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This weekend marks a thrilling Derby weekend across Europe, with marquee matchups taking center stage. Liverpool travel to Old Trafford, AS Roma and SS Lazio square off, and Galatasaray & Fenerbahçe will battle it out in the Turkish Cup final, promising an electrifying weekend of football action. Ahead of these and more, here are our football predictions of what to expect.

**Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City**

There are a few potential banana skin games for Manchester City in the title run-in and this trip to Selhurst Park is one of them. Earlier in the season, Crystal Palace came back from two goals down at the Etihad to snatch a draw against the reigning champions. Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis had put Pep Guardiola’s men in front, but Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back for the Eagles in the 76th minute before Michael Olise levelled things up from the penalty spot in the 90+5 min. So, for many reasons, this return fixture has been circled on both teams’ calendar.  

With a Champions League quarter-final game against Real Madrid on Tuesday in mind, Manchester City rotated their players in an impressive 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday. Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and John Stones were all unused subs while Kyle Walker and Ederson missed out through injuries. In their absence, Phil Foden was the star of the show, thanks to a hat-trick - the third of his young EPL career. It was another impressive performance in an outstanding season that has seen him become the frontrunner for the PFA Player of the Year award. Safe to say, he’ll be one to keep an eye out for in this game.  

Man City are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League visits to Crystal Palace, but the Eagles’ improved home form over the last two months might give the visitors cause to be cautious in their approach. Having won just one of their first nine league games at home this season (D3, L5), Palace have now won three of their last five games at home (D1, L1). However, we believe Man City have more than enough quality to leave with all three points. 

Betting Tips:

● Man City to Win 

● Phil Foden Anytime Scorer 

● Man City to Score Over 1.5 goals 

**Brighton vs. Arsenal**

“Since losing 3-1 to West Ham in August, Brighton are unbeaten in their last 12 home Premier League games (W6, D6), their longest unbeaten run at the Amex in this competition.”  

Just wait till Mikel Arteta hears that.  

In 2024, the Gunners have been on fire, playing some of their fiercest football since the Invincibles season. Just a month back, no team in EPL history had won three games in a row by a 5-goal margin, but Arsenal pulled it off. Before last weekend, Man City had scored in 57 consecutive games at the Etihad, but Arsenal put a stop to that streak as well. Then, on Wednesday, they put an end to Luton Town’s impressive 18-game scoring streak with a solid 2-0 victory, keeping their second spot in the league intact. What’s even more remarkable is that they achieved this without Bukayo Saka, who was given a break, while Martinelli, Jorginho, Declan Rice, and Kiwior all dropped to the bench. Arsenal’s defense remains rock-solid during this crucial period, as they’ve maintained a clean sheet in four consecutive away games. Not since 1997 have they achieved five away clean sheets in a row and they’ll be eager to continue that streak against Brighton.  

That’s easier said than done, however as Brighton’s optimism is buoyed by the return of key forward, João Pedro. Before his injury, the Brazilian had netted 19 goals in 32 games for the Seagulls. Now back to full health, his teammates will look to him for inspiration in this tough match. Our bet of the day is for him to get on the scoresheet and BetKing provides the best odds for this.  

Betting Tips: 

● Arsenal to Win 

● João Pedro to Score 

● Brighton to score Under 1.5 Goals 

**AS Roma vs. SS Lazio**

AS Roma is gearing up for a tough few days, kicking off with a showdown against bitter rivals Lazio in the 183rd Rome Derby, followed by a trip to face Milan in the Europa League quarter-final. Daniele De Rossi has wasted little time in winning over the fans since stepping in as manager after Jose Mourinho’s departure. Yet, his popularity could soar even higher if he breaks Lazio’s recent dominance in this fixture. While AS Roma holds the edge in the overall head-to-head with 67 wins compared to Lazio’s 51 (64 draws), the recent years have seen Lazio asserting their superiority. Winning three and drawing one of their last four encounters, Lazio is aiming to extend their unbeaten streak against their neighbours to five games for the first time since 2011-2013. However, even more impressively, Lazio kept clean sheets in each of those four games. The good news for Roma, however, is that since these two teams last met in November, they’ve hired new managers. So, they’re not facing a manager that has “had their number”. 
 
Stopping Roma from scoring will be a tough task for Lazio. Since Daniele De Rossi assumed the managerial role, they’ve transformed into a highly dependable attacking force, a far cry from the Jose Mourinho era which prioritised defense. Also, under De Rossi, Roma has suffered just one defeat in 10 league games, securing an impressive 23 points out of a possible 30 in that stretch. On the other hand, Lazio’s new manager, Igor Tudor, kicked off his tenure with a victory last weekend, defeating his former team, Juventus, 1-0. However, their subsequent encounter in the Coppa Italia semi-final saw Juventus exact revenge with a 2-0 triumph. While all indications suggest a potential victory for AS Roma, they might have one eye on their forthcoming Europa League clash with Milan, potentially influencing managerial decisions. 

Betting Tips: 

● Both Teams to Score 

● Over 1.5 Goals 

● Double Chance: Roma To Win or Draw 

**Union Berlin vs. Bayer Leverkusen**

With a comfortable 13 points lead at the top of the table, Bayer Leverkusen are just three wins away from being crowned champions of Germany for the first time in club history. Not only could they win the Bundesliga, but they could also do so in the grandest of styles by going unbeaten and winning the DFB Pokal Cup.  

