Premier League Tips: Magpies striker and Liverpool defence to shine

Michael Lintorn
09 April 2016

Liverpool centre back Mamadou Sakho attracted high praise for his midweek display against Dortmund

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The Opta statistics reflect favourably on Norwich, Aleksandar Mitrovic and the chances of under 2.5 goals at Anfield...

"Each of the three meetings this season between Liverpool and Stoke have 1-0 to the away team."

Recommended Bet: Back under 2.5 goals @ 1.981/1

Crystal Palace v Norwich (Saturday, 15:00)

Crystal Palace remain the only team in the top four tiers who are yet to win a game in 2016 (D3 L9)

One of these clubs haven't won a Premier League match in 14 attempts since Christmas, whereas the other are unbeaten in three and fresh from successive victories over West Brom and Newcastle. Yet the ones in the terrible form are inexplicably short 2.0421/20 favourites, creating a delicious lay opportunity.

It may be since Yuletide that Crystal Palace's campaign has derailed, but they have been awful at home throughout 2015/16. Their four wins in 16 attempts is the joint-second lowest in the division, while their staggering ten defeats is so bad that it puts them on a par with Aston Villa. Norwich aren't great travellers, but prevailed on their previous away day at West Brom.

Recommended Bet: Lay Crystal Palace to win @ 2.0621/20

Southampton v Newcastle (Saturday, 15:00)

Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored three goals in his last two Premier League games

After the euphoria of six straight shutouts to mark Fraser Forster's return from long-term injury earlier this year, it is safe to conclude that Southampton's clean-sheet-keeping pomp is well and truly behind them. They have conceded in six consecutive fixtures, spilling twice or more in half. The Saints were also breached twice by Newcastle during the Magpies' shaky start to the season.

Rafael Benitez has yet to enjoy the desired impact at St James' Park, though he has improved their attacking output from a 0.5 goal-per-match average in the final six outings of the Steve McClaren era to 1.0 in his first three encounters. Mitrovic has been the main beneficiary, with the Serbian's three strikes being as many as he mustered in his previous 18 top-flight appearances.

Recommended Bet: Back Mitrovic to score @ 4.57/2

Liverpool v Stoke (Sunday, 15:00)

Each of the three meetings this season between the two sides has ended 1-0 to the away team

That's right, whereas their final collision of 2014/15 11 months ago produced an incredible seven goals, their three showdowns this term combined - one of which ran an extra half hour due to an aggregate tie in the Capital One Cup - haven't even reached half of that total.

Indeed, for all the talk of "heavy metal football", Liverpool have actually become more sedate under Jurgen Klopp, so much so that they threaten to transcend Stoke as one of the Premier League's leading sources of under 2.5 goals (just three clubs have a higher top-tier unders strike rate than the Potters in 2015/16).

Seven of the Reds' past ten contests in all competitions - including an even more convincing four in five most recently - have delivered two goals or fewer.

Recommended Bet: Back under 2.5 goals @ 1.981/1

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