Both Burnley and Huddersfield are flying high at the moment in the English Premier League, but that might change for one of them on Saturday. The same day, another thrilling match takes place – Everton versus AFC Bournemouth.
You can expect both games to be very entertaining. It’s certain that Burnley will go for all three points against Huddersfield. The same is the case with Everton. But, do the underdogs have what it takes to cause an upset? Find out in this two-match preview!
Burnley vs. Huddersfield
Three-Way: 1: Burnley +127; x: +229 Draw; 2: Huddersfield +305
Spread -0.5: Burnley +125; Huddersfield -125
Total +2: Over -118; Under +121
BURNLEY
Both Burnley and Huddersfield are flying high at the moment, with 8 points each. The home side has been very impressive so far, particularly because they’ve managed to win points against some very tough teams. They beat Chelsea in the opening round by 3:2, while playing draws against both Tottenham and Liverpool.
They’re expected to do much better this season than they did in 2016/2017 when they finished just 2 spots above the relegation zone. This season, they have a much better team, something which they achieved by investing over 50 million Euros on transfers this year!
In fact, Burnley’s best player this season has been Chris Wood, who joined the club this summer From Leeds United. He’s been one of two most prolific Burnley players so far, with two goals to his name after 3 matches played in the Premier League. The other one is Sam Vokes.
Unfortunately for Burnley, they are going to be without several players in the match with Huddersfield, most notably Heaton, Wells, and Marney. What gives them confidence ahead of this clash is that the match will take place on their stadium, the Turf Moor, where they always have a lot of support from their own fans. In fact, last season, Burnley made 10 out of 11 wins last season at home.
HUDDERSFIELD
Same as Burnley, Huddersfield has also been playing very well. They have 8 points right now, after winning two matches (against Crystal Palace and Newcastle) and playing draw twice, as well. They only lost one match so far, to West Ham, two rounds ago.
Although Huddersfield is considered as one of the major candidates for returning back to the Championship, they do have a good team. They showed that numerous times this season, although mostly when playing on their own turf. In away matches, they haven’t been that great, although they did win the match against Crystal Palace.
Another thing that goes out their favor is the fact that this team has some serious problems with injuries. They will be without several players, including Mounie, Palmer, Cranie, Stankovic, and Quaker.
Burnley vs. Huddersfield – Match Prediction
At the first look, both teams might seem to have the players of similar quality. However, I do believe that the home team has a bit of advantage. I think they have a better team, which is what they demonstrated already by winning valuable points against Premier League heavyweights. Both of the teams hold 8 points to their name, which is why I expect a close battle. The host does have a better team and I will go with them to win at +127.
MY PICK: Burnley to win (+127)
Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth
Three-Way: 1: Everton -128; x: +300 Draw; 2: AFC Bournemouth +470
Spread -0.5: Everton -137; AFC Bournemouth +131
Total +2.5: Over -109; Under +106
EVERTON
Everton is in big problems at the moment, as they are very low on the English Premier League table. In fact, they’re in the relegation zone. Of course, this is something that should not worry them at this moment, as the season has just started. Still, in order to achieve their goals for the 2017/2018 season, they will need to do much, much better. And there is no better way to do so than to start winning games over the weeken.
To be fair, the Toffees played some very difficult games since the season started. They played against Man City, Chelsea, and Tottenham, so it’s not surprising that they have only 4 points in the Premier League right now.
Another reason why their form has been bad is that they have been competing the Europa League as well this season. On top of everything, the Toffees also have big problems with injuries. They are without several players for the clash with AFC Bournemouth, including Barkley, Bolasie, and Mori. On top of that, Coleman and McCarthy are also not yet ready to come back.
The good news for Everton is that they play their next match against a team that has been in an even worse form – AFC Bournemouth.
AFC BOURNEMOUTH
At the moment, AFC Bournemouth is just a spot above the very bottom of the table. After 5 rounds of the 2017/2018 season, they have only 3 points, which they won in the previous round, in which they beat Brighton 2:1 at home. The bad news is that their away form has been awful. Actually, they lost both of their away matches this season and have a goal difference of 0:4.
Another bad news for AFC Bournemouth is that they have a very tough schedule ahead. After the match with Everton, they will play against Leicester City, Tottenham, Stoke, and Manchester United. This means that they are likely to stay close to the bottom for a long time. In order to prevent that, they will have to work hard and do their best to win at least a point against Everton. Unfortunately, I don’t believe they have the players that would be capable of such an achievement.
Everton vs. AFC Bournemouth – Match Preview
Everton has a quality squad, which deserves a much better place on the English Premier League table than what’s currently the case. Luckily, that can change quite easily. With a win over AFC Bournemouth, they can easily get to the middle of the table. Still, Everton will not have it easy and will need to show everyone that they belong to the upper part of the table. Both of these teams are sitting in the relegation zone, but I think that Everton has the upper side and should record another win.
My Pick: Everton to win (-128)
