This weekend is the second matchday of the Premier League season, headlined by two marquee matches – one being a clash between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, the other being a match fitting of the current climate and time revolving around the Alexander Isak situation between Newcastle United and Liverpool.
Here are my best bets for Premier League Matchday 2.
Contents:
- West Ham vs Chelsea: Chelsea Win
- West Ham vs Chelsea: Jarrod Bowen (WHU) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
- Manchester City vs Tottenham: 3-leg Bet Builder/Same Game Parlay
- Brentford vs Aston Villa: Aston Villa Win
- Newcastle United vs Liverpool: Ekitike (LIV) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
- Newcastle United vs Liverpool: Anthony Gordon (NEW) and Mohammed Salah (LIV) each to have 2+ shots
West Ham vs Chelsea: Chelsea Win
Odds:
- American: -164
- Decimal: 1.61
- Fractional: 61/100
West Ham United and Chelsea both stumbled out of the gate on Matchday 1, with the Hammers falling 3-0 away to Sunderland and the Blues settling for a frustrating 0-0 draw at home against Crystal Palace. Now, the two sides meet in a London derby at the London Stadium on Friday, August 22, 2025, each aiming for a much-needed response.
West Ham struggled to break down Sunderland’s compact blocks, holding 63% possession but creating little of note. Their pivots dropped too deep, recycling the ball instead of progressing it, which only played into Sunderland’s hands. Defensive transitions were equally shaky, with Sunderland’s pace exposing gaps that Chelsea’s sharper, faster attack will be eager to exploit.
Chelsea’s midfield quality should dominate, making it hard for West Ham to gain control or pick the right passes. If the Hammers leave similar gaps, Chelsea’s attackers could carve them open. Still, Crystal Palace showed Chelsea can be hurt on the counter, and West Ham may try to use that as their way in.
I believe West Ham’s struggles under Graham Potter will persist, and this matchup against Chelsea is unlikely to provide much relief. The Blues will view this as a prime opportunity to take advantage of an out-of-form opponent, and they should fancy their chances of leaving the London Stadium with all three points on Friday night.
Pick: Chelsea to win
West Ham vs Chelsea: Jarrod Bowen (WHU) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
Odds:
- American: -120
- Decimal: 1.83
- Fractional: 83/100
Jarrod Bowen is West Ham’s main man. This was clearly evident as West Ham focused their attacking play against Sunderland down their right-hand side, looking for Bowen in the final 1/3 to play through on goal. Jarrod Bowen recorded a total of four shot attempts with one successfully being on target against Sunderland.
When Chelsea are in possession, left-back Marc Cucurella pushes high up the pitch, joining in with Chelsea’s midfield to provide numerical overloads higher up the pitch with Chelsea’s remaining three members of their back line shifting over and creating a back three line (see image below).
At times, Cucurella pushes even further up the pitch, joining in with their front line, inverted centrally and playing to the inside of Gittens.
West Ham will look to counter quickly and will be looking to force play down Chelsea’s left-hand side before looking to find Jarrod Bowen in a dangerous position behind Chelsea’s back line. With the odds being at -120 / 1.83 / 83/100 for a Bowen shot on target, I will be looking to capitalize on Chelsea’s susceptibility to opposition counter-attacks.
Pick: Jarrod Bowen (WHU) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
Manchester City vs Tottenham: 3-leg Bet Builder/Same Game Parlay
Manchester City win + over 7.5 total Shots on Target (SoT) + over 2.5 cards [3-Leg Bet Builder/Same Game Parlay]
Odds:
- American: +120
- Decimal: 2.20
- Fractional: 6/5
Manchester City and Tottenham both started off their respective league campaigns with wins. Manchester City beat Wolves away from home at Molineux 4-0, while Tottenham got a win over Burnley 3-0 at home.
Manchester City Win:
Manchester City steadied after a shaky start at Wolves before cruising to a 4–0 win, showing both their clinical edge and defensive discipline. Tottenham also impressed in a 3–0 victory over Burnley, but the quality of opposition makes it hard to draw real conclusions. Spurs’ narrow Super Cup loss to PSG looked promising, yet context matters – PSG had a 6 day long preseason.
Against Burnley, Tottenham dominated possession (67%) and stretched play effectively, but warning signs were there. They allowed 14 shots and at times looked vulnerable to turnovers under pressure. Manchester City’s attack won’t let such errors slide.
Much of Spurs’ build-up and progression came through the flanks rather than centrally through midfield. Their secondary route was more direct, using Vicario or the defensive line to bypass Burnley’s press with line-breaking passes into Richarlison, who dropped between the lines to link play. That exact pattern led to Brennan Johnson’s goal, highlighting Spurs’ ability to hurt opponents quickly when transitions opened up. [See image below]
The concern is that City’s midfielders and defenders are far more disciplined and effective at man-marking in those spaces. If they succeed in shutting down Richarlison’s drops, Tottenham may find their attacks breaking down early, with City immediately poised to counter and recycle possession.
