FRIDAY:
WOLVES V LEEDS
Wolves were a bit passive in the first half of their win over Southampton but they did go on to claim the three points. The penalty decision changed the game on Sunday because Southampton were the better side before the penalty was awarded and the goal from the spot gave them the belief that they could go on and win the game which they did. Nuno Espirito Santo's side are in a better place than they were a few weeks ago after picking up some good results in the last few weeks. They've won two of their last four games and their win over Southampton moved them within four points of the top half. They were drifting towards tower mid-table a few weeks ago but their recent results have put them in the right direction which will please the fans and the manager. They're still missing Raul Jimenez because of how important he is to the team but their recent results are helping them kick-start their season.
Leeds were outplayed in the first half against Arsenal last weekend as they went 3-0 down with Marcelo Bielsa saying that Arsenal were better prepared than his side were after the match. They did show a bit more fight in the second half as they scored twice after the Gunners went 4-0 up and it looked like they were going to get more in the final minutes of the game with the chances that they had. Kalvin Phillips was a miss for them because they didn't have someone who could control the game in midfield like he does. This has been the case for them whenever Phillips has been unavailable because they have no one else like him in their team who can control the game from midfield. With Phillips out for this one as well, it looks like Leeds could once again struggle because of how important is to them in terms on controlling the game from midfield. They've only won once when he hasn't been in the team this season.
I'm going for a Wolves win because I can see them pick up another good result like they have done in recent weeks. With Kalvin Phillips out for Leeds and how important he is to them, I think Wolves will edge this one.
PREDICTION: 1-0
SATURDAY:
SOUTHAMPTON V CHELSEA
Southampton are in rotten form at the moment because they've lost their last six games and they only have one win in seven in the league. They have some tough few games coming up with Leeds and Everton coming up after this tough game against Chelsea. They did lose 9-0 to Man United recently which can take time to recover from but their league form still needs to improve because if they lose this one and Crystal Palace, Burnley and Brighton lose their fixtures, they could be as low as 16th which is where they don't want to be. The Saints will want at least one win in their next three games including this one because if they don't Ralph Hasenhuttl could be under a lot of pressure because his side are currently in a rut. After going ahead against Wolves, they didn't take their opportunities to extend their lead with their final ball not being good enough at times when they went on the attack.
Chelsea continued their good start under Thomas Tuchel on Monday night by beating Newcastle 2-0 with Timo Werner ending his goal drought by tapping in the second. That goal will hopefully give him the confidence he's been lacking since he's been at Chelsea and he'll be hoping that he'll get into some form now that his goal drought is over. He could start through the middle in this one with Tammy Abraham out injured and Olivier Giroud possibly rested. If Werner does get another goal in this one, he could well start in the no.9 position in the blues' Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid in midweek. Chelsea look settled in the 3-4-3 formation and it's definitely getting the best out of them. They've kept four out of five clean sheets and have won every game in all competitions since they've changed to the three at the back. They've looked solid defensively since they've used that system and they have a good balance in the other areas as well.
I'm going for a Chelsea win in this one because they've started well under Tuchel and Southampton are in rotten form. As they're pretty solid defensively, I can see them keep another clean sheet as well as claim the three points.
PREDICTION: 0-2
BURNLEY V WEST BROM
Burnley took another step towards safety in midweek with their draw against Fulham as they moved up to 15th in the table. They were probably the better side in the early stages as they started the game on the front foot and with good intent to score more goals. They've played exactly like this over the last few games and Sean Dyche will want his side to play like that in this one so his side can take another step towards Premier League safety. If they win this one, they should be safe because they will move up to 13th if Southampton and Crystal Palace drop points and they could also be 10 points clear of the drop which would pretty much guarantee their safety depending on what Fulham's result is against Sheffield United. They'll have Ben Mee back for this one after missing the draw with Fulham in midweek and that is a big boost because the Clarets are a better team defensively in he's in it. This is down to his leadership and his partnership with James Tarkowski.
