My weekend football acca will land you £140 from a £10 bet (4-5 January)
The first set of Premier League fixtures in 2025 take place this weekend, with 18 out of 20 teams in action on Saturday and Sunday. We have previewed five of the games taking place this weekend, including the showdown between Liverpool and Manchester United. A £10 wager on our three-leg acca would pay out £70, while the same stake on our five-leg version offers a potential return of £140. Liverpool vs Manchester United: Liverpool/Liverpool half-time/full-time (5/6) After a 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle United on Monday, Ruben Amorim claimed Manchester United are involved in the relegation battle. Demotion is unthinkable, but the Red Devils are now just seven points clear of the bottom three. Things could get worse before they get better. United fans will head to Anfield on Sunday with a sense of foreboding. Liverpool have been as good this season as United have been bad. The Reds marched on last weekend, thrashing West Ham United 5-0 to extend their lead at the summit of the standings. It is hard to look past the hosts here. United are really struggling for form and they will find themselves under heavy pressure from the first whistle at the home of their arch-rivals. Arne Slot’s team are superior to United in all departments and the gulf between the sides will be clear for all to see when they go head-to-head. Liverpool should be ahead after both 45 and 90 minutes, with Amorim’s men likely to suffer yet another defeat. Tip Liverpool/Liverpool in the half-time/full-time market at 5/6 with bet365 Bournemouth vs Everton: Under 2.5 goals (Evens) Everton recently held Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City to draws in consecutive matches, before they went down 2-0 to Nottingham Forest last time out. Sean Dyche’s side just cannot seem to pull clear of the bottom three and they face another tough test in their first assignment of 2025. Bournemouth are flying high having emerged as surprise European contenders under the leadership of the astute Andoni Iraola. The Cherries excel when pressing high up the pitch and forcing turnovers in advanced areas, but Everton’s direct style means they will have fewer opportunities to pinch possession in the final third. Bournemouth deserve to be favourites, but they could be frustrated for periods of this game. Everton are capable of keeping the score down at the Vitality Stadium, so do not expect a goal-laden affair. Go for under 2.5 goals at evens with bet365 Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Crystal Palace or draw (10/11) Having taken just one point from the last nine available, Chelsea’s title hopes are hanging by a thread. A 2-0 loss to Ipswich Town on Monday was their most disappointing result of the campaign, as Enzo Maresca’s men became the first visitors to come unstuck at Portman Road. Crystal Palace were recently demolished 5-1 by Arsenal, but their recent form has otherwise been good. Oliver Glasner’s charges are starting to look up the table and they will give this game as good as they have got. Chelsea have gone off the boil and defensive question marks continue to linger. The Blues will not have everything their own way in their first London derby of the new year. Select Crystal Palace or draw at 10/11 with bet365 Back the 3-fold acca Back the 3-fold acca at bet365 to win £70 from a £10 bet Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (1/2) Tottenham Hotspur desperately need a pick-me-up. A dismal run of form has left them in the bottom half of the table, and Ange Postecoglou is under huge pressure to turn things around. A run of four consecutive victories has transformed Newcastle United’s campaign. Tottenham will hope something similar lies in store for them. The Magpies have not conceded a single goal during this winning sequence, but for all their faults Tottenham continue to create chances. They even managed to score three times against Liverpool recently; the problem was their concession of six goals at the other end. Whatever the outcome, this promises to be an entertaining encounter between two teams who know where the goal is. Attacks should get the better of defences at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Choose both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 1/2 with bet365 Aston Villa vs Leicester City: Aston Villa to win (1/3) Leicester City are in massive trouble. They dropped to second-bottom after Ipswich Town’s victory over Chelsea on Monday. One could argue the Foxes are yet to play well under Ruud van Nistelrooy. Aston Villa are much less consistent than Unai Emery would like them to be. They have not been able to string a run of wins together for a while. Having said that, Villa should prove too strong for Leicester this weekend. Emery has more quality at his disposal than Van Nistelrooy in every area of the pitch. Leicester are finding it difficult to keep goals out. T
The first set of Premier League fixtures in 2025 take place this weekend, with 18 out of 20 teams in action on Saturday and Sunday.
