The 2026-27 Premier League season officially opened Friday, but 10 more clubs get their campaign started during a busy five-game Saturday.
Below, I’ll break down my top three Premier League best bets for Saturday, August 22.
Premier League Best Bets
The club logos in the table below represent each match that our soccer betting staff is targeting from today's games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Match | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:30 a.m. | |
  | 10:00 a.m. | |
  | 12:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our soccer Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Hull City vs. Manchester United
Manchester United will look to build on a solid third-place finish in the EPL last season, and the Red Devils kick off the new campaign against Hull City, which just earned promotion from the EFL Championship.
United enters the match with a relatively clean bill of health and a potent attack led by Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo.
Fernandes led all EPL players with 21 assists last season – nine more than anyone else – and he’ll have plenty of space to create against a Hull City side that isn’t known for its defending.
Hull finished last season in the Championship with a -20 expected goal differential and 80 expected goals against – the second-worst mark among all 24 teams. The Tigers are also down eight first-team players, including defender Charlie Hughes and midfielder Eliot Matazo.
United were always going to be the favorites here, and it’s easy to see a comfortable win on Saturday.
I’m taking Manchester United to win (-270), but playing the Reds to score Over 1.5 goals (-225) is also a safe play. You can parlay the two at -188.
Pick: Manchester United Moneyline (-260)
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Everton vs. Crystal Palace
Everton and Crystal Palace kick off their season in what could be a bit of an offensive stalemate at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Toffees had the seventh-fewest goals in the Premier League last season (45), while Crystal Palace was fourth from the bottom in that category (40). Palace was a bit better in terms of expected goals (58; 8th), but Everton remained near the bottom of the table (46; 14th).
One key figure to watch will be Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, who led the club with 12 goals in the EPL last season. The Frenchman was actually supposed to be sold to AC Milan in February, but the transfer fell through after the Italian side discovered a chronic injury in his knee.
Palace does not possess much of a goal threat outside of Mateta, who has yet to play with the club since returning from the World Cup.
If Mateta isn’t fit for Saturday, Palace’s already questionable finishing will take a substantial hit.
I’m playing Under 2.5 goals in what will likely be a low-scoring draw.
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals (-111)
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Brentford vs. Tottenham
Igor Thiago had a breakout season for Brentford last year, finishing second among all Premier League players with 22 goals behind only Erling Haaland (27).
The Brazilian striker was a mainstay as Brentford’s first attacking option, playing 3,284 minutes – the third most by any forward in the EPL – and he’s expected to be in contention for the Golden Boot again this season.
Brentford plays a direct brand of football under manager Keith Andrews, which suits Thiago’s hold-up style of play. The 6’3” striker had 168 touches inside the box last season, which ranked sixth among all players, while his 43 shots on target were once again second to only Haaland (59).
Tottenham was among the worst defensive clubs in the EPL last year, ranking 17th in goals conceded (57) and ninth in total shots conceded (467). Spurs will almost certainly be better this season after narrowly avoiding relegation last year and adding plenty of talent in the summer, but don’t expect an instant turnaround.
Brentford will get their chances, and Thiago will be the main man leading the way.
Pick: Igor Thiago 2+ Shots on Target (+162)
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