English Premier League Betting Preview, Sunday 31 August
Following Saturday’s action, we now turn our attention to Sunday’s fixtures in the third round of the English Premier League, highlighting three key matches from a betting perspective and offering a suggested bet for each.
Before doing so, let’s take a look at the outright markets. Arsenal and Liverpool are joint favourites at 7/4, with Manchester City next best at 9/2. Chelsea are available at 8/1, while the rest of the field can be backed at 25/1 or higher.
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST v WEST HAM – Click here to bet
Nottingham Forest return to the City Ground on Sunday having made an encouraging start to the campaign. A comprehensive 3-1 victory over Brentford on opening day was followed by a 1-1 draw away at Crystal Palace, leaving Nuno Espírito Santo’s side fifth in the table with 4 points from their opening two matches. Their home form got off to the best of starts, and recent history against West Ham suggests confidence should be high — Forest have won each of their last three league meetings with the Hammers, conceding just one goal during that stretch.
West Ham, on the other hand, have endured a nightmare start. Opening their campaign with a 3-0 defeat away at Sunderland, they were then dismantled 5-1 at home to Chelsea last weekend. Their woes continued on Tuesday as they were knocked out of the EFL Cup, losing 3-2 to Wolves. Defensive fragility, which has seen them concede eight goals already in the league, and a lack of cohesion in attack, scoring just once, have left them bottom of the table. A trip to an in-form Forest side offers little respite, and with pressure mounting on Graham Potter, West Ham will be desperate to show some fight and avoid heading into the break pointless.
Head-to-Head
Last season, Nottingham Forest completed a league double over West Ham, winning 3-0 at home before securing a 2-1 victory in London.
Betting
Nottingham Forest 7/10
Draw 29/10
West Ham 4/1
Verdict
City Ground has proven a tough venue for visiting sides, and Forest look to have found early rhythm. West Ham, by contrast, are leaking goals at an alarming rate. While they will surely improve under Potter, this might not be the fixture to spark a revival with his wizardry. Home advantage should tell.
Suggested Bet: Full Time Result – Nottingham Forest at 7/10
BRIGHTON v MANCHESTER CITY – Click here to bet
Brighton mark their return to the Amex with a massive clash on Sunday, looking to steady the ship after a mixed start to the season. Fabian Hürzeler’s men followed a disappointing opening-day draw at home to Fulham with a 2-0 defeat at Everton last weekend, despite dominating long spells of possession. The result leaves the Seagulls 18th in the early standings with just one point from their first two matches. This weekend, they face Manchester City, hoping to replicate the heroics of last season, when they secured all three points in this fixture and claimed four points overall from a possible six against the Citizens.
Manchester City, meanwhile, were handed a reality check at the Etihad last Saturday as Tottenham inflicted a 2-0 home defeat on the Citizens, marking the second consecutive season Spurs have beaten City at home. Pep Guardiola’s side had started their campaign strongly with a comprehensive 4-0 victory away to Wolves on opening day, but the loss to Spurs exposed their vulnerability when pressed high and denied space. Sitting 6th in the early standings with 3 points, City will view this fixture as an ideal opportunity to respond, despite last season’s meetings with Brighton yielding just one point from a possible six.
Head-to-Head
These two sides met twice in the league last season, with Brighton securing their first win over City since 2021 by claiming a 2-1 victory in this fixture, followed by a 2-2 draw in the reverse encounter at the Etihad.
Betting
Brighton 3/1
Draw 3/1
Manchester City 17/20
Verdict
City will be keen to bounce back immediately from last weekend’s defeat, and their attacking quality should prove decisive here. While the hosts may threaten in spells, it’s unlikely they will be able to replicate last season’s heroics. It’s a tentative call, but I’m siding with the visiting side in this one.
Suggested Bet: Full Time Result – Manchester City at 17/20
LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL – Click here to bet
Anfield sets the stage for the standout clash of the weekend as reigning champions Liverpool welcome Arsenal. The Reds made it back-to-back wins on Monday night with a dramatic 3-2 victory at Newcastle, secured by 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha’s stoppage-time strike. That followed an opening-day triumph against Bournemouth and leaves Liverpool 3rd in the early standings with 6 points from 6. While Arne Slot’s side have been their usual ruthless selves upfront, there will be concerns regarding their defence, having already conceded four goals in their opening two league exchanges — something they will be desperate to address, knowing that the Gunners will be in town looking to exploit similar cracks this weekend.
Arsenal make their way to Merseyside having also started the campaign brightly, sweeping aside Leeds United 5-0 last time out after edging Manchester United 1-0 on the opening weekend. That leaves Mikel Arteta’s men top of the table on goal difference. Injuries, however, are mounting, with Bukayo Saka ruled out and doubts over Martin Ødegaard’s fitness. The potential debut of Eberechi Eze could help offset those concerns, but a trip to Anfield is never straightforward, particularly against a Liverpool side buoyed by Monday’s dramatic comeback.
Head-to-Head
Last season, Arsenal and Liverpool shared the spoils in both league encounters, playing out a 2-2 draw at the Emirates followed by another 2-2 thriller at Anfield.
Betting
Liverpool 23/20
Draw 26/10
Arsenal 95/40
Verdict
Arsenal’s injury concerns will be tested against a Liverpool side that thrives at Anfield, but the Gunners have shown enough attacking quality to trouble the hosts, especially given Liverpool’s weak defence of late. Both teams are likely to find the net in what promises to be another high-intensity clash, and a scoreline similar to last season would not be surprising, making Arsenal’s return to London with a positive result very appealing.
Suggested Bet: Double Chance and Both Teams to Score – Draw/Arsenal and Yes at 31/20
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
