The EFL Cup final takes centre stage at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, but there are six Premier League fixtures to whet the appetite on Saturday, starting with four 15:00pm matches.
Four home teams look worth a bet from the early action while Manchester City will hope to continue their title charge at Bournemouth.
- Aston Villa to win & BTTS v Nottingham Forest
- Brighton to beat Everton
- Crystal Palace to beat Burnley
- Manchester United to win & over 2.5 goals
- Both teams to score in Bournemouth v Manchester City
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Aston Villa have suffered three consecutive defeats at Villa Park, but they've generally been superb on their own patch this season, winning nine of their first ten Premier League home games before running into losses against Newcastle and Manchester United either side of an FA Cup defeat to Chelsea.
Unai Emery's team were arguably unfortunate not to come away with at least a point against the Red Devils in their most recent home fixture, but they bounced back on the road last weekend to claim a 2-1 victory at Fulham.
Given the Whites' own impressive home record, that was no mean feat, and the Villans look likely to return to winning ways at home when they host Nottingham Forest, who still have a lot of work to do in the battle to avoid relegation.
Nuno Espirito Santo's men won for the first time this year against West Ham in their last outing, and while that was a much-needed shot in the arm for their survival chances, a clash with Villa is a tougher ask.
However, the Tricky Trees have netted in their last eight, so they should get on the scoresheet in defeat.
ASTON VILLA TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
Brighton vs Everton
Like Villa, Brighton have been in excellent form in front of their own fans, going unbeaten in 11 in all competitions, including wins over Brentford, Marseille, Tottenham and rivals Crystal Palace in their last six matches.
The Seagulls should continue their Amex run with a win over a troubled Everton team who head south, having failed to win any of their last eight Premier League matches.
In typical Sean Dyche fashion, the Toffees are proving hard to beat, playing out four draws in their last five matches, but they're lacking sharpness in front of goal, and that could prove a problem against a dangerous Brighton side.
Robert De Zerbi's men put four past Palace in their last home game, and they flexed their attacking muscles on the road at Sheffield United last Sunday, winning 5-0 against the hapless Blades.
Crystal Palace vs Burnely
Crystal Palace and Roy Hodgson parted ways on Monday, and new manager Oliver Glasner will be eyeing an opening win when the Eagles host embattled Burnley at Selhurst Park.
Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in the 2021/22 season, has inherited a Palace squad boasting some serious talent, although Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi are among a number of players who will be unavailable for this fixture.
Their absences were keenly felt towards the end of Hodgson's tenure, and that will be the case for Glasner, who will be looking to stem the tide for a club that have lost eight of their last 14 Premier League games.
However, Palace have been solid enough at home, with their only loss in five coming against Chelsea, and they could have enough in the tank to defeat Burnley, who are winless in seven Premier League matches.
The Clarets cut adrift in the bottom two alongside Sheffield United, have shipped eight goals in two games against Liverpool and Arsenal. This is easier, but they might still struggle.
Manchester United vs Fulham
Manchester United have found top form in recent weeks, winning four straight league games to move within five points of fourth-placed Aston Villa, and the Red Devils can further their claims of a top-four finish with a win over Fulham.
Rasmus Hojlund has been particularly impressive for the hosts, scoring eight goals in eight matches in all competitions, and the Dangerous Dane could help to fire Erik ten Hag's team to a convincing sixth victory in a row in all competitions.
With the Red Devils on offer at a short price in the match result market, it could pay to back them to win in a match featuring over 2.5 goals.
Five of United's last six home matches have featured at least three goals, and Fulham, while clearly stronger at Craven Cottage this season, have shown attacking endeavour away from home, only failing to score in five of their 15 road outings.
MAN UNITED TO WIN AND OVER 2.5 GOALS
Bournemouth vs Manchester City
Manchester City narrowly avoided a slip-up against Brentford on Tuesday evening, and the champions will hope for a more serene evening when they visit Bournemouth on the south coast.
After hitting red-hot form after Christmas, the Citizens stalled with last weekend's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, in which Erling Haaland missed a flurry of chances. However, the Norwegian powerhouse made no mistake when a scoring opportunity presented itself against the Bees.
Pep Guardiola's team are clearly superior to Bournemouth. Still, the Cherries remain a tough nut to crack at home, having lost just one of their last six matches at the Vitality Stadium. However, they were comfortably beaten 4-0 when Liverpool came to visit in January.
Andoni Iraola's men did, however, put in a spirited display against Newcastle last weekend, only to be denied three points when their former player Matt Ritchie netted a 90th-minute equaliser for the Magpies.
Both teams to score has landed in each of Bournemouth's last four matches and in four of the Citizens' last five road matches, so an entertaining contest could be in store.
