Weekend Review: Arsenal assume apex as draws delight bookies in Premier League

Arsenal will have been the happiest of the three title challengers this weekend after Sunday afternoon saw Manchester City and Liverpool play out a 1-1 draw in a welcome result for the bookies.

Dubbed a potential title decider, City went 1-0 up after a well-worked corner was finished off by John Stones before an wild Ederson challenge allowed Alexis Mac Allister to score the equaliser from the penalty spot.                                                                                                                                       

Liverpool were denied a late penalty after Jeremy Doku was judged not to have fouled Mac Allister after his high boot caught the Argentine in the chest.

The score draw meant Arsenal, who won 2-1 at home against Brentford despite an Aaron Ramsdale clanger, now sit top of the table with 10 games to go.

Bet365’s Steve Freeth said: “A late winner and watching your rivals finish with a point each – Arsenal were the big winners this weekend.

“The Gunners are now 5/2 for the title and while we might’ve had a little moan about Arsenal’s late winner on Saturday, we surely were in the same boat as Mikel Arteta in celebrating the draw at Anfield.

“If you’d have asked me before the weekend ‘would you take a game that finishes 1-1 with Stones and Mac Allister on the scoresheet and just three cards shown?’, I’d have said where do I sign.”

The 1-1 draw on Merseyside was also a positive result for Betfred and Kindred Group, as Alan Firkins and Ali Gill attested to, respectively.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Manchester United eased past Everton 2-0 thanks to two penalties, while Spurs were rampant against Aston Villa, running out 4-0 winners in the Midlands.

Relegation-threatened Burnley and Sheffield United both avoided defeat in another blow for the punters.

Burnley had gone into a 2-0 half-time lead away at West Ham before the East London side clawed it back to 2-2 in stoppage time, while the Blades were pegged back away at Bournemouth in a 2-2 draw.

Kindred Group’s Gill said: “After a tough set of results for the layers last week, the pendulum swung again over the weekend as we came out ahead in eight of the nine games played so far.

“No surprise Liverpool versus City topped the overall turnover tables for the weekend, and, all told, a draw was the result we wanted to see there as it came in as our best result in the book over the whole weekend too.

“West Ham’s draw with Burnley was another great result for us. Spurs’ 4-0 demolition of Villa at Villa Park was another one that left us well ahead.”

Freeth added: “Spurs are into 8/13 for the top four after their four-star performance at Villa Park – another favourable result from Sunday – and a reminder we paid out on both Sheffield United and Burnley despite them both drawing 2-2 – thanks to bet365’s 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout offer.”

In terms of the title race, Firkins said City are still slight favourites despite being a point behind Arsenal and Liverpool.

He remarked: “A pulsating Anfield showdown ended honours even between Liverpool and Manchester City, and, though it was a good result for us, plenty tapped into the draw/both teams to score angle. Arsenal’s late winner at home to Brentford was a blow, but it means just one point separates the top three.

“Our latest Premier League odds sees City at 11/10, Liverpool 2/1, Arsenal 9/4, and it’s 200/1 bar the three. The Gunners visit the Etihad on 31 March, and if it’s half as dramatic as events on Merseyside on Sunday then we’re in for another mighty treat.”

Betway’s Chad Yeomans added: “That result means that for the first time since 2014, just a single point separates the top three after 28 completed fixtures, and we look certain to have a title race that will go all the way, ensuring that our trading teams will be kept busy in the outright market.

“We currently have Manchester City priced at 5/4, Liverpool at 2/1 and leaders Arsenal sit at 11/4 with ten games to go.”

Over on the continent, draws for some of Europe’s giants meant it made for a good weekend for bet365.

PSG, with Kylian Mbappe starting on the bench as questions over his future remain, were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Reims, while Juventus and Atalanta played out the same scoreline in Turin.

In Spain, Atletico Madrid fell to a surprise 2-0 loss at Cadiz, but rivals Real Madrid were on form and they trounced Celta Vigo 4-0 in the capital.

Harry Kane continued his impressive debut season in Germany with a hattrick in Bayern’s 8-1 demolition of Mainz, but the champions still find themselves 10 points behind Leverkusen.

Freeth commented: There was also enough to keep us ticking over in Europe with 3/4 Atletico Madrid, 1/2 PSG and 5/4 Juventus coming unstuck, although we took a hammering in the Bundesliga where Harry Kane helped himself to three of the eight goals scored by Bayern Munich and from Real Madrid’s 4-0 win over Celta Vigo.”

Looking back at the football action, LiveScore Group head of trading, Francisco Cano, said: “This weekend delivered another exciting round of top flight football fixtures, with the title race wide open following a 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Manchester City. Arsenal remain top of the table, but the competition is heating up.

“High turnover and strong margins were reported for the Liverpool versus Manchester City match. Across Europe, some notable results were found with both PSG and Napoli failing to win at home,” he added.

Elsewhere, in horseracing, all eyes are on Cheltenham as the four-day showpiece kicks off tomorrow, with punters tucking into the action at Sandown this weekend as an appetizer before the main course.

The Imperial Cup went the way of joint favourite Go Dante in a photo finish as jockey Sean Bowen timed the final hurdle to perfection to hunt down Faivoir.

Olly Murphy-trained Go Dante is entered in the County Hurdle and Martin Pipe Hurdle this week, and will be looking to taste victory again after Sandown.

Gill said: “At Sandown on Saturday the Imperial Cup went the way of 5/1 joint fav Go Dante. With the other joint fav, Bad, being suitably bad and 11/1 Favoir in second, all told that race was just about a draw in the books.”

Elsewhere, Firkins explained wins for Honky Tonk Highway and Rose of Acardia were also enjoyed by the punters.

He said: “All eyes are trained of course towards Cheltenham this week, and Betfred punters limbered up for the festival in style on Saturday. Two of Fred’s ‘pushes’ duly obliged, 9/2 Honky Tonk Highway and 6/1 Rose of Arcadia, and most of the live ITV scorers were well supported.”

Previewing the week ahead, Firkins noted: “A huge feature over the coming days will be the six or seven hotshots that are expected (famous last words) to hose up at Prestbury Park.

“Quite how many do, or don’t, will determine who will be celebrating come Friday teatime, so let battle commence. Offers galore in the industry means bags of choice for punters, and excitement-wise that dramatic natural amphitheatre never fails to deliver.”