Here are this week’s EPL best bets:

Arsenal vs. Fulham 

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Saturday, 12:30 p.m. ET

The Sportsbooks can’t split Arsenal and Manchester City in the title race, and both sides are the same price (-240) to win their respective fixtures this weekend. The Gunners play first and will open up a six-point lead at the top of the table if they justify those odds by beating Fulham. 

Mikel Arteta’s men had the distraction of a midweek Champions League trip to Spain from which they returned with a 1-1 tie, the second leg is on Tuesday. Last week, they edged a nervy encounter at home to Newcastle 1-0 to reclaim top spot with Manchester City on FA Cup duty. 

Nervy is the key word when Arsenal takes to the field at the moment, with the top two only separated by goals scored prior to that win over Newcastle. The added involvement in the Champions League could be a hindrance in their title aspirations, especially this game, which sits in between the two legs against Atleti. 

That being said, I do expect the Gunners to win this one, but in their own style which, as we know, is not the most attractive on the eye. It is very hard to disagree with odds of -240 to win, but I certainly cannot bet them at that price. 

Opponents Fulham look to have eased off a bit with four games remaining, and in contrast to their early-season form, they have been struggling to score goals. They have failed to score in their last three road trips and in five of their last seven across all venues. 

With six of Fulham’s last seven games and eight of Arsenal’s last 11 cashing Under 2.5 goals, that tempted me at plus money, but the concern the Gunners need to boost their goal difference at some point put me off. So instead, with the Cottagers never having won at the Emirates Stadium and really struggling for goals, I am playing Arsenal to win to nil at +125.

EPL Best Bet: Arsenal vs Fulham – Arsenal to win to nil at +125. 

Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace

Sunday, 9:00a.m. ET

There may be some surprise that Bournemouth are -175 to win this, but I think those odds are very justified. They are the in-form team in the Premier League, unbeaten in their last 15 and take on a Crystal Palace side that are now all about the Europa Conference League. 

This looks like a perfect fixture for the Cherries, with this game coming after Palace travel to Poland on Thursday to play Shakhtar Donetsk and have the second leg at home four days later. Oliver Glasner rested key players Mateta, Sarr and Wharton after both legs of the quarterfinal, so expect similar here. 

Knowing many Eagles fans as I do, another element that may not have been taken into consideration is that they aren’t too concerned about losing this game. Their rivals are Brighton, and Bournemouth are a challenger to them for one of the European spots, so helping in that quest would actually go down well with the supporters. 

I was so impressed with Andoni Iraola and his side when I was at the Emirates to watch them defeat Arsenal, I am happy to bet them here on a -0.75 handicap. We make profit with any win but cash a full return at -136 if they win by two or more goals. 

EPL Best Bet: Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace – Bournemouth -0.75 Asian Handicap at -136.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool 

Sunday, 10:30a.m. ET

These two giants of the English game sit third and fourth ahead of this clash, and although both are out of the title race and look assured of Champions League soccer next season. Whenever they meet, it is a marquee encounter. Both are in good form, with United winning six of their seven home games under Michael Carrick and Liverpool winning their last three league games. 

Attack also seems the best route to victory for the two sides with defensive issues, and this game promises goals in keeping with the recent head-to-head history. The last 12 meetings have seen 48 goals at an average of exactly 4, with all but one seeing Over 2.5 goals cash and eight having Over 3.5 goals. 

The Red Devils won the reverse fixture 2-1, which was a bit of a shock at the time, but it wouldn’t be if they win this too. With Salah, Ekitike, and most importantly their first two choice goalkeepers missing for the visitors, I feel they will do so, which wouldn’t put anyone off the win and Over 2.5 goals same game parlay at around +165.

However, when Manchester United games feature goals, it is a strong likelihood that Bruno Fernandes is involved. After supplying what turned out to be the winning goal on Monday, he now has 19 assists this season, just one short of the Premier League record held by Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry.

That was a third straight match with an assist and a seventh game in succession with a goal involvement (two goals, seven assists). At Old Trafford, the Portuguese international has been unplayable with either a goal or an assist in all of Carrick’s games in charge on home soil and in the last eight in total (three goals, nine assists). 

With that recent record and an assist in each of the last two meetings between the sides, it is impossible to overlook Bruno at -103 to score or assist once again. 

EPL Best Bet: Manchester United vs Liverpool – Bruno Fernandes to score or assist at -103.

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