TUESDAY:
CRYSTAL PALACE V WEST HAM
It feels a while since Palace last played as they're no longer in the FA Cup and they didn't play during midweek last week. Their last game was a 4-0 defeat at Man City a couple of weekends ago where they were completely outplayed and they barely had the ball. They had 27% possession and only 2 shots with both not hitting the target. Roy Hodgson will that as a free hit because they won't be playing against teams like City every week and the result won't have a role in where they finish this season. They're sat comfortably in 13th place and they're unlikely to be sucked into a relegation battle or push for a place in the Europa League. They can still push for a place in the top 10 which is achievable because of the players they have, but they won't have enough to push for a place in Europe as there are sides who are better than them.
West Ham were very impressive in their FA Cup win over Doncaster at the weekend as they won 4-0 with some of their fringe players impressing. Andriy Yarmolenko proved a point by scoring a goal and linking up with Benrahma and Fornals which was a constant throughout the game. Their performance showed how strong West Ham's squad is with players who don't play every week proving a point by putting in good performances on the day. They showed the manager why they want more game time and some of them may get another chance in this one. The Hammers themselves are on a good run in the league as they're unbeaten in their last 5 and have won their last three games. Their recent form has put them two points outside the Champions League places in 7th place which shows how good a job David Moyes has done because they were around the relegation places this time last season and he has built a good squad since he returned over a year ago.
I think this one will be a West Ham win because they never lose this fixture and are on a good run of form. Palace will make it close, but I think the Hammers will have enough to earn a fourth straight win.
PREDICTION: 1-2
NEWCASTLE V LEEDS
This is a must win game for Newcastle because if they lose, they could be dragged into a relegation battle depending on the result between Brighton and Fulham on Wednesday. They never looked like scoring against Aston Villa on Saturday and haven't done for a number of weeks which has increased the pressure on manager Steve Bruce whose days at Newcastle could be numbered if they don't get anything from this game. They've lost their last four games and haven't won since the beginning of December when they beat West Brom 2-1. They'll be happy to have Allan Saint Maximin back because he's been a big miss for them whilst he's been out. The Magpies have missed his pace and with him now back, they might start scoring goals again because he's a threat whenever he plays and he is someone who can help Callum Wilson out up top because he's hasn't had the service he needs for a number of games.
Leeds have a nightmare start to 2021 as they've lost all their games and conceded 7 goals overall. They were poor in their defeat to Brighton in their last game where they were expected to put in a better showing after being knocked put of the FA Cup at the hands of Crawley. Kalvin Phillips was a miss against Brighton as they struggled to control the game which is what Phillips does. His presence in the team makes a Leeds a better side because he can dictate play with his wonderful passing range which is what makes Leeds tick as a team. They've only won once when he hasn't been in the team which shows how important he is to this Leeds side because he gives so much to the team. With him back in the side and the way Newcastle have been recently, Leeds have a strong chance of winning this game.
I'm going for a Leeds win here because Newcastle are not in great form and I can see Leeds outplay them in this game. Marcelo Bielsa's men won 5-2 in the reverse fixture and I can see them get a similar result again.
PREDICTION: 1-3
SOUTHAMPTON V ARSENAL
Southampton were very impressive in their win over their opponents in the FA Cup on Saturday by pressing very high and forcing Arsenal's defenders to make mistakes. Their performance got what it deserved with a win despite their goal being an own goal as they booked their place in the next round. The Saints beat Liverpool in their last home game in the league and will be looking to record another win against a top six side at home after beating the Gunners at home in the cup at the weekend. Beating Liverpool in the league and Arsenal in the cup will give them the belief that they can win this one because that is what Ralph Hasenhuttl has instilled into the players since he's been at the club and he'll be hoping that the players carry that belief into this game. They do have a lot of injuries, but they do have Danny Ings back which is a welcome boost because he's their top goal scorer and he makes a huge difference when he's on the pitch.
