Wolves have scored just 8 goals in 14 Premier League matches this season. That’s not just the fewest of any EPL side, it’s downright putrid.

Now they are set to face top of the table Arsenal, who have conceded all of 11 times this season. That’s tied for the best defensive record in the league. 

Wolves have been a bit stingy themselves on the back end going back to last season and that should serve them well in this fixture. It also helps that Arsenal’s road xG is way down from what they average at Emirates Stadium.

My prediction here is that Arsenal gets 1, maybe 2 goals at most. Wolves are likely not to score at all and thus Under 2.5 is a solid play in the final match on Saturday’s EPL slate. 

This is Nottingham Forest’s first season back in the Premier League since 1998-99 and, not surprisingly, they have struggled. Currently in last place, Forest is the only team without double digit points and their -20 goal differential is also a league worst.

But before the 5-0 thrashing they took from Arsenal last week, Forest had been a pretty decent defensive side. They’d held four straight opponents to 1 or 0 goals including a shock clean sheet win over Liverpool. 

Now the attack is poor. You’d have to go all the way back to September to find the last time Nottingham Forest scored more than one goal in a match. They scored only two goals over the course of six October fixtures. 

Forest has been tougher at home, which is where they’ve earned seven of their nine points this season. Brentford will be without star striker Ivan Toney. It’s bad enough that the Bees have scored only one goal in their previous three matches, that coming in last week’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton. Over the last seven matches, they have scored a total of just four goals. 

Defensively, Brentford should be fine here. They’ve been a little unlucky when it comes to conceding on the road this year. But when they traveled to take on another promoted side, AFC Bournemouth, they allowed just seven shots and zero goals. 10*

Bayern Munich has already clinched Group C by virtue of winning all five of its Champions League matches thus far. Inter Milan will be joining the German giants in the Round of 16 as they are guaranteed to finish second in the group by virtue of a win and a draw against Barcelona. 

So it’s basically just “pride” on the line in this final Group C fixture. I expect a cautious, perhaps even a downright conservative approach from both sides Tuesday. There’s just no incentive to “let loose” for either Bayer or Inter here, especially with big matches looming this weekend (in the respective domestic leagues) and various players getting ready for the World Cup as well. 

Bayern will be without Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Leroy Sané and Lucas Hernandez. That’s a lot of missing firepower.

Inter, who has won four straight in all competitions, has a pretty match in Serie A against Juventus this weekend. So there’s no reason for them to push it either. But expect goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to continue his fine form. Three of those four straight Inter victories have been clean sheets. 

Bayern has conceded only twice in its five CL matches. The first one with Inter was a 2-0 final. I can’t see this one being any more high-scoring. Play the Under. 9*

For the first time in quite a while, Arsenal will take the pitch not on top of the Premier League table. Manchester City moved one point ahead with a 1-0 win over Leicester City Saturday morning, but the Gunners now have their opportunity to move right back into first. They should as they are heavy favorites against Nottingham Forest, one of the three recently promoted sides for this season.

It’s actually top vs. bottom in this fixture. Forest will enter Sunday potentially all alone in last place, depending on how Wolves and Leeds fare Saturday. Regardless, we know Forest will be in the relegation zone and are likely to remain there after this match has concluded. Arsenal has not lost to a promoted side here at Emirates Stadium since 2010. 

The money line on Arsenal is unplayable at this price, however the total is offering value. It would surprise me to see the Gunners concede a goal here. They are tied for the second fewest goals allowed in the Premier League with just 11 while Forest has the second fewest goals scored this season with only 8. 

But Forest has stepped it up defensively of late, giving up just two goals in the last four matches and only one of them coming during open play. They posted a clean sheet last week against Liverpool (won 1-0!) 

Meanwhile, Arsenal has now failed to score more than one goal in five straight matches after going down 2-0 to PSV in the Europa League on Thursday. All signs points to this being a low-scoring match. Play the Under. 10*

Barcelona’s motivation for Wednesday’s match will be greatly affected by Inter Milan’s result earlier in the day. If Inter defeats Viktoria Plzen (and you would expect they would), then Barca has no chance of progressing to the Round of 16. 

But nevertheless, I expect this to be a high-scoring match as Robert Lewandowski faces his former club. 

Bayern Munich has already booked its spot in the knockout stage by winning all of its four Champions League matches so far. They’ve scored a total of 13 goals in the four wins. Prior to a 2-0 win over Hoffenheim on Saturday in the Bundesliga, Bayern had scored four or more times in five of six matches overall. You’ve got to figure they are going to score at least two today.

It was a 2-0 Bayern win when they hosted Barcelona last month. But the underlying metrics say that Barca was a bit unlucky there as they created more big scoring chances and had a higher xG. Can’t see Lewandowski and company getting blanked at Camp Nou, regardless if they’ve still got a shot to move on in this competition or not. 

Bayern’s defense can be leaky, especially when away from home. They’ve also conceded twice in three of the last five matches overall. I like the Over here. 10* 

Celtic has had a pretty disastrous run so far in the Champions League, losing three of their four matches and earning one draw. Their -7 GD is among the worst in the competition (only three teams worse). But today, I think you can expect a much better showing from the Scottish standardbearers as they face the side they previously earned a draw with, Shakhtar Donetsk. 

If they are to have any hope of finishing third in the group and progressing to the Europa League knockout stage, Celtic must win here. I thought that they pretty clearly were the better side when they faced Shakhtar Donetsk the last time as they finished with substantial edges in xG, shots and touches in the penalty area. That draw in Poland really should have been a win.

Furthermore, Celtic are probably due to start scoring more here in the Champions League, considering they have created 5.5 xG in the previous four matches, but only found the back of the net twice. The opposite can be said for Shakhtar Donetsk, who have seven goals on 3.1 xG while also being outshot 88-33 in Champions League play. Six of those seven goals have come from inside the penalty area, despite only 15 shots on target. 

Celtic has dominated the Scottish Premiership, winning 10 of 11 matches this season, and they are a far better side than what they’ve shown so far in the Champions League. They definitely looked like the better side last time vs. Shakhtar Donetsk. Therefore, playing at home, I’ll call for them to get the full three points Tuesday. 10* 

West Ham is coming off a loss to Liverpool, but before that the Hammers had earned at least a point in six of seven fixtures including five in a row. The last two times they’ve failed to grab a point was a pair of 1-0 losses. They’ve now gone six matches in a row without conceding more than one goal.

Bournemouth had its own rather stunning six-match unbeaten run going, but took their first loss under interim boss Gary O’Neil, falling 1-0 to Southampton last week. Any time a newly promoted side is able to find itself in the middle of the table, they should be happy. But Bournemouth has largely overachieved to this point as it ranks dead last (by a wide margin) in the Premier League in xG. 

West Ham is tied for fifth in goals allowed this season and there’s nothing phony about that as they are also top five in expected goals allowed and shots on target per 90 minutes. So it would not be a surprise if Bournemouth failed to score a goal in this match.

But don’t look for West Ham to go wild scoring either. They have scored only nine goals in 11 EPL matches to this point. Just Wolves and Nottingham Forest have scored fewer. 

Bournemouth has failed to score a goal in six of its 11 EPL matches so far, including the last one. Back in September, they actually went four matches in a row without scoring a goal. I think this promises to be a rather “drab” affair. Play the Under. 10* 

Fresh off a manager change, Aston Villa will host Brentford Sunday morning in Premier League action. It was a 3-0 loss to Fulham on Thursday that led to Steven Gerrard’s departure. That leaves Villa level with Wolves, on goal differential and points, in the race to avoid relegation.

Brentford is well above the drop zone, in 10th position in the table, and they are coming off a 0-0 draw with Chelsea Wednesday. That’s a point the Bees will gladly take as they aim for a top half finish in the league, or maybe even top seven.

Only Wolves have scored fewer goals this season than Aston Villa, who has found the back of the net just seven times in its 11 matches. It was a dreadful match against Fulham to end Gerrard’s tenure with both an own goal and a penalty conceded. Villa finished the match with just 10-men on the pitch due to a red card. 

The one saving grace for Aston Villa is that their defense has been pretty good this season.

Brentford’s away form has not been all that strong and they are just 18th in the league in shots per match. So the play is Under here as I certainly can’t see three goals being scored in this one. 9*

Chelsea and Manchester United lock horns in the biggest Premier League match on Saturday. This is a top five battle with resurgent Chelsea having gone unbeaten over their last matches (EPL + Champions League) and Man U doing the same over their last five. I like the Under today.

