After a midweek that has seen many teams play in the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League, domestic league football is back and we’re picking tips from some of Europe’s top leagues. I have picked eight games from the top 5 leagues, spanning through Saturday and Sunday.
Here are my tips…..
Leeds United VS Chelsea
Chelsea finds themselves in great form at the right time in the season, all thanks to the revival under Thomas Tuchel. Only one opposition player has managed to score again the Blues in 10 games. With players like Timo Werner, Mason Mount, and Callum Hudson-Odoi looking bright, that run doesn’t look like it’ll end soon.
For Marcelo Bielsa and his Leeds side, Patrick Bamford has been the go-to guy all season but with how unpredictable their results and performances have been this year, Chelsea might just be too hard a test.
Chelsea has won five of their last seven encounters with Leeds and sit 15pts clear of Saturday’s hosts in the Premier League table. Chelsea remains unbeaten since Tuchel took over and ended Everton’s unbeaten away run last time out, while Leeds has lost four of their last six matches.
Tip – Chelsea to win
Angers VS Saint-Etienne
Angers still have faint hopes of finishing in a European qualification place this season but they must start picking up more wins. In Saturday’s visitors though, they face a side they have only beaten once in 19 top-flight games. Angers haven’t won at home in their last two attempts and have failed to keep a clean sheet in six home games in a row.
St. Etienne though is winless in 3 games and finds themselves flirting with relegation this season. Angers sit 9 points and 7 positions above their guests in the Ligue 1 table and should do enough to get all three points to complete a first top-flight double versus the visitors for the first time in a decade.
Tip – Angers to win
Real Madrid VS Elche
Real Madrid cut the gap atop La Liga when the returning Karim Benzema scored late to secure a point at Atlético Madrid last week. That firepower should help the defending champions to an easy victory at home to Elche.
Real have kept clean sheets in 5 of their last 8 home games but Elche can be a tricky customer. They beat high-flying Sevilla less than a week ago and earned a point off Real in the reverse fixture that ended 1-1.
Both teams have scored in three of the previous five meetings between Real Madrid and Elche. Both teams scored in each of Real’s last two outings as well as in four of Elche’s last six matches.
Tip – G/G
Werder Bremen VS Bayern Munich
Bayern has found it difficult this season to pull away from their closest Bundesliga competitor in RB Leipzig as the gap between both sides remains just 2 points. Robert Lewandowski keeps scoring for fun but it’s at the back that Bayern have struggled this season with their goals conceded average the worst in three decades.
Werder Bremen come into this game in decent form having not lost in their last four at home. Bayern Munich though will be too strong for Werder Bremen. Bayern has won six of their last seven encounters with Werder Bremen and both teams have scored in five of the duo’s last seven head-to-heads. Bayern has won four of their last six matches in all competitions and both teams have scored in each of their last five outings.
Tip – Bayern to Win & both teams to score
Arsenal VS Tottenham Hotspur
Spurs travel to the Emirates following a couple of weeks in which they have won consecutive games and their attackers are back in form. Gareth Bale is enjoying a resurgence with 6 goals in his last 6 games and could wreak havoc on their crosstown rivals.
Arsenal on the other hand has been very inconsistent but still has players like Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as leaders to look forward to. Harry Kane, Gareth Bale, and Heung-Min Son seem to be finding their rhythm as a unit while the likes of Willian and Saka have been in good form of late.
Over 2.5 goals have been scored in three of the last six North London derbies. Three of Arsenal’s and five of Tottenham’s last six outings in league and cup have also produced over 2.5 goals.
Tip – Over 2.5 goals
Manchester United VS West Ham
West Ham United are having a season to remember under David Moyes and with a third of the season to go, the Hammers still habour hopes of a top four finish. Their season has been built on a solid defensive foundation with Declan Rice and Craig Dawson, making them one of the most difficult teams to beat in the league.
Manchester United is also enjoying a fantastic defensive run at this moment and even though Bruno Fernandes is one of the top goalscorers in the league, the Red Devils have been slightly goal-shy.
Expect a low-scoring encounter at Old Trafford. Edinson Cavani is still a major doubt for Manchester United while Jesse Lingard will be ineligible to face his parent club.
Three of the last four meetings between Man Utd and West Ham have produced under 2.5 goals. Under 2.5 goals have also been produced in each of Man Utd’s last four outings, as well as in three of the Hammer’s last six matches.
Tip – Under 2.5 goals
AC Milan VS Napoli
Victor Osimhen returned to the Napoli first team with a goal last time out and should start here alongside Lorenzo Insigne and Matteo Politano.
Napoli consistently finds the back of the net and with Champions League qualification places still up for grabs, expect Gattuso’s men to push forward. AC Milan remains without Zlatan Ibrahimovic but they haven’t missed him recently with players like Ante Rebic and Franck Kessie finding the back of the net.
Milan will be looking to keep up with Inter at the Serie A summit while Napoli must not lose any more ground if they want to play Champions League football next season.
Both teams have scored in each of the last three encounters between these two clubs. Both teams have also scored in four of AC Milan’s and four of Napoli’s last six outings in all competitions.
Tip – Both teams to score
Sevilla VS Real Betis
Local derbies tend to be tight, tense and competitive affairs and I expect more of the same when Sevilla host Real Betis at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
The last two weeks haven’t been good for Sevilla as they failed to make the Copa del Rey Final and got knocked out in the Champions League by Dortmund. An unexpected loss to Elche last week also meant that they lost ground on Real Madrid and Barcelona in the chase for La Liga.
Real Betis on the other hand are enjoying some great form. Borja Iglesias has been in a decent goalscoring form while Sergio Canales and Emerson have played key parts. The visitors have won four, drawn one, and lost one of their last six matches and head into this game as the clear form favourites, while Sevilla has lost four of their last six matches in league and cup.
Tip – Real Betis to win or draw
