This Weekend’s Best Player Props: Yamal, Manzambi and Janelt
by Joseph King | by Joseph King
Real Betis vs Barcelona: Yamal Over 0.5 assists
Odds: 2.40 at betway
What more can be said about Lamine Yamal at this point? The 19-year-old starlet has (somehow) taken his game to an even higher level in the 2026-27 season and is putting on an absolute attacking clinic every time he steps onto the pitch.
Yamal is on an absolutely unreal run at the moment.
The Ballon d’Or candidate has provided a goal or assist in his last eight consecutive outings for the Blaugrana
He's scored a total of eight goals and laid on nine assists during that stretch.
The underlying numbers back it up as he leads La Liga in nearly every creative attacking category.
| Yamal, La Liga 2026-27 | Total | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Chances created | 30 | 1st |
| Big chances created | 12 | 1st |
| Expected assists | 3.40 | 1st |
He’ll be facing off against a potentially tricky opponent: Real Betis at the Estadio Benito Villamarín. See the full breakdown in our Real Betis vs Barcelona prediction!
Los Verdiblancos have a perfect 4-0-0 record at home in La Liga this season. However, a look under the hood presents some worrying numbers for Betis.
- Betis have the second-worst xG against in La Liga at 14.9
- They have conceded only nine goals against that figure, so they have been riding their luck
That good fortune was on full display when Madrid came to town, as Betis won 1-0 despite Los Blancos creating 3.46 xG and seven clear cut chances against them. That included an Mbappe missed penalty in stoppage time.
They’ll now be tasked with containing a Barcelona side that has amassed 30.2 xG in La Liga (3.78 xG per game on average), leads the division in big chances created at 54, and is averaging 4.50 goals scored per game across all competitions. We could, therefore, see some of that Betis luck run out on Sunday, with Yamal looking set to run riot once again.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa: Manzambi Over 0.5 Shots on Target
Odds: 1.73 at bet365
After recovering from an injury to start the season, Johan Manzambi is now playing regular minutes for the Villans and is looking every bit the player fans thought they were getting. Our Premier League player props piece highlighted Manzambi as a real threat to watch out for this weekend, and we think there's a lot of value in the shots on target market.
After two sub appearances to get his Villa career going, Manzambi has now returned two goals and two assists in his last three starts for his club side. Most recently, he scored against Fenerbahce and won a penalty in Aston Villa’s 6-0 rout of the Turkish side in the UCL on Wednesday.
Manzambi operates in both the #10 role and on the wings for Unai Emery’s side. This gives him a lot of creative freedom; his box-crashing and ball-carrying are particular highlights of his game, both of which help the 20-year-old generate shot opportunities.
Johan Manzambi - Premier League and Nations League (446 minutes)
- 21 shots, 4.24 per 90
- 9 shots on target, 1.82 per 90
- 28 touches in the opposition box, 5.65 per 90
And it’s that shot volume which interests us most for this selection. Manzambi fired off seven shots against Brentford, the second-most by any player in a single Premier League game this season.
Newcastle have conceded nine goals in their last three outings. Villa, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four, winning three and scoring 14 along the way. See what our experts think in our Newcastle vs Aston Villa prediction! If you'd like more of a long shot, Over 1.5 SOT at 4.50 odds is live given Manzambi's volume.
Brentford vs Liverpool: Janelt to be Booked
Odds: 3.10 at betway
Brentford have been notorious in recent seasons for making life exceedingly difficult for their opponents. That’s continued under manager Keith Andrews as the Bees have become one of the most physical, hard-nosed teams in the league. One of the central protagonists in that style is German midfielder Vitaly Janelt. See our Brentford vs Liverpool prediction for more information!
Deployed on the left in the double-pivot, Janelt is tasked with snuffing out attacking transitions early and acting as an aggressive, ball-winning 6. This enforcer role often sees him committing tactical fouls to shut down counter attacks and getting stuck in with hard challenges in counter-pressing opportunities. Naturally, his booking rate has risen under Andrews’ management.
Speaking in September 2026, Janelt said:
"My football is aggressive against the ball. I think I can cover the guys in front of me and do the so-called dirty work for them.”
The numbers tell the story. He’s already been booked in four of six Premier League matches this season for a 0.67 yellows per 90 rate. This was also a theme under Andrews last season, where Janelt picked up 8 yellows in 1437 minutes for a 0.50 per 90 average.
Vitaly Janelt: Premier League 2026-27
| Date | Opponent | Result | Booked? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Oct | Aston Villa | 2-2 | Yes |
| 18 Sep | Chelsea | 3-0 | No |
| 12 Sep | Bournemouth | 2-2 | No |
| 5 Sep | Sunderland | 1-1 | Yes |
| 30 Aug | Leeds | 1-1 | Yes |
| 22 Aug | Tottenham | 3-0 | Yes |
He now draws a Liverpool side and a potentially tricky matchup. Victor Muñoz has impressed in a Reds shirt so far with his direct running and quickness. If Muñoz is able to beat his fullback, this could see Janelt forced to take down the Spanish winger who is already averaging a very high 2.58 fouls won per 90.
The referee assigned to this game only helps the case. John Brooks is handing out 4.8 yellow cards on average over the last two Premier League seasons, well above the 3.9 league average during that time.
One important caveat: Janelt is one booking away from a one-match suspension, which may just encourage a little more caution than usual. But at this price, it’s worth the punt.
