Joe Townsend
I like the look of this match-up with Aston Villa no doubt keen to quickly move on from their thrashing by Leeds last time out, and Southampton aiming to continue a strong run of results.
Before they were taken apart by Marcelo Bielsa's side, Villa were being showered with praise following an impeccable start to the campaign that had seen them concede only twice and thump seven goals past Liverpool en route to four straight wins.
Southampton, like Villa, have strong form stretching back to last season though unlike Dean Smith's side they were slow to get going this term. But their ending of Everton's unbeaten start in impressive fashion made it 10 points from a possible 12 and showed that Ralph Hasenhuttl's men are well and truly back.
During what has, until recently, been a Premier League campaign of unprecedented goal-scoring, this duo have bucked the trend by managing to keep a combined six clean sheets in 11 top-flight games.
It's rare that Saints don't score, but this match isn't one I fancy to have many goals in it. That being said, a meeting between an in-form team and one trounced in their last outing after a flying start offers too much uncertainty for me, so I'm looking elsewhere for a reliable bet.
Best bet:
Michael Beardmore
Everton could well be bidding to regain top spot when they visit St James’ Park, given the two sides immediately below them, Liverpool and Aston Villa, will have already played.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side saw their unbeaten start to the campaign end abruptly with a surprisingly abject 2-0 defeat at Southampton last Sunday. A trip to maddeningly inconsistent Newcastle would seem to offer a decent opportunity to get back on track against one of the Premier League’s most beleaguered backlines.
Impressive in victories against West Ham and Burnley, the Magpies have otherwise struggled and are a couple of points better off than perhaps they should be. Late goals have pinched points despite being outplayed by Wolves and Tottenham, particularly at Spurs where Callum Wilson’s stoppage-time penalty was tantamount to daylight robbery.
Best bets:
Suspicion suggests Arsenal will approach this encounter in a similar way to their trips to Anfield and The Etihad, thus denying United the opportunity to counter-attack. And with that in mind, we might not be in for the anticipated market expectation for a thrill-a-minute affair, and instead opposing goals could be the smart selection at Old Trafford.
United displayed a level of caution against Chelsea, while Arsenal are just too functional, without a leading playmaker, and slow-paced to fall into the trap of an end-to-end thriller. The Gunners’ games feature the fewest shots from inside the penalty area in the Premier League this term and so under 2.5 goals is preferred at the prices (23/20).
Man Utd are fair and firm favourites to succeed – understandably after their standout triumphs of the past fortnight – with Arsenal winless at Big Six clubs in 28 games since 2015. But there’s little margin of value in the odds on offer so I’ll focus my attention on a low-scoring showdown from Old Trafford. I’d be surprised if this fixture catches fire.
Score prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal ()
Best bet:
Tom Carnduff
Best bet:
Odds correct at 1500 GMT (29/10/20)
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