The long wait is finally over and the English Premier League is back and your betting tips zone “The BET zone with Raymond” is here!
After a long summer with little competitive football activity, the 2017/2018 ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE football season kicks off with a bang.
Community shield holders Arsenal and dethroned 2015/2016 champions Leicester City will get the new season started on Friday night. Watford will take on the red-hot Liverpool whiles Defending Champions Chelsea will host a Burnley side that struggles on the road as they begin their title defense with Jose Mourihno’s team welcoming Chicharito and West Ham to Old Trafford and the big spending Man City facing a “relatively” easy game against newly promoted Brighton.
ARSENAL vs LEICESTER CITY – Friday, 6.45pm
Arsenal showed so much class against Chelsea in the community shield even without star players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez but Leicester city will be a different kettle of fish for Mr Wenger’s side having recently acquired the services of Nigerian striking talent kelechi Iheanacho in a big money move and will be eager to hit the ground running. It will be an interesting contest but Arsenal will have too much for Craig Shakespears men.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Arsenal WIN & Both teams to score
WATFORD vs LIVERPOOL – Saturday, 11.30am
I can’t see Watford stopping this red-hot Liverpool goal scoring machine looking at how sharp they have been in pre season and Watford are still in their rebuilding phase with new manager Marco Silva and this game comes in too early and will be too much of a test for his team. I see a defeat for Watford.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Liverpool to WIN & Goals Over 3.5
CRYSTAL PALACE vs. HUDDERSFIELD – Saturday, 2pm
Good way to start the season for Frank De Boer after his clubs fight with relegation last season. A game against new entrants Huddersfield will be a welcome test for Palace as they begin a new project. Huddersfield town will have to punch above their weight to get a positive result.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Crystal Palace to WIN & Goals under 2.5
CRYSTAL PALACE vs. HUDDERSFIELD – Saturday, 2pm
Good way to start the season for Frank De Boer after his clubs fight with relegation last season. A game against new entrants Huddersfield will be a welcome test for Palace as they begin a new project. Huddersfield town will have to punch above their weight to get a positive result.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Crystal Palace to WIN & Goals under 2.5
CHELSEA vs BURNLEY – Saturday, 2pm
Chelsea struggled against Arsenal without key performers last season Eden Hazard and Diego Costa but Antonio Conte certainly knows how to respond. Chelsea will blow away this Burnley side who struggle o the road and with key defender last season Michael Keane now with Everton, Burnley are in for a difficult afternoon at the Bridge with Alvaro Morata set to score his first goal for the club.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Chelsea to WIN & Goals Over 3.5
SOUTHAMPTON vs SWANSEA- Saturday, 2pm
With Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk’s future at the club still yet to be decided and also with Swansea having transfer troubles with Gylfi Sigurdsson, both teams are distracted and will miss two key players. Both teams will have a go at each other but I can’t see a winner in this game.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT – Score DRAW & Goals over 2.5
WEST BROM vs BOURNEMOUTH – Saturday, 2pm
West Brom are defensively very organized and Bournemouth are a team that set out to play beautiful football with emphasis on attack and won’t be put off by the fact that they
are the away side . I see both teams having a go at this one but can’t see a winner.
RAYMONDS VERDICT – Score DRAW & Goals under 2.5
EVERTON vs STOKE CITY – Saturday 2pm
Life after Lukaku begins for Ronald Koeman’s side as they begin their quest to push for a top 4 finish in the EPL and having spent on good additions to the squad there is the belief they can come good on their target this season. Stoke city will put up a fight but can’t stop Everton on match day especially without key man Marco Arnatovic.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT- Everton to WIN & Goals under 2.5
BRIGHTON vs MAN CITY- Saturday 4.30pm
Man city after spending big in the summer transfer market will want to lay down the market in their season opener. But with the crowd behind the Seagulls trust them to give Man City a tough game with clubs top scorer Glen Murray in attack a I see the newly promoted side earning a hard fought draw in this game.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT- Score DRAW & Goals Over 2.5
NEWCASTLE vs TOTTENHAM – Sunday 12.30am
Rafa Benitez may have done well to secure promotion back to the premier league but can his team match the quality in the league? With no high profile signing it’s left to be seen if they can deliver week in week out. Against Tottenham it’s a big NO. Tottenham a close unite and a consistent team that will continue from where they left off last season. This season Tottenham are my pick for the title.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Tottenham to WIN & Goals Over 3.5
MAN UTD vs WEST HAM UNITED – Sunday, 3pm
After a difficult game against Real Madrid Jose Mourihno and his men will be looking to bounce back quickly from that defeat but a new look West Ham strike force will threaten to spoil the party at old Trafford but Jose has too much fire power in his team to see off the Hammers. Lukaku will hit a double in his first home game for Man Utd at Old Trafford in the EPL.
RAYMOND’S VERDICT; Man Utd to WIN & Goals over 2.5
"THE BET ZONE with Raymond” – EPL WEEK 1 predictions and betting tips
