Tuesday’s Premier League Tips: Leicester can secure vital win over Leeds

The Premier League returns with a set of extremely important fixtures on Tuesday, and football expert Greg Lea has previewed the action at Molineux, Villa Park and Elland Road.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Crystal Palace 

Kick-off: 7.30pm Tuesday 

Both Wolves and Crystal Palace are breathing a lot easier now than they were a few weeks back. Survival is not yet mathematically certain for these sides, but it would be a huge surprise to see either of them in the bottom three after 38 rounds of fixtures.

Palace’s upturn under Roy Hodgson has been remarkable. A run of three consecutive wins ended at the weekend as a dogged display from Everton saw them hold the hosts to a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park, but few envisaged Palace collecting 10 points from a possible 12 at the start of Hodgson’s second spell in charge. 

Wolves went down 2-1 to Leicester City on Saturday, but back-to-back victories over Chelsea and Brentford prior to that setback moved them onto 34 points, three adrift of Palace.

The pressure is off for both of these teams and we should therefore see a reasonably entertaining encounter at Molineux. Wolves are still not prolific but they have scored in each of their last five games, while Palace are among the division’s top scorers since Hodgson’s return. 

Prediction: Both teams to score @ 2.04

Aston Villa v Fulham

Kick-off: 7.45pm Tuesday

Ollie Watkins drew a blank at the weekend as Aston Villa were held to a 1-1 draw by Brentford. However, the England international is in sensational form - his last 13 Premier League appearances have yielded 11 goals. 

Villa’s unlikely charge for European football has been spearheaded by Watkins, out of whom Unai Emery has got the best. The 27-year-old is a player transformed under his current boss, having found the back of the net just twice before the Spaniard assumed control.

A top-four finish will almost certainly be out of reach, but Villa are in the mix for Europa League qualification. So, too, are Fulham. Although they trail Emery’s men by six points, they have played a game fewer and have the chance to get one over on a rival on Tuesday. 

Keeping out Watkins will be difficult, though. I fancy the Villa frontman to return to scoring form on home turf.

Prediction: Ollie Watkins anytime goalscorer @ 2.28

Leeds United v Leicester City

Kick-off: 7.45pm Tuesday

Leicester’s meeting with Wolves on Saturday was a must-win and the Foxes just about got over the line. They therefore head into this clash with Leeds outside the bottom three, and a win would see them open up a three-point buffer above the drop zone.

It is far too early to conclude that Leicester have turned a corner, but the quality within their squad means they should have been nowhere near a relegation battle in the first place. If they can start playing to anywhere near their potential, Dean Smith’s side should stay up pretty comfortably.

Jamie Vardy: likely to miss Leicester's crucial match with Leeds after picking up an injury on Saturday

Leeds fans must be starting to worry after a run of three consecutive defeats. Two of those were thrashings on home soil as Crystal Palace and Liverpool ran out 5-1 and 6-1 winners respectively.

Leicester have the attacking talent to compound Leeds’ woes, so it is worth backing an away win in this one, especially given the attractive odds available. 

Prediction: Leicester to win @ 3.35

Tuesday’s Premier League Tips

Wolves v Crystal Palace: Both teams to score @ 2.04
Aston Villa v Fulham: Ollie Watkins anytime goalscorer @ 2.28
Leeds v Leicester: Leicester to win @ 3.35