Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace Betting Preview and Pick
By: William Duncan
Goal.com
Arsenal ran out as convincing 3-0 winners in last weekend’s Community Shield clash at Wembley against Manchester City, and Arsene Wenger’s side will be hoping for an equally impressive start to their Premier League season when they host manager-less Crystal Palace on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
The Gunners slumped to a dismal 3-1 defeat at the hands of Aston Villa on the opening day of last season and will be desperate to avoid a similar fate when they line up against the Eagles in north London this weekend.
Arsenal are warm favorites to get off to winning ways this year, with the LVH SuperBook offering just -425 odds for a home win this weekend. The same Vegas sports book offers a chunky 12-to-1 on the underdogs upsetting the hosts, and the draw can be backed at 5-to-1 ahead of Saturday’s big kick off.
The north Londoners were hugely impressive in disposing of Manchester City last weekend and, should they repeat that performance here, there would certainly be value in backing Arsenal (-1.5 goals) at -125 on the LVH’s goal-line. The bet shop offers Crystal Palace (+1.5 goals) for +105 odds.
In a prop that can be found outside of Las Vegas, the Gunners are -120 to lead at both half-time and full-time.
Palace defied the doubters time and time again last season under Tony Pulis, but after parting company with their manager just days before the season got underway, it seems unlikely that the visiting side is capable of taking something from Saturday's game. As a result, bettors may well not be overly enticed by the 5-to-2 odds – again, outside of Vegas – for the Eagles in the double chance market (win or draw) this weekend.
The Gunners, though, can be expected to come out of the traps quickly on Saturday and, with that in mind, the 8-to-5 (+160) price for Arsenal to score first inside the opening 24 minutes carries plenty of appeal.
The posted total at the LVH is 2.5 goals (OVER -135, UNDER +115).
Better value, though, may lie in backing Arsenal to win both halves – as they did against Manchester City at Wembley last Sunday – at a supremely generous 15-to-8 (+187.50), and that is the recommended play for bettors this weekend.
Goal.com best bet: Arsenal to win both halves at 15-to-8 (+187.50)