Star Sports football ambassador ALEX CROOK previews the pick of this weekend’s Premier League action..
🟣 ASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER CITY 🔵
Saturday, 12.30pm
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‘I’ve lost something,’ the words of a shell-shocked Pep Guardiola when I spoke to him in the Etihad Stadium tunnel in the aftermath of Sunday’s dramatic Manchester derby defeat.
The burning question is will Pep have rediscovered his missing mojo in time for Saturday’s intriguing trip to Villa Park.
After appearing immortal for the bulk of his trophy-laden managerial career, it turns out Pep is human after all with City losing eight and winning just one of their last 11 games.
It’s the kind of run that would leave most bosses fearing the sack, and one City need to bring to a halt at the earliest opportunity to get their sorry season back on track.
Villa are hardly in flying form either having struggled to balance playing in the Champions League with their domestic ambitions, yet the Premier League table is so congested they are only three points off fourth.
City were actually beaten in this fixture last season in one of Villa’s most impressive displays under Unai Emery, having started the game as heavy odds-on favourites.
The champions are a much bigger price to get back to winning ways this weekend, and on the basis they are too good to keep on losing, the fact you can back a City victory at
with starsports.bet could be exceptional value.
To further boost that price a build-a-bet of City to win, both teams to score and Kevin de Bruyne to net at any time pays 8.53/1 with starsports.bet
Josko Gvardiol has been a regular source of goals for City since the back end of last season, including last weekend and looks over-priced at 10/1 with starsports.bet.
🦅 CRYSTAL PALACE v ARSENAL 🔴
Saturday, 5.30pm
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Palace and Arsenal meet for the second time in four days on Saturday teatime, with the hosts hoping for a different outcome from Wednesday’s 3-2 EFL Cup quarter-final defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Oliver Glasner’s men got off to a flying start in that game, scoring after only four minutes before ultimately to unlikely hat-trick hero Gabriel Jesus. Arsenal’s victory was all the more impressive given the fact Mikel Arteta was able to make eight changes, including resting Declan Rice completely.
The Gunners should be fully refreshed for the trip to Selhurst Park, and will need to be given they have won only one of their last five Premier League away games.
Palace are also enjoying their best run of the season having gone five league games unbeaten, including an impressive 3-1 victory at arch-rivals Brighton last weekend.
I was really impressed with Palace in their last home game as they held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw having twice taken the lead and I think they are capable of adding to Arsenal’s away day woes.
The Gunners’ title aspirations have been undermined by six draws from their 16 league games and you can back another draw here at 3/1 with starsports.bet.
⚪️ TOTTENHAM V LIVERPOOL 🔴
Sunday, 4.30pm
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There should be no shortage of entertainment when league leaders Liverpool head to north London on Sunday afternoon to take on a Tottenham side who cannot defend a sandcastle!
Tottenham made much harder work than they needed to of dispatching Manchester United on Thursday while Liverpool also booked their place in the EFL Cup semi-finals and had the luxury of resting key duo Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk for their 2-1 triumph at managerless Southampton.
The Reds have had an extra 24 hours to prepare for this game, which could be a big factor with Tottenham’s squad still afflicted by injuries, and manager Arne Slot will be keen to come away with all three points after slipping up at home to Fulham last weekend, albeit having had defender Andy Robertson sent off very early in proceedings.
Manchester City and Aston Villa are the only teams in the top ten that Spurs have managed to beat this season, undermining their quest for a Champions League place while Slot has still been beaten only once all season in all competitions.
I do think Liverpool’s free-scoring forward line will take advantage of Ange Postecoglu’s defensive absentees.
The Reds have started to concede goals though, keeping just one clean sheet in their last four games so both teams to score is worth adding into any build-a-bet.
Van Dijk will be licking his lips at the prospect of showing his aerial prowess against a Spurs side, who struggle to defend set pieces and the build-a-bet of a Liverpool win, both teams to score and the imperious van Dijk to score at any time returns 9.38/1 with starsports.bet.
RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Manchester City to win 1.5pts at 11/10 (⭐️
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BACK Josko Gvardiol to score at any time 1pt at 10/1 (⭐️
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Build-a-bet: Manchester City to win, both teams to score, and Kevin de Bruyne to score 1pt at 8.53/1 with starsports.bet
BACK Crystal Palace v Arsenal draw 1pt at 3/1 (⭐️
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Build-a-bet: Liverpool to win, both teams to score, and Virgil van Dijk to score 1pt at 9.38/1 with starsports.bet
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2024-12-20 11:23:02