I was disappointed in Arsenal's team selection when they played their opponents in the FA Cup on Saturday because it wasn't their strongest team and after winning the FA Cup last season, I was expecting them to play a stronger team. Willian was playing as a no.10 which is not his best position as he is a winger and Alexandre Lacazette was on the bench with Bukayo Saka. I was expecting Saka and Smith Rowe to start because they've both been key to Arsenal's revival in the Premier League and they would've made a difference if Arsenal started them from the beginning. The Gunners looked flat in their FA Cup defeat on Saturday and manager Mikel Arteta will want a better performance from his team in this one to continue their revival in the league. Now they're out the FA Cup, Arteta will want his side to end the season strongly because they don't have much to play for this season other than pride.
I think Southampton will win this one again because I can see them press Arsenal high up the pitch again and force their defenders into mistakes. They did this throughout their game in the FA Cup on Saturday and because of that I think they'll do it again.
PREDICTION: 2-1
WEST BROM V MAN CITY
Time is running out for Big Sam to bring in new players because the transfer window shuts in a matter of days and if he doesn't get any new players between now and deadline day, it will be a struggle for him to keep West Brom in the Premier League. They need to sign a striker because they don't have a consistent goal scorer in their team and they also need a centre back because they've let in a lot of goals this season as well as not score many of them. If Sam Allardyce can get those kind of players in before the window closes, the Baggies have a good chance of staying up because a centre back and a forward make a huge difference for a team in a relegation battle. They have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, but they still need new signings to help them go on a run of results to ensure that they stay up at the end of the season.
Man City had to work hard for their win at Cheltenham in the FA Cup at the weekend as they went 1-0 down and were 10 minutes away from an embarrassing cup exit. The substitutes made a difference when they came on in that game with Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Cancelo both adding more impetus to the attack by assisting goals for Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus. Phil Foden was easily the man of the match because he was always looking to play a pass and he showed why he's one of the best young players around by dragging his team out a difficult situation to help them win the game. He'll be hoping for more starts after that performance and with Kevin De Bruyne out for a month, he'll hopefully get some due to the form he's been in. He's City's top goal scorer this season and will be hoping to add another one to his tally in this game if he gets a chance.
I'm going with a City win in this one because they're in very good form. They may be without De Bruyne and Aguero who are massive losses, but they still have enough going forward to win this game because of the talent they have in their squad.
PREDICTION: 0-2
WEDNESDAY:
BURNLEY V ASTON VILLA
Burnley must be full of confidence going into this one after beating Liverpool at Anfield last week and scoring 3 times to beat Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday. Jay Rodriguez scoring twice in that game will please Sean Dyche because his side have struggled to score goals this season but after their performance in the cup, they might be turning a corner in terms of scoring goals. I'm surprised that Burnley haven't signed anyone during the transfer window because they had new owners in at the start of the month and I thought they would give Sean Dyche money to spend in January so he could improve his squad after not getting any funds in the summer. There is still time for him to buy players, but I'm surprised that he hasn't brought any up to this point. The Clarets will have enough to stay up and signing some players in the window can help them do that if the manager is given money to spend.
Villa were in trouble this time last year and this season they find themselves 8th and 5 points outside the top four. The recruitment has been excellent and one signing who is beginning to show some form is Bertrand Traore who has four goals in his last six games. He's turning into a good signing for Villa because of the form he's been in plus he's added more pace to their attack alongside Ollie Watkins. Villa have looked a complete team this season by being solid defensively and dangerous going forward which wasn't the case for them last season as they almost went down. The credit has to go to manager Dean Smith because he's built a team capable of competing in the Premier League and because of their recruitment, they look more comfortable at this level. They've been the most improved team this season.
I think this one will be a draw because they're both solid defensively and they're always in games. With both teams being strong defensively, I can see them both keep a clean sheet like they did in the reverse fixture.
