BETMGM GOLDEN GOALS MD9: LIVERPOOL RETURN TO WINNING WAYS IN WEST LONDON
Last week’s defeat to Manchester United was Liverpool’s third league loss in a row, and the Reds desperately need to get their Premier League season back on track. They travel to Brentford with Keith Andrews’ Bees buzzing after Monday’s win at West Ham.
League leaders Arsenal are three points clear at the top and they host Crystal Palace at the Emirates, while the Red Devils take on Brighton looking to build on the historic win at Anfield and make it three victories in a row.
Impressive Sunderland head to Chelsea whose West London rivals Fulham make the trip to St James’ Park to play Newcastle. Sunday afternoon sees Everton play Tottenham looking to continue their impressive start at their new home.
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Here’s how we see things playing out on Matchday 9…
Chelsea 1-1 Sunderland
Few would have expected Chelsea and Sunderland to have identical records after eight Premier League games, but the impressive nature of Sunderland’s start means that this is exactly the case – 14 points, four wins, two draws and two defeats.
Unbeaten at home, both of the Black Cats’ defeats have come on the road, but they have been impressive in the draw at Crystal Palace and a resilient display to pick up three points at Nottingham Forest. They travel to West London full of confidence and with just one defeat in six.
Regis Le Bris will be under no illusions that getting a result here will be a difficult task, but it is one that they just might succeed in. History isn’t kind. Sunderland have lost their last three trips here and Chelsea have won 23 of the 32 Premier League meetings.
Suspensions and injuries may benefit the visitors though, as the Blues are definitely without Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill, while Enzo Fernandes missed last weekend’s win over Nottingham Forest.
Four red cards in their last four league games have been problematic, and they won’t want to give Sunderland any encouragement.
Only Arsenal have conceded fewer goals than the newly-promoted Wearsiders, and with Robin Roefs in inspired form, they have a chance here. The Dutchman has made 27 saves in his eight Premier League games and the 11/1 for him to make over 4.5 saves and the game to be drawn certainly has some appeal.
Both teams have found the net in four of the last five meetings, while these two have never drawn a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, but a share of the spoils here keeps their identical records intact.
Newcastle 2-1 Fulham
A heartbreaking late defeat to Brighton last weekend was a tough one to take for the Magpies. Danny Welbeck’s 84th minute winner meant the run of games without a win at the Amex extends to 2017.
A wonderfully improvised flick from new striker Nick Woltemade had got them level, but it was a rare show of clinical finishing on the day. They did not muster a shot on target in the first 70 minutes.
The frustration surrounding that result has been abated by a stunning 3-0 win over Benfica in the Champions League. An Anthony Gordon strike (his fourth in three games in all competitions) and a double from Harvey Barnes injected some good feeling back into St James’ Park, and confidence will be high that they can come out on top against a stuttering Fulham outfit.
The Cottagers have lost their last three games in a row, conceding seven and scoring just twice. However, they have a decent recent record against this weekend’s opponents, winning each of their last two games.
They are in poor form, though, and this should be a comfortable home win. Given the visitors have scored more than one goal in the league just once this year (a 3-1 home win over Brentford), we like Newcastle to win, Anthony Gordon to score or assist, and under 1.5 goals for Fulham at odds of 8/5.
Manchester United 3-1 Brighton
Has the tide turned?
A perfectly placed header from Harry Maguire, who can add Liverpool to his list of last-minute victims (alongside Lyon, Porto, Leicester and Grimsby), gave Manchester United their first win at Anfield since 2016 on Sunday in a 2-1 victory.
It was a sensational ball in by Bruno Fernandes, hit first time on the volley to find Maguire at the front of a queue of three unmarked Manchester United players. The captain is still finding ways to score or assist, even from his deeper position in centre-midfield.
This is the acid test, though. Brighton, who have won on their last three visits to Old Trafford by an aggregate score of 3-8 (that’s 3.66 goals per fixture), is exactly the sort of game they need to be winning if they are to build up a head of steam. Three wins in a row could re-frame the entire debate around expectations at Old Trafford this season.
The Seagulls are having a weird old campaign. They keep beating the bigger teams (Manchester City, Newcastle, and Chelsea) and dropping points to clubs they would expect to beat (Wolves, Everton, and Fulham).
Ex-Manchester United player Danny Welbeck is in stellar form, with four goals in his last three games. He could pose a real threat with his experience and nous.
However, we are backing a home win and a bit of momentum at Old Trafford, which is why we also like Manchester United to win and over 3.5 goals at odds of 3/1.
Brentford 1-3 Liverpool
Last week’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield made it four losses in a row for the reigning Premier League champions – their worst run in over a decade.
Defensive errors, wasteful finishing, and yet another goal conceded from a set piece left Arne Slot’s side not only vulnerable, but desperate ahead of what will be a tough game in West London.
And Brentford are a side built to frustrate. Physically strong, rigid out of possession, and notoriously dangerous from, you guessed it, set plays.
They’ve already taken points off bigger clubs this campaign and come into this fixture off the back of a confident display away at West Ham, with Igor Thiago bagging his fifth goal of the season.
The Brazilian now ranks joint-fourth for shots on target in the Premier League – a growing threat Virgil van Dijk and co. will need to keep a close eye on.
But Liverpool know what’s at stake.
With Arsenal potentially widening the gap to seven points, they simply have to respond. Fortunately for the Reds they have won each of their last five meetings against Brentford which is why we’re backing them to pick up all three points.
Also backing them to get back on track? Stack your prediction in our 13/2 Bet Builder: Liverpool to win, Igor Thiago over 1.5 shots on target and both teams to score.
Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
Nine games in and it’s starting to feel like this could be the season for Arsenal.
Three points clear at the top of the Premier League, the Gunners have conceded just three goals – putting them on track to beat Chelsea’s 2004/05 record with the fewest goals conceded in a single campaign (15).
Defensively, they are as sound as it gets. Offensively, they are among the top three highest-scorers in the league, with the majority of goals coming from the 7.88 corners they average a game.
That’s why we’re backing Mikel Arteta’s side to build on their 4-0 tanking of Atletico Madrid by taking all three points against a Crystal Palace side also enjoying a strong start to the campaign.
Arsenal to win and have over 6.5 corners is currently 7/5 with that in mind – a decent shout given the likelihood of both outcomes.
Palace are a real danger on the break and remain one of the best counter-attacking sides in the league, but with the Gunners in this kind of form, even getting on scoresheet could be a big ask.
Everton 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur
An unbeaten home record meets an unbeaten away record as Everton take on Spurs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Toffees have made a good start to life at their new home. Two wins and two draws with just two goals conceded is a good return for David Moyes’ men, but the visit of Tottenham here will test that record.
They won the last meeting at Goodison Park, but five of the last six Premier League clashes on Merseyside have been drawn. That win in January was the Toffees’ first in nine league meetings.
Thomas Frank’s Spurs have beaten Manchester City already on the road this season, as well as picking up three points at Leeds and West Ham. The defeat last week at home to Aston Villa was disappointing, especially having taken an early lead, and they will want to bounce back here.
Everything points to a share of the spoils. Mohammed Kudus and Jack Grealish have the most assists in the Premier League so far, with four each, and it is a very tasty 19/1 for them to both add another assist on Sunday afternoon.
All square then in an entertaining clash that preserves their respective unbeaten records.
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