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Jamie Steed previews EPL Matchday 24 of the 2024-25 season, starting on 2/1/2025. He previews each game from the English Premier League, picking bets and providing predictions for each game.
The EPL season rolls on, and we're bringing you our weekly article, which looks at betting picks and predictions for all games. Matchday 24 kicks off on Saturday, February 1, with Brighton visiting Nottingham Forest. It culminates on Monday, February 3, when Chelsea hosts West Ham United.
Every week, we'll offer a preview of all the games. We'll predict the outcome, give a score prediction, and pick our favorite play for all fixtures. Before you read on, remember these essential things: betting on sports should be fun. If you aren't having fun with it, stop. And never bet what you can't afford to lose.
We're bringing you more soccer content than ever before at RotoBaller. There are FPL, UCL, and DFS articles every week, along with our weekly betting picks and game previews article, all of which can be found here. Follow the team on X (@EuanFPL, @TheFPLManual, @df_solutions, @BellRoto, and yours truly @Baseball_Jimbo), and reach out to any of us if you ever have any soccer questions.
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Matchday 23 Recap
It was a frustrating weekend, which proved fruitless for us. Refereeing decisions once again took center stage and with only three home teams winning, it was always going to be tough to bag a parlay. Three home teams also failed to score, which ultimately proved decisive.
If you're playing FPL, don't forget that the rearranged Merseyside Derby is included in this gameweek. Although it's played on February 12, any points for that game go on this weekend's scoring. That's due to next weekend being the FA Cup fourth round.
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Nottingham Forest (+145) vs. Brighton (+175) - 7:30 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Nottingham Forest 1 – 1 Brighton
Forest's eight-game unbeaten run was ended emphatically last weekend. Meanwhile, Brighton's six-game unbeaten streak was also ended. Both teams failed to score in their respective defeats. For Forest, it was the fourth blank of the season. For Brighton, it was a third blank.
Only once has a side kept a clean sheet at Forest and Brighton's scored in all 12 away matches. These two sides will be looking to get back on track after humbling losses and both teams scoring looks like the best option in this game.
Bournemouth (+340) vs. Liverpool (-145) - 10:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Bournemouth 1 – 2 Liverpool
The two current longest unbeaten runs collide in this one. Bournemouth hasn't tasted defeat in its last 11 EPL games while Liverpool's only league defeat came back on Matchday 4. Liverpool was able to rest its starters in midweek, which should help the Reds take all three points here.
A 5-0 win against Nottingham Forest continues @afcbournemouth's remarkable unbeaten run 🍒 pic.twitter.com/GfeDP7xGeG
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 25, 2025
Everton (-130) vs. Leicester City (+360) - 10:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Everton 2 – 0 Leicester City
Everton's got the chance to make it three straight league wins for the first time since Matchday 35 last season. Leicester ended its seven-game losing streak at Tottenham. But this will be a more difficult encounter and the Toffees are priced too well for us to ignore. A home win is our pick.
Ipswich Town (-105) vs. Southampton (+275) - 10:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Ipswich Town 3 – 2 Southampton
Southampton's already got one foot in the Championship and has conceded 14 goals in its last four EPL games. Ipswich has lost its last three league games, conceding 12 goals. Both teams need to win and neither can keep the ball out of its goal. We should see a few goals in this game.
Newcastle United (-150) vs. Fulham (+350) - 10:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Newcastle United 2 – 1 Fulham
Newcastle returned to winning ways last weekend and now scored in 11 consecutive league matches. Before losing 4-1 at home to Bournemouth two weeks ago, the Magpies had scored at least three goals in four straight home matches.
After going eight games without losing, Fulham has lost two of its last three in the league. It has scored two in each of its last four away games. While I do expect a home win, both teams have been scoring freely recently, so we'll play over 2.5 total goals also.
Just one blank in the last 10 Gameweeks for Alexander Isak 😮💨#FPL pic.twitter.com/lx6GsK29aB
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) January 29, 2025
Wolves (+230) vs. Aston Villa (+110) - 12:30 p.m. EST
Score prediction: Wolves 1 – 1 Aston Villa
Wolves' four-game losing run has seen it slip into the relegation zone. After scoring in each of its first nine home games of the season, Wolves has blanked in its last two. However, they were both against sides currently in the top three places in the table.
Villa has kept just one clean sheet away from home all season. Its two strikers have both been heavily linked to moves away during the transfer window, so I'm not comfortable backing it to win. It should still have enough to score and both teams finding the net is the play in this fixture.
