PREMIER LEAGUE SATURDAY: We preview Saturday’s Premier League games with a recommended BETDAQ bet and extended match stats. The action is underway at 12.30pm with LEICESTER v CHELSEA.
LEICESTER V CHELSEA
12.30pm Fantastic Premier League fixtures just keep on coming and we kick off an action packed weekend with Leicester hosting Chelsea! This will be a very interesting game. Leicester have come up short against the top sides in the Premier League this season – with home advantage, will they be able to beat Chelsea? They come in here on a low after the disappointing of getting knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the semi-final stage during the week.
The match odds at the time of writing currently trade; Leicester 2.58, Chelsea 2.82 and the draw is 3.75. It’s not a surprise to see an open market here. Both sides have had pretty similar seasons – improvement on last season but also some very poor performances. We feel that the draw looks too big here at 3.75 and we would have it trading at 3.4. Leicester haven’t been at their best lately but with home advantage they can claim a point here. It’s hard to see anything but a very close game.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Draw at 3.75.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQleiche
MATCH STATS
- Leicester City are unbeaten in their last four Premier League games against Chelsea (W1 D3), their best run since a run of five without defeat between April 1999 and February 2001.
- Chelsea have won five of their last seven Premier League away matches against Leicester (D1 L1), with their only defeat in this run coming during Leicester’s title-winning season in December 2015.
- No team has won more away Premier League games against Leicester at the King Power Stadium than Chelsea (4, level with Liverpool and Spurs).
- The home team has won none of the last six Premier League meetings between Leicester and Chelsea (D3 L3), with the last home win coming in October 2016 when Chelsea won 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
- Leicester have lost two of their last three Premier League home games, though they did win 4-1 against West Ham last time out. The Foxes had lost just one of their previous 15 at the King Power Stadium (W11 D3).
- From their first six away league games this season, Chelsea won 15 of a possible 18 points (W5 D0 L1), scoring 18 goals in this run. In their last six on the road, they’ve won 7/18 points (W2 D1 L3), while netting just seven goals.
- This will be Chelsea’s 12th consecutive Premier League matchday starting the day fourth, the longest run in that position since Spurs started 23 consecutive games fourth between December 2005 and May 2006, ending the season fifth after losing 1-2 to West Ham on the final day.
- Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers has faced Chelsea 13 times in his managerial career; no side has he faced more. However, he is winless in all 13 of his meetings with the Blues (D7 L6), only losing more often against Manchester United (9).
- Leicester’s Harvey Barnes has scored in consecutive Premier League matches, having scored in just two of his first 39 appearances in the competition. He’s never scored in three consecutive league matches within the top four tiers of English football.
- Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has a 100% record from the penalty spot for the Blues in the Premier League, scoring four out of four. Since the start of last season, 27% of his touches in the opposition box have been penalties (4 of 15).
BOURNEMOUTH V ASTON VILLA
3pm This is a huge game at the bottom of the table. There’s no doubt that Villa will be on a massive high after beating Leicester in the Carabao Cup semi-final during the weekend. However, they can’t let the fact that they’re going to Wembley go to their head – they still sit just outside the bottom three and if they take their eye off the Premier League they will face relegation. Bournemouth got a massive three points recently against Brighton, however their overall form has been very poor. Villa have really battled hard in recent weeks to get out of the bottom three and we believe they can continue their good run here. Bournemouth look exceptionally short at 2.16 given how they’ve played this season and a Villa side full of confidence can get a result here.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Lay Bournemouth at 2.16.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQbouast
MATCH STATS
- This will be Bournemouth’s first home Premier League game against Aston Villa since their first ever top-flight match in August 2015, losing 0-1 with Rudy Gestede scoring the winner.
- Aston Villa have lost their last two Premier League games against Bournemouth, losing 1-2 in April 2016 and August 2019, with both defeats coming at Villa Park.
- The away team has won the first three Premier League meetings between Bournemouth and Aston Villa – the last time this happened in the first four top-flight meetings in a fixture was between West Ham and Wigan in April 2007.
- Aston Villa have won none of their last 15 away Premier League games in February (D5 L10) since a 2-0 win over Blackburn in February 2009; the run spans six different managers (O’Neill, Houllier, McLeish, Lambert, Sherwood and Garde).
