BETMGM GOLDEN GOALS STAT PACK SPECIAL: PREMIER LEAGUE OPENING WEEKEND
The Premier League is back and so is Golden Goals, your weekly chance to land big money for free by successfully predicting up to six correct scores.
Only this week, we're going even bigger for the return of the Premier League by taking last week's jackpot total and doubling it.
That’s right, this week you could net up to £500,000. That’s half-a-million pounds!
What’s more, you can still walk away with something even if you don’t get all six.
Using your football knowledge to get as few as two scores correct could see one of several prizes heading your way – from Free Bets to a share of £5,000 cash!
Full Golden Goals information, including prize breakdown and terms.
Need a hand with your scores for Matchday 1? We’ve more than got you covered, not only for the weekend but throughout the 2026/27 Premier League season.
We’ve picked out key stats, facts and insight – as well as a correct score prediction and a Bet Builder – for each of the six Golden Goals games below.
EVERTON 2-1 CRYSTAL PALACE
- Kick-off: Sat 22nd Aug, 15:00
- Match odds: Everton 23/20; Draw 5/2; Crystal Palace 23/10
- Everton 25/26 finish: 13th
- Crystal Palace 25/26 finish: 15th
- Player to watch: Iliman Ndiaye (Everton)
- Key stat: Everton haven’t lost to Crystal Palace at home for 12 years
Life comes at you fast in the Premier League.
One minute you're swapping Dwight McNeil for Brennan Johnson with Crystal Palace, the next you're hosting that very same side on the opening day of the season.
Everton are unbeaten in their last 11 against Palace across all competitions, which includes their only other visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium last October, and the Eagles winning just two of 26 against their Merseyside rivals.
They won 2-1 on the day with goals from Iliman Ndiaye and loanee Jack Grealish – the same result as the time they met at Goodison Park before that, and the same result we're predicting here.
It won't be a good first impression for new Palace boss Pierre Sage, who can certainly be excused for losing the opening game of the season to a wily veteran like David Moyes.
This being the Frenchman's first soiree in the English top flight and all.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Everton to win, BTTS & Ndiaye/Sarr 1+ SoT each @ 5/1
IPSWICH 0-1 SUNDERLAND
- Kick-off: Sat 22nd Aug, 15:00
- Match odds: Ipswich 7/4; Draw 23/10; Sunderland 8/5
- Ipswich 25/26 finish: 2nd (Championship)
- Sunderland 25/26 finish: 7th
- Player to watch: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland)
- Key stat: Gary O’Neil lost both his previous two opening Premier League games to-nil
When it comes to Premier League survival, Ipswich have clearly been taking notes from their Saturday afternoon opposition.
The Tractor Boys have had quite the harvest this summer, dropping in excess of £100 million on multiple new names from around Europe – much like Sunderland did last season and with European success to show for it.
New manager Gary O'Neil’s side will be hoping for a similar start to life back in the Premier League despite losing both his previous opening-day games to-nil as Wolves boss.
The pressure is certainly on for Ipswich this season – not that the Black Cats will care, seeing this as an opportunity to pick up where they left off and get some early points on the table before the Europa League beckons.
And that’s without mentioning Brian Brobbey… the Dutchman looks as physically imposing as ever in pre-season off the back of scoring three goals in four appearances at the World Cup.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Sunderland to win, Brobbey anytime scorer & over 9.5 corners @ 15/2
NOTT’M FOREST 1-1 LEEDS
- Kick-off: Sat 22nd Aug, 15:00
- Match odds: Nott’m Forest 13/10; Draw 23/10; Leeds 21/10
- Nott’m Forest 25/26 finish: 16th
- Leeds 25/26 finish: 14th
- Player to watch: Morgan Gibbs-White (Nott’m Forest)
- Key stat: Nine of Nott’m Forest’s last 10 home league games had under 2.5 goals
This will be the first of two occasions Nottingham Forest and Leeds meet in as many days, with a second-round EFL Cup tie pencilled in for next Tuesday.
Who wins on Saturday, though, is where it gets tricky.
Oliver Glasner walks into a City Ground dugout that's seen four different faces recently – and he'll want a big first impression against the same side which beat Forest comfortably 3-1 last season.
In fact, both meetings last season finished 3-1 to the home side; a trend that, if it holds, would tip things Forest’s way this time round.
But we much prefer the draw here, as frustrating as that may be for both.
Leeds arrive in impressive form, winning four of their last five pre-season fixtures – including a 4-0 win over Augsburg and a 4-2 win at Liverpool, scoring nine and conceding just once across their last four.
