ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: Premier League Weekend

Star Sports ambassador ALEX CROOK gives his thoughts ahead of a big weekend of Premier League action…

---

🦊 LEICESTER v BRENTFORD 🐝 
Friday, 8pm

⭐️ STARSPORTS.BET MATCH MARKETS ⭐️ 

The weekend kicks-off at the King Power Stadium on Friday night as struggling Leicester welcome Thomas Frank’s Brentford in front of the TV cameras.

With Southampton all but down, the Foxes are effectively in a three-team mini league with Ipswich and Wolves to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Their chances of survival look slim after a dismal run of nine defeats in their last 10 matches.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have failed even to score in seven of those defeats, raising question marks among a disgruntled fan base as to whether the Manchester United legend was the right appointment in the first place.

Brentford are comfortable in mid table and may even have eyes on an end of season tilt at a European place.

The Bees away from was their Achilles heel In the early part of the campaign, but they have now won each of their last three matches on their travels.

They also demolished Leicester 4-1 in the reverse fixture with van Nistelrooy watching in the stands and it is hard to look past the away win.

Kevin Schade bagged a hat-trick in that game and the Germain is bidding to score for a fourth away game in a row.

You can back Brentford to win and Schade to score at any time at 2.84/1 with starsports.bet.

---

🟣 ASTON VILLA v CHELSEA 🔵 
Saturday, 5.30pm

⭐️ STARSPORTS.BET MATCH MARKETS ⭐️ 

Two of the sides chasing a Champions League place meet at Villa Park on Saturday in what should be a cracking game.

The home side come into the game on the back of an enthralling 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool in mid-week when they were inches away from a statement victory when substitute Donyell Malen’s fired past the post in the dying seconds.

The result does mean Villa are now five games without a league victories and also continues a frustrating trend of drawing seven homes matches this season – the most in the division.

Chelsea’s hopes of a top four finish suffered a major blow as they were thrashed 3-0 at Brighton last Friday when they fail to muster a single shot on target.

After looking nailed on for a return to Europe’s top table, Enzo Maresca’s men are now looking nervously over their shoulders having won only two of their last nine matches.

Will be on out for revenge after losing 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in December and have the Firepower to exploit a leaky Chelsea defence.

Emery has an array of options in the forward areas after signing Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio in the January transfer window, but the main in form is stalwart Ollie Watkins.

My build-a-bet for this game is Villa to win, Watkins to score and Levi Colwill to be shown a card at 12.79/1 with starsports.bet.

---

🔵 MANCHESTER CITY v LIVERPOOL 🔴 
4.30pm, Sunday

⭐️ STARSPORTS.BET MATCH MARKETS ⭐️ 

The big game of the weekend is at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday where Manchester City and Liverpool renew their rivalry.

This game cannot be considered a potential title decider from City’s perspective, with the Champions languishing in fourth place in the table, but It’s a big one for leaders Liverpool as they look to return to winning ways.

Arne Slot’s side are going through a mini wobble having been dumped out of the FA Cup by Plymouth, dropping points late on in the Merseyside Derby and being held to another 2-2 draw at Aston Villa on Wednesday.

However, it is worth pointing out that they are still unbeaten in the league since suffering their only defeat of the season at home to Nottingham Forest in September, so there is no need for Slot to hit the panic button just yet.

The time for panic has long since passed at City and you’d have got long odds at the start of a campaign on Pep Guardiola’s men being out of the Premier League title race and Champions League before the end of February.

The citizens look to have turned a corner by thrashing Newcastle 4-0 last weekend, but were brought crashing down to earth by Real Madrid by exiting the Champions League play-offs with a demoralizing 6-3 aggregate defeat.

Real were ruthless in exploiting the weaknesses at the heart of the City defence, and in man of the season Mo Salah, Liverpool have a player more than capable of doing likewise.

Given they are a staggering SEVENTEEN points clear of City in the table, Liverpool to win at 5/4 with starsports.bet looks too big to ignore.

I also like the look of Liverpool to win, over 3.5 goals in the game and, given the hostility between the two teams, Salah to score and over 3.5 cards. That build-a-bet returns 7.63/1 with starsports.bet.

---

RECOMMENDED BETS
Build-a-bet: Aston Villa to win, Ollie Watkins to score and Levi Colwill to be shown a card 1pt at 12.79/1 with starsports.bet
BACK Brentford to win and Kevin Schade to score 1.5pts at 2.84/1 with starsports.bet
BACK Liverpool to win 2pts at 5/4 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
Build-a-bet: Liverpool to win, over 3.5 goals, Mo Salah to score and over 3.5 cards 1pt at 7.63/1 with starsports.bet
Alex ACCA: Brentford, Brighton, Bristol City, Liverpool 1pt at 15.26/1 with starsports.bet

---

STAR PROMOTIONS