Another round of Premier League fixtures is scheduled for this weekend, with key encounters at both ends of the division.
We have previewed five of the 10 games taking place on Saturday and Sunday, including a massive match at the Emirates Stadium.
A £10 wager on our three-leg acca would pay out £40.38, while the same stake on our five-leg version offers a potential return of £125.56.
Arsenal vs Manchester City: Arsenal to score first (8/13)
When these two teams locked horns in September, it was billed as a match that would have a big influence on the Premier League title race.
Back then no one envisaged Liverpool running away with the league, or Manchester City suffering a dramatic collapse in form.
Arsenal are still in the hunt heading into the weekend, but a defeat here would leave their championship chances hanging by a thread if Liverpool were to beat Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Gunners ground out a 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out and Mikel Arteta will want to see the same grit and resilience here.
City have returned to form recently, though, and they have their own strong incentive to win as they seek to finish in the top four.
Pep Guardiola’s side are still conceding chances, though, and they have conceded first in their last two games in all competitions.
Back Arsenal to score first at 8/13 with bet365
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace: BTTS (4/6)
Manchester United have quietly put a promising run of results together, losing only one of their last seven matches in all competitions.
Ruben Amorim’s team are far from the finished article and the manager will not be getting carried away, but United should be back in the top half of the table before too long.
Do not underestimate Crystal Palace, though. The Eagles may have been edged out 2-1 by Brentford last weekend, but they have a pretty strong record over the last few months.
Indeed, since the November international break Palace have only lost two games. Only Liverpool, Arsenal and Bournemouth have been beaten less often in that time.
Meanwhile you have to go all the way back to October 21 to find the last occasion on which Oliver Glasner’s side were defeated away from home.
They have since gone seven games unbeaten on the road, scoring in six of them. A clean sheet will be beyond United here.
Choose both teams to score at 4/6 with bet365
Wolves vs Aston Villa: Under 1.5 goals first half (1/2)
Aston Villa qualified directly for the Champions League last 16 in midweek with a 4-2 victory over Celtic.
That is a magnificent achievement given the club had not taken part in Europe’s premier competition for decades. Villa finished above the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain in the league phase.
Villa have often suffered a comedown after Champions League games, however, and we are likely to see another on Saturday.
Unai Emery will also be concerned by his team’s poor away record domestically. Villa have won just one of their last seven league matches on the road.
Wolves remain in the thick of a relegation battle after the ‘new manager bounce’ under Vitor Pereira quickly wore off. They have scored just one goal in their last four matches, a worrying sign given how free-scoring Wolves were under Gary O’Neil.
This West Midlands derby looks set to be a slow burner.
Tip under 1.5 goals in the first half at 1/2 with bet365
Back the 3-fold acca
Bournemouth vs Liverpool: BTTS and over 2.5 goals (8/11)
A trip to Bournemouth is one of the toughest assignments in the Premier League right now.
The Cherries stuffed high-flying Nottingham Forest 5-0 at the Vitality Stadium last time out, while they have also beaten Arsenal and Manchester City on home turf.
Liverpool have still only lost one league game this term, however, and they will give as good as they have got on the south coast.
It is hard to see how this match is not high-scoring. Bournemouth are incredibly dangerous with their fluid front four and their aggressive pressing game.
Meanwhile, although Liverpool have not been as defensive solid as usual in recent weeks, they still pack a significant punch in attack.
This may end up being the most entertaining encounter of the Premier League weekend.
Go for both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 8/11 with bet365
Everton vs Leicester City: Everton to win (4/5)
Everton are revitalised under David Moyes, who has overseen back-to-back victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion.
We like their chances of making it three in a row against Leicester City. The Foxes may have beaten Spurs last weekend, but prior to that they lost seven games in a row in the Premier League.
Moyes has given Everton more of an attacking threat since replacing Sean Dyche, whose team were overly defensive.
The fans are fully behind the manager and the team once more, and that makes Everton a much tougher opponent.
With the Goodison Park crowd behind them, the Toffees can pull further clear of the relegation zone this weekend.
Select Everton to win at 4/5 with bet365
Back the 5-fold acca
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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