While it might appear that battles at both ends of the Premier League table have been decided, the race for European football is really starting to heat up.
With a high-flying Nottingham Forest looking to take another giant leap towards a famous Champions League spot, the likes of Manchester City and Brighton will also meet for a hugely important contest.
With five Premier League showdowns on the cards across Saturday afternoon, we have taken a look at some of the most appealing betting markets.
Sunday, March 15th
BST 15:00 Manchester City vs Brighton
Getting this weekend’s fixtures underway sat 23 points adrift of runaway leaders Liverpool, Manchester City have endured what has been a record-breaking crisis at the Etihad this season.
Despite claiming a history-making fourth consecutive Premier League crown last season, Pep Guardiola’s men remarkably face an uphill battle to simply clinch a top-four finish this time around.
Returning to this Etihad this weekend sat outside the Champions League spots, the Sky Blues have drastically failed to find any kind of stability this season and the ex-Barcelona boss has found some increasing pressure on his shoulders.
Watching their European campaign come to an end last month as they fell to a 6-3 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid, the Sky Blues have lost three of their previous four meetings against top-flight opposition.
Drastically failing to find any kind of clinical edge, City could face another potential banana skin when they return to the blue half of Manchester on Saturday afternoon.
Snatching a dramatic last-gasp 2-1 victory against Fulham last week, Brighton have enjoyed quite the fairytale since Fabian Hurzeler’s arrival at the Amex last summer.
Extending on their FA Cup charge earlier in the month and punching their quarter-final spot thanks to a 2-1 win away at Newcastle, the Seagulls are riding what has become a major wave of momentum.
Signing off February with an eye-catching 2-1 victory against Bournemouth, the Champions League dreamers have now won all of their previous six straight appearances across all competitions.
Landing a 2-1 victory when they welcomed City to the Etihad for their reverse Premier League meeting on November 9th, Brighton should be relishing a trip to Manchester this weekend.
Tip: Joao Pedro over 0.5 shots on target @ 19/20
15:00 Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest
While Nottingham Forest might have spent the whole of last season scrapping it out at the foot of the Premier League table, Saturday’s hosts have cemented their spot as one of Europe’s ultimate surprise packages this time around.
Embarking on what has become a famous fairytale at the City Ground, Nuno Espirito Santo finds his record-breaking squad sat in the driving seat to punch an iconic Champions League ticket this year.
Last seen securing a famous 1-0 victory at home against defending champions and top-four rivals Manchester City, the former Tottenham boss will be calling on his squad to make another public statement here.
Extending on their FA Cup adventure earlier in the month as they edged past Ipswich following a nail-biting penalties victory on home soil, Saturday’s guests should be relishing a trip to Portman Road.
Getting this weekend’s fixtures underway remarkably sat in bronze medal position, Nottingham Forest are desperate to widen their buffer over the chasing pack in Suffolk.
Slumping to a 1-0 loss away at Crystal Palace last weekend and enduring what has become a public crisis, Ipswich appear to be limping their way to an immediate Championship return this season.
Opening Saturday’s return to Portman Road sat six points adrift of Premier League safety, Kieran McKenna’s men find time ticking away and they now have a major uphill battle on their hands.
Signing off February with a collapse away at Old Trafford as they fell to a 3-2 defeat, Ipswich have lost each of their previous three Premier League appearances by an aggregate score of 8-3.
Likewise, showing a string of glaring issues since opening the New Year, the former Manchester United coach has not seen his squad muster a single victory against top-flight opposition so far this calendar year.
It should also be highlighted, the Blues have managed to put just a single point on the board from their previous eight consecutive Premier League showdowns.
Tip: Callum Hudson-Odoi over 0.5 shots on target @ 1/1
15:00 Everton vs West Ham
While Everton might have opened the New Year pencilled in as a leading relegation contender, the Toffees have only embarked on a sensational rise since David Moyes’ emotional return to Goodison Park.
Continuing to receive a string of plaudits and skyrocketing their way up the Premier League standings, Saturday’s hosts find the mood in their camp at a real high.
Although some in Moyes’ camp might have been frustrated last weekend as they eventually had to settle fro a 1-1 stalemate away at Wolves, Everton are unbeaten in each of their previous eight consecutive Premier League appearances.
With their recent purple patch highlighted by a 2-1 victory away at Crystal Palace on February 15th, Moyes will be desperate to get one over on his former employers here.
Suffering just a single Premier League defeat at Goodison Park so far this calendar year, Everton should be smelling the chance to extend on their extended flurry.
While Graham Potter might have only arrived at the London Stadium back in January, the former Chelsea boss has failed to offer some much-needed stability.
Despite securing a remarkable 1-0 victory away at Arsenal on February 22nd, the Hammers have won just a trio of their previous 11 appearances across all competitions – a run that stems back to Boxing Day.
Watching their FA Cup adventure come to an end on January 14th as they fell to a 2-1 loss at the hands of Aston Villa, Saturday’s guests are have also failed to find any fluidity in the final third.
Failing to notch more than a single strike in six of their last seven meetings against Premier League opposition, Potter’s inconsistent squad should face another tricky test at Goodison.
Tip: Everton win @ 11/10
Our Saturday Premier League Accumulator:
- Manchester City vs Brighton – Joao Pedro over 0.5 shots on target @ 19/20
- Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest – Callum Hudson-Odoi over 0.5 shots on target @ 1/1
- Everton vs West Ham – Everton win @ 11/10
Place a £10 bet on our accumulator with Vegas Land and pocket £81.90 if all predictions are correct.
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