After seeing off Arsenal at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea travel to Turf Moor to play Sean Dyche’s Burnley this weekend looking to maintain their nine-point lead at the top. It will be a tough test but a win would send out yet another message that says the Blues will not be denied.
With Tottenham Hotspur away at Liverpool, the league leaders could well extend their handsome advantage over their rivals. Elsewhere in the Premier League, Arsenal welcome Hull City, Swansea City host Leicester City and Manchester City make the trip to Bournemouth. Defeat for the Foxes could see them drop into the bottom three and that’s a real relegation six-pointer for sure.
We’ll also be diving into the Sky Bet Championship to preview Sheffield Wednesday’s Friday night home game with Birmingham City and Saturday’s Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United fixture.
- Arsenal v Hull City – Arsenal to Win -1 (4/5 at Coral)
- Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur – Draw and Both Teams to Score (18/5 at BetVictor)
- Burnley v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win and Both Teams to Score (5/2 at Ladbrokes)
- Swansea City v Leicester City – Swansea City to Win (6/4 at Betfred)
- Bournemouth v Manchester City – Manchester City to Win to Nil (7/4 at Ladbrokes)
- Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham City – Draw (11/4 at Betfred)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United – Newcastle United to Win -1 (16/5 at Coral)
Premier League
After comfortably beating Arsenal at the weekend, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea went 12 clear of the Gunners. Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, secured a narrow 1-0 home victory over a battling Middlesbrough to cement their place in second. Manchester United got back to winning ways, whilst there were also wins for Manchester City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City, Sunderland, Everton and Watford. Chelsea look nailed on for the title but the battles for the top four and to avoid the bottom three look wide open.
Arsenal v Hull City – 11th February
The Premier League weekend gets underway early on Saturday afternoon, as Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal entertain Marco Silva’s Hull City. After suffering back-to-back Premier League losses, the Gunners will be eager to get back to winning ways this weekend.
However, they are coming up against a revitalised Hull outfit, who have taken four points off Manchester United and Liverpool over the past week. They also beat United in the EFL Cup so their form is great. Silva has already done an excellent job at the KCOM Stadium, with his side just a point adrift of safety. As for the north Londoners, two defeats in a week has seen them slip down to fourth, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.
Despite their patchy form, we can see Arsenal getting the job done this Saturday. Wenger’s men are strong on their own patch, dropping just 10 points at the Emirates all season, and we feel there’s value in Coral’s 4/5 for the home team to win -1.
Arsenal to Win -1 – 4/5 at Coral
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur – 11th February
Later on Saturday, Jurgen Klopp’s out-of-sorts Liverpool welcome Mauricio Pochettino’s in-form Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield. Having taken just three points from the last 15 on offer, the Reds have dropped 13 points off the pace in the title race. Meanwhile, Spurs have made second spot their own of late.
With the way Liverpool have been playing recently, Tottenham will feel they are there for the taking this weekend. Spurs may have only won four times on the road in the PL so far, but they are unbeaten away from home since a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in mid-December.
The Reds are in desperate need of a reprieve, but the Liverpool supporters will be fully behind their team on Saturday. We can see this one ending all square at Anfield with both sides getting on the scoresheet. BetVictor are offering 18/5 for the draw and both teams to score. If you want something at even longer odds, 1-1 looks a solid shout too.
Draw and Both Teams to Score – 18/5 at BetVictor
Burnley v Chelsea – 12th February
Burnley v Chelsea is arguably the most intriguing fixture of the weekend. On paper, this is a game that the away side should win with ease, but looking at the Clarets’ home form, that may not be the case. Only the Blues and Spurs have taken more points on their own patch than Sean Dyche’s men this season.
Because of that phenomenal stat, Burnley back themselves to beat anyone at Turf Moor, and will fancy their chances of toppling the league leaders this weekend. However, Chelsea also have the best away record in the division, and will see this one as a game they should be winning.
We fancy Chelsea to nick this fixture, but only just. We anticipate the home team to score, so we believe Ladbrokes’ tasty price of 5/2 for the west London outfit to win and both teams to score is the standout bet.
