The final Premier League weekend is finally here and all ten Premier League sides feature on Sunday. Admittedly there isn’t a lot to play for apart from one spot in the relegation zone. Hull City are the 1.17 favourites to claim that unwanted spot with Newcastle the only other candidate. As I’ve done all season, I have previewed two Premier League games and recommended a couple of bets below.

Hull City v Manchester United

The most important Premier League match this weekend takes place at the KC Stadium as Hull City face Manchester United. Steve Bruce’s side are 18^th in the table and are two points behind Newcastle, it is worth noting that Hull have a better goal difference than John Carver’s side. Therefore a Hull City victory and a Newcastle draw would see the Tigers survive the drop, however it is a big ask.

Manchester United are fourth in the Premier League table after a relatively successful campaign but you can question their motivation for this match, they have nothing to play for. Hull on the other hand should be the most motivated side in the league and I’d be surprised if they got turned over on Sunday. However since Hull City’s first promotion to the Premier League in 2008, they have played United on seven occasions and have lost on each occasion, conceding 21 goals in the process! Admittedly this is a different scenario this time around, Hull must win and Manchester United will finish in fourth spot regardless of the result. It should also be noted that United are without the influential Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney and David De Gea are 50/50.

On this basis I’m going to back Hull City and 12/5 seems more than a fair price given both sides’ motivation levels.

Recommended Bet: Hull City to beat Manchester United – BetVictor @ 12/5

Newcastle v West Ham United

As I have mentioned above, if Hull City are to survive Newcastle must fail to win at home against West Ham which is a big ask. Admittedly Newcastle are in very poor form, they’ve lost nine of their last ten matches but motivation levels are crucial at this stage of the season as West Ham have proved. West Ham are sitting comfortably in eleventh position but that doesn’t reflect how poorly they’ve played since January. They have won just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions.

Newcastle they still have their fate in their own hands and a victory on Sunday would seal top flight football next season. I hate backing teams in very poor form but Newcastle have to win this game and they’ll have 60,000 fans cheering them on. As I’ve mentioned in the Hull City tip, motivation is such an important factor at this stage of the season therefore I’m happy to side with Newcastle on this occasion at 4/5 which is a very fair price.

Recommended Bet: Newcastle to beat West Ham United – Coral @ 4/5

There are only two Premier League gameweeks remaining and as I mentioned last weekend Chelsea have already secured the title and the Champions League spots have all but been secured. At the bottom of the table it is getting exciting. Queens Park Rangers and Burnley have been relegated but any of five teams could finish in the final relegation spot. As usual, below I have previewed two Premier League fixtures and recommended a couple of bets which stand a great chance of winning in my opinion. 

Tottenham v Hull City

Tottenham host Hull City at White Hart Lane on Saturday and it is a crucial game for Hull. The away side are 18^th in the Premier League table and are the 1.4 favourites to finish in that final relegation spot. A win on Saturday is imperative in my opinion as Steve Bruce’s side face Manchester United at the KC Stadium on the final day of the season.

Tottenham come into this fixture in poor form, they’re sixth in the Premier League table and have only won one of their last six matches. The Tottenham squad are seemingly thinking about their holidays and maybe they don’t fancy the Europa League next season, this showed last weekend as Stoke City beat Mauricio Pochettino’s side 3-0. Admittedly Hull City aren’t in great form either, they lost 1-0 at home against Burnley last weekend however they did beat Liverpool and Crystal Palace towards the end of April.

This is an absolute must win game for Hull City and they should have all the motivation in the world to win this match and the same cannot be said about their opponents. Hull City are generously priced at 4/1 in my opinion but I’m going to back them to win via the draw no bet market at 5/2.

Recommended Bet: Hull City Draw No Bet – Bet365 @ 5/2

Manchester United v Arsenal

The fixture of the weekend takes place at Old Trafford as Manchester United face Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. This is a pretty meaningful match as neither side wants to finish in fourth position as this means they’ll have to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League. The hosts are the favourites to win this encounter due to their home advantage however it should be a close and competitive match between two very good sides.

