Claudio Ranieri, a.k.a. the Tinkerman, and his Leicester City side continue to defy expectations, with the Foxes currently third in the Premier League table, just three points behind leaders Manchester City. England striker Jamie Vardy scored for the eighth game in a row against West Brom last Saturday, taking his Premier League tally to eleven in as many games, and the Foxes have lost just once, against Arsenal.

Watford suffered a similar fate against Arsenal three games ago, but the striking partnership of Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo was seen to good effect in consecutive 2-0 victories against Stoke and West Ham and the Hornets currently lie eleventh in the Premier League table. Watford may have ‘earned the respect of the Premier League’, according to head coach Quique Sanchez Flores, but a trip to the King Power Stadium seems sure to test their mettle once again.

Leicester make some appeal at 10/11 with Totesport and Betfred, as does Jamie Vardy to score first at 4/1 with Boylesports, but in search of some value, let’s go for Leicester to win 2-1 at 17/2 with Bet Victor.

Selection: Leicester City to win 2-1 (17/2 with Bet Victor)

Following a decent start to the Premier League campaign, Norwich City have lost their last three league games – including a 6-2 trouncing by Newcastle United – and went out of the League Cup against Everton on Tuesday, despite looking the better side on occasions. The Canaries currently lie 16th in the Premier League, just three points off the bottom three, so their next four fixtures, against Manchester City (a), Swansea City, Chelsea (a) and Arsenal, may prove crucial to their survival in the top tier.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are riding high at the top of the table, having thrashed Bournemouth and Newcastle in their last two home games in the Premier League and ground out a bore draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford last Sunday. The best prices available with the mainstream bookmakers are 3/10 Manchester City, 12/1 Norwich City and 11/2 the draw, suggesting a routine home win is the likely result.

For all its recent woes, Alex Neil’s side has scored in four out of five away fixtures in the Premier League this season and played for an hour with ten men when losing 3-0 to Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium in August. Even without the injured Sergio Aguero, the Sky Blues look worthy favourites, so let’s try both teams to score and Manchester City to win at 7/4 with Stan James.

Selection: Both teams to score and Manchester City to win (7/4 with Stan James)

The Manchester derby at Old Trafford (kick off 14:05) is clearly the pick of this weekend’s ties involving the top four in the Premier League and could determine the way in which the remainder of the season unfolds for both clubs. To complicate matters, the Red Devils face a trip to Moscow on Wednesday for a Champions League tie with CSKA, while the Sky Blues take on Sevilla at the Etihad Stadium, so both managers will be hoping that key personnel come through those fixtures unscathed.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini is already without striker Sergio Aguero and midfielder David Silva, while fellow midfielders Fabian Delph and Samir Nasri and defender Gael Clichy are also likely absentees for the “must-win” game against Sevilla. Louis van Gaal, on the other hand, is without winger Ashley Young, but has no new injury worries, so could have the edge come the weekend.

United won the corresponding fixture last season 4-2 and, with the teams having, collectively, scored 29 goals in their last five Premier League matches and conceded 15 goals in the same period, another high-scoring encounter may be on the cards. Both teams to score and Manchester United to win makes no little appeal at 15/4 with Bet365, while the same can be said of a 3-2 scoreline at 28/1 with the same bookmaker.

Selections: Both teams to score and Manchester United to win (15/4 with Bet365), Manchester United to win 3-2 (28/1 with Bet 365)

In nine Premier League fixtures in November and December, Everton face West Ham, Leicester and Crystal Palace of the current top six, but also the current bottom three, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle, plus Bournemouth, Norwich and Stoke, so Toffees’ fans can look forward to a prosperous festive season.

In the meantime, the Blues must negotiate ties against Manchester United at Goodison Park and Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium but, having been beaten just once in eight Premier League outings so far this season, they must be brimming with confidence. Certainly, they were value for at least a point in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on the Saturday before last and, with Romanu Lukaku starting to repay his £28 million price tag, their prospects look bright.

Manchester United had only lost once, away to Swansea City, prior to their own visit to the Emirates Stadium two weeks ago, but were brought firmly down to earth by a 3-0 defeat in which they rarely threatened. Louis van Gaal, who’s spent over £250 million since taking the reigns at United, had had plenty of time to reflect on his selection of Ashley Young at left-back and Daley Blind at centre-back and his side could be bolstered by the return of Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick, Marcos Rojo and Ander Herrera from injury.

Even so, the Red Devils lacked pace and strength in defence and midfield against the Gunners so, with Lukaku adding goals to his aerial and physical presence, they could be up against it once again. Everton make no little appeal at 5/2 with Bet365 for a home win but, for a shade of value, let’s try both teams to score and Everton to win at 6/1 with Sky Bet.

Selection: Both teams to score and Everton to win (6/1 with Sky Bet)