Following an exceptional return from the English Premier League (EPL) last week, we are back into another jam-packed slate for the New Year’s Eve slate and Matchday 18.
Let’s take a closer look at a few matches I’m on for the final day of 2022.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
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English Premier League (EPL) Matchday 18 Preview, Odds & Picks (2022)
Fulham (+100) vs. Southampton (+270)
The last time Southampton earned a point in the Premier League was on Oct. 23, with a different coach altogether. Raphael Hasenhuttl was their coach at the time, but the team fired him due to his subpar work, hiring Nathan Jones as his replacement in the time since. So far, however, the results have been the same, as he is 0-2 in the Premier League.
They do have what appears to be an easier task on December 31s when they play Fulham in London. Former championship team Fulham will (likely) remain in the EPL for at least one more season. The Cottagers have 22 points after 16 matches and are thriving over a manageable schedule. They routed Crystal Palace 3-0 on the road in their most recent match. However, they were given two red cards in that match.
Southampton’s Premier League schedule is about to get much simpler, which is excellent news. The bad news is that they appear to be so physically unfit that they might not be able to benefit from that. I do like a motivated effort from them and this game is much closer to a coin flip than oddsmakers are suggesting.
Pick: Southhampton (+270)
Newcastle (-210) vs. Leeds (+550)
As they fight for promotion from the Premier League, Newcastle has recently made the most of having home-field advantage, winning 10 of their previous 13 games in front of their own fans. Seven losses in 13 matches have hindered Leeds’ pursuit of a playoff spot, so they haven’t exactly been uprooting too many trees on the road.
With over 2.5 goals scored in 19 of their last 20 home matches in the top tier, Newcastle has recently demonstrated an incredible level of consistency in this regard. This also applied to 17 of Leeds’ previous 20 away games at this level, including a 2-2 tie last month.
In this one, I like for another high-scoring affair and New Castle to have the clear edge in scoring goals.
Pick: Newcastle (-210)
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