Football betting tips: Premier League
1.5pts Liverpool (-1 handicap) at 7/5 (Betfair/Paddy Power)
1pt Trent Alexander-Arnold 1+ shots on target at 15/8 (Paddy Power)
0.5pt Ibrahima Konate to score anytime at 18/1 (Sky Bet)
Liverpool head to Crystal Palace in Saturday's early kick-off knowing a win will take them top of the Premier League, for a short while at least.
Despite a major summer rebuild, Jurgen Klopp's side's only defeat so far came via a 96th-minute own goal at Tottenham when down to nine players.
This run of form stretches back to last term too, with that their only loss in 26 league matches.
In all competitions Liverpool have scored in 32 consecutive games, and this season have found the net at least twice in 19 of 22 fixtures.
Crystal Palace, meanwhile, were booed off after losing 2-0 at home to Bournemouth in midweek, a fifth loss in seven and a third in succession at home.
Roy Hodgson went on to describe Palace fans as “spoiled” in his post-match press conference; never a smart thing to do.
The atmosphere at Selhurst Park is well known for being particularly supportive for the hosts and intimidating for the visitors.
Without that edge and faced with a relentless, in-form Liverpool, Palace look in real trouble.
What are the best bets?
No top-flight team has conceded fewer goals than the Reds this season, while only rock-bottom Sheffield United have scored fewer than the Eagles.
Bearing that in mind, the overs line looks too short to be worthy of consideration.
Instead, taking LIVERPOOL -1 HANDICAP at 7/5 is advised for a contest that bears all the hallmarks of a complete thrashing.
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Trent to take aim
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD has been central to Klopp's rebuild, with his midfield position when Liverpool are in possession beginning to bear fruit.
The England international has provided a goal contribution in each of the Reds' past three league games, scoring twice.
Here we are taking him to have 1+ SHOT ON TARGET at a standout 15/8.
Alexander-Arnold has had 15 total shots in his last seven league games.
He may have only hit the target four times this term, hitting the woodwork once too, but he is growing in to his new role game by game.
Here comes Konate
Liverpool did suffer a blow this week with the news that Joel Matip will miss the rest of the season with a serious knee injury.
That meant IBRAHIMA KONATE came into the side for the midweek trip to Sheffield United.
This selection certainly borders on the speculative, but it really was no surprise to me that his return resulted in Virgin van Dijk becoming the first Liverpool centre-back to find the net since April.
Konate provides far more of a physical threat than Matip, and after first properly displacing his experienced team-mate back in 2022 he proceeded to score in three successive games.
For a match where it would be no shock for goals to flow for the visitors against a beleaguered opponent, taking the France international TO SCORE ANYTIME at 18/1 with Sky Bet looks worth a small-stakes play.
Watch our pundits discuss how many nine-darters there will be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClYo7AxVfmY
BuildABet @ 17/1
- Liverpool (-1 handicap)
- Over 3.5 goals
- Trent Alexander-Arnold 1+ shot on target
- Trent Alexander-Arnold 3+ total shots
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
Expect man of the moment ALEXANDER-ARNOLD to be heavily involved in a match that in-form Liverpool ought to win at a canter against a Crystal Palace side who look in real trouble.
Team news
Tyrick Mitchell is out after coming off in midweek against Bournemouth, while the Eagles are also missing Cheick Doucoure who is confirmed to have ruptured his Achilles tendon and is at risk of missing the rest of the season.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh), Rob Holding (ankle), Dean Henderson (thigh) and the effervescent Eberechi Eze (ankle) are also out.
As for Liverpool crop, Alexis Mac Allister picked up an injury in the win over Sheffield United, while Joel Matip could miss the rest of the season having sustained an ACL tear. Alisson Becker (thigh), Diogo Jota (muscle), Stefan Bajcetic (calf), Thiago Alcantara (hip) and Andrew Robertson (shoulder) will not return just yet.
With Mac Allister expected to be absent, Ryan Gravenberch ought to be a straight swap in the engine room, allowing Wataru Endo to continue in the number six role.
Predicted line-ups
Palace: Johnstone; Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Clyne; Richards, Lerma; Olise, Hughes, Ayew; Edouard
Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Endo, Szoboszlai; Salah, Nunez, Diaz
Match facts
- Crystal Palace are winless in their last 12 Premier League meetings with Liverpool (D2 L10), their longest ongoing winless run against an opponent.
- Liverpool have never lost an away Premier League game against Crystal Palace under Jürgen Klopp, winning seven out of eight visits (D1). Their last defeat there was in November 2014 under Brendan Rodgers.
- Since the start of October, no side have won fewer Premier League games than Crystal Palace (W1 D2 L5), while only Sheffield United (6) have scored fewer goals than the Eagles (7).
- Liverpool have lost just one of their last 26 Premier League matches (W17 D8), a 2-1 defeat to Spurs in September. Since they lost to Man City in April, the Reds have won more points than any other side in the competition (59).
- Since the start of last season, Liverpool have won just one of their seven Premier League away games kicking off at 12:30pm on a Saturday (D3 L3), coming from behind to beat Wolves 3-1 in September. Home and away, of kick-off times the Reds have played 10+ games under Jürgen Klopp in the league, their lowest points-per-game average is at 12:30 (1.76 – P38 W18 D13 L7).
- Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has won 12 of his 16 Premier League meetings with Crystal Palace (D2 L2), his joint-most against a side in the competition (also 12 v West Ham). In his managerial career, only against SC Freiburg (13) has he won more league games.
Odds correct at 1500 GMT (07/12/23)
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