Arsenal are third in the Premier League table and two points above Manchester United who are fourth. Personally I think Arsenal have played some of the best football in the league this season and they will inevitably contend for the title next campaign. Manchester United on the other hand have done ok but they are still lacking in some areas and aren’t the full package like Arsenal in my opinion.

This weekend Manchester United will be without Michael Carrick who has been so important to the Red Devils this season. Carrick has missed United’s last four matches and they have lost three of these and the other they were fortunate to get three points. I’m very keen to back Arsenal to beat a weak Manchester United side this weekend at 2/1 which is a super price in my opinion.

Recommended Bet: Arsenal to beat Manchester United – bet365 @ 2/1

Everton v Sunderland

The opening game of the weekend takes place at Goodison Park as Everton face Sunderland. After a poor start to the season Everton’s form has improved lately and they’re now 11^th in the table with nothing to play for. On the other hand Sunderland still have everything to play for, they’re 18^th in the Premier League table and are 4/5 to be relegated. A Sunderland victory on Saturday would be priceless however it’s easier said than done.

Last weekend Sunderland recorded their first victory in nearly a month against Southampton which has given them a lifeline and some much needed confidence. Jordi Gomez was the star of the show scoring both of Sunderland’s goals. Everton lost their first Premier League game in nearly two months last weekend and this is possibly a sign of their players focusing on their holidays now they have secured top flight football next season.

My recommended bet for this fixture is Sunderland double chance which can be backed at 21/20 with Bet365. Opposing sides with nothing to play for tends to be a profitable strategy towards the end of the season and I’m happy to back Sunderland who need a result this weekend.

Recommended Bet: Sunderland double chance – Bet365 @ 21/20

Newcastle v West Brom

The dullest game of the weekend takes place at St. James’s Park as Newcastle United host West Bromwich Albion. Newcastle come into this fixture in woeful form, they’ve lost eight consecutive Premier League matches and a result on Saturday is crucial. On the other hand West Brom are now safe from relegation after an excellent victory at Old Trafford last weekend. Tony Pulis’s side sit in 13^th position in the league table on 40 points.

William Hill are offering money back as a free bet if you place a first goalscorer bet on this match and it finishes 0-0 or your first goalscorer scores second. Newcastle have failed to score in five of their last eight matches and West Brom have only scored 33 goals this campaign. This match has 0-0 written all over it therefore this is a good opportunity to take advantage of William Hill’s promotion in my opinion.

Papiss Cisse returns this weekend after a seven game ban and is still comfortably Newcastle’s top goalscorer with eleven goals, despite only starting ten Premier League matches. 11/2 is an excellent price in my opinion considering the promotion and Cisse’s goal scoring ability.

Recommended Bet: First goalscorer: Papiss Cisse – William Hill @ 11/2

After another excellent weekend of Premier League football, we’re nearing the end of the season, however there are still plenty of meaningful games to come, particularly involving sides at the bottom of the table. Below I have previewed a couple of this weekend’s matches and added two bets which I perceived to be great value as usual.

Leicester City v Newcastle

Leicester City versus Newcastle may not be the most appealing game this weekend but I expect it to be an exciting one. Leicester are on a fine run of form, they’ve won four consecutive Premier League matches and they’re now outside of the relegation zone for the first time this year. A victory this weekend and the Foxes would be a huge step closer to playing Premier League football next season.

Leicester City’s opponents Newcastle are certainly not guaranteed to be playing Premier League football next season just yet after a horrendous run of form. They’re 14^th in the table and are just five points clear of the relegation zone after losing seven consecutive matches. John Carver’s side are short of confidence and a victory on Saturday would be invaluable.

My recommended bet for this fixture is over 2.5 goals which can be backed at 1.95. Normally I’d try and avoid backing over 2.5 goals in any game Newcastle are involved in but Leicester City are playing some very attacking football at the moment which leaves them exposed at the back.

