When football and the Premier League returns to our lives on Wednesday, June 17th, it will have been 100 days exactly since a ball was last kicked in a Premier League game.
As the Bundesliga and La Liga have shown in recent weeks, football without fans can be just as thrilling as it was when stadiums were packed to the rafters. The eagerly anticipated return of the Premier League sees the return of Grosvenor Goals as well.
Grosvenor Goals is a free to play competition where you can pick the first goalscorer in 10 selected fixtures, and if all 10 are correct, you win £1M. For the return of the Premier League, we have a Gameweek 31 special where there’s a GUARANTEED £10,000 to be won by the player who selects the most first goalscorers this week. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 17th at 7:55PM
Ahead of football’s return on Wednesday, we at Grosvenor Sport have made our predictions for the first goalscorer in each of the 10 selected fixtures.
Game 1: Manchester City vs. Arsenal
Wednesday, June 17th, 8:15PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Sergio Aguero
Arsenal are still finding their legs under Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard left his role as Pep Guardiola’s number two at Manchester City earlier in the season to take charge of his former employees, but Pep’s side have won each of the last six meetings between the two sides, including the 3-0 win at the Emirates back in December. Sergio Aguero has five goals in this six games and we fancy him to get himself on the scoresheet first.
Game 2: Norwich vs. Southampton
Friday, June 19th, 6PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Danny Ings
Norwich will be desperate to restart the season in strong form to aid their survival bid, but we fear the visit of Southampton may be too much for Daniel Farke’s side. No player has scored first in a game more often than Danny Ings this season, having done so on six occasions prior to lockdown, and we believe he will do so again.
Game 3: Tottenham vs. Manchester United
Friday, June 19th, 8:15PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Anthony Martial
While both Harry Kane and Marcus Rashford have recovered from their respective injuries in time to play a part for Spurs and United over the final nine games of the season, it’s doubtful either will start on Friday night. In a huge clash in the race for Champions League football, we feel as if Anthony Martial, likely to start through the middle for United on Friday, will find himself on the scoresheet first having done so on four other occasions this season.
Game 4: Watford vs. Leicester
Game 5: Saturday, June 20th, 12:30PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Jamie Vardy
Only Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea have opened the scoring in Premier League games this season more often than Leicester and they’ll fancy their chances to do so again when they travel to a struggling Watford side sitting outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Leicester are still looking over the shoulders on teams below them clamouring for a Champions League place next season, but the goals of the Premier League’s top scorer Jamie Vardy have helped Leicester establish a cushion between themselves and those behind them, and we like Vardy to give Leicester an early lead this weekend.
Game 6: Brighton vs. Arsenal
Saturday, June 20th, 3PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Arsenal face a tough test on Wednesday away at Manchester City for their game in-hand, but have an equally tricky fixture just three days later when they travel to Brighton. Arsenal can’t avoid many more slip ups this season if they are to secure European football again, and with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spearheading the attack they have a fighting chance of doing so.
Game 7: West Ham vs. Wolves
Saturday, June 20th, 5:30PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Robert Snodgrass
Only the current top four in the Premier League have scored first in games on more occasions than West Ham and, surprisingly, no team has opened the scoring on fewer occasions than Wolves this season. Desperate for a win, David Moyes has leaned on Robert Snodgrass a lot this season and the Scottish midfielder has chipped in with important goals and we like him to give the Hammers the lead in what should be a closely contested game.
Game 8: Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace
Saturday, June 20th, 7:45PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Harry Wilson
Bournemouth are among the cluster of teams at the bottom tied on 27 points, but their inferior goal difference sees them sit below Watford and West Ham in 18th. Crystal Palace haven’t got much to play for and are often slow starters this season. Eddie Howe’s side need a fast start and winger Harry Wilson has often provided that.
Game 9: Newcastle vs. Sheffield United
Sunday, June 21st, 2PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Lys Mousset
Scoring first in 12 of their 28 games so far this season, Sheffield United have seen their goals shared among the squad with no player scoring more than five Premier League goals this season. That player is Lys Mousset and we think that his goal could be the difference in this game featuring two of the league’s lowest scorers.
Aston Villa vs. Chelsea
Sunday, June 21st, 4:15PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Tammy Abraham
Chelsea have scored first in 20 of their 29 Premier League games this season – only Liverpool have done so on more occasions. The Blues, keen to maintain fourth place and a Champions League spot, will be confident of a win away at a struggling Aston Villa side devoid of goals and confidence. Six of Tammy Abraham’s 13 Premier League goals this season have been the first in the game, and we like him to make that seven this weekend.
Game 10: Everton vs. Liverpool
Sunday, June 21st, 7PM
First Goalscorer Pick: Mohamed Salah
Liverpool could clinch the title this weekend with a win over rivals Everton – if Manchester City lose at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night. Merseyside derbies are always feisty and ultra-competitive, but we can’t see anything other than a Liverpool win, and no player has scored more Premier League goals since signing for Liverpool than Mohamed Salah.
Here’s a look at our first goalscorer picks. How do you feel about our Grosvenor Goals selections this week, and who are you picking to be your 10 first goalscorers? There’s a GUARANTEED £10,000 to be won on this week’s games for the player who picks the most first goalscorers in the selected games, and a £1M jackpot if you get all 10 correct, so make sure you get your entries in. It’s free to play and the deadline for entries is Wednesday, June 17th at 7:55PM.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.