Betting column: SunSport picks for a big weekend of Premier League action

NEVER mind a game of two halves, Chelsea are a team of two halves. Shame for them that Robert Sanchez is in one of them. The Blues were scintillating going forward in the 3-2 win at Fulham on Monday night, with the three musketeers Palmer, Pedro and Rogers tearing up the Cottagers. Luckily for the home side Sanchez kept them in it with a couple of howlers. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! Brighton fans will be praying their ex-keeper is on parade at the Bridge tomorrow; Chelsea fans that World Cup-winner Emiliano Martinez is between the sticks by then. If the Villa No 1 does arrive before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday, then new Blues manager Xabi Alonso will be a serious contender to relieve Arsenal of their Premier League crown. On the evidence of the first weekend of the season, none of Man City, Liverpool, Man United, Spurs or Villa look up to the task. PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE (best price): 10-11 Arsenal; 4-1 Man City; 6-1 Chelsea; 10-1 Liverpool; 20-1 Man United; 66-1 Spurs; 150 Brentford, Brighton. Bet Balls Liverpool to beat Forest 3-1 today is 9-1 with BetGoodwin Spurs to beat Newcastle tonight and BTTS is 11-4 with BetGoodwin Man United to beat Ipswich tomorrow and over 4.5 goals is 18-5 with BetGoodwin Chelsea to beat Brighton 3-2 tomorrow is 16-1 with BetGoodwin GET £15 IN FREE BETS WITH BETGOODWIN Still, Coral’s Dave Stevens doesn’t go a bundle on the Blues. He said: “Chelsea aren’t winning a title with that defence. With all the money they’ve spent, it seems crazy none of those billions has gone on a top-class keeper. “I do like Alonso – and If I’m Liverpool I’m wondering why we didn’t make a move for him – but odds of 6-1 about Chelsea winning the title can be left well alone. A top-four finish looks more realistic, at 1-2.” The vibe around Brighton before the season kicked off was heavy – with the exits of Jan Paul van Hecke, Carlos Beleba and Danny Welbeck. Turned out rumours of their death had been greatly exaggerated as they buried truly woeful Villa, last season’s Europa League winners, 4-0 at the Amex on Sunday. That’ll do nicely. And it does for Stevens, who likes their chances at the Bridge. He said: “ Year in, year out the system the best club owner in the league Tony Bloom has built unearths new players to fill the gaps.. “And I see no reason they can’t have another big season. There will be worse bets than the 9-4 Seagulls finish top six. “There will surely be goals tomorrow – and I like the look of the visitors to take a point, so I’ll go for a score draw at 16-5.” Brighton won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge last term and have beaten the Blues the last four times out. They’ve also won eight of their last 13 Prem games – a record bettered by just Arsenal, City and United in that time. But Cole Palmer is looking back to his imperious best with a point to prove after being left out of England’s World Cup squad. And the wavelength he’s on with Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedrod is gonna jam the transmission of any team in Europe. So Chelsea winning and BTTS, at bet365’s best price of 5-2, looks a chance well worth taking. Champions League WHATEVER you think of the convoluted Champions League format these days, there’s no denying the cream still rises to the top. No groups of death, all the usual suspects cruising into the last 16. Which is why the top five in the betting are trading in a narrow range from 11-2 for favourites Paris Saint-Germain to 13-2 for fifth-favourites Real Madrid. In fact you could back all of PSG, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern and Real and guarantee a profit if any one of them wins it. Not a bad stable. