Soccer action continues this weekend, both in the Premier League and around the rest of Europe.
So which team should you be betting and what are the big storylines? Our analysts are here to offer all the input you need for the EPL and more.
Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
Manchester United (+325) hosts Manchester City (-130) at Old Trafford, where United have won their last nine matches across all competitions. City recently trounced Chelsea 4-0 in the FA Cup’s Third Round, have the best goal differential (+29) in the EPL, and bested United 6-3 in the first derby of the season. Who do you like this time around?
Paul Carr: United have won all three games since the break by a combined 7-0. However, all three wins have come against bottom-six teams, so I’m not convinced United have suddenly found an airtight defense. City have mostly been their usual dominant selves since Boxing Day, posting two wins and a draw in which they outshot Everton 16-2. City have won three straight versus United, all by multiple goals, and I see no reason to expect otherwise in this one. I’ll take City.
Dalen Cuff: United seemed to have turned a corner prior to the World Cup break and have continued after. That said, I still think City are in a different class. It was just the Carabao Cup, but City looked lifeless on Wednesday in their unexpected 2-0 loss to Southampton to knock them out of the competition. All that, coupled with the fact City is still staring up at Arsenal and playing against their rival, I think we will see the best they have to offer. I’m with Paul. City to win — and the juice is coming down as well.
Daniel Thomas: Wow! Who would have thought this would even be a debate at the start of the season? United are on such a good run at the moment and City are, for want of a better word, weird. You just don’t know what you’re going to get from Pep’s side. I’ll go for some value and take United to get the job done.
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Speaking of derby rematches, Tottenham Hotspur (+225) welcome top-of-the-table Arsenal (+114) on Sunday. While Arsenal took the first meeting of the season 3-1 at Emirates, Spurs have won the last three times these teams have met on their home pitch. Can they make it four in a row?
Carr: Maybe? These teams have met twice since Antonio Conte took over Tottenham. Last May, Spurs won 3-0 at home after a 22nd-minute Harry Kane penalty opened the scoring, outshooting Arsenal 16-9 in the process. The Gunners won 3-1 in October, striking three times in the first 35 minutes, then relying on Aaron Ramsdale to make several fine saves in the second half. Either script is very possible again, and I anticipate goals one way or the other. I’ll take over 2.5 goals at -130.
Cuff: First, the standard disclaimer — I’m an Arsenal fan, so bias will show. The Gunners dominated the Spurs for long stretches in the meeting earlier this year. Spurs have had issues with slow starts, so I was leaning Arsenal to score, 1st half at -110. Forget that. We’re going Arsenal to win on the road.
What are you looking at in the other European leagues?
Thomas: It’s the Spanish SuperCup Final live on ABC, which will see Barcelona taking on Real Madrid. Both sides made it to the final through penalty shootouts and it would surprise me if that isn’t how this tie will be settled on Sunday. I’ll take the draw after 90 minutes.
What is your best bet for the weekend?
Carr: I’ll go with both teams to score in Nottingham Forest–Leicester City (-130). Forest have been decent at home all season, with 11 goals (and 12 expected goals) in 12 games, scoring in all but one of them. Leicester have been decent away from home, with 17 goals (13 expected goals) in nine games, scoring in every one of them. Both teams have a bottom-five defense, so goals should come — as they usually do in Leicester’s away games.
Cuff: They haven’t got the results they deserved, but I like the way Wolves have looked and the performances they’ve turned in since Julien Lopetegui took over the reins. I think at home, against a West Ham United side that has looked lost at times — especially on the road (five points from nine matches), Wolves get that coveted three points (+165).
