Attention all fair-weather fans: the Manchester United bandwagon is fast reaching full capacity with the Red Devils reeling off five straight wins. Grab your seats now before they go for a sixth-straight against bitter rivals Liverpool this weekend. Yes, the same Liverpool team that’s had a rockier start to their much-hyped season than part-owner LeBron James’ Cavs.
As I do every week in this space, allow me to break down that marquee matchup, as well as all the best games in the Premier League’s Week 15. (Also, check out our complete preview of Man United vs. Liverpool here.) Feel free to peruse my unsolicited insights and analysis for each game, with a little bold prediction or two at the end.
As always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this column do not in any way reflect the views of Top Bet sportsbook or its oddsmakers. Now, for this week’s picks.
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Top EPL Picks for Week 15
Game of the Week – Manchester United vs. Liverpool (Sun, Dec. 14, 8:30 AM ET)
Line: Liverpool +330 at Manchester United -150, tie +260; total 2.5– view all EPL lines
In terms of rivalries, no matchup in English football gets any bigger than Manchester United vs. Liverpool. But unfortunately for the Reds of Merseyside, no team in the country is hotter than United has been over the last month. The Red Devils enter this big game on the strength of five straight wins, and are looking for more.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]United did lose another defender to injury (what else is new?) but they could gain the deadly Angel Di Maria after the Argentine missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. I’m sure United manager Louis van Gaal would be fine with that trade-off.
They’ll also be playing in the fortress known as Old Trafford, where they’re unbeaten in their last six. Their record against Liverpool in at home is also pretty good. Last 12 years: 10 wins, two losses.
As worthless as the form book tends to be during these types of rivalry games, it’s tough to see how Liverpool comes away from anything in this game. (The last draw between these two at Old Trafford was way back in 1999!) If they couldn’t get the job done at home against Basel with their Champions League lives on the line, I struggle to see them getting up for this very tough away test.
Brad’s Bold Prediction: United takes this match 2-1.
Leicester City vs. Manchester City (Saturday, Dec. 13, 10:00 AM ET)
Line: Manchester City -275 at Leicester City +560, tie +340; total 3.0 – view all EPL lines
Before you go storming out of the room in fits of uncontrollable laughter from what I’m about to suggest, I urge you to keep an open mind.
Ready?
Ok. I think Leicester (the last-place team in the league and winless since September) has a legitimate chance to get something against second-place Man City.
Hello? Still there? Good. So here’s my thinking. Leicester will at home (just two losses), where they are decidedly less-awful compared to anywhere else (seven losses). If they stand a chance of getting that much-needed win, it’ll be there.
On the other side, City will be playing on just a couple days’ rest after their make-or-break Champions League tie against Roma on Wednesday. It’s not hard to imagine that, whatever the result of that game, they could possibly be spent emotionally and/or physically after a very huge game in their season.
Oh, and Sergio Aguero – basically the man who’s been carrying them for most of the season – won’t be there to bail them out. So, still think I’m crazy for even contemplating this?
Brad’s Bold Prediction: Yeah, I probably am. City wins easy, 2-0.
Lock of the Week – Chelsea vs. Hull (Sat, Dec. 13, 10:00 AM ET)
Line: Hull +1,450 at Chelsea -1,000, tie +625; total 3.0
Poor Hull. Going into Stamford Bridge to face a Chelsea team that has won seven games out of seven at home was daunting enough. But to be the next team Chelsea face after they lost their undefeated streak? Oh boy.
There’s just no way this game ends well for Hull. Chelsea – and manager Jose Mourinho most of all – will be out for blood. While the Special One likes a pragmatic 1-0 result more than most, he’s not going to have a conservative approach against Hull, and especially not at home. Chelsea haven’t scored fewer than two goals at home in the league all season.
Add the fact that Eden Hazard, John Terry and Willian were all rested for their midweek Champions League game and that Hull is winless since October, and there’s only really one conclusion to make. This has a Chelsea statement game written all over it.
Brad’s Bold Prediction: A big 4-0 win to Chelsea. Lock them up to win -2 against the spread.
Lock of the Week No. 2 – Arsenal vs Newcastle (Sat, Dec. 13, 12:30 PM ET)
Line: Newcastle +625 at Arsenal -300, tie +350; total 2.5 – view all EPL lines
I have a confession to make. I’m sort of a mind-reader. Don’t believe me? Well, allow me to demonstrate with what you’re thinking right now.
You’re like “Woah. This is new. A second lock of the week? And Arsenal vs. Newcastle? Well, they’re two evenly-matched teams with identical records, so he must be locking in a draw. Boring.”
To answer the first question: Yes, this is new. But just because I’m feeling extra confident of this result. And to answer the second question: No, I don’t see a draw. I’m going for an Arsenal win.
And now you’re all like “Wait, Arsenal? The team that got smashed 3-0 by Stoke in the first half? And against Newcastle? The Chelsea-slayers? No way.”
Count out the Gunners at your own risk, though. This is still a supremely talented team, one that will be all sorts of motivated to make up for that embarrassment at the Britannia. They already took some of their frustration out on Galatasary with a 4-1 away win in the Champions League, which included this Aaron Ramsey golazo.
They were also without top scorer Alexis Sanchez, who will be fresh and ready to go after getting a much needed break.
And lest I forget, Arsenal just don’t lose to Newcastle. They just don’t. Dating back to 2002, Arsenal have lost just once against Newcastle (2010) in 13 home games. And if we extend it to all games – home and away – since 2002, the Gunners have lost a total of two times in well over 20 games.
Brad’s Bold Prediction: 2-1 to the Arsenal. Lock this up, too.
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