The latest round of Premier League matches got off to a thrilling start on Monday, with Brentford notching a surprise win in their 3-1 success at home to Liverpool.
Attention now shifts to the remaining games this matchweek, with some unmissable games taking place across the next three days.
Bet9ja has you covered, as we take a look at Tuesday’s showdown between Arsenal and Newcastle, and Thursday’s clash between Chelsea and Manchester City. Read on for all the best odds, tips and analysis.
Arsenal vs Newcastle
Emirates Stadium
Tuesday 3rd January, 20:45
The progress made by both these clubs since they last met at the Emirates in November 2021 has been staggering. Arsenal were outside the top four, and Newcastle were bottom of the table under then new manager Eddie Howe.
Fast forward to the start of 2023, and Arsenal sit seven points clear at the top of the table, with Newcastle placed in third; they have not finished in a position as high as this since the 2002/03 season. That is testament to the jobs Howe and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta have done in recent times, and this is now a game of great significance at the top of the table.
A 4-2 victory at Brighton on New Year’s Eve allowed Arsenal to stretch their lead over Manchester City in second after City had drawn at home to Everton earlier in the day. This leaves Arsenal’s league record for the season as 14 wins, one draw and one defeat. They are yet to drop any points at home this season, and have not dropped any points at all in the league since October 23; they have won five league games in a row since.
What could be just as worrying for Newcastle is that Arsenal have scored at least two goals in all of their home league games this season. Bukayo Saka is looking a particular threat for the Gunners at the moment. When adding his World Cup appearances for England, he has scored five goals in his last six games. That run includes goals in both of Arsenal’s matches since the league resumed after the World Cup. While forward Gabriel Jesus is injured, Eddie Nketiah has stepped up well as his replacement so far, as he also scored in the last two games.
Where the visitors will be encouraged though is with their current defensive record. They have kept clean sheets in six of their last seven matches and have conceded just 11 goals in the Premier League this season; the lowest total in the league. Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are set to return from injury, although it is unclear if either player will be able to start.
Howe has certainly made Newcastle difficult to beat, as their only defeat in any competition this season came away to Liverpool in August, and before their 0-0 draw at home to Leeds in their last fixture on New Year’s Eve, they were on a run of eight straight victories when including penalty shootout wins.
Recent history in this fixture points towards an advantage for the hosts, as they have won eight of the teams’ last nine meetings. However, Newcastle ran out 2-0 winners when they last faced each other at St. James’ Park in May, ending Arsenal’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.
Arsenal may be expected to edge this one, but with Newcastle’s key attacking threats returning to the team, we could see value in Arsenal to win and over 2.5 goals at 2.13 with Bet9ja. Meanwhile, if you think Saka can keep his run of scoring form going, he is 3.50 to score at any time.
Bet9ja odds (at time of writing): Arsenal win: 1.82, Draw: 3.75, Newcastle win: 4.45
Chelsea vs Manchester City
Stamford Bridge
Thursday 5th January, 21:00
While this is usually one of the standout fixtures of any Premier League season, it has reached a point where anything less than three points on Thursday would go down as a great disappointment for the visitors.
Chelsea come into this one with just one win in their last seven league games, and even that 2-0 home victory against Bournemouth on Boxing Day was shaky, as they were unconvincing after Reece James went off injured early in the second half. They then looked toothless for long periods in their New Year’s Day 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, registering just two attempts on target.
The Blues’ attack seems to be their biggest issue, as they have scored just 20 league goals this season. They are ninth in the table and their attacking record is the weakest in the top half; the next fewest goals scored by any top-half team is the 24 scored by Manchester United.
It has been a difficult season for Chelsea, with Graham Potter having taken over as manager in September, and they are also looking to secure their first win against any of the teams currently in the top half this season. They will have to try and end this run against City without the injured James, Ben Chilwell and N’Golo Kante.
The only factor that could give Chelsea much hope going into this game is that their opponents have been dropping points recently against teams they were not expected to. Their 1-2 loss at home to Brentford just before the World Cup break and 1-1 draw at home to Everton in their last match are examples of this. That draw leaves them seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the table in second place.
Pep Guardiola’s team have also slipped up three times away from home in the league this season from seven matches, although they looked convincing in their 3-1 win in their last away game at Leeds.
While Chelsea have their attacking problems, City have been leaking goals. They have kept just one clean sheet in their last seven league games and are averaging exactly one goal conceded per league game.
Erling Haaland has been the success story of the Citizens’ season so far, and he took his goal tally for the campaign to 27 when he opened the scoring against Everton. He is priced at 3.80 by Bet9ja to do the same on Thursday.
If the visitors can get off to a strong start in this game, it is difficult to see Chelsea getting back into it, and this points us towards a Manchester City win and over 2.5 goals at 2.40.
Bet9ja odds (at time of writing): Chelsea win: 5.20, Draw: 4.05, Man City win: 1.66
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