Weekend Tips: Leicester vs West Ham, Man Utd vs Southampton

We're back with tips for the weekend games between Leicester and West Ham, Manchester United and Southampton, Norwich and Manchester City, and Napoli and Inter.

The Nap

West Ham have won each of their last three matches against Leicester City and look a strong bet to win again at the King Power Stadium on Sunday.

In truth, neither side covered themselves in glory in the FA Cup last weekend, but while the Hammers eventually punched out a 2-1 extra-time win over lowly Kidderminster, Leicester were blitzed 4-1 by East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest.

Their capitulation against Forest was shocking and piled the pressure on boss Brendan Rodgers. Not so long ago Rodgers was being spoken about as a possible front-runner to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford, but he’s now as short as 3/1 with some firms to be the next Premier League manager to leave their post.

Leicester have certainly been better at home this season than they have away, but they somehow snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Tottenham at HQ a few weeks ago in a memorable 3-2 defeat, and more recently shipped a later equaliser against Brighton.

In short, the Foxes have been really inconsistent this season, in sharp contrast to the Hammers who have amassed 40 points from their 24 matches so far to give themselves an outside chance of a top-four finish. In Michail Antonio they have a powerhouse striker who could relish taking on a brittle Foxes rearguard this weekend. And in Declan Rice the Londoners have one of the best young midfield talents in England. These look to be two clubs going in different directions and odds of 11/8 about the away win look rock solid.   

The Nap – West Ham to win at 11/8  (Hills/888sport)

 

Value Tip

It’s difficult to fathom how Manchester United should start at 4/7 or thereabouts to see off Southampton on Saturday. The Red Devils were dumped out of the FA Cup against Middlesbrough recently and then followed that up with a thoroughly tedious 1-1 draw against Premier League basement boys Burnley. Without any silverware since 2017, fans from the red half of Manchester are getting restless.

Under Ralf Rangnick they’ve not experienced a massive upturn in fortunes and the club who have won a record 20 League titles (the most in English football) have actually only won three of their last six home matches.

James Ward-Prowse ran the show as Southampton beat Tottenham in midweek on a night when the Saints came from 2-1 down to earn all three points in north London.

Southampton can be a bit hit and miss, but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s high-tempo pressing style is exactly the type of football to cause Manchester United and their fans further grief, and 9/2 looks a value shout at Old Trafford.

Value Tip – Southampton to beat Manchester United at 9/2 (Coral/Ladbrokes)

 

First Goal Flutter

Riyad Mahrez has eight goals and four assists in his last seven games for Manchester City and looks a bet at 9/2 to score first when the champions head to Norwich City on Saturday.

The Algerian ace has 16 goals in 30 appearances for the Citizens and scored his first of the season when they beat Norwich 5-0 back in August. They look to have an unassailable lead now at the top of the table with 60 points from 24 matches and Pep Guardiola’s men are playing a brand of football few can match at the moment.

It doesn’t hurt this punt that Pep has confirmed Mahrez is “a guaranteed penalty taker now” for the club, his nightmare miss on Merseyside against Liverpool back in 2018 now seemingly long forgotten by his Iberian boss.

First Goal Flutter – Mahrez to score first at 9/2 (bet365)

 

The Euro Banker

Italy’s top two teams meet this weekend as Inter Milan travel to Napoli on Saturday.

It should be a spicy encounter, with Inter looking to bounce back after suffering just their second loss of the season against city rivals Milan last weekend. Simone Inzaghi’s side are still title favourites (they have a game in hand on the Neapolitans), but Napoli have won four of their last five, with their only dropped points during that run coming courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Juventus.

The hosts are hoping to clinch a first Serie A crown since the Diego Maradona-inspired 1989-90 season, but Inter have raised their game when it's been needed this season and they look a fair price at 6/4. 

Goals could be at a premium (eight of Napoli’s nine fixtures have seen under three goals), but if the Nerazzurri can silence a partisan crowd at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona early on, they can grind out a crucial win and put themselves firmly back in the ascendency in what is shaping up to be an intriguing title race.

The Euro Banker – Inter Milan to beat Napoli at 6/4 (Betway/Paddy Power)