Saturday Premier League 3pm Kick-Offs: Another win for Chelsea without conceding

The Premier League returns after a break for the FA Cup, and with six matches kicking off at the traditional time of 3pm on Saturday our man Mike Norman has a trio of bets for you to consider...

Chelsea 1.32 v Leicester 12.50; The Draw 6.00

(Significant Opta Stat: The Foxes are winless in their last 12 Premier League away games against 'big six' opposition, losing each of their last five.)

Leicester are in mixed form at present and they probably won't relish the trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon where they have a very poor recent record.

After four league wins on the spin Claude Puel's men have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions, that coming at home against a Huddersfield team with a relatively poor away record. The Foxes have also lost 12 of their last 14 games against the Blues, and away to 'big six' sides they haven't won in 12 games and have lost five on the spin.

It's understandable then that Leicester are rated as big outsiders in the Match Odds betting, but with Chelsea trading at around the 1.30 mark we obviously need to look elsewhere for a recommended wager.

Antonio Conte's men - as the odds suggest - ought to win, especially given their recent form at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have won seven league games on the spin in front of their own fans and they've conceded just three goals in the process. In fact Chelsea have won without conceding a single goal in five of their last six league games at the Bridge.

We can get 6/5 on the Sportsbook that Chelsea Win to Nil and that's the bet that appeals most. Their current home form is reminiscent of that golden spell they had last season when they won 13 league games on the spin and recorded 10 clean sheets in the process.

Recommended Bets
Back Chelsea Win to Nil @ 6/5 (sportsbook) v Leicester (best bet)

Crystal Palace 2.08 v Burnley 4.40; The Draw 3.40

(Significant Opta Stat: Burnley have won each of their last three Premier League games against Crystal Palace.)

Third time lucky anyone? We're talking of course about backing Burnley away from home at what appears an overly-generous price.

It's a bet that we risked when the Clarets played away to both Brighton and Huddersfield; both games ended 0-0 but on another day they could easily have won either or both of those games. They might easily have lost them too, but the key is that they recorded clean sheets and they continue to perform well on their travels.

On Saturday Sean Dyche's men are away to a team that are lower in the league than both Brighton and Huddersfield, yet the Clarets are the biggest price they have been in the Match Odds market in any of those three matches.

The reason for that is Crystal Palace's much improved form of late but it's important to remember that the Eagles go into this game with a plethora of injuries and that the best of their recent good form has been away from Selhurst Park.

In fact in front of their own fans Roy Hodgson's men have won just one of their last four, and although the likes of star names Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke are fit to play, key midfielders Andros Townsend and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are major doubts while the Palace boss has a long list of injuries in defence with all of Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Mamadou Sakho, and Jeffrey Schlupp all ruled out.

It should mean that we're in for a very tight game between two very closely-matched sides, but at the odds, and given their excellent defensive record, I'm definitely in favour of backing Burnley to win rather than any of the two other Match Odds options.

Recommended Bet
Back Burnley @ 4.40 to beat Crystal Palace

West Brom 2.18 v Brighton 4.40; The Draw 3.10

(Significant Opta Stat: West Brom have faced Brighton in more home games without defeat than they have any other Football League side in their history.)

It takes a big leap of faith to back a team to win that hasn't tasted success in 20 consecutive league games but if ever West Brom are going to get back to winning ways then they won't get many better chances than the one they have this weekend.

The Baggies host Brighton on Saturday, a team that they can drag right into the thick end of a survival fight if they take all three points. They won't lack for incentive.

But the main reason for siding with Alan Pardew's men is that they have put in some very encouraging performances of late and the gut feeling is that they have enough ability in their ranks to pull away from the relegation zone. Away draws at Tottenham and Liverpool were excellent results, while at the Hawthorns they've held Everton and Arsenal in recent game and lost just one of their last five.

The Seagulls aren't exactly in flying form either having won just one of their last 11 Premier League games, while away from home Chris Hughton's men haven't scored a single goalin any of their last five matches, taking just one point from a possible 15.

This is an enormous game for West Brom, and coming off their first win under Pardew - albeit a FA Cup win against lower league opposition - they should have plenty of confidence that they can take all three points, especially if the learn of the Opta stat above that tells us they've never lost at home to Brighton in their history.

Recommended Bet
Back West Brom @ 2.18 to beat Brighton