The Premier League is back! Normally, it is the first of Europe’s top five leagues to resume operations but has been beaten to the punch by Ligue 1. While French top-flight will see its third match day, their English counterparts will be getting the rust out of their gears.
These are strange circumstances but the opening day makes up for an interesting read. Both Manchester clubs have seen their season openers postponed. They have been afforded extra time off after extended runs in UEFA club competitions.
While the Citizens and Red Devils take more time off, September 12-14 will be full of footballing extravaganza. The first day sees Arsenal on the road against Fulham. Elsewhere in London, Crystal Palace welcome Southampton to Selhurst Park. Reigning champions Liverpool begin their Premier League title defense against Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United.
It promises to be an interesting day with the options available. However, opening days are always tricky based on past history. It’s still rather safe to go with one over too many for a start.
For us, the selection to dive in deeply is simple, Liverpool versus Leeds United. It is the creme de la creme of the fixtures, especially given Leeds return to English top-flight football after 16 years.
It will be a tough encounter but we have some valuable tips for you to bank over the weekend. Without much ado, let’s get straight to the action of the day, shall we?
12/09/20: Featured Match: Liverpool vs Leeds United
Preview
Liverpool’s last home game was their exciting 5-3 win over Chelsea. They are unbeaten in season openers under Jurgen Klopp, winning three and drawing one. Moreover, after their Community Shield draw, they were emphatic in their 7-2 win over Blackpool.
On the other hand, Leeds United have only lost one match in their last seven away trips. Marcelo Bielsa has steadied the rocky ship of the Whites and they will be a tough nut to crack.
Bielsa must have been fretting over this match for quite some time. The Argentine must have gone through ever frame that was available on the Red’s impressive last season. Klopp is relentless in his approach and he would not have left any stone unturned.
It is an interesting matchup between two different pressing styles. Liverpool and Leeds will not play into each other’s tactics and it will be a tactical masterclass.
Liverpool to win
The previous form of both Leeds and Liverpool cannot be weighed up a lot, the Anfield based entity gets a nudge because of the higher level of rivals. This is a new season and without a proper pre-season under their belts, both teams will not be performing to their utmost best.
Impressively, the Reds are unbeaten in the last 59 Premier League matches. Moreover, Klopp’s men are on a 17-match winning streak against newly-promoted sides. They have their preferred trio of Mo Salah, Roberto Firminio, and Sadio Mane fit and available.
On the other hand, the Whites return to English top-flight football in emphatic fashion. They were miserly in defense and managed six wins on the trot in the run-in to the season’s culmination. With Bielsa in the dugout and with handy additions to their roster, they have surely improved in quality over last season. One statistic that stands out for Leeds is that they are unbeaten in twelve season openers.
We make our pick on the squad quality and the Reds impervious form at home. They are the defending champions and should get over their impressive rivals, albeit not without giving their best. Bet365 has them 1.28 and on paper, it looks like a sure bet.
Goals – Over 2.5
Liverpool are not the offensive behemoths that charmed Premier League’s global audiences towards them. Manchester City continue to have that title. However, they are not far behind. Salah and Mane remain prolific while Firminio might have lost his touch.
But there is one thing that Jurgen Klopp needs to be lauded over their attacking proficiency and it is their reliability at the back. Virgil van Dijk is a commanding presence and does not put Alisson Becker under pressure.
Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo Moreno will have a tough time. They are not prolific in the sense Salah and Mane are, moreover do not have Premier League pedigree. Leeds goals came from across the pitch and this is a strength rather than a weakness. However, it should be noted that the Whites do not score regularly and their average of 1.67 across 46 Championship games does not incite much confidence.
Bet365 has odds of 1.53 for O2.5 goals and there is enough value to pick it.
Anytime goal-scorer – Mo Salah
In the three seasons Salah has been at Liverpool, he has opened his scoring account on the first day. He is the favorite to continue this tradition with odds of 1.66, becoming only the fourth player in the Reds history to achieve this mark. However, he has not scored in any of their four preseason games.
The second best option for the Reds is Sadio Mane. The Senegalese attacker has hit the back of the net in their friendly games and is favored to score at odds of 1.9 by Bet365.
In Leeds ranks, Rodrigo and Bamford both have odds of 4.5. The Elland Road-based outfit’s goals come from across the pitch and it is difficult to point which player will get on the scoreboard. Preseason games do not reveal the real caliber of players and discounting Mo Salah is a difficult task. The Egyptian King knows when to stand out and he will not miss this opportunity. The 2019/20 season was sub-par by his standards and he will look to start the new campaign on a positive note.
Football Lover. All-round junkie of the beautiful game. Could be found watching football most of the time. If not he’s writing about them or making some punditry you don’t agree with. A certain bias for Arsenal and Santos FC.
