SATURDAY PREMIER LEAGUE: The Striker previews the first Saturday of action in the new Premier League season with recommended BETDAQ bets. It’s a cracker to start with – Old Trafford at 12.30pm for MAN U v LEEDS.
MANCHESTER UNITED V LEEDS
12.30pm The Premier League is well and truly back! After a full season with Covid19 restrictions, fans are fully back in stadiums and we have a full Saturday fixture list, which is fantastic as all football bets are 0% Commission on BETDAQ Betting Exchange on Saturday! I have to say, I was enjoying the staggered fixture list because you could watch every game, but now we’ll have to choose a 3pm game – but isn’t it fantastic to be back to normal? We start the day with a cracker too as Manchester United host Leeds. This is traditionally a massive fixture for the fans, and you have to say Leeds have a realistically chance of winning these days too. In the past, United were much better. Leeds had a very impressive season last season too – we have a fascinating game ahead!
United are reasonably big favourites as they are currently trading around 1.6. They have made some big money summer signings during the transfer window – signings that were needed too, and for the moment they seem to be holding onto Paul Pogba too. Certainly Messi to PSG has probably stopped their interest for the time being, but United do need to sort out his contract soon. There’s a lot of pressure on a positive start for United after their summer, and I feel Leeds could spoil the party. Their xG figures were very impressive last season, and you have to say United did have issues at the back. I would have United a little bigger than 1.6, and I’m happy to have a small lay at the odds. This is an intriguing contest to start the day; I can’t wait to see how this game goes.
The Striker Says:
Two points lay Manchester United to beat Leeds at 1.6 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQMunlee
BURNLEY V BRIGHTON
3pm This is a fascinating market. Brighton were involved in a relegation battle towards the end of last season before their class pulled them out of it. Their xG figures were incredible though, and they were in the Top Six on xG – even higher at times during the season. At certain stages of the season it was actually unbelievable how they lost some games. For example, they lost 1-0 to West Brom and xG finished 3.28 to 0.73 to Brighton and before that they lost 2-1 to Crystal Palace with an xG of 3.03 to 0.27! They surely have to move up the table this season, and perhaps this is the year their points reflects their performances. You can’t argue that they play good football – perhaps the biggest problem is a natural goal scorer but then given the price of strikers these days they probably can’t afford that luxury.
Burnley actually finished below Brighton last season, there was only two points between them but their performances were worlds apart. You’d have to say Burnley are a little under pressure this season, as is always the case when you finish just outside the relegation places. They really struggled to create chances and score goals – and I can see that continuing this season. Brighton look good value here at 2.58; they were much better on paper and hopefully they can get off to a winning start. If this wasn’t the first week, this is definitely a price you could have a bigger stake on.
The Striker Says:
Two points win Brighton to beat Burnley at 2.58 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQBurbri
CHELSEA V CRYSTAL PALACE
3pm Chelsea got their season started on Wednesday against Villarreal in the UEFA Super Cup so they might have a marginal fitness edge, however this should be a straightforward win for them. It will be very interesting to see how Crystal Palace get on this season without Roy Hodgson – obviously he wasn’t at the same kind of level as Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger, but you can see the same type of result after he has left here. That would place Crystal Palace slap bang in a relegation fight, and they are my “outside” choice to go down this year. I say “outside,” because they aren’t fully outsiders, just not one of the favourites! Chelsea had to go to penalties on Wednesday night, but I feel it’s a case of how many goals will they score here rather than will they win.
I know I mentioned above Brighton finishing in the top five on xG, well it’s the opposite story with Crystal Palace. xG would place them in the bottom three – the only sides deservedly below them being West Brom and Sheffield United. That’s a very worrying sign, especially with Hodgson gone this season. I can see this being a smooth win for Chelsea, who are expected to have a pretty big season. Palace generally struggle to score, so I much prefer Chelsea -1.5 goals to say over 2.5 match goals. Chelsea -1.5 is trading 1.85 and that looks cracking value.