PREDICTION: 0-0
CHELSEA V WOLVES
Chelsea will be expected to show a reaction following the sacking of Frank Lampard and that is something Thomas Tuchel will want to see if he gets the job whether he's in the stands or on the touchline. I felt that Chelsea sacked him too soon because they won in the FA Cup against Luton and that could've given the team some much needed confidence going into this game. They started the game well and played well throughout even though Luton did get one back and had chances themselves to score. There was a spell in the second half where Chelsea were a bit blunt in attack as they struggled to create clear opportunities. That changed when Callum Hudson Odoi came on because he took players on and set up Tammy Abraham's third goal to seal his hat trick. If they can show a reaction by playing like they did for most of their win over Luton, they can win this game because they definitely have players who can win games for them.
Wolves are a team who need to start winning games again because they haven't won in the league since they beat Chelsea in the reverse fixture last month. They were a bit lucky to come away with a 1-0 win over Chorley in the FA Cup on Friday night because the non league side arguably had the better chances and could've scored at least two of them. Wolves scored a great goal to win the game but their performance wasn't one of their best as Chorley caused them problems throughout the match. They'll be happy that they've finally got a striker to fill in for Raul Jimenez in Willian Jose on loan from Real Sociedad. He scored a lot of goals during his time at Sociedad and Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping that he can bring those goals with him to the Premier League as Wolves look to climb the table.
I think this one will be a draw because both sides are out of form and will demand a reaction from their managers. It will be a close game, but I can't see a winner from either team due to their form.
PREDICTION: 1-1
BRIGHTON V FULHAM
Brighton picked up a big last time out in the league as they beat Leeds 1-0 and later followed that up with a 2-1 win over Blackpool in the FA Cup. Those results have given the team confidence which they'll be looking to carry into this game as they look to move away from the relegation zone. This is a must win game for Brighton because they're playing a side one place below them at the wrong end of the table and a defeat for them will make their position in the table uncomfortable. They're five points clear of Fulham in 17th place and a defeat will reduce that deficit to two points which will make their position in the table uncomfortable because a defeat in their next game could see them drop into the bottom three if Fulham win theirs. A draw in this game won't be too bad for Brighton, but if they're to stay in the league they need to beat the teams around them starting with this one.
Fulham never really turned up in their FA Cup defeat to Burnley on Sunday with two of their goals poorly defended and not many clear cut chances in front of goal. It was very unlike the Fulham we've seen for last few months in being difficult to beat and resolute as a a team which is what they've been since the opening weeks of the season where they were conceding goals everywhere. I'm surprised they haven't signed anyone in the transfer window because clubs in a relegation battle usually buy players in January to give themselves a chance to stay up. Fulham have improved as the season has progressed, but they haven't scored enough goals which is why they're still in the bottom three. They need to buy a striker before the window shuts because their current strikers haven't been firing for most of the season and in order to stay up, you need a more clinical striker in front of goal which is what Fulham don't have at the moment.
I think this one will be a draw because both sides miss a lot of chances despite playing some good stuff in the build up. I can see that being the case for both sides because they both play nice football but don't finish teams off.
PREDICTION: 1-1
EVERTON V LEICESTER
Everton's performance in their FA Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday was the best I've seen of them since the opening weeks of the season even though they were playing against a side who are struggling in the league below. Dominic Calvert Lewin was back among the goals which is good for his confidence after a long time without a goal plus James Rodriguez and Richarlison were back to their best with Richarlison scoring the second and Rodriguez registering two assists. With their main attackers back in form and other players on their back from injury, things are looking up for Everton because they're within the top six and they could end up finishing there at the end of the season if they can keep their key players fit and in form. They'll have Lucas Digne back for this one after recovering from an ankle injury plus Allan will hopefully be back next week which is good news for the Toffees.