West Brom put in a good display last weekend as they picked up a point against Man United. They started the game well by going ahead inside the opening 2 minutes through Mbaye Diagne and they did enough overall to earn a point. Any point between now and the end of the season is a good point for the Baggies but with the position they're in, they need to win more games than draw because winning games keep you in a division. Sam Allardyce will be hoping that his side take their performance and result against United into this one because if his side play like they did against United in this one, they have a chance of getting another good result like they did last weekend. But Big Sam will want the win and for that to happen, his side must take the chances they have and hold on for the win because that is something the Baggies haven't been able to do this season.
I'm going for a Burnley win because they're better defensively and have more firepower. With Ben Mee back and the team playing more on the front foot, the Clarets should have enough to clam the three points.
PREDICTION: 2-1
LIVERPOOL V EVERTON
Liverpool looked more like themselves in midweek during their win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League by pressing high and playing with energy. They forced the Leipzig defenders into mistakes and their goals came from Leipzig mistakes with Mohamed Salah latching onto Marcel Sabitzer's poor back pass to score his goal and Nordi Mukiele misjudged Curtis Jones' pass to Sadio Mane who went on to score the second. It was more like the Liverpool we're used to seeing in playing at a high intensity and the big players stepped up which they needed to after soime poor results in the league. Jurgen Klopp will want his side to carry that performance into this one because their recent league form hasn't been good enough and if they're to finish in the top four, they need to play like they did in midweek more often. They fell out of the top four last weekend and they'll be desperate to get back in so they can qualify for the Champions League next season.
Everton need to get themselves going again after back to back defeats to Fulham and Man City. Those games were at home where they have struggled on recent weeks but losing back to back games can decrease the confidence levels within the team like it can do for most teams. They'll definitely want to avoid a third straight defeat in this one because they're up against their rivals at a ground where they have a terrible record. Everton haven't won at Anfield for a number of years and as Liverpool have lost their last three games at home, the Toffees will see this as a good opportunity to break their Anfield hoodoo. They'll have Dominic Calvert Lewin back for this one after missing the defeats to Fulham and City which will be a big boost for them and especially in a game like this one. With all their key players available, they'll have a good chance of finally earning their first win at Anfield in a number of years.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I can see it being a close game with both teams going for it. Everton may have all their key players available, but as they have a poor record at Anfield and I can see that continuing into this one along with Liverpool taking their midweek performance into this game itself.
PREDICTION: 2-2
FULHAM V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Fulham will be gutted that they didn't come away with a win against Burnley in midweek because they went 1-0 ahead shortly after half time and they threw it away minutes later. The goal they conceded was poorly defended as Ashley Barnes was given enough space to slot the ball home which came from a Burnley counter attack. The Fulham player did have to jog back but the defending still should've been better. This is a must win game for the Cottagers because they're against a side who are near them in the table and you need to win these kind of games in order to stay up. A win for them would give them a huge boost because they would move within three points of 17th placed Newcastle which would give them a very good chance of getting out of the bottom three going into their next game against Crystal Palace. A win for them in this one would draw the relegation battle wide open.
This is a must win game for Sheffield United because they're playing a side who are in and around them and you need to win those kind of games in order to give themselves a chance to stay up. Their hopes were dealt a big blow on Monday night as they were beaten 3-0 by West Ham which ended their 100% record of winning a Premier League game immediately after an FA Cup tie. With 14 games left and the blades 14 points from safety, the possibility of them staying up looks very unlikely and especially with some tough games coming up for them. Their play Liverpool, Southampton, Leicester, Leeds, Arsenal and Wolves in their next six games and their relegation could be confirmed within those games if the teams above them pick up more points. The teams outside the relegation zone in particular. They've given themselves a chance in recent weeks but with the games they have coming up and the amount of games left, their chances of staying up look very slim.
I'm going for a Fulham win because I think they have more goals in them than Sheffield United. The Blades have struggled for goals badly this season and I can see see Fulham just edge it because of that very reason.
