With the likes of Serie A and La Liga making their return this weekend, we are offered a host of eye-catching meetings from across Europe. On that note, for those of you looking to open Saturday with an acca, we have found you a handful of helpful tips that are worth keeping an eye out for.
Saturday 19th September
BST 15:00 Middlesbrough vs Bournemouth
Starting with Saturday s guests, while Bournemouth might have sacrificed their Premier League status earlier in the summer and begun life after Eddie Howe, they have opened the New Year in impressive fashion. With Jason Tindall now in the dugout at the Vitality, the Cherries signed off their pre-season preparations with a thumping 5-3 win away at West Ham earlier in the month and they will undoubtedly be boosted by collecting another top-flight scalp in midweek. Managing to come out on top in what was a record-breaking penalty shoot-out against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, Bournemouth booked their spot in the final 16 of this year s EFL Cup. With it no secret that they have their sights set on securing an immediate Premier League return this season, Tindall would have also been glad to see his new side make their Championship return in winning fashion last weekend. Picking up the most dramatic of 3-2 wins at home against Blackburn seven days ago, Saturday s guests have won each of their last three appearances on the bounce. Landing a 3-1 win when they last faced off against Middlesbrough back in 2017, Bournemouth will travel to the Tyneside confident of extending on their purple patch. Crashing out of the EFL Cup thanks to a shock 2-0 defeat at home against Barnsley in midweek, Neil Warnock s men could only open the New Year with a 1-0 defeat away at Watford and have a real reputation for their issues on home soil. It should be noted that at the end of the 2019/2020 campaign, the Reds lost each of their final four straight Championship matchups at the Riverside.
Tip: Bournemouth win @ 13/8
19:45 Verona vs Roma
With Serie A making a return to action this weekend, there is no doubt that Roma will simply be desperate to carry on from where they left off last month. While they might have seen their Europa League adventure come to an end out in Germany at the hands of eventual winners Sevilla earlier in the summer, I Giallorossi signed off the extended 2019/2020 campaign in what was nothing short than rampant fashion. Managing to sneak themselves another European finish at the final hour, the praise was really put on Head Coach Paulo Fonseca as his side shocked many with their performances after returning from football s enforced break. Last seen on Serie A duties back in August 1st, Roma put on a real clinic as they secured a famous 3-1 romp away at champions Juventus and managed to win each of their final four top-flight appearances on the bounce. Enjoying what was a stunning free-scoring run after making a return to action, Saturday s guests bagged 14 goals on their winning run, a purple patch that also saw them bag a stunning 6-1 victory away at SPAL. On the flip side, ending their campaign with another sluggish display last month, Verona were hit with what turned out to be a 3-0 drumming away at Genoa and I Gialloblu drastically struggled to match their remarkable start either side of the enforced break. Ivan Jurić s men managed to win just one of their final nine Serie A contests last season, a run that saw them freefall away from the European spots. With Roma winning each of their last four straight showdowns against this weekend s hosts, we re backing a similar outcome at the Stadio Marc Antonio Bentegodi.
Tip: Roma win @ 1/1
20:00 Arsenal vs West Ham
Starting with Saturday s hosts, impressing many when marking their Premier League return against London rivals Fulham last weekend, it appears that the mood in Arsenal s camp is at a real high. Picking up what turned out to be a 3-0 romp at Craven Cottage seven days ago, there is no doubt that Mikel Arteta has made quite the immediate impact at the Emirates. With it no secret that Pep Guardiola s former right-hand man is desperate to guide the Gunners back to the Champions League, they have also enjoyed a real domestic silverware sweep this summer. Lifting both the FA Cup and the Community Shield at Wembley last month thanks to victories against Chelsea and Liverpool, Arsenal would have also been boosted by the news that skipper and leading marksman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has put pen to paper on a new three-year deal in the capital. Opening his Premier League account with a strike in West London last weekend, the Gabon ace has now found the net in his last four competitive appearances for the Gunners, bagging six strikes. On the flip side, while the atmosphere in Arsenal s camp seems to be on the rise, West Ham have the feel of a club in crisis and many have them tipped to be at the heart of another relegation scrap this season. Opening the new campaign with a sluggish 2-0 defeat at home against Newcastle last weekend, it should also be noted that the downbeat Hammers have lost six of their last seven contests against Saturday s hosts.
Tip: Arsenal win by 2+ goals @ 11/8
Our Saturday Accumulator:
Middlesbrough vs Bournemouth Bournemouth win @ 13/8
Verona vs Roma Roma win @ 1/1
Arsenal vs West Ham Arsenal win by 2+ goals @ 11/8
Place a £10 bet on our accumulator with and pocket £124.68 if all predictions are correct.
