Premier League Week 15: Expert Betting Tips by Luke Andrews

by Luke Andrews, 6 December 2023

As the holiday season draws near, there is a growing sense of anticipation for a busy Christmas schedule of Premier League games. Unlike some leagues, the Premier League doesn’t take a break during this time, guaranteeing a supply of top-quality football excitement. Fans are in for a treat with matches being played midweek this week. Join Luke Andrews as he selects five of the games being played on Wednesday and presents the latest odds.

The weekend brought us some exciting action; now, the resilience and depth of the teams, as well as their mentality, will be tested in midweek action. Arsenal, who played on Tuesday, needed Declan Rice’s last-gasp header in the seventh minute of stoppage time to clinch the thrilling 4-3 win for Arsenal, pushing them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

The battle for the top spot in the league table is shaping to be a fiercely contested three-way race featuring Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Each team demonstrates unwavering determination and resilience, with no signs of backing down in this high-stakes competition. However, they should also be wary of the threat of Aston Villa and Newcastle, who are breathing down their necks.

Premier League Betting – Manchester United vs Chelsea

Wednesday’s must-watch clash doesn’t involve any of the current top six, with Manchester United in 7th and Chelsea in 10th.

Manchester United’s notable streak of three consecutive Premier League victories ended with a 1–0 loss to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park. Despite a commendable season that has propelled the Red Devils to seventh in the Premier League table, only five points shy of the top four, each setback is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges within Erik ten Hag’s squad.

Erik Ten Hag’s side managed just one shot on target against an opponent with an expected goal tally of three (XG).

Injuries have played a considerable part, and despite having natural centre-backs like Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof, the Dutch manager opted for Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire’s partnership.

Goals have been scarce, with their sixteen goals only better than Crystal Palace and the bottom four in the English premier league. They also need to make the most of their home games, as they will spend a fair amount of time travelling for Christmas fixtures.

Manchester United has a good record against Chelsea, winning five, drawing seven, and losing just one of the previous thirteen home games.

Bruno Fernandes has six goal involvements (three goals, three assists); the best tally in the United team has an arduous task to captain and motivate the team, especially in front of the goal.

Home team top scorer: Bruno Fernandes – Anytime goal scorer 16/5 & first goal scorer 9/1.

Chelsea has also documented troubles but managed to take three points against Brighton in the previous match, with a 3–2 win. It was a vital victory to boost their confidence after their 4–1 humbling defeat by Newcastle at St. James Park.

Mauricio Pochettino now has the task of marshalling the Blues to a first win at Old Trafford for the first time since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was still the gaffer. They had an excellent record in their away games this season before the defeat against Newcastle. The Blues had won their previous three games on the road in the league.

Raheem Sterling is not well appreciated! He scored or assisted in every game in November and deserves the player of the month title!!! pic.twitter.com/JIwzMShFg2

— Modad (@almodahd) December 1, 2023

Raheem Sterling seems to be back to the best form, as he displayed against his former club, Manchester City and has a brilliant record against Manchester United with twenty-four goals against them.

Away team top scorer: Nicolas Jackson (six goals) – Anytime goal scorer 2/1 & first goal scorer 6/1.

Selected bets: Manchester United, 19/10, Draw 11/4 at bet365, Chelsea 29/20. Over 2.5 13/19. Under 2.5 13/10. BTTS: No 31/20, Yes 4/7.

“Manchester United seem to be in crisis every week, but so are the visitors, Chelsea, who are five points worse off than the hosts. I can easily make a strong case for either team, but I feel this will be a game that both sides are scared of losing. Therefore, the draw at 11/4 appeals.” – Luke Andrews, Betting Expert – UK Market.

Premier League Betting – Brighton vs Brentford

Brighton lost 3–2 against ten-men Chelsea side but would be proud of their solid and convincing performance they will be hoping to carry on as they welcome Brentford.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side has found the back of the net and conceded in eighteen straight games (seven wins, five draws, and six defeats). The Seagulls are balancing their European adventures and local endeavours, sitting just five points behind the top five.

They have drawn the last three home games with an encouraging unbeaten record in their head-to-head encounters against the Bees at the Amex stadium, winning and drawing one.

