December is the month for gift giving and the Premier League schedulers have given fans a proper present here. Four of England’s top six will be in action on Wednesday night – read our match preview for Manchester United vs Arsenal here.

Away from that Old Trafford encounter, there are plenty of Premier League fixtures to get stuck into. Everton are the main act in our 10/1 four-fold according to the latest 888sport odds…

Burnley vs LIVERPOOL

Burnley are without a win in seven Premier League games and the Clarets faithful will be fearing the worst ahead of this clash. The hosts have scored in just three of those games…

Sean Dyche’s men are languishing down in the relegation zone and Burnley will need plenty of luck to stand any chance of picking up a positive result here. 19/20 for over 0.5 Clarets goals may be the tip from a Burnley perspective.

Jurgen Klopp might have just about calmed down after Sunday’s Merseyside derby winner over Everton. Liverpool fans will be hoping that their side can build on Divock Origi’s last-gasp goal…

After 14 Premier League games in 2018/19, the Reds are still unbeaten – an incredible feat. Plenty of punters will fancy Liverpool at 7/10 on the -1 handicap on Wednesday night.

Burnley’s form is concerning and Liverpool will be smelling blood. Take the 19/20 for the Reds to win comfortably without conceding a goal at Turf Moor.

TIP: Liverpool to win to nil @ 19/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

EVERTON vs Newcastle United

A moment of madness from Jordan Pickford cost Everton dearly in the Merseyside derby on Sunday evening but the Toffees will be confident of bouncing back at the first time of asking.

Everton have lost just three of their last 21 Premier League home games – an excellent run to say the least. Marco Silva’s men are a solid pick at 11/20 to claim three points at Goodison Park. 

Newcastle had won three on the spin before falling short at home to West Ham on Saturday afternoon. The Magpies will be looking to get back to winning ways after that disappointing defeat.

Rafa Benitez will have his troops fired up for this visit to Merseyside. 4/6 for Newcastle to score over 0.5 goals is worth a second look – the away side have the quality to create a few chances.

Everton have ‘won to nil’ against Newcastle in each of their last five meetings. The Toffees seem to have their number and I fancy the 7/10 for over 1.5 home goals on another positive night for Silva’s men.

TIP: Over 1.5 Everton goals @ 7/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Everton 2-1 Newcastle (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs CHELSEA

Wolves have lost five of their last six Premier League games – their only point during that run surprisingly came against high-flying Arsenal.

The Molineux faithful won’t be expecting a win in this fixture but a positive result could be on the cards. 11/10 for Wolves to avoid defeat represents solid value if you fancy Chelsea to slip up on Wednesday night.

Chelsea’s unbeaten run is over but the Blues are still in contention for a shock title triumph. It would be some achievement if Maurizio Sarri can get Chelsea over the finishing line in his maiden campaign in English football.

Eden Hazard has been simply sublime this season and the Belgian could be the difference in this clash. 13/10 for the Blues star to get his name on the scoresheet is a solid price.

Taking everything into account, opting for both teams to score at 41/50 may be the best bet here. It should be an entertaining contest under the Molineux floodlights…

TIP: Both teams to score @ 41/50

PREDICTED SCORE: Wolves 2-2 Chelsea (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)

 

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Southampton

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were on the wrong side of the result in Sunday’s north London derby but this is the ideal opportunity for Tottenham to get back to winning ways.

Spurs are still on the cusp of the top four and plenty of punters will expect the hosts to run riot against managerless Southampton. The 7/5 available for over 2.5 Tottenham goals should be snapped up.

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Saints threw away a two-goal lead against Manchester United – more dropped points from a winning position was enough to see Mark Hughes lose his job at the helm.

Expecting Southampton to prevail would be foolish. With no new manager bounce as of yet, 47/20 for the visitors to win OR draw is a little short. This could get ugly for the Saints…

With almost every sign pointing towards a Tottenham victory, that’s the way we are going to go. 3/4 for Spurs to take a lead into the break is a decent price.

