Another season of European soccer is underway, with Friday's huge Premier League opener featuring Crystal Palace hosting Arsenal getting things started on the highly anticipated campaign.
We also have the Bundesliga debut match that pits Eintracht Frankfurt against reigning champion Bayern Munich in the German top flight.
Action Network handicapper BJ Cunningham is back again with his exciting, ultra-detailed model projections for the Big 5 leagues (EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1) this season. Plus, he has added his analytical forecast for Major League Soccer to the fold, giving soccer bettors a wide array of data to peruse prior to placing their wagers.
So, Cunningham's projections for those leagues will likely be featured on a weekly basis in what will basically be a one-stop story shop for everyone to see where he has landed on dozens of global fixtures.
Adding to the projections will be fellow analyst Jeremy Pond, who also oversees the day-to-day operations for the Action Network's soccer department. Pond will provide his best moneyline bets using Cunningham's projections and actual odds in the decision process.
That said, let's get to Cunningham's data and Pond's top picks on the cards.
Cunningham's Premier League Model Projections
Pond's Pick: Chelsea ML (-146) over Everton — Cunningham's moneyline number on the visiting Blues is right around the price you can find them at various shops. That said, I just can't see Christian Pulisic and the EPL title hopefuls leaving Goodison Park with anything less than a victory.
Cunningham's Bundesliga Model Projections
Pond's Pick: Wolfsburg ML (-113) over Werder Bremen — Wout Weghorst skipped town for potential greener pastures with Burnley, but the club was relegated to the Championship. The Dutch striker, who now plies his trade with Turkish power Beşiktaş, has been missed by the German side, but it should have enough offensive options to deliver a three-point effort on debut.
This number is almost spot on compared to what's being offered at BetMGM, where Wolfsburg currently sits at -115 ML odds.
Cunningham's Ligue 1 Model Projections
Pond's Pick: Lille ML (-148) over Auxerre — Give me Canada international Jonathan David and Les Dogues to roll past the heavy underdogs. The actual price being offered at books is in the -130 range, so Lille is a strong play to kick off its season with a home triumph.
Cunningham's MLS Model Projections
Pond's Pick: Austin FC ML (-114) over San Jose — Cunningham has much a better number than what we're finding at the books, with the Texas side sitting around -160 on the moneyline at the moment. Give me Los Verdes to win outright in this Major League Soccer clash.
