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It's the final round of Premier League games before a two-week break for UEFA Nations League action.
We open with a mouth-watering London derby on Friday afternoon, as Brentford host Chelsea in a showdown you can follow live from 15:00 ET. The Blues are pre-match betting favourites, but are winless in two, while The Bees are unbeaten in four.
Five games make up Saturday's schedule, with four more on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. ET.
With 13 winners from his last 3 previews, soccer betting analyst Frank Monkhouse returns with his Premier League Gameweek 5 predictions and best bets. Keep reading as he aims to build on a profitable run.
Brentford v Chelsea, Friday, 15:00 ET
Brentford plays Chelsea in Friday's live game, kicking off a fascinating weekend of soccer.
Keith Andrews' team has home-field advantage in West London, with the Bees taking six points from the first 12 available. A win followed by three draws has them in the European places, but there is plenty of soccer still to be played.
Chelsea is one place higher in the Premier League than its hosts, thanks to two wins, one draw, and one loss. Xabi Alonso's big-spending team arrives at the Brentford Community Stadium knowing it needs all three points after two games without a win.
With sportsbooks offering more than 100 pre-match betting markets, finding the strongest play can be difficult, but the stats make it easy here.
The head-to-head data on the Flashscore app show a clear trend. Each of the previous four meetings between the Bees and the Blues at this stadium ended in a draw. That run includes a couple of 2-2 draws and two scoreless finishes.
Betting on the draw would've produced a profit in each of Brentford's last three EPL starts. They played to a 1-1 draw when hosting Sunderland earlier this month. You'll also remember that Chelsea shared four goals with Hull City less than a week ago.
The Blues aren't great on the road either, winning just one of their last six away games, drawing one and losing the other four. Add to that the fact that 10 of Brentford's last 14 league games have been draws, and we appear to have a strong play in the UK capital.
Take Brentford on the handicap at decent odds. That bet covers a home win or a draw.
Tip: Brentford +1 @ -165 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: The handicap gives Brentford a one-goal start. That means either a home win or another draw will result in a winning bet.
Tottenham v Aston Villa, Saturday, 7:30 AM ET
Moving to Saturday's early kickoff, we're back at the stunning Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, where two out-of-form teams face off.
Tottenham starts fourth from the bottom of the EPL standings, with just two points collected from a possible 12. Spurs lost their first two, but bounced back to steady the ship, playing to scoreless draws at Nottingham Forest's City Ground and at home against Everton.
Few teams in Europe need a win more than Tottenham following a summer spending spree.
If Tottenham fans think they have it bad, Aston Villa supporters have little sympathy. The visitors won the Europa League last season and secured a return to the Champions League, but they currently have only one team below them in the standings.
Just one point from 12, with one goal scored and seven conceded, puts pressure on head coach Unai Emery and his team.
Which club will gain a much-needed result before a huge TV audience? The stats suggest a winner, with no draws in the last 22 league meetings between Spurs and Villa.
Opta Stats show Aston Villa have won four of their last six league visits to Tottenham. I certainly wouldn't put anyone off a bet on Villa at fair odds, but the total goals market offers a safer alternative.
Incredibly, Tottenham have yet to score a Premier League goal, while Villa have found the net only once. Betting on under 3.5 goals would've produced a profit in each of the last five meetings, and I'm happy to stick with that bet.
Under 3.5 goals has hit in all four of Tottenham's league games, and in three of Villa's games.
Tip: Under 3.5 goals @ -240 (FanDuel) | -250 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: The winning team isn't important here. You need Spurs v Villa to produce fewer than four goals.
Brighton v Arsenal, Saturday, 10:00 AM ET
The champions feature in the pick of the fan-friendly Saturday 3:00 p.m. games, with Arsenal heading to East Sussex.
Fabian Hurzeler takes on Mikel Arteta, with the home team flying high following a solid start. Two wins and a draw from four games mean Brighton opened the weekend in fifth place, and 13 goals make them the division's highest scorers by a distance.
Unbeaten in two, the Seagulls played to a 1-1 draw with Leeds United the last time they were at home, before crushing Coventry City 5-0 on the road.
Arsenal have picked up where they left off and headed to Brighton at the top of the league with four wins from four. The Gunners have scored eight and conceded only one, keeping them one goal ahead of nearest rivals Man City in second place.
Confidence is high in the home locker room, but it's worth knowing that Brighton are winless in six league games when hosting Arsenal.
Arteta's team has no fear when traveling to Falmer Stadium. Four wins and two draws from their previous six games against Brighton show why traders working at the world's best soccer betting apps favor an away win.
Arsenal haven't put a foot wrong in the early stages of their title defense, and the stats make them a solid bet on Saturday. Add Arsenal on the double-chance market to your Bet Builders and weekend parlays. This approach protects us against another draw.
