EPL Soccer Picks, Predictions and Best Bets: Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres looking to stay hot vs. Leeds United
The UEFA Champions League league phase comes to a close, as Arsenal, City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Tottenham all return home to England for another round of English football.
Arsenal dropped points last weekend, yet they remain on top. Another hefty matchup ensues this weekend with Manchester City looking to cause Tottenham more distress at the Hotspur Stadium, while Liverpool seeks an adequate result against an exigent Newcastle. Viktor Gyokeres will look to stand out among his Young Gunners teammates after going two straight Champions League games with a goal.
Don’t miss out on January’s final set of EPL fixtures, with Arsenal vs. Leeds United, Wolves vs. Bournemouth, and Brighton vs. Everton commencing matchday 24 on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET.
EPL Tottenham vs. Manchester City best bet: Man City ML -155
This is now the 166th match the two English giants have played against each other, with Tottenham winning their previous meeting 2-0 this season on August 23. The Spurs dished out 11 shots, with Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha pairing the scoring in the 35′ and 45+2′.
City is a different beast at this point in the season, and even though they’ve dropped points to United on the 17th, and lost to Bodo/Glint in matchday seven of the Champions League, they still hold second place with the highest goal tally of 47 goals. They bounced back in their last EPL game 2-0 to the Wolves, after new signing Antoine Semenyo netted his first Premier League goal in Sky Blue colours, and recently scraped past Galatasaray 2-0 in the Champions League. Even when they aren’t at their best, their goal-scoring threats are always there, with Erling Haaland (-145 anytime), Semenyo (+175 anytime), and Phil Foden (+235 anytime) combining for 38 total goals this season, which sets up City as the -155 surefire favourites to take three points in this matchup.
While Tottenham have earned several sufficient results at home in all competitions this season, they’ve showcased a notorious 2-3-6 record at the Hotspur Stadium this EPL season, and are +375 underdogs this Sunday. Following a horrid last-minute 2-1 home loss to relegation-bound West Ham on January 17, the Spurs came out with a huge 2-0 victory over Dortmund in the Champions League. However, they dropped points once again in a 2-2 draw to Burnley, as Christian Romero bagged a goal in each of those three games, showing that Tottenham has relied on defenders to prevent a scoring drought recently. Tottenham comes back from the UCL after a clean 2-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt to face City, a team that will relentlessly exploit their defensive openings and flanks, so expect a standard City win at -155 this weekend.
EPL Liverpool vs. Newcastle best bet: Draw +300
Newcastle fought their way up the standings to ninth place this season after a rough start. Juggling the Champions League, the EFL semifinals, and top placement in the EPL has been tough for the inexperienced Magpies. After a scoreless 0-0 bout against the Wolves on January 18, Newcastle fired three past PSV for a 3-0 victory in the Champions League, although they returned to the EPL to lose 2–0 to Aston Villa just 2-0 days later. The Magpies find themselves as +300 contenders this Saturday against a shaky Liverpool side after finishing their Champions League bout in a tight 1-1 draw to PSG.
Liverpool concluded a four-game EPL draw streak from January 1 to 17 after suffering a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth, where the Cherries’ Amine Adi scored the game-winner in the 90+5′. Things are just not clicking the same for the 2025 Champions as they were last season, although the Reds still hold a solid stake in the Champions League after crushing Qarabag FK 6-0, causing them to finish in third place to head straight to the Round of 16. Liverpool are at Anfield for this one as -125 favourites, but considering Newcastle’s fresh form, and the Reds’ constant inability to finish out games, with four draws in their last seven, this one’s likely to end in a draw as well at +300 odds.
EPL best player prop bet: Viktor Gyokeres anytime goalscorer in Leeds United vs. Arsenal (+195)
Viktor Gyokeres netted a pair of goals in his last two Champions League matches, giving him three goals in his last five matches in all competitions today. The Swedish international striker will surely look for his sixth Premier League goal this season against Leeds United, a team with 38 goals allowed, especially if the Gunners get plenty of set pieces to service their top-choice forward.
