Expert Premier League predictions and football betting tips from Mark Langdon

Football betting tips & analysis from Racing Post's Mark Langdon.

Best bet

Both teams to score in West Brom v Southampton
1pt 4-5 general

Eyebrows were raised when Everton were able to attract Carlo Ancelotti to Goodison Park and the former Milan, Chelsea, Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid manager certainly lowered his usual sights to arrive on the blue half of Merseyside.

A recent survey in The Athletic suggested Everton fans are the most satisfied with their manager out of all Premier League clubs. He scored a rating of 98.67 per cent when Everton fans were questioned on whether they'd like the manager to remain for next season.

It would be churlish to suggest Carlo should be sent on his way but it is worth asking whether he has actually brought about much improvement given the Toffees have been unable to significantly take advantage of being free of European commitments in a packed schedule which has hurt most of the usual top-six suspects.

In excess of £60m was spent in transfer fees while James Rodriguez was added on loan yet they just feel a bit average. There doesn't appear to be any grand tactical plan and Everton's underlying data suggests they are actually fortunate to be eighth.

Fbref.com has Everton 13th on expected goal difference per 90 minutes, Understat has them 12th on expected points and FiveThirtyEight rate them 12th on their data.

Only Sheffield United, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and West Brom average fewer touches in the opposition penalty area than Everton and maybe supporters should be more demanding of a manager who reportedly pockets the fourth-biggest pay packet in the Premier League behind Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho.

Guardiola and Klopp have delivered trophies and Mourinho, who is above Ancelotti in the table, is getting absolute pelters from everywhere despite leading Spurs to a cup final.

Being a much more likeable bloke compared to Mourinho definitely seems to be helping Ancelotti as virtually nobody is questioning if Everton should be doing at least slightly better.

It won't come as a surprise to anyone who follows the betting markets closely that Brighton are rated favourites against Everton for their Monday night clash but the best bet on the coupon could come in the earlier game at the Hawthorns.

Both teams to score makes some appeal.

Draws are no good for West Brom at this stage of their survival bid and they will have been encouraged by their remarkable 5-2 success at Chelsea last week, even though the Blues were reduced to ten men following the dismissal of Thiago Silva.

However, the main reason for the bet is that while Southampton are virtually back to full strength in the attacking department, they look vulnerable defensively.

Saints have had one clean sheet in 13 Premier League games and two shutouts in 14 away trips in the top flight.

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