Stoppage of play: Saturday, September 17, at 3:59 p.m
1 Tottenham – Leicester, 1
Dejan Kulusevski has been relegated to the bench for three straight games, but now many believe he will be back in the starting eleven when Tottenham take on Leicester. Leicester have started the season disastrously, and most recently come from 2-5 against Brighton. After six rounds, they stand on just one point, and are in last place.
Tottenham are coming off a loss – their first of the season – away to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, but have otherwise been going strong. We feel comfortable with singles one – this wins “Spurs”!
2. Newcastle – Bournemouth, 1
Newcastle have looked good this season, and especially the defense looks really solid. Now it is hoped that Alexander Isak will start the offensive. Here you meet an AFC Bournemouth who have already had time to fire the coach, but who are coming off a victory against Nottingham Forest. However, the quality at Newcastle is different from Nottingham – and from Bournemouth – and we think “The Magpies” will win here. Straight 1st.
3. Birmingham – Coventry, 2
Coventry have started the season weakly, and are league jumbos in the Championship at the moment. It must be remembered, however, that the team has played three fewer games than the other teams, which the Swedish people, judging by the score distribution, seem to forget in their assessment.
Birmingham are in 14th place, but have had a pole so far. On paper, Coventry is the better team, which we also see on the odds which give us the probability 33-28-39 on the different outcomes. The Swedish people, on the other hand, have played 45-27-28. Clear value on the 2, which is left alone!
4. Burnley – Bristol City, 1
This season’s Burnley is not the Burnley we are used to seeing from the Premier League, but under new coach Vincent Kompany, they have started to play more attractive football. Bristol City are weak at the back and will find it difficult for offensively skilled Burnley. We nail 1st.
5. Huddersfield – Cardiff, 1
Huddersfield have fared poorly so far, having just sacked the manager, and now await the potentially positive but often short-lived impact of a change of manager. Cardiff is in 15th place, and has not really convinced. Huddersfield are a better team than they have performed so far and we believe they will have an effect from their change of coach. The underlined 1 is played.
6. Luton – Blackburn, 1X
Luton are in 18th place, and Blackburn in 3rd place. Looking at xG (expected goals), however, Luton should be at the top, and then it’s probably only a matter of time before the results start coming. New signing Carlton Morris scored two goals in the last game, and perhaps things are coming off for Luton. We believe in Luton here, but choose to hedge and play 1X.
7. Millwall – Blackpool, X2
An even match in advance, where we think that Millwall (place 19) are written as somewhat big favorites against Blackpool (place 14). The home team Millwall have lost four of their last five games, and even if Blackpool didn’t praise the market right away, they at least did something better. Here we find value on the right side, and play X2.
8. Norwich – West Bromwich, 1X2
Two teams aiming for promotion, but who looked different during the start of the season. Norwich have taken a lot of points but played like that. West Brom have been weak in terms of points but had the upper hand in terms of xG in the vast majority of matches. Then it will probably turn around soon. A hard-fought match after all, and here we choose to be defensive while keeping our fingers crossed for the away team.
9. Preston – Sheffield United, X2
Sheffield United top the table, while Preston are in 12th place. However, today’s home team Preston has not lost a single match, but has a 2-6-1 record. The goal difference is 3-2, and with so few goals it is natural that many of the matches end in a draw.
We keep X as a likely result, but if any team wins it’s Sheffield. X2 is played.
10. QPR – Stoke, 1X
QPR are in 8th place, Stoke in 13th. QPR have thus fared somewhat better, but have still not convinced. We hold the home team slightly higher here, but this match might as well end in a draw. 1X is played.
11. Watford – Sunderland. 1
Newcomers Sunderland are in 6th place, and Watford in 10th. However, Watford possess a fundamentally superior skill, and we believe that they will manage to win at home at Vicarage Road. It has been three wins in four games here, and now a fourth awaits.
12. Wigan – Reading, 1X
Wigan are 11th and Reading 4th, but only two points separate the teams and Wigan have also played one game less. Wigan also come here with two straight victories in the bag, and are in a good period. Reading, on the other hand, comes from 0-3 against Sunderland.
We believe Wigan in this match, but guard by playing 1X.
13. Middlesbrough – Rotherham, 1
Middlesbrough have been weak in terms of points but have a fundamentally strong team, and have had a lot of post so far. At home against newcomers Rotherham, you just have to win, and then the climb in the table can begin. Rotherham are a strong home team but have had problems on the road. We nail the 1st.