After the international break, Premier League and Championship football once again take centre stage this weekend. We have some mouth-watering top flight matches to get stuck into, as well as plenty of high quality fixtures in England’s second tier to take a look at as well.
It’s a four-day “weekend” of football, spread out from Friday to Monday night and after England’s lacklustre showing in Slovakia, many fans will be delighted to get back to the club side of things.
There is no question what the biggest game of the weekend is. Pep Guardiola takes his Manchester City side to Old Trafford for the first Manchester derby of the season. This will be the first English instalment of the Guardiola v Jose Mourinho rivalry and a clash of the two title favourites.
Elsewhere, Liverpool meet Leicester City and Antonio Conte’s Chelsea travel to South Wales to play Swansea. We’re going to take a look at the best fixtures of the weekend from the top two tiers of English football and with a betting tip for each, it should be a profitable few days of football.
- Manchester United v Manchester City – Draw (12/5 at Betfred)
- Liverpool v Leicester City – Liverpool to Win (8/13 at Coral)
- Swansea City v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win -1 (13/8 at Ladbrokes)
- Sunderland v Everton – Everton to Win and Both Teams to Score (10/3 at Betfair)
- Reading v Ipswich Town – Draw (12/5 at Bet365)
- Derby County v Newcastle United – Newcastle United to Win 2-0 (13/1 at BetVictor)
- Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest – Draw and Both Teams to Score (4/1 at Betfred)
Premier League
The Premier League season may only be a few weeks old, but it’s already been an exciting campaign so far. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are the three clubs who have taken maximum points, whilst there’s also been notable good starts for the likes of Everton and Hull City. Liverpool and Leicester have both been inconsistent but a win this weekend would make for a solid start after four games.
Manchester United v Manchester City – 10th September
There’s no better place to start than at Old Trafford where Mourinho’s Manchester United welcome Guardiola’s Manchester City in one of the most eagerly anticipated Manchester derbies for a number of years.
With both teams taking nine points out of nine thus far, something has got to give at the Theatre of Dreams. United have seen off Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull City, whilst the Citizens have beaten the likes of Sunderland, Stoke City and West Ham United. After ending last season with the same amount of points, these two look even more evenly matched this time around. With both having spent more than £150m in the summer, they are the favourites for the Premier League title, making this something of a six-pointer.
Both teams may want all three points, but it’s a game neither side dare lose. Because of that, we can see these two great rivals cancelling each other out at Old Trafford. Betfred have the top price of 12/5 for the draw, and we believe that’s the way forward in this one.
Draw – 12/5 at Betfred
Liverpool v Leicester City – 10th September
Next up is the other standout fixture from this weekend’s Premier League action as Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester City travel to a new-look Anfield to face Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
The champions may have only lost two away games on their way to the title last term, but one of those was at Anfield on Boxing Day. The Foxes have already tasted defeat this campaign, as they surprisingly lost their opener to newly promoted, managerless Hull City. The Reds have played away in all three league games thus far, taking a respectable four points in the process.
Like the United v City game, this fixture is another extremely tough one to call. However, we believe home advantage could be key in this crucial match. With Anfield’s main stand extension finally complete, an improvement which has taken the capacity up to just short of 55,000, there will be a real feelgood factor in Liverpool on Saturday, and we like Coral’s 8/13 for a home win.
Liverpool to Win – 8/13 at Coral
Swansea City v Chelsea – 11th September
Another team who have taken maximum points so far are Chelsea, with hopes high in west London. The Blues make the trip to the Liberty Stadium to take on Francesco Guidolin’s Swansea City on Super Sunday. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s first-half strike was enough to secure a 1-0 win for the Swans in this fixture last term, a scoreline the Welsh club would love to repeat this weekend.
However, Conte’s Blues have started this season in tip-top shape. After leaving it late to beat London rivals West Ham United in their opening game of the season, Chelsea have followed that up with wins over Watford and Burnley. Fans will now be starting to believe that last season was just a major blip and a return to title contention is very much on the cards.
Despite being back on the road this weekend, we can see Conte’s troops keeping up their 100% record in this one. In fact, we believe the Blues can win comfortably in South Wales. Ladbrokes have the best price on Chelsea to win -1, offering very tempting odds of 13/8.
