EV Eagle picks out five best bets for Monday's football games.
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TIP 1: Donyell Malen - Over 1.5 Shots On Target - 1pt
Best odds of 11/10 available at BetMGM UK while publishing.
Malen headlines Roma's season opener at the Stadio Olimpico after a remarkable second half of last season on loan from Aston Villa, a spell productive enough that Roma triggered their obligation to sign him permanently on a deal until 2030. He scored 15 goals in just 20 appearances following his January move, forming an instant partnership with Roma's attack and finishing as one of Serie A's most efficient forwards from the moment he arrived.
That form has carried a physical, direct edge into pre-season, and with Roma back at home in front of their own fans for the opening weekend against a Fiorentina side who conceded regularly last term, Malen's willingness to get shots away from inside the box makes this an appealing line to open the season with.
TIP 2: Morgan Rogers - Anytime Goalscorer - 1pt
Best odds of 3/1 available at Skybet while publishing.
Rogers arrives at Stamford Bridge as one of Chelsea's marquee summer additions after a superb campaign at Aston Villa, and pre-season form suggests the move hasn't disrupted his output at all. Deployed across the frontline alongside Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, Rogers has looked sharp throughout Chelsea's warm-up fixtures, rotating freely between the wide and central attacking roles under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
With Chelsea heading to Craven Cottage as favourites for a competitive derby against a Fulham side under a rookie manager in Alvaro Arbeloa, and Rogers given license to get forward as part of a fluid front three, there's every chance he adds his name to the scoresheet on his competitive debut.
TIP 3: Joao Pedro - Over 2.5 Shots - 1pt
Best odds of 23/20 at BetVictor while publishing.
Joao Pedro finished last season as Chelsea's top scorer with 15 Premier League goals, and pre-season form suggests he's picked up exactly where he left off, scoring braces in back-to-back warm-up wins over AC Milan and Real Sociedad. Across those games he rotated between playing as a out-and-out striker and in the left attacking midfield role, showing the kind of movement that consistently gets him into shooting positions regardless of where he lines up.
His underlying shot volume backs the leg too, having racked up seven shots across two matches in as many outings last season. Against a Fulham defence adjusting to a new manager of their own, Joao Pedro's central role in a heavily rebuilt Chelsea attack should see him well involved in the final third throughout.
TIP 4: Alejandro Catena - Over 1.5 Fouls - 1pt
Best odds of available while publishing.
Catena's disciplinary record over the past two seasons makes this an appealing angle as Osasuna host newly promoted Levante. The centre-back committed 82 fouls across 35 appearances last term, working out at well over two per 90 minutes, and picked up eight yellow cards in the process, a pattern that saw him serve a one-match ban last season after accumulating ten bookings.
Osasuna's approach under Alessio Lisci leans on aggressive, front-foot defending, and with Catena central to that setup against a newly promoted Levante side who will look to run at their back line, the combative defender picking up a couple of fouls looks a solid line to build around.
TIP 5: Gianluca Mancini - Over 0.5 Shots - 1pt
Best odds available of 26/25 at Virgin Bet while publishing.
Mancini's attacking threat from centre-back has become one of Roma's more reliable secondary outlets, particularly from set-pieces where his aerial ability regularly gets him into shooting positions. He averaged roughly a shot every other appearance across last season, with a healthy share of those attempts on target, and has a track record of scoring from exactly this kind of situation, including a brace of headers from corners in one Serie A outing last term.
With Roma likely to dominate proceedings at home against Fiorentina and set-piece opportunities a near-certainty over 90 minutes, Mancini's habit of getting forward for corners and free-kicks makes this a reasonable line to expect him to clear.
