Matchweek 29 of the 2022-23 EPL season saw both title contenders dominate, while two managers were given the boot after defeats.
Here’s how it looked for punters:
Contenders dominate
As has been the case for the last month, league leaders Arsenal and on-their-heels Manchester City walked away with three points on Matchweek 29. Both have refused to blink, and both walked away 4-1 victors. The Gunners’ was a more expected result; starting $1.28 favourites against relegation chances Leeds, Mikel Arteta’s men were home and hosed at 3-0 up just minutes into the second half. The result delivered $3.05 for Arsenal -2.0 handicap punters.
Despite the resounding win, the Gunners’ EPL title odds slightly lengthened (from $1.55 to $1.65), largely due to the fact Manchester City passed a big test with flying colours. While Pep Guaridola’s men started relatively solid $1.68 favourites against Liverpool, their season was on the line when Mo Sarah ($8.75 first goalscorer) put the visitors 1-0 up inside 17 minutes. However from there it was the City show, with Julian Alvarez ($2.15 anytime goalscorer), Kevin de Bruyne ($3.80), Ilkay Gundogan ($4.40) and Man of the Match Jack Grealish ($4.00) responding with goals of their own. Handicap punters that backed City at -2.0 were rewarded with $5.20 pre-game. While an impressive win, Arsenal’s response later in the day was emphatic. Guardiola says the equation is simple for his side at the back-end of this EPL season.
🗣️ “If we don’t win the game, then we will lose the competition.”
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City have to win ALL of their remaining games it they are to retain their Premier League title. pic.twitter.com/6TpNpML9qY
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 1, 2023
Chelsea floundering as Potter sacked
Chelsea’s torrid season went from bad to worse on the weekend, going down to $6.00 outsiders Aston Villa at home. Despite starting $1.62 favourites, having 69 per cent of possession and 27 shots, the Blues were outgunned by Unai Emery’s men in a result that has now seen manager Graham Potter given the boot after just seven months in charge. To put the result into context, Villa were $16.00 pre-match at -1.0.
It has pushed Chelsea back into 11th, and the West London side is not only manager-less but now a serious chance of finishing in the EPL bottom half for the first time since 1995-96. Champions League football is all but out of the equation for 2023-24; Chelsea are $67 Top 4 hopes. Not only that, they now look in serious threat of having no European football at all at Stamford Bridge next season. The Blues now out to $7.50 to squeeze into the EPL top six.
These are some of the numbers behind the Graham Potter Era at Chelsea 📉
He's gone | https://t.co/KtTDySHAcM#OptusSport pic.twitter.com/uDZDCeJbGk
— Stan Sport Football (@StanSportFC) April 2, 2023
…and Rodgers joins him
Joining Potter at the job centre is Brendan Rodgers, after four years at Leicester City. A 2-1 defeat away to fellow EPL relegation rivals Crystal Palace (who were marginal $2.40 favourites for the big clash) saw the Foxes’ owners say enough is enough, as Rodgers departs on ‘mutual agreement’. “The task ahead of us in our final 10 games is clear,” Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said. And he’s not wrong — Leicester need points, and fast. Whoever they hire as firefighting manager has an enormous task to pick up a side that has secure just one point in their last six EPL games.
Defeat at Palace saw the Foxes drop down to 19th. This is a club, let’s remember, that started the 2022-23 season as $17 outside hopes of relegation. Now? Well, they are still favoured to stay up ($3.75 relegation chances), but no one at the King Power is counting their chickens.
Brendan Rodgers leaves Leicester after four years as manager.
He won the FA Cup and finished 5th in the league twice during his time in charge 👏 pic.twitter.com/j5aafMBUpy
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) April 2, 2023
