Premier League predictions & Jones Knows' best bets: Bournemouth to hold Man City
Our football betting expert Lewis Jones correctly predicted Arsenal to win 3-0 on FNF and landed his best bet; watch five more matches live on Sky Sports from the opening round this weekend; play Super 6 for a chance to win £1m!
Saturday 22 August 2026 18:46, UK
Brentford vs Tottenham, Saturday 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!
Roberto De Zerbi is one of the most exciting yet volatile managers in world football. He makes Spurs a thrilling prospect this season, but Micky van de Ven's absence for the opener creates opportunities for those looking to side with Brentford.
You don't want a brand-new centre-back partnership facing Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade and Dango Ouattara in the first competitive match of the season. Especially when Tottenham are likely to defend with a high line while trying to dominate possession. De Zerbi's possession game should create opportunities for Brentford's transition tactics.
Goals look on the menu so backing the Bees to score over 1.5 goals at evens rates as a tasty angle.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-2
Brighton vs Aston Villa, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!
Brighton have spent the summer refining while Aston Villa have spent it rebuilding.
That explains why the Seagulls are being priced up as the favourites at 6/5 with Sky Bet.
However, Unai Emery has been through this kind of rebuild before and is renowned for his consistency and ability to overcome the loss of key players. Since taking over at Valencia in 2008/09, he has finished every season in the top seven of the league he has managed in - 15 out of 15, with an average finishing position of 4.3.
It makes the argument for him being the best pound-for-pound manager in the league right now very watertight. With Emery in their corner, I'm going to be backing Villa to win games a lot this season - starting here on the draw no bet at 5/4 with Sky Bet.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2
Manchester City vs Bournemouth, Sunday 2pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!
Marco Rose is about as logical a replacement as Bournemouth could have found. His Red Bull background should preserve the aggressive pressing, vertical attacking and willingness to turn matches into transition battles. Crucially, he was appointed early enough to oversee a proper handover rather than having to start from scratch in August.
I'm expecting Bournemouth to be ready to go here while Manchester City's new system is still bedding in without Pep Guardiola.
Both teams to score in a game where the goals go over 3.5 is an option to consider at 5/4 with Sky Bet through their BuildABet function.
SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2
Newcastle vs Liverpool, Sunday 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports - PLAY SUPER 6 HERE!
Alexander Isak is walking back into the lion's den.
A year ago, the Swedish striker detonated the situation with Newcastle by declaring that his relationship with the club "cannot continue", citing broken promises and a lack of trust. What followed was an acrimonious £130m move to Liverpool and a summer of fury on Tyneside.
The interesting betting angle isn't whether he scores.
It's whether Newcastle kick him. And Sky Bet offer a "to be fouled" market, which is the perfect way to attack an Isak bet.
His historical fouls-won numbers are actually quite low, which explains why the bookmakers have priced this market so generously. We can get [10/11] on him being fouled once or more and [4/1] on two or more. Both are fantastic wagers as the market is pricing Isak's usual foul-winning profile. It isn't pricing the narrative.
Isak is going to have a target on his back.
Every time he gets the ball, the noise will go up. Every time he turns a Newcastle defender, there will be a reaction.
And if one of Newcastle's midfielders or defenders clatters into him?
St James' Park will erupt.
There is an incredibly easy way for a Newcastle player to get the crowd involved: put Isak on the floor.
I'm not suggesting anything premeditated, but rather the natural aggression that comes with a fiercely competitive opening-day game, amplified by an atmosphere that is likely to be particularly hostile towards one man.
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SCORE PREDICTION: 2-2 | JONES KNOWS BEST BET: Alexander Isak to be fouled +1 times (10/11 with Sky Bet) & Isak to be fouled +2 times (4/1 with Sky Bet)
Fulham vs Chelsea, Monday 8pm, live on Sky Sports
Chelsea have appointed a manager in Xabi Alonso with a proper, recognisable football philosophy rather than another coach who will simply try to get the best out of the existing squad. His work at Bayer Leverkusen shows the real Alonso and he can be forgiven for being swallowed up by the Real Madrid circus.
To get the Blues competitive in a season when they have the advantage of no extra games is hardly an impossible task. They could even emerge as Arsenal's closest challengers. If that is to be the case, then winning away at a Fulham side now shrouded in uncertainty over their future would be a significant step. Marco Silva provided tactical clarity, Premier League know-how and, at the very least, the security of consistent mid-table finishes. With that safety net gone, Fulham are now playing a risky game.
Chelsea look one of the good things of the weekend at 17/20 with Sky Bet.
SCORE PREDICTION: 1-2 | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Chelsea to win (17/20 with Sky Bet)
Friday's prediction & best bets...
Arsenal look ready to go again. They are the team to beat.
And this is a lovely pipe opener for the season, where they are 1/6 with Sky Bet to get off to a winning start against the new boys. It should be relatively straightforward.
For a betting angle, Myles Lewis-Skelly is being seen as a genuine central midfielder now and, in the seven games he has started in that position, he has averaged 4.3 foul involvements (fouls won + fouls committed) per 90.
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The four-or-more line has landed in six of those seven matches and it's a great bet to land again at 10/11 with Sky Bet.
Coventry have deliberately added power and athleticism to their midfield ahead of their return to the Premier League which bodes well for fouls in central areas. Frank Onyeka, on loan last season, is the obvious example. He averaged 2.5 fouls drawn per 90 last season, while club-record signing Caleb Yirenkyi brings another energetic, aggressive presence into the middle of the pitch.
Lewis-Skelly will be in the thick of it.
SCORE PREDICTION: 3-0 ✅ | JONES KNOWS' BEST BET: Myles Lewis-Skelly +4 foul involvements (10/11 with Sky Bet) ✅
Jones Knows' best bets...
- 1pt on Myles Lewis-Skelly +4 foul involvements (10/11 with Sky Bet) ✅
- 1pt on Chelsea to beat Fulham (17/20 with Sky Bet)
- 1pt on Alexander Isak to be fouled +1 times (10/11 with Sky Bet)
- 1pt on Alexander Isak to be fouled +2 times (4/1 with Sky Bet)
