WEEK 1: RECAP

The opening weekend of the 2018/19 Premier League season brought plenty of excitement, producing 25 goals and 8 clean sheets, and there are 10 more tasty fixtures awaiting us in Week 2.

The standout match of the weekend on paper is the Saturday evening kickoff at Stamford Bridge when Chelsea host Arsenal. Both teams are working under new managers this season, with new signings and playing styles being instilled.

Last time out Chelsea enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at Huddersfield Town, while the Gunners were beaten 2-0 at home by reigning champions Manchester City. Manchester United started their Premier League campaign with an unconvincing 2-1 win against Leicester City at Old Trafford on Friday night. Next up for the Red Devils is Brighton & Hove Albion and a trip to the Amex Stadium, where they were beaten 1-0 last season. Liverpool ended Week 1 on top of the pile after “hammering” (excuse the pun) West Ham 4-0 at Anfield on Sunday.

With many teams still missing key players due to the World Cup and lack of match fitness we should see a number of those players given some minutes for their clubs this weekend as managers look to get their strongest eleven on the pitch.

WEEK 2: PREDICTIONS

Cardiff City vs. Newcastle United

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 12:30 - Cardiff City Stadium

Neil Warnock's Cardiff host Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle in their first PL home match since they were relegated in 2014, with both teams looking to get their first points on the board. Cardiff started life with a 2-nil defeat at Bournemouth while Newcastle were narrowly beaten 2-1 at home to Spurs, Moussa Sissoko lucky not to receive a red card. Much has been made of the lack of backing Benitez has received in the transfer market from owner Mike Ashley and it will be interesting to see what develops during the course of the season.

Cardiff will want to make home advantage count and will be looking to make the Cardiff City Stadium a fortress this season in order to secure Premier League football next season. This will be a cagey game with no team wanting to lose but we see Newcastle nicking this and securing their first 3 points of the season.

Our Prediction: Away Win - Newcastle (0-1)

Everton vs. Southampton

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 15:00 - Goodison Park

Marco Silva’s Everton welcome Mark Hughe’s Saints to Goodison Park in their first home game of the season. The opening weekend saw the Toffees come away with a hard fought point, after a 2-2 draw with Wolves, playing 50 minutes with 10 men after Phil Jagielka’s straight red card. Alot of eyebrows were raised when Everton spent a club record £50M on Richarlison from Watford, however he impressed on his debut with the Brazilian scoring a brace. The Saints meanwhile were frustrated at home by Burnley only managing to pick up a point in a nil-nil draw. Both teams are in transition and looking for a top 10 finish this season.

Both Everton and Southampton will be looking to build on their performances and we expect this to be an open game. We could see a very different starting 11 for Everton with new signings Bernard, Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina and Kurt Zouma playing some part. Southampton will not want to get caught up in a relegation battle again but we fully expect home advantage to count and Everton to take the 3 points.

Our Prediction: Home Win - Everton (2-0)

Leicester City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 15:00 - King Power Stadium

Claude Puel’s Foxes first home game of the season comes against Nuno Espírito Santo’s newly promoted Wolves at the King Power. last time out Leicester suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford at the hands and Man Utd, while Wolves could not take advantage of their extra man against a battling Everton side drawing 2-2 to claim their first point of the season. Both teams have invested heavily during the transfer window with Leicester reinvesting the £60M received from the sale of Riyad Mahrez to Man City and Wolves continuing the Portuguese theme throughout their team. There have been suggestions in the media this week that Puel’s job is under threat after only one game based on the teams finish last season.

Leicester have been strong at home over the last few seasons but Wolves will be no pushovers and will look to hit the Foxes on the break particularly as they are looking to play a more possession based game under Puel this season. Having said that we expect the home side to pick up their first 3 points of the season.

Our Prediction: Home Win - Leicester (2-1) 

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Fulham

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 15:00 - Wembley

No signings, no problems! Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs dug deep to record an impressive 2-1 away win at Newcastle on the opening day of the season while Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham started life back in the Premier League with a 2-nil defeat at the hands of a Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. This game will be played at Spurs temporary ground, Wembley, as continued construction delays hamper their move back to the renamed 'Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’.

While Spurs may not have signed any new faces sometimes stability can work in your favor and even though they had the most players away at the World Cup we think they will pick up another valuable 3 points by beating the Cottagers with Harry Kane getting off the mark.

Our Prediction: Home Win (3-0)

West Ham United vs. Bournemouth

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 15:00 - London Stadium

Manuel Pellegrini’s second stint in the PL got off to a terrible start with his West Ham team being totally outplayed and outclassed conceding 4 goals to a rampant Liverpool at Anfield. The board certainly backed their new manager bringing in 11 new faces for a total cost of around £121M and breaking their transfer record signing Felipe Anderson for an initial fee of £34M. Both the board and supporters will be looking for a top 10 finish this season. Meanwhile the Cherries faired alot better getting off to winning ways dispatching newly promoted Cardiff 2-nil. Eddie Howe has built a solid base and will be looking to push the team on from their 12th place finish last season.