The Striker Says:
Two points win Chelsea -1.5 goals to beat Crystal Palace at 1.85 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQChecry
EVERTON V SOUTHAMPTON
3pm This is an interesting fixture. It will probably get lost in the amount of fixtures at 3pm today, but I’m fascinated to see how Everton get on this season. Carlo Ancelotti had been making some good progress, and you have to say that at times last season Everton were Top Four contenders. Every time they got a chance to break into the Top Four though they fluffed their lines, and Ancelotti left very quickly when Real Madrid called. You can hardly blame him given the size of the Real Madrid job; but it does leave Everton with a lot of questions. They probably had their “best season” for a while last season in terms of quality of their play but they still only finished 10th. It’s hard to see them breaking into the Top Six; however we all know how many issues Spurs and Arsenal have these days.
Southampton are your classic Premier League “yo-yo” side in the sense of their form. They can go on some fantastic runs during the season when you want to back them every weekend, but then they can go on some dreadful runs too. It feels like there is nothing in between over the last two years! You’d have to assume they will finish around 14/15th again this season – they are too good to go down but not good enough to finish any higher. I’m very interested to see how this game turns out, but today I’m happy to have a small lay on Everton at 2.0. I just expect a closer game than those odds reflect.
The Striker Says:
One point win Everton to beat Southampton at 2.0 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQEvesou
LEICESTER V WOLVES
3pm This is another very interesting 3pm kick off. Leicester started the season with a nice boost in the Community Shield against Manchester City, however as I said in my preview of that game it probably meant more to Leicester than City so it wasn’t a big surprise. It will still a good achievement for them, and you’d have to expect another solid season for them. As I said in my season preview, it’s hard to see them breaking into the Top Four as they have had two superb chances over the last two seasons and fallen out on the run-in twice. It seems to me the Top Four look stronger this season too, so it looks like Leicester could finish a clear 5th – they are miles better than Spurs and Arsenal at the moment.
Onto today, and they should really start their Premier League season with a win here. The 1.74 is very appealing and it worth my most confident bet of the day. Wolves were very poor last season, and will probably finish around 13th again here. At times last season they were woeful – they seem to have lost their rock solid defence and that was the backbone of their game. Leicester are usually a very good side with home advantage and they started the season with a big confidence boost. I think this is an ideal time to back them, and they should have a marginal fitness edge too after the Community Shield. The 1.74 stands out today in my opinion.
The Striker Says:
Three points win Leicester to beat Wolves at 1.74 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQLeiwol
WATFORD V ASTON VILLA
3pm Life without Jack Grealish starts for Aston Villa. I have to say I’m fascinated to see how they get on without him. They really struggled at times when he was injured last season, I know they got a lot of money for him but they can never replace his star quality. Villa finished 11th last season, which was an incredible achievement given they barely stayed up the season before that. They will avoid a relegation battle this season, but it’s easy to see them going backwards without Grealish. Watford are one of the sides who will be in the relegation battle however, although credit where credit is due – they bounced back up to the Premier League very quickly.
Watford will no doubt be looking at this fixture as a good chance to pick up points. I’m fascinated to see how Villa start the season without Grealish but looking at their xG figures without him last season – I’m keen to take them on at decent odds until I see otherwise. Obviously it’s early in the season and we have to keep stakes limited until we know more about how sides are playing. However, Villa look a good value lay here at 2.4 – Watford will be confident after a good season in the Championship and Villa were a side to be against last season without Grealish.
The Striker Says:
Two points lay Aston Villa to beat Watford at 2.4 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQWatast
NORWICH V LIVERPOOL
5.30pm Poor old Norwich! They battle so hard to get back into the Premier League and then they bump into their bogey side on the first day! Liverpool have inflicted some heavy defeats on Norwich in the past, but that’s going back a few years now. Of course, this is due to Norwich going down in 2016 and then only coming back up for one season in 2019. There was a time when Liverpool scored five goals in three games in a row against Norwich, but again that’s going back to 2013. Chelsea are a very short price against Crystal Palace today, but they have home advantage while Liverpool are just as short here. The markets can’t see past a Liverpool win with Klopp’s side trading 1.33!
Norwich were by far and away the best side in the Championship last season, they topped the table by six points which is very impressive in such a competitive league. However, they are the favourites to go down this season again. Liverpool went through some terrible phases of play last season, and that mostly came against the lower quality sides – games they should be winning. They turned things around towards the end of the season to get into the Top Four though, and although they haven’t been able to spend much money lately, they can easily beat this Norwich side. Liverpool are 1.87 to cover the 1.5 goal handicap and that looks the best value option to finish a brilliant Saturday.
The Striker Says:
One point win Liverpool -1.5 goals to beat Norwich at 1.87 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQNorliv
