…Time Ticking For Ten Hag as Man Utd Take on High-Flying Villa & 5 Other Big Games The festive season continues to offer up mouthwatering fixtures, keeping fans of the beautiful game glued to their screens — except perhaps Manchester United fans, who are currently having a ‘mare. Erik ten Hag’s men welcome title contenders Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Boxing Day and another defeat could spell the end for the beleaguered manager. **Manchester United vs Aston Villa** The Red Devils are well and truly in a difficult situation. 8th in the PL, 1 win in their last 7 games, no goals in the last 4, attackers who offer nothing in the final third and a style of play that spreads panic instead of calm. The weekend’s 2-0 defeat to West Ham was just another low point in a season of lows, with Erik ten Hag’s post-game assertion that the team “played well” truly baffling, to say the least. The Red Devils spent £72m to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atlanta in the summer with the intention of finally solving the club’s centre-forward issues. Well, the 20-year-old striker has scored ZERO goals in his 14 league games so far. This is in stark contrast to his form in the UEFA Champions League where he scored 5 goals in 6 games, despite the club’s group stage exit. One possible explanation for the Danish striker’s poor EPL form could be the lack of spaces to run into in the Premier League as opposed to the Champions League, where teams rarely employ a deep block. However, that argument falls flat when you realize Hojlund has [missed 9 big chances](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/big_chance_missed) in the league already. Things haven’t been much better for the team’s other attackers either — Brazilian misfit Antony, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have 4 league goals between them this season. The Red Devils have the joint-second lowest goals return in the league (18 scored in 18 games), it is hard to see where the goals will actually come from. An Old Trafford fixture does not offer any real respite, seeing as 7 of their 13 defeats this season have come at home. The last league game at this ground was a 3-0 drubbing against a Bournemouth team that didn’t seem bothered by the atmosphere. Aston Villa are hardly the ideal opponents to be facing when things are going bad for you. Unai Emery’s men haven't lost in 10 matches and have taken the scalps of Manchester City and Arsenal on the way. They are currently third in the standings (39 points from 18 games) and could end Boxing Day top of the table, depending on other results. Ollie Watkins has 5 goals and 2 assists in his last 8 games and despite the Red Devils winning 3 of their last 5 against the Villans, our bet of the day is for Ten Hag’s men to drop points once again. **Betting Tips:**
**Burnley vs Liverpool** A tricky boxing day tie sees Vincent Kompany’s Burnley welcome Liverpool to Turf Moor. On the face of it, this should be a straightforward affair, but the Premier League is never easy to call, and Burnley just pulled off a stunning 2-0 win over Fulham. That victory saw Kompany’s men move off the foot of the table and into 19th place. Despite being only 3 points off safety, they will take great solace in their recent run of results (1w, 1D, 1L) . The Clarets have actually played well in spurts but the lack of quality in the final third and in defence has turned potential draws into defeats. With 1 win against Liverpool since 2017, they must be at their best to stop the Reds on Boxing Day. Liverpool, on the other hand, have faced recent setbacks with a goalless draw against Manchester United followed by an exciting 1-1 draw against league leaders Arsenal. Not all doom and gloom though, as they are still in second spot with 39 points from 18 games, just one point behind Arsenal. Nevertheless, a trip to Burnley represents an opportunity to get back to winning ways and avoid losing further ground in the title race. The irrepressible Mohamed Salah scored against Arsenal to take his tally for the season to 16 across all competitions and 5 in his last 8 league games. Betting on the Egyptian to score against a Burnley defence that has conceded 36 goals in 18 games represents excellent value for money. This will not be a straightforward affair for Jurgen Klopp’s men. While they have been imperious at home, their results on the road have not been great. The Reds have won just 3 of their last 9 away games, failing to score more than 2 goals in an away game since the start of the season. Verdict: While we expect the visitors to have a bit too much for Burnley, we are not predicting a blow-out affair. Take advantage of our professional betting tips by backing Liverpool to prevail in a tight clash. **Betting Tips:**