Expect an attacking game and West Ham to respond from their opening day defeat. They will be looking for support from the stands that wasn’t there last season and home form will be vital in achieving a high finish. 3 points for the Hammers.

Our Prediction: Home Win - West Ham (3-1)

Chelsea vs. Arsenal

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 17:30 - Stamford Bridge

New Gunners boss Unai Emery endured a tough first game in charge as an understrength Man City side toyed with his team at the Emirates exposing familiar failings and running out 2-nil winners. Meanwhile, new blues boss Maurizio Sarri had a somewhat easier introduction to life as a Premier League manager, his team recording a convincing 3-0 win at Huddersfield Town, with new boy Jorginho scoring on his debut from the spot.

Expect a close game that could easily end in a draw. Both teams will be looking to get back into the top 4 this season but the distraction of Champions League football will likely help both managers maintain a settled and fresh starting XI over the course of the season. The key for Emery in this game and the rest of the season is to get Mesut Ozil playing to his full potential. Having said that Chelsea will punish Arsenal's mental weaknesses just edging this one.

Our Prediction: Home Win - Chelsea (2-1)

Burnley vs. Watford

Kickoff: Sun Aug, 19 - 13:30 - Turf Moor

Burnley kick off their first home game at Turf Moor against Watford after playing out a nil-nil draw against the Southampton on the opening weekend. Watford secured 3 points with an impressive 2-nil home win against Brighton with Pereyra staring, scoring a brace. This season could be a tough one for Sean Dyche and his team as higher expectations and the added burden of Europa League games on a Thursday takes it toll. Watford are a jackal and hyde team, one minute they can be brilliant the other poor. Javi Gracia will be looking for more consistency from his team this season and an improvement on their 14th place finish.

Don’t expect this to be end to end stuff but another tight affair of defence versus defence and few clear cut chances resulting in a point apiece.

Our Prediction: Draw (1-1)

Manchester City vs. Huddersfield Town

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 13:30 - Etihad Stadium

Pep Guardiola’s Citizens eased to a comfortable 2-0 away win at Arsenal on the opening day even without several key players. Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane began on the bench, while David Silva missed out altogether. David Wagner’s Terriers were sent home with their tails between their legs losing emphatically by 3 goals to Chelsea. The bad news for Huddersfield is City should have scored more than 2 goals in their previous game and they will be looking to be the first team since Manchester United in 2008/09 to win back to back Premier League titles.

Expect City to do even more damage than Chelsea did given their home advantage and attacking firepower. We see nothing but a home win and it is just a case of how many City will score and damage limitation for Huddersfield.

Our Prediction: Home Win - Man City (4-0)

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United

Kickoff: Sat Aug, 18 - 16:00 - Amex Stadium

Chris Hughton’s Seagulls were well beaten on the opening day 2-nil at Watford while Jose Mourinho’s Red Devils opened the 2018/19 Premier League season last Friday with an unconvincing 2-1 win against Leicester at Old Trafford. It has been a summer of frustration at Old Trafford with failure in the transfer market in sign quality reinforcements. In contrast Brighton have brought in 10 new faces breaking their transfer record in the process signing Alireza Jahanbakhsh for £17M. This fixture last season produced a shock 1-0 home win.

Brighton are a tough opposition and it will be a packed Amex. What Man Utd will turn up? will Lukaku be in the starting 11? Again this will be a close game with few chances. We expect the Red Devils to go one better than last season, honors even.

Our Prediction: Draw (1-1)

Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool

Kickoff: Mon Aug, 19 - 20:00 - Selhurst Park

Roy Hodgson’s Eagles soared on Week 1 with a ruthlessly efficient performance dispatching of newly promoted Fulham 2-0 away. Palaces best piece of transfer business was retaining the services of Wilfried Zaha and the Eagles will need to be intelligent and clinical on the counter against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side who will be looking to dominate possession. Their 4-nil opening day win over West Ham emphasized the attacking options available and Mo Salah continued where he left off from last season. The Reds have strengthened the spine of the team bringing in a much needed goalkeeper in the form of Alisson from Roma for £56M and look like they will be real title challengers this season.

This will be the most entertaining game of Week 2, a game of attack versus attack. Palace have enough winners to exploit the Reds defence however Liverpool will shade this one.

Our Prediction: Away Win - Liverpool (2-3)

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NOTE: This article should not be considered as betting advice and is the opinion of the author.

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