Football 
Horse Racing 
Mixed martial arts Premier League Best Bets: April 1st - Bumper Five-Game Pick as League Action Returns
Premier League Best Bets: April 1st
We’ve got Premier League best bets this weekend as domestic action returns after the international break. There are some massive matches at both ends of the table as we enter the final two months of the campaign. The biggest of the lot is the matchday opener. Manchester City take on Liverpool on Saturday afternoon for a match that will have a big say on where the title ends up.
In this article:
- Man City vs Liverpool Preview & Best Bet
- Arsenal vs Leeds Preview & Best Bet
- Crystal Palace vs Leicester Preview & Best Bet
- Nottingham Forest vs Wolves Preview & Best Bet
- Chelsea vs Aston Villa Preview & Best Bet
Man City vs Liverpool Preview
Saturday, April 1st, 12:30 (UK)
It’s a fixture that has been a title decider for the last four years. It may well be again here but this time around, only one of the teams can win. Manchester City vs Liverpool is rarely a dull affair. Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Anfield in the reverse fixture in October was the only one of the last 10 matches between the clubs that finished with under 2.5 goals. There was an average of 3.8 goals in each of those 10 games.
But a lot has changed, especially for the Reds. This is no longer a title-chasing Jurgen Klopp Liverpool. The Reds have struggled since the start of the year, most recently losing 1-0 away at Bournemouth before the international break.
Midfield is a problem area. The Reds were light in the middle anyway but the situation is made worse by the news that Thiago Alcantara is a doubt here and Stefan Bajcetic will miss the rest of the season.
City’s injury room is emptier but is populated by some key men. Phil Foden will miss out here and there is a major doubt surrounding Erling Haaland’s fitness after he missed international duty with Norway. Haaland has played Liverpool five times before this meeting, losing four of them and scoring just twice.
Man City vs Liverpool Best Bet
A win for Liverpool would mean just the second domestic double over Manchester City in the last 17 seasons. It’s a big ask considering their record in Manchester. The Reds have won just one of their last 13 Premier League away games at the Etihad Stadium. Klopp has only won one away league game against Manchester City and that was against Manuel Pellegrini’s City back in 2015.
Their away form is alarming. Liverpool have maintained their strong record at Anfield but it’s a different story on the road. The Reds have taken just 12 points from 13 Premier League away matches this season. No side in the top 12 has taken fewer points than them on the road.
City should have enough to secure a decent win. Their home form is exemplary and with the Asian handicap line set at -1, that provides plenty of value. City have won each of their last four Premier League home matches by more than one goal and I expect that to continue. If they win by exactly one here, the bet is pushed.
- Selection: Man City -1 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.96 (bet365)
- Stakes: 8/10
More Man City vs Liverpool Tips
Arsenal vs Leeds Preview
Saturday, April 1st, 15:00 (UK)
League leaders Arsenal take on Leeds immediately after City and Liverpool kick things off this weekend. The Gunners are the form team in the Premier League right now with a run of six straight victories. Leeds enjoyed an encouraging bounce after appointing new manager Javi Gracia back in February but this is his toughest test yet.
Only three sides have managed to take points off Arsenal at the Emirates this year. That’s something Leeds United have managed just once since returning to the Premier League in 2020. The Gunners have won 11 and drawn two of their last 13 meetings with Leeds in all competitions.
But the Gunners look unstoppable right now. It’s six straight wins for Mikel Arteta’s men. They’re one away from equalling the most consecutive Premier League wins the club has achieved since the departure of Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal vs Leeds Best Bet
I don’t expect anything other than an Arsenal win here but with a 1.5 Asian handicap and odds of around 1.30 to win, we need a boost. Adding both teams to score will do the trick. Both teams have found the net in 79% of Arsenal’s home matches, the highest in the decision by some distance.
