FRIDAY:
NEWCASTLE V ASTON VILLA
Newcastle must be looking over their shoulders at the moment because they're one point above the relegation zone and Fulham's recent resurgence has put put them and Brighton right in the mix for a relegation battle. The Magpies are without a win in five games and are also without their two best players in Allan Saint Maximin and Callum Wilson. Those two have been a massive miss for them in recent weeks because they haven't been scoring enough goals and the players stepping in haven't stepped up. They had some good chances in their draw at West Brom last timeout, but they didn't take them with Joelinton once again misfiring. Manager Steve Bruce that the draw was a good result for them after the game despite the chances his side missed. It may have been a good point for them because of the position they're in, but they'll still be disappointed that they did win the game because of the good opportunities they had.
Aston Villa will once again be without Jack Grealish for this one as he's still out with a calf injury. He has returned to first team training which is good news for Villa. But he won't be ready for this game against Newcastle. Villa have really missed him in recent games because they haven't had that inventive player on the pitch who can cut defences open. They were left frustrated after their draw with Wolves and defeat to Sheffield United the game before because they struggled to get in behind their defences and part of that was down to the absence of Jack Grealish. Villa are a much better side when Grealish is in the team and if he was available in their last two games they might've won them both. Dean Smith will want his star man back soon so they can get their European push back on track.
I'm going for a Villa win because they have more goals in them than Newcastle at the moment. They may be without Jack Grealish, but they still have other players in their attack who can nick a goal and I can see that happening in this one.
PREDICTION: 0-1
SATURDAY:
LEEDS V CHELSEA
Leeds were wasteful in their defeat to West Ham on Monday night as they had plenty of chances throughout the game but didn't take them. Patrick Bamford was the guilty suspect of those missed chances because he had some very good opportunities to score and he didn't take them. Much like Leeds, it wasn't his day and he'll be hoping that he has his shooting boots on for this one against his former club. Leeds' main problem this season in conceding from set pieces was once again present as they conceded yet another goal from a set piece with Craig Dawson heading in Aaron Cresswell's corner for West Ham's second goal. Leeds may be the most exciting team to watch in the Premier League, but they need to sort out their set piece problems because they've conceded a lot of goals from those positions.
Chelsea continued their unbeaten start under Thomas Tuchel with a 2-0 win over Everton on Monday night with record signing Kai Havertz impressing. The German was used in a more advanced position than he was before and he benefitted from that by making runs into the box and playing a part in both goals. His manager was delighted with his performance and will be hoping that he will carry it into this one so he can finally build up some consistency and increase his confidence. Havertz hasn't had either since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer and he'll be hoping for more performances like that between now and the end of the season so he can prove that he is not an expensive flop. Another good performance form him in this one could put him in the starting line up against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
I'm going for a Chelsea win because they're unbeaten under Tuchel and I can see that run carry on in this game. As the blues are very water tight at the back, I can see them keep a clean sheet as well as claim the three points.
PREDICTION: 0-2
CRYSTAL PALACE V WEST BROM
Crystal Palace are having their ideal season as they're 13th in the Premier League which is roughly where they deserve to be. They're more than good enough to stay up but don't have enough to push for a top 10 finish. So overall, Palace are having a season they expected. Wilfried Zaha may get a start in this one having made his return from injury off the bench in their 4-1 defeat to Spurs on Sunday. Roy Hodgson and Palace will be delighted that he's back from injury because they're not the same team without him. If the Eagles can keep him fit, they could have a good end to the season because he makes a huge difference to them whenever he's on the pitch due to his pace and agility. With someone like Zaha in your team, you stand every chance of winning football matches because of the player he is and the way he plays the game.
West Brom are looking more solid defensively than they were earlier in the season with three clean sheets in their last four games. But it may be too late for them as they're 8 points adrift and Fulham are improving week by week. If they're to stay up they need to win games on a regular basis and for that to happen, they need to score more goals. The Baggies are the joint second lowest goal scorers in the league this season alongside Burnley with 20 goals scored. They never looked like scoring in their draw with Newcastle last weekend and that is something Sam Allardyce will need to sort out if his side are to have any chance of beating the drop. The Baggies have some tough fixtures between now and the end of the season and this one is probably their most winnable. A win in this one will give them an outside chance of staying up.
I'm going for a Palace win because they have Zaha back and I think he will make the difference. It will be a tight game as both sides play a similar play and I think Palace will just edge it with Zaha being the difference.
PREDICTION: 1-0
EVERTON V BURNLEY
Everton missed a big opportunity to move into the top four on Monday night as they were beaten 2-0 by Chelsea. They rarely tested the Chelsea defence with only one of their seven shots being on target and that shot came at the end of the first half. They're still in with a chance of finishing in the top four as they're four points outside it, but realistically they're more likely to qualify for the Europa League which will still be a good season for them. Carlo Ancelotti said that Everton's target is to qualify for Europe after their defeat on Monday and they're on course to do that. They're 6th in the league and if they can finish in and around there at the end of the season, it will still be a successful season because that is where they want to finish at the end of the season. Within the European places.
