Another round of matches in the Premier League kick off on Friday evening when two games take place up and down the country on a night where four teams will look to enhance their position heading into 2023.
We have one of the two matches live on the TV to enjoy throughout the evening and while there is no UK coverage of the other one there is sure to be plenty of updates of it during the coverage of the live game. We’ll begin the preview with the live match even though it is the later one to kick off.
Liverpool vs Leicester City (20.00 – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Premier League)
The televised match on Friday night comes from Anfield where Liverpool continue their push to close in on the top four when they host a Leicester City side who will be looking to show their worth after their mauling by Newcastle United on Boxing Day.
Liverpool had a terrible start to the season and already they are no longer runners in the title race but they still have to keep going as they are going to be in a battle to make the top four this term. Leicester came out of the break with a terrible performance and will want to see much more in this one to give them something to build from heading into 2023. With no James Maddison and a few other key players it is hard to give Leicester too much of a chance but the strength in depth in the Liverpool squad doesn’t completely convince me either so I’m going to leave the match alone and head to the player markets where the 6/5 on Darwin Nunez to have over 4.5 shots looks too big for the man I expect to be the focal presence in an attack that takes on a vulnerable defence. Nunez has covered this line in four of the last eight matches where he has played more than 50 minutes and finished on four shots in two others. He is someone who is happy to shoot on sight even if the radar is often skewwhiff. This Leicester defence concede chances at will and with no Jonny Evans it is lacking a physical threat. I expect the Uruguayan to run up the shots here regardless of where they end up.
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West Ham United vs Brentford (19.45)
The match away from the cameras is a London derby as West Ham United look to arrest a four match losing run either side of the World Cup break when they go up against a Brentford side who drew with Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.
That was a positive way to build on their win at Manchester City in their last match prior to the World Cup and they will head from west to east of the capital feeling good about themselves even though they surrendered a couple of points having let a 2-0 lead go on Boxing Day. West Ham let a 1-0 lead slip at Arsenal and although the Gunners played some nice football, they rolled over a little too easily for my liking in the second period and with them not having won in four matches either side of the break the pressure is on the home side here. West Ham have only won four games all season, two against promoted sides in Fulham and Bournemouth and two against lower half teams in Wolves and Aston Villa. The aforementioned Villa are the only team in seven to beat Brentford when the Bees picked the wrong time to play the Villans as it was the game after Steven Gerrard got the boot and the players showed how much they had stopped playing for him. In that seven game run Brentford have played Brighton, Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham, all top eight sides if not better, and not lost any of them. You can get a decent price on the draw or Brentford double chance or Asian lines and that looks the way to play this one.
Tips
Back D.Nunez – Over 4.5 shots for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with Bet365
Back Brentford (+0.5AH) to beat West Ham for a 3/10 stake at 1.95 with Bet365
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