Weekend Tips: Final games' best picks

The final day of the Premier League is on Sunday, and there are still some things that need deciding. We've got the tips for three games, as well as the big one for Milan in their final league game.

The Nap

The Premier League title race has gone down to the final game of the season, but the bookies are not expecting Manchester City to fall at the last.

The Citizens are priced up at 1/7 to claim a fourth Premier League title in five years on Sunday. Standing in their way are Aston Villa, a team sat in fourteenth place in the Premier League with not a lot to play for.

Liverpool old boys Philippe Coutinho and Danny Ings, bossed by Anfield legend Steven Gerrard, could conceivably throw a spanner in the works. However, the Citizens have been here before and should be trusted to get over the line.

Man City have kept an impressive 21 clean sheets this season, and their form prior to that 2-2 draw at West Ham was virtually faultless.

The mercurial Kevin De Bruyne has hit 15 goals in 29 appearances this season, and this is his best ever return, beating the 13 goals he scored in 35 games in the 2019/2020 campaign. The Belgian might well be the best player in the world right now, and will be the man Villa fear most.

For all their attacking flair, Pep Guardiola’s men have been brilliant defensively this season and 5/6 they win this without conceding looks very tempting. 

The Nap – Manchester City to win to nil at 5/6 (Betfair/Paddy Power)

 

Value Tip

The bookies may be taking a risk going bigger than 2/1 about Crystal Palace beating Manchester United on Sunday. It’s crazy to think that Burnley have actually conceded less goals than Manchester United this season, and that Burnley could well be starting the 2022/23 campaign in the Championship.

The Red Devils are shipping 1.51 goals per game on average and have been poor away from home for a while now. They capitulated to a 4-0 defeat to Brighton last time out were a shambles that day. Indeed, the Old Trafford giants have actually lost their last five away games (their worst top-flight run since 1981).

Erik ten Hag will apparently be at Selhurst Park on Sunday before officially starting his job as manager the next day, and the Dutchman clearly has his work cut out.

Sunday will determine whether the Red Devils play in the Europa League or Europa Conference League next season. However, Palace are a young, progressive side and have been impressive under Patrick Vieria, who was the bookies favourite to be the first Premier League manager to lose his job back in August. In short, 21/10 quotes at home about the Eagles look too big.  

Value Tip – Crystal Palace to beat Manchester United at 21/10 (Betfred/Betway)

 

First Goal Flutter

Richarlison is likely to leave Everton this summer, but could leave on the best possible terms by scoring first for the Toffees in Sunday’s crunch clash with Arsenal.

The Brazilian forward has been at the club since 2018, and has certainly been a hit since joining from Watford. In 151 appearances for the Toffees, Richarlison has scored 52 goals and provided 14 assists.

He has been among the goals this season too, bagging 10 times in 30 appearances. Arsenal of course will be desperate for a win as they still have an outside chance of a top four finish, but they have been leaking goals in recent weeks and Richarlison to score first looks a nice price at 8/1.

First Goal Flutter – Richarlison to score first at 8/1 (Betfair/Paddy Power/Unibet)

 

The Euro Banker

The Serie A title race has also gone down to the final day on Sunday, with Inter Milan desperate for crosstown rivals AC Milan to slip up.

Inter face Samporia at home and are 1/9 in places for victory in the 1x2 market. It’s been a hard-fought contest but Milan are two points clear and know victory at Sassulo will seal the deal.

Sassulo have taken 50 points from 37 matches and are no mugs, and are finishing like a train having won five in a row against Genoa, Lazio, Fiorentina, Verona and Atalanta.

That run will give Inter hope, but Stefano Pioli’s Milan are so hard to beat and have been excellent defensively all season. Indeed, this looks like being a low-scoring encounter with Milan desperate to wrap up what would be a first Scudetto for 11 years.

A draw is no good for the Rossoneri, who need to win to be absolutely sure but the shout here is backing Under 2.5 goals at 7/4. They’ve kept the most clean sheets (16) in serie A this season and 12 of their last 13 games in all competitions have seen no more than three goals scored.

The Euro Banker – Under 2.5 goals at 7/4 (Betfair/Paddy Power/Skybet)