Matchweek 31 of the 2022-23 EPL season saw a nervous Arsenal concede further ground at the top, while those in the mire went pointless.
Here’s how it looked for punters:
Nerves mount for league leaders
Two weeks in a row Arsenal have held 2-0 leads. And two weeks in a row, they’ve let go of the two-goal buffer. And it may just cost them the title.
The Gunners looked on target to hammer West Ham after bursting out of the blocks and going up 2-0 inside 10 minutes. Early strikes to Gabriel Jesus ($6.00 first goalscorer with Palmerbet) and Martin Odegaard ($3.60 anytime goalscorer) saw early predictions of a cricket score at London Stadium on Sunday. But goals to Said Benrahma ($5.00) and Jarrod Bowen ($5.25) either side of a missed Bukayo Saka penalty gave the Hammers a very handy point in their EPL relegation scrap. For Arsenal, though, this was far worse than the 2-2 result against Liverpool last week. In that game, Mikel Arteta’s men were outplayed and perhaps lucky to get a point. In this one, they switched off against a West Ham side hardly setting the world on fire at present. Odegaard remained positive post-match. “We have to remember we are still top of the league with everything in our own hands,” he said. But that’s only true if they can manage to get a result away to Manchester City next Thursday morning (AEDT) — at present the toughest task in club football.
The result has had a huge impact on the title race. Arsenal are now out to $2.70 (from $1.65 favourites a fortnight ago), while City — who brushed aside Leicester 3-1 on the weekend, shorten into $1.45 EPL title favourites.
It is getting so close at the top 😅#WHUARS pic.twitter.com/wq7i2hhujy
— Premier League (@premierleague) April 16, 2023
Stragglers go pointless
It’s one of the hottest relegation scraps we’ve seen in recent years. But over the course of the weekend, there was no movement from the bottom five clubs, who all lost on Matchweek 31. Not even a point amongst the stragglers. Southampton continue to firm as relegation favourites, now into $1.03 after accruing just two points in their last six EPL games. Nottingham Forest are the next most-fancied at $1.22, but from there it’s up in the air. Leicester ($1.80) and Everton ($1.83) are stuck in a tense fight and Leeds ($4.20) have again been pulled into the scrap after a horror show against Liverpool.
The bottom five could do worse than look to Bournemouth for inspiration. The south-coast club were $1.67 EPL relegation chances a fortnight ago after a torrid run. However two straight wins — the latest a stunning last-gasp victory away to Spurs as $7.00 underdogs — has lifted them six points clear and, seemingly, safe for another season; out to $11 relegation hopes.
I think it’s fair to say that Gary O’Neil isn’t getting the credit he deserves at Bournemouth, he was put in there as a caretaker after Parker went in August and has got them 6 points clear of the drop with 7 games to go.
Most had them nailed on for relegation back in August. pic.twitter.com/dG71e0AZOd
— HLTCO (@HLTCO) April 16, 2023
Liverpool’s rollercoaster season continues
It’s feast or famine for Liverpool this EPL season. When it’s bad, it’s really quite bad. But when it’s good, it’s really good. The coin landed on the latter on Tuesday morning when they thumped Leeds 6-1. That result was paying $126 in Palmerbet’s correct score market pre-game. Braces to Mo Salah ($6.15 to score 2+ goals) and Diogo Jota ($7.70) were bookended by goals to Cody Gakpo ($6.75 first goalscorer) and Darwin Nunez ($2.30 anytime goalscorer) as the Reds ran riot at Elland Road.
The result capped off a near perfect weekend for Liverpool’s unlikely EPL Top 4 push, after Newcastle and Tottenham both suffered defeats as favourites; the former a chastening 3-0 defeat to on-fire Aston Villa. However Jurgen Klopp’s men still have an awful lot of work to do if they’re to qualify for next season’s Champions League. Still nine points behind Newcastle in fourth, Liverpool are $6.00 to squeeze into the Top 4 come season’s end.
"Oh my god!" 😍
Jurgen Klopp's reaction to his Liverpool side showing desire to win the ball back in 92nd minute 🤣 pic.twitter.com/VVGfL8og5x
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) April 17, 2023
