The New Year begins with a bang with only one game in the Premier League but a glut of festive crackers to be enjoyed lower down the pyramid.
We’ve got selections from three matches to hopefully make it a successful start to 2025.
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Bet of the day
Reading to win at Cambridge Utd – 6/4
It wasn’t that long ago that a couple of divisions separated League One sides Cambridge from Reading and that gulf could plausibly be reinstated next season.
Reading, a Championship team as recently as 2023, have adjusted to Ruben Selles’ departure with Noel Hunt masterminding back-to-back wins over Northampton and Mansfield to move the Royals back into the play-off places.
Cambridge, meanwhile, have won only one of their last 12 – and that was against 23rd-placed Shrewsbury – and were thumped 3-0 at Reading as recently as a month ago.
Garry Monk’s men have lost three in a row and an already stretched squad looks even thinner minus Sullay Kaikai, who suffered an ankle injury in Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Leyton Orient.
Special of the day
Bet Builder: Brentford v Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals/Gabriel Jesus to score/Brentford Over 4.5 Corners – 23/4
There is only one Premier League match to savour on New Year’s Day, a London derby between Brentford and Arsenal.
Brentford do all their best work at home where they have scored 26 goals this term, the most home goals by any side in the league.
Arsenal, rocked by Bukayo Saka’s injury, made hard work of edging Ipswich 1-0 last time out but should get more joy in a far more open contest at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Try your hand at a Bet Builder, with over 2.5 goals the first of three legs, and Gabriel Jesus scoring at any time the second.
Saka’s injury plus the demands of the schedule ensures the likes of Jesus will get far more pitch-time and with six goals in his last three, the Brazilian is on a hot streak.
Don’t expect Brentford to back off because they never do at home, and Thomas Frank’s men, such a threat from set-plays, can chalk up over 4.5 corners, which can be the final leg of the Bet Builder.
Long shot of the day
West Brom v Preston 1-1 Correct Score – 11/2
If there’s one game on the Wednesday card which simply screams “draw”, it’s the showdown at the Hawthorns between stalemate kings West Brom and Preston.
West Brom lead the way for draws in the Championship with 12 of their 24 matches having ended all-square, while North End have shared the spoils 11 times.
You probably won’t be surprised to know that when these two met at Deepdale at the back end of November, the game ended 1-1.
The Baggies have been involved in four 1-1 draws this season, Preston five, so take these stalemate experts to register that same scoreline when they meet in West Bromwich.
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