Liverpool face Chelsea in the early kick-off on Saturday while leaders Arsenal lock horns with resurgent Manchester United on Sunday and the Racing Post's Ian Wilkerson has provided his best bets for the two matches.
Liverpool v Chelsea
Over 2.5 goals @ 8/11
Kai Havertz to have over 1.5 shots on target @ 5/2
Arsenal v Manchester United
Arsenal & both teams to score @ 5/2
Martin Odegaard to score at any time @ 11/4
Liverpool v Chelsea
| What | Liverpool v Chelsea |
| Where | Anfield, Liverpool |
| When | 12:30 Saturday 21st January 2023 |
| How to watch | BT Sport 1 |
| Odds | Liverpool 17/20, Draw 11/4, Chelsea 16/5 |
Fancied pair have much work to do
Few observers would have anticipated Liverpool and Chelsea being involved in a mid-table battle at this point in the season. However, with both teams having 10 points to make up on fourth-placed Newcastle, the loser of their meeting at Anfield could almost kiss goodbye to next season's Champions League.
They go into battle at least lifted by the fact they have each won their last match, even though the Reds' 1-0 win over Wolves came in an FA Cup replay while Chelsea had to scrap all the way to post a victory by the same scoreline against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Both teams have questions to answer as Chelsea are looking to end a run of five winless matches on the road in the league, while Liverpool conceded three times in defeats to Brentford and Brighton.
Goals on the agenda
Both teams have struggled but can still serve up a decent game on Saturday lunchtime.
Chelsea have taken just six points from their last nine matches and they have to go on the front foot, having scored just 22 goals in their 19 games this term.
That task is not helped by new forward Joao Felix being sent off on his debut at Fulham last week, but there should be more to come.
The Liverpool rearguard is weaker for Virgil van Dijk's absence and before their midweek victory at Molineux, they had conceded at least two goals in each of their six matches after the World Cup.
Over 2.5 goals is 8/11 and that looks a strong bet.
Havertz can be a leading light for Blues
Despite Chelsea's poor scoring record, we can expect German forward Kai Havertz to make a decent contribution.
He has scored five goals this season, the latest of which was the winner in the victory over Crystal Palace, and 17 of the 35 attempts he has had on goal this season have been on target.
He had two shots on target against the Eagles and in the previous league outing at Fulham, so he is attractively priced at 5/2 to repeat that trick at Anfield.
Arsenal v Manchester United
| What | Arsenal v Manchester United |
| Where | Emirates Stadium, London |
| When | 16:30 Sunday 22nd January 2023 |
| How to watch | Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event |
| Odds | Arsenal 4/5, Draw 14/5, Manchester United 16/5 |
Gunners are going to take some stopping
Arsenal's victory in the north London derby on Sunday took them eight points clear at the top of the Premier League. However, Manchester City's 4-2 win over Spurs on Thursday reduced their advantage to five points and they face a strong test of their title credentials when Manchester United head to the Emirates.
An injury-time equaliser from Crystal Palace prevented the Red Devils from claiming their 10th successive win on Wednesday, but life is looking good at Old Trafford, especially as Erik ten Hag's team beat Manchester City last week.
They are also the only team to have beaten the Gunners in the Premier League this season, having posted a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture in September.
Entertaining clash in prospect
Mikel Arteta's side have won 15 of their 18 league games and Newcastle are the only team to have taken anything from their trip to the Emirates this term.
However, their visitors have tended to at least make their mark and Arsenal and both teams to score has been a winning bet on nine of the last 11 occasions that they have been in league action on their own patch.
An excellent run of form should also ensure that United do not sit back and it is also notable that they have scored in each of their last nine league matches.
The Gunners look the stronger outfit and should win through in the end but the bet looks to be Arsenal and both teams to score at 5/2.
Odegaard to make his mark
Many Arsenal fans feared the worst when Gabriel Jesus was injured at the World Cup, but others have stepped up to provide a goalscoring threat.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have both shone but, captain Martin Odegaard has discovered his shooting boots, as he displayed at Tottenham on Sunday when he scored the second goal in the 2-0 win.
That 20-yard strike was his fifth goal in his last seven league appearances - he scored both in a 2-0 success at Wolves before the World Cup - and he looks an attractive bet at 3/1 to find the net again in Sunday's big clash.
