The congested Premier League Christmas fixture so beloved by fans and bemoaned by managers is here with a full midweek coupon of top-flight action to feast upon. We’re backing Arsenal and Liverpool but taking on City as this key stretch of the season gets underway.
Premier League midweek betting tips
Arsenal to beat Luton to nil @ 1/1
Aston Villa to win and both teams to score @ 19/4
Liverpool (-2) to beat Sheffield United @ 11/8
Bet on the latest football odds at Betzone
Gunners defence ready to play goal Grinches at Kenilworth Road
Arsenal had the best away record in the Premier League last season and would likely have the best road resume this term as well if they’d played away from home as many times as Tottenham and Manchester City – odds 1/5 for victory away to Luton Town are understandable as a result.
Our route to a more palatable price in siding with the Gunners is to entrust them with keeping a clean sheet. They’ve conceded just 11 times in the EPL this season – three less than any other side and they’re particularly stingy away from the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta’s men have shipped just three times on in six top-flight road games this season, winning to nil away to Crystal Palace, Everton, Bournemouth and Brentford. Odds of even money about another shutout success against the divisions second lowest scorers feel very fair.
That’s the selection but the 14/5 about an Arsenal win in a match of under 2.5 goal is also intriguing. It’s true the Gunners did thrash Bournemouth 4-0 on the road, but Luton have only conceded eight home goals this term – which puts them in the top of the table for that statistic.
Tip: Arsenal to beat Luton to nil @ 1/1
Villans primed to pinch all three points from stuttering champions
At the weekend we took on Manchester City with Tottenham (+2) and got home with plenty to spare as the Citizens failed to win for the third time in four matches. Aston Villa are the ideal accomplices as we look to oppose Pep Guardiola’s side again.
The Villans have won their last 13 Premier League games at Villa Park and 10 of 11 at home in all competitions this term. They’ve also scored more home league goals than any other side in the division despite playing two fewer home games than Arsenal and one less than Liverpool and City.
The fixture list has been tough on City with this assignment following clashes with Chelsea, Liverpool, RB Leipzig and the Lilywhites in which they gave up a worrying 10 goals.
More concerningly for Pep Guardiola three of those four matches were played at home. City, are weaker away having already lost on the road to Arsenal and Wolves in 2023/24.
Villa are 31/10 to win, but given the opposition topping up those odds to 19/4 by adding both teams to score to the mix seems like a no brainer. BTTS has clicked in five of Villa’s six EPL home wins so far this season, while City have only blanked once in the league this term.
Tip: Aston Villa to win and both teams to score @ 19/4
Liverpool have the offensive firepower to batter beleaguered Blades
Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom will have expected the odds thrashing in the Blades’ first season back at the top table, particularly given the club lack of transfer investment in the summer.
Their 8-0 home loss to Newcastle and 5-0 away defeat to Arsenal will have been easy to enough to move on from given those games were never likely to be the ones survival depended on. However, Saturday’s 5-0 away loss to second bottom Burnley is a far more concerning development.
Liverpool have been far from irresistible on the road this term, winning a modest four of their 10 away games to date, but they have the attacking quality to tear through the hosts at Bramall Lane.
Only a 90th minute Oli McBurnie consolation goal stopped Bournemouth landing the (-2) handicap in a 3-1 defeat in the Blades’ last home game. Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and friends are likely to be a good deal tougher to contain.
