The Scout: EPL Week 37 Preview

Posted on May 17, 2023May 17, 2023 | Posted by The Scout

Liverpool v Aston Villa – Saturday, May 20 (Kick-off 10pm WA time)

Liverpool are still dreaming of a place in the UEFA Champions League next season and a win over Aston Villa would keep that dream alive.

As recently as February, when a 3-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers left Liverpool in mid-table, their hopes of finishing in the top four places were slim.

But neither Newcastle United (third) nor Manchester United (fourth) have been able to completely shake the revived Reds, who are fifth. Although Jurgen Klopp’s team has played a game more and is a point behind the Magpies and the Red Devils, victory against Villa would keep them in the hunt.

Liverpool have won their last seven games, scoring 20 goals and conceding seven. Mohamed Salah has been the chief provider during that period with six goals, just one more than Diogo Jota. The Reds have also kept clean sheets in their last three games – against Leicester City, Brentford and Fulham.

Aston Villa are up to eighth place after bouncing back from defeats to Manchester United and Wolves with an important victory at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Not everything has gone right for Unai Emery but Villa have improved significantly since his appointment in October last year. With just two games left, there is still a chance they can sneak into next season’s Europa League or Europa Conference League.

Villa’s resurgence was helped by a 10-game unbeaten streak, which included eight wins and started with victory over Everton in late February.

While the goals have dried up for Ollie Watkins, who has 14 for the season but hasn’t scored in his last five games, Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz have been among Villa’s recent contributors.

The thought of missing out on the Champions League next season will weigh heavily on Liverpool, which should provide just the incentive to continue their winning run.

Suggested Bet: Half Time/Full Time – Draw/Liverpool @ $4.90*

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Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton – Saturday, May 20 (Kick-off 10pm WA time)

There would have been no tears at Goodison Park after Everton’s defeat to Manchester City last weekend, given the result would have been no surprise to anyone.

When Sean Dyche took over at Everton from Frank Lampard at the end of January, the City match was not one he would have pencilled in for points. This weekend’s clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers is a different matter.

Leicester City’s defeat to Liverpool in midweek allowed Everton to stay just a point clear of the relegation zone. But if they are to survive the drop, a victory over Wolves could be vital.

The fact that Wolves are safe, after Julen Lopetegui dragged them from the foot of the table after taking over in November, could work in Everton’s favour given their desperation.

Dyche can also remind his players of their recent 5-1 drubbing of Brighton, which was unexpected, to say the least.

Inspired by man-of-the-match Dwight McNeil, who scored twice, Everton turned doom and gloom into faint hope with a fourth win under Dyche’s 16-game reign. In the past three games, McNeil has been joined by Abdoulaye Doucoure, who also scored twice against Brighton, and Alex Iwobi behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which appears to be Dyche’s preferred attacking line-up.

With both sides averaging less than a goal per game, there is unlikely to be an avalanche in this one, although Everton have a slight edge over Wolves in the average number of chances created this season. They also have goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who has made the third highest number of saves this season. Wolves keeper Jose Sa is fifth on the list of saves made.

The last time these teams met, goals from Daniel Podence and Rayan Ait-Nouri cancelled out Yerry Mina’s opener for Everton, who were on top in almost every department but failed to get the result.

They can’t afford to let this one slip.

Suggested Bet: Everton to win + Under 2.5 goals (Same Game Multi) @ $5*

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Manchester City v Chelsea – Sunday, May 21 (Kick-off 11pm WA time)

Assuming Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest late on Saturday, Manchester City will still require victory over Chelsea to be crowned Premier League champions.

If the Gunners fail to win at Forest, City will pick up their fifth title in six years even before they run out at the Etihad Stadium.

Regardless of the earlier result, it’s difficult to mount a case against Pep Guardiola’s side, who have a second-leg UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid in the early hours of Thursday morning to contend with first.

Whatever the outcome of that fixture, which was finely balanced after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Bernabeu, the extraordinary talents of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Ilkay Gundogan and a string of other players will be fired up for the visit of Chelsea.

It will either be a chance to continue towards a trophy treble or an opportunity to put behind a bitterly disappointing exit.

While City are top of the Premier League, reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and also have an FA Cup final to play, Chelsea have nothing but a string of managerial casualties in their recent history.

To put it mildly, Chelsea have had a miserable season by their standards and anything other than a victory for City, who are unbeaten in their last 14 Premier League games, would be a shock.

Chelsea, who have won only one of their past 11 games and are 11th on the table, will finish outside the top five places for the first time since 2016.

If there is anything to lift the likes of Conor Gallagher, Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling, it might be that the man tipped to be their next boss, Mauricio Pochettino, is likely to be paying close attention as he starts planning for next season.

Suggested Bet: Over 3.5 goals + Both teams to score (Same Game Multi) @ $3.25*

*Odds correct as at 1pm, 17th May 2023.

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