The Premier League round one kicks off this Friday afternoon as Liverpool FC (the reigning Premier League Champions) play host to Bournemouth AFC.
With a total of 10 games taking place across the weekend, a few matchups have caught our eye. Let’s check out which EPL betting picks we are taking during round one!
Saturday, August 16, 2025 – 07:30 AM EDT at Villa Park
Magpies to Struggle at Villa Park
Newcastle United beat Aston Villa to a place in European football next season by only a matter of goal difference. Unai Emery and his men have a chance for revenge in this matchup.
Aston Villa have the home ground advantage, and that means a lot at Villa Park these days as they are unbeaten in their previous 21 home games. Newcastle have lost 5 of their previous 6 games at Villa Park.
Villa haven’t had much action this transfer window, but they managed to keep hold of their stronger performers. Newcastle are having problems with Alexander Isak, who refuses to play for the team anymore because the club refused to sell him. It’s all getting a bit messy.
Gordon a Threat Going Forward
Villa are strong at home but have only kept 2 clean sheets in their previous 11 home games. Antony Gordon has been playing as an out-and-out striker during pre-season and will have much more responsibility this season (especially with the Alexander Isak scenario).
Gordon has registered 33 goals and assists in 85 games for Newcastle, and we like his odds to score or assist in this game at +225 at BetMGM. Considering he will likely be replacing Isak up front, these odds don’t reflect his true chances, and we can easily see these odds drop much later in the season.
EPL Pick: Anthony Gordon to Score or Assist (+225)
Sunday, August 17, 2025 – 11:30 AM EDT at Old Trafford
Fireworks in Old Trafford
When these two former Premier League heavyweights come head-to-head, it’s always fireworks. Despite both teams failing to win the league in 12+ years, for many years, these two teams have been rivals, with the rivalry spanning at least 70 years.
The rivalry really kicked off in the Premier League era in 1996 and has lasted as long as 17 years of intense matchups. Many boiled over in a brawl, others ended in a bloodbath, such as Man United’s 8-2 win back in 2011.
Coming into this season, the Gunners are in much better form, having had 2 second-place finishes in the previous 3 seasons, Man Utd have finished 3rd, 8th, and last season 15th.
Man United are as high as +250 to win this game on home ice, even the top-rated sportsbooks believe they could struggle in the first game of the season when facing an opponent who is as strong as the Gunners right now.
Saka Does it Better
Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s main man right now. Yes, they have Declan Rice and Gabriel Saliba to run the spine of the team, and now Viktor Gyokeres up front, but the jewel in the crown is Saka when it comes to Arsenal’s offence.
Last season, Saka averaged the most shots on target for the Gunners (1.2 on average). This season, Saka will be encouraged to shoot more, and this could be a good matchup for Saka; in such an intense and anticipated match, he tends to deliver the goods and always seems cool under pressure.
Saka seems way too big to be priced up at +250 to see 2 or more shots on target. Saka also averaged the most shots per game for Arsenal last season, with 3.5 per game. He is definitely the value pick when it comes to 2+ shots on target in this EPL matchup.
His pace should see him get in behind the Man United defenders, or at the very least draw some fouls for set-piece opportunities.
EPL Pick: Bukayo Saka Over 1.5 Shots on Target (+250)
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