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 three of the best fixtures from the five top leagues in Europe.
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!
Barclays Premier League:
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace (September 19)
Manchester United will officially begin their campaign in a tough home fixture against Crystal Palace , United had the extra week off and are expected to be fresh to host The Eagles at Old Trafford. Last season Palace won this fixture 2-1 , considering that they began the season on a winning note last weekend , then added Michy Batshuayi to their ranks a tight encounter is expected. The star power of the Manchester United line-up is expected to prevail.
Manchester United Win
Match Total – Over 2.5 Goals
Arsenal vs West Ham United (September 19)
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will host West Ham United in the first London Derby of the Season. West Ham will be a tough opponent for the Gunners, as any David Moyes’ side tends to be stubborn opponents. However the spirits around the Emirates are high at the moment with Aubameyang recently signing a new deal while David Luiz is expected to return, it should be a comfortable outing for the Gunners.
Arsenal Win
Chelsea vs Liverpool (September 20)
This mouth watering fixture will see the Champions of England visit a new look Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Both sides are expected to field their strongest possible XI, but as Chelsea’s injury list piles up the likes of Christian Pulisic ,Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chillwell will miss out, while Thiago Silva only recently started training and is deemed unfit for Sunday. Liverpool will have most of their title winning squad available. The Reds added Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich this week, He is not expected to feature but the Champions of England should be able to handle this encounter without him.
Both Teams to Score
German Bundesliga:
Eintracht Frankfurt vs Arminia Bielefeld (September 19)
Frankfurt finished comfortably in mid table last season while they had a respectable outing in the UEFA Europa League. On the other hand, Arminia stormed Bundesliga 2 last season only losing two matches on their return to the top flight. A tight encounter is expected as the rejuvenated Arminia will be looking to make a statement on their return and Frankfurt will only be focused on the Bundesliga after missing out on European Club Football.
Both Teams to Score Yes
Match Total – Over 1.5
FC Koln vs TSG Hoffenheim (September 19)
Koln have been back and forth between relegation and promotion in the Bundesliga over the last 7 years, they managed to survive relegation last season even though they conceded the second most goals in the league. It will be interesting to see if they manage to resolve their defensive issues. Hoffenheim will be a real test as they managed to beat the hosts 14 times in their last 16 encounters. Hoffenheim are expected to make it 15 from 17 this weekend.
Hoffenheim Win
Match Total – Over 2.5
Borussia Dortmund vs Borussia Monchengladbach (September 19)
Dortmund and Monchengladbach will meet at the Signal Iduna Park in one of the more mouth-watering fixtures in this round of Bundesliga Football. Dortmund finished second last season for points ahead of fourth place Monchengladbach. BVB have lost three of their last four home games, but are expected to continue with strong performances after a great opening game while Monchengladbach could use this opportunity to end their hoodoo against the Yellow wall.
Both Teams to Score Yes
Over 2.5
La Liga Santander:
Villarreal vs Eibar (September 19)
Match day two in La Liga will see ‘The Yellow Submarine’ hosting Eibar at the Estadio de la Cerámica. Both sides played out to a stalemate last weekend and will be looking for maximum points this time around. Looking at the last five matches between the two sides, honours are even as both have two wins apiece with one draw. The most recent fixture (July 19, 2020) saw Villareal pick apart Eibar with a 4-0 win at home, this means they are most likely to win and we will give ‘The Yellow Submarine’ the advantage.
Villarreal Win
Match Total Over 1.5 Goals
Celta Vigo vs Valencia (September 19)
Celta Vigo will face Valencia as the 2020/2021 La Liga season renews rivalries, they have had different starts as Celta Vigo drew their first match while Valencia beat Levante 4-2 last weekend. Based on form, we have to give Valencia the nod but you never know what Celta’s talisman Iago Aspas will produce on game day. In their last five clashes, Valencia have claimed two wins, while Celta have won once with the other two matches ending in stalemate. Interestingly enough, those five matches have never produced more than 3 goals in total. We expect more of the same this time around.
Valencia Win/Draw
Match Total- Under 3.5 Goals
Both Sides to Score
Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid (September 20)
Defending La Liga champions Real Madrid will pay Real Sociedad a visit in their season opener, however the hosts who had a draw against Valladolid last weekend have always proved to be a handful. Their last five matches against each other has produced goal fests with Sociedad getting the W on three occasions while Madrid have won twice. We expect another hard fought game which could swing either way with goals.
Real Madrid Win/Draw
Both Sides to Score
Match Total- Over 2.5 Goals
Serie A:
Fiorentina vs Torino (September 19)
Serie A kicks off with a couple of potential thrillers, and this fixture is one of them. Fiorentina will host eternal rivals Torino in a bid to kick off the 2020/2021 season on a winning note. In their last five matches against each other, it has been a rollercoaster with the hosts claiming two wins while Torino have won once with the other two ending in stalemate. Most recently Fiorentina claimed a 2-0 win at home, interesting, Fiorentina have not lost when playing at home in recent times against Torino while the match totals have never exceeded 3 goals. This is more than likely to continue and we will give Fiorentina the edge.
Fiorentina Win
Match Total- Under 3.5 Goals
Juventus vs Sampdoria (September 20)
Perennial Champions of Serie A, Juventus will kick off their season when they host Sampdoria, with new signing Arthur in midfield and the effervescent Cristiano Ronaldo in attack, they will be confident of starting the season on a high. The head to head record between the two sides favours Juventus who have won four while Sampdoria have a lone win. This is not likely to change and it should only be a matter of how many goals Juventus will win by.
Juventus Win
Match Total- Over 1.5 Goals
AC Milan vs Bologna (September 21)
AC Milan was the most consistent Italian team at the end of last season with a 12-match undefeated streak when Serie A had resumed after the Covid-19 break and they could not ask for a better opponent to face as they look to continue that form. They host Bologna who have conceded four of the last five matches against Milan while winning a solitary game. Their most recent clash produced a 5-1 thrashing in favour of Milan. This is not likely to change anytime soon and we expect another goal fest with the evergreen Zlatan Ibrahimovic looking imperious.
AC Milan Win
Match Total- Over 2.5 Goals
French Ligue 1:
Stade Rennes vs AS Monaco (September 19)
With identical starts to their respective seasons, these two sides have a remarkable head to head record. In their last five games they boast a win apiece while the other three have ended as draws, another interesting fact is that both sides have found the back of the net in each of those five matches. Both attacking sides by nature, we fully anticipate more of the same, however choosing a winner will be tough, AS Monaco won at home the last time the two sides met but Stade have the home advantage around. In the end you the reader will have to make a decision.
Both Sides to Score
Match Total- Over 2.5 Goals
Nice vs Paris (September 20)
Nice will host defending Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint Germain who should be back to full strength with the return of Neymar and Mbappe. Nice have won only one of their last 14 games at home to PSG (3-1 in April, 2017) while losing 11 and drawing twice. This is not likely to change and it’s only a matter of how many goals PSG will score.
PSG Win
Match Total- Over 2.5 Goals
Marseille vs Lille (September 20)
Marseille have had a mixed start (two wins, one loss) to their 2020/2021 season while Lille have won twice and drawn once thus far, however this fixture has always proven to be in the favour of Marseille. The hosts have lost only one of their last 9 home games against Lille (January 2019) while they have won six and drawn twice. With history on their side, Marseille are the favourites for this fixture. In terms of their last five games, on each occasion there has been three or more goals.
Marseille Win
Match Total- Over 2.5 Goals
Be sure to look out for our next column in the coming week, best of luck and happy hunting!
The 592 Dugout 