Football is seeing an increase in goals, and England’s top league is no exception. We’ve picked four Matchday 1 games that could be exciting.
| Premier League games with goals - over 2.5 | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley | 1.60 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion vs Fulham | 1.66 |
| Aston Villa vs Newcastle United | 1.60 |
| Leeds United vs Everton | 1.95 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Games with goals in the Premier League
There’s good reason to check out the goals market when the Premier League starts again next month. The opening weekend has seen many goals recently, with an average of 2.83 goals over the past three seasons, and no 0-0 last time. The first few games, in general, could be good for betting on over 2.5 goals.
We’ve picked out four matches from the start of the 2025/26 season where we expect many goals. Goals could be scored frequently between August 15th and 18th by teams that range from top-flight stalwarts to newly-promoted contenders. The opening weekend in 2024/25 averaged more than two per game, but more goals are expected this year.
Matchday 1 fixtures to watch for goals
The first match to watch involves Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley. Although Spurs have had a very difficult 2024/25 season, their games saw an average of 3.39 goals per game, the most in the league.
They face the Clarets, who had a remarkable defence in the Championship on their way to promotion. However, competing in the Premier League is a monumental step up. None of the promoted sides have secured victory on the opening day last season, and Burnley will face a tough challenge in this match. Spurs are signing good players this summer, and should be able to break through Burnley’s strong defence.
Moving on to the Brighton & Hove Albion vs Fulham fixture. Both of their meetings last season have ended with over 2.5 goals and both teams scoring. The Seagulls’ games are known for being notoriously fun. Their matches saw an average of 3.29 goals in 2024/25, and they had the highest percentage (71%) of games with over 2.5 goals among all clubs.
Fulham also scores goals often. 58% of their Premier League matches last season ended with over 2.5 goals, and they scored exactly as many goals as they conceded (54).
Fulham also score goals often. In fact, 58% of their PL matches last season ended with over 2.5 goals. Moreover, they scored exactly as many goals as they conceded, 54.
Fans who truly want to see plenty of goals should look no further than Aston Villa vs Newcastle United. There have been 25 goals scored in their last six meetings, with over 2.5 in every single one of them. With the Magpies trying hard to strengthen this summer, this could be another exciting match.
Villa have had a pretty disappointing summer so far in terms of transfers, but there’s still time for that to change. Newcastle, meanwhile, have big plans - and could be a good value bet for victory.
The final game of the opening weekend involves Leeds United’s return to the top flight against Everton. They lost just once at home last season in the Championship and scored a phenomenal 95 goals throughout the campaign. The visitors will have to be careful at Elland Road, because even as a newly-promoted team, the Whites have some serious firepower.
However, Daniel Farke’s men could be weak defensively. The step up from the second tier to the top tier in England is significant, as evident with Leicester City, Southampton, and Ipswich Town.