The upcoming English Premier League fixture between Arsenal and Liverpool is undoubtedly one of the most popular football fixtures there is in the world and most SA football betting fans will likely have it highlighted in their calendars in advance. The game takes place on Thursday (8th Jan) evening, with kick-off scheduled for 22:00 SAST and this time works well for SA-based EPL fans and punters alike.
This season, they have looked patient and calm, even under pressure and have not played risky, rushed passes and touches. They have especially cleaned up their act in terms of not losing possession due to silly mistakes and putting plenty of pressure on their opponents and forcing them to make mistakes in the final third and all of this could be especially important give that Liverpool seems to be enjoying playing at a higher tempo recently.
Liverpool, on the other hand, are quite clinical going forward in attach, but recent away performances have shown some gaping holes at the back. They still create chances in volume, but matches on the road have not always gone to their plan. This context makes goals-related markets worth taking a look at, instead of just splitting hairs on the straight result.
From a betting point of view, the Match Result market looks tight. Arsenal around R2.20, the draw near R3.40 and Liverpool roughly R3.10 reflects how evenly matched this fixture is expected to be. Both Teams to Score is priced closer to R1.65 and this pretty much aligns with how these sides tend to approach big games. Over 2.5 goals comes in at just under R1.80 and the under option comes in slightly higher.
A more conservative approach could be Arsenal on a Draw No Bet line as this removes some risk if the match ends as a draw/level. This betting market seems to comes in just below R1.60 in South African markets.
Verdict: Arsenal to avoid defeat at home, with goals on both sides being likely.