As the Premier League continues on apace despite the spectre of postponements due to the emergence of the new Omicron COVID-19 strain, Gameweek 17 should still have more than enough entertainment on offer for punters.
Not least at the Emirates, as Arsenal face top-four London rivals West Ham United. With just two points between the sides, the Gunners could leapfrog into the top four for the first time the season with victory, coupled with the likelihood that Manchester United’s game with Brentford is called off.
Though the north Londoners have lost three of the last five, this could be a good time to play the Irons, with David Moyes’ men having lost two on the bounce themselves, having recorded just one win in five. Indeed, the hosts are 6/5 favourites with SBK and SpreadEx for the win. Though West Ham have not as taken as much as a point on Arsenal turf since 2009, this is a different side from those encounters though, and the away win’s odds of 11/4 with Betfair, Coral and Ladbrokes is still one to look at.
At the Etihad, Manchester City entertain Leeds United with the Cityzens top of the table by a single point. Having won the last six league games on the spin, Pep Guardiola’s men are in dominant form and can be taken for a best price of 3/20 with Novibet. Not much value here it seems.
For the Whites however, Marcelo Bielsa often rises to the occasion against his bigger-name peers and looks well set to do so here. Though Leeds find themselves just five points from the drop zone, the Yorkshire side put in a plucky showing against Chelsea at the weekend, only denied a point via Jorginho’s last-gasp penalty at Stamford Bridge. City are a formidable force at home, but are fallible, having lost to Crystal Palace earlier this term. That makes Leeds’ sizeable price of 22/1 with PariMatch, SBK and BetVictor look quite attractive. The hosts are without question the better side, but Leeds are playing themselves into form, and even the draw at a weighty 9/1 – again with SBK – could be something to ponder.
At Anfield, Liverpool welcome Newcastle United as the latest potential victims, despite the classic fixture’s Premier League pedigree. The Reds should have no problem in disposing of the Magpies, so the real value here is in goals and potentially, a few of them. In three of the last five league games, Liverpool have hit four goals home and away. If we also consider that Newcastle shipped four at Leicester in GW16 on Sunday, a similar scoreline could be on the cards. A 4-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s men will fetch you 8/1 across the board, or, for total goals to be scored in the match, a price of 11/5 with PaddyPower and Betfair for over 4.5 goals to be netted, could set up a winner.
Carrow Road sees in an interesting clash meanwhile, as Dean Smith welcomes recent employers Aston Villa, who make the trip across the Midlands. Succumbing to a narrow defeat to Manchester United mere days ago, the Canaries have still only lost one of six since November and can inflict a third-successive defeat on Steven Gerrard’s men in Norfolk. Available at 12/5 with Betfair, a Teemu Pukki-Ollie Watkins boosted double at 15/2 with SkyBet though, might be a better shot.
Finally, should Leicester City’s game with Tottenham Hotspur go ahead, the Foxes looks another good punt for a win. With the Lilywhites not having played for over a week now due to their unplanned hiatus, their away form will be a concern for Antonio Conte, not to mention a lack of game time since the start of the month. For that reason, a Leicester side buoyed by a handsome win over Newcastle at home can look for further comforts at the King Power and at 15/13 odds with 10Bet and SportNation, is surely one to make a decent lay on.
