How are we, people? So, Halloween has been and gone. Can’t say I’m gutted, to be honest. Halloween is basically knocking on strangers’ doors and asking for sweets. Try that sh*t in February and see how far it gets you.
Read on for a breakdown of the best bets from this weekend’s Premier League TV games from Sports News Blitz’s punting laureate - The Bookie Basher - including the clash between Manchester United and Aston Villa on Sunday, October 8.
Good luck, punnas!
Everton vs Coventry City
Coventry fans must be delighted with the start their team has made to the season.
Above Manchester United in the table, having banked nine points from nine games, Frank Lampard’s mob would love to get something from this trip to Merseyside.
They’ve won three of their last five - after starting life back in the Premier League with four straight defeats - but to be fair, the recent fixture list has been kind, and those wins have come against struggling sides.
Blues boss David Moyes says there is a way back for Jack Grealish at the club - but the former England man is unlikely to feature again on Friday night.
The Toffees don’t have a massive squad but have won four of their six league and cup games at HQ this season.
Everton to win and over 2.5 goals looks the play here.
Suggested bet: Everton to win & Over 2.5 goals at 9/4 (bet365)
Leeds United vs Tottenham
Leeds need a win because:
They are on a run of five without a win in the Premier League
I have them in a load of ante-post Accas to finish in the top half of the table
They are certainly not without hope here, as to be fair there are few places in English football where a fan base can make a match feel quite so combustible as Elland Road.
Spurs seem to be turning a corner under Roberto De Zerbi and after an iffy start, they enjoyed a humdinger of an October (three wins and a draw).
Tottenham's defence has been tighter than Lester Piggot’s wallet in the last few weeks, and they have dominated this fixture in recent times (winning nine of the last 11 encounters against the Yorkshire giants).
Spurs’ Mohammed Kudus is flying right now, with three assists and a willingness to go right at defenders.
Kudus is 6/5 to be fouled at least twice in Saturday’s early kick-off, and frankly I like them apples.
The Ghanaian has won nine fouls in six league appearances for the Spuds so far and ranks among the more frequently fouled attacking players in the league because of his dribbling style.
You can't start a fire,
You can't start a fire without a spark,
Kudus is on fire,
And he hates the sh*t from Upton Park!
Suggested bet: Kudus 2+ fouls at 6/5 (bet365)
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
Despite a rough couple of weeks, Manchester City are fancied to beat Forest here, with the Tricky Trees having dropped into the relegation zone.
Pressure is on new boss Oliver Glasner, and in truth Forest looked way off it against Brentford last weekend.
The problem lies in attack, with the normally dependable Chris Wood yet to notch a goal despite 11 appearances this season and Liam Delap looking anything but a £50million Premier League striker.
The Cityzens are hardly purring themselves. Before Wednesday night’s win in Germany, Man City had only won two of their last six matches in 90 minutes.
I have a weird hunch - probably due to my laptop being too low - that this finishes 2-0.
Suggested bet: Manchester City to win 2-0 at 8/1 (bet365)
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool
Pierre Sage is a 3/1 poke to be the next 'Premier League to Leave Post' (Michael Carrick is the even money favourite) after a poor start as Palace boss.
The Eagles are third from the bottom, having picked up just seven points from nine matches so far.
Jean-Philippe Mateta let him down against Spurs after being sent off in the opening 10 minutes, but another defeat here and Palace could be saying ‘Au Revoir, mush.’
Liverpool actually played well against Arsenal but lacked a cutting edge in the final third, and it all felt a bit passive at times.
They could have put themselves right back in the title mix last Sunday, so it was a strange collective display. Winning teams exhibit controlled aggression.
This is not a trophy-winning team IMVHO, and the bookies agree with me, it seems, with the Reds out to 16/1 now to win the league.
They should beat Palace, who have failed to score in any of their last three Premier League games.
Don’t be shocked if Alexander Isak starts diving all over the gaff at Selhurst Park, either after that non-penalty that was absolutely a penalty against the Gunners.
The big Swede is 6/5 to score here, and that looks the bet.
Suggested bet: Isak to score anytime at 6/5 (bet365)
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Manchester United vs Aston Villa
Nine games and almost two months is an eternity to wait to win a football match at a club of Manchester United's size, but the Red Devils finally delivered for their fans against Roma in midweek.
The media are a fickle bunch, mind. Manchester United squeak past Roma from 0-2 down on Tuesday, and immediately we are back with the "Corner Has Been Turned" narrative in the life of a Manchester United manager.
Has it really, though? Michael Carrick’s men are just outside of the bottom three at the time of writing, and the Geordie boss is in charge of a squad that looks really unbalanced (and with a few players who have too much to say for themselves).
Before Tuesday’s late heroics against the Italians, they had scored just twice in their last five games, and their only clean sheet in the last 14 games came against lowly Sabah.
Johan Manzambi is one of the hottest young talents in the Premier League, and his partnership with Nicolas Jackson might be the coldest in the top flight right now.
In six league games this season, he has scored twice and laid on three assists. The man is a baller.
The Theatre of Dreams looks like it could be his stage too, so I'm happy to take 7/5 that he either scores or creates an assist against a Manchester United defence that has struggled all season.
Suggested bet: Manzambi to score or assist at 7/5 (betway)
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