Another superb weekend of Premier League football is supplemented by a midweek round of fixtures to complete round 14, including Newcastle vs Liverpool and Arsenal vs Manchester United.
Liverpool reasserted their grip on the title race by maintaining their nine-point lead over Arsenal through handing Manchester City their sixth defeat in seven, leaving Guardiola’s men 11 points off the top in 5th position.
With a third of the season expired, the table is beginning to take shape, but there are still so many points to play for. If you fancy a bet on the football, why not try our live betting, where you can bet on the action in-play. New customers to betFIRST are entitled to our Welcome Bet, where you can win €75 if both teams score in your chosen selection.
*All odds are subject to change
Ipswich to draw with Crystal Palace @ 3.40
After having poor starts, these two teams have been relatively stable in the last few weeks, picking up a few unlikely points. While Palace ended last season very positively, their early season dip has been quite alarming to fans and pundits who were tipping them to comfortably finish in midtable.
Ipswich, as most promoted clubs do, struggled to match the quality of the Premier League in the early stages, but the players and the manager are both starting to get to grips with what is required of them. So, based on recent form, we think this screams a point apiece.
Newcastle to draw with Liverpool @ 4.00
Those that have followed Newcastle closely over the past few years might have recognised that they transform into a different animal when playing the ‘big’ teams of the Premier League. Notable victories over Arsenal, and draws against Manchester City stand out, but Liverpool have won on their last three visits to Tyneside.
Regardless, coming down from the highs of beating Real Madrid and City in the last week may be difficult for a team under a new type of pressure, with most making them clear favourites to go on and win the title. A draw at St James’ might just be the reminder they need to keep their feet on the ground.
Aston Villa to beat Brentford @ 1.83
Aston Villa’s season has stalled horribly in recent weeks. They are currently eight without a win in all competitions, and suffered defeat at the hands of Chelsea last weekend, losing 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile Brentford, as they usually do at home, won comfortably when confronted by the challenge of Leicester City, running out 4-1 winners. Though the Bees top the home league table with six wins and one draw, away from The G-Tech Community Stadium, they’ve drawn just one and lost five of their six games so far. So, you can understand why we’re tipping Villa to get their first win in since October.
Arsenal to beat Manchester United @ 1.46
Are Arsenal ‘back’? It seems so, with the return of captain Martin Odegaard sparking life back into their season, as they completed an impressive week that included a 5-1 battering of Sporting, with a 5-2 demolition of West Ham.
Worryingly for Arsenal fans, they were without Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino for their trip to the London Stadium, but if they can keep their squad fit, they will be the nearest challengers to Liverpool.
Visitors Manchester United come into this one with the confidence of a 4-0 win over a poor Everton side, but with each week, new manager Ruben Amorim can get closer to his vision of this team. A headline fixture may have come a few weeks too soon, though, so we expect an Arsenal win.
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