Tip: Arsenal or draw @ -550 (FanDuel) | -525 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: If Arsenal avoid defeat on Saturday afternoon, the bet will win.
Nottingham Forest v Coventry, Saturday, 12:30 PM ET
Our next Premier League Gameweek 5 prediction comes in Saturday's late kickoff, when Nottingham Forest plays Coventry at the City Ground, live on TV.
The Tricky Trees know that building on last week's win would move them into the top half of the standings. Oliver Glasner's team followed back-to-back draws against big-name opponents Tottenham and Liverpool with a hard-fought 2-1 win at Villa Park.
Many Premier League analysts expected Forest to take zero points from the Reds, Spurs, and Villa, but the five they collected were a real statement of intent. The home team is good enough to compete for the top spots this season.
What can we say about Coventry City's return to the Premier League other than it couldn't have gone much worse?
Frank Lampard's team is at the bottom of the standings, has failed to pick up a single point, and has already conceded 10 goals. The Sky Blues got off lightly when losing only 1-0 to Man City at the Etihad Stadium in their opening match of September. They were beaten 5-0 at home by Brighton six days ago, conceding four in the second half.
There aren't many simple bets in the Premier League this season, but everything points toward a strong win for the home team on Saturday evening.
Forest's results at the City Ground aren't great, but they've won each of their last six home matches against Coventry City. Add the home team to your parlays.
Fancy another useful stat? Glasner was unbeaten in his first 10 EPL games against promoted teams.
Tip: Nottingham Forest win @ -165 (FanDuel) | -150 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: Nothing fancy here. If Nottingham Forest score more goals than Coventry City on Saturday evening, you'll boost your betting balance.
Bournemouth v Liverpool, Sunday, 09:00 AM ET
We have four games from the top flight of English soccer on Sunday, with action in Bournemouth, Leeds, Manchester, and London.
Bournemouth started down in 15th as they go in search of their first win of the 2026/27 campaign. The Cherries lost their opening game 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium, before drawing 1-1 with Everton, 2-2 at Newcastle, and sharing another four goals at home with Brentford.
A long season spent juggling Europa League and Premier League commitments will make life difficult for Marco Rose's team. They've already conceded as many goals as two clubs currently in the relegation zone, Fulham and Aston Villa.
Bournemouth have allowed three goals in their two previous home games in this competition. They were also in Spain just three days ago when facing Real Sociedad. As a result, there will be a few tired legs in the team.
With Bournemouth feeling the pace of a busy schedule, Liverpool look to take full advantage. The Reds aim to win and take all three points back to Anfield. I'm confident Andoni Iraola will get his wish, and Liverpool will feature in many Sunday Premier League parlays.
The 20-time Premier League champions are unbeaten so far, with one win and three draws. That doesn't fill bettors with confidence, but a strong win on the South Coast would move them up the table and get their season into gear.
Liverpool have won 14 of 18 league matches against Bournemouth and failed to score in just one. The Reds average three goals per game, which is their highest against any opponent they've played at least 10 times in the EPL.
Reds head coach Iraola faces his former team for the first time since switching to Anfield, and the betting seems convinced he'll mark the occasion with a win. Keeping that in mind, it's worth noting that Reds head coaches are unbeaten in seven games against former clubs. That run goes all the way back to Kenny Dalglish's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in April 2012.
These teams scored 11 goals in two meetings last season, with five at this stadium. That will lead some bettors to take over 2.5 goals at +200, but the match-winner market has enough to hold our interest.
Back Liverpool to collect their second Premier League win of the season at +105 with bet365. That price is much better than I expected to find, making it an easy one to back.
Remember, if you follow enough overpriced bets, you'll have a strong chance of ending the season in profit. You can add Liverpool to parlays, but there's enough value in the offer to back them as a single, increasing your chance of beating the sportsbooks.
Tip: Liverpool win @ +110 (FanDuel) | +110 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: An away win for Liverpool will ensure you leave this match with a profit. The winning margin, final score, and time of the goals aren't important here.
Fulham v Man Utd, Sunday, 11:30 AM ET
We wrap things up at Craven Cottage in southwest London, where Fulham welcomes Manchester United.
It's a top-of-the-bill matchup involving the Cottagers and the Red Devils, but which bet is best?
Man Utd haven't lost an EPL game at this stadium in 10, winning eight and drawing the other two. The team from Old Trafford have also suffered only one defeat in 21 meetings of this matchup, with the other coming at the Theatre of Dreams in the winter of 2024.
Beyond a poor record against Sunday's opponents, Fulham find themselves stuck on their longest winless start to a top-flight season in six years. They failed to grab a win in six attempts back in the 2020/21 campaign.
Another one for your parlays, I'm siding with a Manchester United win.
Tip: Man Utd win @ +100 (FanDuel) | -102 (BetMGM)
Bet explanation: A victory and all three points for Man Utd is all you need at Craven Cottage.