YOU can’t beat a bit of midweek footy under the lights.
With no European games this week, it’s a chance for the Premier League to take centre stage over a number of nights – and we’ve betting tips for you from three important games at both ends of the table.
Frank Lampard will be desperate to get back to winning ways after defeat to EvertonCredit: AP:Associated Press
Wolves vs Chelsea, Tuesday 6pm
It all came to a sticky end for Frank Lampard against the Toffees.
Chelsea have realistic title ambitions this season, but you don’t win the Premier League trophy by dominating on the road and still failing to win.
The Blues crashed to defeat on Merseyside as Everton ran out 1-0 winners at the weekend, while Wolves also have to pick themselves up from defeat.
Nuno Santo’s men looked set to take their West Midlands derby with Aston Villa by the scruff of the neck when the visitors went down to 10 men.
But a stoppage time penalty condemned Wolves to back-to-back Premier League defeats.
The narrative of this one is all about the bounce-back.
But in a period of the season where fixtures are coming every few days and injuries (plus suspensions) are starting to bite, we’re not expecting the seven-goal epic we had in this fixture last season.
That 5-2 thriller went the way of Lampard’s visitors and Tammy Abraham bagged a ha-trick. How times change.
Mount and Abraham enjoyed Chelsea’s 5-2 win at Wolves last seasonCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Wolves don’t appear to have adjusted to the long-term loss of Raul Jimenez yet and haven’t scored in the two games since the Mexican’s skull fracture against Arsenal.
They need to find a way to start scoring again – and fast.
Chelsea are stingy at the back, conceding just once in their last three away gams.
Expect this to be a tight, tense affair with under 2.5 goals a steal at 20/23.
Five of Wolves’ six home matches this season have featured under three goals, while the same is true for three of Chelsea’s last four away games.
Timo Werner is eight games without a goal – but he’s a big price to break his duckCredit: AP:Associated Press
We’re not expecting a classic at Molineux and 4/11 on there being either none or just a single goal in the first half is a sure-fire winner in our eyes.
With the packed fixture list biting hard, it’s safe to assume we’ll see some changes on Tuesday night from Lampard.
Timo Werner played the full 90 minutes at Everton – but with Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi out is likely to retain his place.
The German is on an EIGHT game drought for club and country, with his last Premier League goal against Sheffield United on November 7.
A striker of his class can’t be kept down for long and he tops the shot charts at the club, averaging 2.5 per game.
You can get 7/5 on a Werner goal anytime – once he starts finding his groove, you’ll not get anywhere near that sort of price again this season. Don’t miss out.
SunSport’s best bets
Arsenal vs Southampton
We said last week that Mikel Arteta was skating on thin ice.
After defeat against Burnley – the Gunners fourth in a row – he might have just fallen through it.
The loss netted us a few winners on our Super Sunday tips, but for Arsenal fans it was a 90 minutes which summed up their season. Abject.
Never mind getting out of first gear, the Gunners have yet to put the key in the ignition – and the less said about what’s going on with highest-earner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the better.
No such worries at St Marys, with the Saints flying high and currently occupying a Champions League place.
They were ruthless against Sheffield United at the weekend, turning would could have been a potential banana skin into a straightforward victory.
Many fans on the South Coast feared the worst when top scorer Danny Ings got injured two months ago.
Granit Xhaka saw red as Arsenal suffered another defeatCredit: AFP
But they’ve gone instead from strength to strength – and the former Liverpool forward is back to help their unlikely European push.
The Saints have scored 24 times this season, the same as Spurs and noticeable FOURTEEN more than the shot-shy Gunners.
They’ve scored twice on three of their last four visits to the Emirates – and we’re backing them to do the same again.
Hasenhuttl’s fearless side netted three at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season and have drawn a blank just once on their travels.
The Gunners have been leaky at home all campaign and 17/10 on the Saints scoring over 1.5 goals is huge.
You can get 4/6 on Southampton avoiding defeat in North London and with Arsenal in this rut – and the visitors full of confidence – that’s a terrific price.
Danny Ings hasn’t scored from open play since his return from knee surgery but is slowing getting back up to speed.
This Southampton team has speed, agility and guile in attack – and he’s got all three.
At 11/10, ignore the prices on the shot-shy Arsenal forwards and instead back Ings to give you a midweek winner.
SunSport’s best bets
Sheffield United vs Man Utd, Thursday
It’s been a miserable campaign for Chris Wilder and Co.
The Blades are suffering from a huge bout of second-season syndrome, sitting bottom of the table with one point from a possible 36.
Man Utd meanwhile arrive in South Yorkshire on the back of a morale-boosting performance in the Manchester derby.
So they didn’t get all three points, but a 0-0 draw with Pep Guardiola’s City side was welcome after crashing out of the Champions League.
In the reverse fixture last season, these sides played out a terrific 3-3 draw which saw United battle back from two-down.
The last time Sheffield United scored three was back in July, when they dispatched Chelsea 3-0 on home soil.
That seems a long time ago now.
Wilder’s side are winless all season and currently on a run of seven-straight defeats.
No wonder then they are 6/1 for the victory – but even that seems a little short considering their wretched form.
Man Utd have scored three or more in EVERY one of their Premier League away matches this season.
They’ve won all of those games and goals is the way to play here.
A United away victory is just a tiny 4/9 and we’d leave that win only market alone, simply because there’s more value elsewhere.
Ole’s men are a perfect five from five on the road, the best away team in the league – but they have conceded in each of those victories.
Back them to win this at Bramall Lane, but also to concede at a huge 12/5.
Both teams to score is also evens, which is too tempting despite the Blades’ blunt forward line this term.
They found a way to score against Leicester last time out here and at that price, we’re happy to back them to do so again.
Bruno Fernandes continues to thrill as United’s midfield magician and tops the scoring ranks with seven in the league so far.
He takes the set pieces and has the eye for goal you want when trusting a player with your hard-earned.
At 6/5, the Portuguese star can come through for us again.
SunSport’s best bets
*All odds from Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