Recommended Bet: Over 2.5 Goals – Bet365 @ 1.95

Tottenham v Manchester City

The fixture of the weekend takes place at White Hart Lane as Tottenham face Manchester City on Sunday afternoon. The hosts are sixth in the Premier League table and the Champions League places are no out of reach in my opinion, therefore a Europa League spot is the best Tottenham can hope for. On the other hand Manchester City are second in the League table despite not performing to the best of their abilities in recent weeks. Last weekend they faced Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium and were very fortunate to get a result, never mind the victory. Neither sides have much to play for therefore I expect this to be a pretty dull match and I’m not interested in getting involved in the match odds market for this reason.

Two players who do have something to play for are Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero. The Argentine has scored 21 Premier League goals this season, whilst Kane has scored 20. They’re both battling it out for the golden boot award and you’d expect both players to be eager to win it. Sergio Aguero can be backed to score anytime in this match at odds of evens which appears to be a skinny price. Harry can be backed to score anytime at odds of 2.62 which is a generous price if you ask me, particularly against a leaky City defence without Vincent Kompany.

Recommended Bet: Harry Kane to score anytime – Coral @ 2.62

The Premier League season is now drawing to a close, however there are still some excellent betting opportunities. This weekend I’ve previewed two enticing Premier League matches and I have recommended two bets which I perceive to be excellent value.

Everton v Manchester United

The early kick off on Sunday takes place at Goodison Park as Everton host Manchester United. Everton are 12^th in the Premier League table after a below par season for their high standards. This has largely been due to poor recruitment from Roberto Martinez, in my opinion. Admittedly Everton’s form and performances have improved towards the end of the campaign. They’ve won three of their last four matches, however they’ve faced poor opposition in this period of time.

Everton’s opponents, Manchester United are also in a very good run of form, they have won 16 of their last 23 Premier League matches and this fine run has lifted them up into third position in the league and above their rivals Manchester City. Louis Van Gaal’s side did lose their last league match, however that came away from home against top of the table Chelsea. It should be noted that Man United put in a very solid performance against Chelsea and deserved a result.

My recommended bet for this match is Manchester United to win the match. They’ve played some excellent football lately and they should really be beating a side of Everton’s calibre. Odds of 2.2 seem extremely generous given Manchester United’s form since the start of January.

Recommended Bet: Manchester United to beat Everton – StanJames @ 2.2

Arsenal v Chelsea

The fixture of the weekend features first and second in the Premier League table, as Chelsea face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal have been in outstanding form since the New Year, they’ve won eleven of their last twelve Premier League matches, however their poor start to the season has cost them. Chelsea are currently ten points ahead of Arsenal in the league table, therefore an Arsenal win is essential if they’re to have any chance of winning the league title this season.

Chelsea haven’t lost a Premier League match since the first of January which is quite remarkable. Despite this they haven’t played great football, Chelsea haven’t won a Premier League match by more than one goal since the 17^th of January. Jose Mourinho’s side have been reliant on the likes of Eden Hazard and Diego Costa scoring great goals, for this reason I have no intention of siding with Chelsea.

My recommended bet for this match is Arsenal draw no bet at a generous price of 1.8 with SkyBet. The way Arsenal are playing at the moment in comparison with Chelsea I can only see one result here. Arsenal have beat the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham recently and I can see no reason why Arsenal can’t beat at Chelsea side relying on Eden Hazard and without the injured Diego Costa.

Recommended Bet: Arsenal draw no bet – SkyBet @ 1.8

The Premier League season is now drawing to a close with many sides fighting for survival and that usually throws up some entertaining matches and odd results. There are only eight Premier League matches taking place this weekend as both FA Cup Semi-Final’s get underway on Saturday and Sunday. Below I have previewed two Premier League matches as well as adding a couple of bets which I perceive to be excellent value.

