New Year is a time of change for millions of people. Whether it’s getting fit, quitting fun things or seeing friends more regularly, people make resolutions to make changes for the better and it’s no different in the world of football.
Although New Year’s Day falls over halfway through the Premier League season, top flight managers still view this period as crucial. Putting a run of results together now can turn a poor season into a decent one and the January transfer window gives the chance for managers to freshen up their squads. With turns for the better and worse just around the corner, let’s see if we can capitalise on the twists by picking out some winning bets from the full list of Premier League matches held around New Years.
- Brighton v Bournemouth – Over 2.5 Goals (6/4 with Bet365)
- Burnley v Liverpool – Liverpool to Win and Both Teams to Score (23/10 with BetVictor)
- Leicester v Huddersfield – Leicester to Win (8/13 with Betfair)
- Stoke v Newcastle – Newcastle to Win and Over 2.5 Goals (5/1 with Betfair)
- Everton v Man Utd – The Draw (3/1 with Bet365)
- Southampton v Crystal Palace – Crystal Palace to Score Over 1.5 Goals (13/5 with BetVictor)
- West Ham v West Brom – West Ham to Win (Evens with Betfred)
- Arsenal v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win (9/4 with Paddy Power)
Premier League
There was no sign of goodwill to all men over the Christmas period in the Premier League. The last couple of weeks have seen some very hard fought games in the top flight especially at the wrong end of the table where the bottom eight clubs are separated by fewer than 10 points. At the top, the battle for the top four is heating up, even if Man City have all but been crowned champions before 2018 has even begun.
Brighton v Bournemouth – 1st January
Chris Hughton will be hoping for more of the same in the New Year. The Brighton manager heard about the size of the task facing his players from all quarters after their promotion to the Premier League for the first time but they’ve done enough to stay clear of the relegation zone. For now at least.
Next up for Brighton is a south coast derby against Bournemouth. These two have already played twice this season and it was Bournemouth who came out on top in those meetings in both league and cup. This, however, is the first meeting at the Amex Stadium and Brighton will be confident of picking up another three points at home. Bournemouth are in shocking form at the moment but appear content to try and play their way out of trouble with an expansive style that should guarantee goals in this very important match. Over 2.5 goals looks the minimum to expect at a hugely generous 6/4 with Bet365.
Over 2.5 Goals – 6/4 with Bet365
Burnley v Liverpool – 1st January
When Burnley were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Tottenham at Turf Moor before Christmas it looked as though the wheels may finally be coming off Sean Dyche’s side. But the Clarets showed their resilience and quality once again when they were just minutes away from beating Man Utd at Old Trafford.
If Burnley are to stick around in the top half of the table and book a place in European competition for next season they’ll have to make themselves even tougher to beat in their matches against the Premier League’s top sides. They certainly provided Liverpool with stiff resistance when the two played out a 1-1 draw at Anfield back in September.
The Clarets will make life tough again for Jurgen Klopp’s men and should be able to get on the score sheet. The problem they’ll encounter is that Liverpool are firing on all cylinders right now. Klopp’s men are the worthy favourites even given Burnley’s incredible season and a bet on the away team winning and both teams scoring looks good value at solid odds of 23/10 with BetVictor.
Liverpool to Win and Both Teams to Score – 23/10 with BetVictor
Leicester v Huddersfield – 1st January
Fans of both Leicester and Huddersfield will feel as though their teams have done enough in the first 21 matches of the season to ensure they don’t get sucked into the relegation battle in the months ahead. Seasoned Premier League fans know that such an attitude is unwarranted given how tight the bottom of the league is. Now is certainly not the time for complacency for either of these clubs.
The Leicester board spotted the early signs of decline under Craig Shakespeare and replaced him with Claude Puel relatively early in the season. That decision looks to have paid off, although the Foxes’ form has dropped off a little compared to the strong start they made under their new boss. Still, they remain dangerous opposition against any other top flight side and should make the most of Huddersfield’s poor away record by winning this one with relative ease at odds of 8/13 with Betfair.
