Premier League betting tips: Manchester City to draw, Mohamed Salah and Harry Maguire to score first
The last round of Premier League action proved an exciting affair as Liverpool and Arsenal picked up big wins while Manchester City continued a rotten run of form and Manchester United plumbed new depths at home.
Attention now shifts to Boxing Day, with high-flying Aston Villa meeting Newcastle, league leaders Liverpool hosting struggling Leicester City, and 13th-placed United travelling to Wolves.
May this column offer you sanctuary over Christmas when that misguided relative – emboldened by too much Baileys – gets all up in your grill over your refusal to watch the Mrs Brown’s Boys special.
Sports News Blitz and the Bookie Basher are here with the latest and best betting odds ahead of the Boxing Day festivities.
Manchester City vs Everton
“The curse of the Lord falls on the house of the thief. Sh*t is going down!”
Richarlison’s recent take on City’s shocking slump in form – as per his Instagram - was quite the take, no?
The four-time defending champions are now a full 12 points behind leaders Liverpool, and the Reds have played a game less.
To be fair, Guardiola’s side have been behind the 8-ball at Christmas before and still come up smelling of roses in May, but it is off the f***ing scale how much the loss of Rodri has affected them this season.
City’s record against the Toffees is mustard, though. Since March 2018, they have played Everton 13 times, winning 12 and drawing the other.
Regardless, my spidey senses are tingling that the early kick-off on Boxing Day finishes goalless and knocks every short odds Acca across the UK.
Suggested bet: No goalscorer at 18/1 (bet365)
READ MORE: Man Utd news: Ruben Amorim’s Christmas spoiled as Red Devils thrashed by Bournemouth
Chelsea vs Fulham
Before we tip this game, can I just say that whoever assigned Cole Palmer’s mascot against Brentford a week ago really did him dirty.
I am reliably informed that Palmer is 6ft, so how tall was that f***ing kid!
Anyway, there is a West London derby to anticipate on Boxing Day, one that Chelsea have dominated in the Premier League era.
In fact, across 34 previous matches, Fulham have only managed two wins and neither of those were at Stamford Bridge.
Nicolas Jackson has made a cracking start to his Chelsea career, and the high priest of machismo is definitely worth a punt here to score first against a Cottagers side that does not really do clean sheets.
Suggested bet: Jackson to score first at 5/1 (bet365/Betfair Sportsbook)
Wolves vs Manchester United
Whoever succeeds Gary O’Neil needs to be able to organise a defence and to do it quickly.
Before playing Leicester on Sunday, Wolves had conceded a league-high 40 goals, and half of those were shipped from set pieces.
That is why I am backing Harry Maguire to score first at Molineux on Thursday.
The England international may drink the vodka as well as the jager, but 25/1 to score first here is – much like his head – f***ing massive.
I know what you are thinking — 13 goals in 251 Premier League games?!
Listen, if Charlie Chaplin once anonymously entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest in Monte Carlo and came third, then anything is possible.
Suggested bet: Maguire to score first at 25/1 (bet365/Boylesports/Skybet)
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Liverpool vs Leicester City
What a victory that was for Liverpool at Tottenham! Title wrapped up for Christmas, eh?
Looking ahead, the bookies are convinced that Liverpool will beat Leicester this week having placed the Reds at 1/9 to win.
Yet, if you already have the ‘9’, you surely do not need the ‘1’.
As a result, I would much rather back Mohamed Salah to score first at 3/1.
Big Mo nearly did the business for us on Sunday by scoring a hat-trick – tipped at 22/1 – but it was not to be.
That said, the Egyptian is in rare form at the minute and the most obvious of calls for a first goalscorer here.
As an aside, my postman said today that he is off to Spain on Thursday, so I asked him "if he was going to Parcelona?" He then completely ignored what I believe to be my best joke of 2024. Clown.
Suggested bet: Salah to score first at 3/1 (bet365/Boylesports/Paddy Power)
