Premier League Week 17: Expert Betting Tips by Luke Andrews

by Luke Andrews, 15 December 2023

The European group stage has concluded, shifting the spotlight to the Premier League. The league braces for a particularly hectic schedule as we approach the festive period. Our in-house sports authority, Luke Andrews, delves into the specifics of match week seventeen, offering in-depth insights into half of the ten games. Factors influencing team performance include fatigue and injuries, which could significantly affect outcomes.

The Premier League has reached a pivotal phase, with just three matches remaining until the season’s midpoint and the league standings are beginning to solidify.

Liverpool, currently leading the table, are set to host a Manchester United team beset by injuries at Anfield, aiming to strengthen their hold on the top spot.

Nottingham Forest struggles to have a foothold in the league as it keeps slipping into the danger zone. The Foresters welcome the Spurs, who are looking for redemption and trying to redefine their season credential as they were once title contenders.

Burnley is set to face Everton at Turf Moor in a crucial relegation battle. Everton appears to have an advantage in this matchup despite being docked ten points. Meanwhile, Aston Villa, currently in impressive form, faces a challenge against Brentford’s fast-paced attack. In another critical fixture for football betting fans, Chelsea will host Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.

Premier League Betting – Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

Nottingham Forest will commence the action against Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground. Both sides will be looking for redemption, with the hosts winless in the last five games (one draw, four defeats). The Tricky Trees are now just five points and two positions off the red zone. Steve Cooper will have to motivate his side’s performance, especially at home, where they won just once (three draws, three defeats) in their first home game against league-bottom side Sheffield United.

Harry Toffolo scored his first goal for the club in their 1–1 draw to earn his side a crucial point. It was his side’s only goal in their last three games. These are troubling times for Nottingham Forest, and they have to muscle in a result against top-six rival Spurs. They have had one home win against them recently, beating them 2–0 in the EFL Cup, and they are hoping to repeat their heroics.

Home team top scorer: Chris Wood – Anytime goal scorer 11/8 & first goal scorer 9/1.

Tottenham’s season, initially marked by an impressive and flawless beginning, has been significantly hampered by a widely reported injury crisis. This setback has led them to drop to fifth place, now trailing by seven points from the Premier League’s summit. Their recent 4-1 victory over Newcastle provided a much-needed uplift, halting a challenging stretch of five winless matches, which included one draw and four defeats.

They have an excellent record in the league against their hosts and will be hoping to make it five straight wins against them on Friday night.

Ange Postecoglou has built a great mentality in the team, especially away from home, with their record of four wins, three draws, and one defeat only eclipsed by Liverpool.

Richarlison Vs Newcastle (H)

pic.twitter.com/nmoLf3t0o7

— KESP 🎥 (@KESP22) December 10, 2023

Richarlison has recovered from injury and seems to have found his scoring boots, scoring twice to make six goal contributions (three goals, three assists). Heung Min Son had three goal involvements in their win against Newcastle (one goal, two assists) and has been in fine form for the London side in attack.

Away team top scorer: Away team’s top scorer: Heung Min Son – Anytime goal scorer 3/1 & first goal scorer 9/2.

Selected bets: Nottingham Forest 15/4, Draw 10/3, Tottenham 3/4. Over 2.5 11/17, Under 2.5 27/20. BTTS: No 13/10, Yes 33/50.

Premier League Betting – Chelsea vs Sheffield Utd

Chelsea currently finds themselves in twelfth place, notably closer to the bottom three than to the top four. This position raises intriguing questions about the ambition of the Blues, especially considering their record of just one win in their last five Premier League games.

They have lost the last two games (2–1) to Manchester United and a disappointing 2–0 defeat to Everton. Reece James limped out of the match against the Toffees, adding to the continuing injury list in defence heading to the game against Sheffield United.

Mauricio Pochettino would hope playing at Stamford Bridge would help improve their record of one win (three defeats, one draw) in the last five games. The Blues have one shutout in twelve home games (two wins, five draws, five defeats) and will hope they can get a good performance against bottom-of-the-league side Sheffield United.

Enzo Fernandez scored twice in their last home game as they beat Brighton 3- 2.

Home team top scorer: Nicolas Jackson – Anytime goal scorer 59/50 & first goal scorer 37/10.