Key to Chelsea’s resurgence is they’ve gotten back to being stingy when it comes to conceding goals. Over the last five matches, the Blues haven’t conceded a single time and that includes a pair of wins over AC Milan in the Champions League. However, an attempt to make it six straight wins on the pitch was thwarted midweek when Chelsea had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Brentford.

Manchester United is coming off an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham and they’ve now gone three straight matches without conceding a goal. However, they too recently played a goalless draw, last weekend against Newcastle United. 

So goals should be scarce in today’s fixture at Stamford Bridge. Both times these teams played last season, it ended in a 1-1 draw. That makes it four straight draws between the two storied sides. 

Chelsea has declined a bit offensively under Potter, creating fewer expected goals on target than before his arrival. With neither side having conceded anything of late, Under is the clear play here. 10* 

It is rather stunning to see that Bournemouth has gone unbeaten in six straight matches following the manager change. The three results prior to the change saw the Cherries outscored 16-0 (by Man City, Arsenal & Liverpool) and while the season was still young, relegation looked inevitable. But two wins and four draws have this side, rather shockingly, 12th in the Premier League table!

As for Southampton, they do find themselves in the relegation zone, currently in 18th place after five straight matches without a win. The Saints did earn a point over the weekend, drawing 1-1 with West Ham, but only Bournemouth and Leicester City have worse goal differentials in the league.

Even with recent form being very different for the respective sides here, I still think it’s fair to say these are two of the weaker teams in the Premier League. I’m looking to the Under for Wednesday’s fixture. Is it concerning that Southampton has not kept a clean sheet in 16 consecutive matches, going back to last season? Yes. But the Saints have also scored only twice across their last five matches.

Plus, Bournemouth is dead last in xG among EPL teams, right below Southampton. I just don’t see a lot of goal scoring in this one.

Six times Bournemouth has been held to 1 or 0 goals this season. So coming off two straight two-goal efforts, regression is likely. Southampton has scored 1 or 0 goals in six of their last seven fixtures. Under is the call here. 10* 

We’ve reached the end of the first round of the MLS Playoffs with two spots still open in the quarterfinals. The last one goes to either FC Dallas or Minnesota United, who meet Monday night in the Metroplex. I am expecting the home side to move on.

Now it was the road team winning both matches in the regular season series, but the 3-0 win by Dallas at Minnesota on Labor Day Weekend seems more instructive for our purposes here today. Things may not be that one-sided tonight, but Dallas is pretty clearly the better team.

FC Dallas finished the regular season third in the Western Conference with a +11 GD. They surged into the playoffs by winning six of their last seven at home, two of those coming against LAFC and the Philadelphia Union, who are the two top teams in the league.

Minnesota United has a -3 GD for the year and needed to beat Vancouver in the final regular season match just to get into the playoffs. The Loons have recorded just four points since late August, a swoon that coincides with losing defender Bakaye Dibassy. Even more concerning is they’ve lost their last four away matches.

So back the better side (Dallas) here as the visitors (Minnesota) seem a bit lucky to even be in the playoffs. A pretty cheap price all things considered. 9*

A top seven finisher last season, West Ham United’s 2022/23 campaign got off to a rather sluggish start. But both a strong showing in the Europa Conference League and back to back Premier League wins seemingly have the Hammers back on track. They come into Sunday level with three other sides at 10 points in the middle of the table.

Meanwhile, Southampton is in trouble. The Saints now find themselves in the relegation zone after four straight losses, three of which were to bottom half sides. They failed to score in three of those matches, including the most recent one, which was an ugly 4-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

It’s four straight wins in all competitions for West Ham, so these are very much two sides trending in opposite directions. Struggles are not new for Southampton as they’ve dropped 11 of 15 league games going back to the end of last year. Even with all three newly promoted sides struggling, it is going to be a challenge for the Saints to remain in the top flight next season.

Additionally, West Ham will be eager to end a winless run against Southampton, which is now at three straight including last year’s FA Cup. The better side at this price is a steal. 

Just to be safe though, let’s play West Ham on the goal line (just so a draw would be a push). 10* 

It’s been a disappointing start to the Premier League season for West Ham. But the Hammers can certainly recover and I expect them to pick up all three points Sunday when they host Fulham. 

Fulham was promoted back into the Premier League this season and after a respectable start, they’ve predictably regressed. An early red card doomed them against Newcastle United last week and the Cottagers ended up coming out on the wrong side of a 4-1 defeat. Their lone goal came late (88’) when the match was already long decided. 

Meanwhile, West Ham beat Wolverhampton 2-0 last week. They are still just one point above the relegation zone however, so recording back to back Premier League wins for the first time this season would be a huge boost.

The Hammers were also successful in the Europa Conference League during the week, beating Anderlecht 1-0. While they are now dealing with a quicker turnaround between fixtures, I don’t anticipate that being a problem.

Fulham is actually pretty low in expected points (18th), so they’ve been a bit lucky so far. West Ham is pretty middle of the pack in expected points, so they’ve been unlucky. No Premier League side has been worse when it comes to expected goals allowed than has Fulham, who hasn’t been nearly as good on their travels and will probably be without Mitrovic. 10*

Chelsea vs Brentford

Coming into this game, Chelsea has scored 3 goals in 3 of their last 4 games. The addition of Romelu Lukaku has made this team nearly unstoppable. After 7 matches, they have eight players with more than 2 points, including three with 4. 

Brentford has looked very solid in their first season in the EPL. With only one defeat, they've proved to everyone that they can compete. In their 7 games, they've scored atleast 2 in 4 of those. 

With both teams scoring a lot, and both looking for a huge boost in confidence, I expect a highly contested, lots of goals scored game here on Saturday. Take the OVER.

The set-up: This is a big game for both teams. They come into the final match level on points and goal difference. Ukraine holds the tie-breaker though with one extra goal scored over Austria, but for either to advance, they're going to have to win outright today, and not settle for the the push. 

The pick:Ukraine though has so far been decent offensively, creating 4.52 expected goals (xG) through its first two matches against the Netherlands and North Macedonia. Ukraine's defense though has been shaky, as the Dutch created 2.05 xG vs. them, while North Macedonia even posted a 1.50 xG. Austria has a ton of value in this match and while a draw would likely get it into the next round, I think it'll take advantage of this weak Ukraine defense and just try to keep the momentum rolling, instead of playing super strategically. I expect each team to push for an outright win. This number is low, the play is the over.

This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE MONTH on the OVER Ukraine/Austria.

The set-up: Germany looked less than impressive in its loss to France, while Portugal rolled to a 3-0 win over Hungary. The Portugese won't be taking the foot off the gas here in this difficult group, and the pressure really is on the Germans here (especially with an own goal from Mats Hummels deciding the contest in Munich.)

The pick: Joachim Low's team struggled to create opportunities, and I think that'll again be the case here vs. Portugal. Germany will be desperate to avoid defeat, as a draw today wouldn't be the end of its chances. I'm laying the price and grabbing the spread on Portugal here.

This is a 10* BLOOD-BATH on Portugal +0.5.

The set-up: Netherlands has the home advantage and while it didn't look overly impressive in its win over Ukraine, it still got the job done. I think it continues to build momentum here in this favorable matchup. If recent history is any precedence, then the Netherlands has to be feeling confident here, as they've won the last six straight head-to-head meetings. 

The pick: Austria is an organized team, but after punching its first Euro Cup victory ever over North Macedonia last time out, this absolutely sets up as a letdown spot in my estimation here. Conversely, Netherlands won't be taking anything for granted after its "close call" last time out. Considering the circumstances listed above, I have no issues at all in laying this larger price.

This is a 10* GAME OF THE MONTH on Netherlands.

The set-up: Portugal is out to defend its title with an opening clash against Hungary in Budapest. Portugal will be determined to get out to a quick start here considering the competition in Group F, and because of that, I'm expecting a higher-scoring affair here. 

The pick: Both teams desperately need a victory here in this opening game Portugal has to face Germany after this, followed by France. It's now or never for Portugal. But an upset here for Hungary would clearly be monumental as well. I say these teams push the pace and this one flies over sooner, rather than later.

This is a 10* EURO-CUP TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the OVER Hungary/Portugal.

