Premier League Week 5 offers the juiciest matchup in the entire English soccer calendar to bet on. Manchester City and Arsenal will battle it out on Sunday in a winner-takes-first-place matchup.
However, that is far from the only exciting game of the week. Manchester United and Chelsea go on tough road trips while Liverpool takes on Bournemouth to get back on track after last week's shocking loss.
Let's take a look at this weekend's slate and make betting picks for three games.
Top Premier League Picks and Predictions Today (Premier League Gameweek 5)
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
Man City vs. Arsenal: Draw +260Tottenham vs. Brentford: Double Chance – Tie or Brentford: +140West Ham vs. Chelsea: Under 2.5 Goals: +145Man City vs. Arsenal: Draw +260
There is a very good chance this matchup will be the continuation of the two games these sides played last year in the Premier League. Arsenal won the home leg 1-0 and drew 0-0 on the road. They were balanced and cautious affairs with both sides fearing a loss more than desiring a win.
With these two teams being early favorites to win the title, another overly cautious game might be awaiting us. Arsenal doesn’t want to fall five points behind this early in the season and Manchester City doesn’t want to lose their current lead to Arsenal and potentially Liverpool.
Arsenal may have the best overall defense in European soccer. They are compact, disciplined, and physical. Erling Haaland will not be as comfortable as he usually is going against the elite defensive duo of Gabriel and William Saliba. How many chances Man City can realistically create against that defense remains to be seen.
On the other hand, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is unlikely to push forward unless they fall behind. He has shown he doesn’t mind sitting back, playing a deep line, and chasing counterattacks through direct play. He won on the road against Tottenham playing that style of game last week.
Don’t expect a barn burner here. A cautious draw might be the likeliest outcome.
Tottenham vs. Brentford: Double Chance – Tie or Brentford: +140
In the second season under Ange Postecoglou, the Tottenham Hotspurs aren’t off to the start they had in mind. They deploy a high defensive line, play with a high tempo, and utilize high press all over the pitch. They are certainly fun to watch.
Unfortunately, however, that hasn’t turned into much success this season. They have one win in four Premier League games and their lack of creativity on the ball is concerning. When they are in possession, the Spurs lack the elite creators needed to break down set defenses.
This will be an obvious problem against Thomas Frank’s Brentford. One of the most physical and defensively disciplined teams in the league, Brentford is a nightmare to play against. Even Manchester City struggled to create chances against them last week, barely squeaking out a 2-1 win. It is hard to see Tottenham finding enough holes on the strong Brentford defensive line.
Brentford will likely let Tottenham control possession. They are comfortable playing direct on the counterattacks. They will get their chances against the Spurs’ high defensive line. This is just a specifically bad matchup for this Tottenham side that hasn’t hit its stride yet. It will be hard for them to come away with the win here.
West Ham vs. Chelsea: Under 2.5 Goals: +145
Chelsea has seemingly righted the ship in the last couple of weeks as they found their ideal starting XI and rotation. Manager Enzo Maresca must be thrilled that the transfer window is finally closed and he knows no one else is coming in or going out of the clubhouse.
However, they still have a lot to figure out. The 1-0 road win at Bournemouth last week was far from convincing. They are still too reliant on Cole Palmer to create scoring opportunities and aren’t elite finishers outside of Palmer.
Plus, they allowed seven goals in six competitive games so far. They still haven’t found the right midfield combination that gives them enough creativity while providing enough defensive stability.
West Ham isn’t off to a great start under new manager Julen Lopetegui as they have four points in four games so far. However, they had a very difficult schedule to start the season. They should continue to improve their form as the season goes on.
The Hammers are always tough to beat on their home ground. They have a solid defensive line and a defense-first midfield unit that makes them hard to play against for every team in the league.
Expect a physical and intense battle without too much space for either team to operate in. That is the recipe for a low-scoring affair.
