THE fixtures are coming thick and fast as the Premier League continues this weekend.
We have betting tips for you from three top-flight matches, starting in Lancashire where Chelsea are looking to end a run of two Premier League draws and get back to winning ways.
Lampard’s men are back on the road following a Champions League clash in RussiaCredit: Reuters
Burnley vs Chelsea, Saturday 3pm (Sky Sports Box Office)
The goals have dried up for the Blues – but this is the perfect opportunity to get back on track.
Frank Lampard’s new-look side are coming into this one on the back of a 0-0 stalemate at Manchester United, where Chelsea mustered just ONE shot on target.
Not ideal following their huge summer outlay on attacking talent.
Burnley meanwhile continued their horror start to the new campaign with a 1-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Monday Night Football.
It was a fairly horrible game at Turf Moor and worryingly for Sean Dyche, the type of match they usually get something out of.
That loss leaves the home side winless in their opening five games and marooned in the early bottom three.
There’s probably no better time to play this Chelsea side, though.
Coming into this one off the back of another midweek Champions League slog, the Blues squad is creaking with this frantic schedule and there’s no way we’re taking the 8/15 on them beating Burnley this Saturday.
They’re not to be trusted on the win market – just take the 3-3 against Southampton as an example – and as such you should look elsewhere.
Before the goalless draw with United, Chelsea had netted six on the road in just two outings.
It’s just at the other end where the problems seem to lie.
Edouard Mendy looks a solid addition but the jury is rightly still out, while Kepa looks bound for a move away.
Burnley are yet to score in any of their opening Premier League home games, drawing blanks against Southampton, Man City and Tottenham.
That’s a tough trio – but we’re backing them to break that duck on Saturday.
The Clarets have netted in five of the last six meetings between the sides here at Turf Moor, and Dyche will not fear this Chelsea backline.
That’s a strong price at 8/11, while we’ve not got as many worries about the visitors at the other end.
Lampard’s side will find their goalscoring touch again – particularly after banging in four on their Champions League trip to Russia – and Chelsea to score in BOTH halves is a very generous 5/4.
Christian Pulisic is back fit and looks to be getting back up to speed with a new attacking unit behind him.
He was the star man for Chelsea when football returned in Project Restart, bagging five goals from wide positions.
If Lampard opts to start him – and wait for the teamsheet on this one – he’s the value pick in the field to score at anytime at 7/5 after netting in midweek.
SunSport’s best bets
- Both teams to score at Turf Moor: 8/11 (BET HERE)
- Chelsea to net in both halves: 5/4 (BET HERE)
- Pulisic to open Prem account for season: 7/5 (BET HERE)
Man Utd vs Arsenal, Sunday 4.30pm (Sky Sports Main Event)
15th vs 11th at Old Trafford – how times change, eh?
This heavyweight fixture of the Premier League era has lost its shine in recent years, although the Gunners have won on just one of their last seventeen visits to Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta’s side were beaten by Leicester last time out and lacked a certain sharpness, perhaps feeling the pinch of Europa League action on the previous Thursday.
Either way, that’s the rigours of the modern game and the Gunners can’t afford to fall to a third-straight league defeat here.
Man Utd meanwhile continue to lurch from delirious highs one week to vicious lows the next.
From beating PSG in their own backyard less than a fortnight ago, the doom merchants were back out in force as they drew a blank with Chelsea last weekend.
So much so that #OleOut was trending UK wide.
And after smashing five past Leipzig in midweek, will it be another case of crashing back down to Earth?
It’s very much early days in the new season but it does feel like the Norwegian needs a first Premier League home victory of the campaign to settle the natives down.
Do we think they’ll get it? Well we’re not going to be putting our hard-earned on it, that’s for sure.
Rely on the goals market to win you the cash and let these two wildly-inconsistent sides throw a dice for the result.
Both teams have scored in the last SEVEN head-to-head’s at Old Trafford, while four out of five United games in the Premier League this term have featured three or more goals.
The combined over 2.5 goals and BTTS is a tempting even money and our big fancy for the weekend.
United have a negative goal difference after that thrashing they received off Spurs and have shown themselves to start slowly this season.
That was in evidence when Spurs scored twice within seven minutes, and up in Newcastle when Toon led after 120 seconds.
As such, back Arsenal to start fast at the Theatre of Dreams with the Gunners a terrific 13/10 to net in the first half. Huge.
Willian is set to return on Thursday against Dundalk and in the early stages of the season looked a real live wire.
The Brazilian is a massive 4/1 to net anytime on Sunday – that’s a biggie and we’d recommend a small play on that one with him likely on set piece duty.
SunSport’s best bets
- Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score: evens (BET HERE)
- Arsenal to net in first-half: 13/10 (BET HERE)
- Willian to score at anytime: 4/1 (BET HERE)
Leeds vs Leicester, Monday 8pm (Sky Sports Main Event)
The promotion bounce just keeps on coming for Leeds and Marcelo Bielsa.
It was another superb night for the Premier League newboys as they demolished previously unbeaten Aston Villa 3-0 on the road, cementing a place in the top six in the process.
While they’re unlikely to be scaling those dizzying heights all season, their incredible work ethic and tireless running has been a breath of fresh air this season.
Stats showed that as a team combined, Leeds ran more than NINE kilometres further than their Villa counterparts that night. Hard work pays off.
Leicester meanwhile are back in the groove following an excellent 1-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates.
That ended a long, barren spell for the Foxes in North London and this behind-closed-doors start to the season seems to have lessened the impact of home advantage.
Jamie Vardy returned from injury to net the winner off the bench and he will relish trying to get in behind this Leeds backline.
The Whites are great fun to watch and regardless of the opposition, Bielsa is going for three points.
Vardy is the PL’s most-lethal finisher against Big Six opponents
Promoted sides usually get a wake-up call following a strong start and we reckon the Foxes will be confident of getting something under the lights at Elland Road.
They’ve won all three of their away matches to start the new campaign, with a goal difference of 7+.
You can get 4/9 on Leicester double chance and that’s a cracking price to top up your weekend accas.
For those of you looking for something more substantial though, the Foxes to win but with both teams to score in a far more attractive 17/5.
We do reckon Leeds find the net, despite drawing a blank last time they were here against Wolves.
Patrick Bamford is their man of the moment and the much-derided striker is flourishing after being backed to the hilt by his boss.
He sits above Mo Salah and Harry Kane in the Premier League Golden Boot race and in current form should be close to odds-on to net anytime.
Instead Leeds’ No9 is priced at 7/4 to score anytime and that’s a belter.
SunSport’s best bets
- Leicester double chance (draw or win): 4/9 (BET HERE)
- Foxes to win with both teams scoring: 17/5 (BET HERE)
- Patrick Bamford to net again: 7/4 (BET HERE)
*All odds from Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
