1- LIVERPOOL v BOURNEMOUTH
Liverpool will hope to claim a first win of the new campaign this weekend when they host Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday.
The Merseyside Reds opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw away at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea while the Andoni Iraola-era began in similar fashion as their opposition’s with the Cherries being held to a 1-1 draw at home against West Ham.
Visiting Bournemouth return to Anfield for the first time since the debilitating 9-0 bashing at the hands of their hosts last term, the side’s heaviest league defeat – an outcome Iraola will dread a reoccurrence of.
In the previous five meetings between both sides, Liverpool have claimed the better results with four wins while losing just once to Bournemouth.
PREDICTION
Jurgen Klopp’s side may not have had the dream start they anticipated against Chelsea last week but the dynamics appear very different this time around on home turf against a side who are not the most famous for causing upsets at Anfield and especially not when the hosts presently enjoy a 12-game unbeaten run at home, so we feel this would most likely churn out a commanding victory for the hosts, so a combo option of home win and over 2.5 goals scored (1 & ov. 2.5G) at 1.38 odds @Bestbet360 should do just fine.
2- TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v MANCHESTER UNITED
A historically high scoring tie is on the menu in game-week 2 of the 23/24 EPL season as Tottenham Hotspur welcome Manchester United to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Saturday.
Spurs began life under Ange Postecoglu with a decent outcome, playing out a 2-2 draw against city rivals Brentford while Manchester United narrowly emerged unscathed in the 1-0 win against Wolves.
The host’s the new campaign under former Celtics manager Ange Postecoglu, began with some optimism following the uncertainties surrounding high profile departures, the biggest one being club record goal-scorer Harry Kane who made the permanent move to Bavarian giants Bayern Munich.
The last five meetings between both sides have produced outcomes more favorable for the visitors as United are undefeated with four wins and a draw against the hosts under their belt.
PREDICTION
While previous results against Manchester United will prove to be a cause for concern for Ange Postecoglu’s side, we feel given the side’s attacking display against Brentford and United’s underwhelming performance at home against Wolves, this fixture will likely produce goals, so we’ll lean with that and predict an over 2.5 goals scored outcome (ov. 2.5 G) at 1.46 odds @Bestbet360.
3- MANCHESTER CITY v NEWCASTLE.
The highest scoring sides from game week 1 of the 23/24 EPL campaign clash at the Etihad this weekend as Champions Manchester City welcome Newcastle on Saturday.
The Hosts began the season with a comfortable 3-0 win over promoted side Burnley while a 5-star display from the Magpies was enough to see out a 5-1 thumping of Aston Villa.
Pep Guardiola’s side head into this clash rich in confidence following their UEFA Super Cup Triumph in midweek over Sevilla, the first in the club’s history, but will face stern opposition from a potentially dangerous Newcastle side led by Eddie Howe.
The last five clashes between both teams has ended with the Cityzens claiming four wins and playing out a draw, heading into this game undefeated against Newcastle.
PREDICTION
Both sides began the new campaign in commanding fashion, claiming convincing wins over each opponents faced. Given the formidable attacking options both teams possess and Newcastle being the more rested side than their opposition who had continental affairs days ago, we feel this game is easily shaping up to be a “goalfest” with both sides getting on the scoresheet, hence a GG outcome at 1.59 odds @Bestbet360 is a very likely outcome.
4- BORUSSIA DORTMUND v KÖLN
Last season’s Bundesliga runners up, Borussia Dortmund begin the new season this weekend at home to FC Köln non Saturday.
Dortmund enjoyed a positive preseason run, capping it off with a commanding 6-1 victory over TCV Schott Mainz in the first round of the DFB Pokal while Köln also won their DFB round round 1 tie, claiming a 3-1 win over Bundesliga 2 side, VFL Osnabrück.
Edin Terzic’s Dortmund will have hopefully put to bed the disappointment of losing the Bundesliga title on the final day of the previous campaign and will begin anew, even with high profile departures such as Jude Bellingham and Raphael Guerreiro who moved to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich respectively.
The last five meetings between both sides have produced some high scoring affairs but sees Dortmund claim one more win (2), than the opposition (1), while the other two games have ended in draws.
PREDICTION
Borussia Dortmund will hope to have a bright start to the new campaign and given how the side, for the past five seasons haven’t lost on the opening game week of the new season, our prediction for this tie is leaning towards a win for the hosts, so a home win prediction (1) at 1.44 odds @Bestbet360, will seat just nicely.
5- REAL BETIS v ATHLETICO MADRID
Gameweek 2 of the 23/24 La Liga season gets underway this weekend as Real Betis host Athletico Madrid at the Estadio Benito Villamarin stadium this weekend in one of the top billed encounters.
Betis began the new campaign on a good note, claiming a 2-1 win away at Villarreal while Athletico also scored a win, playing 3-1 against newly promoted side, Granada.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side continue the new campaign, in the hopes of finishing better than the sixth-placed finish in La Liga last term, ending seven points clear of seventh-placed Osasuna, which directly qualified them for the group stage of the Europa League.
The last five games between both teams has seen Athletico be undefeated, claiming four wins and a draw against Betis who would hope to come out with a more favourable outcome when both sides clash this weekend.
PREDICTION
Real Betis head into this tie having not actually beaten Atletico at home in the league since February 2019, and they will have to host a side that boasted the second-best away record in Spain’s top flight last season, during the 2022-23 campaign, picking up 35 points from their 19 matches on their travels. In lieu of the aforementioned fact, we would go for a combo prediction of a double-chance and over 1.5 goals outcome in favour of the visitors (X2 & ov. 1.5G), that option will go for 1.62 odds @Bestbet360.
This week’s entire selection leaves you with a sempe ACCA combo of 7.49 odds thanks to your preferred bookmakers Bestbet360.
Remember to always bet responsibly and may the odds surely be in your favor this weekend. Kpoko!!!!!