SATURDAY:
EVERTON V NEWCASTLE
Everton missed the chance to move into the top four in midweek by only managing a draw against Leicester thanks to another Jordan Pickford error. Because of that, will Carlo Ancelotti select Robin Olsen over him for this one like he did in the reverse fixture? I won't be surprised if he does because Pickford's error cost Everton the win and he may want a more reliable keeper between the sticks if Everton are to finish in the top six. That could also put his England place in jeopardy with the likes of Nick Pope and Karl Darlow playing better than he is at the moment. If he doesn't start this one or makes another costly error, the questions will be asked of him and his place in the England team again. The good news for Everton is that they almost have their best 11 available to them with Lucas Digne back from injury and Allan hopefully back this week. Once they can get all their best players back in the team, they'll hopefully go on a good run of form like they did at the start of the season in order to achieve their objectives.
Newcastle lost yet again in midweek against Leeds but they put in a better display in the second half. They created more chances than they did in previous games and were on the front foot more. Despite their improved second half showing, they still lost the game and their poor run of form continued with their fifth loss in a row and their ninth game without a win in the league. The pressure is mounting on Steve Bruce and another defeat in this one will put Newcastle right in the relegation mix depending on what Fulham's result is against West Brom. It could also give the board a decision to make because it could be Newcastle's sixth loss on the trot if they lose and with the current run they're on, I will not be surprised if he gets sacked after this game if Newcastle lose. That is what the fans will be hoping for if the result is a defeat because they're not happy with what they're seeing and haven't been for most of the season.
I think this one will be an Everton win because I think they'll be too strong for Newcastle. The Toffees have more superior players in attack and with Newcastle in a rut in terms of their form, I can see Everton win this one comfortably.
PREDICTION: 3-0
CRYSTAL PALACE V WOLVES
Crystal Palace both started ended well against West Ham in midweek but they ended up losing the match 3-2. They didn't maintain the start they made throughout the whole game and they got punished for it. Roy Hodgson will be hoping that his side start well and carry it out for the whole 90 minutes because if they don't they could be punished for it once again like they were in midweek against West Ham. Palace themselves need to improve their form with just 2 wins in 10 games which will worry the manager because they could be dragged into a relegation battle if they don't improve despite being 10 points clear of the drop. They definitely have enough to stay out of a dogfight, but they need to start winning games again in order to improve on their form and stay out of a relegation battle.
Wolves looked more like themselves defensively in their goalless draw at Chelsea as they remained solid throughout in order to keep the clean sheet. They were back in their best formation with the three at the back which suits them better than a four because they look more solid and suited to a back three. New signing Willian Jose made his debut in the midweek draw with Chelsea but didn't have a lot of time on the pitch to show what he's made of. I'm hoping that he'll be a good signing for Wolves because they needed a striker to fill in for Raul Jimenez who has been missed a lot since fracturing his skull in November. With Daniel Podence back from injury and other attacking options in Neto and Traore, Wolves will hopefully start scoring goals because they have an experienced striker in attack which they haven't had since Jimenez got injured. This could be the perfect game to start doing that because they have some tough games coming up and with the run they're on, a won in this one will give them some confidence going into those tough games.
I'm going for a Palace win in this one because I have a feeling that they'll nick a winner in this one. With the pace they have in Zaha and Eze plus Wolves not in the best form, I can see them win this one.
PREDICTION: 2-1
MAN CITY V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Man City moved to the top of the Premier League with their 5-0 win at West Brom on Tuesday night without Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero. They were excellent from start to finish in that game and with the form they're in, I can see them go all the way and win the title because of the squad they have and the experience they have in terms of winning a title. I can't see anyone stop them at the moment with the way they're going with Aguero and De Bruyne to come back, they look like the team to beat. It took them time to get into their stride but now they're looking like the favourites for the title because of the way they're playing and the quality they have in their squad. They're excellent in all departments and I can't see them slipping up between now and the end of the season if they continue the way they are.
Sheffield United are looking more confident than they have been all season with four wins from five games in all competitions. The FA Cup has given them the confidence they desperately needed and they've taken their performances in the cup into their next league game after a cup tie. Their win over Man United in midweek has given them some hope that they can pull off a great escape which would be the greatest in Premier League history if they were to pull it off because a month ago they looked doomed. If they win this one, they will move off the bottom of the table on goal difference depending on West Brom's result against Fulham and they will equal Derby's record of least amount of points in a season set back in the 2007-08 season. Things are beginning to look up for Sheffield United unlike a month or two ago where they looked down and out.
I'm going for a City win in this one because they can't stop winning and I can see them win once again in this one. They've been a brilliant team in recent weeks and I can see them put in another brilliant performance in this one.
PREDICTION: 4-0
WEST BROM V FULHAM
Keeping West Brom in the Premier League is becoming Mission Impossible for Sam Allardyce unless he brings in some more players in the transfer window. The defenders looked like they didn't have a clue in their 5-0 defeat to Man City in midweek as they kept giving the ball away to City players and failed to close them down when they were taking shots at their goal. Sam Allardyce was brought in to shore up the defence and he clearly hasn't done that yet. They showed signs in their draw at Liverpool a month ago but since then they've been conceding goals left, right and centre. If Allardyce doesn't shore up that defence by signing a defender, West Brom will only be going one way that is back down to the Championship. There is still a lot of games to be played, but if West Brom are to stay up, they need to shore up defensively and bring some players in ASAP.
This is a must win game for Fulham because they're playing a side who are two points behind them and they haven't won in 10 games which is a worry for Scott Parker. Parker himself said this week that Fulham are unlikely to sign a striker in January which is something the fans will not want to hear because Fulham desperately need a striker. Their performances in the league haven't been that bad. They just can't turn those performances into a winning one which is why they need to bring in a striker so they can win more games. They play some good football at times, but they don't have that killer instinct in the final third you need in order to stay in this division. They've been solid defensively and have improved in that department ever since the opening few games. They're just struggling at the other end of the pitch.
I think Fulham will win this one because West Brom haven't won at home since Allardyce took over and they look all over the place defensively. Fulham have struggled to score goals this season, but they do have two quick wide men in Ivan Cavaleiro and Ademola Lookman who can cause the Baggies problems with their pace.
PREDICTION: 0-2
ARSENAL V MAN UNITED
Arsenal did what Southampton did to them in their FA Cup tie by pressing them high up the pitch in their rematch on Tuesday. They did go 1-0 down early on, but they showed good character to get back into the game and win it by scoring 5 minutes after going behind. New signing Martin Odegaard could make his debut in this one following his loan switch from Real Madrid and he'll hopefully add some creativity to Arsenal's attack. The signing of Odegaard has added competition for places with him and Emile Smith Rowe battling it for a place in the team in the no.10 position. Smith Rowe has been excellent for the gunners since he's been in the team, but Arteta will want to manage his game time as he is still a young player and young players can get fatigued by playing too many games. With an attack of Odegaard, Saka, Aubameyang and Lacazette, Arsenal will be a match for anyone because of how good those four are on their day.
Man United were given a reality check in their defeat to Sheffield United on Wednesday and especially in defence. Both of Sheffield United's goals were poorly defended with Billy Sharp given enough room to head home the opening goal and no one closing down Ollie Burke for the winner as well as a lack of effort to get back and stop the attack. United still have a way to go in terms of challenging for the title and their defeat in midweek showed that. If the manager can get backed in the summer and bring in the right players, United could be up there next season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has only beaten Arsenal once which came in the FA Cup in 2019 and is yet to win against the Gunners in the league with his record being one draw and three defeats. He'll be hoping to break that duck in this one because United haven't lost away from home in the league for a year and he'll be looking to extend that unbeaten run further by getting his first Premier League win over Arsenal as Man United manager.
This game should be a great watch because both sides play good football and they have both improved a lot over the last month. In terms of the result, I'm going for a draw because I can see both teams cancelling each other out.
PREDICTION: 2-2
SOUTHAMPTON V ASTON VILLA
Southampton have wobbled a bit recently with just one win in seven league games. It wasn't that long ago that they were top of the league and their recent slump has seen them fall down to 11th. They have had players out injured and they do play at a high intensity, but their recent drop off in form has been a surprise because they started the season pretty well. They did recently beat Liverpool, but other than that they haven't been as good as they were earlier in the season when they were winning two/three games on the trot which they haven't done since the beginning of December. Ralph Hasenhuttl want to get his side back to winning ways in this one because he has set his team high standards and will want his side to return to win this one in order for them to get their season back on track after a slight dip in form.
Aston Villa were probably left kicking themselves after their 3-2 defeat to Burnley on Wednesday because they took the lead twice and ended up losing the game. They had enough chances to win the game but were denied several times by Nick Pope who kept Burnley in contest which they went on to win. Despite that defeat, Villa have been pretty good away from home this season with five wins and just two defeats on their travels this season. Their away form has been better than their home form this season and that should give them some confidence going into this game as they're the away side. They have no major injury concerns going into this one which will please Dean Smith because any manager will want his best available to him and with players like Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins available, Villa have every chance of winning this game.
I think Southampton will win this one because they have a good record against Villa in recent games against them. The Saints have won their last four games against Villa and because of that I can see them win this one.
PREDICTION: 3-2
SUNDAY:
CHELSEA V BURNLEY
Chelsea had a lot of ball against Wolves in Thomas Tuchel's first game in charge but didn't have any end product. They used it well and got into good positions, but they didn't convert their chances despite the amount of possession they had. Callum Hudson Odoi impressed and was the only young player promoted by Frank Lampard to start with Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount all starting on the bench. Mason Mount was probably the most surprising omission because he's been their best player season and was the most used young player by Frank Lampard. This shows that Chelsea could be going back to what they were because the youngsters may not get as many opportunities as they did under Lampard. That was one worry when Lampard got sacked because he was the one who gave the young players the opportunities and the young players themselves may think that they won't get as many opportunities under Tuchel as they did under Lampard.
Burnley are looking as good as safe after back to back wins over Liverpool and Aston Villa which have moved them nine points clear of the relegation zone. They'll surely be safe now because they have a good enough squad to stay in the league and have a good enough manager to push them further away from trouble. They scored more than once in back to back games in all competitions for the first time this season with a 3-0 win over Fulham in the FA Cup and a win 3-2 win over Aston Villa in the league in midweek. Sean Dyche will be hoping that his side carry that into this one because goals have been a struggle for them this season and it looks like they're getting that sorted. They'll always be solid at the back but if they can continue to score more than once in a game, they won't need to worry about relegation.
I can see Burnley win this one because they've won away against two of the big six in Arsenal and Liverpool. Because of this I can see them pull off another surprise result by winning this one.
PREDICTION: 0-1
LEICESTER V LEEDS
Leicester's draw with Everton in midweek showed how much they'll miss Jamie Vardy because they didn't have a striker who can run in behind the defence. They did well to get the draw but if Vardy was on the pitch, they might've got the win themselves because of the chances they had in the second half. Leicester would've moved above Man United in the table if they won that game which may look like a missed opportunity because it would've moved them level on points with leaders Man City. Leicester's home form this season hasn't been as strong as their away form and with Leeds being pretty decent on the road, Brendan Rodgers side will need to be careful because of the quality that Leeds possess in forward areas. They the reverse fixture quite comfortably earlier in the season but without Jamie Vardy, it may not be as straight forward.