Burnley will want to return to winning ways soon as they're without a win in their last five games leaving them four points above the drop zone. They have had a tough run in as they've faced the likes of Arsenal, Spurs and Leicester, but Fulham's recent results have began to drag the Clarets back into the mix. They should have enough to stay up because of the manager and players they have. But they need to start winning games again so they can pull themselves further away from trouble. Having Chris Wood back will hopefully help them do that because they're a better team going forward when he's available. With him up top alongside Ashley Barnes, the Clarets are more of a goal threat because they work well as a pair and they cause defenders problems with their movement in the box.
I'm going for an Everton win because I think they'll bounce back from their defeat to Chelsea. Burnley will make it difficult for them, but I can see Everton find a winner late on like they did in this fixture last season.
PREDICTION: 1-0
FULHAM V MAN CITY
Fulham got a huge result last weekend by beating Liverpool which moved them level on points with 17th placed Brighton. They've given themselves a great chance of staying up by winning three of their last six games and they really believe that they can stay up because of the recent results they have had. They do however have a tough run of games between now and the end of the season. Following this tough clash against City they have to play three of the big six in Arsenal, Chelsea and United along with other tough fixtures against Leeds, Aston Villa, Wolves and Southampton. They'll be hoping that their belief and confidence will help them get through those tough games because they'll need it if they're to stay up at the end of the season. The fixtures themselves are not the ones any team fighting relegation will want towards the end of a season.
Man City put their Derby day defeat behind them in midweek by beating Southampton 5-2 on Wednesday night. Southampton gave them a good game in the first half but City had enough in them to win the game and win it comfortably. The result put them 14 points clear at the top and they could stretch that lead to 17 points if they win and the teams below them drop points. With the title all but secured, City will have a chance to progress in the other competitions next week as they face Borussia Monchengladbach in the 2nd leg of their Champions League last 16 tie and Everton in the FA Cup Quarter finals next weekend. If they can progress in those competitions, they could go on to win them both because they have potential to. But it will depend on who they would face in the next round of those respective competitions.
I'm going for a City win because they have more quality and will have enough to win the game. Fulham may have won at Anfield last weekend, but City will have more than enough to win the game.
PREDICTION: 0-2
SUNDAY:
SOUTHAMPTON V BRIGHTON
Southampton gave City a good game in the first half of their 5-2 defeat on Wednesday night by pressing them high early on. But they were let down some by bad defending later on which enabled City to go on and win the game fairly comfortably. Ralph Hasenhuttl will want his players to put that result behind them so they can return to winning ways in order for them to push themselves up the table. A win for the Saints in this one will move them up to 11th which will put them on the right path to recovery having dropped off a lot since Christmas. They ended their recent rut last weekend by beating Sheffield United and they'll want to go on a good run or form so they can push themselves back into the top half which is where they want to be. A win for them here will hopefully give them the confidence to go on a good run of form and end the season strongly.
Brighton are surely looking over their shoulder as they're just outside the relegation zone but only on goal difference. They're without a win in six games and have lost their last three with some really tough games coming up for them. They face Man United, Everton and Chelsea in between two relegation six pointers against Newcastle and Sheffield United. Because of that tough run of games they have coming up, this game is a must win for them because they need some confidence on board to help them through those games and winning this one will hopefully give them the confidence they need. For them to win those games they need to take their chances because they haven't been doing it enough this season and it is why they're in the position they find themselves in. They play some good football up until they reach the six yard box which is where they let themselves down by not finishing teams off.
I'm going for a draw in this one because it's been a draw whenever these two sides have met at St Mary's. With Southampton without Danny Ings and Brighton struggling in front of goal, I can't see there being a winner.
PREDICTION: 1-1
LEICESTER V SHEFFIELD UNITED
Leicester showed some good team spirit in their win over Brighton last weekend as they came from behind to get the win. They were not great in the first half as Brighton went ahead early on. But they pulled themselves together at half time and they showed good character to get the win and give their top fours hopes a massive boost. The Foxes are arguably in a better position than they were this time last season because they're two points off second and at this stage last season they were five points off second. Brendan Rodgers will want his side to stay within touching distance of that position because he and his side will not want another collapse like the one they had last season. They'll once again be without Maddison and Barnes due to injury and they'll want them back soon in order to prevent another collapse at the vital stage of the season.
Sheffield United are running out of time to save their Premier League status as they're 12 points from safety with 10 games left. I was disappointed with their performance against Southampton last weekend because they barely tested the Southampton defence and they didn't show the character they showed in their win over Aston Villa the game before. Chris Wilder will want his players to show some character in every game until the end of the season because he wants his side to end the season strongly with their relegation all but confirmed. They've been relegation bound since the early months of the season where I seriously thought that they would break a lot of unwanted records. Luckily for them, they're not worse than Derby from the 2007-08 season as the Blades have three more points than Derby did in the entirety of that season with 14 compared to Derby's 11.
