Match Preview

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Weekend Preview: (20th May & 21st May)

PSG, Manchester City and Bayern Munich could all be crowned champions this weekend while Manchester United could take a gigantic step towards securing Champions League football for next season. We look at these and more, but before we do, head to our Cross Sport Specials page to check out some of the special offers we have. You can also read about our new feature; the Pick 11 Jackpot Bet here.

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Bournemouth vs. Manchester United

Liverpool’s 3-0 triumph against Leicester City and Newcastle United’s 4-1 victory over Brighton have intensified the pressure on Erik ten Hag to secure a win this weekend. Liverpool is trailing the Red Devils by just 1 point, while the Magpies need only one more victory to secure a spot in the Champions League for the next season. Manchester United’s poor form in away matches has made this game even more challenging than anticipated. In their last 10 games outside of Old Trafford, they have suffered 5 defeats and managed only 3 victories, one of which came through a penalty shootout in the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley. To put it in perspective, they have won 8 and drawn 2 of their last 10 matches at home.

Manchester United clearly benefited from the seven-day rest they had before their home game against Wolves last weekend. Although it took them over an hour to score the second goal that secured the victory, they never seemed at risk of allowing the visitors to gain anything from the match. The return of their top scorer, Marcus Rashford, to training has provided a significant boost to the club. Despite being sidelined with an injury over the weekend, the 25-year-old is expected to play a role in the upcoming match. In the Premier League, Rashford has scored 16 goals and provided 5 assists, directly contributing to 21 out of the team’s 51 league goals this season (41.2%). Having won 8 of their 11 Premier League games against the Cherries, the Red Devils will aim to grab 3 vital points in their final away game of the campaign, and they’ll hope their Marcus Rashford led attack can deliver that.

After securing safety from relegation, Bournemouth appears to have eased off the throttle. Their impressive streak of four league wins in five matches, including a thrilling away victory over Spurs, has been followed by consecutive losses to Chelsea and Crystal Palace. The Cherries haven’t lost more than 2 games in a bounce since New Year’s Day, and interestingly, their third loss during that period came against the Red Devils at Old Trafford, where Casemiro, Luke Shaw, and Marcus Rashford all found the net in a 3-0 triumph. While Bournemouth will likely aim to end their season with a win in their final home game, Manchester United’s determination to secure victory is expected to surpass their opponents’.

Bournemouth Form: L-W-W-L-L

Manchester United Form: D-W-L-L-W

In 14 meetings against Bournemouth in all competitions, Manchester United have only failed to score on one occasion. In those 14 games, the Red Devils have won 10, drawn 2 and lost 2.

Predictions:

Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Manchester City extended their fantastic home record in 2023 to 15 wins in 15 games. That 15th win came against the reigning European champions, Real Madrid in a proper beat down, with many saying the 4-0 scoreline didn’t do justice to City’s brilliance and dominance. Erling Haaland once again failed to find the back of the net in this game but Bernardo Silva (2), Manuel Akanji and substitute Julián Álvarez all got on the scoresheet. Irrespective of the outcome of Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest, if Manchester City secures their 16th consecutive home win this weekend, they will be crowned champions for the third consecutive time. With the possibility of winning a treble now more attainable than ever, Pep Guardiola aims to wrap up the league title as early as possible to ensure his players are fresh for the upcoming Cup finals.

Frank Lampard snapped his 6-game losing streak at Chelsea with a 3-1 win at Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw at home to Nottingham Forest. In the last game, Raheem Sterling and Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi traded braces in the game, but the Blues were left frustrated after they dominated possession (77% – 23%) and shots on target (6-2) but just couldn’t get the winner.

Chelsea enter this game as significant underdogs, and rightfully so. Their recent away record has been lackluster, with only two wins in their last 15 matches across all competitions. Additionally, they have managed to keep just one clean sheet during that period. Against Manchester City this season, Chelsea has suffered three defeats in three different competitions, conceding a total of seven goals while failing to score any. Not since the 2011/12 season (against Manchester United) have the Blues lost four games to single club in a season. Riyad Mahrez has been a thorn in Chelsea’s side, scoring four of the seven goals conceded by Chelsea in those matches. Having made a substitute appearance against Real Madrid on Wednesday, the former African Player of the Year is expected to start against Chelsea, aiming to extend his scoring streak against them to four consecutive games this season.

