Signings have been made and new managers are now in charge at some clubs, but how much will actually change in the Premier League this season?
The two teams who finished at the top seem nigh-on impossible to shift, at least according to the statistical evidence compiled after an incredible 2018-19 title race.
Champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool lost five games between them as they battled for the trophy until the final day, leaving others trailing well behind.
Will the gap widen with Eden Hazard torn from Chelsea, or can Manchester United close in after laying stronger defensive foundations?
We assess those questions and more in the Opta data preview for 2019-20.
City and Liverpool set to dominate again
It will…
Aston Villa s Jordan Nobbs is now the outright leader for Women s Super League appearances after playing her 193rd game.
The midfielder started on Saturday, though she could not help Villa avoid a 4-2 defeat to Brighton, who were inspired by full debutant Nikita Parris.
While Nobbs could not mark her special day with a victory, there can be no taking away from the 31-year-old s achievement.
Nobbs tally includes eight appearances in the WSL Spring Series. Before Saturday, she was level with Chelsea s Sophie Ingle, who is out injured.
The new all-time appearance holder!
— Barclays Women s Super League (@BarclaysWSL)
She has started 158 games in total, and taken part in a hugely impressive 124 wins only now-retired Stephanie Ho…
This clash is really Liverpool s last chance to stake a claim for Champions league football this year, but they will have their work cut out against a Chelsea side who really need to win this match to maintain their push for the premier league title.
Liverpool s chances in this match will also be hampered by the fact that they will have played three days earlier in the second leg of their Europa League semi final second leg match against Athletico Madrid. Benitez also has real selection problems up front with Torres ruled out, and Ngog and Kuyt both doubtful for the games ahead. One piece of fortune for the Anfield outfit is the return to form of Steven Gerrard. After riding serious allegations about his personal life in recent weeks, Gerrard has come out the other side firing …
Harry Kane may have suffered an untimely injury, but England boss Gareth Southgate could well be blessed with a wealth of attacking options heading into Euro 2020.
Kane s hamstring injury should not see him miss the European Championship, but it has handed plenty of England hopefuls the chance to prove their worth.
And it seems as though this season, the Premier League belongs to homegrown forwards.
Jamie Vardy – who has retired from international duty – leads the way with 17 goals, ahead of three players sharing second place in the scoring charts with 14: Danny Ings, Marcus Rashford and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Arsenal striker Aubameyang is one of only four non-English players to take their place in the Premier League s list of leading scorers as t…
Wigan produced one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history when they beat Manchester City 1-0 at Wembley, on this day in 2013.
Ben Watson’s late header clinched a fairytale win for the Latics, who won their first major trophy just 35 years after becoming a Football League club.
Roberto Mancini’s big-spending City, who won the FA Cup in 2011, were overwhelming favourites having been crowned Premier League champions in 2012.
The Latics were in the Premier League’s bottom three and were given little chance after beating Bournemouth, Macclesfield, Huddersfield, Everton and Millwall to earn their chance of glory.
But manager Roberto Martinez said: “We all know Manchester City are the major favourites, and rightly so. But there are many examples of majo…
When compared to all the advanced stats and computer-learning power ratings out there, situational handicapping can seem a bit… passé.
But tell that to the Cincinnati Bengals and our “schedule spot” for Week 8.
Spot bets are an additional layer to your handicapping, going beyond what the analytics tell you and digging into how the schedule can rattle the psyche of NFL teams. Before you make your NFL betting picks, check out my favorite letdown, lookahead and schedule spot bets for Week 9.
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Sunday football is back, and we have a pair of important debuts!
Matt Ryan spent 13 years in Atlanta, demanded a trade, and wound up with an Indianapolis Colts side in win-now mode after a late-season meltdown cost them a shot at the playoffs.
Lovie Smith becomes the fourth head coach over their last four seasons, and he’s in charge of the Houston Texans’ rebuild with a number of highly touted rookies.
Who will have the better debut, Ryan or Smith? Find out in my free NFL football betting picks and predictions for this Week 1 showdown between the Colts and Texans on Sunday, September 11.
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There are 11 outdoor games on the NFL Week 11 odds board and five of them could have their results skewed by the mid-November weather. That includes the biggest game of the year on Monday Night Football.
I comb the extended forecasts for rain, wind, and maybe even a little snow, and handicap how the elements will impact the teams involved and possibly your NFL picks.
Here’s the NFL Week 11 Weather Watch for the upcoming NFL odds slate.
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The Super Bowl and sports betting collide in Las Vegas when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday.
Luckily, you don’t have to be in Sin City to get action down on the Super Bowl odds.
If you’re looking for an exciting way to wager on San Francisco vs. Kansas City, check out my “Sharp 600” boosted same-game parlay at bet365. And don’t miss out on my 49ers vs. Chiefs picks and full-game preview to help you with your NFL picks and Super Bowl predictions.
For even more great SGP options, check out Josh Inglis’ DraftKings SGP pick and Joe Osborne’s FanDuel SGP pick!
bet365 same-game parlay for K…
Coming off two straight losses, including a blowout at home against the Washington Commanders, the Arizona Cardinals are in for a long afternoon against the San Francisco 49ers.
Even without Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers have shown flashes that they’ll again be a Super Bowl contender. I expect the run game to be the difference in my Cardinals vs. 49ers predictions and NFL picks for Sunday, October 6.
Cardinals vs 49ers prediction
My best betJordan Mason 100+ rushing yards (+130 at BetMGM)
My analysis
Losing a player like Christian McCaffrey can derail most teams’ seasons, but the Shanahan family has a history of turning nobody running backs into stars. Mike and Kyle Shanahan know how to get the best out of any …