The set-up: Turkey is the youngest team in the Tournament. Italy is a young team as well. Both clubs have played well coming into the Euro, but to open things off, I think the favored Italians will be prepared to take care of business on home soil. The last two head-to-head meetings between the countries have ended in a 1-1 draw, so Italy won't be taking anything for granted here either. 

The pick: Of their 13 international meetings leading up to this moment, the Italians have lost only once, while the Turks have drawn seven times. Turkey plays a "war of attrition" style, but I don't think that's going to cut it here against a highly-motivated Italian side. This tournament is going to feature a few big upsets, but not on Opening night. Lay the price with confidence.

This is a 10* BLOOD-BATH on Italy.

The set-up: Both teams come in struggling and in need of a victory. The Wolves are down in the 14th spot, while the Baggies are a whole six points adrift of the safety line, with a poor -28 goal differential. Unfortunately for both teams, they're dealing with plenty of injury issues, AND COVID related problems.

The pick: I think each club will play cautiously here. This has all the makings of a "war of attrition" and in a case like that, the "draw" option (especially at this price!) is always the way to go in my opinion. I've looked at every EPL game on the board this weekend, and this first one on Saturday morning offers the best value for sure to end up in a DRAW.

This is a 10* PLAY OF THE WEEK on the DRAW West Brom/Wolverhampton.

The set-up: Liverpool is currently in first place in the Premier League standings. Liverpool though has failed to secure the full three points in each of its last two games, drawing 1-1 with West Bromwich two games ago and then drawing 0-0 with Newcastle. 

The pick: Southampton is in ninth place, winning just once out of its last five games. Overall Southampton hasn't scored in its last three games. Southampton though is pretty tough defensively, conceding just 1.19 GPG. No need for Liverpool to dial up the pressure if it has a lead vs. this offensively challenged Southampton club. The home side will be playing a war of attrition today, waiting for the visiting side to make the first mistake. All in all, this one has "under" written all over it in my opinion. 

This is a 10* TOTAL OF THE MONTH on the UNDER Liverpool/Southampton.

The set-up: Leeds was last in action vs. Man City two weeks ago and it left with a 1-1 draw. Rodrigo Moreno scored in the second half to tie it up. Wolverhampton last beat Fulham 1-0 before the break off a goal from Pedro Neto. These clubs last met back in 2018 and the Wanderers scord the 3-0 victory. 

The pick: Leeds is back in the top flight league and it's come out and impressed early with its impressive attack. Expect nothing less again here, especially with an extra week off from the International break. With the home side pushing the pace, Wolverhampton is going to have to get out of its comfort zone as well. This one has "over" written all over it!

This is a 10* GAME OF THE WEEK on the OVER Leeds/Wolverhampton.

The set-up: I'm going to lay the extra juice to take the UNDER 2.5 goals in this one. Sheffield United needs an outright win at home here to keep its Europa League hopes alive. The Blades undoubtedly play better at home than on the road, but with no crowd, that benefit diminishes. 

The pick: The Toffees won't be rolling over though, as note that they'd come from behind to share the spoils with Aston Villa in their last match. Everton's been anything but consistent though since the break. This contest has the feel of a "chess match," rather than a wide-open "shootout." 

10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the UNDER Sheffield United/Everton.

The set-up: Tottenham annihilated Newcastle United 3-1 last time out, but I think it'll have its hands full with a much more talented Leicester side, which comes in off a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United. Harry Kane got one for the Spurs last time out, but note that fellow star Dele Alli is rated as doubtful for this contest.

The pick: Beating the Spurs in London is easier said than done though obviously. Leicester holds onto the fourth spot after its win last time out, so it will be looking to at least pull off a draw here. With both teams waiting for the other to make the first mistake, I expect this total to stay well under once the final whistle sounds.

8* TOTAL PLAY-BOOK on the UNDER Tottenham/Leicester.

The set-up: Norwich is terrible, but I expect it to find the back of the net here at Carrow Road on the penultimate day of the campaign. Norwich clearly has nothing to lose here after five straight losses. The Canaries did not secure a spot in the league next year, so they'll only be playing for pride here. 

The pick: The Clarets on the other hand have not lost a league game in seven straight matches. Burnley most recently went to a 1-1 draw with Liverpool and Wolverhampton and there's no reason not to believe that it won't have the gas on the pedal from start to finish this afternoon as well. I expect each team to play loose and ultimately I believe this will help in this total soaring over the number sooner, rather than later.

10* TOTAL BEST OF THE BEST on the OVER Norwich City/Burnley.

The set-up: Leicester had a 1-0 lead over Bournemouth going into half last week, but when the smoke cleared at the end of the game, the Foxes would end up losing 4-1. Leicester is in trouble of falling out of the top four and it will surely be giving a better effort, but the Blades have looked a lot better themselves of late, most recently coming off a commanding 3-0 win over Chelsea. 

The pick: With a Europa League spot still on the line for Sheffield United, combined with the "home field" advantage, I'll gladly lay the small price for the extra 0.5 goal of insurance in this one. 

10* PLAY-BOOK on Sheffield United +0.5 -114 Pinnacle.

The set-up: The Wolves hammered Everton 3-0 last time out, while Burnley earned some much needed points with a 1-1 draw vs. Liverpool. In my opinion, this particular contest has "war of attrition" written all over it. The Clarets were admittedly "lucky" to earn the draw vs. Liverpool, but regardless their defense was solid and I expec that to be carried over here. 

The pick: The Wolves looked stout defensively in tehir shutout vs. Everton and with a spot in the Europa League in their grasp, I expect a similar clamp down defensive style here as well. Expect a classic hard-fought, but ultimately lower-scoring affair here.

10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the UNDER 2.5 -158 Burnley/Wolverhampton.

The set-up: Both teams return to action for the first time since the break. Both teams are completely healthy, except the visitors will be without the services of attacker Will Bruin. Each side will be cautious in my opinion, waiting for the other to make the first mistake.

The pick: This tournament has so far seen some higher-scoring affairs in the early going, but the timing of this contest, combined with the overall situation lead me to believe that we'll finally see a classic, lower-scoring match between these two hungry clubs. 

10* SUPER TOTAL on the UNDER Seattle/Chicago.

The set-up: I had a play on Bournemouth +1 -140 on Thursday and it drew at home with Tottenham 0-0. Yes, the Cherries are now three points behind in relegation, meaning they have to win here to keep their chances alive, but Leicester City comes in equally as motivated, as it lookt to retain a top four spot with Man U breathng down its neck. 

The pick: After crushing Crystal Palace 3-0, the Foxes drew 1-1 with Arsenal last time out, but considering the circumstances and familiarity of venue, I think Leicester could/should in fact be a much larger favorite here. Lay it.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK on Leicester City.

The set-up: Bournemouth is out to atone for a lacklustre 5-2 setback to Man United last time out, but now it's back at home and it's one behind the relegation zone. It's now or never and I look for the Cherries to take advantage of this Tottenham side which was clobbered 3-1 by Sheffield United, before recovering for a weak 1-0 win over Everton its last outing.

The pick: Further good news for the host team sees the return of attacker Callum Wilson from suspension. I'm laying the short price for the extra goal of insurance here (but definitely wouldn't also be completely shocked by an outright upset in this one either.) 

8* PLAY-BOOK on Bournemouth +1 -140 Pinnacle.

The set-up: Brighton earned a win over the impotent Norwich last time out, but I expect it to come up short here on Matchday 34 vs. this deeper and more talented Liverpool side. The Reds looked "out of sorts" last week, but they still prevailed with a relatively simple 2-0 win over Aston Villa. 

The pick: Liverpool on the road will have to be much sharper this time around and I expect it to be. It's never an easy task winning at Amex Stadium, but Liverpool now has an opportunity to put the icing on the cake and it also welcomes back Robert Firmino to the mix. I'm laying it.

8* COACH'S CORNER on Liverpool.

The set-up: Watford looks to get off the schneid and break its three-game losing streak and there's no better opponent to do that against that Norwich. Watford enters off an uninspired 2-0 loss to Chelsea in London, but now its back at Vicarage Road, ready to face a Norwich City team which fell 1-0 to Brighton in its latest action. 

The pick: Norwich City is also dealing with a rash of injuries (Byram, Hanley, Leitner, and Zimmermann). I'm expecting the Hornets to come out firing out of the gate on their home turf and I look for them to get the job done in regulation.

8* COACH'S CORNER on Watford.

