Newcastle and Liverpool meet on Monday night in one of the standout fixtures of the Premier League weekend. Read our preview for the Newcastle vs Liverpool match. This clash is a repeat of last season’s Carabao Cup final, which the Magpies won to end a 70-year domestic trophy drought. Betting Preview for Newcastle vs Liverpool Betting On Newcastle Eddie Howe’s side enter this clash without their biggest attacking weapon. The absence of Alexander Isak leaves Newcastle looking light in attack, and their wastefulness against Aston Villa last week highlighted that problem. Still, Monday night games at St James’ Park bring energy and intensity from the crowd, and the Magpies will try to harness that atmosphere to unsettle Liverpool. Defensively, they will need to be far more composed if they are to avoid being picked apart by the visitors’ front line. Betting On Liverpool Liverpool come into this game with confidence after last weekend, but their defence still looks vulnerable and could invite pressure under the lights. Up front, however, Jurgen Klopp’s men look dangerous. Mohamed Salah remains their talisman, and Hugo Ekitike is beginning to show why Liverpool brought him in. With their attacking options sharper and more clinical than Newcastle’s, Liverpool have the edge in this fixture. MatchPlug Prediction For Newcastle vs Liverpool This promises to be a fiery encounter, but without Isak, Newcastle may lack the cutting edge needed to punish Liverpool. The visitors’ attack should make the difference under the lights. Final Prediction: Liverpool Over/Under

Manchester City welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad Stadium on Matchweek 2 of the Premier League. Here’s our preview for the Manchester City vs Tottenham game. The champions began the season in style with a 4-0 demolition of Wolves, while Spurs eased past Burnley 3-0. However, Pep Guardiola will be wary of Tottenham’s fine record against his side, with City winning just four of their last 12 league meetings. The match takes place at the Etihad on Sunday. Let’s take a look at the match preview and betting prediction. Betting Preview for Manchester City vs Tottenham Betting on Manchester City City opened their title defense in ruthless fashion, with Erling Haaland netting twice against Wolves and new signing Tijjani Reijnders impressing on debut. They also edged Spurs 1-0 in February, but Guardiola’s men have been inconsistent in this fixture, losing 4-0 at home last season. Fitness updates on Phil Foden, Rodri, Josko Gvardiol, and Savinho will be key, but even without them, City’s attacking depth and home advantage make them favourites to extend their winning start. Betting on Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham brushed aside Burnley 3-0 in their opener and arrive with confidence. Ange Postecoglou’s side will lean on their high pressing and counterattacking threat, which has troubled City in the past. Their 4-0 win at the Etihad last season shows they are more than capable of causing an upset. Defensive organisation and clinical finishing will be vital if Spurs are to frustrate Guardiola’s champions again. MatchPlug Prediction for Manchester City vs Tottenham This fixture has historically been a stumbling block for City, but their quality at home gives them the edge. Tottenham’s attacking style should make it an entertaining contest, yet Haaland and company are likely to tip the balance. Final Prediction: Manchester City Moneyline

Chelsea will kick off the new Premier League season with a London derby clash against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea vs Crystal Palace fixture is set for Sunday, August 17, 2025, with kick-off at 2pm BST. Both teams have endured a busy summer, with Chelsea lifting the Club World Cup in mid-July after goals from Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro sealed a victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final. Betting Preview for Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Betting On Chelsea Chelsea come into the season as freshly crowned Club World Cup champions, having beaten Paris Saint-Germain in mid-July with goals from Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro. Despite a shortened summer break, they returned to pre-season in strong form, recording back-to-back friendly wins over AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. New signings Jamie Gittens, Estevao, and Jorrel Hato are in line for their competitive debuts, while Liam Delap and Pedro already have minutes from the Club World Cup. The Blues scored six goals in their two pre-season outings and will look to carry that momentum into this fixture. Betting On Crystal Palace Crystal Palace begin the season after a mixed summer. The high of winning the FA Cup and securing Europa League qualification was quickly followed by demotion to the Conference League due to a multi-club ownership violation. However, they bounced back by lifting the Community Shield, defeating Liverpool on penalties. The Eagles will take confidence from that win, but facing Chelsea away from home in their opening league fixture is a stern challenge. MatchPlug Prediction For Chelsea vs Crystal Palace Chelsea remain an unpredictable force this season, but their sharp pre-season form and quality in attack make them favourites here. Palace have shown resilience but often struggle at Stamford Bridge. Our prediction for Sunday’s derby is a Chelsea win to start their Premier League campaign on the right foot. Final Prediction: Chelsea Moneyline