Facundo Bounanotte has two goal contributions (one goal, one assist) in the last three games.

Home team top scorer: Evan Ferguson – Anytime goal scorer 13/8 & first goal scorer 5/1.

Brentford won 3–1 against Luton Town, which was a relief to secure three points after two consecutive defeats.

The Bees sit in position eleven with nineteen points and three wins in the last five games, showing a team growing in confidence. More convincing for Thomas Frank was their relentless attack that yielded twenty-seven goal attempts, showing an improvement in their attacking prowess.

They haven’t been great on their away matches this season, something they urgently need to put behind them with just one big win against Chelsea in their last five away games (one draw, three defeats).

The two sides feel like an even match, promising an exciting end-to-end encounter with relentless attacking football.

Neal Maupay has opened the scoring in two of their last four games, including their previous match against Luton, but it is Bryan Mbeumo with the numbers with six goals and three assists.

Away team top scorer: Bryan Mbeumo – Anytime goal scorer 11/5 & first goal scorer 7/1.

Selected bets: Nottingham Forest 19/20, Draw 3/1, Everton 29/10. Over 2.5 33/50, Under 2.5 13/10. BTTS Yes 11/10, No 31/20.

Premier League Betting – Aston Villa vs Manchester City

Aston Villa, following their notable 2–1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, which elevated them into the top four, faced a challenging match against Bournemouth. Unai Emery’s team demonstrated resilience in this encounter by coming from behind twice to secure a 2–2 draw. However, this result represented a missed opportunity for Aston Villa to climb above Manchester City in the standings.

Aston Villa missed a crucial opportunity to solidify their position in the top four before their significant upcoming match against the treble winners. The Villains have struggled in their recent encounters with Manchester City, going winless in their last thirteen games, with eleven losses and two draws. However, they are currently in their best form ever, boasting an impressive home record of thirteen victories, eleven of which have been by a margin of two or more goals. This level of confidence and form is unprecedented for Aston Villa as they head into a fixture against Manchester City.

Douglas Luiz has scored five of six goals at Villa Park, with Ollie Watkins on fourteen goal involvements (eight goals, six assists); the two players have been vital for Villa this season.

Home team top scorer: Ollie Watkins – Anytime goal scorer 2/1 & first goal scorer 7/1.

Manchester City would be desperate to return to winning ways after dropping points in their previous three games (three draws) that saw them lose their grip at the top of the table, in a thrilling encounter against Spurs that saw them concede after the ninetieth minute to draw 3 – 3.

Pep Guardiola has no cause for concern as they are nine unbeaten, with six wins and three draws, having faced four of the top six teams in the last five games.

They will have a serious conversation about their defence conceding ten goals in four games in all competitions. An interesting stat is that the reigning champions have never lost on a Wednesday (winning twenty-five, drawing one) of their twenty-six encounters.

Phil Foden- Goals and Assists 2022/23 season so far @PhilFoden pic.twitter.com/yUEIBOCpGc

— Mancity_Joe (@_MCFC_JOE) December 6, 2023

Phil Foden scored against Villa in the 2020-21 season and was on target for the second goal against Spurs to take his tally to seven goals.

Away team top scorer: Erling Haaland – Anytime goal scorer 17/20 first goal scorer 100/30.

Selected bets: Manchester City 15/4, Draw 7/2, Tottenham 8/11. Over 2.5 6/11, Under 2.5 33/20. BTTS Yes 8/11, No 6/5.

Premier League Betting – Sheffield United vs Liverpool

Sheffield United finds itself in a precarious position, languishing at the bottom of the Premier League with a mere five points, comprised of one win and two draws. Their defensive struggles are evident, conceding thirty-nine goals – the highest in the league. Their offensive output is also the lowest, with just eleven goals scored. This combination of factors is alarming, strongly indicating a form that could lead to relegation.

The Blades lost 5 – 0 against fellow relegation and the newly promoted side, Burnley, which saw Paul Heckingbottom as the first managerial casualty shown the door. They have a lot to figure out ahead of their home match against title-contending Liverpool, who they have lost all five games against them while scoring just one goal.

