The opening weekend of the new English Premier League season is upon us and @Olimp_SA have a preview including betting tips for Manchester United v Fulham, Arsenal v Wolves and Chelsea v Manchester City
Premier League Matchday 1 Preview
The eagerly awaited 2024/2025 Premier League season kicks off this Friday night, setting the stage for an exhilarating weekend of football! Don’t miss out on these key matches we’re excited about this weekend!
Manchester United
Manchester United are back in the Premier League after an active transfer window, aiming to improve on their 8th-place finish last season. With Erik ten Hag extending his stay under new ownership by INEOS, the club has bolstered key areas with new signings including Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee. However, Leny Yoro will miss the early games due to injury. Despite a challenging pre-season, with a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool and a penalty shootout loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield, United showed flashes of brilliance against a top contender in their Manchester counterparts. Historically, they’ve had a strong track record against Fulham, winning 3 of their last 5 encounters and drawing 1, though they suffered a 2-1 loss last season in their most recent meeting. With significant defensive improvements, and a young, dangerous attacking arsenal, we anticipate United to put on a winning display on Friday night.
Fulham
Fulham face a challenging return to Premier League action. Despite a promising pre-season with wins over Hoffenheim and Benfica, their transfer window has been less impressive. The departure of key players João Palhinha and Tosin Adarabioyo raises questions about their midfield and defensive stability. While they've added Emile Smith Rowe to strengthen their attack and Jorge Cuenca from Villarreal for the defence, these moves may not be game-changers for the Cottagers. Finishing 13th last season, Fulham might struggle to surpass that with their current squad. Although they secured a 2-1 victory over Manchester United last season, the Red Devils appear stronger this time around. Note: 3 of the last 5 encounters between these teams featured over 2.5 goals.
Team picks:
Arsenal
Arsenal are poised to make a strong push for the title after narrowly missing out last season by just 2 points. They enter the Premier League with strong confidence, following impressive pre-season victories over Lyon (2-0) and Bayer Leverkusen (4-1). While their transfer activity has been modest, they've effectively trimmed their squad, offloading players like Emile Smith Rowe and Mohamed Elneny who were no longer in their plans. Key reinforcements, including Riccardo Calafiori and a permanent deal for David Raya, have strengthened the team. Mikel Arteta couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Premier League, with a home opener against Wolverhampton, a team they've beaten in their last 6 encounters. With a strategically bolstered squad, Arsenal are well-positioned for a Top 4 finish and a potential title charge. Expect them to deliver an exciting performance on Saturday.
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton's pre-season has been a rollercoaster of emotions. They impressed with commanding wins over Leipzig (3-0) and West Ham (3-1) but stumbled against weaker opponents like Crystal Palace (3-1) and Rayo Vallecano (1-0). After a disappointing 14th-place finish last season, the Wolves have made minimal moves to strengthen their squad. They’ve lost key players like Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, though the return of Gonçalo Guedes, Fábio Silva, and Sasa Kalajdzic from loan could provide a much-needed boost. However, there’s little to suggest a significant transformation from last season’s squad. Given their recent track record against Arsenal, we don’t anticipate them posing much of a threat to the Gunners.
Team picks:
Chelsea
There’s no better way to kick off the 2024/2025 season than with a blockbuster clash like this. Chelsea's pre-season has been intense, facing top teams like Real Madrid (2-1), Manchester City (4-2), and Inter (1-1) with mixed results. The Blues have been aggressive in the transfer market, adding talents such as Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jørgensen, and Tosin Adarabioyo, alongside welcoming back a host of loaned-out players, bringing their first-team squad to a staggering 44 players. Despite these moves, Chelsea's record against City has been challenging, with only 3 wins in their last 10 Premier League encounters and no victories since 2020. Although they managed a thrilling 4-4 draw last season, there’s uncertainty about how they’ll integrate their vast roster on Sunday. It might not be the ideal start Chelsea hoped for.
Manchester City
The Premier League Champions haven't been the most convincing in pre-season, but they broke a three-game losing streak—including a penalty shootout defeat to Barcelona—with a 4-2 win over Chelsea. They also claimed the Community Shield last Saturday after a penalty shootout victory against Manchester United. In the transfer market, Manchester City have been relatively quiet, adding only 20-year-old winger Savinho while parting ways with key player Julián Alvarez.
However, given the strength of their current squad, major changes weren't necessary. Despite some pre-season inconsistencies, their recent 4-2 victory over Chelsea suggests they’re set for another high-scoring, open-ended match on Sunday.
Team picks:
Bet on all Premier League games here!
Note, odds are correct at the time of writing, but are subject to change.
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