Premier League predictions, football betting tips and free bets for Saturday's 3pm kick-offs

When to bet

All matches kick off at 3pm on Saturday

Best bets

Arsenal to win to nil v Wolves
2pts 5-6 bet365

Draw in Everton v Brighton
1pt 12-5 general

Newcastle to win and over 3.5 goals v Southampton
1pt 6-4 general

Draw in Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth
1pt 5-2 bet365, Betfair, Hills

Saturday's Premier League 3pm predictions

Arsenal vs Wolves predictions

Arsenal start their Premier League title pursuit with a visit from Wolves and the Gunners, who are 13-8 second best behind City in the outright betting, look set for a convincing opening-weekend success at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta’s men had to play second fiddle to the Citizens last season, falling short by two points, but that wasn’t due to them faltering under pressure as they won eight of their final nine top-flight fixtures.

Arsenal had the meanest defence in the Premier League last season, conceding only 29 goals in 38 games, and they stood firm by keeping 18 clean sheets along the way.

Seven of those shutouts came in their final ten league outings, which included a 2-0 victory away against Wolves at Molineux, and a repeat scenario is where the value may lie.

The visitors lost ten of their 19 away league games last season, failing to score in defeats at Liverpool, Aston Villa and Newcastle, while three of their last four Premier League meetings with Arsenal have resulted in losses to nil.

Arsenal vs Wolves team news

Arsenal: Jurrien Timber is set to be included in the matchday squad and Riccardo Calafiori is ready to make his debut. However, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney are sidelined.
Wolves: Nelson Semedo starts a three-game ban after being sent off against Liverpool on the final day of last season. Sasa Kalajdzic is out and Daniel Podence is a doubt, but Matheus Cunha, Mario Lemina and Jorgen Strand Larsen have all overcome minor issues.

Arsenal vs Wolves predicted line-ups

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Rice; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
Wolves (3-5-2): Sa; Dawson, Toti, Mosquera; Doherty, Gomes, Lemina, Doyle, Ait-Nouri; Cunha, Hee-Chan.

Arsenal vs Wolves key stat

Arsenal have won their last six league meetings with Wolves, conceding only twice.

Best bet for Arsenal vs Wolves:

Arsenal to win to nil
2pts 5-6 bet365

Verdict by Aaron Ashley

Everton vs Brighton predictions

Everton and Brighton played out a pair of 1-1 draws in the Premier League last season and they may settle for a share of the spoils in the opening game of a new campaign at Goodison Park.

The Seagulls have taken a chance on 31-year-old manager Fabian Hurzeler following his successful reign in Germany with St Pauli and now they have no European football to contend with, they will be looking to build on last season’s 11th-place finish.

But Brighton were the Premier League’s draw specialists last season, coming away with only a point on 12 occasions, and Everton have shown down the years that Goodison Park is never an easy place to go.

The Toffees flirted with relegation last term but their success at their home fortress ultimately steered them to survival, as they won their final five matches on Merseyside.

Sean Dyche’s side lost only three of their final 15 home league outings, those reverses coming against the Manchester clubs and West Ham, while just Liverpool, City and Arsenal conceded fewer goals at home than their tally of 18.

Everton vs Brighton team news

Everton: Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson and James Garner have all been ruled out, so Ashley Young looks set to start at right-back. Jarrad Branthwaite, Dele Alli and Youssef Chermiti are all recovering from injuries.
Brighton: Solly March, Julio Enciso, Bart Verbruggen and Igor Julio are all unavailable while Tariq Lamptey, Pervis Estupinan, Evan Ferguson and Billy Gilmour are doubts. However, Yankuba Minteh and Brajan Gruda are in line to make their debuts.

Everton vs Brighton predicted line-ups

Everton (4-3-3): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko; Iroegbunam, Gueye, Doucoure; Harrison, Calvert-Lewin, McNeil.
Brighton (3-4-3): Steele; Veltman, Dunk, Van Hecke; Minteh, Wieffer, Milner, Barco; Mitoma, Welbeck, Pedro.

Everton vs Brighton key stat

Brighton drew three of their final four away league games last season.

Best bet for Everton vs Brighton:

Draw
1pt 12-5 general

Verdict by Aaron Ashley

Newcastle vs Southampton predictions

A difficult first hand has been dealt to Southampton on their Premier League return as they face a tricky trip to St James’ Park to take on Newcastle, who seem to hold all the aces in this clash. 

The Magpies have won the past five meetings between the pair, are unbeaten in eight home matches and only the top three scored more goals than Newcastle’s total of 85 in England's top flight last term. 

Eddie Howe’s men beat Aston Villa 5-1 in their opening game of last season and then racked up 23 goals in their six games against promoted sides Sheffield United, Luton and Burnley. 

Russell Martin’s possession-heavy style could lead to mistakes at the back over the course of the campaign and given that the Saints conceded 63 times in the second tier last term, goals look to be on the agenda at St James’ Park. 

Five of Newcastle’s last seven matches of last season featured four or more goals and their opening match of the new campaign could see them win and continue that trend. 

Newcastle vs Southampton team news

Newcastle: Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Lewis Miley, Matt Targett and Callum Wilson are all injured while Sandro Tonali remains suspended and Joe Willock is nearing a return. New signings William Osula, Odysseas Vlachodimos and Lloyd Kelly look set to start on the bench.
Southampton: Ross Stewart, Adam Lallana and Kamaldeen Sulemana are nearing returns while Gavin Bazunu is injured for the Saints, who have been setting up with three centre-backs in pre-season and may continue with that switch of formation on Tyneside.

Newcastle vs Southampton predicted line-ups

Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Southampton (3-5-2): McCarthy; Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens; Sugawara, Aribo, Downes, Smallbone, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Brereton Diaz

Newcastle vs Southampton key stat

Newcastle scored 23 goals in their six matches against promoted sides last season

Best bet for Newcastle vs Southampton:

Newcastle to win and over 3.5 goals
1pt 6-4 general

Verdict by Jamie Griffith

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth predictions

The City Ground was once a fortress but one win in Nottingham Forest’s final seven home games of last season suggests that may no longer be the case. 

Nuno Espirito Santo will need to implement a winning mentality into his squad, especially at home, if they are to avoid the drop again having finished 17th last term. 

An opening game against Bournemouth will be seen as winnable by many Forest fans, but those in the stands at the City Ground may be left frustrated come 5pm.

The Cherries are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with the Reds and won this fixture 3-2 last season. 

However, Dominic Solanke scored all three of their goals that day and now that their star man has departed for Spurs, Bournemouth may lack the firepower to secure all three points against Forest as new forward signing Evanilson will not be ready just yet. 

Last season’s reverse fixture finished level and given the Cherries can struggle on their travels, winning only two of their last nine away games, it could pay to back a stalemate in Nottingham. 

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth team news

Nottingham Forest: The Reds go into this game with no absentees. Nikola Milenkovic should make his first Forest start at the back while Chris Wood is likely to be preferred to Taiwo Awoniyi up front.
Bournemouth: Tyler Adams, Enes Unal and David Brooks are injured while Neto and Marcos Senesi are slight doubts and Andoni Iraola has hinted at an illness in the Bournemouth camp but has not named who has been affected. Evanilson is unlikely to feature so soon, so Antoine Semenyo should lead the line.

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth predicted line-ups

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Aina; Yates, Danilo; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Neto; Smith, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Tavernier, Kluivert, Sinisterra; Semenyo

Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth key stat

Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last eight meetings with Nottingham Forest

Best bet for Nottingham Forest vs Bournemouth:

Draw
1pt 5-2 bet365, Betfair, Hills

Verdict by Jamie Griffith

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