Chris Hutcheon pinpoints the antepost money making opportunities as the Premier League return gets closer.. Live scores
Premier League Outright Betting:
Manchester City have won five of the past six Premier League titles and it’s little surprise to find Pep Guardiola’s side trading as heavy favourites to be 2023/24 champions. Before a ball has been kicked, the Cityzens are 4/5 with Coral to retain their crown and secure a fourth successive triumph, although they might have some stiffer competition this time around.
City will also have to contend without Ilkay Gundogan who has left for Barcelona, although Erling Haaland was able to plunder thirty-six goals in the top flight last season, while Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish are all likely to be key players for a side that conquered Europe as well as England.
After the signing of Declan Rice, Arsenal’s title odds have been shortening in the build-up to the new season, with the Gunners now a best price 5/1 with Betfred to claim their first Premier League title since the 2003/04 campaign.
They were certainly one of the Premier League’s surprise packages last term. Not only did they qualify for the Champions League but they fleetingly traded as favourites to win the title before falling away in the final couple of months. With Rice and Kai Havertz having arrived at the Emirates the bookmakers have sat up and taken notice.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli have all enjoyed stellar seasons, with the hope for Mikel Arteta being that Gabriel Jesus can stay fit, although he would ideally want to bolster the central defence department as cover for Gabriel and William Saliba, although there’s every chance that they can go well again.
There’s little to separate Liverpool and Manchester United in the Premier League outright betting market. The former were 2019/20 champions and then ran City close two seasons later, with Bet365 chalking up 8/1 that Jurgen Klopp’s side are able to bounce back from a disappointing 2022/23 season and be crowned champions.
Klopp will have Alexis Mac Allister lining up in midfield, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also likely to be featuring in this position, while there are lots of attacking options now that Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota are back from injury. We should also expect more from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo after settling in England.
Manchester United are back in the Champions League and Erik Ten Hag will be hoping to close the gap on City domestically, with the Red Devils in pole position to capture Mason Mount, although supporters will be hoping that a new striker or two is added to the squad. Boylesports have 10/1 that United are back on top in England.
Chelsea are a complete unknown under Mauricio Pochettino despite some eye-catching signings such as Christopher Nkunku. William Hill have 14/1 that a new-look Blues side are able to somehow finish top of the pile, with Antonio Conte having engineered the same feat in his first season at Stamford Bridge and perhaps they can be in the mix.
Newcastle United will be targeting another top four finish along with a successful Champions League campaign and Bet365 offer 20/1 that the Magpies are English champions for the first time since 1927. Tottenham are as big as 50/1 with William Hill which outlines the size of the task that faces Ange Postecoglu right now.
Premier League Relegation Betting:
There were lots of teams in the relegation mix during the previous Premier League season and perhaps we should expect another tussle to finish outside of the bottom three places. It was Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton who ended up being relegated and that meant that none of the promoted trio of clubs suffered the drop.
It will certainly give the three new boys hope when it comes to the 2023/24 campaign, with Luton Town trading at 1/3 with bet365 to return to the Championship. It implies that Rob Edwards’ side are likely to be going down next spring, although perhaps they can be a surprise package and teams might not enjoy visiting Kenilworth Road.
Sheffield United are also trading at odds-on although they’re a much bigger price at 8/11 with Betfred for the drop, with the Blades back in the top flight after finishing second in last season’s Championship table. Paul Heckingbottom will hope to recruit the sort of players that can ensure that the Yorkshire outfit finish seventeenth or higher.
As for Burnley, the bookies give them a far greater than 50% chance of survival. Vincent Kompany’s side really impressed when coasting to promotion last season, although perhaps the Clarets might find things tough when it comes to facing stronger opponents. We’re slightly surprised that Coral are prepared to chalk up 3/1 about the Lancashire side in this market.
As far as the other teams are concerned, Bournemouth are trading at the shortest price despite a relatively comfortable survival last season. The Cherries have replaced Gary O’Neil with Andoni Iraola and Ladbrokes have 5/2 that the Dorset club’s managerial change doesn’t pay off, while Nottingham Forest could also get sucked into danger.
Steve Cooper’s side spent much of the 2023/24 campaign at odds-on for relegation, with Betfred offering a best price 11/4 that the Midlands side suffer the drop this time around, although Forest’s home form at the City Ground will give them encouragement that they can build on last season’s excellent achievement.
Perhaps there is better value backing Everton for the drop after a couple of near-misses over the past two seasons. While Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche have managed to narrowly steer the Toffees to safety and ensure their top-flight status, the financial situation at Goodison Park remains difficult and Boylesports offer an eye-catching 3/1.
There are several other teams trading at single figure odds including Wolves who were relatively successful under Julen Lopetegui last term but Betfred’s 7/2 could give you a good run for your money as they continue to lack firepower.
Fulham were able to achieve a top-half finish last time out, although they have previously been a yo-yo side and Marco Silva’s team are trading at 7/2 with Bet365, with Saudi Arabian interest coming for Aleksandr Mitrovic as well as the manager.
