I’ve got two bets for the Premier League’s post-Christmas Day slate.
The pregame narrative: Nottingham Forest host Tottenham on Boxing Day in a game which should have a boatload of scoring. On Friday, look for Arsenal to lay a beating on bottom-feeding Ipswich Town.
Check out the best EPL Matchday 18 picks.
EPL Matchday 18 picks
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Best Bet: Nottingham/Tottenham over 3.5 goals (+115)
Anyone who thinks soccer is boring needs to watch a Tottenham game.
The Spurs have one of the league’s most potent attacks and one of the most porous defences. Injuries to goaltender Guglielmo Vicario and defenders Christian Romero and Micky van de Ven have made them particularly weak lately.
Tottenham just lost 6-3 to Liverpool after beating Manchester United 4-3 in the EFL Cup.
Agne Postecoglou’s side has scored three-plus goals in four of its last five fixtures across all competitions but that’s only resulted in two wins and a draw.
Nottingham is a much more conservative team but it has scored two plus in three straight and will be in a good spot to find the scoresheet at home.
Tottenham ranks fifth in expected goals (30.6) and I expect them to stick to their open style of play which should lead to a high-scoring affair.
Key stat: Seven of Tottenham’s last 10 games have gone over 3.5 goals.
Quick pick
Arsenal over 2.5 goals (-154): Arsenal needs to put its foot on the gas to catch league-leading Liverpool.
The Gunners have picked up points in seven straight fixtures but are 4-3-0 in that span.
They are coming off a 5-1 blowout win against Crystal Palace and are in a good position to replicate that against Ipswich Town.
The newly-promoted side sits 18th in the table and has the second-highest xGA (35.0). Ipswich Town has lost four of the last five and just gave up four goals to Newcastle United.
Mikel Arteta’s side doesn’t play the most exciting brand of football but this should be a game where it can get out and run early.
Picks made at 2:24 p.m. on 12/22/24.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.