I'm going for a Leicester win because I think they'll have just enough to claim the three points. Sheffield United will make it a close game, but I think Leicester will just edge it by a single goal.
PREDICTION: 1-0
ARSENAL V TOTTENHAM
Arsenal have no injury concerns going into this game with Emile Smith Rowe making his return off the bench in their Europa League win over Olympiakos last night. The 20 year old has been a key player in Arsenal's post Christmas revival by creating chances which is something Arsenal were not doing earlier in the season. With Smith Rowe back in the side, I can see Arsenal really test Spurs going forward because of the other players they have in offensive positions like Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka. They were the dominant side for most of their 1-1 draw with Burnley last weekend until Granit Xhaka gifted Burnley their equaliser. Arsenal can not afford to make those kind of mistakes in this game because of the opposition they're facing and the attacking players they have. The defenders need to be alert when Spurs are putting them under pressure.
Spurs have put themselves back in the hunt for a Champions League spot by winning their last three games against Burnley, Fulham and Crystal Palace. They were looking completely out of before those games and now they've given themselves a really good chance despite being 5 points behind 4th placed Chelsea. They're playing more on the front foot than they were a few weeks ago by starting games better which has enabled them to score goals. The return of Gareth Bale to the starting line up has helped because he's netted four goals in his last three games and that has eased the burden on Kane and Son who were heavily relied upon earlier in the season. Spurs haven't won at the Emirates in the league since November 2010 and they have a poor record in this fixture overall. Jose Mourinho has a good record against Arsenal from his time at Chelsea and wiil be hoping to end Spurs' winless run at the Emirates in this one.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I think it will be a very close game. Both sides have good players going forward but can look suspect defensively and because of that I think it will ascore draw.
PREDICTION: 2-2
MAN UNITED V WEST HAM
How many people saw United's win over City coming? Probably no one because of the form City were in and United's record against the big six in this season. They started the game brightly and won a penalty in the second minute which Bruno Fernandes scored for the opening goal. It was a good professional performance from them overall as they were solid defensively throughout and occasionally a threat on the break. Dean Henderson impressed between the sticks in the absence of David De Gea by making some important saves and playing a huge role in the second goal by throwing the ball out to Luke Shaw who then went on to score the the goal himself. The main question for United now is whether they can follow that win up with another one here because consistency has been a problem for them in recently and it is the reason why they're not challenging for the title. If they can get some consistency in their game, they could have a strong end to the season.
West Ham kept within touching distance of the top four on Monday night with their 2-0 win over Leeds which moved them within two points of 4th placed Chelsea. This will be a big game for Hammers boss David Moyes because he is returning to United and he will want to show United that he deserved more time by leading his West Ham side to victory. Unlike his time at United, Moyes has been given time to build his own team at West Ham and he has benefitted from that as the Hammers currently lie in 5th place and just two points off the top four. They've made some very good signings and they're looking like a competitive Premier League side unlike last season where they were in a relegation battle. David Moyes deserves a lot of credit for this and he definitely deserves to be nominated for manager of the season.
I'm going for a draw in this one because United are inconsistent and West Ham are having a good season. With United still without Pogba and West Ham being solid and well organised defensively, I can see theHammers hold on for the draw.
PREDICTION: 1-1
MONDAY:
WOLVES V LIVERPOOL
Wolves have struggled to score goals this season and the main reason behind that has been the absence of Raul Jimenez. They really could've done with him against Aston Villa last weekend because they got in so many good positions to score but couldn't find that all important target man. Willian Jose hasn't got going since his arrival in January and part of that has been down to him not arriving in the box at the right time. Wolves have often relied on the pace of Adama Traore and Pedro Neto out wide to be their main source of attacking threat. But that hasn't always worked because in order to win football matches on a regular basis you need a striker to put the chances away and Wolves haven't had that this season. If they can get Willian Jose firing as soon as possible, they'll hopefully have a good end to a tough season.
Liverpool picked up a massive confidence boost in midweek by beating RB Leipzig 2-0 in the 2nd leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Having Fabinho back in midfield was massive for them it gave the defence more solidity and protection plus it enabled the forward players and other midfielders to express themselves further up the pitch. Thiago arguably had his best game in a Liverpool shirt whilst the front three minus Firmino looked on it as they caused the Leipzig defenders problems with their pace and runs in behind. The lack of a defensive midfielder has taken a lot out of Liverpool over the last two or three months because they haven't had that protector in front of the back four who can enable the other two midfielders to push up the pitch and help out the attacking players. With Fabinho now back in his best position, the reds will hopefully see an improvement in results.
I'm going for a Liverpool win because they should have some confidence on board from their win in midweek where they had Fabinho back in midfield. With the Brazilian back in his best position, I believe that Liverpool will go on and get the win because they have that protection at the back and fluency in attack.
PREDICTION: 1-2
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