The English Premier League returns on Saturday, September 18, for its Matchday 8 installment of elite-level soccer.
EPL betting odds are widely available as we are back with our carefully selected Premier League best bets and free betting predictions.
Continue reading for EPL Matchday 8 betting advice, soccer analysis, and free Premier League betting picks for the weekend fixtures involving Brentford vs. Arsenal and Everton vs. West Ham.
Brentford vs. Arsenal
Saturday, September 18, 07:00 AM EDT at Brentford Community Stadium
Team News and Game Facts
- • Emile Smith and Oleksandr Zinchenko remain sidelined after collecting muscle injuries.
- • Arsenal’s midweek clash with PSV was postponed, so Arteta’s men will be well-rested.
- • Thomas Frank will likely keep his starting XI from the 5-2 Leeds dismantling two weeks ago.
- • Over 2.5 goals have been scored in Arsenal’s previous 5 Premier League games.
London Foes Lock Horns
The passing of Queen Elizabeth II has now gifted Arsenal a two-week resting period from domestic and European action as the Gunners prepare to take a short trip to their London foes Brentford this Sunday morning.
A wave of postponements due to the Queen’s death has now positioned Arsenal with a hectic month of October; fortunately, their meeting with Brentford was given the green light as the North London outfit attempt to keep their 1st-place positioning in the Premier League standings.
Manchester United snapped Arsenal’s unbeaten streak last time out (3-1), and Mikel Arteta can’t allow this result to dictate his squad’s confidence moving forward.
A trip to the Brentford Stadium provided a 2-0 losing result last term, but the visitor’s structure and form is unquestionably on a different level compared to 2021.
Goal Scoring Prowess
The Bees revealed their stingers versus Leeds United on matchday 7, ending their 3-game winless run with a 5-2 dismantling of the Whites. They’re comfortable in the top half of the table and have notably become one of the top goal-scoring teams in the division.
Although Arsenal remains the Premier League leader, Manchester City (20) are the only club who’ve scored more goals than Brentford (15) this term, as Liverpool – has equaled Brentford’s efforts with 15 of their own.
More worrying for this week’s visitors, 10 of Brentford’s 15 goals were scored on home soil, and they’ve lost just 1 of their 8 previous meetings on home turf.
Brentford vs. Arsenal: Betting Odds and Best Bet
The available EPL odds give Arsenal the respect they deserve (-130) as this weekend’s betting favorites. Still, the comeback on Brentford’s moneyline at +340 is an attractive price for the high-scoring Bees.
Instead of placing our faith in a moneyline selection, the simple choice seems to point towards the goals betting market.
Both clubs witnessed countless high-scoring affairs in 2021, and I expect this trend to continue.
Score Prediction: Brentford 2 – Arsenal 2
Soccer Pick: Over 2.5 Goals (-140) [140$ stake returns $100 profit] at FanDuel
Everton vs. West Ham
Saturday, September 18, 09:00 AM EDT at Goodison Park
Team News Match Facts
- • Everton is unbeaten in 4 games but has yet to win a league game this season.
- • Frank Lampard has Abdoulaye Doucoure at the ready, and Dominic Calvert-Lewis is likely to return.
- • David Moyes could opt for the 3-4-1-2 formation he utilized against Chelsea last time out.
- • Under 2.5 goals have been scored in 9 of Everton’s previous EPL home games.
- • Everton has drawn 4 consecutive EPL games.
Stalemate Kings
While they can take positivity from putting points on the board, Frank Lampard and his Everton squad are desperate to secure their first win of the 2022/23 Premier League season after drawing 4 and losing 2 thus far.
Drawing four consecutive games has positioned Everton as an unbeaten side from 5 games in all competitions.
Still, the goal difference in the standings is all that separates the Toffees from entering the dreaded relegation zone that has continued haunting them since last term.
Domestic Woes
Two wins from two games in their Europa League efforts is precisely what David Moyes’ men need right now, as their contrasting form in domestic action is incomparable, but taking a pinch of confidence from the Europa results may be of assistance.
As the worst attacking force in the Premier League with a mere 3 goals on the board, West Ham’s golden touch in the final third has been discovered in Europe, and they’ll be looking to translate these efforts into domestic efforts as soon as possible.
Traveling to Everton could give the West London side a glimmer of hope as they’ve won their previous two visits to Goodison Park and also achieved the double over the Toffees last season.
Everton vs. West Ham: Betting Odds and Best Bet
The available Premier League odds surprisingly favor West Ham with moneyline odds of +145, however, the +195 comeback on Everton doesn’t separate the implied probability at a dramatic rate, and the draw at +230 is naturally a tempting position.
With both teams scoring a mere 7 goals combined this season, the struggles in front of goal are evident. Neither side will want to drop more points, and I can envision another tight encounter that ends in a stalemate, so take the under 2.5 goals.
Score Prediction: Everton 1 – West Ham 1
Soccer Pick: Under 2.5 Goals (-125) [125$ stake returns 100$ profit] at Caesars Sportsbook
