Premier League Preview GW36
Week 36 of the Premier League is shaping up to be one of the most intense. While Norwich City have become the first team to be relegated, Aston Villa and Bournemouth have kept their hopes of survival alive with wins over Crystal Palace and Leicester City respectively. A trip to Manchester’s Etihad Stadium looms for the Cherries, but Villa have a winnable fixture as they make the trip to Everton’s Goodison Park. With Manchester City’s ban from European competition being overturned, the qualification places in the Premier League are now even more coveted, with Wolves and Sheffield United facing tricky away ties to stay in the hunt.
Here at LeoVegas, you can get tips and overviews for every single match to help you bet on the Premier League. Our sports blog is also the place to come for the best sports betting tips, the latest odds, or dynamic and comprehensive markets. So, whether you’re a motor racing fan looking for up-to-date F1 betting tips, or a UK-based NBA follower on the lookout for the best basketball betting tips, LeoVegas offers previews on the biggest sporting events worldwide.
Below are previews and some of our selected betting tips for the Premier League Gameweek 36.
Chelsea vs Norwich City - 8:15pm 14th July
Chelsea’s hopes of securing a Champions League position are in the balance, following their 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United on Saturday, although Manchester United’s draw on Monday night has kept them in third. With a trip to Anfield next week, and a home game against Wolves to round off the season, this game against the Premier League’s “basement boys” is a must-win fixture for Frank Lampard’s men. Norwich City have lost all six of their games since the restart, and their drop into the Championship was sealed with a listless performance at home to West Ham, which they lost 4-0. They’re unlikely to cause much trouble at Stamford Bridge.
Burnley vs Wolverhampton Wanderers - 6:00pm 15th July
While Wolves’ success over the past couple of seasons has been well documented and praised, Burnley have managed to remain under the radar, despite a solid set of recent results that leaves them within touching distance of ‘traditional top six sides’, Arsenal and Tottenham. Five goals in five games has been enough to keep them unbeaten in that time, so Wolves will have to be sharp to keep up the pressure on the top five. They returned to winning ways with a convincing 3-0 win over Everton on Sunday, and with Leicester seemingly struggling, a win at Turf Moor will keep them on the trajectory for European qualification. You can’t dismiss Burnley though.
Manchester City vs Bournemouth - 6:00pm 15th July
Losing nine games by this stage would have been unthinkable for Manchester City at the start of the season, but the truth is that they were rarely close to challenging Liverpool to retain the title. Successive 5-0 wins over Newcastle and Brighton show that they’re still a force to be reckoned with, however. On the flip side, Bournemouth have been seemingly sliding towards the Championship for a number of weeks now, with lacklustre defensive displays piling up. However, being robbed of a late winner against Tottenham gave them the shot in the arm they needed to thrash Leicester and boost their survival hopes. That said, it will be a tall order to get anything from the Etihad.
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur - 6:00pm 15th July
A 2-1 loss at Watford was arguably testament to the fact that Newcastle have taken their foot off the pedal since guaranteeing Premier League football next year. Injuries haven’t helped, but at times the Magpies seem to need an extra bit of motivation. With a 2-1 victory over their fierce rivals, Arsenal, in their most recent game, Tottenham look as if they may have prevented St. Totteringham’s Day for the fourth year in a row. However, they’ve had plenty of defensive problems so far this month, and it would be naive to think that they can keep the pacey forwards of the opposition at bay for the full 90 minutes.
Arsenal vs Liverpool - 8:15pm 15th July
For whatever reason, the meetings between Arsenal and Liverpool often end up as some of the most popular fixtures for football betting in the UK. Arsenal were on a great winning run, but conceding a late equaliser to Leicester, as well as having their lead turned around by Tottenham, will have dented their confidence. While Liverpool struggled to find ways past Burnley’s Nick Pope last time out, they will break several Premier League records if they manage to win their three remaining games, and with Arsenal likely to rest players ahead of their FA Cup semi-final, it looks like a Liverpool win.
Everton v Aston Villa - 6:00pm 16th July
Everton’s season is coming to an end with a bit of a whimper, as their European hopes have been crushed by picking up just a single point in their last three games. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has condemned his side’s spirit as “unacceptable”, and challenged his players to perform in their remaining games. Aston Villa realistically need to win at Goodison Park, otherwise they will be relying on beating Arsenal and West Ham, and hoping teams above them slip up. A 2-0 win over Crystal Palace has ended their slump, but can they keep the momentum going to steer away from danger?
Leicester City vs Sheffield United - 6:00pm 16th July
Leicester capitulated against Bournemouth, while Sheffield United went from strength to strength against Chelsea, to add some huge gravitas to a match that few would have expected to be a battle for European football at the start of the season. If they are to win, Leicester will have to do so without Caglar Soyuncu after his silly red card, and they also have a few injury concerns. The Blades will be buoyed by their recent run of good form, and know their remaining games are winnable. Still, boyhood Sheffield Wednesday fan Jamie Vardy is likely to be a thorn in their side.
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United - 8:15pm 16th July
Crystal Palace emerged from the lockdown period with a 2-0 win to keep their ambitious European hopes alive, before promptly losing five on the spin, with Sunday’s toothless loss against Aston Villa being the latest. It would be a huge shock if they got a result against a free-scoring Manchester United side, although a late Southampton goal on Monday night halted their run of four straight wins. Palace’s only hope will come from the fact that United may elect to rest players with an eye on their FA Cup semi-final on Sunday. Even then, that may not be enough to keep the Red Devils at bay.
Southampton vs Brighton & Hove Albion - 8:15pm 16th July
Southampton have probably been safe since the end of June, although the win against Man City cemented it, and can therefore approach the first of two consecutive games against South Coast rivals with little cause for concern. Brighton, meanwhile, aren’t out of the woods just yet, and if Bournemouth and Aston Villa win, the Seagulls could be following the trawler into the murky depths of a relegation fight. On the other hand, a single point would leave them in good stead to be playing top flight football next season. Danny Ings is likely to be the player who gets the most chances, and he’ll be expected to put one away.
West Ham United vs Watford - 8:00pm 17th July
These two sides took a huge step towards survival with wins at the weekend, although West Ham’s 4-0 win at Norwich was much more routine than Watford’s late turnaround against Newcastle. Following their win over Chelsea at the start of the month, Hammers boss David Moyes said he believed the relegation battle would go down to the final day, and if they lose at the London Stadium, he could be right. Watford dug themselves out of a sticky situation at the end of last season, but they have a frailty when defending corners, and West Ham’s Tomas Soucek looks dangerous from them.