Premier League Tipsheet: Five stand-out midweek bets to kick off 2023

• Salah to sting the Bees

• The Gunners to find a way

• Toffees woes to continue

Brentford v Liverpool (January 2nd, 17:30) - On Toney ground

Liverpool's propensity to concede early has persisted beyond the World Cup break, going behind to Manchester City in the League Cup and to Leicester this week, both times during initial exchanges.

On 12 occasions across all comps, they have conceded first in 2022/23. On 10 occasions from their 24 fixtures, they have been breached inside 20 minutes.

Factor in too that the Reds have lost more games in January under Jurgen Klopp than in any other month since his arrival in 2015 and an extension to Brentford's fine home form, that has seen them accrue 13 points from a possible 24, looks plausible.

Only then we acknowledge the injury sustained by Ivan Toney on Friday that leaves him a serious doubt. The 26-year-old has fired 44.4% of Brentford's goals this term and they are not the same side without him. Indeed, they have won just one from his seven previous absences in a Bees shirt.

At the other end, Darwin Nunez feels far too erratic to gamble on though Mark O'Haire has a persuasive counter-view. Still, it's Mo Salah who most appeals, the Egyptian hit-man boasting five direct goal involvements from his last five league outings.

Arsenal v Newcastle (January 3rd, 19:45) - Gunners keep firing

In consecutive games Arsenal's front three have each got on the score-sheet and though every component of Mikel Arteta's creation very much bears up to scrutiny, it's their headline-makers who most stand out. Add Martin Odegaard into the mix and it's a superbly balanced and bold quartet that can win any side a title.

Bukayo Saka has seven direct goal involvements in seven starts while Eddie Nketiah is proving to be Arsenal''s second coming following Gabby Jesus' lay-off, the England Under 21 international scoring his last 11 goals at the Emirates from just 16 shots on target. Gabriel Martinelli meanwhile has two in two and Odegaard has four in five, with three assists for good measure.

It's a title aspiration that will be seriously tested in the coming weeks against an array of top six fare and their crunch period begins with Newcastle who, like the Gunners, have lost only once all term.

The Magpies' formidable return is founded on a well-drilled back-line that has kept clean sheets in over half their fixtures and even if the hosts are fancied to prevail here, it will surely be tight, tense, and attritional.

Eddie Howe's side have conceded just twice in their last 15 hours of competitive football.

Everton v Brighton (January 3rd, 19:45) - Toffees come unstuck

The spirit and togetherness shown by the Toffees in gaining a point at the Etihad this week will serve them well going into an era-defining few months, but there is no getting around the fact that Brighton have the fifth best away record in the top-flight, while Everton have the third worst return at home.

Successfully reconfigured under Roberto De Zerbi, the Seagulls have averaged 2.6 goals per 90 in their last five games and Everton can only dream of such firepower, managing a meagre two strikes since mid-October. They can't even blame wastefulness, with only Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth taking on fewer shots this season.

The visitors will be significantly boosted by the returns of Moises Caicedo and their World Cup-winning Alexis Mac Allister and they should be backed against a side that will likely double-down on making themselves hard to beat. As we've seen recently however, at Goodison that can leave them unsure whether to stick or twist.

Leicester v Fulham (January 3rd, 19:45) - Sternest test

Fulham have only failed to score once on the road this season, elsewhere bagging three on a trio of occasions and their prolificacy should concern a Foxes rearguard that has shipped five in two, all incidentally in the first half.

Going into the break, it looked for all the world like Leicester were a side transformed, a sharp improvement forged on a new-found ability to eke out clean sheets, so it will be intriguing to see if that stinginess can be rediscovered at the King Power, with Aleksandar Mitrovic providing the sternest of tests. The burly Serb has found the net in four of his last five away outings and all told has converted every 119 minutes in 2022/23.

Offensively, the hosts are missing the creativity of James Maddison terribly while it hardly helps that none of their forward roster have notched since late October.

Manchester United v Bournemouth (January 3rd, 20:00) - Shot-shy visitors

Has the other foot dropped for the Cherries? It feels like it after a tremendous run of results accompanied a new (interim) manager bounce in the autumn before giving way to a long slew of losses. Since returning to league action, Gary O'Neill's charges have lost 2-0 twice-over, negotiating an attempt on their goal every six minutes.

It's at the business end however, where they've consistently struggled, even if there has been an occasional feast among the famine. Relying on a decent chance conversion rate, not only are they rock-bottom for shots but they've taken on considerably fewer than sides who languish below them in the table. That is not sustainable, or at least it is anything but ideal.

Bournemouth will likely get little change from a Manchester United back-line that has conceded every 240 minutes since early October, especially with Lisandro Martinez returning to partner Raphael Varane. The pair have kept shut-outs in five of the eight games they've both started.