We are officially at the top of the Premier League for the 2023-24 season, with essentially every race still up for grabs.
There are three teams in contention for the title, with several clubs still vying for a spot in the top four, and the relegation battle is full of twists and turns.
Two teams looking to avoid the drop feature in this week’s underdog column:
Saturday’s Premier League picks
Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool predictions
(10 a.m. ET, Peacock)
At first glance, it appears to be a one-way street.
Liverpool sit at the top of the table and have the best record in Europe, while Nottingham Forest are locked in a relegation battle and have won just four of their last 20 Premier League games.
Liverpool’s +38 goal difference is worlds apart compared to Forest’s -14 mark, and the Reds’ +26 expected goal difference (xGD) is the third highest mark in the Premier League.
Tricky Trees, on the other hand, ranks 13th with -6 xGD.
This looks like a mismatch. That is, until the injury report revealed that Liverpool would be without almost their entire first-team squad for this trip to the City Ground.
Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota, Ryan Gravenbirch, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai are all expected to be absent, leaving the midfield in complete shambles. The offensive line is exhausted.
First-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker will also be absent, but this cannot be overlooked.
And while Liverpool have the depth to piece together a decent team, this won’t be an easy journey.
Nottingham Forest are improving under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo and the figures suggest better results for Tricky Trees.
Forest are 1-1-4 (WDL) in their last six games with a -3 goal difference, but their expected goal difference is basically even over that period despite playing a fairly tough schedule.
Things won’t get much easier for Forest on Saturday, but the injury concerns for Liverpool, coupled with the fact that they played on Wednesday, make this the perfect opportunity to toy with the underdogs at great cost. It has become.
choose: Nottingham Forest ML (+500, bet 365)
Tottenham Hotspur vs Crystal Palace predictions
(10 a.m. ET, Peacock)
It’s shaping up to be a tricky game for Tottenham Hotspur, although the odds may not reflect it.
Palace have spent the majority of the season just above the relegation zone, but things appear to be heading in the right direction for the Eagles.
Not only have Palace collected four points from their last two games, but new manager Oliver Glasner seems keen on the idea of unleashing the Eagles’ attacking power.
Some of that attacking power was on display in last weekend’s 3-0 win against Burnley, as the Eagles continued their good momentum against a leaky Tottenham Hotspur side. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him do it.
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Spurs themselves have plenty of attacking power, but they tend to make mistakes and leave themselves open at the back.
Tottenham often outweigh those issues against weaker teams, but doing so against a healthy defender like Crystal Palace is easier said than done.
There appears to be plenty of positive momentum building at Crystal Palace and they should provide value in North London on Saturday morning.
choose: Crystal Palace ML (+575, Bet Rivers)
Michael Levov analyzes English Premier League soccer for the Action Network.
