The festive soccer action takes centre stage this weekend, with huge games taking place around Europe. But, which soccer tips should gamblers be following for the most exciting games in Spain, Italy and England?
Real Sociedad vs Atletico Madrid
It has been a stunning start to the season for Atletico Madrid in LaLiga, and their aim this week will be a straightforward one. Three points away from home against Real Sociedad will mean that they will be top of Christmas Day. However, anything other than a win could give Real Madrid the chance to jump ahead of them in the league table.
Atletico have lost just one game so far this season, with that defeat coming against Real Madrid. However, it’s hard to ignore how defensively solid the league leaders have been so far this season. They have conceded just five goals in the 12 games that they have played, and there is a sense that they haven’t had a better chance to win LaLiga than this year. Atletico got back to winning ways last time out, as they claimed three points against Elche. Luis Suarez scored twice in that win, while Diego Costa also got himself on the scoresheet.
Only a few weeks ago it was Real Sociedad that were flying high at the top of the LaLiga table. However, their form has been disappointing over recent weeks, and they have now gone five without a win in Spain. Furthermore, they have lost their last two games. They could slip a place further back with defeat against Atletico on Wednesday evening. Sociedad were beaten in their last league game by Levante away from home.
These two sides couldn’t be in more contrasting form at present. Atletico will be keen to stay top of the league, which means that we expect them to get the three points.
AC Milan vs Lazio
The final game in Serie A before Christmas will see the league leaders in action against Lazio. AC Milan will need to get the three points to stay top of the league, as the pressure on them is growing from the chasing pack.
It is certainly something that not many people would have expected to see this season, as AC Milan are certainly in the running for the league title. They have been excellent over the course of the opening 13 games of the season, and they are one of just two teams in the league that are yet to lose a game. Pressure is now being put on Milan by Inter Milan, as the leaders have won just once in their last three games.
Lazio are one of the sides that have struggled this season, as they are still coming to terms with playing games behind closed doors. They have won just twice in five Serie A outings, but confidence will be high after picking up a massive three points in their last league game against Napoli. Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto scored the goals in the victory, and they will need to put in a repeat performance to stand any chance of claiming three points against Milan and at the San Siro.
Milan have an impressive record against Lazio, as they have won three of the previous five. We expect them to beat Lazio again this weekend to stay top of the league for Christmas.
Leicester City vs Manchester United
There will be a huge match for soccer fans to look forward to on Boxing Day, as two of the sides in the top three of the Premier League clash. Manchester United will be riding high after a huge win last time out, and a win at the King Power Stadium would put them second with a game in hand.
There are still discussions around whether Manchester United are really in the Premier League title race. But, the league table doesn’t lie, as United are third with a game in hand. The Red Devils are five points away from Liverpool, which is the closest United have been to the top of the league table at Christmas since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. United were excellent in their last league game against Leeds United, as they won 6-2. Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay both scored two each in that win, while Victor Lindelof and Daniel James also got on the scoresheet.
It wasn’t just a huge weekend for United, as Leicester City also put their marker down for a place in the top four. Leicester won their third game in four matches against Tottenham Hotspur, as they ran out 2-0 winners away from home. Jamie Vardy and James Maddison scored the goals in the win against Spurs. A win on Boxing Day would take the Foxes to within a point of Liverpool.
These two sides met on the final day of the 2019-20 season, with United winning 2-0 at the King Power to secure their place in the top-four. This promises to be another excellent match, and the outcome that suits both sides could be a draw.
Arsenal vs Chelsea
There will be a huge festive London derby in the Premier League on the 27th December, as Chelsea travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal. Both sides have been disappointing over recent weeks, and a win will be huge for both managers.
Things aren’t looking as rosy as they once were at Stamford Bridge, as back-to-back defeats mean that the Blues have fallen to eighth in the Premier League. It looks like it will be a mountain to climb for Chelsea to get back into the title race from this position, and their recent defeats against Everton and Wolves highlight that there is still room for improvement for Frank Lampard’s side.
Mikel Arteta will be in desperate need for a Premier League win this Christmas, as the Gunners find themselves on the cusp of a relegation battle this season. The Gunners are four points ahead of the drop zone after losing four of their last five games. Only the sides below Arsenal have won fewer games than the Gunners this season, while they are particularly struggling to score goals. Arsenal were beaten in their last outing in the league by Everton at Goodison Park.
This will be another challenging fixture for Arsenal, and it has been hard to see where a win is going to come from. They don’t offer much in the way of an attacking threat, and defensively they always look vulnerable. Chelsea will be the pick to get the win in this fixture.