The set-up: Both Leicester and Chelsea dropped points last weekend, but Tottenham will be careful not to do the same. Everton looks primed finally for a "letdown" here after two straight victories and I think that's imminent in this difficult matchup. 

The pick: Jose Mourinho’s will look to control the ebb and flow of this contest and I have a hard time seeing Everton even posting a goal here. Carlo Ancelotti’s men finally come out flat after the rare b2b victories. This one has lower-scoring "under" written all over it.

10* TOTAL COACH'S CORNER on the UNDER Tottenham/Everton.

The set-up: Everton is off a 1-0 win over Norwich City and it's gunning for its third straight "clean sheet" here. The Toffee's will be looking to do what they do best here, and that's clamp down defensively and wear out Leicester City by winning the war of attrition. 

The pick: The Foxes enter off a goalless draw with Brighton and I have a hard time seeing City mustering much of an attack here vs. this elite defensive club in Everton. This game has the feel of a "chess match," where each club patiently waits for the other to make the first mistake. This one has "under" written all over it in my opinion.

10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the UNDER Everton/Leicester City.

The set-up: I think we'll witness a lop-sided blowout here once the smoke finally clears at the end of the night. Tottenham restarted the season with a 1-1 draw with Man U, but now midfielder Dele Alli returns from suspension for the Spurs and I think he'll spell trouble for the Hammers this afternoon. Tottenham can ill afford to let this golden matchup go to the wayside, as it still tries to track down a Champions League spot.

The pick: Westham looked horrible in its 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton in its first game back and I have a hard time seeing it keeping pace with a now focussed, motivated and vastly superior Tottenham side. I think there's big value betting on Mr. Harry Cane and his crew.

10* COACH'S CORNER on Tottenham.

The set-up: It's the Merseyside Derby and I don't expect any upsets here. Liverpool vastly overmatches the home side in every respect today and it needs just two more wins to clinch the trophy for the first time in 30 years. Motivation won't be an issue for the favored side today. 

The pick: Everton hasn't won this game at home in ten years. Nothing is going to change here as I look for the superior and more motivated side to deliver the goods. Lay the price.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK on Liverpool.

The set-up: One team has everything to play for and the other has nothing to play for in its season finale. Leverkusen still has one game to go after this, but it only has a one point lead for the final Champions League spot so it can clearly ill afford to look past Hertha Berlin here this morning. 

The pick: Also note that nine of the last 13 between the clubs have been won by Leverkusen, including a 5-1 win the last time these teams met on this field. Hertha is playing for a spot in the Champions league, it comes in hot and I think it could/should easily be a much bigger favorite in this spot. Lay it.

8* DESTRUCTION on Leverkusen.

The set-up: Man City laid the smack down on Arsenal 3-0 in mid December, but I believe that we'll witness a much tighter affair after the extended break. Arsenal is currently in ninth, but it hasn't lost a league game since the start of the new year and it won its final three matches before the pandemic. Of course Man City is still trying to lock down a Champions League spot, but the Gunners could still move into the Top 4 if they can pull off the outright here. 

The pick: Man City has already dropped four of 13 matches at home this year, which does give the Gunners a glimmer of hope here as well. And finally note that Arsenal has found the back of the net at Etihad Stadium at least once on each of its last seven visits. I'm laying the short price for the extra 1.5 goals of insurance.

10* PLAY OF THE WEEK on ARSENAL +1.5 -115 Pinnacle.

The set-up: These teams played to a 2-2 draw on Decmeber 6th and I expect a similar final result once the smoke clears at the end of this one as well. Hertha had been unbeaten in five games before falling 1-0 to Dortmund last time out, so new Manager Bruno Labbadia will be out to push the pace and get his men back into the winners circle sooner, rather than later. Eintracht Frankfurt is in the German Cup on the 10th, so it will only have two days of rest to prepare.  

The pick: With Hertha pushing the pace, look for Eintracht Frankfurt to take advantage on the backend. Recent history combined with the overall situation that each clubs finds itself coming into this contest makes the "over" the correct call in this one in my opinion.

8* SUPER TOTAL on the OVER Hertha/Frankfurt (2.5 -163 William Hill).

The set-up: Freiburg still has a shot at Europa League action, but Monchengladbach has a Champions League spot in mind and it's fresh off a 4-1 destruction of Union Berlin and I believe it'll just be too much for Freiburg to hang with. Freiburg enters with zero momentum, having drawn and lost twice since action returned. Gladbach is tied with Leverkusen right now, so it can ill afford to look past this golden opportunity. 

The pick: Alassane Plea and Marcus Thuram combined for three goals for Gladbach last week vs. Union Berlin and I have a hard time seeing Freiburg slowing them down either. Freiburg is back in eighth place right now and it looks ripe for the picking here. No upset here, I like the "better" team to deliver. 

10* COACH'S CORNER on Monchengladbach.

The set-up: Schalke has scored just one goal since action has returned and that came in the second half of last week's 2-1 loss. Werder Bremen isn't known for its offensive prowess either, but it's had a bit more success since the action has resumed. When these two teams met on November 23rd, it was Schalke which scored the 2-1 victory, but I expect the re-match to end in a draw. Schalke most recently went to a 0-0 draw with Fortuna Düsseldorf in its last match. Schalke only had two shots on goal in that one and they're now without a home win in their past four league games. Werder Bremen also drew 0-0 in its last match, with Borussia Mönchengladbach. Note that Bremen hasn't lost to Schalke on the road over their last two matches either.

The pick: Yes, none of their last six head-to-head matchups have resulted in a draw, but the recent form of each, combined with the overall circumstances each sides finds itself in coming into this one, makes the DRAW the correct call this time around.

10* DRAW on Schalke/Bremen +240 Pinnacle.

The set-up: These teams are coming off a couple of higher-scoring affairs last weekend, but when they met on November 23rd, they'd lock horns and battle to a 1-1 draw. I believe when the smoke does clear at the end of this one, that we'll see a similar final combined score as well. Freiburg went to a 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt last time out, while Bayer Leverkusen fell 4-1 to Wolfsburg. 

The pick: Over their last six head-to-head meetings, 11 goals have been scored for both sides, which comes out to an average of 1.83 per contest. Expect a similarily hard-fought one here this afternoon and look for this total to stay well below the posted number. 

10* SUPER TOTAL on the UNDER Freiburg/Leverkusen.

The set-up: Fortuna Dussledorf stumbled down the stretch last week and allowed Koln to score two late goals, which earned it a single point in the 2-2 draw. Dusseldorf faltered, but it must still feel vindicated after that performance and I expect it to keep the foot on the gas here vs. the struggling FC Schalke 04, which has come out gone scoreless over its first two matches after the break.

The pick: It's do or die, now or never for Schalke though and I expect it to finally step and answer with at least one marker. And then look for Dusseldorf to take care of the rest. This number is a little low.

10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the OVER Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. FC Schalke. 

The set-up: On November 10th Borussia Monchengladbach beat Werder Bremen 3-1 and when the smoke clears at the end of this contest, I expect a similar final combined score as well. Bremen managed a 1-0 win last weekend vs. Freiburg, but the step up in competition will be too much for it to handle, even in its fan-less stadium. 

The pick: Note that the visitor is unbeaten in each of the prior nine clashes between the teams as well and the host is winless at home in all meetings since 2016. Monchengladbach won its first game back from the break, but it'll be extra motivated here after falling 3-1 to Leverkusen at home last time out. I'm banking on this one ending in a lop-sided decision for the visting side and all things considered, a great price.

8* play on Borussia Monchengladbach.

The set-up: Bayer won this matchup 2-0 on November 10th and when the smoke clears at the end of this one, I expect a similar final combined score as well. These are two of the better teams in the league, but Leverkusen's recent form gets carried over here in my opinion. True, Wolfsburg is still battling for a spot in the Europa league, but Leverkusen does indeed come in "red hot," winning 4-1 over Werder Bremen, followed by a 3-1 win at Gladbach on Saturday. 

The pick: Leverkusen has in fact won 14 of its last 16 matches across all competitions. Wolfsburg enters off a humbling setback to Borussia Dortmund and I expect it to falter again here. Lay the short price.

8* play on Bayer 04 Leverkusen. 

The set-up: Bayern won the reverse fixture 4-0 back on November 9th and I expect a similar outcome here as well once it's all said and done. Dortmund has gone 2-0 since play has resumed, taking out Schalke and Wolfsburg, but now it faces its stiffest test year. Bayern Munchen beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2 last weekend and it's one step closer to defending its title. No time to take the foot off the gas here obviously facing Dortmund on the road. 