Stoke City v Southampton

On Saturday at 3pm Stoke City face Southampton at the Britannia Stadium. Both sides are having excellent seasons, Stoke are tenth in the Premier League table, although their formed has dipped recently. Mark Hughes’s side have gone four league games without a victory and they’ve only faced one top seven side in this period of time. Stoke City’s opponents, Southampton are sixth in the table and still have a chance of securing Champions League football, however they can’t afford to drop any more points in my opinion. I think you can guess which side will be more motivated to win this encounter.

Southampton can be backed at 13/10 to win this match which is a tremendous price because Stoke appear to have took their foot off the gas. For this reason Southampton are my recommended bet. Finally it should be noted that these two have already played once at the Britannia Stadium this season in the FA Cup and Southampton won that match 3-2.

Recommended Bet: Southampton to beat Stoke City – Paddy Power @ 13/10

Chelsea v Manchester United

The game of the weekend takes place on Saturday evening as Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are currently seven points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand and a win on Saturday would all but secure the Premier League title. Despite being seven points clear at the top, Chelsea haven’t performed particularly well recently. They may have won eight of their last eleven matches but they have not won by more than one goal since January the 17^th.

On the other hand, Manchester United are playing some fantastic football. They have won six consecutive Premier League matches and Louis Van Gaal finally appears to have found the winning formula. This fine run of form has lifted the Red Devils into 3^rd position and they have almost certainly secured Champions League football.

Man United may struggle to make it seven consecutive wins on Saturday as Chelsea have an excellent record at Stamford Bridge. This season they’ve played 15 home games and have won 12 of those and drawn the other three. It’ll be very interesting to see how Manchester United perform on Saturday as this is set up to be an excellent fixture.

My recommended bet is Loic Remy to score anytime at odds of 9/5. Diego Costa is expected to be out injured which means the Frenchman will lead the line. Remy will inevitably get numerous opportunities in front of goal, therefore I’m happy to take odds of 9/5 against an average United defence.

Recommended Bet: Anytime Goalscorer: Loic Remy – BetVictor @ 9/5

There are some enticing Premier League matches taking place this weekend and there are certainly some excellent betting opportunities. Below I have previewed a couple of matches as well as recommending two bets which I perceive to be great value.

Tottenham v Aston Villa

On Saturday at 3pm, Tottenham face Aston Villa at White Hart Lane. It is a crucial fixture for both sides, particularly Aston Villa who are relegation candidates. The hosts still have an outside chance of finishing inside the top four although they must beat Aston Villa on Saturday in my opinion. Spurs currently sit in sixth position and are seven points behind fourth place. Mauricio Pochettino’s side come into this match in relatively good form, they’ve won six of their last ten Premier League matches. Tottenham’s form at White Hart Line is also very good. They haven’t lost a Premier League game at White Hart Line since November. It’ll clearly be very tough for Aston Villa to get a result against Spurs this weekend.

Unlike Tottenham, Aston Villa have been in awful form, even after they appointed former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood. Tim has been in charge for seven games and has delivered just seven points against relatively poor opposition. Villa’s most recent match was on Tuesday against Queen’s Park Rangers at Villa Park and they failed to win. Defensively Villa were very poor and you’d expect Tottenham to capitalise on any chances, particularly with the inform Harry Kane up front.

My recommended bet for this encounter is Tottenham -1 goal. There is no doubt that Tottenham are the far better team and odds of 8/5 are superb given how good Spurs are going forward.  

Recommended Bet: Tottenham -1 goal – Paddy Power @ 8/5

Manchester United v Manchester City

The fixture of the weekend takes place at Old Trafford as Manchester United host their rivals Manchester City on Sunday. Man United are currently third in the Premier League table and are on a fine run of form. They have won their last five Premier League matches and that includes victories against Liverpool and Tottenham. As well as United’s recent form, their home form is also impressive. Louis Van Gaal’s side have won 13 of their 16 Premier League matches at Old Trafford this campaign, which is more victories than any other side.

On the contrary Manchester United’s opponents, Manchester City are not in great form.  They have lost three of their last five Premier League matches and have failed to win five of their last six matches away from home.