Betfred are prepared to chalk up odds of 7/1 that Crystal Palace are relegated although they seem more immune from the drop now that Roy Hodgson is back at the helm, while Brentford also appear to be on an upward curve and the Bees are an 8/1 chance with Coral to go down from the Premier League.
Premier League Top Scorer Betting:
Erling Haaland averaged over a goal per Premier League match for Manchester City last season, with the Norwegian plundering thirty-six in total. Having hit the ground running with some early hat-tricks, it never really looked to be in any doubt that the former Borussia Dortmund forward would finish as the division’s top scorer.
Ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, the bookies are taking few chances with their quotes about Haaland finishing top of the scoring charts again, with Coral offering a best price 5/6 that the City forward wins the award for the second season running. He’s clearly the man to beat and seems largely immune from being rested or rotated.
The only player who came remotely close to toppling Haaland was Harry Kane who has a highly productive season in front of goal by scoring thirty goals. That total would have been comfortably enough to top the scoring charts in the previous four seasons and perhaps the England captain is a spot of each-way value at 7/1 with bet365.
The big question mark is whether Kane will remain at Tottenham to see out the final year of his contract, with Bayern Munich among the clubs who are interested in landing him. One player certain to stay at his respective club is Mohamed Salah and the Liverpool man will be hoping to to return to his previous scoring form of his debut season where he notched thirty-two goals.
Salah is available at a best price 17/2 with Bet365 and we should anticipate the Egyptian improving on last season’s nineteen goals for a resurgent Liverpool side, while team-mate Darwin Nunez is also among the favourites. The Uruguayan’s place in the team is less certain although he’s trading at 16/1 with Betfred for anyone wanting to back the young striker.
Marcus Rashford enjoyed his best ever season in front of goal for Manchester United last term when scoring seventeen and perhaps he can surpass this total for a title-chasing Red Devils side. Bet365 offer 16/1 about a player who might yet end up as centre forward although there have been previously been issues with injuries.
Out of the Premier League new signings, the most exciting talent in front of goal appears to be Christian Nkunku and the Chelsea signing arrives in England after boasting an impressive strike rate for Leipzig. Much depends on how he makes the transition from Germany although Boylesports have 25/1 about a player who should command a place in the first team.
It’s often the case that you get a big-priced player featuring in the frame for Premier League top scorer and perhaps that will be the case next season. Callum Wilson finished the season strongly for Newcastle and Ladbrokes have him at 40/1, although Bukayo Saka is available at 50/1 with bet365 and scored fourteen goals last season for Arsenal.
Premier League Top Four Betting
Not only will the leading Premier League teams be competing for the title next season, they will also be battling it out to secure a top four spot. Last time around, Manchester City and Arsenal comfortably qualified for the Champions League and they will be joined in this competition by Manchester United and Newcastle United. However, there are going to be several other clubs in the mix this time around, with Liverpool having been top four regulars until last season. Chelsea and Tottenham will also hope that their UCL hiatus is a brief one, with Brighton and Aston Villa also looking to be in the mix.
As you might expect, Manchester City are massive odds-on to claim a top four spot next season and Ladbrokes have a best price 1/14 about this happening. It’s difficult to see the champions finishing any lower than fourth considering that they have secured six titles in the space of seven campaigns.
Despite Liverpool finishing fifth in the standings last time around, Jurgen Klopp’s side are a best price 4/7 with Betfred to return to the EPL top four next season, with the Merseyside outfit having already strengthened their hand by signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai which should bolster the midfield department.
However, it was Arsenal who chased home City in the Premier League title race last season, with Ladbrokes chalking up 1/2 that the Gunners retain their top four status, with Mikel Arteta being able to land Declan Rice as the club’s marquee signing and the former West Ham man should make a big impact along with Kai Havertz.
Manchester United will hope to build on a successful first season under Erik Ten Hag, with the Dutchman aiming to be even more competitive this time around. We know that the team will have a new goalkeeper and they will also have Mason Mount operating in midfield, with Coral offering an eye-catching 4/5 that the Red Devils finish fourth or higher.
Newcastle United will be out to prove that last season’s top four spot was no fluke, with betfred offering 13/8 that Eddie Howe’s side are able to retain their Champions League status, with the Magpies likely to make a number of signings and we’ve already seen Sandro Tonali arrive from Milan.
Chelsea were way off the pace last season and it will be interesting to see if the Blues can bridge the gap under Mauricio Pochettino. It’s clear that the London side will benefit by not playing European football and Coral have 6/4 that they are able to finish in the top quartet of sides in the Premier League next term.
Pochettino’s former club are also rebuilding and Tottenham Hotspur are a meaty 7/2 with Boylesports to claim fourth place or higher next term, with James Maddison having arrived at the London club although it appears as though Harry Kane might be about to exit stage left after big interest from some of the top European outfits.
Brighton & Hove Albion are waving goodbye to Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, although some might fancy them at 11/2 with bet365 to make the top four, while Aston Villa are a 10/1 chance with Boylesports to upset the applecart.
NB. All odds shown are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change.