City, meanwhile, were ruthless at Molineux; four shots on target, four goals, with Haaland and new signing Reijnders leading the charge. Defensively they were compact and sharp, catching Wolves offside repeatedly and even wiping out a goal with their line discipline. That cohesion will be vital against Spurs’ cross-heavy approach.
Ultimately, Tottenham’s bright start feels less convincing against limited opponents, while City’s blend of efficiency, quality, and structure looks built for a sterner test. Despite injuries, I firmly see Manchester City as the stronger, more decisive side here and expect them to take the win.
Over 7.5 Shots on Target
Last season, City and Spurs faced each other three times across all competitions, producing a combined 33 shots on target — an average of 11 per match. Tottenham averaged 6.67 SoT per game, while City averaged 4.33 SoT. Both sides create chances at will, and with their attacking quality, I see plenty of shots testing the goalkeepers again here.
Over 2.5 Cards
Across those same three head-to-heads, referees showed a total of 12 cards (an average of 4 per match). Saturday’s referee, Peter Bankes, averaged 3.87 cards per game in the 2024/25 Premier League season. With both sides expected to attack aggressively and press high, a few late challenges and tactical fouls seem inevitable. Clearing 3+ cards looks very achievable in this matchup.
Pick: Manchester City win + over 7.5 total Shots on Target (SoT) + over 2.5 cards [3-Leg Bet Builder/Same Game Parlay]
Brentford vs Aston Villa: Aston Villa Win
Odds:
- American: +120
- Decimal: 2.20
- Fractional: 6/5
Brentford come into this weekend under pressure after a 3–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. The summer exodus hit them hard: Thomas Frank and his staff left for Tottenham, Christian Nørgaard joined Arsenal, Bryan Mbeumo moved to Manchester United, and goalkeeper Mark Flekken departed for Bayer Leverkusen. To make matters worse, Yoane Wissa remains sidelined as he pushes for a transfer to Newcastle. Keith Andrews has stepped up from set-piece coach to manager, but his ability to guide the squad is still a mystery.
The Bees’ record against Aston Villa doesn’t inspire confidence either. They’ve failed to win any of the last six league meetings (D2 L4) and haven’t kept a clean sheet in eight Premier League encounters with the Lions, including last season’s 1–0 defeat at home.
Villa, meanwhile, opened with a gritty 0–0 draw against Newcastle after Ezri Konsa’s red card. Summer signing Marco Bizot impressed in goal, but Emiliano Martínez is back from suspension and should reclaim the starting spot. Konsa’s ban will likely see Pau Torres partner Tyrone Mings in central defence, while Morgan Rogers is expected to support Ollie Watkins in attack.
With Unai Emery’s experience and Villa’s stability, I see a gulf in class between these sides. Brentford look unsettled and unproven under Andrews, while Villa are well-positioned to punish them.
Pick: Aston Villa to win
Newcastle United vs Liverpool: Ekitike (LIV) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
Odds:
- American: -188
- Decimal: 1.53
- Fractional: 8/15
Hugo Ekitike has made a strong start to his Liverpool career, looking sharp and dangerous whenever he’s involved. The Reds clearly view him as a focal point, feeding him the ball in advanced areas to create quality shooting opportunities.
He opened his account in the FA Community Shield against Crystal Palace, scoring from three shots with one on target. A week later, in Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth, Ekitike again impressed – four shots, two on target, and another goal.
Liverpool will continue to play through him in dangerous situations, and I expect him to get more chances to test the goalkeeper here.
Pick: Ekitike (LIV) 1+ Shot on Target (SoT)
Newcastle United vs Liverpool: Anthony Gordon (NEW) & Mohamed Salah (LIV) each 2+ shots
Odds:
- American: -116
- Decimal: 1.86
- Fractional: 43/50
This match could be billed as the Alexander Isak derby, though Newcastle are still searching for their main talisman this season. In their opener against Aston Villa, it was Anthony Gordon who led the line and looked every bit the focal point of their attack.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have shown real vulnerability to counter-attacks. Both Crystal Palace and Bournemouth exposed them by going direct, and Newcastle’s pace up front means Gordon will certainly get opportunities to test the keeper. He fired off an incredible seven shots against Villa, and after averaging 2.35 shots per match in the 24/25 season, that number looks set to rise without Isak leading the line.
For Liverpool, Mohamed Salah remains as dangerous as ever – aside from his shaky penalty record. He averaged 3.23 shots per game last season and opened this campaign with three attempts, scoring once against Bournemouth. Against Newcastle last year, Salah averaged 2.33 shots across their three meetings in all competitions. Liverpool’s current left-sided build-up and progressive play often creates space for Salah on the right to finish chances.
With Gordon looking to lead the Magpies attack and Salah always finding ways to get shots away, I see both players having multiple efforts in this matchup.
Pick: Anthony Gordon (NEW) & Mohamed Salah (LIV) each 2+ shots
