Sofia Quijada
The 2026 year in the English Premier League traditionally starts with football. Fans are in for matches involving Liverpool and Manchester City. If you plan to place bets on January 1, our traditional digest is just for you.
Crystal Palace vs Fulham
The teams met the championship equator in neighboring places in the middle of the table, but the trajectories of the London clubs lately are directly opposite. Crystal Palace cannot win in their last five official meetings, and the last three Premier League games ended in defeats. Even home walls have stopped helping — Oliver Glasner’s team scored only one goal in their last four league home games.
Fulham earned three consecutive Premier League wins, but it should be noted that opponents in these matches were teams fighting for survival. However, head-to-head statistics also favor the Cottagers — Fulham have not conceded in their last four visits to Selhurst Park, and only two of their last 16 away meetings with Crystal Palace ended in defeat.
I predict that in this London derby, the guests will celebrate victory again, even if not the brightest.
Bet: Fulham Handicap (0) (odds 2.46)
Liverpool vs Leeds
Arne Slot’s charges suffered their last defeat so far in the Champions League match against Dutch PSV, when they unexpectedly conceded four goals at home. After that, in the Premier League Liverpool played six matches, winning four and drawing twice. Plus there was the Champions League game against Inter, when the Reds earned hard-fought three points in Milan.
Leeds lost all matches in November, suffering four defeats in a row, but then things improved: in their last five Premier League rounds, Daniel Farke’s charges earned two wins and three draws. This allowed them to move six points clear of the relegation zone and start the calendar year in quite good spirits.
The last five head-to-head Premier League matches between these teams were consistently high-scoring, and in the last three both Liverpool and Leeds managed to score. I expect high-scoring football now too.
Bet: Both Teams to Score + Total Over 2.5 (odds 2.05)
Sunderland vs Manchester City
Sunderland’s unbeaten streak at the Stadium of Light confirms that the team know how to act organised and patiently, but experience against opponents from the upper table shows that such an approach rarely leads to initiative and more often limits attacking potential. Squad difficulties reinforce this trend and force the staff to bet on compactness and avoid sharp rebuilds. In these conditions, any loss of structure can become critical for the Black Cats.
Manchester City approach the game in optimal condition, with a winning streak and a clearly built model where patience and control gradually transform into pressure. Even without maximum flank variety, the guests maintain balance and the ability to step up after the break, which is especially dangerous against opponents oriented towards a restrained start.
If Sunderland fail to maintain concentration over the distance, the advantage in tempo and depth of decisions will increasingly shift towards the guests.
Bet: Total Shots Over 25.5 (odds 1.86)