The Premier League returns for the 2025/26 campaign on Friday night when reigning champions Liverpool host a Bournemouth side that have sold three of their four first choice defenders from last season.
While Arne Slot’s men aren’t really a betting proposition to extract three points from a disrupted Cherries defence at 6/25, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest both look valuable at home to sides that have endured summers of transfer issues in different ways.
EPL: Settled Villa a decent bet to profit from Magpies’ bad vibes
Only goal difference separated Aston Villa and Newcastle at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season but the sides have endured very different summers on the transfer front.
Villa have kept hold of all their key players, whereas the Magpies have had to endure a summer of Andreas Isak speculation. At the time of writing the Swede, who scored 23 and assisted a further six of their 68 goals last term, looks certain to have played his last game for the club.
At the same time Eddie Howe has been frustrated in his attempts to replace Isak or further bolster his squad. Villa battered the Tynesiders 4-1 at Villa Park in April and look decent value at 127/100 to take advantage of their relatively settled summer to secure three points.
Aston Villa to beat Newcastle
@ 127/100
EPL: Palace can make their point away to world champions
World Club Cup winners Chelsea have followed up their American exploits earlier this summer with two pleasing friendly wins over Bayer Leverkusen (2-0) and AC Milan (4-1).
However, they still look a bit on the short side to beat Crystal Palace at 14/25, given the Eagles held them 1-1 home and away last season and arrive at Stamford Bridge on a high after a Community Shield victory over Liverpool in which they more than matched the champions.
The draw looks overpriced at 31/10 on that evidence, especially with the much anticipated transfer ransacking of an Eagles rearguard that kept the third most away clean sheets in the league last term yet to materialise.
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace - Draw
@ 31/10
EPL: Forest to make light of winless summer at the City Ground
Nottingham Forest could’ve done with an upbeat preseason to dispel any aftertaste of the run of two wins in eight games that saw them slide out of the Champions League places late last term.
That didn’t really happen. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side failed to win any of their seven first team friendlies. However they still look a fair price to get the better of Brentford at 21/20.
Like Newcastle, Forest have held on to all their principle players from the 2024/25 season that wildly exceeded pre-campaign expectations (bar Anthony Elanga).
Brentford on the other hand, have seen many of the firm foundations of their Premier League tenure removed, with ex-boss Thomas Frank now at Tottenham, former skipper Christian Norgaard having moved to Arsenal and top goalscorer Bryan Mbuemo sold to Manchester Utd.
Nottingham Forest to beat Brentford
@ 21/20
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