Leicester to Win – 8/13 with Betfair
Stoke v Newcastle – 1st January
Newcastle manager, Rafa Benitez, was widely criticised for showing a lack of intent when Man City visited St James’ Park recently. With the Magpies in a relegation battle it looked as though they’d given up any chance of winning at home but, as ever, Benitez won’t be put off his pragmatism. He showed that he’s more than just a defensive manager with the expansive approach his team took during the away win against West Ham. Newcastle should have scored more than three they managed that day and they’ll surely look to make the most of another poor defensive unit when they visit Stoke.
Mark Hughes has just about been able to keep his head above water over Christmas but you get the feeling his job is in serious jeopardy unless Stoke make a strong start to the New Year. That looks beyond the talents of this squad at the moment and Newcastle are well positioned for another big, entertaining win away from home against a relegation rival.
Newcastle to Win and Over 2.5 Goals – 5/1 with Betfair
Everton v Man United – 1st January
Jose Mourinho is a master of getting the press to talk about anything other than his team’s performance when things have gone wrong. After being held to a 2-2 draw at home to Burnley, Mourinho was deflecting attention by talking about the spending power of Man City. Try as he likes, everybody knows that Man Utd are a long way from the peak of their powers and Mourinho will be unable to stop the criticism if they fall short once more against Everton.
The Toffees, like United, are another side who have spent big and yet not quite been able to achieve their aims. That said, since replacing Ronald Koeman with Sam Allardyce, things have certainly improved. Whilst Allardyce and Mourinho get on, there’s little the Everton boss likes more than to get one over on the Portuguese. Mourinho has previously criticised Allardyce teams for playing ‘19th century football’ but can he work out a way to beat another organised, committed side? The draw certainly looks tempting enough at 3/1 with Bet365.
Draw – 3/1 with Bet365
Southampton v Crystal Palace – 2nd January
While most people in their 70s took the Christmas period to put their feet up and spend time with their family, Roy Hodgson was out on the training ground, putting in the hours and the work to guide Crystal Palace further away from the relegation zone. Although recent results haven’t been perfect for Palace, they’re a different side to that which started the Premier League so poorly.
While Palace have only improved, Southampton have arguably got worse over recent months. With £75 million in the club’s coffers after the sale of Virgil van Dijk, this may be the time for them to make a change in management. Mauricio Pellegrino has faced calls to lose his job from the Saints fans and his position may well be untenable if they lost against Crystal Palace. Southampton may find a way to avoid defeat but only if they can score plenty of goals, as freescoring Palace look ready to score at least two at St Mary’s.
Crystal Palace to Score Over 1.5 Goals – 13/5 with BetVictor
West Ham v West Brom – 2nd January
West Ham’s resurgence under David Moyes came to an abrupt halt in their 3-2 defeat against Newcastle. The Irons were then fortunate to get a point against Bournemouth having been battered for the majority of their game at the Vitality Stadium. That makes the visit of West Brom to the London Stadium even more important. This is a relegation six-pointer for sure.
West Brom followed West Ham’s lead by sacking their manager this season but there has been no such improvement in the Baggies’ form following the appointment of Alan Pardew. West Brom are in all sorts of problem at the bottom of the Premier League and could well sink without a trace. With goals a major concern for West Brom, the Irons should be able to keep things nice and tight at the back while offering enough of an attacking threat to win under the lights at evens with Betfred.
West Ham to Win – evens with Betfred
Arsenal v Chelsea – 3rd January
When Arsenal visited Stamford Bridge in September many Gunners fans feared the worst. Arsenal have suffered some very big defeats against their London rivals in recent years and the same old problems of performing in the big matches still plagued them so their dogged performance in a 0-0 draw came as a pleasant surprise.
At the time of the match, things were reportedly bad behind the scenes at Chelsea. Antonio Conte was disappointed with the club’s transfer dealings and he’s been proven right in his belief that the Blues would fall short in their attempts to defend the Premier League title. The January transfer window will prove pivotal to Conte’s future at Chelsea but at least things are going well on the pitch. Chelsea are getting ever closer to Man United in second and could ratchet the pressure up even further with a big win at the Emirates at big odds of 9/4 with Coral.
Chelsea to Win – 9/4 with Coral