TIP: Spurs to be winning at half-time @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Spurs 2-0 Southampton (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

December has arrived and that means the start of a busy Premier League fixture schedule. It could be a huge month at both ends of the table and Tuesday’s four games will set the tone for what should be an exciting festive period.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the Premier League betting tips. West Ham lead our 10/1 accumulator ahead of Tuesday’s top flight action…

AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Bournemouth’s campaign has gone pear-shaped in recent weeks. The Cherries have lost four on the spin after an excellent start to 2018/19.

To be fair, three of those four defeats came against top six clubs. With that in mind, the 7/10 available for a home victory looks a decent price considering the quality in this Bournemouth squad.

Huddersfield have shown plenty of heart and courage over the last month or so. David Wagner’s side have lost just one of their previous four Premier League matches.

The 6/5 for Huddersfield to avoid defeat isn’t the world price in the world. The Terriers are heading in the right direction and a positive result could be on the cards.

The selection has landed in Bournemouth’s last four games AND in two of Huddersfield’s last three fixtures. 4/5 is a solid price for both teams to score yet again.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 4/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 2-1 Huddersfield (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs CRYSTAL PALACE

Brighton have lost just one of their last nine Premier League games on home soil and Chris Hughton’s side will fancy their chances ahead of the visit of Crystal Place on Tuesday night.

The Seagulls were excellent value for their win at Huddersfield last weekend and plenty of punters will be tempted by the 37/20 available for a home triumph in this clash.

Crystal Palace picked up four points from their two fixtures against Brighton last season and the Eagles will be quietly confident of notching another positive result here.

7/4 for Roy Hodgson’s side to build on Saturday’s win over Burnley is a good price. We could see Palace return to their best form in the near future and that might be enough to secure three points.

Both teams to score has landed in the last two meetings between these sides and that is the way to go here. At 26/25, the selection is well worth sticking in an accumulator.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 26/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Brighton 1-1 Crystal Palace (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

WEST HAM UNITED vs Cardiff City

West Ham produced the perfect away performance against Newcastle United last weekend, scoring three goals to stun the St James’ Park faithful.

With just two wins from seven home league games so far this season, the Hammers will be desperate to claim three points in what is a very winnable fixture. Over 1.5 home goals is a very appealing 4/6.

Cardiff have started to string a run of results together in recent weeks but the Bluebirds have picked up just one point from six Premier League away games in 2018/19.

However, given West Ham’s struggles on home soil, this could be the perfect opportunity for Neil Warnock’s side to prevail. 27/20 for the visitors to avoid defeat is worth a second look.

Taking everything into account, siding with the Hammers to silence their home doubters is my top tip here. 8/13 is a solid price given Cardiff’s poor run on the road.

TIP: West Ham to win @ 8/13

PREDICTED SCORE: West Ham 2-0 Cardiff (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

Watford vs MANCHESTER CITY

A run of four games without a win has seen Watford drop down the Premier League table, though the Hornets are still clinging on to a top half spot ahead of this encounter.

Watford have been hit and miss this campaign and the hosts will be desperate to put up a good showing here. 8/11 for over 0.5 home goals is worth considering despite their recent woes.

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Meanwhile, City will be quietly confident of notching a seventh successive league victory – the Blues are superior to Watford in every department.

Pep Guardiola’s side have scored 11 goals in their last two trips to Vicarage Road and the 11/10 for City to score three or more on Tuesday night represents solid value.

However, the 17/20 for the visitors to score in both halves might be the best way to go. This could be another convincing performance from the best team in the country.

TIP: Man City to score in both halves @ 17/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Watford 1-3 Man City (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

It may be several months away, but owners and trainers are constantly making plans for their Aintree hopefuls.

Do you have an early fancy yourself? Perhaps it is one of these six?

Royal Vacation (Colin Tizzard, 40/1)

Connections of Royal Vacation are hoping he can turn into a contender for next year's Grand National.

After losing his form somewhat, the Colin Tizzard-trained eight-year-old made an encouraging return at Cheltenham in the BetVictor Chase (formerly The Mackeson) when chasing home Rock The Kasbah.

Joe Tizzard, assistant to his father, said: "He opened himself up to be considered for the Grand National with that run.