- Bournemouth’s 3-1 win over Brighton in their last Premier League match saw the Cherries score more goals than in their previous nine games combined (2). They last won consecutive league games in September 2019.
- Aston Villa have won four points from their last two away Premier League games (W1 D1), as many as they had in their previous 17 on the road in the top-flight (W1 D1 L15). They’ve not avoided defeat in three consecutive away Premier League games since December 2014.
- Aston Villa are the only side without an away clean sheet in the Premier League this season, with their last shutout on the road in the competition coming in January 2016 (0-0 at West Brom). However, only Watford (6) have failed to score in more home games than Bournemouth this season (4).
- Aston Villa are the only side yet to score a headed goal in the Premier League this season, despite having had the seventh most headed shots (49). No team has ever gone a whole Premier League season without scoring a header, while the Villans averaged almost 10 headed goals per season in the competition previously (232 headed goals in 24 seasons).
- 57% of Bournemouth’s Premier League goals this season have been scored by either Harry Wilson (7) or Callum Wilson (6).
- Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz has been involved in three goals in his last four Premier League matches (1 goal, 2 assists), more than he had in his first 18 in the competition (2 goals).
CRYSTAL PALACE V SHEFFIELD UNITED
3pm This should be a very close game. By now Sheffield United are no longer a surprise package – everyone knows how good they are! They’ve come a long way since being favourites to go back down to the Championship at the start of the season. Palace have been rock solid this season, although they have conceded two goals in each of their last two games which is unlike them. However, those games came against Manchester City and a red-hot Southampton side. Sheffield United have been able to mix it with the big boys this season and it has been their goal scoring that has set them apart from other mid-table sides. We can see that being the difference here as Palace have struggled to score lots of goals this season. The away win is trading 2.62 and that looks value.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Sheffield United to beat Crystal Palace at 2.62.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQcryshe
MATCH STATS
- Crystal Palace have won their last two home league games against Sheffield United, though this is their first such meeting since February 2011 in the Championship.
- In the top-flight, Sheffield United have lost their last three away league visits against Crystal Palace, though these matches were between the 1990-91 and 1992-93 campaigns.
- Crystal Palace have kept a clean sheet in their last four Premier League home games against promoted sides (W3 D1), winning each of the last three in a row.
- Sheffield United are winless in their last 19 Premier League games in London (D8 L11) since beating Chelsea 2-1 in October 1992. However, the Blades have drawn all four of their top-flight games in the capital this season, coming from behind in each one.
- Crystal Palace have neither scored nor conceded more than twice in any of their 12 Premier League home games this season (F10 A12). Indeed, since the start of last season the Eagles have only scored more than twice in one of their 32 home league games (5-3 vs Bournemouth in May 2019).
- Sheffield United have neither scored nor conceded more than twice in any of their 12 Premier League away games this season (F12 A12). Indeed, the Blades haven’t scored more than twice in any of their last 47 top-flight away games, since a 3-3 draw with Southampton in October 1993.
- Crystal Palace have scored a league-low five Premier League goals before half-time this season, with just one of these coming at Selhurst Park.
- Only runaway league leaders Liverpool have conceded fewer Premier League goals than Sheffield United this season (23). Indeed, Sheffield United’s record of 23 goals conceded after 24 games is the best by a promoted side since Fulham in 2001-02 (also 23).
- Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has three goals and two assists in 2095 minutes of Premier League football this season, averaging a goal involvement every 419 minutes. Last season, he was averaging a goal or assist every 203 minutes in the competition.
- No keeper has kept more clean sheets in the Premier League this season than Sheffield United’s Dean Henderson (8). Indeed, only Alisson (214) has a better minutes-per-goal-conceded ratio this term than Henderson (one every 104 minutes).