Chelsea to Win -1 – 13/8 at Ladbrokes
Sunderland v Everton – 12th September
Monday night’s game sees David Moyes face off against his former club, as Ronald Koeman’s Everton visit the Stadium of Light. Can Moyes’ side inflict a first defeat of the season on Koeman’s Toffees on Monday?
Everton have begun life under the former Southampton manager in superb style. After earning a very respectable 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their opener, the Merseysiders have gone on to secure back-to-back league wins. The Toffees came from behind to beat West Bromwich Albion on the road, before beating Stoke City 1-0 at Goodison Park before the international break. Sunderland, meanwhile, have taken just a point from their opening three league fixtures.
We can only see one winner in Monday’s match-up on Wearside, and that’s Koeman’s Everton. However, we can also envisage the home side getting on the scoresheet, with Jermain Defoe boasting a fine record against the Toffees. Because of that, we believe Betfair’s 10/3 for an Everton win and both teams to score is a great value bet in this one.
Everton to Win and Both Teams to Score – 10/3 at Betfair
Championship
Moving away from the top flight and into the Championship, there’s also a number of huge games to take a look at in England’s second tier, too. Once again, the Championship is proving to be as unpredictable as ever, as David Wagner’s Huddersfield Town sit at the top of the table. Meanwhile, the likes of Derby County, Aston Villa, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday have all struggled for consistency thus far. Who will go all the way is anyone’s guess but we’re hoping our tips can cut through the unpredictability this week to land you some winners.
Reading v Ipswich Town – 9th September
The opening fixture of the Championship weekend takes place at the Madejski Stadium this Friday night, as Jaap Stam’s Reading entertain Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich Town.
The Tractor Boys have begun their season in decent shape, having taken eight points from their opening five league fixtures. Meanwhile, Reading have a point less, after winning two, drawing one and losing two so far. The Royals may have won this fixture 5-1 last term, but we can’t foresee a scoreline or result unfolding like that on Friday.
These two are pretty evenly matched, and we can see that reflecting in the result in this one. We think the best value price in this intriguing looking fixture is Bet365’s 12/5 for the draw, with 1-1 worth a pop at long odds.
Draw – 12/5 at Bet365
Derby County v Newcastle United – 10th September
Saturday’s standout fixture in the Sky Bet Championship is Derby County’s clash with Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle United. Derby have won one, drawn two and lost two, whilst the Magpies have taken nine points from a possible 15 after an awful start.
A lot of people would have had Derby to be there or thereabouts this season, but Nigel Pearson’s Rams will have to buck up their ideas if that is to be the case. Derby’s solitary win of the campaign came away at Preston North End. Meanwhile, Newcastle may have had a slow start, but three wins from three has catapulted them up to fourth in the Championship table and confidence will be growing.
We can see the Magpies going to the iPro Stadium and inflicting even more misery on Pearson and the Derby faithful. Incredibly, Newcastle have not beaten Derby since a 3-2 win a Pride Park in a Premier League fixture way back in April 2002, but we believe they will rectify that this Saturday. Benitez’s troops are generously priced at 13/1 (BetVictor) to win 2-0, a price we believe is certainly worth having a punt on.
Newcastle United to Win 2-0 – 13/1 at BetVictor
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest – 11th September
Last up, we’re going to focus on Nottingham Forest’s trip to Villa Park as they take on Roberto Di Matteo’s Aston Villa. Villa have not started life in the second tier the way they would have wanted, winning just one game in five so far. However, they will be looking to make home advantage count in Sunday’s showdown at Villa Park.
Philippe Montanier’s Forest are another side who have had a mixed bag of results at the start of the campaign. The Reds have beaten the likes of Burton Albion, Wigan Athletic and Leeds United, but have lost at Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford. Villa’s only win came against Rotherham a few weeks ago and right now they are looking down the table rather than up it!
We can see this one being a tight affair in the Midlands. Neither team will want to lose, but both will be going all out for the win. A score draw at Villa Park seems a good shout, and that’s priced at 4/1 with Betfred.
Draw and Both Teams to Score – 4/1 at Betfred