Premier League Tips – 13th to 14th May

I’ve done this game because it should be a cracker between two teams who seem pretty well-matched when you look at their league positions and points collected this season. However, I think they are also two teams who are somewhat tricky to predict at the moment, with Villa losing their last two after a long run without a defeat.

Similarly, Spurs form has been up and down with just one win in their last five games and that was a hardly convincing 1-0 win over Crystal Palace at home. A trip to Villa Park promises to be much more difficult for a Spurs team who realistically now, can at best hope for a Europa League qualification spot this season.

However, Villa will know that a win here, ideally by three goals or more, would propel them above Spurs in the table and put them in with a very good chance of European football next season too, so there is going to be plenty to play for in this game and I think it could be hugely entertaining as a result.

I think both of these teams are better in attack than defence at the moment, so I do see goals being scored at both ends as Villa really need to land the win. I can’t quite see that happening though, so I am going for the good value odds available on a 2-2 draw here.

After a battling 1-1 draw away to Real Madrid in midweek, Manchester City will come into this game with Everton knowing that they are going to need a win here to keep themselves ahead of Arsenal, albeit with a game in hand over the Gunners.

However, they will face an Everton side who should have gained huge confidence from their sensational and surprising 5-1 away win over Brighton on Monday, a day which saw 21 goals in three games, as well as Everton and Nottingham Forest climbing out of the drop zone and Leeds and Leicester dropping in.

Against any other team, I think Everton would stand a chance of getting something here. They have beaten Arsenal at Goodison this season, but in truth I can’t see any way that they can cope with the talent Manchester City have in attack and midfield.

So much so that I think Everton will probably go for a point here, but I don’t think they will get it as I am expecting City to land a comfortable away win and I have a sneaky gut feeling that Bernardo Silva, who always tends to play well on Merseyside, is due a goal and I do like his anytime odds to get one.

Brentford were narrowly beaten away to Liverpool last weekend, while West Ham produced a fantastic performance to beat Manchester United at home, albeit aided by some frankly awful goalkeeping from David de Gea, whose flap at Said Benrahma’s shot handed the Hammers a much-needed win.

I think that does put West Ham safe, although they are not mathematically safe just yet, so I think with the pressure off, and the focus very much also on their Europa Conference League semi final ties, which bracket this fixture, David Moyes could rotate his squad for this game a little, but he will know he cannot make too many changes as they don’t want to be dragged back into the relegation battle.

The Hammers players will know that this is the 7 days of the season which could define the year, so I expect them to be well up for this game against their London rivals.

Brentford have been in good form of late, and their home record is excellent, losing just two games at home all year long. I was going to go on the draw here and I may regret not doing so, but something just tells me West Ham are going to hit form this week and so I am backing them to land a surprise win with both teams scoring.

Hats off to Arsenal for their response to that 4-1 mauling at Manchester City a short time ago. I did think it would see them fall off the pace City are setting at the top, but they have bounced back well from that defeat to win their next two games to maintain the pressure on their title rivals.

They now need to keep that pressure up with a win here against a Brighton side who had been in good form, winning three of their previous four, until they were trounced by a rampant Everton at home on Monday night, losing the game 5-1.

Robert de Zerbi will want some kind of reaction from his team from that defeat and in fairness, Brighton did create plenty of chances, but just struggled for a cutting edge and that has been their problem in a number of games this season and I also feel it will be the case here too.

So while I can see Brighton scoring a goal, I think Arsenal at home are going to be well-backed by their fans and will keep the pressure up on Manchester City by recording a solid 3-1 victory and the correct score bet on that offers excellent value for money.