EPL betting preview: Spurs to stumble, Toffees will cruise
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Matchday 34 is off to a solid start for us, with Leicester City earning a point against Arsenal. One more bet hangs in the balance Wednesday, leading to an attractive three-game slate on Thursday.
And there are some tasty bets to consider among those matches.
Tottenham (-170) at Bournemouth (+400), Draw (+275)
With five matches remaining, Bournemouth are in quite the predicament, sitting four points adrift of safety.
Eddie Howe's side has yet to claim a single point since the restart, losing all four of its matches. The Cherries showed some fight over the weekend while scoring twice at Old Trafford, but they were carved open in defense and have now conceded nine goals over their past two matches.
If they can't shore up those issues at the back, Bournemouth will be competing in the Championship next season, and a difficult remaining schedule offers no breaks. I'm not so sure Tottenham will dominate here, though.
Spurs returned to their winning ways on Monday, but they've struggled to generate chances. Harry Kane has looked off the pace largely because service has been lacking. There's no urgency to Tottenham's play in midfield, as they're too content under Jose Mourinho, and don't force the issue and take advantage of their quality in attack.
With just two off days between matches for Spurs, they're not suddenly going to adopt a fresh, lively approach. Fatigue will play a part, which is a great remedy for a struggling Bournemouth defense that's benefitting from an extra two days to prepare.
The Cherries will also receive a boost from a rested Callum Wilson returning from a two-match ban to partner with Joshua King up top. Meanwhile, Mourinho will surely make plenty of changes due to the short turnaround. He'll also want to rest some key players ahead of Sunday's massive north London derby.
It's really the perfect storm for Bournemouth to pick up their first point since play resumed.
Pick: Draw (+275)
Southampton (+250) at Everton (-105), Draw (+240)
With Southampton shocking Manchester City at St. Mary's on Sunday and Everton losing their first match since the restart - away to Spurs - on Monday, these sides were on opposite ends of 1-0 results. Not to discredit the outcome for the Saints, but City finished with nearly 75% of the possession time while managing 26 shots, yet somehow they left the south coast empty-handed.
Everton were poor against Spurs, but once they fell behind - the product of an incredibly unlucky own goal - the hosts simply closed up shop in defense. But the Toffees are much better than they showed on Monday. Expect a solid response at Goodison Park, where Everton is unbeaten since Carlo Ancelotti took over on Boxing Day, including impressive draws against Manchester United and Liverpool.
Southampton's win over City means they're truly safe now, and you just wonder if their intensity will drop off a bit with nothing to motivate them. Coming off quite the high after beating Pep Guardiola's side, they'll struggle to match the urgency of an Everton side still in sight of a European place, and eager to put Monday's defeat behind them.
Pick: Everton (-105)
(Odds source: theScore Bet)
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.