Premier League Matchweek 1
Liverpool vs Norwich
The Premier League season kicks off on Saturday morning with Liverpool hosting Norwich City. The Reds enter the new campaign as one of the title favourites, after finishing second last season one-point behind Manchester City. Liverpool have been quiet in the transfer market only signing youngsters Sepp van den Berg and Harvey Elliot as well as former West Ham goalkeeper Adrian. However, the Reds were able to retain their star players who will be buoyed by their Champions League heroics.
Norwich return to the Premier League after a three-year hiatus. The Canaries were surprise Championship title winners last season and enter the new campaign as one of the favourites for relegation. Teemu Pukki was signed as a free-transfer last season and was one of the bargains of the season, as he scored 29 goals and was named the Championship’s Player of the Season.
Liverpool has bullied Norwich over the years, scoring 24 goals in their last six games against the Canaries. The last meeting between the teams was a 5-4 thriller in which Adam Lallana scored the winner in the 90th minute.
Prediction: Liverpool -2.0 @ $2.10
Leicester City vs Wolves
Both these teams are tipped to challenge for the top six this season after a string of impressive signings in the off-season. It seems a lifetime ago since Leicester won the league in 2015/16. The Foxes are unlikely to repeat history this season but with Brendon Rodgers at the helm, they have core of young, exciting players keen to break into European football. Leicester have signed highly rated youngsters Youri Tielemans, Ayoze Perez and James Justin for a combined total of AUD$136 million. They have lost England centre back Harry Maguire to Manchester United for AUD$154 million but are likely to use that money to reinvest in their squad.
Wolves’ first season back in the Premier League took plenty of teams by surprise as they finished seventh and clinched European football for the first time since 1981. Under manager Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolves have deployed a 3-4-3 system that has made them an attacking threat, whilst also being defensively stable. The acquisitions of Raul Jimenez, Leander Dendoncker, Rapheal Nya and Jesus Vallejo add to the foreign feel of the club and once again makes them a threat to break into the top six.
Wolves came away with a thrilling 4-3 win the last time these two teams met.
Prediction: Draw @ $3.20
Manchester United vs Chelsea
Manchester United host Chelsea in the game of the round on Monday 1:30am AEST. United enter the game off the back of a good pre-season in which they went undefeated in six games. Manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer has put his players through a gruelling fitness regime to improve fitness and the training has resulted in the Red Devils deploying a forward press during pre-season. Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan Bissaka and Daniel James are all expected to play leading roles this season. Doubt remains about the camaraderie in the dressing room and whether United have enough talent in the final third challenge this season. Mason Greenwood is an exciting talent and could be a bolter to start against the Blues.
A new season has yielded yet another new manager for Chelsea, this time in the form of club legend Frank Lampard. The Blues were banned from buying players in the transfer window, which has allowed Lampard to give opportunities to youngsters such as Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Reece James. With Eden Hazard joining Real Madrid, the Blues will hope Christian Pulisic can replace the Belgium on the left wing, while Pedro and Willian will once again play crucial roles in attack.
These two teams once reigned supreme in the league, but in recent years they have challenged for a place in the top four. A win on the weekend could set them on a path to challenge Manchester City and Liverpool for the title.
Prediction: Manchester United win @ $2.10