Unsurprisingly Manchester United are the favourites to win the Manchester derby, however I still think their odds are on the generous side. Louis Van Gaal’s side can be backed to win this encounter at 8/5, although I’m going to back the safer draw no bet. Man United are 5/6 on draw no bet with BetVictor. This is an excellent price in my opinion as I can’t see United losing this fixture against their out of form opponents.

Recommended Bet: Manchester United draw no bet – BetVictor @ 5/6

Arsenal v Liverpool

Arsenal face Liverpool in the early kick off on Saturday at the Emirates, in what is a crucial game for both sides. As it stands Arsenal are third in the Premier League table and will be looking to secure a top four finish by beating Liverpool this weekend. Liverpool sit in fifth place and are currently 6 points behind Arsenal. A win for Brendan Rodgers’ side on Saturday is crucial if they’re to stand any chance of playing in the Champions League next season in my opinion.

Arsenal come into this encounter in very good form, they’ve won 14 of their last 16 games in all competitions which is quite astonishing. If it wasn’t for their slow start to the season they’d inevitably challenging Chelsea for the title. Like Arsenal, Liverpool are also in great form, they have won 10 of their last 13 matches. However they did lose at Anfield in their latest outing against Manchester United 2-1.

Personally, I think this is going to be a very close match that’ll be an entertaining end to end game with plenty of goals. Liverpool have played sides inside the top six on eight occasions this season and on each occasion there has been over 2.5 goals, this includes a 2-2 draw with Arsenal earlier in the season. 66% of Arsenal’s Premier League matches this campaign have featured over 2.5 goals and I’m expecting more goals between these two sides.

Recommended Bet: Over 2.5 Goals – BoyleSports @ 1.73

Everton v Southampton

On Saturday, Everton host Southampton at Goodison Park, in what is a crucial game for both sides, particularly Southampton. Southampton are sixth in the Premier League table and are six points behind Man United who sit in fourth position. If Southampton are to have any chance of playing Champions League football next season this is a game they have to win in my opinion. After an excellent start to the season Ronald Koeman’s side have won just three of their last nine matches.

Southampton’s opponents, Everton, have had a very poor season for their high standards, they’re 13^th in the table, although they come into this fixture off the back of consecutive wins. Due to Everton’s home advantage, they’re are the slight favourites to win this match however I won’t be backing them at their current price.

My recommended bet for this match is Southampton draw no bet at a generous price of evens. Southampton are the better of the two sides and they have a very strong squad, I’d be surprised if they didn’t win this game given how poorly Everton have performed this campaign. When Southampton and Everton met at St. Mary’s, Southampton won 3-0.

Recommended Bet: Southampton draw no bet – Paddy Power @ 2.0

There is no Premier League action this weekend due to the international break but there are plenty of international fixtures taking place which should lead to some decent betting opportunities. Below I’ve previewed England’s match against Lithuania and have opted to take advantage of Betfair’s “Acca Insurace” promotion.

England v Lithuania

England’s fifth group match gets underway on Friday as they host Lithuania at Wembley. Roy Hodgson’s side have made an excellent start to Group E, they have won their opening four matches and have scored 12 goals in the process. Unsurprisingly England are top of group E and are as short as 1/10 to win the group. England’s opponents on Friday, Lithuania, are fourth in the group, however they’re level on points with Slovenia who sit in second position. Lithuania have won two of their four group matches so far, although they were thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland in their most recent match.

This is definitely a match I’d expect England to win comfortably, they are without a doubt the better of the two teams. England have won their last six matches and have only conceded one goal in that period of time. England are 1/8 to win this match which isn’t going to appeal to many people therefore I’ve opted to back England to win both halves at 6/5. If England keep an eighth consecutive clean, they’ll only have to score once in both halves for this bet to be settled a winner.

Recommended Bet: England to win both halves – Coral @ 6/5

Betfair’s “Acca Insurance” Promotion           

Everyone enjoys an accumulator during the international break and Betfair’s promotion makes those accumulators even more profitable. If you place a match odds fivefold or more with Betfair and only one leg lets you down Betfair will refund your stake as a free bet! Below I’ve selected five teams that have made up my fivefold.

