After the final international break before March comes to a close, this weekend, attention shifts back once more to domestic affairs in the Premier League, as Liverpool and Arsenal headline GW12 at Anfield.
Two sides that have played out many a thriller in recent years, it is the Reds the now more dominant force in the top flight of course, but who a fortnight ago suffered their first league defeat of the campaign to West Ham. The Gunners, meanwhile, are unbeaten in 10 and have won the last four games in all competitions. This latest meeting on Merseyside is perhaps more evenly poised than it first appears.
Despite being strong 1/2 favourites to beat Arsenal for the 10th time during the last 11 occasions in the Premier League, the hosts however, could be without a number of their starting XI, throwing some level of uncertainty into the pot. Indeed, with Liverpool fresh from defeat and with the always unpredictable return game post-international hiatus to consider also, Arsenal’s value of 29/5 with SBK looks generous. A win would still take some doing with the visitors not having left Anfield with the spoils since 2012, but the draw looks a mighty tempting punt. At 19/5 with VBet and UniBet, Saturday evening could become lucrative.
GW12 sees the beginning of two new eras in the Premier League. Firstly, at St. James’ Park, all eyes will be on Newcastle as Eddie Howe takes charge. Facing a Brentford side who become the first team to lose this season to Norwich last time out, these two sides meet at something of a crossroads in their season.
One of the more fascinating narratives of Howe taking the reins on Tyneside will be his reunion with striker Callum Wilson, with the former England striker having scored 42 Premier League goals under Howe’s stewardship at Bournemouth in previous seasons. The onus will be on Wilson then, who has scored just four goals this season due to injury, but now fit, could fire once more. To score first this weekend, Wilson is boosted at 4/1 with William Hill, or to score a brace is 7/1 with BoyleSport.
The other managerial debutante this weekend is Dean Smith, who takes charge of his first game in the Norwich hotseat, as Southampton make the trip to Carrow Road. Looking to use their first league win of the season two weeks ago as a springboard, the Canaries can make it six points from six with the win at a best price of 11/4 with BetFred.
Back in north London, whilst one English striker looks to rekindle the flame with his manager, Antonio Conte leads Tottenham into their first home league game under his guidance against Leeds in GW12, with Harry having scored seven goals on international duty. Despite his well-documented goal drought in the Premier League, Harry Kane netted in back-to-back hattricks for England in the past week, however, the opposition here is obviously of a different calibre. Without a league goal in over a month, the Whites could be the perfect opposition to remedy that situation, with Kane close to evens at 23/25 to score anytime with UniBet.
Finally, at Vicarage Road, Watford look to heap the pressure on Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the Norwegian’s future continues to be shrouded in speculation. As documented, the return game from the international hiatus is always plagued with peril, but regardless, goals look to be on the menu here. For over 3.5 goals to be scored, BetVictor’s price of 17/10 looks interesting, with a five-goal thriller at 4/1, again with the same bookie.