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS (best price): 11-2 PSG; 6-1 Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern; 13-2 Real Madrid; 11-1 Man City; 14-1 Liverpool; 20-1 Man United; 33-1 Inter Milan; 40-1 Atletico Madrid; 50-1 Villa; 66-1 Napoli. Backing any English team to win it is a 6-4 shot with bet365, but to be honest, you’re probably better off lumping on last year’s runners-up Arsenal. My pick, though, is Barcelona, winners of the last two La Liga titles, with newly-arrived serial winner Rodri to bring some steel to their midfield. What you might call a Barc horse Dark horse 10-1: With seven goals scored between Chelsea and Brighton last weekend it’s hard to see either failing to find the back of the net here. Cole Palmer scored four against the Seagulls in 2024 – take him to score anytime, Chelsea to win, and both teams to score in the first half and land a 10-1 shot from William Hill. Goodwinners’ Enclosure IT DIDN’T take long for a couple of hefty shocks to be delivered to the Premier League system last weekend. With the campaign just a day old, Michael Carrick’s Man United Saturday were mauled by the Tigers, who were on the loose after escaping from the Championship last term. United fans went to Hull expecting three points and to get home all right. But they ended up losing 2-0, having been priced as short as 4-11, then got their trains back cancelled. As omens go… The same can be said for Spurs who, having brought in way over £300million worth of talent, were embarrassed 3-0 at Brentford. Two great results for the book here at BetGoodwin Towers. Still, the punters got the better of us as Enzo Maresca nearly started his Man City career by getting beaten at home to Bournemouth. Despite City trailing 1-0, the shrewdies never lost the faith, though, and were rewarded as the home side remembered they had a squad valued at over a £1billion, ripped up the script and pulled off a 9-1 in-running comeback. Monday was worse, as our backers piled into odds-on Chelsea as they got off the mark with a 3-2 win at Fulham. The Blues were excellent going forward and look a real danger this season. We tipped them up for the title at 8-1 and they’ve already been backed down to 6-1. Arsenal, however, look the side to beat this season after the impressive 3-0 dismantling of Frank Lampard’s Coventry. After that performance and City’s shaky win, the Gunners have been the subject of increasing support in the outright betting and have officially gone odds on at 17-20 for the title. Best game of this weekend looks like the aforementioned Chelsea, who host Brighton tomorrow. Before the season kicked off, there were worries about the Seagulls who were back in Europe with, as usual, half their squad getting picked off by the Prem’s big guns. But Fabian Hurzeler’s side answered all the questions with a clinical 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa. Brighton to finish in the top six is now a 9-4 shot. This will be a lot trickier for the Seagulls, with Chelsea looking strong and the home side get the vote ahead of the clash at the Bridge. We fancy the Blues winning and BTTS at 12-5. We also like the look of Newcastle. If they play anything like they did for the majority of the 2-2 draw with Liverpool last weekend, they can turn over Spurs in North London at 19-10. Finally, the BetGoodwin Banker Acca for this weekend is: West Ham, Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Salford all to win – at a boosted 12-1! Top Tips Pro bet Bournemouth to beat Everton, Charlton to beat Preston, Sheff Wed to beat Bromley, Walsall to beat Accrington, Grimsby to beat Fleetwood. Acca pays 30-1 with Betfred. Retirement bet Hull to win at Coventry, West Brom to win at Middlesbrough, Portsmouth to win at Bristol City, Millwall to win at Southampton, Watford to beat West Ham, Wycombe to win at Stockport, Crewe to win at Port Vale, Swindon to win at Oldham. Perm 1 x Acca, 8 x 7-folds, 28 x 6-folds. Acca pays 42,752-1 with Coral. Away day Leicester to win at MK Dons, Salford at Shrewsbury, Bristol Rovers at Crawley, Luton at Mansfield. Acca pays 21-1 with Ladbrokes. Top draw Leeds v Brentford, Blackburn v QPR, Plymouth v Bradford, York v Exeter. Acca pays 170-1 with Betfred. TV Special Liverpool to beat Forest, Spurs to beat Newcastle, Chelsea to beat Brighton BTTS, Man United to Ipswich. Acca pays 16-1 with bet365. GET £15 IN FREE BETS WITH BETGOODWIN 18+ New customers only. One participation per customer. Qualifying bet must be placed within 7 days of registering your Account. Terms and conditions apply. BeGambleAware. 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