This Time Next Year - Weekend Preview | 12th & 13th April 2025

This Time Next Year.. Weekend Preview | 12th & 13th April 2025

By Aaron Byrne April 11, 2025 #ThisTimeNextYear

Welcome back to another weekend preview by the Betting Men. This week we have 9 Prem ties to speak about; betting tips and then also to tell you our match predictions. We are rapidly approaching the end of season race for survival or European places, who will succeed and who will fall!

Man City vs Crystal Palace

It is no secret that Man City have struggled for form this season. Their usual imperious nature has transformed to inconsistency and nervousness. However, they have recently held sway over this weekends opposition. They have had 2 wins and 2 draws in their last four matches against the Eagles. Will this have an impact or will the missing Haaland continue a mini drought?

Crystal Palace are having a fantastic season by their own lowly expectations. Palace are sitting very comfortably in the league table, and also have a semi final to look forward to in the FA cup. They can boast an impressive 4 wins from their last 5 matches, but they do struggle against City as stated above. Can they buck the recent trend for a positive result and 3 points?

Both teams have shown they are more than capable to put the ball in the net. At 4-6 it's hard to imagine this not being an absolute banker.

Although I feel Palace are in much better form and playing some great football of late. City must start getting results with the end of the season being close. I feel they will find a way and just edge out the Eagles this week.

Brighton vs Leicester City

Brighton have been fantastic for the most part of the season, but with the season coming to a close - will they look back thinking what could have been? The Seagull's have had a few minor blips of late. This along with 3 draws and a solitary home win against this weeks opponents, means Brighton really cannot afford any more dropped points.

Leicester have not shown any sort of form since Van-Nistlerooy took the helm. The Foxes have been incredibly toothless of late with no goals let alone wins in their last 5 matches.

Welbeck has shown age is just a number this season. He has given more than a glimpse of form, that made him successful at Utd, Arsenal and England.

The head to head history gives the probable outcome of a draw. However, taking into account each teams season and form, and home win is all but carved in stone for me.

Nottingham Forest vs Everton

Forest will be over the moon with the apparent return of Chris Wood. The Kiwi striker has been nothing short of sensational this season and has helped fire Forest to an almost certain Champions league place.

Since the return of Moyes, Everton have been a completely different animal. Gaining more than enough points to climb away from danger and into a safer mid-table finish. Although Everton have shown a new and improved proved resilience, they still are struggling to put the ball in the net at a consistent rate. Something their opponents do not suffer doing, especially with their attack back to full strength.

Forest at home have been very strong this season, so I see no reason that they won't carry on this and gain a vital 3 points again this weekend. The odds also being above Evens means we just can't ignore the value.

The head to head history shows both teams have their share of victories. This meant I looked at the recent from, in this area Forest are in much the better form and this shows in our Prediction.

Southampton vs Aston Villa

Southampton fans must be wishing it would just all be over. Then they can go back to the relative safety of an easier division. The Saints as a whole have had not only a miserable season, but it might end up being the worst in the leagues history.

Only a couple of players have shone, which probably means players like Dibling, Ramsdale and Archer might leave for pastures new. Contrastingly, Aston Villa are having the kind of season not seen at Villa park since the late 90s. Unai Emery has built what can only be described as an exciting and formidable team.

With Asensio getting a midweek rest against his parent club PSG, I feel he will be ready to shine again and continue his impressive loan form.

With the current form of either side being as it is, that paired with Villa winning their last 4 against the Saints. It's very difficult to see Southampton getting anything from the match.

Arsenal vs Brentford

Well...Arsenal had a midweek that even the most avid fan could not have dreamt of. Winning against Real Madrid is hard enough let alone scoring 3 and keeping a clean sheet. The Gunners will be in a buoyant mood. However, I do feel that a lot of first team players will be rested in preparation of the second leg, this definitely has been taken into account

Brentford have had their typical solid season in the top flight. Sitting comfortably in the league with no fear of relegation, they unfortunately however cannot really harbour any hopes of European progression. Both teams in the Prem have been average recently, with no real standout results to speak of. However, both sides do always seem to be able to find their way to goal. So, a both teams to score bet seems very likely in the evening game.

Having a lot of impressive attackers on the pitch at any one time should mean a 0-0 is very unlikely.

