TUESDAY:
BOURNEMOUTH V BRIGHTON
Bournemouth are starting to find some form at home following and at a good time as well. Home form is crucial for any side looking to avoid relegation and their recent home wins against Liverpool and Fulham will give them a lot of encouragement.
The substitutions made the difference for them against Fulham and especially Marcus Tavernier who brought an intensity and energy to the side. His goal was excellent but his performance after he came on was crucial.
Brighton have lost every away game against Bournemouth in the Premier League but they'll more than fancy their chances in this one. They're a side who play on the front foot and with a lot of energy plus they have a lot of belief in what they're doing as well.
They will have felt disappointed to come away with just a point against Brentford on Saturday and especially with the way they conceded the goals. They've conceded a number of goals from set pieces this season and it's something they'll need to snap out of.
PREDICTION: 1-1
As Bournemouth are beginning to find some form at home I'm backing them to get another result here. But I can only see them come away with a draw. They'll make it difficult for Brighton as they can be difficult to beat at times but I don't see them being clinical enough.
LEEDS V NOTTINGHAM FOREST
The pressure on Leeds to win this one now they're back in the bottom three as a result of Everton's draw with Spurs on Monday. Being back at home will give them some confidence as they've been better at home than they have been on the road.
Nottingham Forest probably have the worst away record in the league this season. One win, six points and ust 4 goals scored. No one would fancy them to win here based on that and they'll need to put it right if they're to stay up.
Forest haven't won since they beat Leeds in the reverse fixture where they looked equipped to stay up. But the run they've been on since has dragged them right back into it. They could do with a win here to reinstall some momentum to take into the rest of the season.
PREDICTION: 2-0
I'm backing Leeds here because of Forest's poor record away from home. Javi Gracia's side do miss a lot of chances but with Forest being so poor away from home they should take the points here.
LEICESTER V ASTON VILLA
I wasn't really surprised with Leicester's decision to sack Brendan Rodgers but I was surprised that they it at this time. I thought he might've gone at the end of the season and I was expecting him to. But the owners decided to act sooner to give the club the best possible chance of staying up.
I really worry about Leicester now they've sacked Rodgers ad they have no replacement lined up and I'm not sure where they're going to get some wins from. They'll need to react in this one and they have to because every game is a must win.
Aston Villa are putting themselves in contention for Europe with Unai Emery's side just two points outside the European places. Emery deserves a lot of credit for the job he's done and he'll certainly feel that finishing in the European places is realistic.
They've been impressive on the road since Emery has been in charge winning all but two of their away games. They'll fancy themselves to bag another away win here with the form they're in and Leicester being in the state they're in.
PREDICTION: 0-3
I've got to go for a Villa win here because they're in better form and have more confidence on board. Leicester may respond but with Villa being strong on the road, this should be a straightforward win for Unai Emery's side.
CHELSEA V LIVERPOOL
Chelsea's decision to sack Graham Potter was one that was coming for while given the amount of pressure he was under. There were signs of improvement before the international break but the pressure was still on him during that time and the defeat to Villa put it back on and turned out to be the final straw for him.
They've been a mess on and off the pitch this season in terms of recruitment, decisions at board level and the performances on the pitch. A big summer is expected at Stamford Bridge and whoever comes in has a big job on their hands.
Bruno Saltor will be in charge for this game and all he'll want is a good performance as well as a result. He's hasn't had a lot time to work with the players and it will be interesting to see what kind of performance they put in under him.
Liverpool will also need to show a reaction after looking all over the place in their defeat at Man City on Saturday. They looked disorganised both in defence and in midfield like they have been all season which shows how far they have fallen from the heights they hit last season.
They might fancy themselves here as Chelsea have recently sacked their manager. But you wouldn't bank of them winning here because of how poor they've been on the road. Chelsea not having a permanent manager will give them a lift but their poor form away from home may get in their way.
PREDICTION: 0-2
I'm backing Liverpool to win here because I can see another disjointed Chelsea performance as they don't have a permanent manager for this game. The reds' away record may be poor but I think they'll make the most of a disjointed Chelsea performance.
WEDNESDAY:
MAN UNITED V BRENTFORD
The reverse fixture was one of the turning points in Man United's season and quite possibly the turning point. Their teams was in an absolute state back then but their improvement since that game has been incredible. Especially as they were at the foot of the table at the time.
They barely offered anything going forward against Newcastle on Sunday which was their third straight game without a win in the league. Results and performances are dropping off and have been since the Carabao Cup win as recent results suggest.
They'll be happy to be back at home for this one as they haven't lost at home since the opening day of the season. But they need to put in a performance as Brentford are a side who will cause teams problems like they did in the reverse fixture.
Brentford haven't been as good on the road as they have been at home this season but their record against the big teams has been decent. They've taken points off all of them and will be feeling confident that they can get something in this one to add to their tally.
PREDICTION: 1-1
United may be strong at home but without Casemiro and Eriksen I don't see them winning this game. Brentford will cause them problems as they offer a threat but with United being at home, I can only see the point being shared.
WEST HAM V NEWCASTLE
West Ham are turning the London Stadium into a fortress with the form they're in at home which will be crucial if they're to stay up. They got a crucial win at home against Southampton on Sunday which could be the result that gives them the momentum to take into the coming games.
Out of all the sides fighting it out to avoid relegation West Ham are the only club to have not sacked their manager. It's good that they've kept Moyes as he knows what it takes to get out of this situation having done it before both with West Ham and Everton.
Newcastle have found form and at a good time with this being the stage of the season where every result is crucial. They appear to be in the driving seat to finish in the top four now they're 3rd and they'll now believe that they can finish there with the form they're in and the teams below them not exactly firing.
They were excellent in every department against Man United on Sunday where they had more energy and were a threat whenever they went forward. The result from that game will give them a lot of confidence moving forward along with their overall performance.
PREDICTION: 1-1
Both sides picked up big results at the weekend and will both want to follow them up here. Newcastle are the side in better form and are rightly the favourites. But with West Ham being at home where they've been looking solid, I can see them pick up another result here. But only a draw as I think both sides will tough to beat.
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