The pick: Signal Iduna Park is widely regarded as one of the nicest futbol stadiums in the World. However, the fans will once again not be in the stands and I do think that definitely favors the powerful visiting side in this matchup. With a chance to go up seven points clear, I look for Bayern Munich to deliver in regulation.

8* play on FC Bayern Munich.

The set-up: Bayer Leverkusen will be set to put the pedal to the metal here as it looks to secure a Champions League spot. Werder Bremen has just 18 points from 24 matches this season and I have a hard time seeing it putting up much of an attack here after the long lay off (the River Islanders have given up the most and scored the least thus far.) Leverkusen owns one of the best defensive units in the league and with RB Leipzig’s slip-up against SC Freiburg, it has a big opportunity to move up in the standings.

The pick: Considering the form of Werder Bremen this year and the overall situation that Leverkusen finds itself in, I'm expecting a lower-scoring battle. 

10* TOTAL OF THE WEEK on the UNDER Werder Bremen/Leverkusen.

The set-up: These two teams combined for a 0-0 score earlier in the season and after the long layoff, goals could once again be at a premium in this one. That said, I look for Dortmund, the deeper and more talented team in this matchup, to find a way to get the job done once it's all said and done. Note that Schalke has only scored twice in its last seven league games. 

The pick: Dortmund has struggled with consistency as well this season, but the longer lay-off and the home field works in its advantage here and it makes this a price in which I have no worries at all in laying. Lay it.

8* play on Borussia Dortmund. 

The set-up: Both teams have been poor. Hoffenheim is the better team, but it was going through a slump before the break. Hertha is now already onto its fourth manager of the season, so to say it's been struggling as well would be an understatement. Hertha has a big opportunity to get things started off on the right foot here though and I think it'll push the inconsistent Hoffenheim to the limit (Hertha already has two goalless draws this year vs. Schalke and Monchengladbach). 

The pick: I think these teams are evenly matched, but in my opinion, it has "war of attrition" written all over it. Fantastic value for this one to DRAW.

8* play on the DRAW.

The set-up: I think FC Augsburg takes Wolfsburg to the limit here. Augsburg will surely benefit from the break, entering now in 14th spot in the table with just seven wins so far. Last time out it lost 2-0 away to Bayern Munich. Wolfsburg is in seventh spot, but in its last match it drew with RB Leipzig 0-0. 

The pick: In fact note that Wolfsburg has drawn in three of its last five games. The last time these teams met, Wolfsburg smashed Augsburg 8-1 at home. Look for Augsburg to play with a revenge mind and to earn a hard-fought draw once it's all said and done.

8* play on the DRAW.

The set-up: Norwich City enters off a 3-0 setback at Wolverhampton and I think the Canaries will struggle again to find the back of the net in this difficult road venue. The Foxes failed to produce vs. Man City and while the home side is down a few key pieces, I'm still predicting a decisive outright victory here. Admittedly Leicester's overall form has declined, it has to be feeling confident it can finally bounce back here in this very favorable matchup. 

The pick: Norwich has scored just one goals in four of its last six at Carrow Road. Over the last five league away days, Leicester have averaged 1.4 goals per game and conceded 1.2 per game at the other end. I like the visitors to get the job done in regulation.

10* GAME OF THE WEEK on Leicester City.

The set-up: After two straight victories including a 2-0 win over Man U at Old Trafford most recently, I look for Burnley to take a step back here. The Gunners won't be lacking for motivation today either, as they look to move a little closer to the Champions League berth. Also note that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns from suspension for the visitors today. 

The pick: Burnley's been "playing over its head" and I think it comes back down to Earth here. Look for the Gunners to push the pace and be the aggressors. All things considered, I believe that this is the very definition of "great line value." Play on Arsenal to win in regulation.

10* BANKROLL BUILDER on Arsenal. 

The set-up: This is a highly anticpated game in the round of 24. The Wolves are filled with confidence and I look for that momentum to get carried over here after a 3-2 win over Southampton at St. Mary's stadium. Wolverhampton was down two scores as well in that one. 

The pick: The Liverpool Reds however come in off a 2-0 win over Mancheseter United and they'll also be out to keep the foot on the gas here with Man City and Leicester directly behind them in the standings. The Wolves are tough to beat on their own field and they will push Liverpool from start to finish. Look for this pace to result in a higher-scoring "over." 

10* PREMIER LEAGUE TOTAL OF THE YEAR on the OVER Liverpool/Wolverhamtpon

The set-up: Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-1 on December 29th and I like it to duplicate that feat in regulation today. Arsenal has struggled with consistency all season and it enters off a poor draw with Sheffield. Arsenal has just two wins out of its last six and its place in the top flight league is in jeopardy. Revenge is a factor I always take into consideration, but Chelsea can ill afford to look past its opponent today after inexplicably falling 1-0 to Newcastle last time out. 

The pick: While Chelsea enters in farily good health though, Arsenal is ravaged by injury, with Lucas Torreira, Calum Chambers, Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin all out. I think Frank Lampard has Chelsea in a great spot to bounce back here in regulation.

10* EPL GAME OF THE YEAR on Chelsea.

The set-up: This game is going to be watched in more than 200 countries world-wide. Almost 1 billion people will be watching this contest. United though is dealing with injury issues and the last time these team's played Liverpool won decisively 3-1 at Anfield last December. Ole Gunnar Solskjær is expected to play for a draw here, but I don't see Liverpool settling. 

The pick: Extra motivation here for Liverpool? Head coach Jurgen Klopp has never won at Old Trafford in any of his previous four visits as manager. Also note that Man U is hte only club in which Mohamed Salah has failed to score against. I look for the visitors to move to 18 straight EPL victories. Lay the price.

10* GAME OF THE MONTH on Liverpool

The set-up: Leicester has gotten out to a quick start as it’s unbeaten over its first three games with two draws and a victory. Last week it pulled away for a 2-1 win at Sheffield. Bournemouth on the other hand comes in off its first loss of the campaign, falling 3-1 to the reigning champs at the Etihad. So far Bournemouth has failed to impress and I believe it’ll have its hands full here in this difficult road venue. 

The pick: Leicester won the last meeting between the clubs convincingly (2-0) and I believe a similar final result is in the cards here as well. In fact Bournemouth has posted just one victory in the last five in this series. The Foxes have already held Chelsea and the Wolves to a draw this season and after last week’s encouraging result, I look for them to lay the hammer down here as well. Lay the price.

Leicester City 10* play

The set-up: This is the second leg of the Champions League playoff between APOEL Nicosia and host Ajax Amsterdam. And note, I believe it’ll be very similar to the first match in Cyprus, which saw these teams draw 0-0. The Dutch side had its hands full vs. the Cypriot team in the first match, and it will again here as well (note that the hosts actually have a poor home record, winning just once in five home matches in Champions League play.) 

The pick: So APOEL can not be taken lightly here at all, as it’s won four of its last six games in Champions League action. But note that the Cypriots have seen the total go under in seven of their last ten road Champions League matches. Ajax’s recent poor home record, combined with APOEL’s recent form makes the “under” the correct call in this one.

Ajax Amsterdam/Apoel Nicosia UNDER 10* play

The set-up: Suffice it to say, I’m expecting some goals to find the back of the net in this one. The Spurs welcome back Heung-min Son to the mix as well today, after taking four points from Villa and City.  

The pick: But Newcastle clearly won’t be going down without a fight here after a disappointing start to the campaign. The Magpies have lost both of their opening matches, including a 3-1 loss to Norwich City. Newcastle will once again have its hands full with the hosts aggressive attack, as its three-at-the-back system was clearly exposed last weekend. Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is on the hot seat already, meaning the visitors have to push the pace as well today. When you add it all up, I look for this one to fly over sooner, rather than later.

Tottenham/Newcastle OVER 10* play

The set-up: Real Salt Lake had its five match unbeaten streak ended with a 2-0 loss to LAFC last time out and clearly it’ll be out to atone for that. Colorado won’t be lacking for motivation here though after losing three of the last four in this series, as well as dropping three and drowning once in its last six overall. 

The pick: These teams have a history of playing to higher-scoring affairs, but the injuries to Real Salt Lake are real at the moment: Jordan Allen out with a knee injury; Tony Beltran out with knee injury and Nick Besler out with a foot injury and Aaron Herrera out after picking up a red card last match. With Colorado content to play a “war of attrition,” and considering the injuries to the home side, I believe this one falls well below the posted number once it’s all said and done.

