Weekend EPL best bets – including the Liverpool vs Arsenal standing dish

This weekend the Premier League signs off its last round of fixtures before the first of the season’s trio of pre-Christmas international breaks with a coupon including Liverpool vs Arsenal. 

Our best bet is one that’s clicked in the last three meetings between the 2024/25 champions and runners-up and only seems more likely to land this time around. Elsewhere we’re taking on the two sides yet to break their scoring ducks this term.

Toffees can tough out clean sheet away to toothless Wolves

There was always a potential for Wolves to struggle for goals this season given the sale of last season’s top scorer and second-highest assister Matheus Cunha to Manchester United and their highest 2024/25 assist maker Rayan Ait Nouri to Manchester City. 

So it has proven, with Vitor Pereira’s men yet to score after two league outings – a stat underscored by the lowest xG in the top-flight (1.09 as per whoscored.com). 

Everton look very generously priced to keep a clean sheet at 43/20 as a result.

David Moyes’ side were fortunate to shut out Brighton at the weekend, but this is a side more than capable of blanking blunt opposition. Last term only Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea conceded fewer goals, while only the Gunners and Nottingham Forest kept more clean sheets.

Slot’s defensive issues bolster go-to Liverpool v Arsenal bet 

The last three meetings between Liverpool have ended 2-2, 2-2 and 3-1 to Arsenal, while the Gunners have scored at least twice in the teams’ last four showdowns.

Over 3.5 goals looks very fair value at 19/10 considering that recent history and even more so given the defensive porousness that’s plagued the Anfield side so far this season. 

Arne Slot’s men have shipped twice in each of their three games in 2025/26 – against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield and Bournemouth and Newcastle in the league.

Fortunately for their title defence they’ve netted four times and three times in those same two EPL outings. Arsenal too are in great attacking nick after putting five past Leeds last time out.

Eagles overlooked given slow Villa start and recent head-to-head 

If Wolves’ goal scoring travails could be foreseen, the same cannot be said for their west Midlands neighbours Aston Villa, the only other side yet to net in the top flight this season.

The Villans look vulnerable 10/11 favourites to beat Crystal Palace on that basis, especially as the Eagles are unbeaten in the clubs’ last five meetings since May 2024 – winning three of them.

Palace are 31/10 for victory at Villa Park, but the departure of talismanic scorer and creator Ebereche Eze means the 17/10 about Oliver Glasner’s men to win (draw-no-bet) is preferred. 

The Eagles could well still have enough against hosts that don’t seem to have got going yet this season, but they drew this fixture 2-2 without the former QPR and Reading man last November.