Leeds got their first win of 2021 with their win over Newcastle on Tuesday and it was a win they definitely needed because they lost three games in a row in all competitions prior to the Newcastle game. Marcelo Bielsa will want his side to follow that win up with another in this game because Leeds have struggled with consistency this season and Bielsa will want get some instilled in his side as they look to end the season strongly. A good end to the season is what Leeds have to play for because they're not in any cup competitions and they're unlikely to be involved in a relegation battle or a push for a Europa League place. They're looking comfortable in 12th place in the middle of the table and that is probably where they'll end up finishing at the end of the season because I can't see them finishing any lower or higher.
I think Leicester will win this one because they're better defensively than Leeds. They may be without Jamie Vardy and Leeds will constantly put pressure on them, but I can still see them win this game because they're better defensively and have good enough players in forward areas to win the game for them.
PREDICTION: 2-1
WEST HAM V LIVERPOOL
West Ham have won all their games in 2021 so far and are unbeaten in their last six games in the league. Their good form has moved them towards the European places and were briefly in the Champions League spots after their 3-2 win over Crystal Palace in midweek. David Moyes has built a good squad since he's been there and he definitely deserves a lot of credit for the job he's done this season. The Hammers got Said Benrahma signed on a permanent deal this week along with signing Jesse Lingard on a season long loan from Man United. The recruitment at West Ham since Moyes has been there has been excellent Moyes will be hoping that Lingard will be added to his list of good signings if he can some confidence back into the player who has had a tough time over the last year or two. Lingard may not play this game as it is a bit too soon but once he steps out onto the pitch, he'll hopefully show the kind of form that made him a regular for England.
Liverpool returned to winning ways in midweek with their win at Spurs where they looked more like themselves. Trent Alexander Arnold looked like he was back to his best and the front three appear to have their mojo back after a dip in form. They do have their problems at the back but going forward they're looking more themselves in scoring goals and the attacking players linking up. If Liverpool are to sign a centre back in this transfer window, they need to do it now because the window shuts in a matter of days and their backline was dealt another blow as Joel Matip picked up another injury in the win over Spurs. Fabinho is also out after missing the Spurs win which is making Jurgen Klopp's mission to find a centre back more urgent because he has no senior central defenders available with Joe Gomez and Virgil Van Dijk out for the longer term. They do have Nathaniel Phillips and Rhys Williams who have done okay when they've played, but you can't rely on a pair of inexperienced central defenders if you want to challenge for the title.
I think this one will be a draw because Liverpool's away record this season is not great and West Ham are on a good run of form. It will be a close game and I can see West Ham's organisation being enough to earn a point as Liverpool don't win many points on their travels.
PREDICTION: 1-1
BRIGHTON V TOTTENHAM
Brighton are still without a win at home this season with their last win on home soil coming back in June after restart against Arsenal. Their winless run at home extended further with a goalless draw against Fulham in midweek where their goal scoring struggles continued. They had chances to win the game, but they didn't take them which has been said about them a lot this season. They play some good football in the build up, but they never seem to have the killer instinct when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net which is something Graham Potter will want to address soon. By doing that he could look for another striker even though he does have enough players in that department in Neal Maupay, Aaron Connelly and Danny Welbeck who is currently out injured. They're all good players on their day, they just need to find the back of the net more on a consistent basis.
Spurs were dealt a massive blow as Harry Kane was taken off with an ankle injury in their defeat to Liverpool on Thursday night. His injury is a massive blow to Spurs because he's their best goal scorer and has been a key part of their attack by proving a lot of goals and assists. At least they do have a back up centre forward in Carlos Vinicius because he's done a decent job for Spurs whenever he's been given an opportunity and the last couple of back up strikers Spurs have had haven't always delivered when Kane's been unavailable. The only player who has stepped up in his absence is Heung Min Son who can fill in up front as well as on the wing. His versatility makes him a key player for Spurs because he does a good job in both positions by scoring goals. But with Kane out injured, Son may miss his presence on the pitch because of the partnership the pair have on the pitch and how effective it is.
I'm going for a Spurs win in this one because Brighton haven't won at home this season and Spurs have more quality. They may be without Kane, but I can see Son stepping up in his absence like he always does.
PREDICTION: 0-2
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