Manchester City Form: W-W-D-W-W

Chelsea Form: L-L-L-W-D

Since losing to Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League final, Manchester City have won each of their last 5 games against Chelsea in all competitions without conceding a single goal.

Predictions:

Man City to win @1.26
Man City to keep a clean sheet @1.95
Riyad Mahrez anytime scorer @3.90

Nottingham Forest vs. Arsenal

In a matter of a few weeks filled with despair, Arsenal’s fortunes took a drastic turn from leading the league by 5 points to facing the possibility of losing the league title by 7 points. The unacceptable 3-0 loss to Brighton at the Emirates Stadium dealt a final blow to the Gunners’ hopes of clinching the title. However, as they strive to end the season on a positive note, Arsenal has the opportunity to achieve their second-ever Premier League double over Nottingham Forest since the 1998/99 season. Earlier this season, the Gunners were 5-0 victors at the Emirates Stadium against Forest. Throughout the match, Forest faced immense pressure, conceding 24 shots, 9 corners, and possessing only 30% of the ball.

Arsenal has been the most impressive team on the road this season, securing 12 wins out of 18 matches and averaging 2.17 points per game. Dating back to the 90s, they’ve won their last 4 Premier League games against Forest and will try to make it 5 wins in a row against them for the first time in top flight history. There is a possibility that Martinelli, who was substituted in the first half against Brighton, may not be available for selection, but Arteta can rely on the talents of Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, both of whom were recently nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Interestingly, in their last five league matches, both teams have accumulated the same number of league points (7) and securing a victory in this match would guarantee Nottingham Forest’s safety, and it is expected that they will approach the game with great determination. Forest’s last triumph over Arsenal in a league match dates back to 1996, but as a team from a lower league, they have emerged victorious in their last two encounters against the Gunners at the City Ground: a 4-2 FA Cup win in 2018 and another A Cup win last season (1-0). Over the 4 Premier League games, they’ve won twice and drawn once to create a bit of separation between them and the drop zone. One significant factor contributing to Forest’s late resurgence is the performance of Nigerian forward Taiwo Awoniyi. The former Liverpool striker scored two braces against Southampton and Chelsea, doubling his league goal tally from the previous 23 games.

Nottingham Forest Form: L-W-L-W-D

Arsenal Form: D-L-W-W-L

Four of Arsenal’s last six games has seen both teams score goals while five of Nottingham’s last six games has. With both teams having to endure defensive issues late in the season, there’s value in betting on both of them to find the back of the net.

Predictions:

Barcelona vs. Real Sociedad

Though celebrations were cut short by angry Espanyol fans that threatened their safety, Barcelona’s 4-2 last weekend secured a first LaLiga title in 4 years for the Catalans. Summer signings, Robert Lewandowski (2) and Jules Kounde got on the scoresheet while Alejandro Balde scored his first ever senior goal in what has been a breakthrough season for the 19-year-old. Having already had a trophy parade alongside their women’s team who the Primera División, they’ll now turn the sights to the finishing with a strong home record.

In terms of defense, the newly crowned champions of Spain have been absolutely outstanding, managing to keep 25 clean sheets in 34 games. Their performance at home, however, has been particularly remarkable. In 17 matches played at the Camp Nou, they have an impressive 15 clean sheets and only conceded 2 goals, both of which were not from open play. Marc-André ter Stegen, on a personal level, will be motivated to prolong this historic achievement, indicating that we can expect a strong performance from the team. Robert Lewandowski, who has recently regained his scoring touch with 4 goals in his last 4 games, will also be eager to make an impact. If he maintains his current form, the Polish striker has a chance to secure the Pichichi Trophy, as he currently leads the current holder Karim Benzema by 4 goals, with a total of 21 goals scored so far.

Real Sociedad currently holds a 5-point lead in the 4th position and is on the verge of securing a spot in the Champions League, which would be their first in ten years. However, all indications suggest that they are likely to face a defeat at Camp Nou. Following their a run of four consecutive away games after the FIFA World Cup, their momentum was disrupted by a 1-0 loss to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey. Since then, they have experienced a downturn, winning only two out of their last ten road games and losing five. During this period, they have scored a mere six goals and failed to find the back of the net in seven games. Real Sociedad is typically known for their low-scoring style, as evidenced by their tally of just 45 league goals this season, which is the lowest among the current top four teams in Europe’s five major leagues. Given their struggles and Barcelona’s strong defensive record, it is difficult to envision them earning any positive result from this match.