We have previewed five of the games taking place this weekend, including the showdown between Liverpool and Manchester United.
A £10 wager on our three-leg acca would pay out £70, while the same stake on our five-leg version offers a potential return of £140.
Liverpool vs Manchester United: Liverpool/Liverpool half-time/full-time (5/6)
After a 2-0 home defeat by Newcastle United on Monday, Ruben Amorim claimed Manchester United are involved in the relegation battle. Demotion is unthinkable, but the Red Devils are now just seven points clear of the bottom three.
Things could get worse before they get better. United fans will head to Anfield on Sunday with a sense of foreboding.
Liverpool have been as good this season as United have been bad. The Reds marched on last weekend, thrashing West Ham United 5-0 to extend their lead at the summit of the standings.
It is hard to look past the hosts here. United are really struggling for form and they will find themselves under heavy pressure from the first whistle at the home of their arch-rivals.
Arne Slot’s team are superior to United in all departments and the gulf between the sides will be clear for all to see when they go head-to-head.
Liverpool should be ahead after both 45 and 90 minutes, with Amorim’s men likely to suffer yet another defeat.
Tip Liverpool/Liverpool in the half-time/full-time market at 5/6 with bet365
Bournemouth vs Everton: Under 2.5 goals (Evens)
Everton recently held Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City to draws in consecutive matches, before they went down 2-0 to Nottingham Forest last time out.
Sean Dyche’s side just cannot seem to pull clear of the bottom three and they face another tough test in their first assignment of 2025.
Bournemouth are flying high having emerged as surprise European contenders under the leadership of the astute Andoni Iraola.
The Cherries excel when pressing high up the pitch and forcing turnovers in advanced areas, but Everton’s direct style means they will have fewer opportunities to pinch possession in the final third.
Bournemouth deserve to be favourites, but they could be frustrated for periods of this game. Everton are capable of keeping the score down at the Vitality Stadium, so do not expect a goal-laden affair.
Go for under 2.5 goals at evens with bet365
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Crystal Palace or draw (10/11)
Having taken just one point from the last nine available, Chelsea’s title hopes are hanging by a thread.
A 2-0 loss to Ipswich Town on Monday was their most disappointing result of the campaign, as Enzo Maresca’s men became the first visitors to come unstuck at Portman Road.
Crystal Palace were recently demolished 5-1 by Arsenal, but their recent form has otherwise been good.
Oliver Glasner’s charges are starting to look up the table and they will give this game as good as they have got.
Chelsea have gone off the boil and defensive question marks continue to linger. The Blues will not have everything their own way in their first London derby of the new year.
Select Crystal Palace or draw at 10/11 with bet365
Back the 3-fold acca
Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (1/2)
Tottenham Hotspur desperately need a pick-me-up. A dismal run of form has left them in the bottom half of the table, and Ange Postecoglou is under huge pressure to turn things around.
A run of four consecutive victories has transformed Newcastle United’s campaign. Tottenham will hope something similar lies in store for them.
The Magpies have not conceded a single goal during this winning sequence, but for all their faults Tottenham continue to create chances.
They even managed to score three times against Liverpool recently; the problem was their concession of six goals at the other end.
Whatever the outcome, this promises to be an entertaining encounter between two teams who know where the goal is. Attacks should get the better of defences at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Choose both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 1/2 with bet365
Aston Villa vs Leicester City: Aston Villa to win (1/3)
Leicester City are in massive trouble. They dropped to second-bottom after Ipswich Town’s victory over Chelsea on Monday. One could argue the Foxes are yet to play well under Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Aston Villa are much less consistent than Unai Emery would like them to be. They have not been able to string a run of wins together for a while.
Having said that, Villa should prove too strong for Leicester this weekend. Emery has more quality at his disposal than Van Nistelrooy in every area of the pitch.
Leicester are finding it difficult to keep goals out. That does not bode well for a duel with the likes of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and John McGinn.
Leicester can cause one or two issues going the other way, but we do not see them avoiding defeat in this battle between West and East Midlands.
Back Aston Villa to win at 1/3 with bet365
Back the 5-fold acca
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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