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Premier League Matchday 5 odds and betting preview

Malcolm Couzens / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Kevin Friend owes us all money.

A horrific decision by the referee, who disallowed a late Aston Villa equalizer at Selhurst Park, forced me to settle for a 2-2 record on Matchday 4, but nailing a pair of draws meant it was still profitable.

Those results took the overall record for this column to 5-2 (+7.55) on the season, and after missing out on that Villa draw, I'm out for revenge this weekend.

HOME AWAY
Liverpool (-700) Draw (+750) Newcastle (+1600)
Brighton (+115) Draw (+230) Burnley (+250)
Manchester United (-105) Draw (+250) Leicester City (+300)
Sheffield United (+145) Draw (+220) Southampton (+200)
Tottenham (-275) Draw (+425) Crystal Palace (+700)
Wolverhampton (+190) Draw (+230) Chelsea (+150)
Norwich (+1400) Draw (+800) Manchester City (-700)
Bournemouth (+190) Draw (+250) Everton (+140)
Watford (+260) Draw (+260) Arsenal (+100)
Aston Villa (+162) Draw (+250) West Ham (+160)

Chelsea (+150) at Wolverhampton (+190), Draw (+230)

After a frantic start to the season for Wolves - a direct result of their Europa League obligations - they've gotten a well-deserved rest over the international break. The chance for a mental and physical reset should do wonders for their league form, right in time for a visit from Chelsea.

The Blues look to be plenty capable, but they're too vulnerable when not on the ball. Frank Lampard also needs time to iron out the kinks, and he deserves time, but Molineux is a daunting place to travel and Chelsea isn't ready to leave with all three points.

Pick: Draw (+230)

Crystal Palace (+700) at Tottenham (-275), Draw (+425)

Tottenham really struggle to break down sides that defend deep against them in north London, and that's exactly what Crystal Palace will do. As magnificent as Harry Kane is, he doesn't fit into Mauricio Pochettino's system - Kane likes to let chances come to him, but that's not how Poch wants his side to operate. It's a unique situation, as Tottenham might actually be a more fluid team without Kane, one of the world's best players.

Meanwhile, Palace have so few goals in their side that it's going to be a struggle to stay up this season. Don't be fooled by their win at Old Trafford - it was an anomaly. Here, they will keep 10 men behind the ball and look to frustrate Spurs. The last eight meetings between these sides produced just 10 goals. Don't expect a sudden outburst here.

Pick: Under 2.5 goals (+130)

Arsenal (+100) at Watford (+260), Draw (+260)

Watford have welcomed back manager Quique Sanchez Flores after parting ways with Javi Gracia following a winless start to their season. Flores knows a lot of these players from his previous stint at the club, and I fully expect a response from the Hornets here.

Arsenal have an abundance of goals in them, but they've yet to tighten things up at the back - especially during their travels. The Gunners have won just four of their last 15 Premier League matches away from home, and they will have to settle for a point on Sunday.

Pick: Draw (+260)

Norwich City (+1400) vs. Manchester City (-700), Draw (+800)

Norwich are hardly the type of side to sit back and defend under manager Daniel Farke. It's a naive approach against the top teams, and one that will see them punished more often than not, but it certainly makes for some entertaining soccer. They're an adventurous side with plenty of attacking quality, and they like to put on a show. The Canaries may leak goals, but I fully expect them to bag one themselves here despite a likely Manchester City victory at Carrow Road.

Pick: Manchester City win, both teams to score (+120)

Southampton (+200) at Sheffield United (+145), Draw (+220)

Sheffield United are flying high early in the season, while Southampton are just starting to round into form. This is one of those games that has draw written all over it. The Blades are a really tough team to play against under manager Chris Wilder, even when they don't play particularly well. Saints will go there in search of three points, but Wilder is an excellent tactician who keeps the opposition honest. Given the trajectory of both sides, neither will want to lose here, and at the end of 90 minutes, both will be content with a point.

Pick: Draw (+220)

Bonus: If you're feeling frisky, a $10 parlay with these five outcomes would net you a $1,913.60 profit. At those odds, it'd be rude not to have a go.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

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