PREDICTION: 1-0
SUNDAY:
WEST HAM V TOTTENHAM
West Ham briefly moved into the top four with their win over Sheffield United on Monday night until Chelsea beat Newcastle hours later to claim that spot from them. The Hammers are in a good position to qualify for Europe this season as they currently lie in 5th place and are six points ahead of 8th placed Aston Villa. They beat Sheffield United without a recognised striker with Michail Antonio missing the game through injury and Jarrod Bowen leading the line in his absence. I thought Said Benrahma was going going to lead the line for the Hammers last night as he can play as a striker as well as a winger. Bowen playing as the no.9 on Monday night shows that the Hammers have players who can play in multiple positions which will please manager David Moyes. After playing as the no.9 on Monday night, Jarrod Bowen may play in that position yet again unless Moyes decides to play Benrahma there instead of Bowen or someone else.
Which Spurs will turn up for this one? The Spurs that we saw against Everton in the FA Cup when they really went for it or the Spurs who sit back and wait for teams to come at them. They were the second one against City last weekend and they got completely outplayed. I can understand why they played like that but as it was against a team of City's quality, they should've been more solid at the back because of the quality of opposition they were playing. They put that result behind them last night by beating Wolfsberger 4-1 in the Europa League with Gareth Bale and Dele Alli both contributing. Those two both deserve to start in this one and Bale in particular because he had a good chance towards the end of the City game and he both scored and assisted in the game last night. With a performance like that, he deserves to play more games because he showed what a talent he is and another performance like that will convince Jose Mourinho to use him more in the league.
I'm going for a draw in this one because David Moyes has never beaten Jose Mourinho in his managerial career and I can see Spurs put in another one of those abject performances. With that being the case, I can only see this game ending in a draw.
PREDICTION: 1-1
ASTON VILLA V LEICESTER
Aston Villa had keeper Emiliano Martinez to thank for in their draw at Brighton last time out as the Argentine made countless saves to keep the score at 0-0. He's easily been one of the signings of the season because he's made a lot of big saves and has kept 12 clean sheets which have been crucial to Villa's improvement defensively this season. Villa were letting in a lot of goals this time last season as they were near the wrong end of the table fighting it out to stay in the league. One year later they find themselves fighting for a place in the Europa League which shows how much the team has improved over the last year by being solid defensively and free flowing in attack. This is all down to the manager and the recruitment at the club because the manager spotted the weaknesses in the team from last season and the recruitment staff have gone out and found the right players that fit the system the team plays.
Leicester put in a brilliant performance last time out in the league as they came from behind to beat Liverpool 3-1. Harvey Barnes was the standout performer in that one by scoring the winner and causing Liverpool all kinds of problems throughout the contest. He's been excellent for the Foxes all season and has got better as the season has progressed with 8 goals and 5 assists to his name which is an improvement on his numbers from last season. If he continues what he's doing, he has a very good chance of making the England squad for the Euros. He earned his first cap earlier in the season and with the form he's in, he should be mentioned in the list of attacking options that England have including his Leicester teammate Maddison who is also in great form. Those two and Vardy up top make the Foxes a danger to any Premier League side and they all showed that against Liverpool last weekend.
I'm going for a Leicester win in this one because they've been very good on the road this season. With the attacking talent they have in their team, they should have enough to claim the three points.
PREDICTION: 1-3
ARSENAL V MAN CITY
Arsenal were brilliant to watch in the first half of their win over Leeds as they tore them apart with their movement off the ball. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was back to his old self by scoring a hat trick and is beginning to return to his best form with five goals in this last five games. That hat trick will surely give him the confidence to score more because he's a world class striker and world class strikers want to score every week. With their talisman back in form along with the rise of Saka and Smith Rowe, Arsenal look like a dangerous side going forward which we didn't see earlier in the season. They're creating more chances than they did before and they're scoring goals from that creativity which is mostly down to the efforts of Saka and Smith Rowe who have given the team the creativity they didn't have before. If Aubameyang can stay in form and the young players carry on delivering, Arsenal could have a strong end to the season.
