We’ve got several mouth-watering matches to get stuck into this weekend, as we preview games from England’s top two divisions, Spain’s La Liga and the German Bundesliga.
With only one point separating the Premier League’s top five clubs, who can steal a march on their rivals this weekend? Can Real Madrid stay at the top of La Liga? Who will win the big derby game in Germany? There are plenty of questions to answer in what looks like being another great set of fixtures.
We kick things off with Arsenal’s visit to the Stadium of Light, and we conclude with Sunday’s game between Alaves and Real Madrid. Stand by for what promises to be another enthralling weekend of footballing action.
- Sunderland v Arsenal – Arsenal to Win -1 (21/20 at Coral)
- Crystal Palace v Liverpool – Draw (3/1 at BetVictor)
- Everton v West Ham United – Everton to Win (4/5 at BetVictor)
- Southampton v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win and Both Teams to Score (7/2 at Ladbrokes)
- Stoke City v Swansea City – Stoke City to Win – (13/5 at Coral)
- Queen Park Rangers v Brentford – Queens Park Rangers to Win 1-0 (8/1 at BetVictor)
- Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Wolverhampton Wanderers to Win (13/8 at Coral)
- Birmingham City v Aston Villa – Aston Villa to Win (31/20 at Bet365)
- Borussia Dortmund v Schalke – Borussia Dortmund to Win to Nil (19/10 at Coral)
- Alaves v Real Madrid – Real Madrid to Win 3-0 (15/2 at BetVictor)
Premier League
Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are separated by just a single point in the Premier League table at present. If the start of the season is anything to go by, we could be in for one of the most fascinating title races in Premier League history. Manchester City, the Gunners and the Reds are locked together on 20 points, whilst the Blues and Spurs are perched just a point behind on 19. Which of them will take the initiative this weekend?
Sunderland v Arsenal – 29th October
Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal have the chance to go three points clear at the top of the table on Saturday afternoon, as the Gunners travel to the Stadium of Light to face bottom club Sunderland.
The Black Cats are enduring another miserable start to their season, having taken just two points from their opening nine PL matches. They are the only side not to have won a league game this term. On Saturday, David Moyes’ men are coming up against an Arsenal team who have won nine and drawn three of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
We can only see one winner in Saturday’s early kick off, and we also believe it will be a comfortable afternoon for the north Londoners. The standout bet in this one is Arsenal to win -1, which you can get at 21/20 with Coral.
Arsenal to Win -1 – 21/20 at Coral
Crystal Palace v Liverpool – 29th October
If Arsenal and Manchester City slip-up on Saturday, then Liverpool have the chance to take advantage and move to the top of the pile. Jurgen Klopp’s men travel to Crystal Palace in Saturday’s late kick off, and they will certainly be looking to bring home the three points.
Palace have had an up and down sort of season so far. The Eagles seem to be taking one step forward and two steps back, but they are more than capable of shocking the Reds this weekend. As for Liverpool, they are unbeaten in nine, winning seven of those, and they will back themselves to get the job done on Saturday.
When these two meet, it’s usually a tight game. Liverpool won 2-1 at Selhurst Park last year, and Palace won 2-1 at Anfield in November. Because of that, we fancy this one to be a draw in south London. BetVictor have the draw priced at 3/1, and we feel those odds are too good to turn down.
Draw – 3/1 at BetVictor
Everton v West Ham United – 30th October
Moving onto Sunday’s games, first up sees Ronald Koeman’s Everton welcome Slaven Bilic’s West Ham United to Goodison Park.
This is a fixture that the Toffees have generally enjoyed in recent times, but West Ham took four points off Everton last season. The Merseysiders were 2-0 up with 12 minutes to go in this fixture last term, but goals from Michail Antonio, Diafra Sakho and Dimitri Payet turned the game on its head to give the Hammers an unlikely win.
However, that victory was the Irons’ first win against the Toffees in 18 attempts. We fancy the home side to prevail on Sunday, and BetVictor have an Everton win priced at 4/5.
Everton to Win – 4/5 at BetVictor
Southampton v Chelsea – 30th October
The last part of Super Sunday sees Claude Puel’s Southampton entertain Antonio Conte’s Chelsea at St Mary’s. The Saints, who are unbeaten on their own patch this term, will be looking to make home advantage count. Meanwhile, the Blues will be searching for their fourth win on the bounce.
After a slow start to life in England, Frenchman Claude Puel is really starting to stamp his authority at St Mary’s. Southampton’s 1-0 Europa League loss to Inter Milan last week, is their only defeat in nine. As for the Blues, after losing 3-0 to Arsenal a month ago, Chelsea have beaten Hull City, Leicester City and Manchester United without conceding, scoring nine goals in the process.
This is a tough game to call. Being at home, the Saints will fancy their chances, but the Blues back themselves to win anywhere in the Premier League. We’re siding with a narrow away victory in this one, and we feel there’s excellent value in Ladbrokes’ 7/2 for Chelsea to win and both teams to score.
Chelsea to Win and Both Teams to Score – 7/2 at Ladbrokes
Stoke City v Swansea City – 31st October
Monday Night Football comes from the Bet365 Stadium, as Mark Hughes’ improved Stoke City side take on Bob Bradley’s relegation-threatened Swansea City. After winning their last two Premier League matches, the Potters are the clear favourites to make it three victories on the bounce.
