After a short layoff, the English Premier League is back in action this weekend. The league will start a month later than expected due to the COVID-19 epidemic, but the hope is that the Premier League will be able to play a little bit of catch up for its normal start next year. The top game of the first matchday of the season will see defending champions Liverpool host newly promoted Leeds United. Unsurprisingly, the Reds are huge favorites per the soccer betting odds, but the Peacocks have more firepower than clubs coming up from Championship usually possess.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from Anfield in Liverpool, England at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
English Premier League Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Liverpool -341
Leeds United +866
Draw +504
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
It’s a shame that Liverpool fans didn’t get to celebrate their long-awaited Premier League title as they wanted to due to the coronavirus, but after three decades without a domestic championship, the Reds were happy to finally claim another trophy. All the key players from last season are back at Anfield, so Liverpool stands a good chance of repeating, but they will be gunning with Manchester City all year just like we have seen during the last two campaigns.
Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino constitute one of the deadliest attacks in the league. Salah is the maestro of it all, while Mane is a top-notch finisher and Firmino can dominate in spurts. The defense is exceptional too though as Virgil van Dijk is the league’s best center back and Alisson has been the top goalkeeper in England since joining Liverpool. Captain Jordan Henderson is perennially overlooked when it comes to describing the talent on this team, but he is one of the cogs that makes it all work with his solid defending and superb passing.
Leeds won the Championship by 10 points to make it back to the Premier League for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Unlike other teams that have been stuck in lower divisions for a substantial amount of time though, this club has plenty of history. They have won England’s top league three times, most recently in the 1991-92 season with a 22-16-4 mark.
The Peacocks didn’t quite break the bank like Aston Villa did upon promotion last year, but they have brought in some talented players to supplement their squad. Rodrigo was signed from Valencia to give Leeds a top forward, while Helder Costa and Robin Koch are two young players expected to provide an instant impact this season too.
Key Injuries
Xherdan Shaqiri, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Konstantinos Tsimikas will all miss this match for Liverpool, while Henderson is considered questionable to play due to a knee injury.
Gaetano Berardi is a long-term injury for Leeds, while Adam Forshaw is hoping to return to action for the club soon.
Matchup to Watch
Will the Peacocks be able to score on the Reds? That’s the question that many will have ahead of this match, as Liverpool will pour in the goals. The Reds annihilated Blackpool 7-2 in their final tune-up before the start of the regular season last weekend, but Leeds did not look sharp in their friendly against Stoke City back on September 1. Rodrigo has only spent a little bit of time with the club as he has been with Spain for the UEFA Nations League, so it may take him some time to develop chemistry with his new teammates.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This feels like a comfortable victory for the reigning champions. Liverpool have continuity with so many returning players, and that will be huge in a season with so little time to prepare in the preseason.
English Premier League Odds: Liverpool 2, Leeds United 0
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