LIVERPOOL V SOUTHAMPTON
3pm After beating West Ham during the week, Liverpool have now beaten every side in the Premier League this season. They’re going to win the Premier League with any amount of games in hand, and it would be a big shock if they didn’t break records this season. That being said, Southampton should prove to be a test for them today. The Saints have been in absolutely excellent form since losing 9-0 to Leicester – that shock has really turned around their season and it will be very interesting to see how they cope with a side like Liverpool. Southampton have been able to get results against sides like Spurs and Leicester recently – but obviously Liverpool are on a completely different level. Liverpool have made Anfield a fortress in recent seasons and while we expect them to continue that today, Southampton will keep this one close. Under 2.5 goals looks cracking value at 2.6 – Southampton have been really solid at the back and they can frustrate Liverpool for a large part of this game. We expect a 1-0 or 2-0 home win in the end though.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Under 2.5 goals at 2.6.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQlivsou
MATCH STATS
- Liverpool have won their last five Premier League games against Southampton, scoring 13 goals and conceding just two in this run.
- Southampton have won three of their last 30 away top-flight matches against Liverpool (D10 L17) and are winless in five (D2 L3) since winning 1-0 in September 2013.
- Liverpool have won their last 19 Premier League home games – only Manchester City have ever had a longer such run in the competition (20 between March 2011-March 2012). Indeed, in top-flight history only four teams have ever won 20+ consecutive home league games, with Liverpool holding the outright record (21 between January-December 1972).
- Southampton have won just four of their 40 away Premier League matches on Merseyside against Everton and Liverpool (D11 L25), winning none of their last 11 visits (D4 L7).
- As well as being unbeaten in 52 Premier League home games, Liverpool have scored in each of their last 27 at Anfield in the competition. They last scored in more in a row in the top-flight between May 1967 and February 1969 (38 games).
- Southampton have won 65% of their Premier League points this season away from home (20/31) – in the history of the competition, only Crystal Palace in 1997-98 (67%) have won a higher share on the road over a full season.
- Southampton have won their last four Premier League away games – only once in their league history have Saints won five in a row on the road, doing so between April-August 2011 between League One and the Championship.
- Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has been directly involved in six goals in five Premier League appearances against Southampton (5 goals, 1 assist), scoring three goals in two games at Anfield.
- Southampton’s top scorer this season Danny Ings scored in Saints’ 1-2 loss against Liverpool in August. Only two players have scored home and away in the same Premier League season against Liverpool having previously played for the Reds in the competition – Dean Saunders in 1992-93 and Jonjo Shelvey in 2013-14.
- No player has scored more home Premier League goals this season than Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (10). He’s just the second player to reach double figures at Anfield in three consecutive Premier League seasons, after Robbie Fowler (1994-95 to 1996-97).
NEWCASTLE V NORWICH
3pm Newcastle have a little cushion on the bottom six heading into this weekend, but they need to keep collecting points to avoid getting dragged into a fight to stay up. They have been fairly solid recently and should be good enough to avoid a relegation fight, but they have to win games like this. Norwich are battling hard to find a catch up with the sides in 19th and 18th above them and for all their efforts, they are a very limited side. There’s no doubt that they will keep fighting but it looks highly unlikely that they have the class or talent to stay up. Their away record has been a really big downfall and with Newcastle solid at home we can only see a home win here. Newcastle look absolutely massive at 2.34 given how Norwich have been away from home and we’d have them a shade of odds on.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Newcastle to beat Norwich at 2.34.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQnewnor
MATCH STATS
- Newcastle have won seven of their last eight home league games against Norwich (D1), with their last meeting in the Championship in September 2016 ending 4-3 with two 90th-minute goals.
- There have been 28 goals scored in the last five league meetings between Newcastle and Norwich, with the two at St James’ Park in this run seeing 15 goals scored between the teams.
- Following their 3-1 win at Carrow Road in the reverse fixture, Norwich are looking to complete the league double over Newcastle for the very first time. This is the 28th different campaign in which they’ve met.
- Each of Newcastle’s last three Premier League goals have come in the 90th minute or later, with these strikes earning the Magpies a 1-0 win against Chelsea, and a 2-2 draw against Everton.
- Norwich have won just 11 points from their last 81 available away from home in the Premier League (W3 D2 L22), with the Canaries winning a league-low five points on the road this season.
- Norwich are the only side yet to score a Premier League goal from a free-kick situation this season (either direct or indirect). Meanwhile, Newcastle have scored more such goals than any other side this term (6).
