Premier League Picks: How to Bet Chelsea against Newcastle?

The final round of matches before the World Cup break could be one of the Premier League's most important weekends so far. 

Newcastle United and Chelsea will meet in a battle for the European spots, while Arsenal aims to be atop the table at Christmas for the first time since 2004.

Following are our Premier League picks for game Week 15.

Game of the Week

Chelsea +210 at Newcastle +130

Last weekend's match with Arsenal was among the biggest of the season for Chelsea. It lost, and now much is riding on this matchup.

Chelsea now sits seventh in the league, five points behind the top four and six behind Newcastle in third. It's their worst position at this stage in a league season since José Mourinho was fired in 2014.

If Chelsea loses, it could drop into 10th place, provided Liverpool, Fulham and Crystal Palace win. A victory could launch Chelsea into fifth place, if Brighton and Manchester United lose. Either way, it's a season-defining match for Chelsea.

Newcastle battered Southampton 4-1 last weekend to move to third in the table. This is its best Premier League start since the late 1990s, when it was challenging for the title. If it can win here, Newcastle will be one of the favorites to finish in the Champions League spots at the end of the season.

So much is riding on this game, and we think Newcastle will win.

Newcastle to win 2-1 is +850 with FanDuel.

Best Bet of the Week

Leeds +420 at Tottenham Hotspur -165

Tottenham is the favorite to win, as well as our pick

Tottenham lost recently to Liverpool, and the pressure mounted on manager Antonio Conte midweek with a 2-0 loss to last-place Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup. The team has moved to fourth in the table, winning only one of its past four Premier League games.

We still think it will have enough in the tank to beat Leeds after its loss Wednesday to one of the worst sides in the Premier League, Wolverhampton. 

The main worry for Leeds this season has been its lack of goals. It has scored 19 in 13 games, eight fewer than Tottenham has. What's more, Leeds has lost six times.

It won’t be easy for Tottenham, but Conte can’t afford to lose again, and this motivation should help rocket his team to victory.

Harry Kane to score first is +240 with DraftKings.

Team of Last Week 

Arsenal

Numerous teams were worthy of this title, but by winning at Stamford Bridge for the second season running, Arsenal stayed atop the Premier League while playing one of its best games of the season.

Following the team's 1-0 victory at Chelsea, it doesn’t seem like anybody can stop Arsenal.

It was sensational on defense, as Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba continued to prove why they are perhaps the best defensive partnership in the league this season. Magalhães also scored the winning goal in a clinical and tactical performance by Arsenal.

Arsenal to beat the Wolves 2-0 is +650 with FanDuel.

Player of Last Week

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Over the past few seasons, Mohamed Salah has been in the Player of Last Week discussion most weeks. After his two-goal performance in a 2-1 victory for Liverpool at Tottenham last weekend, Salah is an easy choice.

The Egyptian has six goals on the season, his lowest tally at this stage in a Premier League campaign since he joined Liverpool in 2017. His first goal was a magnificent finish in which he smashed the ball past Hugo Lloris following an excellent first touch. Salah’s second goal was gifted to him by an error from Eric Dier, but the Liverpool star still had to finish exquisitely past Lloris.

Mohamed Salah to score first is +320 with FanDuel.

Hardest Game to Call

Everton +160 at Bournemouth +180

Everton is 16th in the table, one point above Bournemouth in 17th. The team that loses this weekend could enter the relegation zone, in the unlikely event that Southampton defeats Liverpool.

The teams have three wins each in the past 14 games, and this match could go either way. Everton has scored the fewest goals in the Premier League for those outside of the relegation spots, while Bournemouth has the worst defensive record in the league with 32 goals conceded in 14 matches.

A tie seems like a sensible bet here, given the terrible form so far.

A tie between Bournemouth and Everton is +220 with DraftKings.

Throw-Ins

This Week’s Schedule with Moneylines (All Times Eastern)

Saturday

• Brentford (+1900) at Man City (-750), 7:30 a.m.
• Everton (+160) at Bournemouth (+180), 10 a.m.
• Southampton (+1000) at Liverpool (-450), 10 a.m.
• Crystal Palace (+140) at Nottingham Forest (+200), 10 a.m.
• Leeds (+420) at Tottenham Hotspur (-165), 10 a.m.
• Leicester City (+260) at West Ham (+105), 10 a.m.
• Chelsea (+210) at Newcastle (+130), 12:30 p.m.
• Arsenal (-195) at Wolves (+500), 2:45 p.m.

Sunday

• Aston Villa (+320) at Brighton (-125), 9 a.m.
• Man United (-115) Fulham (+280), 11:30 a.m.