Villa face another tough test against defending champions Arsenal on Monday night. Meanwhile, Spurs take on a Newcastle side full of confidence.
| 2026/27 EPL Matchday 2 betting markets | Odds |
| Arsenal -1 (Handicap 3-way) vs Aston Villa | 2.40 |
| Newcastle +1 (Handicap 3-way) vs Tottenham | 1.66 |
Odds courtesy of Betway. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
- Find out our suggested bookmakers for odds and promotions: Hollywoodbets and Easybet!
- Want to know more about South Africa's best betting sites?
- Find out about other exciting betting sites with welcome bonuses in South Africa.
Two opening defeats raised concerns
Goals from Keane Lewis-Potter, Vitaly Janelt and Michael Kayode gave Brentford a comfortable win over Spurs at the Gtech. The underlying numbers supported the result.
Brentford had 26 shots against Spurs. No team has managed more in a Premier League game against Tottenham since October 2022, which marks the run of 142 matches. Their 3.96 xG (expected goals) was also Tottenham’s highest at that time, with only Liverpool’s 5.63 xG in December 2024 coming close.
Even without Igor Thiago's missed penalty, Brentford still generated 3.09 xG. Only one team recorded more against Spurs throughout 2025/26. Seven Brentford players had a shot on target, compared with just two for Tottenham.
Roberto De Zerbi was critical of his side’s performance, highlighting the number of duels they lost, poor pressing, and a lack of physical strength.
This heavy defeat came despite £100m club-record signing Sandro Tonali starting alongside Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke. Mateus Fernandes, another £85m midfield signing, came on at half-time.
Injuries also forced 20-year-old Archie Gray to start as Tottenham captain. This made him the youngest player to wear the armband in a Premier League match.
Villa's afternoon at the Amex was even worse. A loose back pass drew Marco Bizot away from his line after eight minutes. Maxim De Cuyper then hit the post, with Victor Lindelöf turning the rebound into his own net.
De Cuyper scored 10 minutes later, and then Jack Hinshelwood struck twice in 79 seconds. Brighton generated 2.96 xG from open play in the first half alone. That’s the most in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game since 2021/22.
Albion completed 19 high turnovers, more than any team on Matchday 1. Only three teams reached that number throughout the whole of last season.
Villa are only the third team on record to trail by four goals at half-time on Matchday 1. They are also the second team ever to concede four times, receive a red card and score an own goal in an opening 45.
It was also their first full Premier League match without a shot on target since October 2022. Emiliano Buendía led the line, with Ollie Watkins left out amid interest from Al Hilal.
£38m signing João Gomes also endured a difficult debut. He was booked for protesting a decision and lost possession in the build-up to Brighton’s fourth. Gomes was sent off in the 40th minute for violent conduct and will miss the Arsenal game.
Arsenal and Newcastle offer value this weekend
Backing Arsenal -1 at Villa Park on Monday night is the standout selection. The champions posted 85 points last season, scoring 71 goals, conceding 27 and keeping 19 clean sheets. The Gunners won 11 out of 19 away league games last term.
They opened with a routine 3-0 against Coventry, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka settling the game inside 23 minutes. That came just days after they had already beaten Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Bookmakers rate Arsenal around 66% to win. However, the handicap holds the value: a two-goal win nearly doubles your stake, while a one-goal win refunds it.
Arsenal to win to nil extends the same logic. However, Villa’s strong home form last season means the bet carries some risk.
Villa finished fourth on 65 points, won the Europa League and recorded 12 home wins from 19 matches last season. Unai Emery’s men also produced the division's longest winning run of 2025/26.
Backing Newcastle +0.25 on the Asian Handicap is another intriguing betting angle this weekend.
For starters, it’s a fixture pitting Sandro Tonali against his former club. Newcastle registered 12 shots, with five on target. They took the lead twice through Anthony Elanga and Joe Willock. Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty then rescued a point for Liverpool.
They were far more productive in attack than Tottenham last season. The Magpies posted 57.5 xG to Spurs’ 44.54. They also had more total shots (507 to 445) and shots on target (185 to 159).
Home advantage does not change that. Spurs won only three of 19 home league games in 2025/26. They also lost 2-1 to Newcastle in north London in February, although both clubs have changed head coaches since.
Opta's longer-term numbers are also concerning for Tottenham: 79 points from 77 Premier League matches since the start of 2024/25. Arsenal have picked up 162 points over the same period, more than twice as many.
For a shorter-priced option, backing the draw or Newcastle covers the two most likely outcomes.