Premier League predictions from Mark O'Haire for this weekend's fixtures featuring a goal for Bournemouth's in-form striker.
14:00 Sunday
Dominic Solanke Anytime Goalscorer
Advised Bet: 1pt @ 6/4 bet365
Transfer speculation this week linked Dominic Solanke with a potential £50m deadline day move to Tottenham but Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola rebuffed such suggestions this midweek with the 26-year-old having signed a contract extension with the Cherries last September that runs until 2027. Solanke will remain Bournemouth’s main man until May.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool forward is thriving under Iraola and heads into the weekend as the top-scoring Englishman in the Premier League with 12 goals. The Bournemouth ace has fired in multiple attempts at goal in 18 of his 20 EPL starts this season and is averaging a very healthy 0.56 Expected Goals (xG) per-90.
Such numbers make the 6/4 on bet365 (2.50) on Dominic Solanke to score on Saturday an appealing prospect with Nottingham Forest arriving at the Vitality Stadium. The Tricky Trees have kept their sheets clean in only three top-flight tussles this term, leaking twice or more in seven of their 11 away days, giving up a concerning 1.86 xG per-game average on their travels.
17:30 Saturday
Ben Brereton Diaz Over 0.5 Shots on-Target
Advised Bet: 1pt @ 6/5 Betfair
Ben Brereton-Diaz has made an immediate impact for Sheffield United since returning to English football on-loan from Villarreal. The Chilean international has scored in each of his two Premier League starts for the Blades, firing in three shots on-target across encounters with West Ham and Crystal Palace, and looks undervalued for a repeat in the same market.
Brereton-Diaz can be backed at 6/5 (2.20) with Betfair to land 1+ Shot on-Target on Saturday evening against Aston Villa. With Sheff Utd nine points from safety, Chris Wilder will undoubtedly be employing a front-foot approach, which has already been seen in the Blades’ most recent three matches (racking up 45 shots in total).
Aston Villa have proven tough operators for the majority of top-flight opposition under Unai Emery, yet the Villains appear to have gone off the boil lately and are certainly more fragile when playing away from Villa Park, allowing 13+ shots in three of their last five road trips.
15:00 Saturday
Elijah Adebayo 1+ Offsides
Advised Bet: 1pt @ 6/5 BetVictor
Elijah Adebayo hit the headlines in midweek after claiming a hat-trick in Luton’s remarkable 4-0 victory over Brighton, a result that lifted the Hatters out of the Premier League relegation zone. The former Walsall forward had not made a top-flight appearance prior to this season but his Tuesday night treble takes his tally of league goals to eight.
Town will be hoping Adebayo can continue his rich vein of goalscoring form on Saturday when Luton travel to Newcastle. However, I’m happier focussing on an alternative market with Elijah Adebayo 1+ Offside trading at a very healthy 6/5 (2.20) with BetVictor.
Luton’s bulky centre-forward has been playing on the fringes for the most part and has been flagged offside on 10 occasions, averaging 0.99 offsides per-90. The 26-year-old has made only 10 starts (20 overall EPL appearances) yet has been caught on the wrong side in nine of those fixtures, suggesting an odds-on offering here would be a more suitable price.
