Our soccer expert shares betting tips and previews some huge games in matchday 14 with both Manchester clubs involved in blockbuster fixtures against Newcastle United and Tottenham respectively. 

 

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Newcastle United vs Manchester United (Saturday 20:00 UTC)

Well what can we say about THAT goal in Manchester United’s last league game at Everton and sparked a couple of debates, is it better than Rooney’s very similar goal and did Garnacho really just rip off Ronaldo’s goal celebration? We’re calling it the Garnacho pirouette. 

Given the injuries this season (currently nine first-team players out) does Erik ten Hag deserve more credit for grinding out these wins in the Premier League? Much seems to be made of Newcastle's and Spurs' injuries, but not much is heard about Manchester United's.

Look at the Premier League table now and Manchester United are only four points off the Champions League places, so Ten Hag certainly deserves credit for that. United’s recent run has perhaps been somewhat masked by unconvincing performances – to which Ten Hag could argue 'just imagine what will happen if they start playing well'.

Wednesday night was a night to forget for sure with their Champions League hopes suffering another setback as a horror show from goalkeeper Andre Onana allowed Galatasaray to earn a draw in a classic match in Istanbul.

Erik ten Hag's side did so much right and twice held a two-goal lead but errors from Onana threw Galatasaray lifelines to leave United bottom of Group A with their hopes of reaching the knockout phase in the balance before their final game at home to Bayern Munich. One to forget in Europe.

Overall, I do think United’s performances this season have been average irrespective of injuries and obviously the aim is always higher than sixth but things do seem to be heading in a better direction. 

Newcastle have been a little stop-start in the last five games, and like Man Utd, a little unconvincing but their injuries are crushing the team's performances with Eddie Howe relying on the academy guys to dig him out of the mire. They were frustrating PSG in the Champions League and only lost to an extremely late penalty after holding on to a slender one-goal lead for so long, The Toon would've been proud no doubt.

"Mind-blowing" is the term I'm going to use to describe Eddie Howe with what he has done at Newcastle and more importantly silence the doubters. When he named three goalkeepers and four teenagers on the bench against Chelsea, many backed the resurgent Londoners to come away with a win up north. Yet Howe found a way - as he always does - to prove people wrong.

Around world football, Mauricio Pochettino is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the game. If there was one manager any club in the world would hire, any fan would want, I think it would be from Saturday's home dugout.

Howe manages to drill his intense style of play into anyone he picks. They outfought and outshone Chelsea's billion-pound team.

Lewis Miley, a local lad, stole the show in the middle of the park against a £200m midfield pair in Enzo Fernandez and, latterly, Moises Caicedo. What a game from the Geordie, who looks to have a very bright future. Under Howe's guidance, the sky's the limit.

I honestly can see this being a close game given the team's form but Newcastle are coming into the game clear favourites at 1.93 and The Red Devils at 3.92 but a draw is a good shout here at 3.85. Maybe Howe’s men will match their 2-0 home win in the league back in April this year at 10.68.

 

Chelsea vs Brighton (Sunday 14:00 UTC)

The celebration police were out in force this weekend following the scenes that greeted the full-time whistle as Brighton won at Nottingham Forest. Roberto de Zerbi made a passable impression of Usain Bolt with the speed at which he sprinted from the dugout to the away section of the City Ground. He was quickly joined by a number of Albion players, all of whom tore towards the packed-away end.

It did rather look like Brighton had just won the Champions League rather than beating the 14th best team in England. Forest fans and supporters of other clubs called it embarrassing and disrespectful. But who cares what they think?

The reaction – on the part of De Zerbi at least – was one of relief as much as anything. The Albion had not won for seven Premier League matches, a run stretching back to the end of September and the worst of the De Zerbi era.

Brighton arrived on the banks of the Trent with 10 players missing through injury and one suspended. Ansu Fati and Tariq Lamptey then joined the injured ranks and had to be substituted before half-time.

Chelsea are seemingly the biggest investor in Brighton than Todd Boehly in his own club. Since July 2021 Brighton have sold nine of their stars to top-flight rivals - three of them to Chelsea - while repeatedly banking far bigger transfer fees than the ones they paid to acquire the players in the first place.

This Chelsea team are making a habit of turning a corner, taking a peek... and then heading back the way they came. Every time their supporters allow themselves to believe for a moment that things are moving in the right direction, the team slumps back to their worst habits.

Saturday's loss to Newcastle United didn't even have the redeeming features of some of their other defeats this season. This wasn't a case of frustrating missed chances costing Chelsea the game, this was just sloppy mistakes combined with what looked disturbingly like a lack of effort in the second half.

No wonder there was tangible frustration from manager Mauricio Pochettino, who openly criticised his players rather than reeling off a list of mitigating factors as he has done on many occasions before. The injury crisis is over, the new signings of last summer and January have had plenty of time to gel now, and the coaching staff have had almost six months to do their work. The excuses for why this team can't perform consistently are starting to look thin and tired.

So what now? Well, given the pattern of the season, probably a couple of impressive performances and good results - then a slump back to reality after that. As the remaining games of the season run out and another mid-table finish becomes inevitable, the question is: how long are the owners willing to put up with that?

Brighton will be dogged but I think Chelsea will have too much to bring to this game and are priced accordingly at 1.724 and Brighton at 4.53. Poch’s men all the way in the betting for sure.

 

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Manchester City vs Tottenham (Sunday 16:30 UTC)

Manchester City come into this one off the back of a 3-2 win, coming from two goals down in style to secure top spot in their group. With a one-point gap to Arsenal at the top of the table, keeping in touch is all that will matter at this stage to Pep Guardiola. They showed last year what can be done with a handful of games left, so confidence will be there in the squad to repeat that run when it matters most.

Guardiola will want to be distracted from the news that has broken Thursday of the agreed date for them to face the alleged rule break charges, all 115 of them. He will want the players to remain focused on the job at hand. Erling Haaland bagged his 50th Premier League goal last weekend, becoming the quickest player ever to do so and will be the main main once again in this one.

Spurs, on the other hand, have had nothing but misery piled on them since a 4-1 defeat to Chelsea. With an injury list continuing to pile up following their home loss to Aston Villa last weekend, one will wonder just how many City can score here against a team who’ve hit a rough patch.

It’s the first real test for Ange Postecoglou after winning five of six trophies in Scotland for Celtic. With a challenging Christmas period ahead, staying in contention with the top 4 will be key for his side who will surely look to strengthen certain areas in the January window. James Maddison is a key loss, like Kevin de Bruyne for the home side, but the best teams find ways to get wins regardless. That will be the challenge for Ange here who has still surpassed anyone’s predictions playing free-flowing football to this point and collecting three consecutive Manager of the Month awards - a Premier League first.

Since joining Manchester City, the Spaniard has lost more top-flight games to Spurs any other opponent, one stat to keep an eye on here with how Spurs always seem to impress, even if results have been a struggle of late. Still, anyone would be crazy to back against City here (1.29) at home, whereas Spurs are 9.32, with a draw at 6.27 currently. 

 

Full list of Premier League fixtures - Matchday 14

Saturday 2nd December

Arsenal vs Wolves

Brentford vs Luton Town

Burnley vs Sheffield United

Nottingham Forest vs Everton

Newcastle United vs Manchester United

 

Sunday 3rd December

Bournemouth vs Aston Villa

Chelsea vs Brighton

Liverpool vs Fulham

West Ham United vs Crystal Palace

Manchester City vs Tottenham 

 

**Odds are subject to change. Odds accurate as of 10:00 UTC Friday 1st December**

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