The FA Cup fourth round offered Leicester and Southampton no respite from the business of relentless losing and the return of Premier League duties should condemn the doomed-seeming pair to more of the same.
Both are significant home underdogs and we’ve got away favourite angles to extract the value from backing their visiting victories for Arsenal and Bournemouth.
Weekend football best bets
Arsenal to beat Leicester & Under 3.5 goals @ 23/20
Bournemouth (-1) to beat Southampton @ 13/10
Under 0.5 Everton goals vs Palace @ 13/10
Bet on the latest English football odds at Betzone
Foxes can keep Arsenal on honest in another King Power defeat
There’s little arguing with Arsenal’s 1/4 match betting favouritism away to a Leicester side that have ended up on the wrong end of 10 of their last 11 matches against top-flight opposition.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men have lost their last four Premier League home games to nil in games of under 3.5 goals and Arsenal can be backed to repeat the dose at a decent 23/20.
The Foxes’ toothless forward line are unlikely to trouble the division’s second-meanest defence, but they have a decent chance of keeping the Gunners to three goals or fewer, having not shipped four or more in their own backyard since Boxing Day 2019.
Mikel Arteta’s visitors average 1.83 goals per EPL away game this term – a figure greatly swelled by a couple of five-goal salvos at West Ham and Crystal Palace.
Tip: Arsenal to beat Leicester & Under 3.5 goals @ 23/20
Back Cherries to put daylight between themselves and rock-bottom hosts
Southampton have lost their last eight home games against Premier League opposition and visiting Bournemouth are just 1/2 to extend that sorry streak to nine on Saturday.
The Saints lost 1-0 at home to Championship Burnley in the FA Cup last weekend, while the Cherries won 2-0 away to Everton. Andoni Iraola’s side look a good bet to reward their backers on the (-1) handicap again at St Mary’s.
Bournemouth have scored twice or more in their past eight away games against EPL opposition in league and cup so the requisite goals-for should be get-able. Keeping a clean sheet looks more than doable too. Southampton have blanked twice in their last three home league games.
Tip: Bournemouth (-1) to beat Southampton @ 13/10
Low-threat Everton attack will struggle to break Eagles blockade
Everton have enjoyed a minor resurgence since David Moyes returned to the dugout winning three of their four league games since the Scotsman’s return.
However, despite the Toffees scoring eight times across that trio of triumphs the jury remains out on their ability to mount an attacking threat on the road. They sit rock bottom of the Premier League away goals and expected away goals tables this season.
Crystal Palace have been collecting clean sheets like they’re going out of fashion lately, blanking five of their last six opponents in all competitions. The Eagles are 13/10 to Everton scoring for sixth time in the visitors’ last eight away games.