As for the Swans, they are in free-fall having not won a Premier League match since the opening day of the season. However, there has been an improvement in performances since Bradley took over from Francesco Guidolin, but they have only taken one point from those two games.
Now that Stoke seemed to have found the winning formula, we can see them easing to victory on Monday. Coral are offering 13/5 for the home side to win -1, and we believe that’s the standout choice of bet in this one.
Stoke City to Win -1 – 13/5 at Coral
Championship
It’s not just the Premier League that is throwing up some exciting stuff, the Sky Bet Championship is also shaping up to be another memorable campaign. In a league in which anyone can beat anyone, Rafael Bentitez’s Newcastle United currently lead the way. Brighton & Hove Albion, Huddersfield Town and Norwich City are close on their tails. At the other end, Rotherham United, Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers make up the bottom three.
Queens Park Rangers v Brentford – 28th October
West London rivals Queens Park Rangers and Brentford get the Championship up and running this weekend, as the pair meet at Loftus Road on Friday night. These two are level on points in the Championship table, and both will be going all out for the victory.
Considering these two are so evenly matched, this is a tough one to call. The R’s go into Friday’s game in patchy form, whilst the Bees have not won a Championship game in four.
We fancy this west London derby to go in favour of the home team, but only just. BetVictor are offering tempting odds of 8/1 for QPR to win 1-0, and we believe that’s a price worth having a punt on.
Queens Park Rangers to Win 1-0 – 8/1 at BetVictor
Blackburn Rovers v Wolverhampton Wanderers – 29th October
Saturday’s late Championship kick off comes from Ewood Park, as Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers go head-to-head. Both sides have underachieved so far this season, and Saturday’s showdown should be a fascinating contest in Lancashire.
Owen Coyle’s Rovers currently occupy a place in the relegation zone, whilst Wolves, who parted company with Walter Zenga on Tuesday, are 18th. Last season, Wanderers took four points off Blackburn, and they won this corresponding fixture 2-1 last August.
Despite both teams struggling for any consistency at present, we fancy manager-less Wolves to nick this one. The best price you can get on an away win is 13/8 with Coral.
Wolverhampton Wanderers to Win – 13/8 at Coral
Birmingham City v Aston Villa – 30th October
One of the biggest Championship fixtures of the weekend is no doubt Sunday’s Second City Derby between Birmingham City and Aston Villa. The fact that former Blues manager Steve Bruce has just taken over the managerial reigns at Villa Park adds even more spice to this already feisty encounter.
Birmingham have started this season in fine shape. Gary Rowett’s side currently sit seventh in the Championship table, and they will be looking for the three points on Sunday that should fire them back into the top six. As for Villa, there has already been a vast improvement under Bruce, as they have just won back-to-back games for the first time since May 2015.
This derby has all the ingredients of being an intriguing battle at St Andrews. The bookies are having a tough time splitting these two, but we’re struggling to see past a Villa win in this one. Bet365 are offering 31/20 for Bruce’s boys to secure three consecutive victories with a win at the home of their rivals.
Aston Villa to Win – 31/20 at Bet365
Bundesliga
Moving away from English football and into Germany, we’re going to focus on the big derby game between Thomas Tuchel’s Borussia Dortmund and Markus Weinzierl’s Schalke. As usual, Bayern Munich top the Bundesliga table, whilst Dortmund sit sixth, and Schalke lie back in 14th.
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke – 29th October
On Saturday, German football comes to a standstill, as the Revierderby takes centre stage between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke at the Signal Iduna Park.
Neither side have had a particularly good start to their respective season, and both will be looking to rectify that as soon as possible. BVB are in danger of seeing Bayern run away at the top, and Weinzierl’s men are looking dangerously over their shoulders.
Dortmund have no doubt had the better of their rivals in recent years, having won three of the last six meetings between the pair. Last season, Tuchel’s troops came out on top in a 3-2 thriller at the Westfalenstadion back in November. We can see Saturday’s match being a little more comfortable for Dortmund, and we like the look of Coral’s 19/10 for the home team to win to nil.
Borussia Dortmund to Win to Nil – 19/10 at Coral
La Liga
The Spanish La Liga also looks to be as open as ever this season. Going into last weekend’s fixtures, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid led the way, they now lie fifth. Real Madrid now top the pile, with Sevilla, who beat Atletico last weekend, sitting second. Barcelona are third and Villarreal are fourth. The league leaders are at Alaves on Saturday, and that’s the La Liga game we’re going to focus on.
Alaves v Real Madrid – 29th October
It’s been a very strange and exciting Spanish top-flight campaign thus far, and the fact that just three points separate the top five tells you everything you need to know about how unpredictable it is.
This Saturday, Zinedine Zidane’s Real head to 13th placed Alaves looking to cement their place at the top of the table. Los Blancos are one of only two unbeaten teams left in La Liga, and they should have far too much quality for Mauricio Pellegrino’s men in this one.
When these two last met in Spain’s top flight back in the 2005-06 season, Real Madrid beat Alaves home and away by a 3-0 scoreline. We fancy more of the same on Saturday, and BetVictor are offering the tempting price of 15/2 for Real to win 3-0 against Mendizorrotza outfit once again.
Real Madrid to Win 3-0 – 15/2 at BetVictor