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Matchweek 15 Premier League betting tips & best bookie odds

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MATCHWEEK 14 of the 2016-17 English Premier League campaign threw up some huge results.

Top-of-the-table Chelsea came from behind to sweep past Manchester City, who lost the plot in the dying stages at Eastlands and had two key players ejected.

But that wasn’t even the best outcome of the week for the Blues.

Liverpool were cruising against Bournemouth until a baffling second-half collapse allowed Bournemouth to steal an incredible 4-3 victory.

That saw the Reds slip behind Arsenal into third, where they now sit four points off the pace.

Tottenham Hotspur remain a game outside the top four after thumping Swansea City, while Manchester United lost more ground with a frustrating 1-1 draw at Everton.

On points, the Red Devils are now further from the head of the ladder than the foot, where the Swans trail Hull City and the upwardly mobile Sunderland.

Jose Mourinho’s men have a chance to pick up some slack this weekend at home to Spurs, who will need all three points to keep touch with the competition’s big hitters – all of whom have very winnable fixtures.

Here are the match odds for EPL Matchweek 15, with top prices, value bets and first goalscorer tips for our featured games from Australia’s best soccer betting sites.

Premier League match betting

Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au

Watford $3 – Draw $3.40 – Everton $2.37

Arsenal $1.36 – Draw $5 – Stoke City $8.50

Burnley $3.30 – Draw $3.30 – Bournemouth $2.25

Hull City $3.20 – Draw $3.30 – Crystal Palace $2.30

Swansea City $2.15 – Draw $3.40 – Sunderland $3.40

Leicester City $4.50 – Draw $3.60 – Man City $1.75

Chelsea $1.25 – Draw $6 – West Brom $12

Man United $2.15 – Draw $3.40 – Tottenham $3.50

Liverpool $1.33 – Draw $5.50 – West Ham $8.50

Leicester City vs. Manchester City

4:30am AEDT on Sunday, December 11, 2016 at King Power Stadium

If Chelsea’s title defence last season was bad, Leicester’s is shaping up as one of the worst in football history.

While nobody really expected them to back up last year’s heroics, few would have predicted quite such a steep decline.

One win in nine EPL matches leaves the Foxes only two points above the drop zone and staring at a remarkable riches to rags scenario.

They’ve been far better in the UEFA Champions League, where they secured a spot in the knockout rounds with a game to spare, but the B-team was thumped 5-0 by Porto in midweek.

The title holders miss N’Golo Kante, now at Chelsea, and the injured Kasper Schmeichel, but they won’t be the only notable absentees at the King Power this weekend.

Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho are both suspended after receiving well-earned red cards in the dying moments of Man City’s 3-1 loss to Chelsea.

So too is Nicolas Otamendi, who picked up his fifth booking of the season.

That leaves the Citizens very light on at the back with captain Vincent Kompany out until January due to a knee ligament injury.

Aleksandar Kolarov may have to partner John Stones in defence, but Pep Guardiola certainly won’t have the stocks needed to fill out the three-man back line that came undone against the Blues.

Aguero’s absence could see Kelechi Iheanacho start up front, while Raheem Sterling should be back in the mix after a spell out with knee trouble.

Regardless of who gets a guernsey, City will need to improve on their recent record against Leicester if they wish to keep up with Chelsea et al.

They failed to beat the Foxes last season, drawing 0-0 away before copping 3-1 defeat in the return fixture.

Chelsea vs. West Bromwich Albion

11pm AEDT on Sunday, December 11, 2016 at Stamford Bridge

If there were any doubts about Chelsea’s title credentials, they dispelled them last week.

A goal down at half-time after an unfortunate (if avoidable) Gary Cahill own goal, the Blues rallied with three strikes after the break to keep top spot safe for another week.

Diego Costa ran the show up front, scoring one and creating another, while Cesc Fabregas and Willian both stated their cases for more first-team opportunities with vital contributions.