"I don't know what (owner) Jean Bishop is thinking, because we have not really talked about it - but having run like that, it is on our minds. He ran well at Cheltenham and got that three-mile three trip well.

"He had a quiet last season, and it was nice to get him back in the direction he was heading before."

Abolitionist (Dr Richard Newland, 33/1)

Dr Richard Newland sent out Pineau De Re to win the Grand National in 2014 and already has his eye on the 2019 renewal with Abolitionist.

Formerly trained in Ireland by Ellmarie Holden, Abolitionist finished second to Empire Of Dirt in the Troytown Chase at Navan before landing the Leinster National at Naas, with his last season with Holden reaching its pinnacle with third place in the 2017 Irish Grand National.

The ten-year-old made the perfect start for current connections when landing the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle by 10 lengths at Aintree on November 10th.

Always travelling well at the front of the pack, Sam Twiston-Davies kicked for home after the final flight and the 11/8 favourite came home an easy 10-length scorer over The Organist with Jacks Last Hope a further five lengths back in third.

Abolitionist was taking advantage of a favourable handicap mark over the smaller obstacles, but he will need to win at least two decent chases if he is to climb back up the ratings in order to make the cut for the Grand National on April 6th of next year.

Tiger Roll (Gordon Elliott, 20/1)

Tiger Roll is bidding to become the first horse to land back-to-back victories in the Grand National since the great Red Rum in 1973-74 and bookmakers are generally quoting him as a 20/1 shot to emulate the Ginger McCain-trained legend.

There is no doubt that the diminutive gelding has the heart of a lion, but the fact remains that for the last 45 years no horse has ever been able to follow up and win the world’s ultimate steeplechase again the year after. 

“We will keep him in cross-country races the whole year up to the Grand National," said Elliott.

"I think the Grand National will be a big ask, as he is not the biggest horse in the world and he is going to have an awful lot of weight in the National.

"If you are not in it, you can't win, and he proved he liked the track. If we get there we would be delighted."

He went on: "When we bought him I never expected to him to do what he has. He has been an amazing little horse and is a favourite at home. If I can get him back to Cheltenham and win four times that would be special for me."

Vintage Clouds (Sue Smith, 25/1)

Sue Smith’s flying grey, who missed out narrowly on making the Grand National cut last season, should be rated high enough now to make the race.

In Trevor Hemmings’ familiar colours, Danny Cook guided Vintage Clouds home in a competitive Handicap Chase that concluded the card on Betfair Chase Day at Haydock Park.

Takingrisks’ strong late run cut the deficit to half a length at the end but the eight-year-old jumped with aplomb. The winner was giving the runner-up 20lbs and should get into the Grand National after that fine effort.

Mick Meagher, Trevor Hemmings’ racing manager, said that the build-up races for the gelding before then would be the Welsh Grand National or the Rowland Meyrick.

Ballyoptic (Nigel Twiston-Davies, 33/1)

Ballyoptic is looking to earn himself a tilt at Grand National glory with a warm up run in the Becher Chase at Aintree next Saturday being his next port of call.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained eight-year-old was a high-class staying hurdler a few seasons ago and rounded off his first season over fences by finishing second by a whisker to Joe Farrell in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, who is no stranger to Becher success, is looking forward to seeing Ballyoptic tackle the National fences at Aintree.

He said: "It was a massive run from him up at Ayr and the plan is to go get some experience over the National fences, so that is why he was taken out of the Ladbrokes Trophy and will go to the Becher.

"He has got to brush up on his jumping, but there is no reason why he can't be a National horse.

"He was very strong at the back end of four miles at Ayr and it is definitely something that should be up his street. He has that bit of class and if he gets in a good rhythm he could go well."

Traffic Fluide (Garry Moore, 50/1)

The eight-year-old has returned this season in fine form and has the Grand National as his target next year.

Moore's revitalised chaser finished second on his reappearance behind The Young Master then went one better at Ascot in a thrilling finish to the Sodexo Gold Cup.

Moore said: “The main plan is still the Grand National and he won’t run until about a month before it.

