EPL Soccer Picks, Predictions, Best Bets: Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike looking to continue strong pace

The top five English clubs from last year return home from this week’s Champions League fixtures to take on matchweek 16 of the EPL, with Arsenal still in the lead at 33 points.

The weekend holds several important matchups, including second-place Man City taking on fourth-place Crystal Palace, and Chelsea looking to break into the top four as they scuffle with Everton. Meanwhile, Hugo Ekitike could be vital in awakening Liverpool’s potential if he adds to his five goals on the season this Saturday.

Tune in to this weekend’s Premier League games, kicking off with Chelsea vs. Everton this Saturday at 10 a.m. ET.

EPL Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace best bet: Man City ML (-115)

The last time these two squads met, it was a cracking FA Cup final in May of 2025, in which Crystal Palace collected their first piece of silverware in club history with a 1-0 result over the Citizens.

Crystal Palace is still all in for this season, as they enter matchday 16 at an impressive fourth place with 26 points and a 7-5-3 record. After their 2-1 home loss to Man United to conclude November, Palace kicked off December with back-to-back league wins, the first 1-0 over Burnley, and the second 2-1 over Fulham on December 7. They enter Sunday morning’s match as +290 home underdogs considering their lethal opponents.

Manchester City have looked their best in recent games, though, entering this week’s Champions League against Real Madrid after toppling Sunderland 3-0 to hold second place in the EPL. They then took to the Santiago Bernabeu and managed a 2-1 win against Madrid. They are -115 favourites this weekend, and considering their 13 goals scored in their last four games, they should be able to beat Palace and take revenge for their FA Cup final loss last year.

EPL Chelsea vs. Everton best bet: Chelsea ML (-155)

Everton started the season at a moderate pace to claim their current seventh place in the EPL with 24 points and a 7-3-5 record. While they recently lit up a current two-game winning streak, 1-0 against Bournemouth followed by 3-0 against Nottingham Forest last Saturday (two weaker EPL teams), the Toffees have the fifth-lowest goal tally in the league. They struggle to score with just 18 goals this season, averaging and just barely over one goal a game in their last 10 matches. They are huge +410 underdogs on the day as they head to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea somehow always gets up for big games (1-0 against Tottenham, 3-0 against Barcelona, 1-1 against Arsenal), but they can also play down to their competition, as seen in their recent spell of games in December: a 3-1 loss to Leeds, followed by a 0-0 draw to Bournemouth and a 2-1 loss to Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. While the Blues have not won a game this month, they haven’t lost a home game since October 25 against Sunderland and come into this match as heavy favourites. Considering Chelsea play at Stamford Bridge and are due to get back in form if they want to claim a top-four spot in the EPL, I think they’ll manage to beat an inoffensive Everton side.

EPL best player prop bet: Hugo Ekitike Anytime Goalscorer in Liverpool vs. Brighton (+110)

The French Liverpool striker took some quality chances against Inter Milan on Tuesday, yet failed to tuck one away in the Champions League. Ekitike will be fired up for this Anfield match against Brighton, who’ve let up 21 goals this season. He leads the way as Liverpool’s top goalscorer in the EPL at five goals so far (+110 to score anytime), with two goals in his last Premier League match against Leeds.