**Everton vs Manchester City** The champions are back in action after their trip to Saudi Arabia, where they defeated Fluminense 4-0 in the FIFA Club World Cup final to snag their 5th trophy of 2023. The good thing news for last season’s treble winners is things have not changed too much since they’ve been away. Sure, Arsenal still top the standings but a win against Everton will put Pep Guardiola’s men just 3 points off first place, with a game in hand against Brentford. That is important because City have not been great this season and are currently on a run of 1 win in their last 6 league games — the worst in Guardiola’s managerial career. The City boss will hope their World Club Cup triumph, coupled with the potential return of Kevin De Bruyne, who is back in full training after 4 months out, could provide the boost needed to snap the City team back into shape. Guardiola’s men have actually been their usual buccaneering best going forward (most goals in the league - 40) but defensively, they have been far from their best. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in 7 league games and have conceded 12 goals in their last 6. They also gave up a two-goal lead against Crystal Palace last week due to shocking defensive lapses and have generally been underwhelming. The question is, can Everton take advantage? The Toffees have the joint 5th-best defence in the league (22 conceded) and have won 4 of their last 6 home games. The 2-1 defeat to Tottenham was their first defeat in 5 league games and the result was unfortunate in so many ways as Sean Dyche’s men played excellently throughout but failed to convert their chances. Dyche actually labelled the display “outstanding” in the post-game presser as his side managed to create more chances, take more shots (18-13), and generate a higher xG (1.86-1.25) than Spurs. **Verdict:** Everton have failed to win against City since the famous 4-0 win in 2017 – Guardiola’s first season in charge. While the Toffees are a much-improved side, it is hard to see them stealing this one, especially if Erling Haaland is passed fit to play. Everton have committed the most fouls in the league [(226)](https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/Premier-League-Stats) and have received 38 yellow cards in their 18 games so far. For high odds, back Sean Dyche’s men to be on the receiving end of more bookings as they look to stop City by any means. The corner market is also a great place to look for value as Manchester City are averaging 6.35 corners a game [(108 in 17 matches)](https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/Premier-League-Stats), with Everton a little lower at [(4.9 per game)](https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/Premier-League-Stats) **Betting Tips:**
**Brighton vs Tottenham** Brighton's hopes for another top 6 finish have faced significant setbacks with injuries and inexperience hampering their progress. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi told the media that supporters have to “accept” that their young playing group, which included seven starters aged 23 or younger in a 1-1 midweek draw at Crystal Palace, will “make mistakes”. The Seagulls boss was referring mostly to the goalkeeping blunder from Dutchman Bart Verbruggen that ultimately cost them all three points and a potential first clean sheet of the season. They have won just two of their last 12 league games, against Brentford and Nottingham Forest, and are now 9th in the standings. Facing a resurgent Tottenham, manager Roberto De Zerbi will be seeking to turn the tide quickly to avoid extending their winless streak to 3 games. After Spurs fought their way to a 2-1 victory at home to Everton, they now have the longest active win streak over the past month (P3, W3) and their title aspirations are back on track after stumbling in November. They are 4th, 3 points behind Aston Villa and manager Ange Postecoglou can certainly point to injuries as an excuse for their rough patch last month. Boasting the PL’s best away record (W5, D3, L1) at the start of this round, they should be confident enough to go to the Amex Stadium, a ground where they have been victorious in each of the last two seasons, and impose themselves. Spurs have won 3 of the last 5 meetings between these two sides, which have mostly been low-scoring games (2-1, 1-0,1-0,2-0, 1-0). We expect both teams to score as Brighton have found the net in every home game this season and Tottenham have scored in all of their games in 2023-24. **Verdict:** Brighton have failed to keep a single clean sheet at home in the league this season and it’s hard to see them doing so here. Tottenham are in excellent form and should have enough to extend their winning streak to 4 games. Our bet prediction is a Tottenham