Their best positive encouragement will be their form on Wednesday, where they won three (one defeat) of the previous four games. Cameron Archer has scored eight of his nine goals at home.

Home team top scorer: Cameron Archer – Anytime goal scorer4/1 & first goal scorer 14/1.

Liverpool is in great form and seems back to their best form. They have established themselves as genuine title contenders, sitting confidently at second, just five points behind the leaders, Arsenal. The Reds have a better record for Wednesday night football, winning all nine matches.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have the momentum after an adrenaline-dumping experience, recovering from a 3 – 2 scoreline to win 4 – 3 against Fulham while scoring in the eighty-seventh and eighty-eighth minute to secure victory.

The Reds have the best points tally from losing positions with fifteen points, the second-best tally in Europe’s top five leagues. A record only eclipsed by Girona, who are having a season-defining campaign at the top of the Spanish League.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the decisive goal, the equalising goal in their 1 – 1 draw against Manchester City, and the winning goal in their 4 – 3 triumphs against Fulham. The English maestro looks to benefit from Klopp’s decision to finally accept to push the creative player into the midfield, where he is more productive.

Away team top scorer: Mohammed Salah – Anytime goal scorer 4/5 & first goal scorer 10/3.

Selected bets: Sheffield United 14/1, Draw 7/1, Liverpool 1/5. Over 2.5 10/13, Under 2.5 15/13. BTTS Yes 4/6, No 5/4.

Premier League Betting – Fulham vs Nottingham Forest

Fulham played their part in a scintillating match at Anfield, yielding seven goals, but lost 4–3 in favour of Liverpool. They have a lot of positives to reflect on, especially on their performance in front of goal, as they have scored three goals in their last two games, including a 3–2 win against the Wolves. Marco Silva hopes for another strong performance as they hope to get back to winning ways. The Cottagers have an impressive record against Nottingham Forest, having won seven, including the last match (2–0) of their nine encounters (losing two). Bobby De Cordova Reid came off the bench to score the third goal for Fulham and had a goal involvement (one assist) in the 3–2 win at the City Stadium is their top scorer with three goals this season.

Home team top scorer: Willian – Anytime goal scorer 17/4 & first goal scorer 17/2.

Forest is keenly focused on the Premier League standings, recognising that a victory in their upcoming match could enable them to overtake their hosts and move closer to the top half of the table rather than the bottom. However, Steve Cooper’s team is currently experiencing the league’s poorest form, having suffered three consecutive defeats, each by a narrow one-goal margin.

They endured a 1 – 0 loss to Everton at their home ground and now face the challenge of achieving a better outcome in their upcoming away game. Before this recent setback, Forest had scored two goals across their previous three matches, including a 2 – 0 victory over Aston Villa and narrow 3 – 2 defeats against Brighton and West Ham.

In the two defeats, they scored first against Brighton and had a 2 – 1 lead against the Hammers before losing their advantage. They have to sort out their defensive frailties as they have lost ten games on the road that they have conceded first.

Antony Elanga was superb in this Chelsea game. Master class performance 🥶 pic.twitter.com/z64cOPClcR

— Alhaji Tunde Wall’s 🥶🇨🇦 (@TundeWalls) September 2, 2023

Antony Elanga has six goal involvements (three goals, three assists), including two goals in the last three games.

Away team top scorer: Morgan Gibbs -White – Anytime goal scorer 21/4 & first goal scorer 12/1.

Selected bets: Fulham 27/25, Draw 13/5, Nottingham Forest 29/10. Over 2.5 21/20, Under 2.5 4/5. BTTS Yes 7/8, No 1/1.

To sum up, the midweek fixtures in the Premier League promise to deliver football action for fans. Each match carries importance as teams battle for every point, striving for success, survival or a chance to compete in tournaments. The stage is set for another round of captivating football, where outcomes will be determined by strategy, skill and sheer determination in this unpredictable and captivating league.

All stats are taken from SoccerSTATS.com and WhoScored.com, and the odds are from bet365 and are correct at the time of writing but can fluctuate, especially in play.

All tips are provided as entertainment only; the author’s opinion should not be considered financial guidance. Always bet responsibly; if you need help with problem gambling, you can find organisations that offer support in this page’s footer.