We’re approaching the first round of Premier League games in 2016, and there’s certainly still plenty to play for in the top flight. We’re about to see the start of the second half of the most unpredictable season in recent memory, and there’s likely to be a few shocks in store over the weekend. With big guns faltering and the chasing pack now pushing for the top places in the division, could we see a few results that hint at a changing of the guard?
This weekend’s league games could go some way to defining that, with many of them taking a smaller upstart club who are having great seasons and pitting them against a side failing to reach their expectations. Here we’re looking forward to see what we can expect from these games, previewing all the live clashes, plus we’re bringing you a (hopefully profitable) betting tip for each of the games.
Saturday 2nd January 2016
West Ham v Liverpool (12:45) – West Ham to win (13/5 with Coral)
The first game of the New Year sees West Ham at home to Liverpool, as they prepare to round out their time at Upton Park. So far, the Hammers have recorded some big wins, including one at Anfield earlier in the season. Given how they got back on track with a win over Southampton earlier in the week, could they see off the Reds and close in on a spot in the top four? With their record, it’s certainly possible.
The Reds have been fantastic against in-form sides, but struggled against the rest. Seeing off Manchester City and Leicester were two good results, but Jurgen Klopp’s team seem to only do well when they’re really up against it. Sides who sit back and hit them on the counter tend to have joy, and that’s exactly what West Ham do. They’re set up to take on Liverpool, and we think they’ll be able to pull off another big win against one of the top sides in the league.
Watford v Manchester City (17:30) – Ighalo to score any time (15/8 with Coral)
Manchester City may be third in the Premier League, but they’re still falling below expectations at the minute. They should have gone on to dominate the league after the start they made, but they’re currently three points off the pace. Their away record of late has been abysmal, and without their captain Vincent Kompany they look hopeless at the back. Their away clean sheet against Leicester was a surprise, but that seemed to mostly come from the Foxes looking to play tighter than usual. City head into this game having not won away from home in the league since September; can they change that here?
Tottenham came to Vicarage Road last time out and they were lucky to win. Liverpool came here and received a pretty comprehensive beating. City can’t just show up here and expect to get the victory. Watford have one of the league’s most in-form players in Odion Ighalo, a man who has hit 14 of their 24 league goals this term. The forward is a key part of their team, and he should get the chance to continue his great run this weekend. It’s hard to fancy that City defence to have any joy against the incredible strike partnership that is Ighalo and Troy Deeney, so we’re backing the Nigerian to score at some point in the game.
Sunday 3rd January 2016
Crystal Palace v Chelsea (13:30) – Palace to win (27/10 with Betfair)
Sunday sees fifth-placed Crystal Palace taking on Chelsea, who sit way down in 14th. The Eagles won the reverse fixture between these sides early on in the season, and that result has been the catalyst for their respective (divergent) campaigns so far. While Palace are flying high and pushing for the top four, the Blues are struggling, stuck in a relegation battle and facing the prospect of missing out on European football altogether next season. Even with the arrival of Guus Hiddink, they’re still in crisis. Can they turn things around here?
There’s not been too much to inspire Chelsea fans since Hiddink took over. The team still doesn’t seem settled, and there’s a lot of work still to be done. Palace are in much better shape, and they should be able to take advantage of the underperforming Blues once more. With the hosts’ excellent counter attacking skills they should be able to get the better of a Chelsea side who are now more attacking under their new boss, a change that could play into Alan Pardew’s hands, and cost the champions the points here.
Everton v Tottenham (16:00) – Over 1.5 Tottenham goals (5/4 with Coral)
The final game of the weekend sees an in-form Tottenham looking to prove their title credentials. The Lillywhites have been under the radar for a few weeks now, but their back to back wins over Christmas have them in the spotlight. With just four points between them and Arsenal, is it time to consider them as challengers to top the pile at the end of the season? Given the nature of this campaign, it’s hard to rule anything out at this stage. Mauricio Pochettino has done a wonderful job at White Hart Lane, and with a couple of additions they could really kick on.
Everton, on the other hand, are starting to wobble. Seven goals conceded in their last two at home is a real cause for concern, and Roberto Martinez’s defensive coaching has been called into question. Tim Howard has made a few crucial mistakes, but he’s likely to feature again, which will do nothing to reassure a leaky back four. With Spurs playing well, Harry Kane in form once again and their midfielders all chipping in with goals, we see them scoring at least twice in this one, on their way to securing another victory.