The English Premier League title race looks like it’s down to a two-horse race after Liverpool’s defeat in the Merseyside Derby during the week. This weekend’s action is headlined by a massive North London Derby between Tottenham and Arsenal, and we’ve got you covered with our best bets for that fixture plus more from Matchday 35 below!
EPL 2023-24: Matchday 35 Preview & Betting Tips
West Ham vs Liverpool
London Stadium, Saturday 27th April, 9:30pm AEST
A horror display in the Merseyside Derby on Thursday morning saw Liverpool’s title aspirations go up in smoke, after being at the top of the table at the conclusion of Matchday 31. At the time of writing the Reds are second of the table, three points behind first placed Arsenal, and only one point ahead of Manchester City who have two games in hand on Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s side will be out to atone for their shock loss to their rivals when they take on West Ham on Saturday night, who will also be looking to bounce back from a poor performance.
West Ham were demolished 5-2 by fourteenth placed Crystal Palace, which was the Hammers second straight loss. David Moyes’ side have conceded seven goals from their last two games against thirteenth and fourteenth place on the table, and are now coming up against one of the best attacking sides in the league. Liverpool have scored 75 goals this season, the third most in the Premier League while the Hammers have conceded 63, the third most in the league.
It’s a nightmare matchup for a struggling West Ham defence in what has been all one way across the last seven years, with Liverpool absolutely dominating West Ham. Since 2017, Liverpool have a 12-1-1 record in Premier League fixtures against the Hammers. Given what West Ham have produced across the last fortnight, it’s difficult to see the Hammers putting a stop to Liverpool’s dominance against them. Given the embarrassment of Thursday morning’s defeat, expect Liverpool to respond.
Liverpool -1
$2.35 (1.5 Units)
Tottenham vs Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sunday 28th April, 11:00pm AEST
Sunday evening sees one of the most important North London Derbies in recent memory, with Arsenal sitting on top of the table and Tottenham fighting for a spot in the top four. Arsenal steamrolled Chelsea during the week to move four points clear of Manchester City at the time of writing, however City have two games in hand on Arsenal. Tottenham six points behind fourth placed Aston Villa with two games in hand, however Tottenham are six goals behind on goal difference after their 4-0 defeat against Newcastle last week.
Despite Arsenal losing the control they had of top spot on the table, it’s impossible to go past what the Gunners have produced in 2024. Fourteen games, twelve wins, one draw and one loss has been nothing short of remarkable, built on the back of having the league’s best defence (26 goals conceded) and the league’s best attack (82 goals). Arsenal produced a dominant performance on Wednesday, recording 27 shots to Chelsea’s 7, despite losing the possession battle.
Tottenham haven’t been able to replicate the consistency of their arch rivals, with a 2-2-2 record across their last six games in the league. Arsenal have consistently backed up week in week out this season, the same can’t be said for Spurs which makes it impossible to trust them in big games. The Gunners must win to keep their title hopes alive, and will get the job done against their crosstown rivals.
Arsenal to Win
$1.83 (1.5 Units)
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City
City Ground, Monday 29th April, 1:30am AEST
*Note this was written before City’s Friday morning fixture against Brighton
Things are falling into place for the defending champions, with Liverpool all but out of the title race after their 2-0 defeat to Everton on Thursday morning. The result leaves City one point behind Liverpool and four points behind league leaders Arsenal, with Pep Guardiola’s side having two games in hand on the top two sides. Manchester City’s destiny is firmly in their own control, and should head into Monday’s clash in second place if they take care of business against Brighton on Friday morning.
While Everton’s win was euphoria for City, it was a crushing blow for Nottingham Forest as the Toffees moved seven points clear of seventeenth placed Forest. That means the battle for survival is a three-way race between Burnley, Luton and Forest all vying for seventeenth position and another season in the top flight. Forest are one point clear of eighteenth placed Luton Town, who play Wolves in a game where picking up a point is well and truly possible. It puts a mountain of pressure on Forest, who will look to play ultra-defensive in the hope of scraping a point that could be crucial in their hopes of staying in the Premier League.
Unfortunately for Forest, it’s a matchup of two sides with polar opposite formlines. Forest have won only two of their last fourteen games in the league, while Man City are unbeaten in their last seventeen games in the Premier League. City haven’t lost a Premier League match since the sixth of December, once again showing the experience they have in how to manage the ebbs and flows of a Premier League title race, something which Liverpool and Arsenal haven’t been able to maintain over the last month. Manchester City have won two of the last three Premier League fixtures against Forest, with those wins coming by score lines of 2-0 and 6-0.
Manchester City -1
$2 (2 Units)
