Matchday 9 bets

After another international break, the Premier League will resume with Matchday nine. Up to this point, only two teams remain undefeated, both Arsenal and Tottenham. They will look to extend their undefeated streak as they both have favorable matchups. Matchday nine will hold one of the Premier League's biggest and most heated rivalries, the Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton. The biggest question that will be answered this week is whether or not Manchester City can right the ship and avoid three straight losses in the Premier League.

Manchester City vs. Brighton

Pick: Over 3.5 Goals (+105) & Manchester City -1.5 (+105)

Manchester City will host Brighton as they look to avoid three straight Premier League losses. Brighton will look to extend that streak and escape the Etihad Stadium with three points, something not many teams have accomplished in recent years. For my picks, I will continue going to the well and pick another Brighton match to go over the total. Brighton matches are still perfect, as they all have gone over 3.5 goals. City has been less successful in surpassing the 3.5 total, only surpassing it in two of their eight games. I am still comfortable taking the over because Brighton has conceded the fourth most goals this season, 16, and we saw them concede six in one game vs. Villa. If City can click offensively, as we have seen in the past, I would not be surprised if they score enough goals themselves to get us over the total. 

I am also picking Manchester City to cover the -1.5 spread. I just feel like this is the perfect bounce-back spot. They had the week off to lick their wounds, regroup and prepare for this week. Also, one would have to go back to the 2016 season, under Pellegrini, for the last time City has lost three Premier League Matches in a row. A Pep Guardiola squad has lost three matches in a row only once, and that was in 2015 when he managed Bayern Munich. Another factor for my pick is City is back at home where they are comfortable and are currently on a 20-game winning streak. A win over Brighton will set a new record for the longest home winning streak by a Premier League team across all competitions.