| Match | Recommended Bet | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa vs Norwich City | Norwich/Draw Double Chance | 8/11 |
| Bournemouth vs Arsenal | Arsenal to Win | 19/20 |
| Cardiff City vs Millwall | Millwall/Draw Double Chance | 4/7 |
| Hull City vs Nottingham Forest | Hull to Win | Evens |
| Luton Town vs Fulham | Fulham to Win | 17/20 |
| All Five Results as an Accumulator | 18.58/1 | |
- Aston Villa vs Norwich City – There’s not a huge amount going for Aston Villa at the moment, with the Villains losing four on the bounce and the last three of those by a two-goal margin or more. Injuries to key men Tyrone Mings and John McGinn hardly improve matters. Norwich’s own results haven’t been great but their performances are far more encouraging than the Villains’, and their own injury list has now largely been cleared.
- Bournemouth vs Arsenal – In the world of trading there is something known as the ‘dead cat bounce’, where a previously failing asset suddenly perks up in value. You sense that could be true of Arsenal now that the appointment of Mikel Arteta as manager has given them a buzz. They certainly have more going for them than Bournemouth, whose lengthy injury list can be accused of causing a run of five defeats in six outings.
- Cardiff City vs Millwall – Good luck to the Cardiff Constabulary in keeping two sets of already rowdy fans quiet amid the post-Christmas shenanigans. That mood will be exacerbated by the fact that Cardiff boss Neil Harris welcomes his former employer here – they did not part on the happiest of terms, and ironically it is new Millwall chief Gary Rowett who has gotten off to a better start as far as performance levels are concerned.
- Hull City vs Nottingham Forest – Hull have shown a real fondness for playing on home soil of late (W4 D0 L1, goal difference of +9), and the Tigers have to be fancied here against a Forest side that are without a win in five (W0 D2 L3). The cynics may also ruminate on the fact that some of these Hull players might just be eyeing a move to the Premier League in this transfer window, and that could manifest itself in some eye-catching performances.
- Luton Town vs Fulham – It’s difficult to fathom quite why Fulham, fresh from taking down Leeds in their last outing, are such a generous price against lowly Luton here – a late Christmas gift from the bookies, perhaps. The Hatters have lost four of their last five games and failed to score in three of them, so the Cottagers simply have to be backed at the price.