The presents may all be unwrapped but there is still plenty of top quality football to enjoy over the festive period. We’ve got the second of three rounds of the Premier League in a little over a week to enjoy around New Year’s. So, let’s get stuck into the action and see if we can start 2017 by beating the bookies.
Easy Winner – 23/20 (BetVictor)
- Chelsea to beat Stoke (2/7) – There is no sign of Chelsea slowing down any time soon. The Blues should make it 13 Premier League wins in a row when Stoke travel to Stamford Bridge.
- Man United to beat Middlesbrough (2/7) – Man United’s recent improvement continued against Sunderland on Boxing Day. With Middlesbrough struggling, Jose Mourinho’s men are fair favourites at Old Trafford.
- Arsenal to beat Crystal Palace (3/10) – Arsenal were made to work very hard for their win over West Brom on Boxing Day. They’ll have to put in a shift again to beat Crystal Palace but that’s well within the Gunners’ capabilities.
Medium Risk – 14/1 (Sky Bet)
- Everton to beat Hull (17/20) – Hull continue to give it their all in their battle against relegation but their lack of quality looks sure to sink them. It’s hard to see Everton failing to leave the KCOM Stadium without all three points.
- West Ham to beat Leicester (5/2) – All of a sudden, West Ham have put three wins together and have moved away from the relegation battle. They can make it four in a row when they take on Claudio Ranieri’s struggling Leicester team even if they’re going to be near their best to get the job done.
- Liverpool to beat Man City (11/8) – Liverpool have the chance to land a huge blow to Man City on Saturday. With Chelsea in such incredible form at the top, Jurgen Klopp’s team have enough about them to stay in contention and send out a message that they are very much in the race for the title.
Long Shot – 49/1 (Bet365)
- Burnley to beat Sunderland and both teams to score (9/2) – Burnley look like they can stay up in the Premier League based entirely on their form at Turf Moor. The Clarets face a desperate Sunderland on Saturday but they should be able to pick up another three points at home even if they may need to score more than once to get the three points.
- Over 3.5 goals in Swansea v Bournemouth (2/1) – When Bournemouth travel to South Wales they’ll be very confident about returning with all three points. Swansea’s defence is shocking but they should be able to get onto the scoresheet. Expect plenty of goals at the Liberty Stadium.
- Liverpool to score in both halves against Man City (2/1) – This is the biggest game of the Christmas period. Both teams have enough quality to win at Anfield but Man City’s poor defensive record could be just the thing that settles this one. Liverpool’s high intensity football should produce a constant goal threat in a game that’s set to be packed with goals.