Betting Week in Review 10/10/2022 No Draws Make Punters Happy
It was a successful weekend for punters In our betting week in review,with almost no surprise results. Only Bournemouth’s win against Leicester upset the odds, and there wasn’t a single draw in the nine Premier League games that took place.
Arsenal Beat Liverpool 3-2 on Sunday © Pixabay.
Arsenal Looking Like Title Contenders
Games between Arsenal and Liverpool almost always produce plenty of goals, and it was no different this weekend, with five goals in a thrilling 3-2 win for Arsenal, which takes them back to the top of the league.
For once, Arsenal’s excellent form and Liverpool’s struggles meant the Gunners were installed as 31/20 favourites, with Liverpool priced at 11/4 and the draw available at 11/4.
Arsenal had the lead within 58 seconds of the start, thanks to Gabriel Martinelli. The 21-year-old Brazilian has been in great form, assisting Granit Xhaka’s goal in the 3-1 win over Tottenham in their last league game and picking up the man of the match award with a goal in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Villa at the end of August.
Despite Arsenal’s bright start, the visitors were on level terms just after the half-hour mark when Darwin Nunez managed to steer home the ball from a cross from Luis Diaz. However, Arsenal once again took the lead deep into stoppage time thanks to a counter-attack by Martinelli Martinelli which resulted in a goal for Bukayo Saka.
— 🔥 Arsenal’s Man of the Match Gabriel Martinelli
Liverpool, partly spurred on by a sense of injustice after a Gabriel handball penalty shout wasn’t given in the first half, were level on 53 minutes. Roberto Firmino came off the bench for the injured Diaz and scored the equaliser.
Liverpool’s sense of injustice was made worse on 76 minutes when Arsenal was awarded a penalty after Thiago Alcantara was penalised for a foul on Gabriel Jesus in the box. Bukayo Saka, who missed a penalty for England in the Euros final against Italy, took the kick and calmly dispatched it to give the home side the win.
The win took Arsenal back to the table’s summit, continuing their excellent form, which has seen them win 11 games in 12 matches in all competitions.
For Liverpool, it means their stop-start season continues, having already lost three times this season (two Premier League and a Champions League fixtures). Next up for Liverpool in the league are the reigning champions Manchester City.
Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, thanked the Gunners support after the game, saying: “Thank you so much to the boys and our supporters for experiencing an afternoon like this, It’s why we are here, and I really enjoyed it, especially the way we won.
“I’ve never seen it like this. You cannot imagine how much it helps the players and how much belief and confidence, how much support. It’s one of the nicest things we’ve done since we’ve been together here – to unite everybody and feel like you go here and you’re going to have some experience. It’s great.”
“The feeling of winning is so powerful and so meaningful for me today for me, I saw a team I really identify with, the personality they show in difficult moments, how they stick to what they have to do but at the same time, the belief, the courage, and the free mind to just go for it and attack them and put them under pressure.”
City Enjoy Easy Win Against Sorry Saints
If Arsenal are to win their first title since the 2003/4 season, they will need Manchester City to slip up, which seems unlikely if Saturday’s routine win against Southampton is anything to go by. The only surprise in the 4-0 win was that Erling Haaland only scored one. The accepted benchmark for a top striker is 20 goals. Haaland has already reached that target after just nine league games for the club (15 Premier League, 5 Champions League).
Haaland almost scored in the opening minutes, but a breakaway saw him unleash a shot which missed by inches and hit the inside of the post, much to the surprise of almost everyone.
It would prove to be just a temporary reprieve for the Saints as Joao Cancelo gave City the lead on 20 minutes after running onto a Phil Foden pass. Foden, who like Haaland, scored a hattrick in City’s 6-3 win against Manchester United, scored the second with 32 minutes gone.
Within four minutes of the restart, City was out of sight when Riyad Mahrez volleyed home a Rodri cross and the only thing missing as far as City supporters were concerned was a goal from Haaland.
However, after 65 minutes, the predictable happened. The Norway international scored his 15th Premier League campaign goal, sealing a fine 4-0 win for City, the only team in England’s top four divisions yet to taste defeat.
— 🔥 Erling Haaland How Haaland’s Stats Compares
One Step Forward, One Back For Rodgers
The only surprise of the weekend, at least odds-wise, was Bournemouth’s 2-1 win over Leicester City, which added more pressure on Brendan Rodgers, the bookies favourite to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked.
A 4-0 win in Leicester’s last match against Nottingham Forest meant the bookies had them 61/50 favourites against Bournemouth (231/100), with the draw available at 253/100. The odds looked justified when Patson Daka scored for the visitors after ten minutes. However, two goals in the second half from Philip Billing and Ryan Christie ensured Gary O’Neil’s unbeaten run as caretaker manager continued. It is five unbeaten now for O’Neil, who looks set to continue in the role if this fine form continues.
In other games, Chelsea moved up to fourth with a routine 3-0 win against Wolves, and Newcastle United are just behind them in sixth after a comprehensive 5-1 win against Brentford.
Tottenham is in third after beating Brighton 1-0 at the Amex stadium. Manchester United are in fifth after a 2-1 win over Everton at Goodison. Leeds United had a second half to forget against Crystal Palace and lost 2-1, and West Ham has given themselves breathing space after a win against Fulham. The 3-1 victory moves the Hammers to 13th place, four points from 18th.
