EPL: Chelsea rediscovering lost form, while relegation battle heats up
Following an underwhelming start to their Premier League campaign, Chelsea will be aiming to continue their recovery against stumbling Everton; however, prior to that game, Newcastle will today (Friday, March 17) be seeking to boost their chances of finishing in the top four when they travel to the ‘Tricky Trees’, Nottingham Forest, aiming to secure their first away win in 2023.
Event # 1 – EPL – Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle– 3:00 am
After a dominant run earlier in the campaign, Newcastle appear to have lost their form and have fallen down to fifth in the Premier League standing. They are still harbouring thoughts of playing European football next season, and for that to happen, they must get back into their groove soon. But that’s easier said than done as the ‘Tricky Trees’, Nottingham Forest, aren’t about to relinquish their proud home record without a fight having gone unbeaten at home since October 2022.
Nottingham Forest have won just one of their last seven league matches and are now embroiled in one of the most hotly contested relegation battles in years. They head into this crucial clash following a 3-1 loss away to Tottenham last weekend but will relish a return to their City ground where they have an impressive nine-match unbeaten run, only Manchester United (12) boast a longer unbeaten home run in the Premier League.
Newcastle picked up three vital points and thus ended a five-match winless run following their 2-1 over Wolves last weekend. However, they are still without an away win in 2023 and will be aiming to put an end to this unwanted record. They enter this highly anticipated encounter high on confidence as they won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in August, a result that extended their unbeaten run against Forest in the top flight to nine matches.
KEY STATS
• Nottingham Forest – are unbeaten in their last nine Premier League home games (W4 D5), since losing three in a row in August/September. Only Manchester United (12) are on a longer current run without defeat at home in the division.
• Newcastle – are unbeaten in all nine of their Premier League games against Nottingham Forest (W6 D3), the most they’ve faced an opponent without ever losing, and the most Forest have faced a side without ever winning in the competition.
• Both sides – Nottingham Forest have won their last two home league games against Newcastle, with both of these coming in the Championship (October 2009, December 2016). In the top flight, they’re winless in their last six against the Magpies at the City Ground (D4 L2).
The betting tip. Draw.
Event # 2 EPL – Chelsea vs Everton – 12:30 pm
Chelsea will be aiming to make it four straight wins in all competitions when they welcome the struggling Everton to Stamford Bridge tomorrow Saturday, March 18. Having won their last two matches in the league against Leeds and Leicester and then booked their spot in the Champions League quarter-final by dispatching the in-form Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in midweek action, they are still 10th in the table 11 points off Newcastle in the fourth and final Champions League spot. However, they have been steadily getting back to their best and should be too strong for this out-of-form Everton side at home and secure another win.
They ended a dreadful six-match winless run with a 1-0 win against Leeds, followed by the win over Dortmund and maintained that momentum by beating Leicester 3-1 last weekend, the first time they were scoring three goals in a Premier League since October last year.
On the other side, Everton have improved in recent times since the arrival of new coach Sean Dyche, they have won three of their last four home matches but are still involved in the relegation fight just one point ahead of last place side Bournemouth. Everton will enter this match on a high following their 1-0 against Brentford last weekend but will be mindful that they have gone nine away matches in the league without a win and have failed to score in seven of those matches.
KEY STATS
• Chelsea – following their 1-0 victory at Goodison Park on the opening weekend, Chelsea are looking to complete the league double over Everton for the first time since 2016-17.
• Everton – before this season, Everton have beaten Chelsea in each of the last four Premier League campaigns, though all of their victories have been at home. They’ve not beaten the Blues in five straight league seasons since between 1931-32 and 1935-36.
• Both sides – Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 27 Premier League home games against Everton (W15 D12) since a 1-0 loss in November 1994. Against no side have they ever had a longer unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge in their top-flight history.
The betting tip. Chelsea win.
JUSTBET ODDS – Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle
Friday, March 17, 2023
PredictionOdds on PredictionOdds Calculation
NOTTINGHAM FOREST TO WIN$5.00which means a $1000 bet would pay $5,000
NEWCASTLE TO WIN$1.68which means a $1000 bet would pay $1,680
MATCH TO DRAW$3.66which means a $1000 bet would pay $3,660
Odds on the Home Team (Forest) winning the game 2-1 at full time$16.00which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $16,000
Odds on the Away Team (N/Castle) winning the game 0-1 at full time$6.20which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $6,200
Odds on the game drawing 1-1 at full time$6.80which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $6,800.
JUSTBET ODDS – Chelsea vs Everton
Saturday, March 18, 2023
PredictionOdds on PredictionOdds Calculation
CHELSEA TO WIN$1.45which means a $1000 bet would pay $1,450
EVERTON TO WIN$7.00which means a $1000 bet would pay $7,000
MATCH TO DRAW$4.33which means a $1000 bet would pay $4,330
Odds on the Home Team (Chelsea) winning the game 2-0 at full time$5.80which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $5,800
Odds on the Away Team (Everton) winning the game 0-1 at full time$15.00which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $15,000
Odds on the game drawing 0-0 at full time$9.80which means that a $1,000 bet would pay $9,800.