You Bet | Needle in a haystack: value hard to come by as unpredictable Premier League creates more questions than answers
West Ham rate the bet of the weekend on the handicap with most of the match odds looking too skinny about the favourites and there is not too much interest in any of the outsiders
One interesting aspect of the early exchanges in the English Premier League is that the old adage ‘any team can beat any other team’ may be more true than usual this season.
In most of the recent campaigns, five or more teams have been winless after four matches – often an early indicator of season-long struggle – but this time only three teams are in that position.
Two of them, Southampton and Stoke, finished in the top nine last season and their difficulties might not last too long, which adds to the feeling that this will be a highly competitive division packed with twists and turns.
More than half of the favourites failed to win in the first four rounds of games and punters may have to tread carefully when it comes to looking for bankers.
Even with the big six teams already massing towards the top of the table, there have been upsets – Chelsea held by Swansea, Liverpool beaten at Burnley – but it is among the bulk of the division where punters will have to stay particularly alive to the ups and downs of form.
Take this example: Swansea won at Burnley in week one, but then lost at home to Hull, who in turn drew at Burnley.