Premier League Preview and Odds
Saturday 18th August 2018
by Anthony Shaw on Friday 17th August, 2018
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The Premier League returns this weekend with another ten thrilling games set to take place across the country. Manchester City got their title defence off to the best possible start last weekend, winning away to Arsenal and this week welcome Huddersfield Town to the Etihad Stadium.
The three promoted sides received a baptism of fire with Cardiff and Fulham losing to Bournemouth and Crystal Palace respectively, whilst Wolves limped to a 2-2 draw at home to ten-man Everton.
Here at Betting Sites, we preview Saturday’s games, providing odds courtesy of betting partner, William Hill. Kick off times are 3pm unless stated.
Cardiff City vs Newcastle United (12:30)
One week into the new season and the two sides set to meet in South Wales are already under pressure. Both Cardiff City and Newcastle United lost on the opening weekend and are amongst the bookies’ favourites for relegation after an underwhelming summer transfer window.
The Bluebirds managed just one shot on target in the opener at Bournemouth and are likely to select Danish international, Kenneth Zohore, to lead the line.
Neil Warnock’s decision to play Sol Bamba as a holding midfielder at the Vitality Stadium emphasises his lack of depth in central midfield. On-loan Harry Arter could make his competitive Cardiff debut on Saturday lunchtime.
Newcastle United were unlucky not to get something out of the game at home to Spurs last weekend and Rafa Benitez will be hopeful of earning three points in this weekend’s early kick off.
Salomon Rondon impressed on his debut from the substitutes bench and could be in line for a first start at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Match odds (courtesy of William Hill)
Cardiff City - 15/8
Draw - 11/5
Newcastle United - 6/4
Everton vs Southampton
Everton and Southampton meet at Goodison Park on Saturday having begun their campaigns with draws against Wolves and Burnley respectively last weekend.
The home side will be without defender, Phil Jagielka, after he saw red at Molineux last weekend. Summer signings, Yerry Mina and Kurt Zouma are in contention to replace Jagielka at the heart of the Everton defence. However, manager, Marco Silva, may feel that the game could be too soon for the duo. If so, we are likely to see Mason Holgate slot in alongside Michael Keane in defence.
Richarlison made a dream start to his Everton career, scoring both goals in the 2-2 draw. The Brazilian is likely to be the Toffees’ main goal threat once again.
In contrast to the four-goal thriller played out by Everton and Wolves, Southampton’s first point of the season came as the result of a tight 0-0 draw at home to Burnley. On-loan Liverpool forward, Danny Ings, could start up front for the Saints after impressing from the substitutes bench last weekend.
Match odds
Everton - 21/20
Draw - 12/5
Southampton - 13/5
Leicester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Under-pressure Leicester City boss, Claude Puel, is currently the 9/4 favourite to be the first Premier League manager to leave his post. The Foxes will hope to get their season up and running at home to newly-promoted Wolves. Leicester’s poor form from last season has continued into the current campaign, Puel’s side have won just one of their last eight league games, losing six.
Leicester were unlucky to lose at Manchester United in their opening game but have since been boosted by the news that talisman, Jamie Vardy, has agreed a contract extension at the King Power.
Visitors, Wolves, could equal a club record of 16 successive top-flight game without a win if they fail to claim all three points at Leicester. However, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side made a promising start to life back in the Premier League, earning a credible 2-2 draw against big-spending Everton.
Wolves could hand a debut to summer signing, Adama Traore.
Match odds
Leicester City - 21/20
Draw - 5/2
Wolverhampton Wanderers - 5/2
Tottenham Hotspur vs Fulham
Spurs host Fulham at their temporary Wembley home and after reports of a delay in the construction of their new ground, Pochettino’s side may have to get used to playing at the home of football. Despite not making a single signing during the summer transfer window, Spurs eased to victory on match day one and are the shortest price of Premier League side playing on Saturday.
Spurs have lost just two of their last 38 home league games, both coming last season against Chelsea (2-1) and Manchester City (3-1). Surprisingly Tottenham have not won their opening two fixtures of a Premier League campaign since 2014/15.
After failing to find the back of the net against Newcastle United, Harry Kane has now gone 14 games and 46 attempts without registering a single Premier League goal in August.
Opponents, Fulham, are back at Wembley just three months since their play-off final victory of Aston Villa. Playing in their second successive London derby, Fulham will hope to bounce back from their opening weekend defeat at home to Crystal Palace with an unlikely victory away to Spurs. The Cottagers have not started a top-flight campaign with back-to-back defeats since 1967.
Match odds
Tottenham Hotspur - 1/4
Draw - 24/5
Fulham - 10/1
West Ham United vs Bournemouth
West Ham United spent big during the summer transfer window but despite handing a competitive debut to six new signings they were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Liverpool at Anfield. In contrast, Saturday’s opponents, Bournemouth, got their campaign off to a winning start for the first time in four seasons.
The defeat at Liverpool saw Manuel Pellegrini give a debut to Lukas Fabianski, Ryan Fredericks, Fabian Balbuena, Jack Wilshere, Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko. Despite the heavy defeat, all six could feature again against Bournemouth. There could also be debuts for Lucas Perez and Carlos Sanchez.
The Cherries eased to a 2-0 win over Premier League new boys, Cardiff City and Eddie Howe could hand a competitive debut to summer capture, Jefferson Lerma. Fellow new signing, Diego Rico, will sit out the game at the London Stadium as he serves a suspension carried over from his final game for Leganes in La Liga.
Match odds
West Ham United - 23/20
Draw - 5/2
Bournemouth - 9/4
Chelsea vs Arsenal (17:30)
New Arsenal boss, Unai Emery, started his reign at the Gunners with a tough reality check, losing 2-0 at home to last season’s champions Manchester City. The fixtures do not get any easier for Arsenal with a massive London derby away at Chelsea.
The Blues are also under new management this season with Maurizio Sarri replacing Antonio Conte in the summer. Sarri got his Chelsea career off to a much easier start than his Arsenal counterpart, cruising to a 3-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town.
This fixture ended in a 0-0 draw, ending a run of five consecutive Chelsea wins, but Arsenal have failed to score in four of the last five.
Eden Hazard has remained at Chelsea despite strong interest from Real Madrid throughout the summer and the Belgian could be drafted into the starting line-up after an impressive outing from the substitutes bench at Huddersfield Town.
Arsenal slumped to sixth in the league last season, thanks in no small part to their woeful form on the road. The Gunners lost eleven league games away from home last season, including seven of the last eight. Defeat at Stamford Bridge would leave them point-less and struggling to keep tabs on the early pace-setters. Emery could become the first Arsenal boss to start his tenure with two defeats since Steve Burtenshaw’s short-lived reign as caretaker boss in 1986.
Match odds
Draw - 14/5
Arsenal - 3/1
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