Sheffield United had a tremendous managerial bounce with the reappointment of Chris Wilder, who recorded a second win from sixteen games. The three points moved them to eight points, and for a side that felt done and dusted at the bottom of the table and genuine contenders for relegation, there is a glimmer of hope for survival.

There is a long way to go for them as they are still rooted at the foot of the table but can build from the 1–0 win against Brentford, which should give them confidence hoping to get at least a point against Chelsea.

The Blades will be looking for a first win (one draw, six defeats) on the road this campaign as the only team left to secure three away points.

Take a bow, James McAtee. 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/aEw4rvAcxv

— City Report (@cityreport_) December 9, 2023

James McAtee, who is on loan from Manchester City, scored the decisive goal against Brentford.

Away team top scorer: Cameron Archer – Anytime goal scorer 6/1 & first goal scorer 18/1.

Selected bets: Chelsea 1/4, Draw 6/1, Sheffield Utd 12/1. Over 2.5 11/20, Under 2.5 31/20. BTTS Yes 10/9 No 4/5.

Premier League Betting – Burnley vs Everton

Despite having a slow start and lingering in the red zone, Burnley has been one of the best-performing sides in the Premier League. They held Brighton to a 1–1 draw means they are in their best form of the season, with one win, one draw, and one defeat in the last three games. Vincent Kompany would need a reaction, especially against fellow relegation-escaping-side Everton, who are just five points between each other.

A concerning stat is that the Clarets have dropped sixteen points from winning positions, the highest tally in the Premier League this campaign. They have the historical advantage with five wins (one draw, two defeats) at the Turf Moor. Wilson Odobert has found the back of the net in two of three starts in the Premier League.

Home team top scorer: Zeki Amdouni – Anytime goal scorer 7/2 & first goal scorer 9/1.

Everton is on a three-game winning run without conceding, which is quite impressive. The return of nine points has seen them creep out of the relegation zone after the ten-point deduction. The Toffees edged out Chelsea 2–0 and are now in position seventeen with a four-point cushion and a five-point difference against their opponents; a win could be a chance to move further to safety.

Sean Dyche, a former Burnley gaffer, will return to the Turf Moor for the first time since his departure in 2022 after almost a decade with the Clarets. He will hope to continue his side’s impressive run of four wins in the last five away games, with every point valuable.

Everton's Abdoulaye Doucouré doing Ronaldo’s sleep celebration after scoring against Chelsea. 😍 pic.twitter.com/gmXG9Ar1Fp

— The CR7 Timeline. (@TimelineCR7) December 10, 2023

Abdoulaye Doucoure has been their most prolific player in front of goal, scoring eleven of his side’s thirty-two goals, accounting for thirty-four per cent. The match promises to be exciting between two sides in a relegation fight.

Away team top scorer: Abdoulaye Doucoure – Anytime goal scorer 10/3 & first goal scorer 8/1.

Selected bets: Burnley 11/4, Draw 5/2, Everton 23/20. Over 2.5 21/20, Under 2.5 17/20. BTTS Yes 16/19 No 21/10

Premier League Betting – Brentford Vs Aston Villa

Brentford has dipped in form that has seen them drop to the bottom half of the table. They have one win in the last five games, losing the previous two consecutive games.

The Bees would be disappointed dropping points against the bottom of the league side Sheffield United 1–0, the third match they have failed to score in the last five games.

Bryan Mbeumo has been a standout performer, contributing seven goals and three assists, and his performances have been a key determinant of the team’s overall success. The Cameroonian’s absence, particularly following his goal-scoring display in the 2–1 defeat against Brighton, leaves a notable gap in the squad. The onus is now on others to step up, with the team looking towards January for a boost. Ivan Toney, expected to return from suspension on 17 January, is anticipated to invigorate their season with his comeback.

They have an arduous task against the in-form Aston Villa, hoping they can return to form as before the five games they excelled in with three consecutive wins.

Home team top scorer: Yoane Wissa – Anytime goal scorer 11/4 & first goal scorer 8/1.

Aston Villa are the team to watch this season, in the words of Sir Alex Ferguson. Villa sits third in the Premier League table ahead of Manchester City and has re-established its status as a title contender.

Unai Emery is unbeaten in the last seven games, winning six and drawing just one. The incredible run of games includes convincing wins against Arsenal and Manchester City in the previous two games.

However, they have struggled against such sides as Brentford, with the only time they dropped points in the seven games being a 2–2 draw against Bournemouth. Emery has one of the strongest teams in the Premier League and has no actual injury scares heading to the season’s midpoint.

