Aston Villa v West Ham: Best bets for Sunday and Monday’s Premier League games

Our betting expert with 8/1 tip at Villa Park, Tottenham against Fulham, and a 16/1 ante-post punt for Euro 2024 PLUS a Serie A angle

Tomas Soucek gets the nod when West Ham go to Aston Villa (4.30pm).

The total-goals forecasts are all sunshine for scorer punters this afternoon with both sides firing. In the two clubs’ combined 24 fixtures so far, only Villa have failed to get on the scoresheet in a match this season, and only once.

There are hints in the individual stats that Soucek is getting back into the groove of his role as a go-to air threat for the Hammers.

The big Czech has scored in four of his 10 club games this season – one a header – and nine of his 16 attempts on goal for West Ham have been with his head.

Air combat has looked like a potentially vulnerable spot for the hosts – and Soucek seems undervalued today at 8/1 (Paddy) ‘anytime scorer’. The standout 18/1 (Bet365) he ‘scores a header’ is worth a fun stake as well.

Best double-check starters – he had a busy international break. West Ham team-mate James Ward-Prowse had yet another astonishingly quiet one. But England’s loss could be our gain.

Ward-Prowse has been a monster, if not a Lion, this season and 9/2 (Hills, Bet365) ‘anytime assist’ has some teeth.

The clocks go back next week which, if I’ve understood it correctly, means we’ll all somehow be getting an extra hour of Strictly. So with morale understandably low, now is the perfect time to squirrel away a nugget of next summer’s sunshine, with an ante-post fling at Euro 2024.

England are far too thin at 4/1 favourites given a tournament format that requires a four-knockout-wins acca after the group stage. Punt Belgium at a heartwarming 16/1 (Bet365) instead – they’re waltzing one of the tougher qualification groups, despite missing the magic feet of Kevin de Bruyne, who should return to the dance floor in good time.

Turns out ‘Big’ Ange Postecoglou is only 5ft 10in, which raises more questions than it answers.

The big puzzle for punters when Tottenham’s Aussie boss welcomes goal-lite Fulham (8pm, tomorrow) is how Spurs will cope without banned Yves Bissouma whirring their midfield cogs. It could get stodgy, and NO ‘both teams to score’ looks a decent enough coin-flip at 5/4 (Skybet, BetVic).

Over in Italy, goal-lite Monza’s brunchtime visit to Roma (11.30am, Serie A) looks a very solid NO ‘both teams to score’ poke at 21/20 (BetVic).

Last time: Winners at 5/6, 4/5, 3/1 & 19/20