Sunday, February 2, 2025
Brentford (+110) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (+205) - 9:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Brentford 3 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Brentford took 22 points from its first eight home games this season. It scored 26 goals in the process. Its last four home games have seen the Bees score three goals and take just one point. The opponents in recent home games were tougher but it's still enough to make me avoid backing it.
The main reason I do believe Brentford will win is due to Tottenham's dreadful form. It'll also have an eye on the League Cup semifinal second leg in midweek. The one thing that is almost a lock is that there will be goals. The two goal markets are where we'll be looking at for this game.
Since the start of December...
Only Southampton (9) have lost more PL games than Tottenham (8).
Only Southampton (1) have picked up fewer PL points than Tottenham (5).
Only Southampton (28) have conceded more PL goals than Tottenham (24).
And the Saints were the only side… pic.twitter.com/T29Ywfub4X
— Squawka (@Squawka) January 26, 2025
Manchester United (+105) vs. Crystal Palace (+245) - 9:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Manchester United 1 – 0 Crystal Palace
United's still too unpredictable to back either way. It has only scored more than one goal at home once in the last four games at Old Trafford. And that was against Southampton. Palace has kept four clean sheets in its last five away games and is unbeaten in its last seven away from home.
It's a tough game to predict, but regardless of the result, goals should be in short supply. The reverse fixture ended in a goalless draw and Palace won at Old Trafford, 1-0, last season. Palace's away defensive record and United's lack of goals make me back under 2.5 total goals in the contest.
Arsenal (+105) vs. Manchester City (+250) - 11:30 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Arsenal 1 – 1 Manchester City
Despite its struggles, City is unbeaten in its last six league games. It has scored 17 goals in its last five EPL games and squeaked through the Champions League group stage on Wednesday. The problem has been at the other end, conceding two goals in six of its last eight away matches.
FULL-TIME | Into the play-offs 💪
🩵 3-1 ⚫️ #ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/BKLzywA04K
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 29, 2025
Arsenal needs to win but this fixture has been incredibly tight recently. Three of the last four games between these two ended in draws. City has rediscovered its attacking abilities, and coupled with its defensive frailties, it leaves me wanting to play both teams to score only in this game.
Monday, February 3, 2025
Chelsea (-270) vs. West Ham United (+600) - 10:00 a.m. EST
Score prediction: Chelsea 2 – 0 West Ham United
Chelsea has only won one of its last six EPL games. But only one of its recent defeats came at home. That was also its only defeat at Stamford Bridge since the opening weekend of the season. West Ham is still adapting to life under Graham Potter and continues having to cope without Jarrod Bowen.
The lack of goal-scoring options for West Ham could be helped by Chelsea's goalkeeping issues. I'm not confident enough of a home clean sheet but still expect the hosts to take all three points. That will be our point of focus to round off this weekend's action.
Chelsea will not look to sign a replacement for Robert Sanchez despite his high-profile mistakes.
The other two goalkeepers in the pipeline explain that. And it might be time for Enzo Maresca to look at one of them — Filip Jorgensen.
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) January 29, 2025
Betting Picks
The table below gives the odds for each game's three main plays (moneyline, total goals, and both teams to score). My favorite pick from each game is highlighted if you are looking to build a parlay (which I will be playing and tracking).
| Game | Moneyline | Over/Under 2.5 goals | BTTS |
| N. Forest 1 – 1 Brighton | Draw +240 | Under 2.5 -110 | Yes -155 |
| Bournemouth 1 – 2 Liverpool | Liverpool -145 | Over 2.5 -200 | Yes -190 |
| Everton 2 – 0 Leicester | Everton -130 | Under 2.5 -125 | No -115 |
| Ipswich 3 – 2 Southampton | Ipswich -105 | Over 2.5 -135 | Yes -155 |
| Newcastle 2 – 1 Fulham | Newcastle -150 | Over 2.5 -165 | Yes -160 |
| Wolves 1 – 1 Aston Villa | Draw +255 | Under 2.5 +115 | Yes -185 |
| Brentford 3 – 1 Tottenham | Brentford +110 | Over 2.5 -290 | Yes -320 |
| Man United 1 – 0 C. Palace | Man United +105 | Under 2.5 -105 | No +120 |
| Arsenal 1 – 1 Man City | Draw +250 | Under 2.5 +100 | Yes -165 |
| Chelsea 2 – 0 West Ham | Chelsea -270 | Under 2.5 +180 | No +120 |
| Season totals | 96/229 | 114/229 | 123/229 |
| Season parlays | 1/22 (-9.53u) | 1/23 (-13.41u) | 6/23 (+22.05u) |
Good luck with those FPL teams and EPL bets. Remember to bet responsibly!
