Premier League Gameweek 21 Tips: 13/1 Treble
There are five Premier League matches scheduled over Saturday, Sunday and Monday – with title-chasing Liverpool among those in action in the second half of Gameweek 21.
We have picked out the best bets from the matches, with the fixtures at Brentford, Sheffield United and Bournemouth appealing most in our three-game accumulator, which pays out at 13/1.
Tip 1 – Nottingham Forest to beat Brentford @ 29/10
Chris Wood scored an extra-time winning goal for Nottingham Forest in an FA Cup thriller at Blackpool on Wednesday night and the resurgent Kiwi could be set to lead his team to a Premier League victory at Brentford on Saturday.
Wood, a signing from Newcastle after an initial loan spell, has been inspired by new Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo. A spectacular hat-trick at St James' Park on Boxing Day made Wood a hero with the Forest faithful and he could prove the key to his team's challenge at Brentford.
Wood has scored five goals in his last five games, with four of those coming away from home. He can be lethal on the counter-attack and should be a constant thorn in the side of the Bees, who are going through a rough patch.
Brentford have lost their last five Premier League games. No matter what keeper they have been employing – Mark Flekken for the Premier League and Thomas Strakosha in the FA Cup – they have been picking the ball out regularly from the back of their net.
Thomas Frank’s side conceded four goals at home to Wolves just after Christmas and Tuesday's FA Cup visit to the same opposition was another morale-sapping experience.
Wolves got the better of Brentford in the FA Cup – a 3-2 extra-time defeat to a 105th-minute penalty – and the beleaguered Bees are suddenly fretting about relegation.
Brentford finished ninth in the Premier League last season but these are troubling times for the hosts, who have been badly struggling since Bryan Mbeumo got injured.
Forest beat Manchester United in their final match of last year and can take three points from their trip to West London.
Tip 2 – West Ham United to beat Sheffield United @ 6/5
West Ham fans have been living the dream in recent weeks, enjoying back-to-back victories over Manchester United and Arsenal either side of Christmas – and the Hammers look set for more success on Sunday afternoon.
West Ham travel to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United. After 2-0 successes over United and Arsenal, David Moyes' team fear nobody in the league. The triumph at the Emirates, which stunned the title-chasing Gunners, was particularly impressive.
West Ham's FA Cup campaign ended with a disappointing defeat at Bristol City on Tuesday and Moyes will expect a reaction at Bramall Lane on Sunday. Three points should be well within their compass.
Defensively, West Ham have been excellent in recent weeks, keeping clean sheets in their last four Premier League outings. Given how porous Sheffield United have been this season, it is reasonable to expect the Hammers to enjoy their trip north.
Jarrod Bowen may be fit to return to the West Ham line-up, having missed the FA Cup mission in Bristol with an ankle issue.
Tip 3 – Liverpool to beat Bournemouth @ 7/10
Liverpool can provide the anchor leg of the treble by claiming three points from their trip south to Bournemouth. Optimism is abound at Anfield as the Reds have stayed on course for success in all domestic competitions.
The Premier League is obviously Liverpool's priority but the League Cup and the FA Cup are both well within reach. They lead Fulham 2-1 in their League Cup semi-final after the first leg while a home fixture against Norwich awaits next weekend in the FA Cup.
Firstly, Liverpool can sustain their title bid by taking maximum points from Bournemouth. The Reds have been managing to repel Manchester City at the top of the table but any slip-up from Jurgen Klopp's side over the next few weeks will probably be severely punished by City. Failing to win at Bournemouth would be a significant blow to Liverpool's title ambitions.
With Antoine Semenyo and Dango Ouattara away at the African Cup of Nations – and Marcos Senesi suspended – Bournemouth may not have the resources to keep their illustrious visitors at bay.