SOCCER

Premier League Betting Guide for Matchweek 2

Chelsea started off the year with an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Manchester United. Will they be able to bounce back at home against Leicester City.

The opening weekend of games provided some exciting matchups, but hopefully Matchweek 2 will be even better as the players continue to work towards full fitness.

Using Soccer odd as the source for lines, let's take a look at some bets you should zero in on this week.

Please note that lines are subject to change after this article is published, which impacts betting advice. All betting lines were taken from FanDuel Sportsbook, and you can check here to see their most updated numbers.

Chelsea vs Leicester

Chelsea to win -140

Chelsea started off the season with a brutal 4-0 loss to Manchester United, but they bounced back fairly well in their midweek Super Cup matchup with Liverpool, where they were defeated on penalty kicks.

Even in the loss to United, the 4-0 scoreline is a bit misleading, as the Blues actually outshot United, 18-11, and out possessed them, holding 54% of possession.

At home to Leicester City is a much easier matchup than playing United at Old Trafford, though Leicester do have a pretty solid side. Last season, the Blues finished 12W-6D-1L at home, and although they lost star player Eden Hazard, they still should be able to defeat Leicester this weekend.

Aston Villa vs Bournemouth

Aston Villa to win +130

Aston Villa made a huge splash in the transfer window this summer, spending over $169 million on 12 new players. So while Villa are newly promoted from the English Championship, they certainly have more talent than your typical newly promoted side.

In fact, said new talent was on full display for Dean Smith's in Villa's opening match, as they were leading Tottenham away from home until a late goal in the 73rd minute of last week’s game.

On the other side, Bournemouth were a horrendous 5-1-13 away from home last season, and they kicked off this season with a 1-1 tie at home against the newly promoted Sheffield United. Bournemouth are simply not a good side, especially away from home, and they will struggle to earn a point in this match.

Southampton vs Liverpool

Liverpool to win -220

Obviously, Liverpool had a dominant season last year, finishing 30-7-1 in EPL play with a +67 goal differential, and they continued their success into the start of this season with a convincing 4-1 home victory over Norwich.

Given the -220 odds, Liverpool is implied a 68.8% chance to win, but even as a heavy favorite, there is still value in betting on the Reds this weekend.

Jurgen Klopp’s side was a remarkable 10-0-0 in away games against the bottom half of the league last season, with a +20 goal differential in the split. Southampton finished 16th in the league last year, and they will almost certainly finish toward the bottom of the league once again this campaign.

Liverpool should have little trouble taking care of Southampton, and anything less than three points for Klopp’s team here would be very surprising.