When looking at the recent head to head history between the sides, even as an Arsenal fan myself I was very surprised to see how one sided it was in the gunners favour. Winning the last 4 between the sides should mean I'm more confident of a home victory. However, with a lot of the top players possibly being rested, I feel the home side may struggle to dominate like they have before.

Chelsea vs Ipswich Town

Chelsea's home form has definitely improved of late, winning their last three games at Stamford bridge. The fact they even during their midweek match they could rest most of their first team means they go into this match as fresh as their opponents. On paper matching the two squads up makes for laughable reading, with Chelsea's billion pound squad financially dwarfing that of Ipswich.

Ipswich have shown a lot of promise at times this season. Unfortunately for them the points just haven't seemed to come along with the performances.The solid attacking prowess of players like Delap and Szmodics, means they have throughout the season caused most defences issues at the very least.

Jackson didn't score in his first matches back after injury, but with two weeks back fit, and a full match under his belt I feel this week he will be more prolific.

Many people may see this match as an absolute home banker. However, I feel Chelsea will also get the much needed victory. But I also feel that this will not be a walk in the park for the London side. Ipswich may make them work very hard for the 3 points.

Liverpool vs West Ham United

I think we can all agree barring last week's surprising loss to Fulham, Liverpool are simply coasting in second gear to their second Premier league title. With the likely good news of both Salah and Van Dijk extending their stay, it's likely the rest of the team and the fans for sure will be very buoyant this weekend. Not that they really need it, scoring 5 goals in three of the last four matches against Sundays opponents.

West Ham although sitting in 16th should definitely be safe from the dressed drop. Fortunately, 3 teams have been nothing short of awful this season, otherwise the Hammers could have seen themselves in real danger this season. Bowen has been the one Brighton spark in an otherwise disappointing squad, much more was expected of players like Kidus and Pacqueta to name but a couple. It's clear that Graham Potter needs a full summer of training and the transfer window, to start moulding his new side in an image that cam be successful.

Even with West Ham struggling for wins they do seem to score quite often, with not much value floating around for this match, this could be as good as any other bet.

I was going to predict in line with the last two home matches between the sides and go with another 5-1. I stood slighlty on the side of caution and only let Liverpool score three this time.

Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur

1. Cunha is back available after his ban
2. Wolves have won 3 matches in a row
3. Wolves have won 3 of their last 4 against Spurs, drawing the 4th

It really does seem that Wolves have found an effective way of playing Spurs, will they harness it for another win.Larsen has been fantastic throughout the season. I have backed him to either score or assist many times this season, very seldom has he let me down.

Spurs played their midweek Europa league matches against the very dangerous Eintracht Frankfurt. Although they managed to get something well earned draw from the match, the incredibly fast paced football that Frankfurt play must have taken a toll on the Spurs players. It is very possible that many of the first team squad will be rested for this game as they have literally nothing to play for in the Prem. This could give more lightly used players either a chance to flourish, or fail at impressing 'big Ange'.

The Norwegians numbers and consistency speak for themselves, great odds for a dangerous player.

Wolves will just edge this match for me, an almost fully fit and available squad. Taking on possibly a deminished Tottenham side could spell another defeat for the visitors.

Newcastle United vs Manchester United

A couple of injuries could have meant a decline in performance and results. But exemplary output from Isak, Guimares, Murphy and Gordon to name but a few has meant they are in a great position to regain Champions league football again.

Manchester United are just not the same team they once were and they need to stop being held by the same regard and standards. If we look at and compare the squads of teams like Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford with Uniteds current squad. Would any football fan other than the biased Man United fans actually pick the Red Devil's over the rest? It will take Ruben many years of hard graft and financial backing to bring about the kind of team that Fergie created.

Newcastle have held all the cards in this fixture recently, winning 3 of the last 4 matches between the sides. On current form and squads taken into account, how can it possibly go any other way?

Manchester United may also have to rest some of their first team, they desperately need to goto Lyon and win to have any chance of scraping positives from a dreadful campaign. Newcastle to win very comfortably would be my guess and exactly what I will be backing this weekend.

Aaron's Audacious Acca

We have again this week a random very odds against acca i always back myself, even if it doesn't this week trust me I do hit these...sometimes

Forest, Wolves, Bristol city, Leyton orient, Bradford and Port Vale all to win outright.