Premier League Game Week 18 Betting Preview

This year’s Boxing Day Premier League offering is limited to just one game, but there are some intriguing clashes spread across Saturday and Sunday. After temporarily moving to the top of the table last weekend, Manchester City have another opportunity to edge ahead of Arsenal. City head to Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime, with Arsenal meeting Brighton at 3pm. For all City’s recent success, the league’s form side are Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s team head to Chelsea on Saturday evening, while Sunday’s double-header sees Sunderland host Leeds and Tottenham cross the capital to face Crystal Palace. 

Tip 1: Manchester City -1 vs Nottingham Forest @ 8/5 with bet365

Manchester City have won 3-0 in each of their last three league games, and they meet a Forest side who were beaten at Fulham on Monday night. That was Forest’s ninth league defeat of the campaign, and each of their losses have been to nil. Sean Dyche’s reputation as a defensive coach suggests they’ll have more issues going forward, while City are in full flow in attack. Pep Guardiola’s side have scored 17 goals across their last five in the league. Meanwhile, nine of their 12 victories this season have come by two goals or more, as have three of Forest’s four home defeats. The visitors have scored 18 times in five meetings with the bottom six, winning each of them. Back the visitors to continue that fine run by clearing a -1 handicap at the City Ground. 

Tip 2: Both teams to score in Sunderland vs Leeds @ 10/11 with bet365

Sunderland have lost a host of players to the Africa Cup of Nations, but the side Regis Le Bris has built should be able to withstand that over the coming weeks. The Black Cats are unbeaten at the Stadium of Light since returning to the top flight, netting 15 goals in eight home games. Leeds have enjoyed a strong run in December after losing each of their November matches, putting together a four-game unbeaten stretch to pull clear of the drop. While their results have improved, Leeds remain vulnerable at the back. Both teams have scored in each of their last seven matches, while they’ve gone 14 games without a clean sheet. The visitors have conceded 19 times in eight away trips, so both teams to score appeals against a depleted Sunderland side. 

Tip 3: Tottenham Draw No Bet at Crystal Palace @ 6/4 with bet365

Tottenham suffered another setback at home in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, but Thomas Frank’s side have a chance to turn things around on Sunday. They head to a Crystal Palace side who appear to have hit a wall. Fixtures are piling up for Oliver Glasner’s men, who have lost 3-0 to Man City and 4-1 to Leeds, either side of a disappointing 2-2 draw with KuPS in Europe. Spurs have claimed 14 of their 22 points this term on the road, which is the fourth-highest away points tally in the league. Palace have had mixed returns at home with only two wins from eight, so Tottenham are good value on the Draw No Bet market.