Betting guru Jones Knows was in red-hot form with his predictions last weekend – what has caught his eye this time around?
Wolves vs Brentford
Wolves remain a team I want to keep on my side. They turned impressive performances into points last weekend at Watford, playing with plenty of control and confidence in the second half to thoroughly deserve maximum points against a team set for a season of struggle. The task for them this weekend will be a similar one with Brentford likely to remain playing with their no-thrills style where clean sheets are their ploy to a season of survival.
SCORE PREDICTION: 0-0
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
Burnley vs Arsenal
If Mikel Arteta can create a solid spine to what Arsenal are trying to do, then a top-six finish is still within their grasp despite a flaky start. The signs are there to get me on board with that prediction.
Gabriel Magalhaes adds plenty of steel and no-nonsense defending to compliment Ben White’s footballing ability and Thomas Partey will become an automatic starter when able to stay clear of injury. There is a talented team lurking, I’m sure of it. And I’m happy to side with them for this one in what should be a tight game.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace
The quality within the ranks of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City is making them impossible to oppose when facing any other team in this Premier League. As Gary Neville pondered on Monday Night Football, this might be the best English domestic league we have ever seen in terms of quality.
If Liverpool take their chances in this one, then Palace will not stand a chance – a very similar defeat looks on the cards to the one they suffered at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend.
Interestingly, Sadio Mane has scored in each of his last eight appearances against Palace.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-0
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
Manchester City vs Southampton
If it looks like a home win, quacks like a home win, then it is probably a home win. You do not need me to tell you that.
Instead of fumbling around trying to sniff out some betting value in the outright match prices, my eyes are firmly focused on Manchester City players in the various goalscorer markets.
Pep Guardiola has started the Spaniard in all six matches across all competitions this season – clearly he likes the way he leads the line.
Although ripe for improvement in that position, Torres does have the instincts to get in where it hurts and should be thriving in that central role with the amount of quality ammunition coming in from wide areas.
SCORE PREDICTION: 4-0
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
Aston Villa vs Everton
Villa got plenty of tongues wagging with their performance at Chelsea. Yes, getting done 3-0 is not exactly a reason for cheer but the performance on show, with Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings starting in attack, looked promising. They created an expected goal figure of 1.73 at Stamford Bridge and posted 18 shots on Edouard Mendy’s goal. Since Thomas Tuchel took charge, no opposition team has amassed a higher expected goal figure in a Chelsea home game.
The question is, can they be trusted to back up that performance in a completely different match scenario? Never trust one much-improved run in isolation, a wise horse racing punter told me. That may ring true here. I have my doubts on Villa with some snoozy and lackadaisical early-season showings, defined by me as the Grealish hangover, still lingering in my thoughts. I am happy to take them on with Everton in town and then start to respect them as a force in the future if backing the Chelsea performance up.
Everton will be happy to allow Villa the ball and that will suit Rafa Benitez’s boys down to the ground. Not many teams go to Brighton and play with such control and fizz on the counter-attack. They got a result there playing that way and this could be a similar outcome.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
West Ham vs Manchester United
Manchester United remain an overrated team by the markets. Cristiano Ronaldo, of course, makes them stronger in the final third but as a team they are being rated very closely to Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City. The team aspect of their play and strategy from the man at the helm falls very short when compared to those three aforementioned teams. It is basically a formula of relying on quality individuals to make match-changing interventions at key times.
All fine and dandy against most teams in this Premier League but playing that way does leave you vulnerable to fit, well-coached teams that play above the sum of their parts. Wolves absolutely played United off the park ticking all those criteria – all that was missing was the ability to score from creating an expected goals figure of 2.33. My money was down on Wolves that day. And, I am in the mood for recouping some now United are up against another excellent opponent with the counter-attacking style and finishing ability to hurt them.
The Hammers have scored in 18 of their last 20 home matches and even though Michail Antonio is suspended, their defensive organisation and skill on the counter-attack is capable of creating big chances against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1
BET NOW WITH MELBET & GET 300% BONUS
