English Premier League: Hot-to-Trot Tips for Week 1 of the EPL

The 2012/13 English Premier League season kicks off this Saturday as teams look to start their season on a strong, winning note.

There's different expectations for different clubs; different managers trying different tactics and different players with different points to prove—but they are all striving for the one, common goal.

Success.

They're all striving to achieve the right results—something that we too are looking to achieve as we run through the three hot-to-trot tips for the week to come.

You might be a passionate, die-hard supporter, or you might just be a casual observer looking to pocket some easy money—we've got the three hot-to-trot tips to make sure that success can be found on, and off the pitch this week.

Let's take a look.

Hot-to-trot tip #1: Arsenal to win to nil

It's been a rocky off-season so far the Gunners—filled with dramatic highs and painful lows—and they'll be looking to put that all behind them when they take on Sunderland at the Emirates on Saturday.

The Gunners still have a very strong squad with a host of attacking talent, so don't expect the absence of Robin van Persie from their lineup to have any affect whatsoever on their goal-scoring ability. The likes of Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski are more than capable of opening up the Black Cats defense in this one.

Arsenal's defense should also be able to withstand whatever Martin O'Neill's men throw at them. Wojciech Szczesny finished top five in the league last season for clean sheets, and should do so again here in this one—especially if Thomas Vermaelen in front of him is out to impress in his first game as Arsenal captain.

Take the Gunners to win to nil in this one.

Current odds: 6/5 via OddsChecker.com*

Hot-to-trot tip #2: Queens Park Rangers to win

Up against Swansea City to kick off their Premier League season, Queens Park Rangers would fancy their chances at clinching all three points at home—and rightly so.

They have had an excellent off-season and under Mark Hughes, are primed for a strong year in the Premier League—a statement that their opponents cannot attest to heading into this match. There are simply too many question marks around Swansea City.

The club has lost manager Brendan Rodgers—meaning there is a new manager with new tactics and principles that the club has to develop with. They don't have star striker Gylfi Sigurdsson this year—he's been picked up by Andre Villas-Boas at Tottenham—and they don't have Joe Allen either, who's left to join his former manager at Anfield.

QPR have good new signings and a solid squad that should do more than enough to comfortably clinch all three points at Loftus Road.

Current odds: 2/1 via OddsChecker.com*

Hot-to-trot tip #3: Under 2.5 goals in Fulham vs. Norwich City

Both Fulham and Norwich City finished mid-table last season—ninth and twelfth respectively—and look like they're going to achieve a similar position this year in the English Premier League.

The Cottagers averaged just 1.26 goals per game last season; a figure matched by Norwich in their away matches, and I can't see there being a whole lot of goals again in this one. I can't see a lot of goals coming from either side all season, to be entirely honest.

Fulham have picked up some nice attacking talent this summer in Hugo Rodallega and Mladen Petric, and Norwich have done well to hang on to midfielder Grant Holt, but I just can't see either team playing flowing, open, attacking football in this one.

And even if they do, I can't see there being a whole lot of goals to come out of it.

Current odds: 19/20 via OddsChecker.com*

Any hot tips for Week 1 of the EPL?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter:  Follow @dantalintyre

*Odds are subject to change. If you are going to have a bet, please gamble responsibly. 

Bet with your head, not over it.