Football Betting Tips & Predictions For Today by Betalyst

Arsenal vs Manchester United – Match Preview – Saturday sees inform Arsenal take on Manchester United as Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho meet once more in the Premier League.

Arsenal have been in great form recently, losing just one of their last ten games in all competitions. Wenger’s side have also won their last four games which has seen them leap up to fourth in the league table. With their North London rivals Tottenham stuttering, the Gunners now sit four points and three places ahead of them.

A huge factor in Arsenal’s recent resurgence has been the return to form of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. The German, in particular, has stood out recently, and was their star man in Arsenal’s 5-0 home win in midweek against Huddersfield. Sanchez too has played his part, with the Chilean picking up another goal in midweek to take his tally to six goals for the campaign.

Ozil’s performances have been much better in the past month Photo Credit: skysports.com

Wenger’s men have also been much better defensively. Since the return of Shkodran Mustafi, Arsenal haven’t conceded and have kept four consecutive clean sheets. With the Arsenal backline finally coming to terms with the new back three Wenger wants to operate with, they’re beginning to reap the rewards and gain results.

Manchester United come into this match off the back of their impressive 4-2 win at Watford. It was an important win for United as they had lost their last two league away games before this fixture and three of their last four away matches in all competitions.

Whilst many pundits have pointed to the gap at the top of the Premier League table, it is worth noting that only three of Sir Alex Ferguson’s 13 title-winning sides had amassed more points at this stage of the season than Mourinho’s men this campaign. Not only does this quash suggestions that United are underperforming but it also highlights how good Manchester City have been.

Arsenal have lost only one of their last six meetings against Manchester United in all competitions, with United failing to win at the Emirates since 2014. Whilst Mourinho holds a great record against Wenger, he has yet to beat his old enemy since moving to Manchester.

Can Lukaku find his goalscoring touch against Arsenal Photo Credit: skysports.com

Whilst games between these two sides are always tasty, there is little to suggest there will be many booking points on Saturday. Manchester United have the sixth best disciplinary record in the league, whilst Arsenal are ninth. The two teams only average a combined 37 booking points this season. Similarly, Saturday’s referee Andre Mariner has dished out the seventh lowest amount of yellow cards this season, with an average booking points total of 29.4 this season.

With both sides in good form, I can see this being a tightly contested match. With Mourinho a master at getting points away from home in big away games, I think he’ll definitely get something at the Emirates. Manchester United to win or draw double chance would be my bet.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United

SKYBET: LUKAKU TO SCORE FIRST AND UNITED TO WIN 2-1- 30/1

SKYBET: SANCHEZ TO SCORE AND ARSENAL TO WIN- 11/4

SKYBET: BTTS AND DRAW- 3/1

SKYEBT: MARTIAL AND GIROUD TO BOTH SCORE- 15/2

BET365: BTTS AND UNDER 2.5 GOALS- (link no longer available)

BET365: DOUBLE CHANCE UNITED OR DRAW- (link no longer available)

BET365: CORRECT SCORE DRAW 1-1- (link no longer available)

BET365: ANYTIME GOALSCORER- AARON RAMSEY- (link no longer available)

Leeds United vs Aston Villa – Match Preview – Two footballing heavyweights go toe to toe on Friday night as Leeds United host Aston Villa at Elland Road.

After struggling for form, Thomas Christiansen’s side have won two of their three games to move them back in the race for the play-offs. A win in the Yorkshire derby against Barnsley will no doubt have lifted the spirits of the camp as they look to try and grab their second home win since September.

Alioski has been in great form for Leeds, scoring in his last 4 games Phot Credit: skysports.com

The return to form of Samuel Saiz and Ezgjan Alioski has been vital for Leeds, with the pair grabbing six-goals between them in Leeds’ last five games. Whenever they have looked at their best, these two have played well. With Pierre-Michel Lasogga only grabbing two goals since joining the club, the onus is on other players to try and make up the numbers and they have stood up to that challenge.

After conceding just one goal in their first six league games, Leeds have struggled recently at the back. They’ve collected just one clean sheet in their last seven games, conceding 13 goals, almost two a match. With Leeds struggling to score goals at the moment it’s imperative they recapture that early season defensive solidity if they’re to find their way back into the promotion race.

Adomah has been a vital part of Villa’s good form with 10 goals so far this season Photo Credit: skysports.com

Aston Villa secured back to back home wins at the weekend as they marched past Ipswich 2-0. Albert Adomah grabbed his 10th and 11th goal of the campaign, meaning he has managed five goals in his last three appearances. That win lifted Villa up to fourth, leaving them just five points behind Cardiff City who occupy second. With nine wins from their last 12 matches, this has been a real purple patch for Steve Bruce’s men as they hunt down the top two. With three of their next four games all against promotion rivals, these next few games could determine if Villa will be in the hunt for automatic promotion or the play-offs come May.

Both Leeds and Aston Villa have scored more than two goals in 47% of their matches this season, which only adds to the excitement for this matchup. Similarly, 57% of Leeds’ games this season have had over 2.5 goals in, the joint second highest in the whole division. Villa sit just below that mark with 52%.

Leeds have only lost one of their last nine meetings with Villa and haven’t lost at Elland Road since December 2000. That being said, only a goal or fewer has separated six of those nine games and I expect Friday’s match to be another tight affair. With both sides needing those crucial three points to propel them up the table, I think there definitely will be goals, with BTTS a safe bet.

Prediction: Leeds United 1-1 Aston Villa

SKYBET: ADOMAH TO SCORE FIRST AND VILLA TO WIN 2-1- 30/1

SKYBET: BTTS AND LEEDS TO WIN- 9/2

SKYBET: SAIZ AND DAVIS TO BOTH SCORE- 17/2

SKYBET: BTTS IN BOTH HALVES- 20/1

SKYBET: LEEDS TO WIN 1-0, 2-0 OR 2-1- 9/4

SKYBET: LASOGGA TO SCORE A BRACE- 10/1

SKYBET: SAMU SAIZ AND ALBERT ADOMAH TO BOTH SCORE IN 90 MINS – 10/1

BET365: BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- (link no longer available)

BET365: ANYTIME GOALSCORER – EZGJAN ALIOSKI- (link no longer available)

BET365: CORRECT SCORE DRAW 1-1- (link no longer available)