The Premier League title race is heating up as we enter the 26th matchday of the season. Arsenal (56 points) still sits atop the table with a six-point cushion over second-place Manchester City (50 points). Meanwhile, Manchester United (44 points) and Chelsea (43 points) have each won their last four games, as they'll continue to jockey for a coveted top-four spot down the stretch.
I've got you covered from a sports betting angle for the midweek action in England. Here are my favorite Premier League Matchday 26 bets.
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Premier League Matchday 26 Preview & Best Bets (2026)
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Aston Villa (-105) vs. Brighton (+280), DRAW (+275) | O/U 2.5 (-130/+100)
I mentioned four of the top five squads in the intro, leaving out third-place Aston Villa (14-5-6, 47 points). They're coming off a 1-1 road draw against Bournemouth. The Villans will try to secure three points on Wednesday when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion, who currently reside in 14th place at 7-10-8 (31 points). Kick-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET from Villa Park in Birmingham.
Aston Villa is a team that I'm almost always willing to play in the pick’em range at home. Specifically in 2025-26, they've been fantastic at Villa Park, posting an 8-1-3 record. Their +8 goal differential (18:10) at home is the sixth-best in the league, while their 10 goals against at Villa Park is the fourth-best mark.
Brighton has secured a result in only 50% of their road matches this season, going 2-4-6 with a -5 goal differential (14:19). The Seagulls' overall form is also on a downward trend as well, as they've registered only one victory across their last 11 Premier League matches (1-5-5).
The lone win came against lowly Burnley, and included in the 11-game stretch is a 4-3 loss to Aston Villa on December 3rd. If Aston Villa is serious about locking in a top-four spot in the Premier League, then they need to collect these three points. Let's back the hosts at -105 on the Moneyline.
Bet: Aston Villa Moneyline (-105)
Sunderland (+380) vs. Liverpool (-135), DRAW (+295) | O/U 2.5 (-125/+100)
It hasn't been a flawless campaign for reigning champions Liverpool, who enter the new week in sixth place at 11-6-8 (39 points). They'll be looking to bounce back from a 2-1 home loss to Manchester City, and they're slim -135 favorites to do so against Sunderland (9-9-7). This match is slated for 3:15 p.m. ET from the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Liverpool boasts a very dangerous offense, but this appears to be a good spot to go against the grain and play the under. The Reds have been a hit-or-miss offense as of late, scoring one or fewer goals in four of their last seven road games. Overall, this season, they're dead last in shots on target rate at just 28.4%. Liverpool will take on a Sunderland team that's second in save percentage at 73.1%.
Furthermore, Sunderland has been spectacular at home this season. They're an unbeaten 7-5-0, having allowed only nine goals in their venue. That's third behind only Manchester City (eight) and Arsenal (eight). On the other end, Sunderland is just 16th in goals scored (27) this season. Across their last 13 matches in all competitions, the Black Cats have scored one or fewer goals on 11 occasions. That includes a 1-1 draw at Anfield on December 3rd. Give me the under.
Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (+100)
Brentford (+390) vs. Arsenal (-145), DRAW (+295) | O/U 2.5 (-115/-110)
Arsenal (17-5-3, 56 points) has notched back-to-back wins, as they continue to assert their dominance in the English top flight. The Gunners are moderate -145 Moneyline favorites on Thursday when they hit the road to take on seventh-place Brentford (12-3-10, 39 points). The matchday finale gets underway at 3:00 p.m. ET from Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford.
Like Aston Villa and Sunderland, it has been a successful run at home this season for Brentford. The Bees are a solid 7-3-2 at home, meaning they've picked up at least a point in 10 of their 12 matches. Their defense vastly improves at Gtech Community Stadium, where they've conceded only 12 goals, compared to allowing 22 goals in 13 road matches.
I'll take a plus-money flier and wager that Brentford can win or draw against Arsenal, covering the +0.5 spread. I really don't have much anti-Arsenal data here. However, the Gunners have only won seven of their 12 away matches, and they're averaging a pedestrian 1.5 goals per game on the road. They're not nearly as dominant away from Emirates Stadium. I think we see a lower-scoring game, and I expect Brentford to hang around.
Bet: Brentford +0.5 (+115)
