Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi, centre, celebrates after scoring his side’s third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace at the Villa Park stadium in Birmingham, England, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. (Tim Keeton/Pool via AP)
- After Matchday 15 just concluded on Sunday, the Premier League is back at it just 24 hours later with some intriguing matches on the schedule
- The majority of sides will have just a couple days of rest in between fixtures, which could result in some surprising outcomes
- Read on to find the full odds for all 10 games and previews for three enticing clashes
It’s a congested time of the year in England’s top flight, with minimal rest between matchdays. As of Monday, round 16 is upon us. It continues to be extremely tight at the top of the table, with current leaders Liverpool holding just a three-point lead over Merseyside rivals Everton. A number of other sides such as Leicester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham are also in reaching distance.
Premier League Matchday 16 Odds
| Matchup | Home | Draw | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace vs Leicester City | +280 | +240 | +104 |
| Chelsea vs Aston Villa | -155 | +320 | +390 |
| Everton vs Manchester City | +540 | +380 | -215 |
| Brighton vs Arsenal | +215 | +240 | +128 |
| West Brom vs Leeds United | +265 | +265 | +100 |
| Southampton vs West Ham | +118 | +250 | +230 |
| Burnley vs Sheffield United | +140 | +215 | +215 |
| Manchester United vs Wolves | -180 | +320 | +500 |
| Tottenham vs Fulham | -200 | +340 | +540 |
| Newcastle United vs Liverpool | +800 | +510 | -345 |
Odd taken Dec 27 at DraftKings
Pick 1: Chelsea vs Aston Villa
A miserable spell of form sees Chelsea coming into this vital clash desperate for three points. Villa will certainly pose a threat though, with Dean Smith’s side currently tied with the Blues on 25 points.
Frank Lampard’s men had previously been playing wonderful football which saw them go unbeaten in 13 competitive matches. But since their defeat to Everton on December 12th, it’s been a whirlwind of results. Chelsea has lost three of their last four matches and most recently, a loss to a struggling Arsenal side at the Emirates. A 3-0 win over West Ham on Matchday 14 was definitely a step in the right direction, but simply not good enough.
The Lions are enjoying a fantastic season after battling to just stay up at the tail end of last term. Villa has the third-most goals in the Premier League, while also possessing one of the finest backlines, conceding just 13 goals in as many appearances. It was another fine performance for the Villans on Boxing Day, burying Crystal Palace 3-0. They’re currently in fifth place and just seven points off table-toppers Liverpool. Jack Grealish continues to be the heartbeat of this side in the final third, bagging five goals and tallying six assists.
Aston Villa is 5-0-1 on the road this term, while Chelsea has lost just once at Stamford Bridge. Both teams come into this clash in completely different form. I do believe the visitors will show their quality, while Chelsea will struggle to secure the full three points. I’m calling a 1-1 draw here.
Pick: Draw (+320)
Pick 2: Southampton vs West Ham
Both Southampton and West Ham come into this meeting in shaky form as of late. The Saints have won just twice in their last five, while the Hammers have just one victory to show for in their previous five games.
Just like Villa, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side has exceeded expectations thus far, also stuck on 25 points and comfortably in the top half. They even found themselves in first place at one point, but it was short-lived. Southampton has a very well-rounded attack this season, even with Danny Ings having missed time. The Englishmen leads the club with six goals and three assists, while the likes of Theo Walcott, Che Adams, and free-kick maestro James Ward-Prowse have all had their part in the final third.
However, the Saints haven’t won in three matches after a scoreless draw with Fulham on Saturday and previously, a slim defeat to Manchester City. A victory is certainly needed here for the home side.
Clean sheet secured
A 6⃣th of the season for @Alex_Macca23
pic.twitter.com/ohDJuhuU9f
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 27, 2020
David Moyes’ men are currently in 10th place and have also enjoyed a respectable campaign to this point. The Hammers are just three points off their Matchday 16 counterparts and can move into a tie with the Saints if they grab an away victory on Tuesday. They’ve found some promising results this season, beating the likes of Wolves, Leicester City, and Aston Villa already. A gritty performance on Sunday saw the Hammers draw with Brighton, 2-2.
West Ham has been successful at St.Mary’s in recent memory, winning their last two games away at Southampton. Nevertheless, I like the Saints here. Even with Danny Ings potentially out, they have more than enough to find three points. Walcott and Adams will need to step up, but they will secure a one-goal win while collecting their eighth clean sheet on home soil in 2020.
Pick: Southampton (+118)
Pick 3: Manchester United vs Wolves
A red-hot United side welcomes Wolverhampton to Old Trafford on Wednesday as they look to continue their torrid form.
After starting off the season in disappointing fashion, the Red Devils have rapidly climbed up the Premier League table. They’re now in fourth place and just five points off the Reds in top spot. United haven’t lost in their last nine league appearances, with just two of them being draws against Manchester City and most recently, Leicester. Bruno Fernandes continues to be the star of the show, already netting 10 times and tallying six assists.
Wolves have struggled this term, but they’re still in a respectable position in the table with 21 points. Their form has been distraught lately though, losing three of their last five games. However, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side did play quite well against Tottenham on Sunday in a 1-1 draw. They pounded Spurs hard after conceding an early goal, eventually finding an equalizer late in the second half.
Frankly, no one can beat Man United right now. Wolves certainly don’t seem like the team who can spoil their party, but given their impressive performance against Tottenham, I think they can put up a good fight here. It’s important to note that United have played awful at home, winning just twice this season. With this in mind, I think the visitors will take away a point in a 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
Pick: Draw (+320)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT ’17). He writes about European Football, Basketball, and Baseball for numerous sites across the globe.
source https://casinonewsblogger.com/chelsea-vs-aston-villa-southampton-vs-west-ham-man-united-vs-wolves/
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