Admittedly, it was a very bad week last week with our FA Cup bets. Not one of our five tips came up (Goddamn it Richard Stearman). But like every good tipster, we dust ourselves down and pick ourselves back up. We've sifted through the odds on Ladbrokes to find our five best Premier League bets ahead of the weekend's action. Starting with the big Saturday afternoon kickoff
The Balls.ie Football Show Ladbrokes Bet Of The Week
Chelsea to beat Arsenal by one goal @13/5
When you think of Chelsea, you think of Conte and you think of tactically scything teams apart.
When you think of Arsenal, you think of a ridiculous inconsistency also known as ‘doing an Arsenal’
So it makes the meeting of these two at Stamford Bridge on Saturday quite interesting. Will Arsene Wenger’s side be aiming for a backlash after the humiliation by Watford? Or will they do an Arsenal like they’ve tended to do at the Bridge? The Gunners haven’t won at Chelsea since the 5-3 game in 2013 when Robin Van Persie grabbed a hat trick.
Chelsea seem content to score once and sit back on their lead – but not in the boring way like it used to be. It cost them slightly against Liverpool midweek but they’ll have been happy with the draw. They’re extremely hard to beat at home.
Arsenal gave Chelsea a beating in the Emirates earlier in the season, but it doesn’t look likely that that will happen again. Eight of Chelsea’s 18 league wins so far this season have come by the single goal. We think this could be their ninth.
Troy Deeney to score and Watford to win @ 3/1
Watford caused one of the bigger shocks of the season so far during the week when they managed to beat Arsenal at the Emirates.
Burnley are currently defying most people’s pre-season predictions. A lot of pundits would’ve had them marked down as relegation fodder, but that’s not the case as they currently sit 10th in the table. Their home form is fantastic, with nine wins from thirteen games. If the league was just based off home results, Burnley would be third
The same cannot be said about their form away from Turf Moor. If the table was read with just away results, Burnley would be bottom. They have yet to win an away game, managing just one draw and nine losses.
The Hornets are buzzing (obvious pun intended) and Troy Deeney has two in two. Back him to score and Watford to win.
Palace and Sunderland to finish 1-1 @6/1
This is the game that’ll probably be last on Match of the Day. One win in the last eight games for both of these sides.
Palace have conceded at least one goal in 91% of their home matches, Sunderland have conceded a goal in 100% of their away games. Can you see where we’re going with this?
These sides can’t seem to play for 90 mintues either. Sunderland have only managed to score once away from home in the first half all season, while Palace have conceded 56% of their goals at Selhurst Park in the second.
Both sides need the win desperately. Sunderland could come off the bottom of the table, while Palace can try and scramble out of the relegation zone depending on other results
But when both sides need a win, more often than not we get a draw. Back the 1-1 at decent odds.
Harry Kane to score first and Spurs to win 3-0 @11/1
Spurs have kept seven clean sheets at White Hart Lane. They’re absolutely dominating teams (unless they’re from League Two) in North London and have wins over Chelsea and Man City already this season. Having said that, they’ve drawn their last two games and struggled against Wycombe.
If Arsenal want a backlash, then Spurs fans will just want to ease any worries. Central to that is Harry Kane, who hasn’t scored since his last game at the Lane, in which he got a hat trick.
True, Middlesbrough have only conceded 12 times in 11 away games. And three may be a little harsh, but when Spurs get going, they’re hard to stop.
Daniel Sturridge to score against Hull @23/20
If he can’t do it against Hull, there is no hope left.
Daniel Sturridge has scored twice all season. Once against Sunderland and once against Stoke in a routine win. That’s
Far cry from the player that Liverpool saw in even 2014. Sturridge hasn’t completed 90 minutes all season
Hull have conceded the opening goal in three quarters of their matches. They’re locked firmly inside the bottom three and don’t look like escaping it any time soon. Especially since they sold seemingly their best player in Robert Snodgrass.
So it should be a routine Liverpool win to get them back onto some sort of form. We’re backing Sturridge to score at 23/20. Because if he doesn’t, when will he ever again?
