Premier League betting analysis: Flying Wolves looking at top four, Leicester struggling and best bets for Mason Greenwood & Phil Foden

Every day is a school day, and especially in this new football normal we're operating in you have to keep your eyes open and study all the facts and stats behind what's going on in the Premier League.

This week Wolves have really impressed us, Leicester continue to disappoint, the Golden Boot race is hotting up and two Manchester youngsters are continuing to rip it up.

Here's what we've learned and some betting pointers for the weekend's action.

Wolves' earth, wind and fire

• Wolves v Arsenal - Saturday, 3pm

Ruben Neves (earth) with his midfield control, calm and rhythmic passing, Adama Traore's electric pace and improving final ball (wind) and Raul Jimenez's goals (fire) just in case you didn't get it. These three have been terrific for Wolves and perhaps the only downside is that all the major teams will want a piece of them this summer.

Wolves have come back flying after the break, well they may not be banging in goal after goal but they're doing it the Wolves way - three wins with three clean sheets. Nuno's side really needed that break and they've come back strongly and are now breathing down Chelsea's necks for the final Champions League place.

They're 4/1 to pinch fourth spot but this won't be decided until the last couple of games as Wolves face Chelsea in their season finale, but the Blues crucially have Liverpool the game before - that could be a six-point swing right there.

It's been a real marathon for Wolves this season - their final game against Chelsea is scheduled for July 26 with his exactly one year and one day after they kicked-off their campaign, on July 25, 2019 in their Europa League qualifier against Crusaders.

They face Arsenal next and I'm all over the 6/5 on them getting the win at home - and after seven clean sheets in their last eight it's even worth taking a 'win to nil' at 11/4.

Limp Leicester looking over their shoulders

• Leicester v Crystal Palace - Saturday, 3pm

The wheels are coming off the Foxes big time and from sitting comfortably in second they're now squirming in their seats as Chelsea close right up and Wolves and Man Utd lurk waiting for any more slip-ups. At least they scored at Everton in midweek but that's all you can say about another tepid performance.

It's just three wins in 12 this year and Jamie Vardy is stuck on 99 Premier League goals and not looking likely to make it to his century any time soon. It's just two goals in 11 for Vardy and he even failed to attempt a shot at Goodison.

So what's gone wrong? Put simply, it's goals as they've scored in just two of their last six league games.

It's not just a short, sharp slump for the Foxes though, with the concerning thing for Brendan Rodgers being they've been in steady decline for some time - just 17 points from their last 16 Premier League games (W4 D5 L7) shows what a rut they're in.

Latest Leicester odds

• 8/11 - Leicester to finish outside the top four
• 4/5 - Leicester to finish in the top four

The fact they're still just about in third shows how well they did earlier in the season.

They are a top five team in terms of passing and shots, and also still have the league's top scorer in Vardy. Their star forward, though, has had to be ultra clinical to net his goals, as he's got the best shot accuracy (57%) and conversion rate (30%) of the leading scorers. He's not had much to work with all season but he's putting away his chances when he gets them.

That means that even a slight drop-off in service to him results in huge problems.

Sitting just a point above Chelsea and just three ahead of improving Man Utd and Wolves heading into the weekend, there's no more wiggle room left for Leicester - with Spurs and Man Utd their final two games they may need results in both to bag a Champions League spot.

Golden boot race hotting up

This is turning into a fantastic renewal with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang now striking for home after long-time leader Jamie Vardy has hit a real flat spot and is struggling badly to get up the finishing hill, he looks like he's run out of steam.

From 15/8, Vardy is now out to 3/1 as his dry spell continues while Aubameyang is the new 15/8 market leader after his two goals v Norwich brought him level with Vardy on 19. Aubameyang regularly schools the lesser sides, but Arsenal have Wolves at the weekend and they've not conceded since the restart.

Premier League Golden Boot betting

• 15/8 - Aubameyang (19)
• 3/1 - Vardy (19)
• 9/2 - Ings (18)
• 9/2 - Salah (17)
• 16/1 - Jimenez (15)
• 20/1 - Mane (15)

Click here for the full market

Danny Ings is the eye-catcher, having been 200/1 pre-season but he is enjoying a memorable spell of form and showing that he may well have made an impact at Liverpool after all, had injuries not scuppered his career at Anfield.

Ings has 18 and, although Southampton play Man City on Sunday, don't rule out a goal for the in-form striker - Saints have been brilliant away from home this season winning a club-record eight games. This game will be like an away fixture and Ings was the first player to bag in 10 away games in the league this season.

Saints also have four away games left to play this season so that could play right into their and Ings' hands and at 5/1 he could still be the value shout given his recent form. With a strike every 126 minutes, Ings still has a better goal ratio than everyone bar Sergio Aguero (a stunning 91 minutes per goal) but the Argentinian's injury problems rule him out of the running.

Don't rule out the 15/8 on Ings scoring against City on Sunday either.

Mohamed Salah has won the Golden Boot the last two years, on his own with 32 in 2017/18 and then in a three-way tie with Aubameyang and Sadio Mane on 22 last season. He's looking to join Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer as the only players to three-peat as Golden Boot winners and with the fixtures left he's still well in with a shout at just two behind.

Aston Villa at home offers an immediate bounce back from Thursday's pasting at the Etihad, and even then Salah struck a post, and games against Brighton, Burnley, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle provide plenty of scoring opportunities.

The kids are all right in Manchester

There are some serious talents coming through in Manchester at both City and United, both of which are good news for Gareth Southgate as Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden continue to impress.

Greenwood scored his 14th of the season at Brighton during the week and the 18-year-old should fill his boots again in a home fixture with lowly Bournemouth on Saturday. United have won seven of eight at home against the Cherries, who hold the league’s worst away record and have lost 10 of their last 11.

Greenwood seems a perfect fit on that right-hand side of a front three alongside Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, with Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in behind pulling the strings. Against packed defences Greenwood is a better option than Daniel James and his ability to find that half-yard of space to get a shot off make him an excellent pick to bag another goal.

Mason Greenwood to score anytime at 13/8

We're running out of superlatives for Foden, with Pep Guardiola lavishing him with praise after yet another fine display against Liverpool. He's now been involved in 14 goals in his last 17 games, despite only starting in 10 of those.

He's got six goals and eight assists and is on a real roll now, and it always pays to stay on the right side of players on a hot streak - especially young players who thrive on confidence. Only Trent Alexander-Arnold (14) and Bukayo Saka (11) have more assists as English players this season.

And while Foden could well do both, we're backing him to get another goal on the south coast.

Phil Foden to score anytime at 9/5

All odds correct as of 1315 BST on 3/7/20

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