EPL Matchday 32 Odds & Preview: Arsenal Slip Up Once Again
Tottenham Need All Three Points at Newcastle
Arsenal Slip Up Once Again
Arsenal once again blew a two-goal lead last Sunday to draw 2-2 with West Ham. Now, the Gunners are just four points ahead of second-placed Man City and City have a game in hand. With City away at the FA Cup Semifinal, the Gunners can take a seven-point lead on Friday with a win over Southampton. With next Wednesday’s crucial clash between City and Arsenal looming, Arsenal simply can’t afford to slip up here. Meanwhile, Newcastle and Tottenham will duke it out in their bid for a Champions League place. We’ll also cover Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest and Brentford vs. Aston Villa as we preview the EPL Matchday 32 odds.
Match of the Week
Newcastle vs Tottenham
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Newcastle and Tottenham are within three points of each other in the Premier League table. The Magpies are currently in fourth place, on 56 points and have a game in hand. Spurs are in fifth, with 53 points, and need a win on Sunday to stay in the thick of the Champions League race.
Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Bournemouth stung a lot as Tottenham led 1-0 and Bournemouth scored a 95th minute winner. Spurs are 1-1-1 since Cristian Stellini took over as interim manager. Meanwhile, Newcastle also lost last weekend as Aston Villa scored three unanswered goals.
With both teams looking to bounce back, the Premier League betting odds price Newcastle as 0.5-goal favorites. The Magpies come in at -125 ATS and moneyline odds and have lost just one match at home this season. Tottenham’s downfall has been in road matches this season. Away from North London, they’re just 5-5-5.
They sit at +105 odds to cover and are +330 moneyline underdogs. Despite their up and down season, Harry Kane is having another fine season for himself. Tottenham’s all-time leading scorer has scored 23 times this season. Although Kane and Heung-Min Son are available, Lucas Moura is suspended for this match. Plus, Ben Davies, Clement Lenglet, Ryan Sessegnon, Emerson Royal, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are injured.
While some of the aforementioned names could suit up, Emerson and Bentancur will certainly miss out on Sunday. Meanwhile Allan Saint-Maximin will miss out for Newcastle as Miguel Almiron recently returned from a thigh injury. Newcastle managed to get a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture but a draw sits at +285 odds here.
Each of the last four meetings between these teams have finished with three or more goals. So, it’s no surprise that over 2.5 goals come in at -120 odds. However, Newcastle do still have the best defensive record in the league, with just 24 goals conceded in 30 matches.
Other Important Matches
Arsenal vs Southampton
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Arsenal have lost ground in the title race given their recent draws. Should Manchester City win out, Arsenal will now lose out on the title. The Gunners can put matters back into their own hands by getting at least a point at City next Wednesday. First, they absolutely need to defeat last-placed Southampton on Friday. Earlier this season, the Saints held Arsenal to a draw at St. Mary’s Stadium. That’ll be a challenge to pull off again, as the Gunners have scored at least two goals in their last seven Premier League games.
The EPL Matchday 32 odds price Arsenal as two-goal favorites at the Emirates, where they’ve compiled a 12-2-1 record this season. They’ve won four straight EPL matches at the Emirates, averaging nearly four goals per game during that stretch.
Gabriel Jesus’s return from injury has been successful, as the forward has found the net four times in his last three games. Over three goals display -125 odds for this match but the last meeting finished 1-1. Also, Southampton have failed to score in four of their last six EPL games.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners show -105 odds to cover the spread and are -530 favorites for Friday’s match. Southampton, who have more wins on the road than at home this season, display -115 odds to cover.
The Saints do have five losses by a three-goal margin or more this season, though. Another draw in this fixture is priced at +625 odds and it’d would be a massively disappointing result for Arsenal.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
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Liverpool have had quite a rollercoaster ride of the season but Monday marked a high point. Jurgen Klopp’s Reds defeated Leeds United 6-1 on the road as Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota both scored braces. Liverpool have gone three Premier League Matchdays without a loss and have a favorable matchup at Anfield on Saturday. Nottingham Forest come to town in 18th place and are in serious danger of getting relegated.
Steve Cooper is still in charge of Forest but he is certainly on the hot seat. Forest have gone ten matches without a win in the Premier League and have dropped three straight.
Nottingham Forest regulars Serge Aurier and Ryan Yates are doubtful with injuries, which further hurts their chances. The latest odds price Liverpool as two-goal favorites as they try to keep their Champions League hopes alive.
Eighth-placed Liverpool are currently nine points outside of fourth place and need to close out the season strongly to qualify for any European competition.
Liverpool, who have lost just one match at Anfield in the EPL this season, are -525 favorites. They also come in at -115 odds to cover the spread, while Nottingham Forest +2 shows -105 odds.
Along with Everton, Nottingham Forest have scored the fewest goals in the Premier League this season. Under 3.5 sits at -135 odds even as Liverpool have scored eight goals in their last two games.
The last time Liverpool played at Anfield, they mounted an impressive two-goal comeback vs. Arsenal. However, they lost 1-0 to Forest in the Premier League reverse fixture. Nottingham Forest come in as massive +1300 underdogs while a draw is also implied to be unlikely. In just the third meeting between these teams in the 21st century, a deadlock stands at +650 odds.
Brentford vs Aston Villa
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Brentford looked like Champions League contenders earlier this season but have stumbled as of late. Thomas Frank’s Bees have lost their last three matches, with just one goal scored during that stretch. They’ll host an Aston Villa side on Saturday who have won five straight Premier League games.
Villa have overtaken Brentford in the EPL table in the process and are currently in sixth place. It certainly looks like Unai Emery and Aston Villa will be playing in Europe next season. When Steven Gerrard was sacked last October, relegation certainly looked more likely.
Villa got a massive 3-0 win over Newcastle United last weekend and are playing with confidence. Ollie Watkins has scored in four straight games and the English striker ranks sixth in the Premier League goals chart.
Despite their winning streak, the EPL Matchday 32 odds price Aston Villa as +185 moneyline underdogs. In this pick’em, Brentford sit at -125 odds to cover the spread while Aston Villa are priced at +105 ATS odds. Impressively, Villa have gone on their streak with some key players out. Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Leon Bailey and Philippe Coutinho are all questionable for Saturday’s match as well.
Meanwhile, Brentford defender Pontus Jansson is out for the season as Kristoffer Ajer works his way back from a calf problem. Brentford have given up 1.8 goals per game in their last five matches as they’ve struggled on the defensive end. Still, they are +145 favorites to win this match and a draw comes in at +245 odds.
At Villa Park earlier this season, Aston Villa managed a 4-0 win just after Steven Gerrard’s dismissal. In three previous Premier League meetings, each team has one win and there’s been one draw. The oddsmakers currently price under 2.5 goals at -120 odds as well.
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