Real Salt Lake/Colorado Rapids UNDER 10* play

The set-up: Sheffield United is unbeaten so far in the campaign, but I believe that string runs out here. The Foxes won’t be lacking for motivation here after only picking up two points through two games. Last weekend they drew with Chelsea 1-1 at Stamford Bridge. 

The pick: The Blades have so far proved the doubters wrong, but the step up vs. the Foxes, who won’t be taking anything for granted after back-to-back draws (and while that doesn’t look very impressive on paper, Leicester has been dominant in both matches in time of possession and I believe that finally works in its favor today. Great value on the “better/more experienced” club. 

Leicester City 10* play

The set-up: I expect this one to go the distance in regulation and end in a draw. Sheffield had a dominant 2018/19 Championship season and it looked good in its first Premier League game last week vs. Bournemouth, holding the experienced club to a draw. It was a dramatic “draw” as well, with Sheffield drawing even at the 88th minute, breaking the hearts of the home town faithful. Crystal Palace is the much more experienced team, having played against the best in Europe over a regular basis. 

The pick: Crystal Palace has also won four of the last six head-to-head match ups in this series. I do think each club will find the back of the net, but this one has “war of attrition” written all over it.

Crystal Palace/Sheffield United DRAW 7* play

The set-up: Saint Etienne enjoyed a massive home pitch advantage last year, earning 41 of a possible 57 points, winning 13 games and losing only four. And note, three of its four losses were vs. clubs that finished above it in the standings (PSG, Lille and Lyon), as its form on the “lesser competition” was completely dominant. St. Etienne retains its core from last year and it started off the season with a convincing 2-1 win over Dijon. 

The pick: Brest is newly promoted. Brest had a great campaign in Ligue 2, but while it had the best home form in the league, its away form was just third best, picking up 31 points from 19 games. I think Brest struggles with its form in this difficult venue. Lay the price.

AS Saint Etienne 10* play

The set-up: EPL defending champ Man City took care of business in a 5-0 win over West Ham in east London last weekend, instantly pushing them to top spot on the board. Clearly Manchester City will want to keep the foot on the gas here and its place in the rankings. Tottenham came out slow last week, but a late marker by Harry Kane would guide the home team to a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the end. 

The pick: The Spurs have their work cut out for them here at the Etihad and certainly “sitting back” and waiting for the game to come to them isn’t a strategy that’s going to work vs. Man City, who didn’t even break a sweat vs. the new look Hammers last weekend. With both teams pushing the pace, this one flies over sooner than later in my opinion.

Tottenham/Man City OVER 10* play

The set-up: Newcastle United should be better this year than last, but I still think they’re completely overclasses here. True Arsenal has been poor on the road and the Magpies have five new signings, but the visitors depth is the difference here. The Gunners were busy in the transfer market as well, spending 72 million Euros for Nicolas Pepe. 

The pick: Arsenal has won 12 of the last 13 matches vs. Newcastle United and I think the Magpies will once again struggle with chemistry to open the new season. Newcastle’s new boss Steve Bruce draws a difficult opponent out of the gate. Arsenal has a lot to prove this year, but I think it’ll have more than enough firepower up front to win the day in regulation.

Arsenal 10* play

The set-up: These teams last played on October 21st, 2018 and they’d finish in a 0-0 draw. The Earthquakes held possession for 59 percent of that contest and had 20 attempts on goal with four shots on target. The Rapids on the other hand had only six shots on goal and two on target. 

The pick: Based on recent form, San Jose offers great value at this price, going 4-1-1 in its last six, while Colorado is just 2-3-1 in its last six. Look for San Jose’s superior attack up front to prove to be too much for Colorado in regulation.

San Jose Earthquakes (vs. Colorado Rapids)

10* play

The set-up: No disrespect about a solid LASK team from the Austrian Bundesliga, but i believe it’ll come up short here vs. their Swiss counterparts. Note that this EL Qualifier is the first ever meeting between the clubs. 

The pick: FC Basel though plays in the much tougher Swiss Super League and it also has the home field advantage. And if Basel can in fact lay the hammer down here, it’ll basically take away the threat of a loss in the away fixture. FC Basel has won 11 of its last 14 games and scored two or more goals in 17 of its last 19. I’m laying the price.

FC Basel 10* play

The set-up: Both teams underachieved this year and each is now in a fight for a place in the CL Group Stage. But for me this one comes down to the overall quality of league that each team plays in. Porto plays in the much tougher Portuguese League. Porto led for most of the year, only to bow to Benefica right at the end. Look for this extra motivation to play a big factor here after failing to achieve the direct-ticket. 

The pick: Krasnodar won’t be lacking for motivation here, but it’s lost two if its last three at home, conceding twice in both losses. Porto is unbeaten in nine of its last ten fixtures and I expect it to lay the hammer down from start to finish. 

FC Porto 9* play

The set-up: PAOK Salonika lost 3-2 in aggregate at this point of the qualifier vs. Ajax three years ago and while it’d like to use the “revenge angle,” I still think that it’s severely outclassed here vs. the Dutch giant. Note that in this competition last term, PAOK beat Basel 5-1 on aggregate and Spartak Moscow 3-2 in the qualifying rounds, but they were then smashed 5-2 be Benefica in a play off. 

The pick: Ajax made it through the three qualifying rounds a year ago, but it then finished second to Bayern Munich in Group E. Ajax also beat Real Madrid and Juventus, before then losing out to Tottenham via the away goals rule in the semis. While there have been some injuries of late, Ajax is still loaded with the superior talent and I believe that’ll be more than enough to win the match here. All things considered, a great price. 

Ajax Amsterdam 10* play

The set-up: It’s a must win game for Sporting Kansas City for the most part, however I think the visitors will stumble here vs. the revenge-minded home side which fell 3-2 in the reverse fixture at the end of May. Seattle has made big strides since then, winning four of its last six MLS matches and working its way back into second place in the West. 

The pick: Johnny Russell managed a hat trick in SKC’s 3-2 win over Seattle earlier in the season, but I don’t expect “lightning to strike twice” here. Especially on the road. SKC has made the playoffs in eight straight years, but I think that run comes to an end here. And in resounding fashion. With a chance to put the final nail in the coffin, I look for Seattle to avenge its earlier loss and to keep its clear momentum that its created of late, rolling strong in front of the home town crowd. 

Seattle Sounders 10* play

The set-up: Yes the New England Revolution have been one of the hottest teams since they hired Bruce Arena, but I think they’ll have a hard time with this LA Football Club, which comes in with considerable momentum of its own. All good things must come to an end and after going unbeaten in 11 machos, I simply think that New England is overmatched finally on the field of play today. 

The pick: LAFC has been decent on the road, with seven wins, two draws and two losses. New England has six wins, two draws and FOUR losses at home. Look for LAFC’s depth to prove to be too much for the home side to handle out of the break.

LAFC 10* play

The set-up: It’s revenge time for AIK after NK Maribor won the reverse fixture 2-1. All three of those goals came in the first 40 minutes. Despite lagging in aggregate though, the Swedish club has the upper hand here as it returns home. Stockholm faced a similar situation in the previous round of qualification as well, losing the away leg, but then managing to comeback in front of the home town crowd. 

The pick: NK Maribor is better at home than on the road (won just once out of its last five attempts and it lost three in a row during that stretch as well.) Maribor has also conceded two or more goals in three of its last five matches. AIK on the other hand has turned things around of late, winning four of its last five and potting two or more goals in all of those contests (AIK has also won three straight fixtures at home.) Revenge is a dish best served cold. 

AIK 10* play

The set-up: This is the first leg of the Champions League Qualifications. BATE Borisov eliminated Polis Piast Gliwice in the second round, while Rosenborg won both matches ageing Linfield in the previous round of competition. This is the first time the teams have ever met. BATE though comes in on top form, having gone undefeated over its previous eight games across all competitions. Note that BATE has kept five clean sheets in its previous ten home showings. Rosenborg has been playing well as well, coming in on a string of five straight victories. But although the Norwegian Champions have scored in eight of their last ten away matches, I think they’re going to have much more difficulty vs. sting BATE on its home turf. 

The pick: Both teams come in “firing on all cylinders,” but I don’t think that the home field advantage, and BATE form in front of the home town crowd, can’t be overlooked as a very real deciding factor. 

