Bits and pieces over the weekend, among other riding the slump in City and Real -as they basically begging for it and us to take advantage.
I could hardly believe my eyes when I checked the odds for this match... Why (WHY) is Bournemouth listed as the favorite? They’ve only won one away game this season, and that was against Everton in a match where they were seconds away from losing, only to score two goals in injury time. Antoine Semenyo’s suspension is a heavy blow. Wolves, on the other hand, have faced the challenge of a grueling autumn schedule in the Premier League. They came within seconds of taking points off Manchester City and have shown steady improvement throughout. They’ve picked up points in four straight matches, won the last two, and have forward Matheus Cunha in scorching form. Several players were out due to injury or illness in their last match, but Gary O’Neill is optimistic about potential returns for Santiago Bueno, Pablo Sarabia, Craig Dawson, and Sam Johnstone.
Total confusion reigns in the "light blue" part of Manchester. Fans looked utterly bewildered at the Etihad this week when a 3-0 lead turned into a 3-3 draw. Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne seem hampered by injuries, and the team looks far from its usual self. The injury situation remains complicated. Liverpool, under Arne Slot, is firing on all cylinders. They sent a battered Real Madrid team packing from Anfield this week and are in a much better place than their Manchester counterparts.
These matchups tend to be anything but pretty. Three of their last five encounters have ended 0-0. Newcastle fans unveiled an elaborate Alexander Isak tifo last time, and things seemed to start perfectly when he scored, only for it to be ruled offside. The rest of the match was pure frustration. Anthony Gordon hasn’t been booked yet this season but picked up 12 yellow cards last year. It might be time for his first caution, especially with referee Darren England, who averages over five cards per match in domestic competitions.
If anyone doubted Martin Ødegaard’s influence, they can stop now. Arsenal has looked much better with their Norwegian playmaker back in action. Their defense has also improved recently, despite several injuries. While there’s always a risk of fatigue after Champions League matches, their performance in Portugal was a statement win and should serve as a morale boost. West Ham pulled off an upset in their last match but have otherwise been underwhelming. They allowed plenty of early chances in their recent home match against Manchester United.
On one side: a harmonious and winning Liverpool. On the other: a shocked and fragmented Man City. The Etihad was filled with unease as a 3-0 lead against Feyenoord turned into a 3-3 draw. The newer City fans barely know how to process such events, while older supporters are experiencing déjà vu from the years when City was the butt of the joke. Things have gone downhill for Erling Braut Haaland since his “stay humble” comment to Mikel Arteta. It feels more likely he’ll get booked than score the winner in this match. With duels against Virgil van Dijk on the horizon, it’s easy to imagine Haaland’s temper boiling over.
Real Madrid is plagued by injuries and seems to be spending too much energy trying to rebuild Kylian Mbappé’s confidence after his poor performance at Anfield, where he missed a penalty and was outplayed by Virgil van Dijk. While the table doesn’t show it, the gap between these two teams is smaller than it’s been in a long time. Getafe has performed much better than their position suggests. Despite missing two forwards due to suspensions (Borja Mayoral and Bertug Yildirim), they may feel they have their best chance to upset Real Madrid in years.
Mauro Arambarri has faced "Los Merengues" ten times, securing victory only once but receiving four yellow cards. He’ll be extra motivated after only managing 45 minutes in each of last year’s meetings. Luis Milla has been exceptional in midfield for Getafe, consistently delivering key passes. His contributions have been overlooked, but his stats rival those from the biggest clubs. At 15.00, the assist bet is worth considering.
WOLVES VS BOURNEMOUTH & LIVERPOOL VS MAN CITY
2.11
1X + 1X
CRYSTAL PALACE VS NEWCASTLE
4.50
ANTHONY GORDON – PLAYER CARD
WEST HAM VS ARSENAL
1.97
ARSENAL WIN (1ST HALF)
LIVERPOOL VS MAN CITY
4.50
ERLING BRAUT HÅLAND – PLAYER CARD
REAL MADRID VS GETAFE
3.00
MAURO ARAMBARRI – PLAYER CARD
REAL MADRID VS GETAFE
15.00
LUIS MILLA – PLAYER ASSIST
