, however with no significant additions to the squad it will be interesting to see how this one plays out against Leeds who are riding high from their promotion back into England’s top flight. A fixture that will more than likely come out in the champions’ favour.
Liverpool Win
Both Sides to score
Over 2.5 Goals
Tottenham vs Everton (September 13th)
An old rivalry is expected to be reignited as Jose Mourinho prepares to host old foe Carlo Ancelloti , Both Managers had a relatively busy transfer window with Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham focusing more on shoring up their defence with signings like Goalkeeper Joe Hart and Defender Matt Doherty while Everton placed a lot of emphasis on reassurance in the midfield with Allan brought in from Napoli and James Rodriguez from Real Madrid. No doubt Everton did great business during the transfer window and are expected to have a good season under Ancelloti’s guidance. This weekend’s encounter at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium could go either way but goals are expected from both sides.
Both Teams to Score
Over 2.5 goals- Yes
Fulham vs Arsenal (September 12th)
Mikel Arteta’s men have shown grit and tactical acumen to hoist two trophies at the end of last season and no doubt fans will be looking forward to a rejuvenated Gunners side when they visit Fulham for the season opener. Recent history (last five games between the two) suggests a rather lopsided affair as Arsenal have won all their matches with the most recent a 4-1 win. We fully expect this trend to continue and predict an Arsenal win with over 2.5 goals being scored.
Arsenal Win
Over 2.5 Goals- Yes
Crystal Palace vs Southampton (September 12th)
This fixture always serves up a treat and is one of the most exciting matches on opening day in the Barclay’s Premier League. In their last five clashes against each other, both have tasted victory, however Southampton boasts two wins while Crystal Palace has a lone victory with the other two games ending in draws. In their last game (January 2020) Southampton took a 2-0 win, however this season opener can swing either way and you can expect goals from both sides. You’ll be hard pressed to call an outright winner.
Both Sides to Score
Over 1.5 Goals- Yes
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea (September 14th)
Brighton will host Chelsea at the American Express Community Stadium on Monday afternoon. The Seagulls added experienced Center Back Shane Duffy to the side over the summer as well as highly rated youth prospect on the wing in Billy Arce while Glen Murray will continue his loan spell with the Seagulls after a good 2019/2020 season. The Blues on the other hand, had what most pundits are describing as a dream transfer window , with the likes of Thiago Silva, Timo Werner ,Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chillwell and Kai Havertz all added to what was already a good Chelsea squad. Ziyech and Chiwell will not be available due to injury according to manager Frank Lampard but the others are all set to aid Chelsea in claiming three points away to Brighton.
Chelsea Win
Over 2.5 Goals- Yes
Ligue 1:
Angers vs Stade de Reims (September 12th)
Known for their rivalry in the French Ligue 1, Angers vs Stade de Reims have provided some close encounters in the past but the latter have managed two wins with the other three ending in stalemate. Both of these sides have had lean returns in their start to the 2020/2021 season with Angers winning one and losing one while Stade have drawn one and lost one. The fact that Angers have not managed a win against the visitors plays a big part in our prediction that this will end in either a win or a draw for Stade de Reims.
Stade de Reims Win/Draw
Over 1.5 Goals- Yes
PSG vs Marseille (September 13th)
UCL Finalists from last season, Paris Saint Germain (PSG) will host Marseille after a shock 1-0 defeat to Lens on Thursday, however they are missing key men in Kylian Mbappe, Angel Di Maria and Neymar. In their last 5 encounters against the French champions, it has been woeful returns for Marseille (5 defeats) and even though PSG are missing their most important men, we expect a return to winning for the Parisians.
PSG Win
Over 2.5 Goals- Yes
Lille vs Metz (September 12th)
A draw and a win has been a solid start to the season for Lille FC while Metz suffered a 1-0 loss in their last fixture; this means the favourites are Lille and with their last five encounters producing two wins apiece and a lone draw, we will put our money on Lille.
That being said, it should be a low scoring affair and we do not envision more than 3 goals in this game.
Lille Win
Under 3.5 Goals- Yes
AS Monaco vs Nantes (September 13th)
Off to a positive start (1 draw, 2 wins) Monaco will look to press ahead with momentum when they host Nantes, this should be a straightforward win for the home team as Nantes has only managed to get the better of them once (back in 2017) in their last five clashes. Based on that statistic, Monaco are the clear favourites, however this fixture is not known to be a high scoring encounter.
AS Monaco Win
Under 3.5 Goals- YES
Montpellier vs Nice (September 12th)
Of their last five games against each other, Montpellier has claimed three wins while Nice have two, the most recent clash 2-1 thriller with Montpellier scraping the victory. Always producing goals, this clash is one to look forward to over the weekend. Make no mistake, there will be goals and we have to go with the home team on this one.
Montpellier Win
Both Sides to score
Over 2.5 Goals- Yes
Be sure to look out for our next column in the coming week, best of luck and happy hunting!
The 592 Dugout 