Premier League betting tips: Matchweek 21 preview

Matchweek 21 has a few big matches in store. Chief among them is the surprise package Nottingham Forest hosting league leaders Liverpool. If the home side win, are they legitimate title contenders?

A little further down the table, a Bournemouth win at Stamford Bridge would draw the Cherries level on points with Chelsea in the race for European football. We also have a north London derby, which is always an entertaining match. 

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Brentford vs Manchester City betting tips

Manchester City won 3-1 on their previous visit to Brentford. While they aren’t as certain to win this time, there should be plenty of goals once again.

The Bees’ home games are averaging an eyewatering 4.6 goals this season, with seven of the 10 matches seeing at least four. This includes a 4-2 win over Newcastle and a 3-2 triumph against Bournemouth, the clubs either side of City in the table.

With Pep Guardiola’s side conceding an average of 4.5 big chances across their last six away games, there should be ample opportunity for another high-scoring game involving Brentford.

Scoreline prediction

Brentford 2-2 Manchester City (51/5 with Mr.Play)

FIRST’s top tip:

Over 3.5 goals (17/16 with Matchbook)

Chelsea vs Bournemouth betting tips

Sometimes you must take a bet because the odds compel you. The underlying data for 2024/25 suggests Bournemouth should be comfortably odds-on to avoid defeat at Chelsea, so they are worth a flutter in the double chance market at the price available.

The head-to-head record suggests this is a foolish play, as the Blues have won four of the last five meetings. But the Cherries are currently unbeaten in eight league games, their last four on the road.

With only Leicester and Southampton (none) having earned fewer points than Chelsea since Christmas (one), Bournemouth stand a very good chance of proving the bookmakers wrong. 

Scoreline prediction

Chelsea 1-1 Bournemouth (29/4 with Zetbet)

FIRST’s top tip:

Double chance: Bournemouth or draw (127/100 with Bet442)

West Ham vs Fulham betting tips

Graham Potter makes his London Stadium debut as West Ham manager with a tricky-looking derby.

Fulham are unbeaten in five games on the road, with only Arsenal (six) and Liverpool (nine) having better such current runs in the Premier League.

Whatever the outcome, we should see goals at both ends. In their last six matches, the Hammers have only kept one clean sheet, at bottom-side Southampton, but have also only failed to score once. 

Similarly, five of Fulham’s previous six games have featured at least three goals. This should be a good match. 

Scoreline prediction

West Ham 1-2 Fulham (151/20 with Luckster)

FIRST’s top tip:

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (41/50 with Mr.Play)

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool betting tips

Games in which both teams receive four yellow cards are rare. There have been just 11 in the Premier League this season.

Nottingham Forest’s 1-0 win at Anfield was one such match, the only instance for either them or Liverpool. While that was an extreme example, the preceding two meetings of these clubs featured four and five bookings respectively. There are usually plenty of cards. 

One of the players booked in the last clash of these teams was Ryan Yates. At the start of the matchweek, only seven players have committed more fouls in the 2024/25 Premier League. Yates is very likely to receive a yellow card here, especially if Forest have a lead to defend. 

Scoreline prediction

Nottingham Forest 1-2 Liverpool (129/20 with Vegasland)

FIRST’s top tip:

Ryan Yates to be carded (3/1 with Zetbet)

Everton vs Aston Villa betting tips

This fixture ended 0-0 in January last year. Everton have been specialising in that scoreline recently too. While Sean Dyche has been replaced by David Moyes, the Scot is very unlikely to bring sparkling football to the club. 

The Toffees lost their last league game at Goodison Park but were unbeaten in six prior to that. They stand a decent chance of getting something from a stumbling Aston Villa side who have lost their previous five on the road.

According to expected goals, only nine Premier League matches so far this season were likelier than this one to end all square. This could be a tough watch for all concerned. 

Scoreline prediction

Everton 1-1 Aston Villa (31/5 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Draw (9/4 with BetMGM)

Leicester vs Crystal Palace betting tips

This is one of Leicester’s easiest remaining matches based on the current league table. Three points are a must. 

Much will rest on the shoulders of Jamie Vardy, who opened the scoring when these sides drew 2-2 in September. But he had not made a goal contribution for four matches prior to scoring a penalty against QPR in the FA Cup on Saturday. 

He had decent opportunities in those unproductive four matches though. Vardy fired off 10 shots in the box, with four of them deemed to be big chances. A little reversion to the mean could prove crucial to him and Leicester. 

Scoreline prediction

Leicester 1-2 Crystal Palace (15/2 with Spreadex)

FIRST’s top tip:

Jamie Vardy to score anytime (9/4 with Mr.Play)

Newcastle vs Wolves betting tips

Newcastle come into this game on the back of eight wins in all competitions. It will be tough for Wolves to compete here, even if they have picked up since Vitor Pereira was appointed. 

Among their wins in the last month, the Magpies have beaten all of Leicester, Brentford, Ipswich, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Arsenal by at least two goals. Most of those teams are above Wolves in the table. 

And if you need another reason to think Newcastle can overcome a -1 goal handicap, they won this fixture 3-0 last March. 

Scoreline prediction

Newcastle 2-0 Wolves (71/11 with Luckster)

FIRST’s top tip:

Handicap: Newcastle -1 (22/25 with BetMGM)

Arsenal vs Tottenham betting tips

The last five north London derbies at the Emirates Stadium have seen three Arsenal wins and two draws, with both teams scoring and at least three goals every time. 

The presence of Tottenham ensures high-scoring matches wherever they play this season. While they are conceding an average of 1.5 goals per league game, only Liverpool have scored more times.

Only four teams have lost more Premier League games in which both teams scored than Spurs in 2024/25, with three of those sides starting the matchweek in the bottom four of the table. Tottenham should score but suffer derby heartbreak as is so often the case. 

Scoreline prediction

Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham (133/20 with Bet442)

FIRST’s top tip:

Arsenal win and both teams to score (8/5 with Zetbet)

Ipswich vs Brighton betting tips

The last three meetings between Ipswich and Brighton were all draws, including a goalless stalemate at the Amex Stadium earlier in the campaign. This clash could easily end all square too. 

The Seagulls have drawn their last four league matches, a run which includes three on the road. They have tied half of their 20 games so far this season, meaning they might overtake the 38-match Premier League record of 17 draws.

Ipswich are in decent form too. They won their last home game 2-0 against Chelsea and would’ve earned three points at Fulham but for a stoppage-time penalty. The Tractor Boys look capable of a positive result here.

Scoreline prediction

Ipswich 1-1 Brighton (59/10 with Luckster)

FIRST’s top tip:

Double chance: Ipswich or draw (17/20 with Spreadex)

Manchester United vs Southampton betting tips

It says everything for how poor Manchester United have been this season when the odds are overrating their chances of winning at home against a Southampton side with just six points.

Ruben Amorim’s side will have taken a lot of heart from their recent performance at Liverpool and penalty shootout win at Arsenal on Sunday. The challenge is for them to reproduce that in less glamorous fixtures. 

United should be fine here. Southampton have only scored five away goals all season, with only two in their last six on the road. Once the home team open the scoring, that should be game over for this one. 

Scoreline prediction

Manchester United 3-0 Southampton (34/5 with Matchbook)

FIRST’s top tip:

Manchester United win to nil (6/5 with Spreadex)

Odds correct at the time of writing.