Premier League Preview GW 2
Eyes eagerly turn to Manchester, as both United and City begin their Premier League season this weekend, and both have made an interesting signing or two. Elsewhere, Burnley and Aston Villa also get their 2020/21 Premier League season underway, and supporters will be keen to discover what kind of shape those sides are in. While Arsenal vs West Ham and Southampton vs Tottenham are sure to have their talking points, it’s tough to look beyond Sunday’s clash between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge. Here at LeoVegas, we have all the Premier League previews and the latest UK sports betting odds.
Without further ado, here are some of our selected odds for the Premier League Gameweek 2.
Everton vs West Bromwich Albion - 12:30pm 19th September
Everton probably weren’t thrilled when the fixture computer gave them a trip to Tottenham on the opening day, but they passed that test with flying colours, and the performances of James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in particular have given them a great platform to build on from the get-go. West Brom aren’t in that same boat though, as a heavy loss at home to Leicester has left them bottom of the table on their return to the top flight. While two of the three goals they conceded were from the penalty spot, they were in trouble for large periods. Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti will have worked on targeting their defensive weaknesses in training, and Calvert-Lewin is likely to be the beneficiary.
Leeds United vs Fulham - 3:00pm 19th September
Leeds made up for lost time by giving the reigning champions a scare in their 4-3 loss to Liverpool at Anfield. The team looked sharp and hungry for goals, and most importantly they seem like they could be a dark horse in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign. Fellow promoted side Fulham didn’t have the best of starts though, as they were undone by Willian’s brilliance in a 3-0 defeat at home to Arsenal. With a few key players - including Aleksandar Mitrovic - starting on the bench, the West London side appeared to lack ideas for large periods. Therefore Leeds will be keen to continue their impressive start as Premier League football returns to Elland Road for the first time in 16 years.
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace - 5:30pm 19th September
Manchester United get their domestic season underway on Saturday afternoon, looking to make a more substantial challenge for the Premier League title than they have done in recent years. While they were 33 points behind the champions last year, the form of Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood, and Marcus Rashford towards the end will have delighted manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Meanwhile, many thought that Crystal Palace would struggle this season, and while that may still come to pass, they looked impressive against Southampton in their opener. While it only finished 1-0, there were chances for more, although a trip to Old Trafford is likely to see even former Red Devil, Wilfried Zaha, given less opportunity going forward.
Arsenal vs West Ham United - 8:00pm 19th September
Arsenal’s 3-0 win at Craven Cottage was notable for the outstanding performances of a few new signings, including Gabriel and Willian, and will give the Gunners a huge boost as their season continues. The same can not be said for West Ham, who looked disjointed in large places as they lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle, with three of their most expensive signings beginning that fixture on the bench. They have, however, been a thorn in Arsenal’s side on several occasions in recent seasons, but they’ll need to improve their tactical approach significantly. Under Mikel Arteta’s stewardship, Arsenal seem less likely to underestimate their opponents, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is likely to be key once more.
Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur - 12:00pm 20th September
Last season’s 11th place finish was a welcome respite from fighting relegation for Southampton, who will be looking to build upon that this time around, although their lacklustre performance against Crystal Palace will have been a concern for Ralph Hasenhuttl. Meanwhile, if ‘all or nothing’ is the mantra for Tottenham, it was a case of the latter in their first game of the season, as talisman Harry Kane only had two touches in Everton’s box, as they lost 1-0. The signings of Gareth Bale and Sergio Reguilon could be crucial, but given that they won’t feature in this game, and Spurs were in Bulgaria on Thursday night, Southampton could spring a surprise.
Newcastle United vs Brighton & Hove Albion - 2:00pm 20th September
Newcastle United made some significant recruitments in the days leading up to the Premier League kick-off, and some of those new faces made an instant impact, as Jamal Lewis looked lively, and Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick found themselves on the score sheet against West Ham. On the south coast of England meanwhile, Brighton may well have lost to Chelsea in their opener, but they troubled them for large periods, and can count themselves a little bit unlucky overally. This match is certainly going to be an intriguing game, particularly without the roar of the crowd behind the Magpies, and Brighton will likely push them all the way.
Chelsea vs Liverpool - 4:30pm 20th September
Chelsea’s owner has once again dug his hands deep into his pockets this summer, and the acquisition of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, and Thiago Silva for a combined figure in excess of £200m was designed to get them back to being Premier League title challengers. So what better way to test their mettle in the early stages of the season than against reigning champions Liverpool, who come into this fixture off the back of a topsy-turvy encounter with newly promoted Leeds. Liverpool’s back line were tested to their defensive limits at Anfield, which is likely to happen again, but former Chelsea player Mo Salah and the usual suspects will sense goals against a team that have shown defensive frailties of their own this year.
Leicester City vs Burnley - 7:00pm 20th September
Leicester’s Jamie Vardy scored two goals from the penalty spot against West Brom, and has this week stated that he doesn’t feel as old as his birth certificate says he is, implying that there could be yet another push for the golden boot from the striker. Nick Pope is the man who is likely to be tasked with keeping him at bay, but Burnley have certainly shown that they have the defensive qualities to do exactly that. While they’re a game behind most of the other teams, and have had a very quiet transfer window in comparison, you know exactly what you’re going to get from a Sean Dyche team. The trouble is, that predictability means the Foxes will be prepared for this.
Aston Villa vs Sheffield United - 6:00pm 21st September
The corresponding fixture last season was notable for two reasons, despite finishing 0-0. Firstly, it was the opening game after the Premier League was suspended, but more importantly it will be remembered as the match in which the goal decision technology failed. Given that it was a goalkeeping error, Aston Villa have moved to strengthen that position, with the impressive Emiliano Martinez arriving from Arsenal ahead of their first fixture of the season. Meanwhile, Sheffield United looked off the pace as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Wolves, although ended the game much better than they started it. Chris Wilder will be hoping his side find the back of the net this time around, but Martinez could make that difficult.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City - 8:15pm 21st September
It’s a second Monday night fixture in a row for Wolves, who looked very good against Sheffield United in their first game of the season. Raul Jimenez got on the score sheet and had a few chances to add to his tally, while the likes of Neto, Daniel Podence, and Romain Saiss also gave a strong account of themselves. With Manchester City, you’re fairly certain of what you’re going to get, and that’s a team that will attack from the first whistle to the last. They’ve brought in Nathan Ake to try and bolster their defensive options, but it’s the experienced names up front that will be key to success. Raheem Sterling scored twice in the corresponding fixture last season, despite losing 3-2, and could well do the job this time around too.
*all odds correct at the time of writing and are subject to change