Sports

The Scout: EPL Week 9 Preview

Posted on | Posted by The Scout

Crystal Palace v Leeds

One win separates 12th-placed Leeds United from Crystal Palace, whose manager Patrick Vieira will be desperate to turn potential into points at Selhurst Park on Sunday.

After losing to Arsenal on the opening day of the season, Palace looked to have clicked into gear with a draw against Liverpool, win over Aston Villa and a 2-0 lead with just 21 minutes gone of their match against Manchester City.

The point against Liverpool looks less impressive by the week, as the Reds flounder, while the lead against City was wiped out – and more – as Erling Haaland ran riot in a 4-2 win.

Draws against Brentford and Newcastle United steadied the ship before their former loan star, Conor Gallagher, came back to haunt them with a late winner for Chelsea last week to leave Palace fourth from bottom.

Neither Palace nor Leeds have been particularly effective at creating opportunities in the early stages of the season, although both have a potential ace in their pack.

Wilfried Zaha is Palace’s trump card, while Rodrigo is the man for Leeds. Both strikers have helped themselves to four goals, which in Zaha’s case is half his team’s total for the season.

Leeds have fared slightly better with 10 goals so far, while defensively they have conceded 10 to Palace’s 11.

With early victories over Wolves and Chelsea and a draw against Southampton, Jesse Marsch’s side had set a standard they have found difficult to achieve since. Losses to Brighton and Brentford have been made slightly better by draws against Everton and Aston Villa.

Vieira might be desperate for points but Marsch’s side will be hard to shift.

Suggested Bet: Under 2.5 goals @ $1.96*

West Ham v Fulham

After last season’s seventh-place finish, much was expected of West Ham United this campaign. Last season, despite winning only two of their final eight Premier League games, a Jarrod Bowen-inspired draw against champions Manchester City and a charge into the Europa League semi-finals was satisfying enough for Hammers fans.

But the new season didn’t start well for David Moyes, who would’ve felt the heat from successive defeats to City, newly promoted Nottingham Forest and Brighton. Even now, after beating Aston Villa and last weekend’s 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers, five losses in eight matches is hardly inspiring.

Despite the attacking threat of Bowen, new signing Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio, goals have been hard to come by with just five scored this season.

Moyes also has to contend with the additional workload of Europa Conference League matches, although at least they have been generating a winning feeling. West Ham have won all four of their European adventures so far with a tricky test away to Belgian side Anderlecht on Friday.

Although newly promoted Fulham are coming off a heavy defeat to Newcastle United, they are eighth on the table and have good reason to be optimistic about the trip to London Stadium.

Having returned to the Premier League as English Championship winners, Fulham have shown they might be good enough to stay up under Marco Silva’s guidance.

An ankle injury to striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who came off in the first half of the 4-1 loss to Newcastle, is a big headache for Silva. The Serbian, who scored four in two recent internationals against Sweden and Norway, has scored six of Fulham’s 13 goals this season.

Former Lyon defender Kenny Tete has been a key provider of opportunities for Mitrovic. If last season’s English Championship record signing is unavailable, main goalscoring duties are likely to fall to new signing Carlos Vinicius.

Suggested Bet: Both teams to score @ $1.71*

Arsenal v Liverpool

It’s one of the Premier League’s top teams against a mid-table struggler – but not as you expected. Arsenal have been this season’s surprise packet and will go into this weekend’s round of fixtures at the top of the pile.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, runners up in the Premier League and Champions League last season, are yet to find themselves in ninth place. There were promising signs in their 2-0 win over Rangers in the Champions League last night but Arsenal will provide an entirely different test of Liverpool’s capabilities.

There are all manner of theories as to what has happened to Liverpool, from the aging legs of some players, the apparent sudden decline of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, the departure of Sadio Mane and the suspension of Darwin Nunez, which has hampered his settling in process. There is also the possibility that last season’s exertions have taken their toll.

Whatever it is, Liverpool have not looked their usual selves apart from in a thrashing of Bournemouth.

Arsenal have been a team transformed. Gabriel Jesus has slotted in perfectly, scoring his fifth goal of the season in last weekend’s win over Tottenham Hotspur, William Salibi has been solid at the back and skipper Martin Odegaard has led by example in midfield.

Arsenal also have European action this week with a home game against Norway’s Bodo Glimt on Friday morning. But whatever transpires, they are unlikely to have any trepidation against a Liverpool side with just two Premier League victories this season.

Suggested Bet: Arsenal to win @ $2.55*

*Odds correct as at 12pm, 6th October 2022.

Market Market



Recent Articles