Chelsea to Win and Both Teams to Score – 5/2 at Ladbrokes
Swansea City v Leicester City – 12th February
Sunday’s late kick off comes from South Wales, as Paul Clement’s Swansea City go head-to-head with Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City. With nothing to split the pair in the Premier League table, this fixture promises to be a fascinating battle between these two strugglers.
Since arriving at the Liberty Stadium, Clement has certainly turned Swansea’s fortunes around. After securing back-to-back league wins, the Swans nearly took something from their visit to the Etihad Stadium last weekend. They were only demined by a very late goal and their strong performance means morale will still be very high. As for the Foxes, four straight PL defeats sees them looking dangerously over their shoulders, just a point above the drop zone.
We can only see one winner in this one, and it’s not the champions. Leicester are a shadow of the side who stormed to the title last year, whilst Swansea are showing real signs of recovery. Leicester are yet to score a single goal in 2017 and have problems at both ends of the pitch. With that said, we think Betfred’s 6/4 for a Swans win is well worth having a punt on and represents great value.
Swansea City to Win – 6/4 at Betfred
Bournemouth v Manchester City – 13th February
We’ve got a bonus game from the Premier League on Monday evening, as Pep Guardiola takes his Manchester City side to Dean Court to play Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth. After back-to-back PL victories, the Citizens have got themselves back on track. Meanwhile, the Cherries need to be careful, having not won in five.
Man City followed up last Wednesday’s emphatic 4-0 win over West Ham United with a hard-fought 2-1 triumph over Swansea City at the Etihad on Sunday. As for Bournemouth, they were on the wrong end of a 6-3 scoreline at Goodison Park and were torn open at will by the Toffees.
When these two met in Manchester back in September, Kevin De Bruyne, Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Ilkay Gundogan got the goals in a 4-0 City win. We can see Pep’s side beating Bournemouth to nil once again, which is available at nice chunky odds of 7/4 (Ladbrokes).
Manchester City to Win to Nil – 7/4 at Ladbrokes
Championship
With Brighton & Hove Albion only drawing 3-3 at Brentford, coupled with Newcastle United’s 1-0 home win over Derby County, the Magpies returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table last weekend. This Saturday, Rafael Benitez’s men have the chance to extend their lead at the top, when they travel to Molineux to take on Paul Lambert’s Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Sheffield Wednesday v Birmingham City – 10th February
After winning his first game in charge as Birmingham City boss at the weekend, Gianfranco Zola takes his side to Hillsborough this Friday night to face Carlos Carvalhal’s Sheffield Wednesday. The Owls occupy the last play-off place, whilst the Blues sit 12th.
Wednesday have a solid record at home, having won nine of their 13 matches on their own patch. As for Birmingham, they have won just three times on the road. When these two met at St Andrews back in September, Clayton Donaldson and Lukas Jutkiewicz got the goals in a 2-1 Blues win.
Now Birmingham have got their first win under their new manager, they will no doubt be looking to kick on. However, they are coming up against a Sheff Wed side who are hard to beat at their home ground. Therefore, we believe Betfred’s 11/4 for the draw is your best bet in this one.
Draw – 11/4 at Betfred
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United – 11th February
On Saturday evening, Paul Lambert’s Wolverhampton Wanderers and Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United go head-to-head at Molineux in a tasty Sky Bet Championship fixture. Wolves, who have picked up in recent weeks, will be looking to get back to winning ways following defeat at Burton Albion last weekend.
The Magpies went back to the top of the Championship with a narrow 1-0 win over Derby County last Saturday. With Brighton having taken just a point from their last two matches, Newcastle will be hoping they are having a wobble. Rafa will know that now is the time to keep the pressure on their rivals and he will be desperate to claim the win here.
Benitez’s men should be too strong for Wanderers this weekend. We fancy the away team to win by a margin on Saturday, so we like the look of Coral’s 16/5 for Newcastle to win -1. Wolves are wildly inconsistent and we think the Magpies will punish them here with a comfortable victory.
Newcastle United to Win -1 – 16/5 at Coral