Friday Football Tips: A 9/1 Bet Builder to kick off the season

Andy Schooler
05 August 2022
1:30 min read

Granit Xhaka: Got forward more often in the second half of last season

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
Fri 5 Aug, 20:00

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Our football props column has a 9/1 shot for Friday's Crystal Palace v Arsenal game which kicks off the new Premier League season.

"Doucoure was the fourth most prolific tackler in France last season and finished in the top 25 for fouls committed."

Back Cheick Doucoure to be carded, Grant Xhaka 1+ shot & Gabriel Magalhaes 1+ shots @ around 10.519/2

It's finally here - the Premier League kicks off on Friday night and what better way to start the season with a 9/1 winner?

Well, at least that's the plan here with a three-legged Bet Builder looking a good option with which to begin 2022/23 - especially given Betfair's bet £5, get £5 offer on the game.

Let's start in the card markets.

I'm always keen to side with Premier League new boys in the early weeks of the season as they adapt to a new style of play, especially if they arrive with a decent track record of troubling referees.

That's the case with Palace's new defensive midfielder Cheick Doucoure, who was carded eight times in 33 Ligue 1 starts last season, following on from eight in 30 in the previous campaign.

He was the fourth most prolific tackler in France last season and finished in the top 25 for fouls committed.

Crystal Palace

Arsenal

Liverpool 1 1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 0 2 Arsenal
Crystal Palace 1 0 Manchester United
Everton 3 2 Crystal Palace
Aston Villa 1 1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 1 0 Watford

Arsenal 4 2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 0 2 Arsenal
Arsenal 5 1 Everton
Newcastle United 2 0 Arsenal
Tottenham Hotspur 3 0 Arsenal
Arsenal 2 1 Leeds United

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal Friday 05 August, 20:00

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It's not hard to see him catching the eye of ref Anthony Taylor, a referee who was an above-average carder last season, showing 3.61 yellows per game, as well as five reds in total (only Michael Oliver sent more players off).

At 4.57/2 to be shown a card, Doucoure looks well worth siding with.

Turning to the player shots market, I'll happily add in Granit Xhaka for 1+ shot.

He's widely regarded as a defensive midfielder but the Swiss was pushed further forward in the second half of last season with Thomas Partey in behind him and he's expected to continue to that role.

The results were that Xhaka raised his shot output, having at least one in 13 of his last 15 matches.

Finally, Gabriel Magalhaes can also be backed for 1+ shot.

Arsenal were one of the league's best sides attacking set plays last term - only Manchester City and Liverpool scored more from such situations.