Premier League Saturday Tips: 9/1 for tempers to fray at Molineux | OneFootball

English Premier League

Ruud practices his best 'You starting?' look ahead of fiery Midlands clash

Ste Tudor tips slow starts and narrow wins at Stamford Bridge and the Amex while cards could be a feature at Molineux...

Betfair Saturday Football Superboost

Saturday's Superboost is for the 12:30 kick-off at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea host Everton. Pedro Neto has looked threatening in recent games, with six shots on target in his last three, and the Portuguese should be key for Enzo Maresca's men in this battle of the Blues.

Betfair have boosted the odds on Neto having one or more shots on target from 8/13 to 1/1.

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Chelsea v Everton (12:30) - Slow simmer

Chelsea thrashed the Toffees 6-0 at the Bridge last season but that was very much an outlier, this fixture typically serving up few goals.

That drubbing is one of only four encounters in their last 15 that has produced over 2.5 goals, with 0-0s and 1-0s commonplace, along with a splattering of 2-0 victories.

It's a trend we might see extending here, what with Enzo Maresca's pragmatic approach coming up against a David Moyes collective that last conceded more than once on the road way back at the beginning of December.

Moreover, it could be a clash that simmers for a good long while. In their last 10 across all comps, Chelsea have scored only once before the break while Everton have only conceded 30 minutes into a contest once in 2025.

Last weekend, they restricted Manchester City to only three first-half attempts.

As for the visitors showing any early adventure, forget it. Though James Tarkowski is a big loss, Everton will shape up to frustrate their hosts and look to grow into the game. Boos from the home fans at half-time will be music to Moyes' ears.

Brighton v West Ham (15:00) - Another narrow loss

In truth, we didn't need last week's drab display at home to Southampton to tell us that Graham Potter's side have a multitude of problems right now. But boy did it confirm all of our worst fears.

The Hammers are winless in six, low on confidence, short of ideas, and generally in the doldrums. Against one of the worst teams ever to inhabit the top-flight, they desperately clung on to a goal advantage, wasting time as if finding themselves a goal to the good over Real Madrid.

They couldn't even manage that."We don't try to play football anymore. We don't push up anymore. We just sink." Those were the damning post-match words of Niclas Fullkrug, a player who should probably score more than three goals before he criticises his team-mates. Every word though was bang on.

Brighton are without the suspended Joao Pedro while at the back they have hemorrhaged 13 in five across their own winless spell, but they're still fancied to prevail here simply by virtue of possessing more difference-makers. Expect it to be tight though - the Hammers to their credit haven't lost by more than a single goal margin since mid-January.

It should be noted that Pervis Estupinan has picked up three cautions in his last five outings and faces down Jarrod Bowen at the Amex.

Newcastle v Ipswich (15:00) - 4/1 double fancied

Jason Tindall's claim last Saturday that it was 'one half too much' for his side, as they were steamrollered in the second period at Villa Park, had substance to it. The Magpies went full-throttle at home to Man United and Crystal Palace, and gained impressive rewards, but a third game in six days - an extremely testing top five clash, away - was always going to take its toll on an unchanged eleven.

A full week of R&R, plus a couple of changes to the line-up, should resolve that as Newcastle host an Ipswich side desperate to fend off the inevitable for a further week. Presently they are all-but-mathematically down.

Picking out which of Newcastle's attacking triumvirate will seal their fate is somewhat tricky, all three being in excellent form.

Jacob Murphy boasts six goal involvements in five, also picking out nine key passes in that period. Harvey Barnes has weighed in with a goal involvement every 64 minutes since taking full advantage of Anthony Gordon's suspension.

Then there's Alexander Isak, who bagged a hat-trick when these sides met at Portman Road earlier in the campaign. The prolific Swede has fired 0.78 per 90 this term with a goal conversion ratio better than Salah's.

Perhaps all three will feature. After all, Newcastle have averaged just shy of three goals per 90 at home in 2025.

Southampton v Fulham (15:00) - Cottagers are fine

The Cottagers have lost three in four but that reads worse than it actually is. Away to Bournemouth a fortnight back, they were the better side throughout, kept at bay by a Kepa Arrizabalaga masterclass.

At home to Chelsea last Sunday they were ultimately undone by a late, late stunner from Neto.

Marco Silva's men are doing okay. It's nothing that a little bit of good fortune won't fix.

Which brings us to the departing Saints, who have been a tonic for many-a-side this season. Now they're down and with nothing to lose, Southampton will be a potential coupon-buster until the season's end but playing with greater freedom only improves a really poor team so far.

This is still the side who have shipped in 2.3 goals per 90 across 2024/25. This is still the side with the worst chance conversion rate at the other end.

One area where we have seen recent improvement, however, concerns their discipline. Perhaps they have simply accepted their fate?Regardless, 1.4 cautions per 90 in their last five outings is way down on their overall average and that puts Fulham in the running to receive more cards.

The visitors will likely win the corner-count too, being awarded 44 more this term.

Wolves v Leicester (15:00) - Severe decline

In many aspects, the Foxes' rap sheet is worse than Southampton's, so severe has been their decline under Ruud Van Nistelrooy, from what was already a very low bar.

No team has taken on fewer shots. No team have created fewer big chances. They've kept the fewest number of clean sheets - just one in fact.

Since one of the greatest ever Premier League forwards took over the reins at the start of December, Leicester have failed to score in 70% of their matches.

They would be bottom for corners won too if it wasn't for Wolves. Under 7.5 match corners at 7/2 is a shout.

Will we see any improvement on any of this now that the tame Foxes are officially down? It's doubtful given that their opposition are bang in form, winning five in five, and boasting a front-three that has a bit of everything, from brawn to brilliance.

The latter is typically supplied by Matheus Cunha, who has served up a goal vs Spurs plus a Man of the Match performance at Old Trafford since returning from suspension.

This being a Midlands derby has to be a big consideration. Always a fractious affair, the last five meetings have produced 20 bookings and surprisingly the last sending off occurred in 2020.

Another one feels due.

Recommended bets

Back under 0.5 first half goals Chelsea v Everton at 21/10

Back Fulham most corners and most cards at 9/4

Back a red card in Wolves v Leicester match at 9/1