Have you caught your breath? The holiday season provides non-stop football action. It really is a dream for the hardened fan who can burn off the Christmas calories… by sitting on the couch for hours on end, right? Ok, don’t judge my appearance, I’ll be back on the health bandwagon shortly, just not now, there’s simply too much to watch.
Not to mention, there is so much to consider. The New Year is upon us, and what a year 2026 will be! Finally, the World Cup arrives and boy, will it be worth the wait.
So, for this final Sharman 5 of the year, allow me to look a little further beyond just this weekend, and to the year to come, both domestically and internationally.
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Gunning down Villa
The Premier League really has been the aroma that feeds my Christmas spirit, always has. It is not often that we have a title decider over the break, and it is even less often that Aston Villa feature in it.
I am clearly overstating the importance of Tuesday’s Arsenal vs Aston Villa encounter, but it was huge … and the statement Arsenal put forth in the 4-1 win was equally huge!
What a way to silence the critics who, despite seeing the Gunners consistently win, had been querying the current form after some results had to be ground out.
The win gave Arsenal a six-point lead over the surprising Villa, with Manchester City still in the rear-view mirror in second place.
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-> See all EPL futures at NorthStar Bets!
The odds change following the win really said it all. Pre-match, Mikel Arteta’s side were at -139 to hang on and win the league, with Villa at +1600.
Following the win, Arsenal was down to -162 and Villa up to +2000. Amazing what one win can do.
Of course, Arsenal have a history of faltering down the stretch, and with Man City still at plus money to reel them in, it is certainly very tempting.
Don’t hate me Arsenal fans, but City provides the value.
Best bet: Man City to win the Prem (+165)
Wolves under the Hammer
A relegation tussle, nothing like it! The reality is, West Ham are still very much in the race to survive this season, sitting in the final relegation spot, four points from safety.
While Wolves? They are going down, sorry. Three points on the season to date, zero wins, Wolves have been appalling.
Saturday is a huge match for West Ham, who are being linked with Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen as a means to solve their goal-scoring woes.
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-> Bet on Wolves vs. West Ham at NorthStar Bets!
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo is very much on the hot seat despite his team coming off a 2-2 draw with Brighton on Tuesday.
Wolves drew Manchester United, showing that at least there may be some fight in the team despite its dastardly season to date.
All that said, despite being on the road, any team at plus money in an encounter versus Wolves is too good to dismiss.
Best bet: West Ham to win (+205)
Golden Boot Parlay
End of the year, let’s look ahead and throw down some money on the goal scorers markets, specifically the Golden Boot in the top leagues.
The trouble is, given the dominance of the top strikers in Europe, there really isn’t any value in the individual lines, but create a parlay and suddenly there is plus money.
Let’s take a look at the leading scorers and what their current odds are of leading the way all season:
- Erling Haaland (Man City, Premier League): 19 goals (-2,500)
- Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, La Liga): 18 goals (-3,335)
- Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Serie A): 9 goals (+150)
- Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, Bundesliga): 19 goals (-10,000)
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Barring injury, Haaland, Mbappe and Kane will run away with their scoring championships, and the lines reflect that.
Martinez is one league leader who poses the most threat. The Serie A has been low scoring this season, and Martinez only leads AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic by one goal.
The American has scored his 8 goals in only 11 matches, though, so it is highly unlikely Pulisic continues that pace, and with Martinez having already won a Golden Boot two years ago, we are confident his value is worth it to the overall wager.
Best bet: Haaland, Mbappe, Martinez and Kane all to lead their domestic goal scoring charts (+168)
Top soccer predictions: The Promise of something special
There have been many bright spots from a Canadian angle this year, but as the year turns the one player with the biggest upside could well be Promise David.
The twenty four year old broke through into the Canadian mainstream last season following his commitment to Canada and an outstanding domestic season after switching to Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise and winning a league title.
This season, David has continued his fine form, as has his team which continues to set the standard at the top. David is tied at the top of the scorers chart, despite missing several matches through injury.
Of course, he still needs to convince his international manager. David only has eight appearances for Canada, and although Jesse Marsch has high hopes for the striker, he has been outspoken regarding the areas that David must improve; namely his fitness, as ‘Marsch-ball’ is an all-action high press system that demands extremely high levels of fitness.
Canada is still looking for the right partner for Jonathan David in attack, and David does seem to have the attributes that can work, namely his finishing. It is a fascinating area to watch in the build-up to the World Cup.
Best bet: Promise David to lead all goal scorers in Belgium this season, including playoffs (+300)
-> Get in on the action — bet on Promise David props!
-> Get in on the action — bet on Promise David props!
Striking it rich
Here’s a fun one to let percolate over the New Year. World Cup squad selection, specifically England!
After Harry Kane, there really is a swath of options up front that can hardly be described as prolific in the goal-scoring department.
So, perusing the goal scoring charts, you might be surprised to see that Leeds Utd veteran No. 9 Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads all English strikers with eight goals.
Starting off the year slowly, the 28-year-old has found his form with six in his last seven.
The former Everton man has eleven caps for England, but much of his career has been curtailed through injury. Stay healthy, and with his aerial prowess, he could be a great option off the bench for Thomas Tuchel’s side at the World Cup.
Yes, this pick is a little off centre, but it is New Year's, let’s take a risk or two, and when you see the odds, it is definitely worth a sprinkle.
Best bet: Calvert-Lewin to make England’s World Cup squad (+700)
-> Bet on all of this weekend's soccer action at NorthStar Bets
-> Bet on all of this weekend's soccer action at NorthStar Bets