If this is what to expect going forward, it certainly makes a trip to the City Ground far less daunting than it might otherwise look against a manager as experienced as Glasner.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Draw & Gibbs-White to score or assist @ 7/1
BRENTFORD 1-1 TOTTENHAM
- Kick-off: Sat 22nd Aug, 17:30
- Match odds: Brentford 29/20; Draw 5/2; Tottenham 7/4
- Brentford 25/26 finish: 9th
- Tottenham 25/26 finish: 17th
- Player to watch: Sandro Tonali (Tottenham)
- Key stat: Spurs have lost once in 10 meetings with Brentford
Brentford’s seamless transition from Thomas Frank to Keith Andrews brought them a ninth-placed Premier League finish while Tottenham’s pursuit of Frank, then their replacing of him with two more managers, ultimately saw them avoid relegation on the final day.
But the Bees have won just one of their last 10 meetings with Spurs and have failed to score in any of the last three, with their visitors widely considered to have had one of the best summers of any top-flight club.
Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have added quality to Roberto De Zerbi’s midfield while Jan Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi offset the loss of club captain Cristian Romero in defence and Andy Robertson provides some much-needed leadership.
The two league meetings last term were low-scoring – two goals total – and spawned 10 cautions.
With Spurs’ new recruits still gelling and Brentford historically unable to overcome their London rivals, expect a niggly season-opener at the Gtech.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Draw, under 2.5 goals & over 3.5 cards @ 7/1
BRIGHTON 1-3 ASTON VILLA
- Kick-off: Sun 23rd Aug, 14:00
- Match odds: Brighton 5/4; Draw 5/2; Aston Villa 15/8
- Brighton 25/26 finish: 8th
- Aston Villa 25/26 finish: 4th
- Player to watch: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
- Key stat: Over 2.5 goals has landed in seven of the last nine meetings
Aston Villa arrive at the Amex as Europa League champions – and reigning conquerors of this fixture having won all of the last three.
Brighton head into the new term off the back of decent pre-season form and with over £75 million in defensive recruits but without last year’s top scorer Danny Welbeck following his surprise summer move to Chelsea.
Despite the emergence of 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo in pre-season, Villa will likely revert to Ollie Watkins for the opener now that the precocious teenager is injured and regular B option Tammy Abraham has a knock.
That could be bad news for the Seagulls given Watkins has nine goals and two assists in his last nine Premier League appearances against them – as many goals as they as a team have managed against Villa in that run.
The net tends to do a fair bit of work when this pair meet, too; there’s been 33 goals across their last nine head-to-heads.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Aston Villa to win, BTTS & Watkins anytime scorer @ 15/2
NEWCASTLE 1-3 LIVERPOOL
- Kick-off: Sun 23rd Aug, 16:30
- Match odds: Newcastle 5/2; Draw 3/1; Liverpool 10/11
- Newcastle 25/26 finish: 12th
- Liverpool 25/26 finish: 5th
- Player to watch: Alexander Isak (Liverpool)
- Key stat: Both over 2.5 goals & BTTS have landed in six of the last seven meetings
These sides are already barely recognisable from May.
New managers occupy each dugout, Newcastle have lost Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and captain Bruno Guimaraes while Liverpool have waved off club legends Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.
But one perpetual trait of this fixture is entertainment.
Both teams have scored – and over 2.5 has landed – in six of the last seven while there have been nine yellows and a red in the last two meetings alone.
Liverpool hold the overwhelming edge with just one defeat in the last 20 meetings, denied only in the 2025 EFL Cup final when Alexander Isak scored the winner for Newcastle.
Isak is, of course, now spearheading the Reds’ attack.
The Swede endured an injury-ravaged first season on Merseyside which makes this his first return to St James’ Park, a ground where he plundered 30 goals in 43 Premier League appearances.
BetMGM’s Bet Builder: Liverpool to win, over 4.5 cards, over 2.5 goals & Isak anytime scorer @ 13/2
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change. Please note: This week's Golden Goals deadline is Saturday 22nd August 15:00. Opt-in is required and you can find out more here.
Golden Goals Terms & Conditions
Opt in & predict 6 correct scores (see game lobby for weekly tournament cut-off time) to win up to £500k jackpot. Predict 2+ correct scores and win a prize (ranging from Free Bets to £5k Prizepool). Winnings shared evenly in case of multiple winners. Each prize subject to its own terms. Void if 1 or more matches postponed/abandoned or not completed. Verification procedures apply. 18+. T&Cs and exclusions apply.
