Premier League Betting: Best Bets and Player Props for Matchweek 12
The English Premier League is off and running for the 2024-25 campaign.
When looking at the EPL soccer odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, which bets make the most sense for this matchweek?
Premier League Betting Picks and Prop Bets for Matchweek 12
Nottingham Forest at Arsenal (10 a.m. ET Saturday)
Bukayo Saka to Score or Assist (-125)
Nottingham Forest have been one of this season's biggest surprises so far while Arsenal have started slowly. But there's a reason the Gunners are -290 to win, and when Arsenal play well, Bukayo Saka is usually involved.
Arsenal's attack has been meh this campaign, ranking eighth in expected goals (xG), per FBRef's xG model. A lot of that is due to the absence of Martin Odegaard, the Gunners' key creative force in midfield who has made only four EPL starts due to injury. But Odegaard returned prior to this past international break, and we should see a more free-flowing Arsenal on Saturday.
Even amidst the Gunners' early-season struggles, Saka has put up elite numbers. The star right-winger has recorded three goals and seven assists in 10 EPL starts. He takes penalties and also handles a good amount of corners, giving him a few paths to register a goal or assist.
Forest's excellent start to the season has been impressive, and their defense has given up the second-fewest xG in the league. However, I'm not sure how long that will last, and we saw cracks in their armor in Forest's most recent match, a 3-1 home defeat to Newcastle.
Saka should get into dangerous areas, per usual, and with Arsenal -210 to score at least twice, I like his chances to tally a goal or assist.
Manchester City at Tottenham (12:30 p.m. ET Saturday)
Under 3.5 Goals (+100)
This is the headline match of the weekend, and I'm not sure we'll see as many fireworks as what the market is expecting.
In Ange Postecoglou's first year at Spurs, Tottenham were a team that bombed forward in attack and gave up a lot of chances defensively, finishing with the seventh-most xG allowed. They've tightened things up defensively this campaign, permitting the sixth-fewest goals and fifth-fewest xG thus far. In their past two matches against top teams, Spurs held Villa to one goal and kept a clean sheet at Manchester United.
City are undoubtedly in a funk, losing four straight matches across all competitions heading into the recent international break. The issues have come at both ends, but they've been particularly leaky on D, giving up 10 goals over those four losses.
For as fun as Pep Guardiola's teams are going forward, he's a manager whose City teams over the years have consistently suffocated opponents and allowed very few chances. I think City -- with the benefit of a well-timed international break -- get back to the basics of defending against Tottenham.
Admittedly, it's scary to take this bet given how much attacking talent will be on the pitch on Saturday, but with Spurs' newfound defensive prowess and City's attack out of form, I'm backing this match to go under 3.5 goals.
West Ham at Newcastle United (3 p.m. ET Monday)
Anthony Gordon to Score or Assist (-110)
Newcastle Over 2.5 Goals (+158)
The matchweek concludes with a Monday clash at St. James' Park between Newcastle and West Ham. These two sides have been trending in opposite directions, and I think that continues in this matchup.
Newcastle started slowly this season but have found their footing of late, looking a lot more like the hard-pressing, energetic Eddie Howe team from two years ago, the one that made it into the top four. They've mustered at least 1.5 xG in all but two EPL matches this season, and over their last three outings across all competitions, they've beaten Chelsea, Arsenal and a red-hot Forest.
With Alexander Isak back healthy, the Magpies' attack has been on point, and they can create plenty of chances versus West Ham. Anthony Gordon handles some corners, and while his output hasn't been great this season, getting Isak back makes a huge difference for him (and the attack as a whole).
Going to Newcastle for a night game is a tall task for any side. I'm not sure West Ham will be able to handle it. The Hammers have allowed nine goals over their five away matches in league play, and they sits 15th overall in xG differential. In three of their past four matches, they gave up five goals at Liverpool in a cup game, three at Forest and four at Tottenham. Yikes.
Newcastle should run rampant on Monday, and while Gordon to score or assist is my favorite bet of the match, I also like the Magpies to score at least three.
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