- 12 of Newcastle’s Premier League goals this season have been scored by defenders. The last team to have more such goals in a single campaign were West Brom in 2016-17 (14), while the Magpies have never had more in a season in the competition (also 12 in 1996-97 and 1994-95).
- No side has had fewer different goalscorers in the Premier League this season than Norwich (8).
- Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has won seven of his nine home matches in all competitions against Norwich City (D1 L1).
- Norwich forward Teemu Pukki has been involved in a league-high 58% of Norwich’s 24 Premier League goals this season (11 goals, 3 assists). The Finnish forward has also been involved in 83% of the Canaries six away league goals this term (4 goals, 1 assist).
WATFORD V EVERTON
3pm Watford are another side fighting to stay up and although they have dropped back into 19th position, they have done a remarkable job in recent weeks to get within touch of the others. Things are so tight between 15th and 19th, and Watford are level on points with Bournemouth and West Ham, while a win here and a loss for Brighton and Aston Villa would put Watford ahead of them. Given how far off the pace they were, they have to be bang on the money for the rest of the season if they are going to stay up. Everton have definitely improved since Carlo Ancelotti took charge but they still have issues away from home. They haven’t managed a clean sheet away from home since the opening weekend and with Watford putting in some solid performances lately we’re happy to lay Everton at the odds. The 2.78 on an away win looks too short and a very good value lay.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Lay Everton at 2.78.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQwateve
MATCH STATS
- Watford won none of their first three home Premier League games against Everton (D1 L2) but have since won their last three in a row against the Toffees.
- Since losing at Vicarage Road in the Premier League last February, Everton have won two games against the Hornets in all competitions, beating them twice this season – once in the Premier League and once in the League Cup.
- Watford are looking to record four consecutive home top-flight wins against an opponent for the first time in their history.
- After a run of 12 Premier League home games without a win (D5 L7), Watford have won three of their last four at Vicarage Road under manager Nigel Pearson (D1).
- Everton haven’t kept an away clean sheet in the league since the opening weekend of the season (0-0 vs Crystal Palace), conceding in each of their last 11 on the road. However, the Toffees have also scored in each of their last eight away Premier League matches.
- Only leaders Liverpool have scored more headed goals in the Premier League than Everton this season (10). However, Watford have conceded just one goal from a header in the competition this term, fewer than any other side.
- Watford have failed to score in a league-high 11 different Premier League games this season. The Hornets have also had twice as many goalless draws as any other side this season (4), with all of these coming at Vicarage Road – the last team to have more home 0-0 draws in a Premier League campaign were Aston Villa in 2008-09 (5).
- No keeper has kept more Premier League clean sheets this season than Watford’s Ben Foster (8). Indeed, Foster has recorded more shutouts in 24 games this season than he did in 38 games last term (7).
- Since Nigel Pearson became Watford manager, Troy Deeney has scored 42% of the Hornets’ Premier League goals (5/12). He’s scored more goals in eight Premier League games under Pearson than he did in his previous 19 appearances in the competition (4).
- Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored five goals in six Premier League appearances under Carlo Ancelotti this season – as many as he’d netted in 16 games under Marco Silva and Duncan Ferguson in 2019-20.
WEST HAM V BRIGHTON
3pm Yet another big game at the bottom of the table. With Bournemouth playing Aston Villa today too, things will be a lot clearer at the bottom of the table by the end of today. Or we could have draws all around! Brighton have a two point cushion on West Ham but a loss here would see them in trouble – especially if other games went against them too. Moyes has improved West Ham and collected points since coming in, but the reality is that they are still a poor side. Brighton have tried to play good football this season and they started the season playing very well but that hasn’t continued. They are in horrible form at the wrong time of the season too. Perhaps they could repeat last season! Start well and finish very poorly, however they are right in the mix to go down if they can’t turn things around quickly. They have won just once in their last nine Premier League games and with West Ham having home advantage – we’re happy to back the Hammers at 2.7 which looks at least ten ticks too big.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
West Ham to beat Brighton at 2.7.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQwhubri
MATCH STATS
- West Ham United have never beaten Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League in five attempts (D2 L3).
