Another Saturday in the Premier League sees half of the division on show this week when five matches take place on a day where we are going to see movement at the top and the bottom of the table as we close in on the halfway mark of the campaign.
Usually on a Saturday we would have two TV matches but that isn’t the case this week as there is no early game so we have just the one TV clash to enjoy. The other games will get updates in all of the usual places.
3pm Matches
The champions Manchester City are in action for the final time in the Premier League before Christmas when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Etihad Stadium before jetting off to compete in the Club World Cup next week. City will move to within a point of Liverpool with a win while Palace will be looking to put a bit more distance between themselves and the bottom three here. Newcastle United will be out to get over their European disappointment in these games too. They play host to a Fulham side who have gone goal crazy in recent times.
The other two matches in the traditional slot could be pivotal towards the bottom half of the table. Sheffield United will look to come off the foot of the table when they head to the capital to take on a Chelsea side who will come under a lot of pressure if they don’t see the Blades off at Stamford Bridge. The Vitality Stadium will stage the other match as the form horses Bournemouth welcome Luton Town to Dorset in what feels like a key game for both sides.
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Late Game
All eyes will be on Sean Dyche in the late kick off as he goes back to Turf Moor for the first time since he was dismissed as Burnley manager. Having all but taken the Clarets down towards the end of his spell in charge of them, he will be looking to damage their survival chances when he takes his Everton side across Lancashire. Burnley could kick off bottom of the table but they could be sat above two teams at the end of the night should they win and results earlier in the day go their way. This feels like a match both teams will be targeting to win which should make for some entertainment.
Betting
There might only be five matches over the course of the day but there are a couple of bets that I like the look of with the first of them coming in the match I will be at as Bournemouth play host to Luton Town. That is for both teams to score. Bournemouth have obviously caught fire in recent times and will be expected to feast on a Hatters side who are yet to keep a clean sheet this season but Luton will be full of confidence and belief after running the top two from last season close in the last week or so. Luton will know this is one of the games they can target something from and have Ross Barkley pulling the strings for them. Bournemouth have kept just two clean sheets in eight home matches and one of those was against an injury ravaged Newcastle. Luton have scored in all but three away games with two they didn’t score at being Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford, games they would have been more intent on staying in rather than going at the opposition. Luton have conceded in every game so both teams to score feels overpriced to me.
The other bet I like the look of is for Manchester City to do a bit of a job on Crystal Palace. Much will be made of the good record that Palace have against City in recent times but this is an Eagles outfit ravaged by injury and suspension and their overriding aim will be to stay in the game rather than be expansive. Much has been spoken about a City crisis but that is a load of cobblers. They looked as good as anyone have looked at Kenilworth Road last weekend and you get the impression if the home side open the scoring early the goals will flow in a similar way to how they did when a Bournemouth side with the same intentions came to the Etihad earlier in the season and went off losing 6-1. With attacking threats reduced in number for the visitors, City will soon realise they can gamble more than normal and I just don’t see a Palace side, who will be utilising a third-choice keeper and various fringe players, to contain a City team determined to leave for the Club World Cup in style.
Tips
Back Bournemouth vs Luton – Both teams to score for a 3/10 stake at 1.87 with Betfair
Back Man City (-2AH) to beat Crystal Palace for a 3/10 stake at 2.07 with Bet365