Barcelona Form: W-L-W-W-W

Real Sociedad Form: W-D-W-W-D

Barcelona’s 24-game winning streak against Real Sociedad at home is their longest active streak against a single opponent in LaLiga.

Predictions:

Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig

This weekend, the Bundesliga title race, which is the most closely contested in Germany’s top tier in 13 years, could be decided. If Thomas Tuchel’s team emerges victorious against RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund fails to defeat Augsburg on Sunday, Bayern would secure a record-extending 11th consecutive league title. However, a win for RB Leipzig would guarantee their participation in the Champions League for the fifth consecutive season, and a victory for Dortmund would see them leapfrog Bayern in the standings. With so much at stake, the team leading after this match day has a high chance of ultimately lifting the title.

Bayern’s quest for the title this season has been harder than usual. With 68 points after 32 matchdays, it is their lowest tally since the 2011/12 season when they failed to win the championship. However, their recent 6-0 victory over Schalke, which happens to be Thomas Tuchel’s biggest win as a Bundesliga Head Coach, came at a crucial moment, boosting the morale of a tense group of players. Remarkably, Bayern has managed to score in each of their last 56 home Bundesliga matches, but interestingly, the last team to prevent them from scoring at home was Leipzig in a goalless draw on February 9, 2020.

RB Leipzig’s Marco Rose has done an exceptional job since joining the club earlier in the season. He’s taken them from 11th on the table to 3rd, while securing a place in next month’s final of the DFB-Pokal. Despite facing some setbacks, notably the heavy 7-0 defeat to Manchester City, RB Leipzig has once again managed to turn their season around. They have emerged victorious in 7 out of their last 8 matches across all competitions, with a 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen being their only setback. Notably, their last 5 league wins have all been achieved by a narrow 1-goal margin, showcasing their resilience in tightly contested matches. This ability to convert draws into victories could prove valuable against Bayern, who are known for their strong defensive record and limited chances conceded.

Bayern’s Serge Gnabry and Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku are both tied on 13 league goals apiece. They’re 3 behind Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug (16) and would be key to their respective attacks.

Bayern Munich Form: D-L-W-W-W

RB Leipzig Form: L-W-W-W-W

RB Leipzig have won only one of their 16 competitive games against Bayern (D6, L9); a 2-1 home win in 2018. Their 11-game run without a win against the Bavarians is their longest against a particular side in club history.

Predictions:

Auxerre vs. Paris Saint-Germain

This clash will have significant effects on both ends of the table, and it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. A win for PSG – and a draw or loss for RC Lens – would see the Parisians officially crowned French Champions for the 11th time but also kick Auxerre into the relegation zone if Nantes wins their game against Montpellier.

This marks the third consecutive week in which PSG will face a team fighting against relegation, and thus far, they have been flawless with two wins out of two. In their previous match against Ajaccio, PSG triumphed with a 5-0 scoreline, officially relegating their opponents. However, the victory was overshadowed by Achraf Hakimi’s dismissal. The Moroccan international found the back of the net but was sent off for the second time in two league games after a confrontation with an opposing player late in the second half. Kylian Mbappé (26) scored a brace to move one goal clear of Alexandre Lacazette (25) in the race for the Golden Boot. The World Cup winner has scored 13 goals in his last 12 league matches, and we anticipate him finding the back of the net once more.

After suffering a defeat against Brest in their previous match, Auxerre’s chances of remaining in Ligue 1 have diminished, with a 70% probability of returning to Ligue 2, despite not currently being in the relegation zone. Their upcoming fixtures against PSG this weekend and a final day clash with second-placed RC Lens present a daunting challenge that requires them to achieve unexpected victories in order to avoid relegation. However, when playing at home, Auxerre has shown some promise in recent weeks. They have managed to keep games closely contested, with only 11 goals scored in their last 7 matches at Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps. Moreover, they remain undefeated in those 7 games, and currently, only Lille, with 14 matches, have a longer unbeaten home streak. It is worth noting, though, that Auxerre has only won 3 out of those 7 matches.

Auxerre Form: W-D-L-D-L

Paris Saint-Germain Form: W-W-L-W-W