Saturday's Premier League Bet Builder tips: Watkins can start with a bang
- Saturday features six Premier League matches
- Liverpool won only one of their final five away games last season
- Both teams have scored in eight of the last nine meetings between West Ham and Aston Villa
The Premier League makes its much-anticipated return this weekend and Saturday sees six fixtures taking place, featuring title-chasing Arsenal at home to Wolves and a much-changed Liverpool travelling to new boys Ipswich.
Liverpool, in their first league game under Jurgen Klopp’s successor Arne Slot, get the action underway at Portman Road and that is one of two televised tussles taking place along with West Ham at home to Aston Villa.
Ipswich v Liverpool (Saturday, 12.30pm)
Bet 1: Ipswich Town or draw double chance
Ipswich are going to be roared on by a raucous home crowd on their Premier League return at Portman Road and, if they keep things tight early, then it is easy to envisage them frustrating Liverpool in what is their first competitive game under Slot.
Stepping into Klopp’s shoes is not going to be a simple transition for the Dutchman and newly-promoted teams can still be riding a high from last season, which ensures they are never to be taken as an easy opening opponent.
Liverpool won only one of their final five away games last term and they dropped points at Luton and lost at Everton, suggesting the Tractor Boys may be tough to budge.
Bet 2: Under 3.5 goals in the match
If Ipswich are going to pick up a positive result then keeping the contest low-scoring will be their best chance of doing so and getting through the opening 25 minutes will be key.
Five of Ipswich’s last six games in the Championship last season featured three or fewer goals and in Kieran McKenna they have an intelligent manager who won’t set up his team to play to Liverpool’s strengths.
Bet 3: Liverpool to have most corners in the match
While Ipswich can be competitive, Liverpool’s array of attacking stars means they should create plenty of chances and if they are chasing the game then that could lead to a high number of corners.
The Reds had more corners than any other team in the Premier League with 287, which is an average of 7.5 per game.
West Ham v Aston Villa (Saturday, 5.30pm)
Bet 1: Both teams to score
Both teams scored in both meetings between West Ham and Aston Villa last season, which means the net has bulged at each end in eight of their last nine rivalries.
Both teams scored in six of West Ham’s final seven home league matches last season while Villa kept only one clean sheet in their last eight games last term, with both teams scoring in five of those outings.
Bet 2: Over 3.5 goals
Six of Aston Villa's last eight Premier League matches in 2023-24 featured over 3.5 goals, as did West Ham's last five, and this could be a high-scoring encounter between two attack-minded sides.
Villa will be hoping to emulate last season’s fourth-placed finish but they will have Champions League commitments, while hopes are high at West Ham following the arrivals of exciting winger Crysencio Summerville and Germany international Niclas Fullkrug.
Bet 3: Ollie Watkins to score at anytime
Ollie Watkins finished fourth in the Premier League scoring charts last season, racking up 19 goals and grabbing 13 assists in 37 appearances, and he is going to be vital to Villa’s progression this season.
The 28-year-old has netted in two of his last three rivalries against West Ham, which includes opening the scoring at the London Stadium two season ago.
He missed pre-season after the Euros but is back in training and should be raring to go in their Premier League opener.
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