- Brighton have won just two of their 14 away matches against West Ham in all competitions (D3 L9), though one of those wins was in the Premier League in October 2017.
- Brighton are one of only two teams West Ham have faced in the Premier League without beating, along with Swindon Town. Indeed, the Hammers have led for just four minutes in five Premier League games against the Seagulls.
- West Ham have won their last two Premier League home games against sides from the south coast by an aggregate score of 7-0. They last won three consecutive such games between December 2009-February 2014 (1 v Portsmouth, 2 v Southampton).
- West Ham have a higher Premier League win rate in February than they do in any other month of the year in the competition (42% – won 32/77 games).
- Brighton have won just one of their last nine Premier League matches (D4 L4), alternating between a draw and a defeat in each of their last four.
- Having won four points from their first three away league games this season (W1 D1 L1), Brighton have won just four from their subsequent nine on the road in the competition (W1 D1 L7), losing each of the last three in a row.
- Brighton boss Graham Potter will be the 50th different English manager West Ham boss David Moyes has faced in the Premier League. The Scotsman has lost his first meeting with each of the last six such managers he’s faced (most recently Chris Wilder), with his last first- time victory coming against Mike Phelan in November 2016.
- None of West Ham’s current squad have scored for the club in the Premier League against Brighton, with their four goals against them in the competition being scored by Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic (2 each). However, Mark Noble’s first competitive goal for the Hammers came against Brighton, in an FA Cup match in January 2007.
- No Brighton player has scored more away league goals this season than Adam Webster, with all three of the defender’s strikes so far coming on the road.
MANCHESTER UNITED V WOLVES
5.30pm We’ve seen this fixture a lot lately! These two needed an FA Cup replay to separate them and it’s fair to say that there wasn’t much action between them over the two games. Hopefully we see more goals and more drama here, but we’re likely to see yet another very close affair. United have been active in the transfer market and the jury is out on whether they can improve to finish the season strongly. They need a striker given the injures they have and if they can’t create more chances, they won’t be winning enough games.
The match odds at the time of writing currently trade; Manchester United 2.32, Wolves 3.6 and the draw is 3.35. We’ve seen a lot of recent draws between these too and the draw definitely makes a lot of appeal at 3.35. It’s hard to see too many goals but under 2.5 goals is trading 1.75. United haven’t been scoring enough goals lately bar their FA Cup win and while unders is a tempting bet – we prefer the draw at the odds. Wolves have managed plenty of results against United and they can come away with a point here.
BETDAQ BEST BET:
Draw at 3.35.
You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQmunwol
MATCH STATS
- Manchester United are unbeaten in 11 home games against Wolves in all competitions (W9 D2) since losing 0-1 in February 1980 in a top-flight match – they haven’t trailed for a single minute in all those 11 unbeaten games.
- Wolves are yet to win an away Premier League match against Man Utd in five attempts (D1 L4), only facing Arsenal more often away from home without winning (six games).
- Manchester United have lost just two of their last 60 home league games in February (W42 D16), losing against Middlesbrough in 2004 and Man City in 2008.
- Manchester United have failed to score in seven of their 24 Premier League games this season, equalling their total from the entirety of 2018-19. United have drawn a blank in three of their last four Premier League matches, including each of the last two.
- Manchester United have lost their last two Premier League games without scoring – they’ve only ever lost three in a row without finding the net once before in the competition, doing so between April-May 2015 under Louis van Gaal.
- Wolves came from behind to win their last away game in the Premier League against Southampton – they last won consecutive away matches in the top-flight in August 2011.
- Wolves have conceded the first goal in more Premier League games than any other team this season (17 of 24). However, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have won 18 points from losing positions this term, a league-high total.
- Manchester United’s record of 34 points after 24 games in 2019-20 is their worst total at this stage of a season since 1989-90 (25 points), when they went on to finish in 13th place in the top-flight.
- Wolves striker Raúl Jiménez has been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 22 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and assisting eight more.
- Only Marcus Rashford (13) has scored more goals in all competitions for Manchester United at Old Trafford this season than teenager Mason Greenwood (8), who has netted with eight of his 14 shots on target.
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
