EPL Best Bets, Predictions & Expert Picks Saturday, September 5, 2026

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Hull City is 2 and 0, while Aston Villa is 0 and 2. That form gap matters, but the underlying numbers make the case even stronger. Hull City is scoring 1.5 goals per game and has allowed none through two matches. Aston Villa is scoring 1.4 per game, yet its defense has conceded 2.5 per game. That is a major problem against a team already showing a clean sheet ceiling. The matchup rankings point in the same direction. Hull City's offense ranks 10th among 20 teams, while Aston Villa's defense ranks 17th. Villa's attack ranks last, 20th among 20, and it runs into a Hull City defense ranked second. That's the key battle here. Hull City doesn't need to dominate possession or score multiple goals to cash this spread. It simply needs to avoid losing by more than a goal, and the model gives it a 0.5 spread position with a massive 22.3% edge. The model spread is listed at minus 0.2, with the market mostly sitting at 0.5. That gap is too wide to ignore. Aston Villa's moneyline lean is interesting at minus 125 because the model gives Villa a 38.6% win probability, but the safer value is clearly Hull City plus 0.5. A draw also works for this bet, which is important in a matchup where Villa's attack has been the weakest unit on the board.

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Casual bettors will likely trust Aston Villa's name and lay the price with the winless road team. But the public is ignoring Villa's last ranked attack and 2.5 goals allowed per game. Hull City's unbeaten record and second ranked defense are the numbers that matter.

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Brentford is 1 and 0 with 1 draw, while Sunderland is 1 and 1. The records are close enough to keep the public interested, but the goal numbers show a clear difference. Brentford is scoring 2.0 goals per game and allowing only 0.5. Sunderland is scoring 1.0 per game and allowing 1.0. That gives Brentford the better attack and the better defense entering this home match. The model makes Brentford a 1.1 goal favorite, compared with a market spread of Brentford minus 0.75. Even after accounting for the difference between the book line and the model number, the edge remains 7.5%. Brentford's offense ranks sixth among 20 teams, and its defense ranks fifth. Sunderland is also sixth defensively, so this isn't a spot where the home side should expect an easy avalanche of goals. Still, Brentford's attack ranks 6th against a Sunderland defense that faces a much more productive scoring unit than it has seen from its own attack. Sunderland's offense ranks 14th, and Brentford's defense ranks fifth. That is a tough path for the visitors, especially with Brentford at home and playing from the stronger overall profile. The moneyline offers a 16.3% edge at minus 140, with the model giving Brentford a 74.6% win probability. The spread is the sharper bet, but both markets point toward the same result.

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The public may hesitate because Sunderland's defense ranks sixth and the total is only 2.5. But this bet isn't asking for a wild shootout. Brentford's edge comes from its 2.0 goals per game and 0.5 allowed, not from chasing an inflated total.

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Nottingham Forest is 0 and 1 with 1 draw, while Tottenham Hotspur is 0 and 2. Neither side has opened the season with a win, but Tottenham's defensive numbers are much harder to overlook. Forest is scoring 1.0 goal per game and allowing 1.5. Tottenham is scoring 1.4 per game while conceding 2.5. The visitors have a modest attacking advantage, but their defensive weakness is the biggest factor in this matchup. Nottingham Forest's attack ranks 12th among 20 teams, and Tottenham's defense ranks 16th. That gives Forest a reasonable route to create chances at home. Tottenham's attack ranks 19th, while Forest's defense ranks 10th, which makes it difficult to trust the visitors to separate on the scoreboard. The model spread is minus 0.5 for Forest, while the available line is 0. That creates a 12.2% edge on the draw no bet position. The model gives Nottingham Forest a 56.3% win probability and sees value on the home moneyline at plus 145, with a 15.5% edge. Still, the spread at 0 is the cleaner way to play it. A draw returns the stake, and that matters because both teams have shown enough inconsistency to keep the result tight. Forest's home setting, stronger defensive ranking, and Tottenham's 2.5 goals allowed per game make the home side the right position.

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The public will be tempted by Tottenham's bigger name and slightly better scoring average. But Tottenham is winless at 0 and 2, ranks 19th offensively, and is allowing 2.5 goals per game. Nottingham Forest at 0 is the value side, especially with draw protection.