Spain v Ukraine – Spain’s form may have dipped recently but their record at home is still incredible. They’ve won eight of their last nine matches that have been played in Spain with the only loss coming against the World champions Germany. Spain’s opponents, Ukraine are nothing special, they drew with Lithuania in their latest match and have lost their last two matches against Spain.

Switzerland v Estonia – Switzerland should beat Estonia on Friday will no issues. Estonia have lost against Lithuania and drew with San Marino in recent matches and Switzerland should be far too strong for them.

Kazakhstan v Iceland – Iceland have impressed me in Group A, they have won three of their opening four matches and this includes victories over Turkey and Netherlands. On the other hand Kazakhstan are a very poor side, they have lost their last three matches in Group A and I expect Iceland to make that four on Saturday.

Azerbaijan v Malta – This maybe an odd selection but Malta are an awful side. Azerbaijan may not be much better but I’m happy to oppose Malta. Malta have lost eleven of their last 13 matches and have only scored six goals in that period of time and three of those came against the Faroe Island. Azerbaijan’s record is not much better but they’ve put in some good performances against Bulgaria, Italy and Norway, thus leading me to believe that they should beat Malta with ease.

Netherlands v Turkey – The fifth leg of my fivefold is Netherlands to beat Turkey. Netherlands are undoubtedly the better side and they’re a very impressive side at home. They have only lost one game in the last three years in Netherland and I’d expect them to breeze past Turkey.

Recommended Bet: Fivefold – Betfair @ 6.38

Ten Premier League matches take place this weekend and I’m expecting another excellent week of matches. There are some crucial games occurring for sides up and down the table, particularly those who are involved in the fight for fourth place and those who are fighting for their Premier League status.

Aston Villa v Swansea

Aston Villa host Swansea City at Villa Park on Saturday at 3pm in a match I expect to be very entertaining. Since Swansea’s promotion to the Premier League these sides have met on seven occasions and Villa have only won one of those meetings, and their only victory was back in 2012. Despite this, Villa are the 6/4 favourites to win this match but that’s largely due to their home advantage.

Aston Villa are in good form, they’ve won three consecutive matches for the first time since 2011. They have looked a much better side under new manager Tim Sherwood who appears to have motivated his side and got them scoring goals. On the other hand Swansea’s form has been up and down, they’ve lost their last two matches but those losses came against Tottenham and Liverpool. It should be noted that they put in very good performances against these sides and marginally lost both games. 

My recommended bet for this match is Swansea draw not bet at a generous 5/4 with BetVictor. Aston Villa’s form may have improved recently but their wins have come against weak opposition in the form of West Brom (x2) and Sunderland. Swansea are undoubtedly the better side and a good performance should see them beat an overrated Villa side.

Recommended Bet: Swansea draw no bet – Betvictor @ 5/4

Liverpool v Manchester United

The match of the weekend features Liverpool and Manchester United, and will take place at Anfield at 1:30pm on Sunday. This is a crucial game for both sides as they’re both chasing a top four finish. Man United are currently in fourth position and are two points ahead of today’s opponents Liverpool. If you fancy a bet on the top four market, Man United are 10/11 to finish inside the top four whilst Liverpool can be backed at 11/10.

Both sides come into this match in very good form, particularly Liverpool who have won eight of their last nine Premier League matches. This includes victories against the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham and Southampton. Manchester United’s form hasn’t been quite as impressive as Liverpool’s but they’ve won seven of their last ten matches and they performed excellently against Tottenham last weekend. Louis Van Gaal has opted to use Wayne Rooney as a centre forward recently, rather than a midfielder and that has paid dividends as the England captain has now scored four goals in his last four games.

Wayne Rooney can be backed to score first in this game at 6/1, which is a very generous price in my opinion, especially when he is playing up front as he has been in recent weeks. 

Recommended Bet: First Goalscorer: Wayne Rooney – Paddy Power @ 6/1