As November nears, thoughts are now turning to the holiday period, but for us here at BestofBets, this weekend is merely Premier League Gameweek 9.
With Arsenal and Liverpool taking top billing in a monster clash at the Emirates Stadium, could we see goals or are both defences looking to tighten up in north London?
Regardless, we’ve teed up another goalscorer treble @ 7/1 with BetUK but who has made the grade this week?
Bryan Mbeumo
As Gameweek 9 begins early on Friday night, our first picks focuses on west London, as Brentford host a still-winless Ipswich Town, and Bryan Mbeumo could be on the spot.
Failing to score inside the second minute for the first time in four league games last time out at Old Trafford, the Bees fell to a fourth loss of the season – after an initial lead – but in Gameweek 9 return home to their unbeaten patch.
Notching a combined total of ten in their own back yard against basement dwellers Crystal Palace, Southampton and Wolves, this weekend the latest of the bottom half, the Tractor Boys, pull into town.
After a deflating 2-0 loss to Everton at Portman Road last weekend, Kieran McKenna is looking for a response but that is a tough task here.
For Mbeumo, before Gameweek 8, the Cameroonian had netted in three games on the spin, but if we look at his home form in particular, has scored in every home game this term – twice against the Saints.
Ipswich have proved plucky opposition on the road so far, but the numbers for the visiting defences that have come to Brentford so far this campaign are stark.
For the Suffolk side, having conceded six in the last two outings, a physical Brentford side could be tough to manage, not least Mbeumo.
Erling Haaland
Next we move north to Manchester as City welcome beleaguered Southampton to the Etihad Stadium, with many expect a potential cricket score, and Erling Haaland being eyed up for the spoils.
Having ended his three-game scoring drought with a brace in midweek against Sparta Prague, Saints fans would have been left with a cold sweat of what might be to come in Gameweek 9 after his aerial antics.
Themselves throwing away a 2-0 lead at St. Mary’s last time out, Russell Martin’s men have conceded a total 18 goals after eight games, shipping three in each of the last three games.
The hosts may have been a little goal-shy by their meteoric league standards of late, but Saturday looks like a big number could be tallied.
After hitting five against the Czechs, three against Fulham and four versus Ipswich all at home this season, Southampton could be in for a torrid afternoon, with FPL managers looking at their triple captain chip.
It seems inevitable Haaland gets a goal on Saturday, but in a bonus punt, a third hat-trick of the season might be on the cards at 6/1 William Hill.
Cole Palmer
Our third and final punt returns back down to west London as Chelsea host Newcastle, with Cole Palmer getting the nod.
As the Blues continue to rack up the goals – four more against Panathinaikos on Thursday night in Europe – the ever-pressing question is which of their attacking unit picks up the scoring gauntlet; a poser which in the league at least looks to be either Nicolas Jackson or Palmer.
In the case of Palmer, however, after his four-goal tirade against Brighton in Gameweek 6, the number 20 failed to net against both Nottingham Forest and last weekend against Liverpool, but the chances have still come his way.
Newcastle’s last two league games have been tight, with just one goal in 180 minutes, but this fixture screams goals again.
Both Jackson and Palmer netted in this fixture last term in a 3-2 win, but for his penalty duties alone, we must lean on Palmer to find the scoresheet.
BestofBets’ Premier League Gameweek 9 goalscorer treble @ 7/1 with BetUK: Mbeumo, Haaland + Palmer.
