This is the best chance for a team that isn’t Celtic or Rangers, but for Hearts, the title is still a long shot.
Welcome to the Weekend Preview 31 October 2025. It’s another full slate of domestic action. Other falter as Arsenal stride ahead, though up north, all eyes are on the Scottish Premiership, where events have taken a dramatic turn.
Football4Cast Weekend Preview 31 October 2025
Premier League Preview
Last Weekend
Last weekend was quite possibly, a pivotal weekend in the Premier League. There were three huge results reshaping the early title picture. Aston Villa’s 1–0 win over Manchester City really left Man City faltering when they could be surging towards the top and dented their early-season momentum. Meanwhile Liverpool’s defeat away at Brentford compounded their frustrations. All of that leaves Arsenal in command at the top, especially with their 1-0 victory over high-flying Crystal Palace. Increasingly, this looks like their title to lose.
This Weekend
This weekend’s fixtures see Arsenal away at Burnley, where a comfortable win is expected. Nottingham Forest host Manchester United in what could be an intriguing one — Forest’s new boss Sean Dyche chases his first victory, while United, buoyed by three straight league wins, are 34% favourites to extend their run.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace v Brentford looks balanced between two in-form sides, while Fulham (57%) are tipped to deepen Wolves’ struggles at Craven Cottage. Saturday evening brings the London derby — Tottenham v Chelsea — where the model gives Chelsea a slight edge, but it could go either way.
The standout fixture arrives later that night: Liverpool v Aston Villa. Villa have reignited under Unai Emery, climbing the table after a shaky start, while Liverpool desperately need to stop their slide. The numbers make it close, but the form book slightly favours Villa.
On Sunday, West Ham (23%) face Newcastle (53%), with the visitors looking to build on recent momentum, and Manchester City should return to winning ways at home to Bournemouth. The weekend wraps up on Monday night, when Sunderland host Everton — a surprisingly competitive clash between a newly resurgent Sunderland side, currently sitting fourth, and an Everton team struggling to find consistency.
After nine games, Arsenal sit on 22 points, six clear of City and seven ahead of Liverpool. It’s early — just a quarter of the season gone — but patterns are emerging. Our model now gives Arsenal a 76% chance of winning the league, with Manchester City at 13% and Liverpool at 10%. Momentum, consistency, and defensive solidity all point toward a sustained challenge from Mikel Arteta’s side.
At the other end of the table, Wolves, West Ham and Nottingham Forest look like the sides most in trouble. However, with plenty of the season to go, it looks like this relegation battle could be a really good one with newly promoted sides no doubt being sucked back down.
Plenty of football left to play, but for now, Arsenal have both the points and the probabilities firmly on their side.
Premier League Betting Value
As usual, most Premier League markets are well-priced, with limited major discrepancies between model and odds, and this weekend it doesn’t look to be any opportinites out there. Remember to keep checking the webiste though to see if the markets shift.
European Focus: Scotland – can Hearts win the title?
It’s been a turbulent few weeks in Scottish football. Brendan Rodgers has left Celtic, either by resignation or dismissal, and their fierce rivals Rangers are floundering. Meanwhile, Hearts have taken full advantage, storming to the top of the table and sparking talk of an unprecedented title challenge.
For context, no team outside Celtic or Rangers has won the Premiership since 1985, so Hearts’ current run has captivated fans and pundits alike. After nine games, they sit six points clear of Celtic, with Rangers already 11 points adrift in third.
But before we start writing history, the data suggests caution. Our model still gives Celtic a 80% chance of lifting the title by season’s end. Hearts’ surge earns them just a 11% chance, with Rangers on 9%. Hearts’ draw midweek away at St Mirren coupled with Celtic’s victory at home to Falkirk has already dampened spirits somewhat, boosting Celtic’s chances by 3%.
Why so much scepticism? Simply put — history and depth. Celtic’s squad, infrastructure, and track record of consistency across 38 matches make it almost impossible to look past them. Early leads in Scotland have a habit of evaporating once the winter schedule kicks in. So whilst pundits might be talking of a surprise, don’t put your money on it. In fact, put your money on Celtic.
So while it’s refreshing to see a new name on top, the numbers tell a familiar story: it’s still Celtic’s title to lose.
The bookies agree, to an extent. They have Celtic with a 68% chance of winning the title and Hearts a whopping 32%. This suggests value going in on Celtic with a value threshold of 1.5.
New Feature for Premium Members
For Premium members, we now have a new feature: Bet Grading
Our upgraded Bet Grading system now rates each recommended bet for clarity and confidence:
- Grade A: Strongest edges, highest confidence
- Grade B: Moderate value and stable confidence
- Grade C: Smaller or high-variance plays
It’s designed to help you prioritise opportunities, manage risk, and track edge consistency across the season.
Here is our top A pick of the weekend and its from Serie A: Napoli at home to Como:
For all the betting analysis of every game in the Football Leagues and abroad, and plenty of picks identified to grow your betting pot, sign up for a free trial. https://sports4cast.com/4casts/football4cast/