victory, with Son Heung-Min who has scored 11 goals in 18 league games, finding the net again. **Betting Tips:**
**Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest** Eddie Howe is under mounting pressure and the Newcastle United manager is unlikely to find much festive cheer as he searches for a solution to Newcastle’s indifferent form. The Boxing Day clash against Nottingham Forest is crucial, with expectations of a convincing home win to relieve some of the pressure on both players and manager. Newcastle, tipped for a strong season after last year's promising efforts, have struggled, especially away from St James' Park. A recent 1-0 defeat at Luton Town highlighted their difficulty in breaking down defenses on the road and raised questions about Howe’s long-term suitability for the role. Defeats to Bournemouth and Everton, along with Champions League and League Cup exits, have compounded their woes. However, Howe’s men tend to perform much better when they play in front of the home fans, with 7 straight wins in the league at home. Despite their somewhat disappointing season, the Magpies have the highest xG in the league [(36.4)](https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/Premier-League-Stats), and the joint 5th best defence (22 conceded). It is clear that their season has suffered due to an inability to win football matches away from home, something that must be rectified if they hope to play Champions League football again next season. New Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo saw his debut ruined as his ten men went down to a late home defeat to Bournemouth. They are just two points above Luton who have a game in hand and a defeat to Newcastle could see the Tricky Trees plummet into the relegation zone. Their recent run of one point from a possible 21 has heightened concerns, causing anxiety amongst fans, for whom the threat of relegation is now real. As Eddie Howe seeks respite from the pressure, it is growing and will be made worse with dropped points against a team like Nottingham Forest. Verdict - Newcastle have struggled to win games away from home but their record at St James’s park is stellar. It is hard to look beyond a win for the Magpies against a poor Forest side. Want the best odds? Back the Magpies to return to winning ways. **Betting Tips:**
**Arsenal vs West Ham** Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal showcased their resilience to claim a 1-1 draw at Anfield in their top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool, a result which meant that the Gunners will spend Christmas Day top of the League. That is noteworthy because only five times in the last 15 seasons has the team sitting top of the pile on December 25 failed to lift the Premier League trophy, though the Gunners were one of those sides last campaign. Next up, Mikel Arteta’s side welcome London rivals West Ham to the Emirates Stadium as they look to open up some distance between them and the chasing pack. They seem well placed to do just that, as they remain unbeaten across their nine home PL fixtures so far this campaign (W7, D2), scoring 22 times in the process. The Hammers are not doing too badly either, and are moving along quite nicely, as evidenced by their impressive 2-0 home win over Manchester United at the weekend. That made it 8 victories across their last 11 competitive outings, a run which has helped move West Ham up to sixth place, just six points shy of the Champions League places. Their away form remains a bit wayward of late though, with David Moyes’ side conceding 5 goals in each of their last two away games. There’s also the concern that the visitors remain one of four PL sides yet to keep a clean sheet on the road this season, which isn’t exactly ideal preparation fora game of this magnitude, given they’ve conceded two or more goals in six of their last seven visits to this venue. It is important to note that Arsenal were also top of the table at last Christmas before a run of 3 wins in 7 handed the initiative to eventual champions Manchester City. Arteta must ensure his men are fully prepared this time to avoid any slip-ups. Martin Ødegaard has netted seven goals across all competitions for the Gunners this season, with his side winning in six of his seven goal scoring appearances. **Verdict:** The Gunners are yet to taste defeat at the Emirates this season and our bet of the day is a home win powered by Odegaard and the high odds on BetKing presents excellent value for our online sports betting community. **Betting Tips:**
**Enjoy the Christmas holidays with family and friends and remember you can bet on the Boxing Day games and win big this festive season.** **All you need to do is [register with BetKing](https://m.betking.com/account/registration) to get started.**