At the start of the season, every pundit thought the title race was a straight shootout between Arsenal and Man City. However, the way the disastrous season unravelled for Pep, Man City were out of the title race months ago.
However, Mikel Arteta has kept Arsenal in some form of title contention. In truth, Liverpool has been running away with the league since Christmas, and even the sportsbooks now have the Reds miles ahead of any competition. While they haven’t mathematically wrapped the league up yet, it would take the mother of all capitulations for Arsenal to lift the EPL.
Surprises for the sportsbooks in this year’s EPL
Sports betting companies did have City and Arsenal as the frontrunners. However, within the space of a few disastrous losses for Man City and several draws and anti-climactic results for City, Liverpool quickly emerged as the favourites for the title.
The sports betting industry thrives on these unpredictable shifts. Whether you’re betting on match outcomes or goalscorers, the landscape can change fast—which is what makes it so exciting for fans and punters alike. With so many betting markets available across European football, it’s important to have reliable resources that break them all down clearly. One place where you can explore these markets is askgamblers.com. It offers detailed listings, odds comparisons, and reviews that help bettors stay informed before placing their picks. Of all the outright betting pickets available, the clear standout would’ve been Nottingham Forest being in the top three with just seven games left of the season. It would be remarkable if they could finish in the top four.
However, that top four battle is now heating up and is the only real undecided element of this season’s EPL—and there’s a very real possibility that Forest could be pipped to Champions League qualification by League Cup winners Newcastle United, who have been praised for keeping up their momentum since they lifted their first trophy in 70 years.
While it might seem like the league is a foregone conclusion, Arsenal could still close the gap mathematically. With their trip to Anfield viewed by many as the title decider, below are some of the top betting picks for the highly anticipated EPL crunch fixture.
Liverpool vs Arsenal—what do the bookies say?
Unsurprisingly, Liverpool goes into this game as favourites with all the major bookies. Arsenal may have had a night to remember against Real Madrid, but their domestic form has left more significant questions, drawing over a third of their games this season, which is not the form of champions.
Jurgen Klopp is making a long-awaited return to Liverpool to speak at a charity gala and, hopefully, appear at the Reds title parade through the city streets, which is planned for the 26th of May. With this momentum and hopefully a string of wins preceding this fixture, this could be the game that sees Arne Slot’s men lift the league. The pick here for a single bet has to be Liverpool to win.
Specific markets
Arsenal and Liverpool have had no issues finding the back of the net this season, and the reverse fixture back in October was an exciting 2–2 draw. Given that Arsenal needs to win to have any hopes of winning the league, and Liverpool could wrap up the title at Anfield, there’s a chance this game could see the same number of goals and attacking football.
Sure, Arsenal has many injuries and doesn’t have a talismanic attacking player like Liverpool’s Mo Salah, who is almost guaranteed to win the Golden Boot. Therefore, they could also look shy in front of the goal. Past form is not always an indicator of how a game could play out—it’s one of the many factors sportsbooks use when piecing together their odds.
Even coming away from Anfield with a point is not enough, given that they are still behind by quite some distance with only half a dozen games left. The both teams to score (BTTS) market could be one to check out. Booking points and red cards can also be valuable in big crunch games, as tensions run much higher than usual. So, again, that could be another market to explore.
Combining specific markets
Combining a result and BTTS can enhance your odds, and while that can be hit-and-miss in such a big game, it feels like this game is unlikely to be a stalemate, given there’s so much on the line for both teams. Arsenal are far more likely to drop out of the title race than beat Liverpool to the league.
Shots on target is a market that sees a lot of action due to its close relationship with sportsbook promotions and marketing strategies. Looking at the key attacking players for each team, betting on players, or penalty takers can be a market worth checking out if you are after a shot-on-target market. Some standouts here are Bukayo Saka for Arsenal and Salah or Jota for Liverpool. Or, if Arsenal gets a couple of free kicks, Declan Rice.
Another possible market to explore between these two titans of English football is the BTTS draw. Three of the last five games between the two have ended in draws, with only one of them finishing 0–0. Head-to-head games can be misleading, especially when teams have had the types of seasons the Reds have—but again, these are the stats and facts to explore before placing a bet.
Final thoughts
Liverpool and Arsenal will treat the game like a final. Even if Arsenal wins, the mountain could still be too steep to climb, but they must come out of their corner swinging. From a betting perspective, this opens up the possibility for fresh markets. Still, with so many moving variables, no betting pick will be a guarantee.
Sure, the game finishing 0–0 would be an anti-climax, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone. Both teams could come out swinging, the keepers and defenders could play a blinder, and the game finish goalless. A 0–0 doesn’t always mean a game has been slow or dull to watch.
The key thing to remember is that betting on any market should supplement your viewing. You shouldn’t see it as a means to get one over on the bookies or as a way to make money. It’s meant as a bit of fun, and no market will give you an advantage over the sportsbooks. Sit back, enjoy the game and, hopefully, watch Liverpool lift their 20th title and go level with Man Utd.
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