ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: Premier League Gameweek 20

talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent ALEX CROOK previews an exciting weekend of post-Christmas Premier League action…

🟠 LUTON TOWN V CHELSEA 🔵
Saturday, 12.30pm

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Luton have given their hopes of pulling off an unexpected Premier League survival a major boost by picking up back-to-back wins against Newcastle and Sheffield United over the festive period.

You have to praise Rob Edwards for the way he has galvanised his players in the wake of captain Tom Lockyer’s sickening on-field collapse, which they are now using as extra motivation to make sure they stay up.

Edwards also deserves credit for succeeding where so many more experienced managers have failed in getting a tune out of Ross Barkley and the former England midfielder is arguably playing as well as he has at any point in his career as the driving force in the Hatters in midfield.

Barkley will also have a point to prove against former club Chelsea and the Blues were very unconvincing in their mid-week win over Crystal Palace and their young team will not relish the intimidating Kenilworth Road atmosphere.

I am not convinced a corner has been turned at Stamford Bridge and Luton have already held Liverpool to a draw and ran Arsenal and Manchester City close in front of their own fans. They are all far better teams than Chelsea so I am backing Luton to win at 19/4.

Six years ago, Luton striker Elijah Adebayo was playing non-league football and he recently became the first Luton player to score in three successive top-flight games since Mick Harford in the 1990s. Adebayo to score at any time is 14/5 with starsports.bet

🔵 MANCHESTER CITY V SHEFFIELD UNITED 🔴
Saturday, 3pm

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For the second half of their win at Everton, Manchester City looked back to somewhere near their best, which is an ominous sign for their title rivals.

At one stage during that game the champions were eight points behind leaders Liverpool but the gap is now just five and history tells us Pep Guardiola’s men come on strong in the second half of the season.

This game may come too early for Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne to make their injury comebacks, but that actually makes the goalscorer markets slightly more appealing to punters as both would be very short prices if fit.

Phil Foden was the City player who took the game by the scruff of the neck when they were 1-0 down at half time at Goodison Park, scoring his fifth goal of the season to get them back on level terms.

When de Bruyne is fully available Foden knows he has to fight to keep his place in the team so has extra motivation to maintain that level of form and I can see him getting on the scoresheet again against a Sheffield United side who sit rock bottom of the table. I’ll be taking Foden to score at any time at 21/20.

I also think City will win with a bit in hand so will be playing City -3 on the handicap at 9/5 with starsports.bet

⚪ TOTTENHAM V BOURNEMOUTH 🔴
Sunday, 2pm

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Tottenham’s three-match winning run came to a shuddering halt as Ange Postecoglou’s injury-hit side were thumped 4-2 at Brighton on Thursday night.

In truth, the scoreline flattered Spurs, who were 4-0 down and already well beaten when they scored twice in a frenetic final ten minutes.

The warning signs were there in their somewhat fortuitous win over Everton last weekend and, with Cristian Romero joining Micky van de Ven in the treatment room, Brighton brilliantly took advantage of their patched up backline.

I watched Bournemouth destroy Fulham 3-0 on Boxing Day and they have the weapons to exploit the defensive high line that Postecoglou refuses to abandon even missing key personnel.

Full-backs Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro are great going forward, but I have doubts about their defensive capabilities and Bournemouth have strength in the wide areas with Marcus Tavernier and Antoine Semenyo in excellent form.

That Cherries pair can provide the supply line for in-form Dominic Solanke to make it another difficult affair for Postecoglou. Solanke to score at any time is 17/10 with starsports.bet

ALEX CROOK

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Luton to beat Chelsea 0.5pts at 19/4 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Elijah Adebayo to score at any time 1pt at 14/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Manchester City -3 Handicap 1.5pts at 9/5 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Phil Foden to score at any time 1pt at 21/20 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Dominic Solanke to score at any time 1pt at 17/10 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

🚀 Price-boosted anytime goalscorer treble: Elijah Adebayo (Luton v Chelsea), Phil Foden (Manchester City v Sheffield United), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham v Bournemouth) at ?