BATE Borisov 10* play

The set-up: PSV is unbeaten in 20 of its last 22 official games and one of the two setback was against AJAX. FC Basel is a huge name in Switzerland, but I think it’s in for a rude awakening here vs. one of the best home teams in Europe. 

The pick: Note that PSV has won 22 of its last 24 at home outright. Ajax is ripe for the picking now after depleting some of its major resources, which leaves the doors open for PSV to take its place back in the Netherlands. Expect the home side to make the most of this opportunity and lay the reasonable price.

PSV Eindhoven 10* play

The set-up: A couple of horrible teams go head to head here. Amazing the Chicago Fire has not won an MLS game away from friendly confines in their last 21 tries. Sporting Kansas City won’t be rolling over either though, as Chicago’s biggest flaw is its defense on the back-end. Kansas City lost its last game to LAFC 5-1 last time out, so defensive play is also a major concern for the home side. 

The pick: Chicago’s all time record on the road at Sporting Kansas City is 8W, 9D, 11L’s, 40 goals for and 40 goals against. I think the stage is set for a higher-scoring “goal-fest” in this one.

Sporting Kansas City/Chicago Fire OVER

10* play

The set-up: Cincinnati is the worst team in the league, but Columbus is only a small notch above it. The Crew come in winless in their last five as well as losing four of those outright. Columbus has lost five straight on the road and it has the least number of scores on the road in the MLS. Real has plenty of issues as well, but it’s still in the hunt for a playoff spot and it definitely can not afford to look past this golden opportunity. And with a game vs. the Red Bulls up next, the home side definitely needs to make the most of this opportunity tonight. 

The pick: Note that 14 of the last 16 victories between the clubs have come for the home team. Additionally take note that the Crew haven’t won in Salt Lake since 2011. Don’t expect that trend of futility to end any time soon. Lay the price.

Real Salt Lake 

10* play

The set-up: Portland will be desperate here after winning just five games this season, including losing two of its last three. Portland though has only played two games at home this year, which has definitely attributed to its poor win/loss record. FC Dallas has taken a step back from last year, currently sitting in fourth place with 26 points. 

The pick: FC Dallas though has gone winless in its last four on the road and I think it’s going to have difficulties vs. this focused Portland side. The Timbers play with revenge here after the reverse fixture ended 2-1. Portland now has a long stretch of home games and I expect it to get things started off on the “right foot.” All things considered, a very fair price.

Portland Timbers

10* play

The set-up: This is a battle for a spot in the 2019 Women’s World Cup semifinal. Germany advanced by knocking out Nigerian in the Round of 16, while Sweden got by Canada. Germany looks as strong as ever and has made the semifinals in every Women’s World Cup there’s ever been. Sweden has looked susceptible already at times in this tournament, especially on the attacking end. 

The pick: The Germans have so far kept a clean sheet throughout this tournament, which clearly doesn’t bode well for this “on again, off again” Swedish offensive attack (has scored just one goal over the last two games.) In fact Sweden only has five total shots on goal over the last two games. The Germans look like a team of destiny and I believe their shutout streak continues with another dominant effort on both ends of the pitch. Lay the reasonable mid-sized price and expect a blowout.

Germany

10* play

The set-up: This is the final group match for each side, and each is looking to advance to the round of 16. A win or even a draw would likely do it for either. Spain comes in off a tough 1-0 loss to German, while China enters off a victory over South Africa by 1-0.

The pick: Germany was a difficult match-up for Spain, but it has no excuses here. The Spaniards are filled with talent (keep your eye on Jennifer Hermoso) and I think it’ll be too much for China to contend with. China managed the 1-0 victory against lowly South Africa, but goals have been at a premium for the Chinese this tournament, which doesn’t bode well facing the stingy Spaniards. All things considered, a great price.

Spain (vs. China)

Analysis to come. 10* play

The set-up: These are the top two teams in Group B. Both teams enter with three points after winning its respective openers, with Germany besting China 1-0, and Spain coming from behind to knock off South Africa (note though that two goals came via the penalty shot.) China was no pushover, as evidenced by the 1-0 score. Note that Germany has averaged a whopping 3.2 goals over its last 13 games. To be honest though, the Germans had plenty of chances vs. China, but perhaps jitters in the first game sent many balls wide or over the bar, which would have normally found the back of the net. Spain benefited from a weak South African defense, but it’s going to now have its hands full with one of the best in the defensive units in the World.

The pick: And I do think the Germans superior defense will wear Spain down and I look for the favorite to pull away late. Lay the price.

Germany (vs. Spain)

10* play

The set-up: The month long competition finally gets underway for the Women. South Korea faces off against Host France, which is one of the favorites to win the entire thing. Both teams are in Group A and are joined by Norway and Nigeria. The French are going to want to get out to a resounding start in front of the home town crowd, while the visitors know they’ll have to match pace. I think overall from a “situational” stand point that this one definitely sets up great as more of a higher-scoring “shootout,” than a defensive “chess match.” 

The pick: France is loaded with talent, with seven players apart of the Champions League winner Lyon (keep your eyes on Eugenie Le Sommer, who has 223 goals in 249 games for Lyon.) I think the underdog Koreans will have their chance to score vs. this aggressive French team. This number is low.

France/Korea OVER

10* play

The set-up: Both teams lost their final group games, but each did enough to advance. Argentina had a major letdown vs. South Korea, so clearly it’s not going to be taking anything for granted here after rolling through the first two games. Note that before the loss to the South Koreans Argentina beat Portugal 2-0, before hammering South Africa 5-2. Mali has posted seven goals over three games, but the African side has yet to post a clean sheet, which doesn’t bode well facing this offensive juggernaut in Argentina. 

The pick: I think when focused on the task at hand, the Argentinian’s depth at the front end will prove to be too much for Mali to keep up with down the stretch. All things considered, a very fair price in my estimation. Lay it.

Argentina

10* play

The set-up: The Red Bulls come in off a win at Cincinnati in their last matchup, while Real Salt Lake lost its last road trip to Montreal. The Bulls are tough at home as well, unbeaten in four straight and in 15 of their last 20. Real on the other hand has lost seven of its last 12 overall and five of its last seven on the road. 

The pick: Note that the home team has won five straight in this series. With the home side pushing the pace, I’m expecting a decisive victory in regulation.

New York Red Bulls

10* play

The set-up: South Korea is in dire straights here after losing Portugal in its opener. The South Koreans then followed that up with a slim victory over South Africa. The South Koreans needs an outright win to keep their hopes alive, but I don’t think it’s going to happen vs. the surging Argentina side. Argentina has won its first two matches and it’ll look to sweep the board in the group stage with another convincing effort here. 

The pick: The Argentinian offense is “firing on all cylinders” right now, having produced seven goals over the first two games. The South American countries put a huge focus on the U20 leagues and it’s paying huge dividends for the Argentinians this year. Expect Argentina to win in regulation time. I like the South Americans to put the South Koreans out of their misery.

10* COACH’S CLINIC

The set-up: I’m expecting a hard-fought and ultimately lower-scoring “under” in this round 3 of the group state of the World Cup U20. This one is being played at Stadion Miejski (Bielsko-Biała.) Nigeria and the USA were pegged as the favorites of this group. Nigeria destroyed Qatar 4-0 and then 2-0 over the USA. Ukraine has six points, beating the USA 2-1 and Qatar 1-0. 

The pick: These two teams will be cautious. Each has gotten out to slow starts in the first half of their respective contests to open this tournament as well. I believe the stage is set for a tight/lower-scoring battle. This number is a little high.

Nigeria/Ukraine UNDER

9* play

The set-up: The stage is set for the U20 USA team to advance to the second round after a crucial win over Nigeria. Even a single point would likely be enough to assure it a third place/position in the knock-out round. But the Americans will clearly be looking to push the pace and to run up the score here vs. a weak Qatar team. Qatar has nothing to lose, except another game. The underdogs will be desperate to get off the schneid, having been blanked from the scoresheet over the first two games.

The pick: From a situational stand point, I absolutely believe this one sets up as more of a wide-open “shootout.” This number is low.

