Football Tips: Thommo & trader’s best bets for Saturday’s big Premier League games

We've got some humdingers in store this weekend and Thommo's had his say.

By / Football Tips / 3 years ago

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Forget Chelsea or Manchester City, the in-form team in the world right now is Paddy’s football ambassador Phil Thompson and trader Brian McDonnell. The lads were on fire last weekend, smashing home an incredible NINE punts in just three Premier League games on Saturday.

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They’re back again to try and help you pick Paddy’s pocket on Saturday with Man City v Arsenal, Norwich v Leicester and Liverpool v Chelsea in their crosshairs. So, where’s the smart money going in the top flight on Saturday?

12.30pm: Man City v Arsenal

TV: BT Sport 1

BRIAN

I don’t think Arsenal are going to get anything out of this, even as an avid Arsenal fan. It’s the biggest price Arsenal have ever been for a Premier League match, I think, at 10/1 at the time of recording. It’s impossible to see them getting a result here.

This will be comfortable for City. Arsenal played Chelsea last week and it really did look like men against boys. The Arsenal team were so soft. They had a big win midweek against West Brom but it was West Brom’s B Team. You can’t read anything into that.

The big news for Man City this is week is that they’ve missed out on Harry Kane. I think if they don’t get a striker in this week before the window shuts that will really hamper their chances of retaining the title this season.

For this one though they should be comfortable enough. They always seem to beat Arsenal. In their last seven league games against Arsenal they’ve won on an aggregate score of 16-1. A comfortable win and I think Man City will Win to Nil. I’d be happy with 3-0 as an Arsenal fan, but I think it will be 3-0 or 4-0. I’ll be watching from behind the couch again!

THOMMO

I did a podcast with Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier and Charlie is hurting and damning of Arsenal at the moment. I know Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored and he looked so happy with his hat-trick against West Brom but he’s not scored in seven games against Manchester City. That is the big difference between playing West Brom and playing Man City.

I feel like Mikel Arteta has lost, or is about to lose, the dressing room.

I really do. There are players who are pulling in different directions so I do fear for Arsenal at the moment. I am with Brian on this, I’ve got 3-0 to Man City on my notes here.

I always try and have a look at players who enjoy playing against certain opposition and the one that strikes me is Raheem Sterling. He’s scored in four of his last four Premier League games against Arsenal. He scored in both games last season, both 1-0.

It shows that he’s got a thing about Arsenal. Pep Guardiola, if he’s looking at it with his statisticians he will be looking to put Sterling in his starting lineup. I’m going for Sterling to Score Anytime.

PepGuardiolaManCityAug21

3pm: Norwich v Leicester

THOMMO

Norwich, you just worry for them, don’t you? From that euphoric start against Liverpool, the crowd behind them and boom: a 3-0 win for Liverpool to knock them off their stride. They had a poor record last time they were in the Premier League and it’s 12 consecutive losses they’ve had including the last time they were here.

Norwich have lost just three of their last 14 league meetings against Leicester. But that’s not putting me off. Leicester have got too much. I know they got beat badly by West Ham but there was the Ayoze Perez sending off to go with it. I’m going to go for a comfortable Leicester Win here, 2-0.

I’ve got Jamie Vardy to Score First. You’re looking at other players and you’re going, Kelechi Iheanacho on the bench, Brendan Rodgers doesn’t trust him. I think maybe he needs to try and pair the both of them up because they’re got to start scoring more goals.

BRIAN

I think Leicester will win as well, I’m going to go for a bit of a narrower margin though, I’m just going to go for Leicester to win 1-0. It’s interesting about Jamie Vardy, I was looking at his stats there, you can’t question his ability and what he’s done for Leicester over the years but he’s 34 now and he’s only scored five goals in his last 28 games.

Leicester have brought in a new striker from Salzburg, Patson Daka, I’d really like to see him play. He scored 27 goals in the Austrian league last season in 28 games and I think he’s really one to look out for. I think he might even get a chance in this game so I think Patson Daka could Score First as Leicester Win 1-0.

ThomasTuchelChelseaAug21

5.30pm: Liverpool v Chelsea

TV: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League

THOMMO

Listen, you know the season starts and the fixtures come out, would you believe only the third league game in and how massive this game is, how well Chelsea have started. I think Chelsea have started in second gear and they’ve still won their two games by five goals to nil scoreline.

Lo and behold, you look at Liverpool and it’s exactly the same, second gear. Scored five goals conceded none. Both have an identical record. I was at Anfield last week for the game against Burnley and I just think the crowd are going to have a big part to play. It was massive last week, the atmosphere.

This is Chelsea coming with Romelu Lukaku and I just feel like this is going to be Anfield at its best. They’ll be ready for Chelsea. You can say crowds don’t win football matches, at Anfield they do. This has got the makings of a sensational game but we have to breach this sensational Chelsea defence.

I think it’s 21 clean sheets out of 33 since Thomas Tuchel arrived. It’s absolutely fascinating. But, Romelu Lukaku has not scored in seven games against Liverpool. I do fancy this one for Liverpool but it is going to be very, very tight. A nice bet; Both Teams To Score. I’m going for Liverpool to Win 2-1.

I’m also going to go for Sadio Mane to Score Anytime here. Last season he seemed to have a lack of confidence in front of goal. He scored last week, a fantastic goal against Burnley. I think he’s getting in the right positions. I do fancy Sadio Mane with his pace playing against Cesar Azpilicueta.

BRIAN

Phil’s gone for Liverpool to win, unsurprisingly enough! I’m going to be on the other side of the fence in this one, I’m going for Chelsea to win 2-1. I know Liverpool had comfortable wins against Burnley and Norwich but they did give up chances in both of those games. Norwich could have scored, Burnley had a couple of half-chances early on and were through on goal towards the end of the game.

If you give those chances up to Lukaku, Timo Werner or Kai Havertz they will put them away. Lukaku, he couldn’t have had an easier reintroduction to the Premier League than coming up against Pablo Mari last week. It’s going to be a completely different story this Saturday against Virgil van Dijk. I think he might be kept quiet and that might allow some of the Chelsea midfielders, Mason Mount and Havertz, to arrive into the box and get on to something.

I’m happy to take Chelsea just at the bigger price as they’re away from home. Anfield will be roaring but I think at the bigger price I’m happy to back Chelsea to Win. I agree with Phil, I think both teams are going to score but I’m going with 2-1 to Chelsea.

Saturday tips

12.30pm: Man City v Arsenal
Thommo: Man City to Win 3-0, Raheem Sterling to Score Anytime
Brian: Man City to Win to Nil, Man City to win 3-0 or Man City to Win 4-0

3pm: Norwich v Leicester
Thommo: Leicester to Win 2-0, Jamie Vardy to Score First
Brian: Leicester to Win 1-0, Patson Daka to Score First

5.30pm: Liverpool v Chelsea
Thommo: Both Teams To Score, Liverpool to Win 2-1, Sadio Mane to Score Anytime
Brian: Chelsea to Win, Chelsea to Win 2-1, Both Teams To Score

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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