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THE new Premier League season has kicked off with a predictably cagey start, further evidence of which came last weekend when, as the match stats team at bettingexpert.com pointed out, nine of the top flight’s ten matches ended either as draws or were settled by a single goal.

Nor is this statistic a divisional anomaly: almost three quarters (26 of 36) of last weekend’s Football League fixtures were similarly tight.

This would suggest that, in the early stages, punters should err on the side of caution, while remembering that around one quarter of league goals are scored after the 75th minute.

Everton scored twice inside the final 15 minutes when they visited the Hawthorns last season, coming from two down to win 3-2, and they arrive in town on Saturday priced as 7/5 favourites Winner.com) to secure three points. The pair’s last six meetings have ended in three away wins and three draws, which partly explains Albion’s 2/1 starting price (William Hill).

Marathonbet post 23/10 against the stalemate and given the propensity of early season matches to finish all square, attention should be paid to 888sport’s 6/1 odds chalked against it finishing 1-1.

Blues and Wolves, who meet at St Andrew’s on Saturday, find themselves towards the front of the Championship pack, each mindful that a point in a derby match is perfectly satisfactory. Punters should, therefore, take note of the research from bettingexpert.com which shows that Blues’ 2-0 win in the corresponding fixture last term was the widest margin in this contest since 2009; four of the 12 matches played since then ended in stalemate, with the other eight settled by a single goal.

BetVictor.com price Blues at 17/10 to register three points, though the likelihood of another draw, rated a 23/10 shot, (Titanbet) has attracted sustained attention. Wolves are offered at 9/5 by Skybet.

Betfred’s 9/2 for both halves to finish on level terms has proved popular, while bet365’s 9/10 for the fixture to produce an even number of goals is an option..

Villa hammered Derby 6-0 when they last made the short league trip to face the Rams in 2007-8, but they travel east on Saturday as BetVictor’s 23/10 outsiders, with Derby bet365’s 5/4 jollies. That differential looks a little too wide and punters who concur can get an enormous 9/1 (Coral) against Villa winning 1-0.