Leicester are just two points off the top going into this one which ash got many people asking whether they could be challenging for the title at the end of the season. James Maddison can't stop scoring at the moment with 4 goals in his last 5 games and is putting himself back in contention for a place in the England squad for the Euros. He's adding more goals to his game which is what you want from an attacking midfielder and if he keeps this up he has every chance of returning to the England fold. The only bad news for Leicester is that they'll be without Jamie Vardy for a couple of weeks which is a big blow because he's their talisman and Leicester don't have any other striker like him in their side. Ayoze Perez and Kelechi Iheanacho are both good strikers, but they're not as clinical as Vardy in front of goal and Brendan Rodgers will want them both to step up.
I think this one will be an Everton win because they beat Leicester in the reverse fixture and have a good record against them in this fixture. As Leicester are without Vardy, I think the foxes will miss his pace and runs in behind at the top end of the pitch.
PREDICTION: 2-1
MAN UNITED V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Man United showed good character in their FA Cup win over Liverpool as they came from behind to win 3-2 with Bruno Fernandes coming off the bench to win the game with a brilliant free kick. The impact he's made in his first year at Old Trafford has been incredible because he's given them the creativity and goals to the midfield and has made United look like title contenders by doing exactly that. The only bad news for United going into this one is that they won't have Marcus Rashford available due to a knee injury he picked up in the FA Cup on Sunday. He too was excellent in that game as he set up Mason Greenwood's goal and scored one himself to put United 2-1 up. His pace and drive will be a miss for United in this one but they do have players who can step in like Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial. Those two are a joy to watch on their day and with Fernandes and Cavani in their attack as well, United still look dangerous when they go forward.
Sheffield United won the last time they played after an FA Cup tie. But this one will be more difficult because they're up against a United side who are full of confidence at top of the league whereas before they were against a Newcastle side who were average at best. They put in a good performance against Plymouth in the FA Cup as they created lots of chances and got what they deserved with the win. Plymouth may have got one back but the Blades still did enough to book their place in the next round and that is what they did and Chris Wilder will want his players to carry that performance into this game as the Blades look to get some more points on board. The blades may be going down, but Chris Wilder will want them to go down fighting because he will not want them to go down with a whimper.
I'm going for a United win because they're in good form and are scoring goals. With the players they have going forward, they'll have enough to win this game without any problems.
PREDICTION: 3-1
THURSDAY:
TOTTENHAM V LIVERPOOL
Spurs had to work hard for their win over Wycombe in the FA Cup last night and Jose Mourinho needed his subs to make sure the game was won in 90 minutes. Gareth Bale will want to start this one after scoring last night and he'll want more of them because he hasn't had that many since he returned to Spurs in the summer. His lack of starts could be down to a lack of fitness because I don't remember him completing 90 minutes once this season. If he does start this one and play wells, he'll be hoping that Jose Mourinho picks him more because he's a top player and he knows that he can make a difference whenever he's on the pitch. Tanguy Ndombele came off the bench to score twice in that game and has become a key player for Spurs this season by scoring goals and creating chances from midfield. After a tough season last year, he's proven his doubters wrong by being one of the first names on the Spurs team sheet by putting in good performances week in week out.
Despite their FA Cup defeat to Man United on Sunday, Liverpool looked more like themselves going forward as Mohamed Salah scored twice and both goals were assisted by Roberto Firmino. Their attack appeared to be lacking confidence because they weren't scoring goals which was very unlike them as they're usually so clinical in front of goal whenever they're out on the pitch. Liverpool's problem in that game was their defence with Rhys Williams was at fault for Marcus Rashford's goal as he dived in too early and Mason Greenwood was given a lot of space to score the equaliser. They're missing Virgil Van Dijk a lot and they need to bring in a centre back before the transfer window closes or they'll be out of the title race. The reds need to win this one because their form in the league has been poor and they need to start winning game again if they're to challenge for the title at the end of the season.
I think this one will be a Spurs win because they have two players in Kane and Son who will cause Liverpool's backline all kinds of problems. As Liverpool aren't in the best of form, I can see Spurs win this because of the effect Kane and Son have on the team.
PREDICTION: 2-1
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