Man City have pretty much wrapped up the title after going 10 points clear on Wednesday with their win at Everton. With the form they're in, the title race is pretty much over because I can't see anyone else catch them and they look completely unstoppable at the moment. Kevin De Bruyne made his return from injury in midweek which will give City a massive boost plus Sergio Aguero is also back having made his return in the win over Spurs last weekend. Those two make a huge difference to City whenever they're on the pitch and are easily their two best players on their day. Aguero will want to stay free of injury between now and the end of the season because he's had an injury disrupted season and will want to build up his fitness over the next few weeks so he can get to 100% and start scoring goals. He'll be eager to play a key role for City before the season is over.
I'm going for a City win because they're looking unstoppable at the moment and I can't see them lose this game. With the form they're in and the strength of their squad, they'll have more than enough to claim the three points.
PREDICTION: 0-2
MAN UNITED V NEWCASTLE
After dropping points against West Brom last weekend, Man United will want to put things right by getting the three points in this one. The Red Devils have only won once in their last five games and their recent draws have seen them fall further behind City. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will want his side to play like they did against Real Sociedad in the Europa League last night because they took their chances when they came to them and they put in a good performance to win the game. Anthony Martial will be back for them after missing that game due to injury but Paul Pogba will be out and United could do with someone like him against a team like Newcastle. United have arguably missed Pogba during the last few games because they haven't had that player who can play a good long pass from midfield like Pogba does. He does have his critics but when Pogba's on it, he's a top player.
Newcastle need to look over their shoulders because they're six points above the drop zone and that margin could be reduced to three if they lose and Fulham win. They were never in the game against Chelsea on Monday night as the blues were the better side and won the game 2-0. Callum Wilson was a huge miss for them and will be over the next month because he's out till April with a thigh injury. He makes a huge difference for Newcastle whenever he's on the pitch because he's their best goal scorer and without him they're not the same team. They do have other strikers who can fill in for Wilson but whether they can step up in his absence remains to be seen. Newcastle were putting in better performances prior to their defeat to Chelsea on Monday night but with Callum Wilson out, the fans may start calling for Steve Bruce's head unless the Magpies can get some good results over the next month or so.
I'm going for a United win because they have good enough quality in forward areas to win you a game. With Callum Wilson missing for Newcastle, United should win this game without any serious problems.
PREDICTION: 2-0
MONDAY
BRIGHTON V CRYSTAL PALACE
It was Deja vu against Aston Villa last weekend as they had several chances in the game but didn't take any of them. They were constantly denied by Emiliano Martinez in the Aston Villa goal throughout the game and their old problems came back to bite them. They're in a better position than they were a month ago because they were right in a relegation battle and struggling to win games as well as score goals. Their recent run of 6 games unbeaten has put them in a better position than they were before including wins over Spurs and Liverpool which moved them clear of the bottom three. The Seagulls are 7 points clear of the drop and will want to pull themselves further away by getting a win in this M23 derby clash with Palace. They should have enough to be safe at the end of the season but for that to happen, they need to finish teams off on a regular basis.
Palace were never in the game against Burnley last weekend with poor defending for the goals being the main worry. They conceded after 5 minutes and they never recovered as Burnley scored two more to win the game 3-0 and leave Palace empty handed. The Eagles have won just twice in seven games which is something Roy Hodgson will want to sort out and if he to do that, he needs to find a way to win games without talisman Wilfried Zaha. Palace have won just twice without Zaha in the team since the start of the 2017/18 season with those victories coming against Leicester and Fulham in the 2018/19 season. We have no idea when Zaha will return to action and the Eagles will want it to be soon because they struggle without him in the side and they don't want to finish towards the wrong end of the table. They won't be involved in a relegation battle, but at the moment they're slipping towards the lower part of the table.
I'm going for a Brighton win because Palace are without main man Zaha. The seagulls do miss a lot of chances in front of goal, but I have a feeling they're going to nick this one late on.
PREDICTION: 1-0
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