There were casualties: Pedro Rodriguez limped off with an ankle problem (hence Willian’s introduction) and Diego pulled up with muscular soreness.

Both are doubts to face an in-form West Brom as Antonio Conte’s men look to make it nine Premier League wins in a row.

The Baggies have taken near-maximum advantage of a good run of fixtures over the last month or so, picking up three wins and a draw in their last four EPL dates.

They dismantled Watford in round 14 with goals from Johnny Evans, Chris Brunt and Matt Phillips to climb past the Hornets and Everton into seventh place.

With the exception of second-string keeper Boaz Myhill (ankle), Albion manager Tony Pulis has a full squad at his disposal – an almost unheard of luxury in this day and age.

And when you look at recent head-to-head results, you can’t help but think the Black Country boys might just fancy their chances of leaving Stamford Bridge with some kind of result.

Only three out of the last nine meetings between these two teams have ended in Chelsea wins, with West Brom securing two draws out of three games in west London.

Manchester United vs. Tottenham Hotspur

1:15am AEDT on Monday, December 12, 2016 at Old Trafford

What has happened to the fortress that was Old Trafford?

Man United have not won a home game in the Premier League since September, managing only draws in each of their last four at the Theatre of Dreams.

Mourinho’s men haven’t tasted victory of any sort in the league since beating up a listless Swansea a month ago.

But they also haven’t lost a game since Chelsea handed them their backsides in October.

The United forwards are creating plenty of chances, while star goalie David de Gea hasn’t shipped more than a single goal in any of the last five games.

Chris Smalling (broken toe) is the only major absentee, with left-back Luke Shaw expected to be in or around the matchday squad this week.

The players are there and the football is improving, but things just aren’t quite clicking when they need to.

That wasn’t an issue for Tottenham last weekend as they bounced back from defeat to Chelsea with a 5-0 routing of hapless Swansea.

Harry Kane scored twice to make it five goals in four games since returning from injury, while Christian Eriksen was also at the double.

Son Heung-Min netted the other and should keep his starting spot with Erik Lamela and Vincent Janssen both ruled out through injury.

There was more joy for Spurs in midweek as they ended an otherwise horrendous Champions League campaign with a 3-1 Wembley win over CSKA Moscow.

Dele Alli was on the score sheet in that match, breaking an eight-game duck in which the young England midfielder missed a string of good chances.

Both United and Spurs are desperate for victory, and recent history suggests the result will go one way or the other.

These teams haven’t played out a draw at Old Trafford in Premier League play since 2005, with United winning eight of 10 in that time.

Liverpool vs. West Ham United

3:30am AEDT on Monday, December 12, 2016 at Anfield

Things were going a little too well for Liverpool, so they manufactured a way to lose from 3-1 up at Bournemouth just to make things interesting.

It was a shambolic defensive display in the second half, but much of the credit must go to a midfield that seemed to switch off and cough up possession with alarming frequency.

Philippe Coutinho’s driving runs and audacious creativity were sorely missed, and will be for a few weeks yet, but at least Adam Lallana made his return from injury as a second-half sub.

Joel Matip should also be back to firm up a defence that was far too easily rattled without his strength and composure.

But Jurgen Klopp’s side may have to do without the energy and goal threat of Sadio Mane, who suffered a muscular injury down in Dorset and probably won’t be ready for West Ham’s visit.

It could be an entertaining clash if both teams defend as poorly as they did last weekend.

The Irons shipped five against Arsenal, three of those to Alexis Sanchez as the Gunners matched Bournemouth’s effort with four goals in the second half.

West Ham are now five games without a victory and only one point above 17th-placed Sunderland, who are on the way up with three wins from four.

Given the huge expectations around the Hammers at the start of the season, the end must be nigh for embattled manager Slaven Bilic.

Yet West Ham’s recent form against the Reds is solid.

They have won three of their last encounters in the EPL, including a shock 3-0 result on Merseyside last term – the club’s first victory at Anfield since 1963.

Topics: English Premier League, Soccer, UK

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