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The Scout: EPL Week 10 Preview

Posted on | Posted by The Scout

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest

It’s a battle at the bottom as Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper attempts to prove the cost of his new contract extension is money well spent.

Third-from-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers, who sacked Bruno Lage after defeat to West Ham United at the start of the month, are just a point above second-from-bottom Forest.

Cooper has found the going tough since orchestrating Forest’s return to the Premier League. But despite five successive defeats, and six losses in total from the first eight matches of the season, he was rewarded with a contract extension.

Forest stopped the rot in their next match, although that 1-1 draw against Aston Villa when Emmanuel Dennis had put them in front, was hardly a sign of significant improvement.

Forest have struggled to defend – goalkeeper Dean Henderson, one of a string of new signings this season, has conceded 22 goals, thanks in no small part to hapless defending.

The bad news for Forest is they don’t score many either with just seven goals in nine games. Taiwo Awonyiyi is their only player to have scored more than a single goal and he has just two.

Wolves, though, have problems of their own. Daniel Podence has scored twice and Ruben Neves has one goal – and that’s it. Three goals in nine games.

They can at least claim to be more organised defensively with 12 goals conceded, including the three they let in against Chelsea last weekend. They have also been difficult to beat at home with only Manchester City taking three points from Molineux in four games there.

Suggested Bet: Under 2.5 goals + Wolves to win @ $3.75*

Manchester United v Newcastle United

Victory over Manchester United would be a statement scalp for Newcastle United, whose steady progress has lifted them to sixth place on the table.

Newcastle are coming off two big wins against modest opposition with Fulham brushed aside 4-1 at Craven Cottage and Brentford beaten 5-1.

Bruno Guimaraes has been a standout performer for Newcastle, providing an important midfield presence and two of the five goals against Brentford. Miguel Almiron is another of their bright lights so far, with up-and-back energy that has reaped four goals this season.

Newcastle’s only loss this season was against Liverpool.

For all the criticism of the once mighty Manchester United, they are a point above Newcastle. More significantly, they are the only team to have beaten Premier League leaders Arsenal this season.

They’ve also beaten Liverpool and Everton but were found wanting against Manchester City. A 6-3 loss would have looked worse had substitute Anthony Martial not scored two late goals.

Regardless of their ambition, Newcastle are a long way short of City’s calibre and Erik Ten Hag will fancy Manchester United’s chances.

Former Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro has started to show signs of his capabilities with a good performance in last weekend’s win over Everton, while fellow Brazilian Antony has scored in each of his first three Premier League games.

Manchester United have dominated this fixture with 32 wins in 54 Premier League contests, while Newcastle have managed only seven wins against the Red Devils, the last of which was in October 2019.

Suggested Bet: Both teams to score + Over 2.5 goals (Same Game Multi) @ $1.93*

Liverpool v Manchester City

Manchester City are purring. Erling Haaland is moving like a machine. Kevin De Bruyne is picking passes like a backpacker grabbing fruit. And Luis Diaz is out through injury.

The clash of the titans is not what was billed at the start of the season. Liverpool are limping along in the Premier League and City look like they can’t be stopped.

But the incentive for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool is obvious. Their midweek Champions League thumping of Rangers was a positive step, and a win against Manchester City can reinforce that Liverpool are not a spent force in the Premier League.

For that to happen, they will have to do without Colombian star Diaz, who has a knee injury, and attacking fullback Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has an ankle problem.

But Mo Salah looks to be back in scoring touch with a hat-trick in just six minutes during the 7-1 win over Rangers. Roberto Firmino, who scored a double in the Rangers rout, has also scored six in his seven Premier League appearances, and new signing Darwin Nunez scored his second league goal in last weekend’s defeat to Arsenal and was also on target against Rangers.

But City have been in ominous form, scoring 33 goals in just nine Premier League games thanks largely to Haaland’s 15-goal contribution.

They aren’t entirely unstoppable as shown in a goalless draw against FC Copenhagen in a midweek Champions League match. On this occasion, Copenhagen’s cause had been helped by the dismissal of City’s Sergio Gomez in the first half. Haaland was an unused substitute as he was rested ahead of the clash with Liverpool.

Suggested Bet: City to win @ $1.78*

*Odds correct as at 11am, 13th October 2022.

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