English Premier League Picks and Predictions (1/7): Wednesday EPL

Nate Hornung

Written by: Nate Hornung

Published: Wed Jan 07, 2026, 10:22 am ET

Read Time: 5 minutes

Granit Xhaka and Sunderland face Everton on the road this weekend - EPL Picks

EPL

Get ready for some footy, folks, because we have an eight match English Premier League slate today. The EPL schedulers decided to give us some midweek action as the FA Cup takes over for this weekend. There are six matches kicking off at 2:30 p.m. eastern while the later two don't start until 3:15 p.m. It's been a rough season betting the EPL, but we are 4-2 and up about a unit and a half in the month of January, so perhaps we are turning this around on the pitch. Let's get into our EPL picks and hope we can keep trending in the right direction with some plus money.

Wednesday's EPL best bets are below. Keep reading for the analysis.

Head over to our EPL Picks Page for our expert's soccer analysis, or read my best bets below.

English Premier League: Wednesday's Predictions January 7

Brentford vs. Sunderland EPL Picks

Can Sunderland's back line keep earning them points in the EPL? EPL Picks

Can Sunderland's back line keep earning them points in the EPL?

Best Bet: Sunderland +0.5 (-101) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook

We have been cashing with Sunderland all season long, and I'm not sure why we would stop now. As recently as Sunday, we cashed this exact same bet as Sunderland were on the road at Tottenham, and battled back for a 1-1 draw, earning us a win in the double chance market. Against Brentford, it should be no problem.

Sunderland are unbeaten in their last five matches overall, earning four draws and one victory. As I've discussed before, their defense is what's propelling them towards the top of the EPL table, however Brentford is right there with them. These clubs are actually tied at 30 points a piece through 20 matches, and Brentford are one of the higher scoring teams in the league. Lucky for the Black Cats, they have the third best backline, are allowing less than one goal per match in the EPL this season, and are in fantastic form. They are coming off back to back draws against Tottenham and Manchester City, while Brentford has played three of the worst teams in the league in their past four matches.

I think Sunderland is playing very good soccer at the moment, and I can see them keeping their momentum going forward on the road against Brentford.

Prediction: 1-1 Draw (+550)

Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa EPL Picks

Morgan Rogers leads Villa with seven goals and has started all 20 EPL matches - EPL Picks

Morgan Rogers leads Villa with seven goals and has started all 20 EPL matches

Best Bet: Aston Villa ML (+140) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook

I was looking to back Aston Villa in a more specific way in this match to get some extra bang for my buck. Aston Villa ML and under 4.5 is +180, which is certainly a go, but I'd even say go further to Villa and the under 3.5 for +225, all at Lucky Rebel Sportsbook. However, I ended up just sticking with the straight moneyline, trying not to get too greedy. Here we have two teams trending in completely opposite directions.

Crystal Palace have not won in seven straight matches. They have two draws during that stretch, but have lost five times as they continue to slip down the EPL table. Prior to losing to Arsenal at Emirates Stadium, Aston Villa had won 11 straight matches, and have now won 12 of their last 13 after beating Nottingham Forest last Saturday. Even on the road, Villa will keep things going in the right direction while Palace tries to figure out how to compete the rest of the season.

The hosts are third worst in the league in goals scored, and despite being much higher up the rankings in goals allowed, Aston Villa have an incredible attack. Villa have netted 33 goals already this season, and I see them adding at least a couple more against Crystal Palace today, which should be enough for a victory.

Prediction: Aston Villa Wins 2-0 (+1000)

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Nate Hornung
Nate Hornung

Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.

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