Leverkusen were 4-0 winners over Düsseldorf in the semi-final of the DFB Pokal as they booked a place in the final where they’ll face 16th place 2. Bundesliga side, FC Kaiserslautern. Life couldn’t be sweeter for Xabi Alonso’s side.   

The last encounter between these teams saw Union Berlin suffer a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Leverkusen, a result that marked the end of Urs Fischer’s tenure as head coach. This loss left Union Berlin languishing at the bottom of the table, but Bundesliga results have gone their way since that loss. Perhaps, it was a blessing in disguise. Since Nenad Bjelica took over as head coach, Union Berlin has picked up 23 points from their last 16 games, shooting up to 12th place and effectively ending all fears of relegation. 

Union has won five of seven home games under Bjelica, only losing to Dortmund. However, Leverkusen have won their last eight Bundesliga games in a row, one away from a new club record. Having remained undefeated in 27 fixtures so far, Leverkusen can match the record for the longest unbeaten streak to start a Bundesliga season, a record currently held by Pep Guardiola’s Bayern and Jürgen Klopp’s Dortmund, both of whom went unbeaten for the first 28 matches in the 2013/14 and 2011/12 seasons, respectively. 

Betting Tips: 

● Double Chance: Bayer Leverkusen to Win or Draw 

● Over 2.5 Goals 

**Manchester United vs. Liverpool**

Last time out, Manchester United snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as they lost to Chelsea in a highly entertaining but extremely worrying 7-goal thriller. Both teams seemed to forget the art of defending, allowing a staggering total of 47 shots on goal, with 15 of those on target. Despite maintaining their lead until the 99th minute, Manchester United ultimately fell short, marking it as the latest instance in Premier League history where a team surrendered a lead before succumbing to a loss.  

The warning signs of the impending defeat were there. Just days before the Chelsea match, Manchester United conceded a 99th-minute equaliser to Brentford, shortly after Mason Mount’s goal had seemed to secure a victory in the 96th minute. In their last two league games alone, they allowed a staggering 59 shot attempts, bringing their total for 2024 to over 250, the most in the top 5 leagues. This dismal defensive performance sets the stage for what should be a high-scoring affair as bitter rivals Liverpool visit on Sunday. 

The FA Cup meeting between these two sides right before the international break was one for the ages. Manchester United were on the winning end of a 7-goal thriller that featured 7 different scorers. One of those scorers was Mo Salah, whose goal marked his eighth at Old Trafford—making him the visiting player with the most goals in the 21st century at the stadium. Needless to say, one of our betting tips for this game is for him to score.  

Predicting a winner for this game is a tough task, despite how amusing it may sound. While Erik ten Hag’s 7-0 defeat at Anfield last year remains a vivid memory for football fans, his overall head-to-head record against Jurgen Klopp is actually quite good. In their four encounters, he has won two, drawn one, and lost one. However, the magnitude of that one loss in the 7-0 game understandably fuels Liverpool’s optimism ahead of this match. Considering Manchester United’s growing list of injured defenders, which now includes Luke Shaw, Varane, Lindelof, Evans, and Martinez, it would likely require a minor miracle to avoid defeat.

Betting Tips:

● Mo Salah Anytime Scorer

● Liverpool to Score Over 1.5 Goals 

**Juventus vs. Fiorentina**

On Thursday, Vincenzo Italiano announced he will step down from his position as Fiorentina head coach at the end of the season, bringing an end to his three-year tenure with the club. Despite an impressive performance last season, where I Viola finished as runners-up in both the Coppa Italia and the Europa Conference League, they have struggled to replicate that success this season, and sit in 10th position in the Serie A. Italiano will be determined to finish the season on a positive note, but he faces a challenge as they prepare to play at a stadium where they have struggled for over a decade. 

Juventus’ fast fall in the Serie A continued over the weekend as they suffered a 1-0 loss to Lazio, leaving them just two points above 4th place Bologna. However, they bounced back with a 2-0 victory over Lazio in the Coppa Italia, as they took a big step towards securing a spot in the final. With this victory boosting their confidence, they head into the weekend with optimism, particularly considering their strong record at home against Fiorentina. They have won 11 of their last 12 league games at home against I Viola and kept clean sheets in four of their last six encounters. Additionally, Fiorentina’s recent form, which has seen them pick up just 10 points from their last 10 games, does little to inspire confidence. Therefore, we are leaning towards Juventus to return to winning ways in the league. 

Betting Tips:  

● Juventus to Win 

● Juventus to Keep A Clean Sheet 

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Another weekend brings with it a chance to win big by betting on the weekend's games. Boost your chances with our expert betting tips!

Betting Tips

Weekend Betting Tips

● Man City to Win

● Phil Foden Anytime Scorer

● Man City to Score Over 1.5 goals

● Arsenal to Win

● João Pedro to Score

● Brighton to score Under 1.5 Goals

● Both Teams to Score

● Over 1.5 Goals

● Double Chance: Roma To Win or Draw

● Double Chance: Bayer Leverkusen to Win or Draw

● Over 2.5 Goals

● Both Teams to Score

● Mo Salah Anytime Scorer

● Both Teams to Score

● Liverpool to Score Over 1.5 Goals

● Juventus to Win

● Juventus to Keep A Clean Sheet