Mikel Arteta has a plan for Ollie Watkins ✋ pic.twitter.com/tR1HpCesAJ

— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) December 8, 2023

Ollie Watkins has been one of the best players this campaign with fourteen goal involvements (eight goals, six assists) and is a real threat in front of goal.

Away team top scorer: Ollie Watkins – Anytime goal scorer 6/4 & first goal scorer 9/2.

Selected bets: Brentford 12/5, Draw 14/5, Aston Villa 19/16. Over 2.5 8/11, Under 2.5 6/5. BTTS Yes 8/13 No 7/5.

Premier League Betting – Liverpool vs Manchester United

Liverpool and Manchester United, two of the fiercest rivals in English football, are set to clash again this Sunday. The Reds have dominated recent encounters, triumphing with an aggregate score of 21–3 in the last five games. This impressive streak includes remarkable victories of 7–0, 5–0, and 4–0.

Jurgen Klopp’s side is in great form at the top of the Premier League table, unbeaten in the last nine games (six wins, three draws), and they have won three consecutive games.

It’s a great time to be a Liverpool fanatic with a perfect home record, and they should be hoping to extend their dominance at the top of the table. Mohammed Salah has eighteen goal involvements (eleven wins, seven assists), is back to his best and will be a threat in front of goal.

Home team top scorer: Mohammed Salah – Anytime goal scorer 5/6 & first goal scorer 7/2.

Manchester United, having faced setbacks including their elimination from the Champions League, are approaching their match at Anfield under challenging circumstances.

Erik Ten Hag is facing a significant challenge ahead of their game against Liverpool, with several key players either sidelined or in doubt. Tyrell Malacia, Casemiro, Lisandro Martínez, Christian Eriksen, Amad Diallo, and Jadon Sancho are all confirmed to be out for the match.

Adding to United’s woes, Bruno Fernandes won’t be playing either. On the doubtful side, there’s uncertainty surrounding Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Victor Lindelöf, Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw, leaving Erik Ten Hag with quite the conundrum regarding team selection.

This situation certainly makes for a challenging setup for United’s visit to Anfield.

The Red Devils have encountered a challenging phase, suffering two defeats and securing just one win in their last three matches, notably including a 3–0 loss to Bournemouth most recently. Given their less-than-ideal recent encounters with Liverpool and the psychological impact of their Champions League exit, Manchester United’s prospects in the upcoming match seem uncertain. It will be intriguing to observe how they tackle these weaknesses, particularly as they’ve managed to maintain their sixth-place standing in the league despite such inconsistencies.

Andre Onana made two mistakes when his side led 3–1 against Galatasaray. He will have a busy day against Liverpool, who have been scoring for fun this campaign.

How quickly they forget…

Rasmus Højlund 23/24 so far 💫
pic.twitter.com/Srdp1UiZOR

— Stretford Trends (@StretfordTrends) December 7, 2023

“Rasmus Højlund is yet to score for Manchester United in the league. Although I think Liverpool will win this game easily, I fancy the Dane at 3/1 to score any time.” – Luke Andrews, Betting Expert – UK Market.

Away team top scorer: Scott McTominay – Anytime goal scorer 7/1 & first goal scorer 22/1.

Selected bets: Liverpool 7/20, Draw 26/5, Manchester United 17/2. Over 2.5 1/3, Under 2.5 88/35. BTTS Yes 8/13, No 7/5.

This upcoming weekend is set to be excellent entertainment for football enthusiasts. The anticipated match of the fixtures is undoubtedly the clash between Manchester United and Liverpool. It’s particularly interesting to see how Manchester United will tackle the obstacles they encounter, especially when playing at Anfield, which can be pretty intimidating at any time, let alone with thirteen key players missing.

Tottenham is feeling the pressure to secure a win. After being considered title contenders, they are eager to regain their position in the championship race.

Chelsea is in the bottom half of the table despite the enormous financial input by the club, and they need to start getting results. European football will be the minimum requirement for this campaign, but they are closer to relegation than Champions League football, which speaks a lot about their progress as a team.

Burnley and Everton will be in a dogfight, with both sides looking to move away from the red zone. Brentford and Villa could be an even encounter, and despite Villa’s form, it would be hard to go against a great attacking side such as the Bees.

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.