England Premier League Matchday 15 Odds & Picks: Man U & Spurs +210 to Draw in ‘Mourinho Derby’

• Mourinho returns to Manchester with Spurs
• Liverpool owns plenty of recent success in Merseyside Derby
• See the odds and best bets for these matches and the full Matchday 15 slate below

With Matchday 15 of the English Premier League season approaching – the first midweek program of the season – there’s now a slightly unfamiliar look to the top of the table with Chelsea and Leicester City gatecrashing what was expected to be a Liverpool/Man City two-horse race at the top.

Some odd results so far have offered the bettors plenty of value. We’ll see if we can find some for Wednesday night.

Premier League Matchday 15 Odds

All odds taken Dec. 2, 2019.

EPL Pick 1: Manchester United vs. Tottenham

Any contest between Man Utd and Spurs is a massive occasion. Any match involving Jose Mourinho is a massive occasion. Put the two together and consider that one year ago Mourinho was on the United bench and is now on Tottenham’s and this one becomes massive.

The early signs have been promising for Mourinho, as he looks to stabilize Tottenham after a difficult few months, which resulted in the demise of Mauricio Pochettino. The return trip to Old Trafford though is his biggest test so far and will be a good early indicator as to the progress, or otherwise, he has made. One of the consistent failings of Pochettino’s Tottenham was an inability to win regularly enough against the big six – something that Mourinho will need to remedy if they are to become contenders.

While this United team has a more youthful look than the one Mourinho left behind, its core remains, and the new Spurs boss will know its weak spots, like its less-than-dynamic midfield. He will also know a front three of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Dan James has the potential to rip teams apart if they are unchecked, so the key will be how he sets up his defense to quell that triple threat.

United’s problem under Solkjaer has been consistency but they do score goals, as do Spurs. But with Mourinho’s tactical nous coming to the fore I can see this one being a score draw – maybe 2-2.

Pick: United and Spurs to draw (+210)

EPL Pick 2: Liverpool vs. Everton

Merseyside derbies are notoriously feisty affairs but recently have also been one-sided, with Liverpool in almost permanent possession of the bragging rights. Despite Everton usually raising their level, it’s the Reds who invariably come out on top and with the gap now appearing bigger than ever, it’s tough to find an argument for an away win here.

The Toffees are in a difficult place and while the occasional good result may be just enough to keep Marco Silva in his job, the trajectory remains downward.

Despite some massive investment from owner Farhad Moshiri, the Toffees remain some way off from challenging the big six. Liverpool will know Everton will raise their game in a high-octane local derby but will also know if they do their jobs properly they will win.

This may not end up being the rout that some Liverpool fans are predicting – local derbies are notorious levelers – but Liverpool’s extra quality be enough for the win

Pick: Liverpool to win 2-0

EPL Pick 3: Chelsea vs. Aston Villa

Back in May, these two managers were lining up in opposite dugouts in the Championship Playoff Final at Wembley but, via different routes, they now find themselves going head-to-head in the EPL.

Frank Lampard’s first season in soccer management was spent at Derby County but having guided them to said final – a match they lost – he was handpicked by Chelsea to be Maurizio Sarri’s successor at Chelsea. For Villa manager Dean Smith, the victory at Wembley propelled his team back into the EPL after an absence of three seasons.

Both have made good starts to life in the EPL but for Lampard, armed with a squad equipped for top six, things have gone better than even he could have hoped. The Blues have firmly established themselves in the pack of three who are chasing the leaders, Liverpool. For Villa, it’s been a more tricky ride but a few good wins have suggested they have what it takes to steer clear relegation.

The Villans’ problem, however, has been their away form, which is the worst in the division. For that reason, it’s hard to see them beating Chelsea, but it’s equally worth noting that the Blues have picked up more points on their travels than they have at Stamford Bridge. For that reason, the value here is very much with the draw at +438.

Pick: Chelsea and Villa to draw (+460)