Premier League: Best Bets for Boxing Day

A feast of sporting action is all part and parcel of the festive period. Whether Horse Racing, Darts, or Football floats your boat, there is much to look forward to in the coming week.

Focussing on the football, the latest instalment of the frenetic Premier League fixture list sees 16 of the 20 sides in action on Boxing Day, with all eight games available to watch live.

Here, using data presented by newbettingsites.uk, we pick out our three best bets on one of the finest sporting days of the year.

Manchester City vs Everton – Boxing Day, 12:30 pm

It’s an early start for the defending champions as Pep Guardiola’s men play host to Everton in the first of the Boxing Day games. Unsurprisingly, City held the edge in this clash last season, winning 2-0 in this game and 3-1 in the reverse fixture. However, those results came amid a fourth consecutive stroll to the title. Things are a little different this time around.

As incredible as it sounds, Manchester City really have lost nine of their last 12 games in all competitions, including six of their last eight in the Premier League. Many suggested they may regress slightly following the injury to Rodri, but no one predicted this.

Everton, meanwhile, are performing as expected – not pulling up any trees but doing enough to stay out of the drop zone. Following a shaky start, Sean Dyche’s decision to double down on the defensive side of the game has paid off, with Everton keeping a clean sheet in five of their last six fixtures – four of which have finished 0-0.

Since the injury to Rodri, Manchester City are averaging 2.11xG-for at home and 1.86xG-against. Everton’s defence-first policy shines through in away xG averages of 1.03 for and 1.18 against across their last five games on the road.

Chances are that sooner or later, a side will suffer at the hands of an angry and frustrated Manchester City. They may be out of form but still boast an enviable squad and formidable attacking options. However, well-organised Everton may not be the team to be blown away. That said, Manchester City have only failed to score once at home this season, and one goal may be enough to see off a Toffees side unlikely to offer much going forward. The visitors can keep this tight for a while, but we see City eking out the win.

• Best Bet - HTFT: Draw-Man City @ 10/3 with BetGoodwin

Chelsea vs Fulham – Boxing Day 3:00 pm

Next stop, Stamford Bridge, for this clash between two sides whose home grounds are only two miles apart. Chelsea missed the chance to put some pressure on Liverpool when held to a draw at Goodison Park at the weekend and will look to bounce back in front of their own fans. Fulham, meanwhile, sit ninth following a solid start to the season.

Chelsea did the double over Fulham last season, winning 1-0 in this game and 2-0 in the reverse fixture.

Despite that disappointing result on Merseyside, Chelsea are now unbeaten in 12 in all competitions. Whilst solid at home, a 50% win-rate is lower than will be needed to maintain a title challenge. However, they have been good of late in beating Newcastle, Villa, and Brentford and drawing with Arsenal in their last four here.

Fulham arrive on a five-game unbeaten run of their own. Whilst there is only one win in that sequence, three of the draws came against Spurs, Arsenal, and Liverpool. However, they arrive on the back of their most disappointing performance in a while, having created little in a goalless draw at home to Southampton.

Fulham have improved at the back this season but can get drawn into open contests against attack-minded outfits - beaten 3-2 at Manchester City and drawing 2-2 at Liverpool in their two away fixtures against sides expected to finish in the top four. They have the weapons to hurt a Chelsea outfit which has conceded an average of over a goal a game at home, but if this comes down to a shootout, the Blues have far more weapons.

• Best Bet - Chelsea to win and Both Teams to Score @ 13/8 with Midnite

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United – Boxing Day, 5:30 pm

The teatime fixture sees the latest instalment in the Manchester United saga as Ruben Amorim takes his shell-shocked troops to Molineaux. A home clash with Bournemouth should have represented a solid chance for the Red Devils to build on that last gasp win in the derby. Instead, they lost 3-0. Wolves, meanwhile, made a dream start to life under Vitor Pereira with a 3-0 win of their own at Leicester.

Despite their inconsistencies, United completed a league double over Wolves last season, winning 4-3 in this one following a fortunate 1-0 success at Old Trafford on the opening weekend.

Impressive as that win at Leicester was on paper, Wolves were a little flattered by the scoreline, having created only 1.14xG on the day. Thus far, they have been little short of woeful on their own patch – losing six of eight and conceding two or more in seven of those eight games.

Putting that win at City to one side, United have performed below expectations on the road, with their only other win coming against 10-man Southampton. Held at Ipswich and Palace, they are no good thing to beat a relegation-threatened outfit on their travels.

Calling the result of this one is tough, but we expect to see goals. Victor Periera may do well in time but surely can’t have sorted out the most chaotic defence in the division just yet, whilst United’s more front-foot approach under Amorim has only served to highlight the gaping holes in an error-prone defence.

• Best Bet - Over 3.5 Goals @ 17/10 with BetMGM