USA/Qatar OVER

10* play

The set-up: The Mexico U20 team has lost five straight. Ecuador U20 sees it two wins, two draws and a loss in its last five. The Mexicans have conceded 2-plus goals in their last matches across all competitions. Ecuador is the South American champion and it enters off a 1-1 draw with a strong Japan team. Edcuador then went to a draw with Italy, meaning that a victory today is crucial to advance. Ecuador has to win, hope Japan loses and overturn a four-goals deficit in the goal difference to earn direct qualification into the knockout rounds. Mexico lost to Italy in its opening round, only to then fall 3-0 to Japan in Gdynia. 

The pick: Ecuador has been unlucky, as it’s already had a penalty shot saved in each match so far. Note that it only had ten men playing in the draw vs. Italy as well. With the goal differential being a point of concern, I look for Ecuador to finally get off the schneid here with a blowout performance. Lay the price.

Ecuador

10* play

The set-up: Under 20 World Cup and Mali is the host here. That gives these young players a sizeable advantage right out of the gate. This is a tough Group (E), with Panama and France apart as well. Saudi Arabia lost 2-0 to France in its opener, while Mali played to a 1-1 draw with Panama. 

The pick: Mali though is fresh off winning the title at the After Cup of Nations U20, winning on penalties over Senegal. Saudi Arabia is clearly no slouch with a competitive effort put up against power house France, but I think the experience Mali brings to the table is the difference.

Mali

9* play

The set-up: Chelsea needs to at the very least match Tottenham’s result vs. Everton in order to take down third place, but it comes in knowing that it will be playing in Champions League football next year. Leicester won’t be going down without a fight here though in front of the home town crowd as it looks to close the season on a high note, while also paying tribute to their late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha 

The pick: Leicester actually has a lot to play for here, as an outright would move them to as high as eighth, but an outright loss could slip it as low as 11th. Chelsea won’t take the foot off the gas at this point, especially after losing the reverse fixture 1-0 in December. I’m banking on a high-scoring shootout this time around.

Leicester City/Chelsea OVER

10* play

The set-up: This is a big game, as the first Champions League finalist will be decided here. Barcelona travels to Liverpool hoping to close it out after a 3-0 win in the first leg at Camp Nou. Lionel Messi had two goals in that one for Barca. The Reds won’t be going down without a fight, but if they’re going to pull off the upset, they’ll be doing it without the injured Mohamed Salah. 

The pick: Bacelona is loaded with talent and I don’t think it’ll be content with a single goal here. The Reds are capable of scoring despite the injury to Salah, as Daniel Sturridge enters on top form. This number is a little low considering the circumstances.

Barcelona/Liverpool OVER

10* play

The set-up: Southhampton is tied for last in the Premier League 2017-18 table with 9 pts so far. While "The Gooners" are tied for 4th in the table with 34 pts. 

The pick: While Arsenal is looking to get in the top 4 this year and with Mesut Ozil is expected to return to the pitch on Sunday (for Arsenal) Southampton's chances aren't looking to good. With The Saints struggling with consistency yet again this year, look for The Gooners to take advantage early in this one. Take Arsenal!

8*

The set-up: If recent history is any precedence, then Liverpool FC has to be liking its chances today, as it’s won four of the last six Premier League matches in this series. That includes a 2-0 sweep last year, with a 7-0 aggregate score. The Cherries ended a run of four straight defeats with a win over Huddersfield mid-week, but a return to mediocrity is in store in my opinion.

The pick: Liverpool can’t be stopped and should/could easily be a much larger fav in this spot. It’s won 39 points out of a possible 45 this year as only six teams in the Premier League era have more points over the first 15 league games. This pick is all about “momentum” and “line value.” Play on Liverpool.

10* play

The set-up: Arsenal is 16th after only posting three points from the opening three games. Bournemouth is in the bottom three of the Premier League 2017-18 table and the team is yet to even take a point this season.

The play: Arsenal’s only win came on opening day against Leicester. It comes in off back to back league defeats, most recently a 4-0 loss to Liverpool. Bournemouth only picked up three wins on the road last year and its lost both visits to Emirates Stadium. Arsenal has scored five goals in the last two games in this series. This one has blowout written all over it.

The set-up: Both teams are struggling right now, but Man U’s issues are both on and off the field. Despite that I think the Red Devils will finally get off the schneid here with their best effort of the season.

The teams: Man U loss to West Ham last weekend and then drew to a goalless draw with Spain based Valencia in Champions League action this week. Fortunately for Man-U they face a Newcastle side which has not won in seven games.

The pick: Note that this is a revenge game as well for the Red Devils, after Newcastle took the meeting 1-0 last February. Despite all of its issues, Man U is still the better, deeper and more skilled team. Look for these players to finally get back on track with a convincing effort. Lay the price.

The set-up: Liverpool is 6-0 in EPL action after getting the better of Southampton 3-0 last weekend. But Chelsea beat Liverpool 2-1 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. The Blues won’t be going down without a fight today and I think it’ll end up in a “draw” once it’s all said and done. Chelsea’s five game win streak came to an end in a goalless draw with West Ham last Sunday.

The pick: Chelsea has only lost twice to Liverpool in its last 15 in the series (W6, D7, L2). Note that four of the last seven between these two have ended in draws. Everything points to another tight battle between these familiar clubs. Play on the “draw.”

The set-up: The Foxes have struggled with consistency once again this year, but I think they’ll have more than enough to score the victory in regulation at home.

The teams: Leicester City has lost its last two against Liverpool and Bournemouth and it also lost its opening weekend match against Man-U, but it does have victories over Wolves and Southampton.

Huddersfield Town has yet to win a game, picking up just two points out of a possible 15 so far in EPL action.

The pick: The Terriers have struggled with offensive consistency (scored just once in their last four matches), which doesn’t bode well as note that the Foxes have kept clean sheets in two of their three home games. Look for Leicester City to get the job done.

The set-up: These are two of the top teams in the league. Liverpool has a perfect record after four games, while Tottenham is 3-1.

The teams: The attacking trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino is a formidable one for Liverpool. This will be its stiffest test defensively though and I think the team is going to put a concerted effort on that end of the field today after some somewhat sloppy play on that side of the ball to open the campaign.

The Hotspur won 3-0 at Old Trafford, before then being humbled 2-1 by Watford. Mauricio Pochettino’s men looked disinterested and inconsistency in form has plagued Tottenham for years now.

The pick: These are two dangerous offensive teams, but with each looking for the other to make the first mistake, I’m anticipating a lower-scoring battle today. Play the “under.”

The set-up: Both teams have looked decent early, but for a number of different reasons, I think this one favors Tottenham.

The pitchers: Watford has defeated Brighton, Burnley and Crystal Palace and it also bested Reading mid-week in the EFL Cup.

The Spurs though present an entirely different challenge, who also come in with three straight victories to open. Tottenham has bested Newcastle 2-1, Fulham 3-1 and it then ended its losing streak at Old Trafford on Monday with a 3-0 victory.

The pick: Note that Hornets are still winless in the last 13 in this series, including losing ten outright. Look for this strong trend to continue and lay the very reasonable mid-sized price on the “better” team.

The set-up: This line should be a lot larger in my professional opinion. New York is undefeated in five matches and it currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Dynamo on the other hand are winless in five straight. In fact Houston lost four straight, before managing a very satisfying “draw” against Dallas last time out.

The pick: Bradley Wright-Phillips failed to score in the win against DC United last time out, and things won’t get any easier in this difficult venue either. Both teams have injuries, but the Red Bulls’ main offensive weapons in Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas will both be in the line-up tonight. And that’s good enough for me, lay the price and expect a blowout.

The set-up: France comes in off a 1-0 regulation win over Belgium, while Croatia knocked off host Russia in a shootout to advance. France has gotten better as this tournament has worn on, but Croatia has proven itself to be a “hard out.” Suffice it to say, I’m expecting nothing less here either. The French may be the more talented team on paper, but the Croatian’s have the bigger “heart.” I predict this one will see extra time or the shootout.

The teams: Croatia’s defense will be focused on slowing down French teenage phenom Kylian Mbappe, who has scored three goals so far. Antoine Greizmann continues to be a focal point for France as well, as he has 12 goals and eight assists over his last 20 games for his country.

Luka Modric is one of three Croatian’s with two goals in this tournament. Ivan Rakitic has helped his team in the knockout round, as he has two crucial goals in both shoot-out victories.

The pick: France may have never lost to Croatia in its history, but I think its over-confidence will prove its undoing here. The English found out the hard way that this Croatian team is no joke and while the French may in fact go on to win the title, I’m banking on it being anything but “easy.” Play on Croatia +0.5 goal.