Traders Tips : Premier League Sunday Matchweek 23

Two sides meet at St James’s Park on Sunday, after positive results in their European campaigns during the week. The Magpies overcame PSV in comfortable fashion, easing to a 3-0 win, whilst Villa managed to secure a top 8 finish in the Europa League league phase, with a gritty 1-0 win in a typically hostile atmosphere in Turkey against Fenerbahce. However, both sides suffered frustrating results last time out in the Premier League and will be looking to get back to winning ways. Newcastle looked out of ideas at bottom club Wolves last weekend when stumbling to a 0-0 draw, whilst Villa lost at home in the league for only the 2nd time this season at the hands of Everton.

Newcastle’s win against PSV on Wednesday may have come at a cost, as captain and star man Bruno Guimaraes limped off just before half-time with an ankle injury. The Geordie’s form after Champions League games has been reasonable if not spectacular, taking 10 points from 6 games following on from their midweek exertions. However they boast an imperious home record over Sunday’s visitors, unbeaten since April 2005, and having won the last 3 Premier League fixtures against Villa at home by an emphatic 12-1. Although Newcastle sit 10 points behind their visitors on Sunday, with the backing of their vociferous home support, it would be no surprise to see them close that gap with an emphatic victory (Newcaslte -0.75 @ 2.2 with Gamblr). Harvey Barnes has been in scintilating goalscoring form, scoing 5 goals in his last 5 matches for Newcastle and boasts an impressive 6 goals and 4 assists against the Villans in 12 Premier League outings. He can be backed at 6.0 with Gamblr to open the scoring.

Villa meanwhile are enjoying a phenomenal season. They sit 3rd in the Premier League, level on points with Manchester City in 2nd and only 7 points off the leaders Arsenal. However, after taking only 4 points from their previous 4 games in the league, news of a season ending injury to Boubacar Kamara could have hardly come at a worse time. With Donyell Malen leaving to Roma, in order to free up finances for new arrivals, Villa’s squad is looking stretched as they have yet to bring any first team additions in this window. The midweek win in Turkey, whilst resting Martinez, Konsa and Pau Torres will have boosted the confidence, and the welcome return of Amadou Onana in Kamara’s absence is also a big positive. Morgan Rogers has established himself as one of the Premier League’s top talents and Villa will need him back to his very best in order to get anything from a fixture that has not been kind to them in recent years. He is 4.0 to score anytime.

Trader Tip – Newcastle – 0.75 goals at 2.20. 

The most anticipated match of the weekend takes place at The Emirates, where table toppers Arsenal welcome a rejuvenated Manchester United side fresh off the back of a dominant 2-0 win over Manchester City. Michael Carrick’s second spell in the hotseat could hardly have started any better and the Red Devil’s will harbour hopes of cementing themselves as Champions League contenders by getting a result in the capital on Sunday.

The hosts eased to a 3-1 win in the San Siro in the Champions League during the week, whilst resting a few of their big players, to make it 7 wins out of 7 in the competition. 7 is the theme as the Gunners sit 7 points clear at the top of the table, a lead that increased last weekend, despite them being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest. It will be interesting to see whether Arteta goes with Gabriel Jesus (2.71 to score anytime with Gamblr) or Viktor Gyokeres (2.25 to score anytime with Gamblr) to lead the line against United. Jesus, now back from long term injury, bagged a classic poachers brace against Inter, whilst Gyokores rounded off the scoring with a lovely curling effort from the edge of the area. The returning Kai Havertz (2.54 to score anytime with Gamblr) could also be an option. Arsenal seem to have got all their front man options back, going into the business end of the season and should have too much firepower for United.

Despite their very positive win and performance in last weekend’s Manchester derby, this is likely to prove a much sterner test for Carrick in his second game at the helm this time round. City showed they are having what has become an all too frequent wobble, as they were comfortably beaten in the Arctic Circle by Bodo/Glimt, which might suggest that though impressive, United’s win last weekend might not have been the corner turning start that it seemed. United’s front line, led by the returning Diallo and Mbuemo, devastated City’s makeshift back line on the transition, but they are unlikely to be afforded those chances by Arsenal’s miserly defence.

Trader Tip – The last 5 meetings between these two Premier League heavyweights have seen under 2.5 goals and you can get a generous 2.15 on that to repeat itself with Gamblr.