Match highlights of every Premier League game to be shown on the Sky Sports website and app just after full-time; watch Southampton vs Leicester, Nottingham Forest vs Everton, Liverpool vs Manchester United and Brentford vs Fulham live on Sky Sports
By Lewis Jones, @_LJones_
Jones Knows thinks Liverpool will get the better or arch-rivals Manchester United on Super Sunday…
Nottingham Forest vs Everton, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports
Everton’s offside numbers haven’t rocketed as expected under Sean Dyche. From the start of the 2018/19 season to his final day in the job in April 2022, Dyche’s Burnley were caught offside more times than any other Premier League team. That total of 350 was 65 more than any other club as their direct style into the forward line does increase the possibilities of players straying.
So, it’s been surprising that they’ve only averaged 1.6 per game under Dyche so far which is in keeping with what the market expects. But I’m a stickler for believing in a potential angle – to my detriment mostly – so I’ve been tempted back in by Everton’s offsides prices for this game, hoping that the six-pointer style game will see Everton play on the front-foot and test the Forest offside line.
The Evens available with Sky Bet for Everton to be caught offside two or more times makes sense but the three or more (11/4) and four or more (13/2) are worth watching in the hope that the offside Dyche-ball frenzy sparks into life. Amadou Onana, who is playing higher under Dyche, has been responsible for the last two Everton offsides and can be backed here at 11/4 to stray once again.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-1
Liverpool vs Manchester United, Sunday 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports
For a team that have lost just once in their last 35 home games in the Premier League, being able to get 8/11 with Sky Bet on Liverpool in the draw no-bet market makes sense for those that like playing short. Jurgen Klopp’s men have started with 11 different defensive line-ups this season but finally all four of their first choice are fit and playing with good rhythm. Ibrahim Konate and Virgil van Dijk have completed 90 minutes as a pair just three times this season with Liverpool beating Napoli, Tottenham and Wolves.
This is the ideal base that Jurgen Klopp wants to build from as Konate and Van Dijk are both aggressive defenders that are happy to play a high line which allows Liverpool to squeeze the game.
It’s been an incredibly draining schedule for Manchester United, playing a match almost every three days since the return from the World Cup. I’d be surprised if they’ll be able to match Liverpool’s intensity at key moments in the game.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-1
Brentford vs Fulham, Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports
Despite Fulham’s magnificent set of results, I’m still not convinced they defend the heart of the pitch with much conviction or are creating enough high-quality chances to be defined as a top-eight team.
Being good at scoring from range and being ruthlessly clinical from low-quality chances is a part of football but it’s an unsuitable long-term tactic of trying to win matches. To have won two and drawn the other in their last three games despite only creating 0.34 (vs Brighton), 0.44 (vs Wolves) and 0.22 (vs Leeds) worth of expected goals is quite extraordinary. Football is a fine-margin sport where the underlying numbers do eventually bore out into results over a long period so a regression to more inconsistent set of results is coming for Fulham if they keep posting these types of numbers. Brentford look a fair bet to me at 19/20 with Sky Bet.
This is a team unbeaten in eight home Premier League games, winning three of their last four, conceding just three goals in their last seven games.
And I’m still convinced Fulham are vulnerable through the centre of their defence when a top-class centre-forward rocks up. Central strikers like Harry Kane, Rodrigo, Dominic Solanke, Gianluca Scamacca, Michail Antonio, Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson and Toney himself all have scored this season against Marco Silva’s men.
So taking Ivan Toney, who has seven in his last nine, to score in a Brentford win rates as one of the best wagers of the weekend at 2/1 with Sky Bet.