Premier League and EFL Championship football is back this weekend after a week off to let the internationals take centre stage. Crystal Palace and Liverpool get the PL back up and running with a fixture at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon. The Premier League action moves up a gear from there though with two other huge games on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.
Before then, though, we have Championship action on Good Friday with 10 big fixtures taking place in England’s second tier, as table-toppers Wolverhampton Wanderers face in-form Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium on Friday.
- Crystal Palace v Liverpool – Liverpool to Win 2-0 (15/2 at Bet365)
- Everton v Manchester City – Manchester City Win & BTTS (19/10 at Coral)
- Arsenal v Stoke City – Arsenal to Win -1 (10/11 at Betfair)
- Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur – Draw & BTTS (18/5 at BetVictor)
- Middlesbrough v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Wolverhampton Wanderers Win (17/10 at BetVictor)
- Derby County v Sunderland – Derby County HT/FT (27/20 at Ladbrokes)
- Hull City v Aston Villa – Aston Villa Win (13/8 at Bet365)
Premier League
The title race may be all but done and dusted, but the battle for the UEFA Champions League spots and the fight for survival is starting to heat up in the Premier League. This Sunday, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur – who are both fighting for a place in the top four – meet in a heavyweight clash at Stamford Bridge. At the other end of the table, West Ham United host Southampton on Saturday. Man City also have the motivation of knowing that a win at Everton would enable them to seal the title against their biggest rivals, United.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool – 31st March
Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace welcome Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to Selhurst Park this Saturday for an important fixture in the Premier League. The Eagles are fighting for their lives, while the Reds are battling for a place in the top four as well as the runners-up spot.
After four successive defeats, Palace sealed a vital 2-0 away win at Huddersfield Town before the international break. Liverpool, meanwhile, got back to winning ways with an emphatic 5-0 home victory over Watford.
Palace have won just once at Selhurst Park in 2018, and this will no doubt be a struggle against Klopp’s sensational Reds. We’re backing Liverpool to leave London with a 2-0 win (15/2 at Bet365).
Liverpool to Win 2-0 – 15/2 at Bet365
Everton v Manchester City – 31st March
Man City are just a few wins away from claiming the Premier League title, but winning at Goodison Park this Saturday will not be an easy task for Pep Guardiola’s Citizens. Nevertheless, City make the trip to Merseyside as big favourites against the only side to deny them victory at the Etihad this term.
After a woeful start to their campaign, Everton have done well to claw themselves out of trouble and into the top half of the table. As for Man City, they have without doubt been the dominant force in the Premier League all season long.
Guardiola’s superstars will fancy their chances of taking all three points back to Manchester. This should be an entertaining affair, so put some money on the away win and both teams to score at 19/10 (Coral).
Manchester City Win & BTTS – 19/10 at Coral
Arsenal v Stoke City – 31st March
Arsene Wenger’s side have won their last three in all competitions, can they seal another victory when they host Paul Lambert’s Stoke City at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday?
The Gunners won’t finish in the top four, but they are still battling strongly in the UEFA Europa League, were they have reached the last eight. As for the Potters, they languish in 19th place in the Premier League table and are looking more and more like being relegated this term.
Wenger’s boys should have too much quality for struggling Stoke to handle on Sunday, so back the hosts to win -1 at the solid price of 10/11 with Betfair. The Gunners have been solid enough at home and we fancy them to beat a lesser opponent at the Emirates with ease once again.
Arsenal to Win -1 – 10/11 at Betfair
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur – 1st April
The most eye-catching PL fixture of the weekend is Sunday’s London derby between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. Spurs sit five points above the fifth-placed Blues in fourth and a win here would surely see them go on to finish above their west London rivals.
With both sides out of the Champions League, finishing in the top four will be their only chance of playing CL football next term. A Chelsea win will see them close the gap to just two points, but defeat will be disastrous for Conte and his side.
There’s hardly anything to split these on paper, and we can see the two playing out an entertaining draw on Sunday afternoon. The draw and both teams to score at the Bridge is available at BetVictor’s top price of 18/5.
Draw & BTTS – 18/5 at BetVictor
Championship
Wolves maintained their six-point gap at the top of the table after a 3-1 win over Burton Albion before the international break, while Cardiff City’s game at Derby County was postponed, somewhat controversially, due to snow. This Friday, Nuno Espirito Santo’s boys make the trip to the Riverside to face Tony Pulis’ thriving Boro. Cardiff, meanwhile, entertain Burton at the Cardiff City Stadium and will fancy their chances of a routine win against the strugglers.
Middlesbrough v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 30th March
Wolves have got back on track after a minor blip and are on course to reach the Premier League. However, Wanderers face a tough task on Friday when they travel to the Riverside Stadium to play Tony Pulis’ in-form Middlesbrough.
With Aston Villa and Fulham dropping points last time out, Santo’s side have opened up a huge 13-point gap on the play-off places. As for Boro, their improved form of late has lifted them into the top six.
This should be a cracker on Teesside, but we fancy Wolves to move one step closer to the top flight with a win at the Riverside on Friday. BetVictor’s 17/10 is your best price for an away victory and it’s not often this term you’ve been able to get odds that long on the champions-elect.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Win – 17/10 at BetVictor
Derby County v Sunderland – 30th March
On Friday night, Gary Rowett’s Derby and Chris Coleman’s Sunderland lock horns at Pride Park. The Rams will be looking for a win to fend off the chasing pack in the race for the play-offs, while Sunderland are desperate for points as they prop up the Championship table.
Derby have hit a poor patch of form at just the wrong time, something their fans have become accustomed to over the last few years. As for the Black Cats, they look nailed on to suffer back-to-back relegations.
County have not won since early February, but Rowett’s men should put that poor run to bed this Friday. Have a punt on Derby to be winning at half time and full time, which is priced at 27/20 with Ladbrokes.
Derby County HT/FT – 27/20 at Ladbrokes
Hull City v Aston Villa – 31st March
The final Championship match of the round comes from the KCOM Stadium where Hull City host Aston Villa on Saturday evening. Despite losing their last two, Steve Bruce’s Villa head to East Yorkshire as firm favourites.
The Tigers have given themselves a chance for survival after winning two of their last three. Meanwhile, having previously won three on the bounce, shock back-to-back defeats have seriously hindered the Villans’ automatic promotion aspirations and the play-offs looks to be their destiny now.
Aston Villa won’t want Cardiff to pull too far away in the race for second, so they will be desperate to get all three points from this one. We fancy the visitors to nick it, so take a punt on a Villa win at solid looking odds of 13/8 with Bet365.
Aston Villa Win – 13/8 at Bet365