“He’s taken the race at Ascot very well. I’ve never trained one for the National before, but I do feel he is made for it.”

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Many a north London derby have been labelled as the most important in years. This one, though, might just be the most deserving of such a title.

Power shifts between rivals are a topic of lengthy debate, but this match comes at a time when Spurs sit above Arsenal in the table. A time when Spurs continue to improve, and even a top four finish seems a long way from Arsenal’s grasp.

Mauricio Pochettino has guided Spurs to a victory over Inter Milan while Arsenal are left battling with their reserve squad in the Europa League. It signifies a switch in roles in the north of England’s capital, and it echoes louder when they face each other.

Arsenal’s dominance over Spurs has been as good as set in stone for the Premier League era, but Pochettino has led a revival for the Lilywhites. Tottenham are currently priced at 17/10 for a dramatic victory over their fierce rivals this weekend...

The timing of Spurs’ ascent has, in part, contributed to the weary downturn of Arsenal. Further competition at the Premier League summit has ratcheted up the difficulty for Arsene Wenger, and contributed to the, at times, toxic atmosphere in the fan base.

The first fixture between the two was played in December 1909. The next is Sunday's lunchtime Premier League kick-off. The distant history plays little part in the upcoming match, it is no more than an easy statistic for the television companies.

Even in recent history, stadia have changed, squads are unrecognisable, and the standing of the two clubs has altered dramatically.

This weekend all eyes will be on the Emirates. A stadium that has housed some thrilling derbies, but a venue that has been synonymous with Arsenal’s demise from serial winners to stagnant giants.

Arsenal's recent north London derby record has been inconsistent. An early stunner from Tomas Rosicky sealed the three points at White Hart Lane in 2014 and that victory sealed a 2013/14 double over their bitter rivals.

The Gunners were dominant at that point but times are changing; Arsenal are valued at 8/5 to reassert their dominance in the region this weekend...

Since 2014, Spurs have twice won at White Hart Lane, and there have been three 1-1 draws at the Emirates. Prior to that, there had been 31 goals since 2008 in the Emirates league matches.

Only one Spurs win came of that, and the two 5-2 Arsenal victories in 2012 were interpreted at the time as another signal of how far Spurs were from contention.

The string of draws since 2014 aligns with the meeting of the two. Arsenal’s wane collided with Spurs’ gradual progress, and it brought a brief, almost perfect matchup.

There is no doubt that the Lilywhites are now in a stronger position than their once bullying neighbours.

At home, Spurs have lost to Arsenal in the league just twice since 2004. This weekend, Pochettino could finally convert their points superiority into away day derby glory.

Spurs boast the league’s best defence in the last two seasons. The days of conceding three or more goals at the Emirates being a guarantee (as it was between 2006 and 2012) are long gone.

Nowadays, Spurs are deservedly odds-on to finish in the Premier League top four. Arsenal, meanwhile, are outsiders to even return to the Champions League.

The face of football in north London has changed dramatically since Pochettino was appointed. Arsenal’s inactivity has contributed just as much, but it is now the Gunners who are tussling to convince their key players that they are genuine competitors at the top of European football.

The silverware drought can still be dangled in front of Spurs, but FA Cup success does little to diminish the shift in north London.

It lingers over Pochettino for the time being, though their superiority in the capital can be cemented with victory this weekend. Spurs are 1/4 to finish above the Gunners whilst Arsenal are 5/2 for a shock resurgence above their north London rivals.

The Lilywhites have won only twice away at Arsenal in the Premier League to date.

In Harry Kane, though, they have one of the world’s best strikers, and a player who has thrived in London derby matches. He is only two short of the scoring record in this fixture in the Premier League.

Arsenal can still make a claim of parity while Spurs’ cabinet remains bare post-2008. A defeat in front of 50-odd thousand tetchy Gunners will make that claim yet tougher to back.

There is a definite upward trend for Spurs in these fixtures, and taking another step on that trajectory would be an additional indication of their superiority.

This match is far from definitive for the season. It could, however, have seismic consequences for the rivalry.

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*