After the final international break of the season, we now return to domestic action this weekend with the return of the Premier League.
And for fans of the domestic game, the good news is that there are no more breaks in what has been an incredibly fragmented season, right the way through until the end of the season in June.
That means teams have between 10 or 12 games to play, to decide their fates across what has been an unusual season in so many ways.
It begins this weekend with a full set of games from Saturday through to Monday and within that selection are a number of massive games with implications at the top and bottom of the table.
So what we have done is previewed all ten games as per usual and given you our top tip for each one listed below!
All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing but may change in the time since the article was published.
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Kick off times are 3pm unless otherwise stated.
The big two from the last five years or so have had different seasons than recet times. City have been chasing Arsenal in the league while Liverpool’s form has tailed off dramatically so much so that a place in the Champions League next season by qualifying in the top four is now a genuine aim for the last part of the season.
City will be without Foden and Haaland for this game which is a loss, but Liverpool have their own injury worries with Nunez and Thiago amongst those who could miss out. City have a great record at home to Liverpool and it’s hard to see that failing them here.
Tip – Manchester City to win and both teams to score – 21/10
With two wins and a draw in their last four games, Leeds United have moved out of the drop zone for the time being but they face a huge test against the current Premier League leaders, who will have home advantage and come into this game on the back of five straight wins in the competition.
Leeds can produce some great attacking play on the road, but Arsenal have been rock solid this season, sometimes turning things around when the have looked beaten. As such, I can’t go against the home team landing the win here.
Tip – Arsenal to win and both teams to score – 15/8
Lying in 19th place, Bournemouth desperately need the points here, but Fulham are comfortable in 9th place and come into this game in need of a win themselves after losing their last two Premier League games to fall a little off the pace being set by the top eight.
I do feel Bournemouth are going to be one of the teams that go down this season but Fulham are a bit of a sketchy team of late, winning a couple but then losing and drawing a few, but I am backing the Londoners to get back on track with a win here.
Tip – Fulham to win – 9/5
Two of the teams that have excelled and surprised in the Premier League this season given how well they have performed and both still harbour ambitions of landing a place in Europe next season if they can finish the season strongly. It has certainly been a fantastic season for fans of both Brighton and Brentford.
They lie 7th and 8th in the table and both have similar form over their last five games, winning two, drawing two and losing one. That does suggest a draw is the optimal result but I feel Brighton just have the edge being at home so I am backing them here.
Tip – Brighton to win – 4/6
A relegation six-pointer for these two teams as Palace, now with Roy Hodgson in charge after the sacking of Patrick Vieira, try to end a four-game losing streak against a Leicester City side who managed to do that last time out by earning a draw away to Brentford.
The Foxes lie just outside the relegation zone in 17thm while Palace are 12th but only two points ahead of Leicester and a win for the Foxes would see them move above Palace. I am not convinced going back to Roy Hodgson is the answer for Palace here and as such, I think Leicester could make them pay.
Tip – Leicester to win – 19/10
This is a key midlands relegation battle with both teams feeling a win here would radically boost their hopes of staying up. Both have lost their last two Premier League games, while Forest have picked up just two points from the last 15 available to drop down to 16th, while Wolves are now 13th but only one point ahead of their rivals.
One thing is certain, neither team is a prolific scorer with both scoring a Premier League low 22 goals so far this season, so goals will be at a premium which makes me feel a 1-0 win for either side or a 0-0 draw is most likely. Given how tight things are at the bottom, I think the draw may be the best option here.
Tip – Draw – 21/10
Has Graham Potter finally found a way to get the best from his Chelsea team? Better results in the Premier League and a place in the Champions league quarterfinals suggests that he may well have done and that does seem like a problem for visiting Aston Villa here on Saturday tea-time.
Unbeaten in their last three EPL games, Chelsea look solid but Villa have the same number of points and are unbeaten in four, so this isn’t going to be as easy as many people would expect. I expect a closely fought game here but one that I think Chelsea will do enough to win.
Tip – Correct Score – Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa – 8/1
This is a huge relegation battle between two teams that lie 18th and 20th in the table. Both are in desperate need of points and will view this game as one that offers them a great chance of three points in their quest to avoid the drop one.
West Ham’s form has been so erratic this season it is hard to say how they will go here. Southampton’s away form is much better than their home form, so it may well suit them that this game is on the road and in truth, I fancy the Saints to get a result more than I do West Ham here.
Tip – Southampton to win – 4/1
This is a key game where a win for either side would be huge. A win for Newcastle would put them, temporarily at least, third in the table ahead of Spurs (who play tomorrow) and Manchester United. A win for United would open up a gap on both Tottenham and Newcastle and keep them on the heels of the top two.
United beat Newcastle in the Carabao Cup Final earlier on this year but the last two Premier League games between the two have finished as draws. With home advantage, I’d expect a better performance from Newcastle here, but I can’t quite see them landing the win. As such, I am backing the score draw here.
Tip – Draw and both teams to score – 10/3
After picking up five points from their last three games, Everton have moved out of the drop zone to 15th in the league table, but they are still very much in the relehation battle, just two points outside of the bottom three.
They face a Spurs side who have seen manager Antonio Conte sacked in the international break and the feeling I have is that this could well be a dangerous time to face Spurs. The Toffees home form under Sean Dyche though is pretty good, so I think a draw may be the best option here.
Tip – Draw – 23/10 with bet635.
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