2024 EPL Round 31 Predictions for Selected Pairs

Here are our 2024 EPL Round 31 predictions for the most exciting matches: Arsenal v Luton Town, Manchester City v Aston Villa, and Liverpool v Sheffield United. Will the standings change by the end of the week? Learn now!

Arsenal v Luton Town

As predicted by online sportsbooks in the UK, Arsenal showed another impressive defensive performance, holding Manchester City to a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium. This result keeps them in contention for their first Premier League title since 2004. Despite having only 27% possession in the Easter Sunday match, Mikel Arteta’s team extended their unbeaten league run to nine games (winning eight and drawing one), putting them just two points behind league leaders Liverpool.

The Gunners’ incredible record of being unbeaten in their last 38 home Premier League games against newly promoted teams (winning 33 and drawing five) makes their upcoming fixture against Luton Town seem straightforward. Their recent 4-3 victory in the reverse fixture adds to their confidence as they aim to continue their streak of five consecutive home wins.

On the other hand, Luton Town suffered a morale-denting defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, conceding a late goal that cost them a crucial point in their battle against relegation. Despite their spirited performance, especially taking an early lead against top-five opposition, Luton’s struggles on the road are evident. They have only picked up 10 points away from home this season, with no wins in their last 11 away league matches and conceding 2+ goals in each of those games, highlighting their defensive frailties.

Manchester City v Aston Villa

The next 2024 EPL Round 31 predictions are about Manchester City v Aston Villa. The most recent development in the race for the Premier League title saw City fall three points behind leaders Liverpool following their goalless draw with Arsenal on Sunday. This extended City’s unbeaten streak across all competitions to 23 games, with 19 wins and 4 draws. The last team to defeat Pep Guardiola’s side and the one just before Arsenal to prevent them from scoring? Their next opponent, Aston Villa!

Sunday’s draw marked the first instance where City failed to score at home since March 2022 against Sporting Lisbon (ending in a 0-0 draw). However, the last time Villa kept City from scoring at home dates back to 2007 and 888sport gave Emery’s team modest odds to outscore Guardiola’s. With revenge for their December 1-0 loss on their minds and a track record of winning the last eight head-to-head matches at home with an average of 3.38 goals per game, City seems poised to reignite their title push.

Villa, in pursuit of a fourth-place finish this season, recently defeated Wolves 2-0 but still faces pressure as they have yet to play each of the top three teams. Despite not being at their peak form over the weekend and enduring a minor slump with a draw and a loss in recent matches, Villa has already won as many league games this season as they did throughout last season (18).

Their substantial improvement, evident by being 12 points ahead of their 30-game record from the previous season, can be mainly attributed to their strong home performances. Manager Unai Emery is likely to adopt a defensive approach inspired by Arsenal’s recent display, as Villa has not lost a competitive away game this year, winning 4 and drawing 4, with four of those matches resulting in a clean sheet (1 win, 3 draws).

Liverpool v Sheffield United 

On the red side of Merseyside, Liverpool had a fantastic Easter weekend. They took the lead in the Premier League title race by defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1. Meanwhile, their rivals Manchester City and Arsenal played to a 0-0 draw. Next up for Jürgen Klopp’s team is Sheffield United, followed by a crucial match against bitter rivals Manchester United, who boast one more top-flight title than Liverpool’s 19.

Liverpool is expected by online gambling sites in the UK to easily handle Sheffield United, having won the last six head-to-head matchups with an impressive 13-1 aggregate score. Fans at Anfield are eager for the game against a promoted side, as Liverpool has lost just one of their last 39 home league matches against such opponents (winning 32, drawing 6).

This presents a challenging situation for Sheffield United, whose chances of avoiding relegation are dwindling as they struggle to hold onto leads. In their last two games, they squandered two-goal advantages against Bournemouth and Fulham, ending in 2-2 and 3-3 draws, respectively.

Despite their struggles, Sheffield United has shown resilience on the road, avoiding defeat in two of their last three away matches (winning 1, drawing 1). They have a history of making things difficult for their hosts and pretty good 2024 EPL Round 31 predictions at UK sportsbooks. Plus, they have scored in four of their last six trips to Anfield, demonstrating their ability to compete even against strong opposition.

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