- Selection: Arsenal to Win and BTTS (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.90 (10Bet)
- Stakes: 6/10
Crystal Palace vs Leicester Preview
Saturday, April 1st, 15:00 (UK)
It’s the start of a new era for Crystal Palace as Roy Hodgson prepares to take charge of his 163rd game in charge of the team. The Eagles hope that the returning boss will turn things around ahead of these next few crucial weeks. They face Leeds Southampton and Everton this month but Leicester are first up.
It’s a good time to face Leicester City. The Foxes are without a win in five and their Premier League safety is far from confirmed with just a point separating them from the drop zone.
It was 0-0 when the sides met earlier in the season and 2-2 when they met in this fixture last campaign. It’s a tough one to call.
Crystal Palace vs Leicester Best Bet
I’m backing the bounce here. Roy Hodgson may not be a brand new manager but the stats don’t lie when it comes to mid-season appointments in the Premier League. We see an immediate improvement in basically every metric. The +0 is decent value given Leicester’s struggles of late.
- Selection: Crystal Palace +0 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 1.82 (bet365)
- Stakes: 5/10
More Crystal Palace vs Leicester Tips
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves Preview
Saturday, April 1st, 15:00 (UK)
Next up, we’ve got another important match at the bottom. Both Nottingham Forest and Wolves are a few points and places from the drop zone but a string of poor results would pull them back in.
This contest is just about seeing whether Forest’s home form will get back to where it was. Because Steve Cooper’s men lost the last time they played at the City Ground. That 2-1 defeat to Newcastle was their first at home in the Premier League since September. No side in the bottom eight has lost fewer matches at home than Forest have this season.
Things have gotten trickier after a strong start for manager Julen Lopetegui. Wolves have lost three of their last four league games. That’s as many as they lost in Lopetegui’s first nine in charge at Molineux.
Nottingham Forest vs Wolves Best Bet
We shouldn’t expect a classic here. No Premier League side has scored fewer goals than these two have this season. Forest have had the fewest shots on target while Wolves have the lowest shot conversion rate in England’s top division this season.
The Asian goal line looks reasonable at 2.25 but instead, I’m looking at the handicap line. Forest +0 is a solid bet. The defeat against Newcastle was a one-off considering the dozen Forest players to miss out on that match. The vast majority of those will be back for this one and I expect at least one point for the hosts.
- Selection: Nottingham Forest +0 Asian Handicap (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.08 (bet365)
- Stakes: 6/10
More Nottingham Forest vs Wolves Tips
Chelsea vs Aston Villa Preview
Saturday, April 1st, 17:30 (UK)
We close things off with a trip to Stamford Bridge to see if the international break has helped Graham Potter turn this squad into a team. The league season feels like a write-off for Chelsea right now. They’re stuck down in 10th, level on points with their opponents for this one. The Blues appeared to put their goalscoring difficulties behind them with five in two in the Premier League. That will be put to the test against an Aston Villa side flying under the radar.
Villa have won eight out of 14 Premier League matches under Unai Emery. Three of those four defeats came against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool. It’s been a solid few months since the Spaniard took charge at Villa Park.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa Best Bet
I’m going for a rather different type of bet here. This isn’t a market I usually look at but it is most certainly my bet of the week. Chelsea have struggled for goals all season long but they have been notoriously slow starters.
Since Graham Potter took charge of the club, Chelsea have scored in the first half in just two of their 10 Premier League matches at home. They’re starting strong away from Stamford Bridge with early goals in around half of their games but just not at home. I expect that to continue here, especially with teams often a little sluggish after international breaks.
- Selection: Chelsea to Not Score in the First Half (TRACKED BET)
- Best Odds: 2.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 10/10
Best odds available as at 16:00 on 29th March 2023. Odds may now differ.
More Chelsea vs Aston Villa Tips
What are Football Best Bets?
Our best bets are posted by some of the best tipsters around. These are our tipsters best value bets. A best bet can be placed on any number of different markets. The most common of which are 1X2, the Asian handicap, BTTS, and the goals markets. Value can be found in matches from leagues across the world. Be sure to follow bettingexpert for the latest best bets.
