Tyler Monahan shares his best soccer bets for the weekend as the English Premier League returns to our screens.
The Premier League is back! After a short break between seasons due to the Coronavirus all 20 teams are ready to go out and challenge Liverpool for their league title. Week one is jam packed with action, and while there aren’t any major matchups right out of the gate there are still plenty of quality games to make money on.
All odds are from Draftkings Sportsbook.
Pick 1: Arsenal moneyline vs Fulham -186
In the first game of the season Arsenal takes on newly promoted Fulham. Arsenal is a team that needs confidence, if they get started quickly they will play with more swagger, if not they will likely play down to their competition. After years of disappointing fans Arsenal finally looks to be getting on the right track and should challenge for a European spot this season, starting the season against a team many expect to go right back into relegation is as great of a start to the season as they can expect. I think they win pretty easily.
Pick 2: Southampton moneyline vs Crystal Palace +138
One of the bright spots of Project Restart was the play of the Southampton Saints. While they shouldn’t be looked at as much more than a middle of the table team fighting to make a Europa League spot, Southampton is still a scrappy team led by one of the more underrated players in the league in striker Danny Ings. Crystal Palace doesn’t offer much of anything, in fact I think they are in major trouble of facing relegation this year so I feel pretty confident in Southampton winning.
Pick 3: Liverpool to win in a shutout vs Leeds United +125
Liverpool returns as the league champions and gets an easy matchup with the newly promoted Leeds United to start their repeat attempt. The champions didn’t make many moves during the transfer window, so far only completing the move for Konstantinos Tsimikas to play as a rotational defender. While Liverpool is known for their incredible offense their defense shouldn’t be overshadowed. With one of the best defenders in the game in Virgil Van Dijk leading the charge I find it hard to believe that Leeds United are able to get one past the Reds.
Pick 4: Tottenham Hotspur and Everton over 2.5 goals -107
In what was once considered to be a potential defensive stalemate, both Tottenham and Everton seem as if they will look to put some goals on the board in their opening game. Spurs didn’t make any moves in the transfer window to improve their offense but for the first time in a long time they are fully healthy. On the other side Everton has picked up the talents of James Rodriguez and Allan to improve an offense already boasting two young attackers looking for a breakout season in Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Both defenses are sure to be active but I think between the two teams they put up three goals minimum.
Pick 5: Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion over 3.5 goals +185
Chelsea made waves this transfer window as they acquired the talents of just about every young high profile scorer in the world to come play at Stamford Bridge. Timo Werner and Kai Havertz will all look to make their mark for the team early and Hakim Ziyech will join them on the pitch soon as well. Even before these moves Chelsea was one of the best scoring offenses in the league, their issue had always been defensively. Brighton can push the pace using striker Neal Maupay to break through the back line of Chelsea, he has shown the speed to make slower midfielders like Chelsea has pay. I see Chelsea winning pretty sizably, but I do think they allow a goal that helps the over.
English Premier League Parlay: $25 wins $1140!
