DSTV Prem Best Bets by Opta Jabu

 is back and has created a 5-leg multiple covering the Dstv Prem matches this weekend. Feel free to use it in your weekend multis and edit this slip.

Baroka (16) v Cape Town City (10)

City has not won away at Baroka on their last four visits, losing twice and drawing twice. The last (and only) time they beat Baroka away was during their inaugural top-flight season (2016/17). Likewise, in a league table featuring only away games this season, Cape Town City would be 14th, three points off “relegation”. They’ve only won one away match since Tinkler started his latest tenure (D2 L3), and have kept a solitary clean sheet in that time.

However, Baroka has scored Over 1.5 goals in a home league match only twice this year (helped by an own-goal on one occasion). This looks like City’s best opportunity for a clean sheet in a long while to claim three points, more so when you consider Baroka’s woeful form.

9 – Baroka has failed to win any of their last nine league games (D3 L6), currently the longest winless run of all top-flight sides.

It’s little wonder they currently anchor the table.

Chippa (15) v AmaZulu (8)

Benni McCarthy’s AmaZulu hasn’t covered themselves in glory in the last few weeks. Halfway through their season, they’ve won only three games, as many as TS Galaxy and Marumo Gallants. They’ve only lost twice though, so Chippa would have to be exceptional to win here. According to the bookies, they are favorites to win against Chippa, but only just. The elephant in the room is conspicuous – AmaZulu has drawn more matches at the halfway stage of this season (10) than they did throughout the whole of last season (9).

5 – AmaZulu has drawn each of their last five league games. Only once before (6 consecutive draws in Feb/March 2011) have they gone on a longer such streak.

Also consider, only Sundowns and AmaZulu (6 each) have kept more clean sheets at home than Chippa (4).

Pirates (7) v TS Galaxy (13)

On paper, this looks like a tough ask for The Rockets – a team that has lost every away game this season traveling to Orlando Stadium. However, it could be closer than that. Pirates have scored Over 1.5 open-play goals just once at home this season (6 games), and Galaxy seems to be on the mend after a dreadful start to the season. They’ve scored at least once in every game since Sead Ramovic took charge, even if their away form continues to be their Achilles.

100% – TS Galaxy has conceded more goals than any other side away from home this season (14).

Supersport (3) v Sundowns (1)

The first of two-weekend derbies are in Tshwane, where the bookies make Downs heavy favorites for the win. Supersport may have won their last game away to Stellenbosch, but inconsistency haunts Kaitano Tembo’s side. They have managed back-to-back league wins just twice this year – once in January and once in September. That said, the Downs defence has looked a bit shaky of late. After a run of 13 straight clean sheets, they have conceded five goals in four. Yet, history is firmly on their side – Supersport has won just one of their last 16 league games against Sundowns.

24 – Sundowns are unbeaten in their last 24 away league games (W15 D9), extending the record for the longest unbeaten away run in PSL top-flight history.

Royal AM (4) v Golden Arrows (9)

The second of the weekend derbies take place in KZN, where Royal AM host Golden Arrows. John Maduka & club owner Shawn Mkhize will be well pleased with their start to life in the top-flight, especially after the rocky introduction on and off the field. They may have lost their last game against Sundowns, but they showed enough character to fight back and score two goals towards the end. We expect goals in this one, not just because the match features the second and third top scorers in the league.

Five of Arrows’ last eight away games have seen Over 3.5 goals in total, with the rest yielding Over 2.5, Over 1.5, and Under 0.5 goals.