Player to score – Weg Weghorst (Watford v Burnley) – 43/20
The turnaround in Burnley’s form since the shock sacking of Sean Dyche has caught many by surprise. At the time, Dyche’s exit was seen as a white flag of resignation from the Turf Moor club against the threat of relegation. However, Burnley have picked up seven points from a possible nine with Weg Weghorst key to their resurgence.
Weghorst has registered a goal and an assist in his last three Premier League outings and has looked sharp. Under caretaker manager Mike Jackson, the Dutch forward has been used as part of a front two with Dwight McNeil finding form again as a supply line. Against a Watford team that has lost four in-a-row and hasn’t kept a clean sheet in seven games, Weghorst is a good bet to find the net.
Player to be carded – Yves Bissouma (Wolves v Brighton) – 9/5
Yves Bissouma will return from suspension for Brighton this weekend with the central midfielder collecting more yellow cards (10) than any other player in the Premier League this season. The 25-year-old has also picked up four bookings in his last five outings and is a good bet to collect another one against a Wolves team that will look to control the contest in the middle of the pitch.
Graham Potter’s Brighton are targeting a top half finish in the Premier League table this season and could do with a win to get themselves back on track after a defeat to Manchester City and a draw at home to Southampton. Bissouma has to cover a lot of ground in the 4-3-1-2 system and that can sometimes see him stretch into tackles.
Match to be a draw – Athletic Club v Atletico Madrid – 41/20
After a strong February and March, Atletico Madrid are now staggering towards Champions League qualification in La Liga this season. Diego Simeone’s side have won just one of their last three matches with the capital outfit held to a 0-0 draw at home by Granada last weekend. Before that, they needed a 99th-minute penalty to beat Espanyol and suffered a defeat to relegation-threatened Real Mallorca.
Meanwhile, Athletic Club drew a blank in their last La Liga match at home (a 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo). While Marcelino’s team have quality individuals, they have struggled for consistent form all season and could find it difficult to play through Atletico Madrid. There might not be much to separate the two teams.
Both teams to score – Newcastle United v Liverpool – 22/25
Liverpool are in sensational form with Jurgen Klopp’s team still competing on three fronts after winning the Carabao Cup earlier in the season. Indeed, the Reds will take some beating this weekend even accounting for the rotation that might take place after the Champions League semi-final first leg victory over Villarreal.
However, Newcastle United are on a four-game winning streak and have found the back of the net in each of their last five Premier League outings. Callum Wilson will still be sidelined, but the Magpies will still carry attacking threat through the likes of Joelinton (who lead the line against Norwich City), Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron.
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Barcelona will enter this weekend’s La Liga match against Real Mallorca on the back of a three-game losing run at home. The Catalans have lost their way after a 15-match unbeaten run, but in each of those three defeats they have under-performed their Expected Goals (xG). This suggests Barca will experience a course correction at some point soon – they are still creating chances.
If Barcelona are to finally take their opportunities this weekend, it’s a good bet that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be the one to find the back of the net. The former Arsenal striker has nine goals in 12 league games for his new club and is most likely to start as Xavi Hernandez’s centre forward on Sunday.