Manchester City begin their 2025-26 Premier League season with a trip to Molineux on Saturday to face Wolves. Read our preview of the Wolves vs Manchester City match. Pep Guardiola’s men will aim to make a strong start in their quest for a seventh league title in nine years, while the hosts look to upset the champions early on. Betting Preview for Wolves vs Manchester City  Betting On Wolves Wolves enter this season looking to rebound from a summer of major changes, including the departure of Matheus Cunha, Aït-Nouri, and captain Nelson Semedo. Vitor Pereira’s side endured a winless pre-season and will be hoping new arrivals can spark a turnaround. Jhon Arias, signed from Fluminense after an impressive Club World Cup campaign, could be the creative spark Wolves need, while David Moller Wolfe is in line for his debut at left wing-back. Yerson Mosquera is working his way back from injury, and Jorgen Strand Larsen will lead the attack. Wolves have struggled against City in recent years, losing nine of their last ten meetings, but they will draw inspiration from their 2-1 home win in September 2023. Betting On Manchester City City’s preparations have been hampered by injuries and a short pre-season. Rodri is a doubt with a groin issue, while Phil Foden, Claudio Echeverri, and Mateo Kovacic are also injury concerns. Even with those setbacks, City’s quality remains high. A summer addition from Wolves bolsters their squad, and Guardiola will expect a fast start despite last season’s patchy away form. The champions beat Wolves home and away last season, both by a one-goal margin, and will look for another composed performance here. MatchPlug Prediction for Wolves vs Manchester City Wolves’ lack of cutting edge without Cunha and a poor pre-season record may prove costly against a City side that usually grinds out wins in these fixtures.  Expect a competitive but ultimately controlled display from Guardiola’s men. Prediction: Manchester City Moneyline

The Premier League returns with a blockbuster fixture as Manchester United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 17th, 2025, in the afternoon headline slot. Read our preview for the Man UTD vs Arsenal. Both teams will be eager to kick off their 2025-26 campaigns with a win. Before you lock in your picks for Sunday’s game, read below for Matchplug’s picks and analysis in this preview. Betting Preview for Man Utd vs Arsenal Betting On Man Utd Manchester United have a slight edge historically in this rivalry and are unbeaten in their last two meetings with Arsenal across all competitions — a penalty shoot-out win in the FA Cup last season and a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in May. Ruben Amorim’s side has undergone major attacking changes this summer, bringing in Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha to form a brand-new front line. While this boosts their firepower, questions remain over their defensive solidity, which could make this game open and high-scoring. Betting On Arsenal Arsenal head into the season as last year’s best defensive side in the Premier League, having kept their backline intact over the summer. The Gunners have also bolstered their attack with Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, reuniting him with his former boss Amorim’s opposite number. Mikel Arteta has a decision to make on whether to start Gyokeres in this clash, but Arsenal’s balanced squad and consistency make them a tough opponent. They will look to turn their dominance in possession into tangible results at Old Trafford. MatchPlug Prediction For Man Utd vs Arsenal Manchester United’s attacking reinforcements could make them more dangerous going forward, but Arsenal’s defensive strength and recent consistency may see them edge this contest. The Gunners will have to be wary of United’s new-look attack, but they should have enough quality to grab all three points. Final Prediction: Arsenal to win narrowly.

The 2025-26 Premier League season kicks off with a Friday night clash as Liverpool welcome Bournemouth to Anfield on Friday. Read our preview for the Liverpool vs Bournemouth match. Before you lock in your picks for the opening fixture, read below for Matchplug’s odds and analysis on all football games this season. preview. Betting Preview for Liverpool vs Bournemouth Betting On Liverpool Liverpool head into the new season as defending Premier League champions after finishing top of the table last year. The Reds suffered a setback in their most recent outing, losing on penalties to Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield, but Arne Slot’s side remain in excellent form overall. With attacking threats like Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah, Liverpool will look to dominate possession and create chances early. Given their strong home record, they will be expected to set the tone for their title defence with a convincing display. Betting On Bournemouth Bournemouth impressed last season with a ninth-place finish but have shown inconsistency in recent months. Their pre-season wrapped up with a 0-0 draw against Real Sociedad, a performance that underlined their need to be more clinical in the final third. The Cherries have struggled historically against Liverpool, especially at Anfield, and will need to be defensively disciplined to stand any chance of getting a result in this one. MatchPlug Prediction For Liverpool vs Bournemouth Liverpool have been relentless at home in recent years and boast a significant talent advantage over Bournemouth. While the visitors are capable of frustrating top teams, their record in this fixture is poor. Expect Liverpool to control the match from start to finish and secure three points to open their campaign. Final Prediction: Liverpool Moneyline

The Premier League kicks off its opening weekend with a high-profile clash as Aston Villa host Newcastle United at Villa Park on August 16th, 2025. Read our preview for the Aston Villa vs Newcastle United match. Before you lock in your picks for Saturday’s match, read below for Matchplug’s odds and analysis on every football match this season.  Betting Preview for Aston Villa vs Newcastle United Betting On Aston Villa Aston Villa secured a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season and have continued their positive momentum under Unai Emery. The Villans wrapped up pre-season with a comfortable 2-0 win over Villarreal last week, displaying composure in attack and stability in defence. Villa have shown steady improvement in recent months and will be looking to make a strong statement at home in their opening fixture. With home advantage and a confident squad, they will fancy their chances of taking all three points. Betting On Newcastle United Newcastle United enjoyed a stellar 2024/25 campaign, finishing fifth and cementing themselves as a top-six contender. However, their preparations for the new season took a hit with a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in their last outing, exposing a few defensive vulnerabilities. Anthony Gordon has been a bright spark for the Magpies and will be key if they are to leave Villa Park with a result. Newcastle will be aiming to shake off their final pre-season setback and start their league campaign on a positive note. MatchPlug Prediction For Aston Villa vs Newcastle United Both sides have made big strides in recent years and will expect to compete for European places again this season. Villa’s home advantage gives them a slight edge, but Newcastle’s attacking threat means this could be a close battle. With both teams evenly matched, a share of the spoils looks a likely outcome. Final Prediction: Draw