FRIDAY:
FULHAM V WOLVES
Fulham missed a big opportunity last weekend to climb out of the relegation zone by losing 3-1 to Aston Villa after taking the lead. Their confidence was gone after Villa's equaliser and they struggled to get themselves back in the game because of that. They'll need to pick themselves up for this one because a defeat like the one they suffered against Villa could really damage their confidence going into the final games of the season.
The Cottagers like the other teams fighting it out at the bottom have some tough games coming up between now and the end of the season with Arsenal and Chelsea in their next two. Those two games could damage their confidence further and especially if they lose or fail to win this one against Wolves. They've lost their last three games in the league and will want to end that rut by getting a good result in this one. Mainly a win.
Wolves showed good character to come back into their game against West Ham on Monday night despite losing the match. The goal they scored before half time gave them some belief that they could get something in the second half but they didn't quite have enough. They really pushed for an equaliser in the final minutes of the game but couldn't find one because West Ham sat deep and held on for the win leaving Wolves empty handed.
This has without a doubt been Wolves' most difficult season since their promotion to the Premier League because we haven't been used to them being in this position since they got promoted back in 2018. The main reason for their struggles has without a doubt been the absence of Raul Jimenez. They haven't scored a lot of goals since he's been out of the team and goals is what he brings to this Wolves team. They've missed his presence at the top end of the pitch because of the goals he scores.
I'm going for a draw in this one because Wolves are missing a clinical no.9 and Fulham are a difficult team to play against. It should be a fairly close game, but I don't think there will be much between the two sides.
PREDICTION: 1-1
SATURDAY:
MAN CITY V LEEDS
Man City had to work hard for their win over Borussia Dortmund in midweek with the German side being more solid defensively than most people thought they would. In the end they got the job done and they have the advantage going into the 2nd leg thanks to Phil Foden's late winner. Foden was excellent throughout on Tuesday night and will be hoping for another start in this one because of the performance he put in against Dortmund.
It will be a matter of games until City have their hands on the title and a win in this one will push them closer towards it. They've been destined for the title since roughly the beginning of February and it now looks like they're definitely going to win it. They were 11th when they met their opponents at the start of the season and it looked like they were facing an uphill battle in terms of playing a part in the title race. They've collected many points since then and in that time they showed that you should never write off a team of their quality.
Leeds still remain in the hunt for a top 10 finish as they're level on points with 10th placed Arsenal and three behind 9th placed Aston Villa. A finish in and around that area would still be a good season for them because it's where they deserve to be based on their efforts this season. They would've been happy with survival at the start of the season because they were a newly promoted team and newly promoted teams usually have survival as their main aim at the start of a season. If they can finish in and around the top 10 at the end of the season, it would be a very good season for them because not many newly promoted teams finish in that area of the table.
Leeds don't have many injury concerns going into this game but they will be without Jack Harrison as he is unable to face his parent club. Harrison is spending his third straight season on loan at Leeds and has been an important player for them ever since he's been at the club. He's been one of their best players this season and his absence in this one is a blow for Marcelo Bielsa's side.
I'm going for a City win because I can see them catch Leeds out whenever Leeds go on the attack. With the quality they have going forward and the kind of team they are, I can see them rip Leeds apart whenever they go forward because of how expansive Leeds are.
PREDICTION: 3-0
LIVERPOOL V ASTON VILLA
After picking up a big win against Arsenal last Saturday, I was disappointed that Liverpool didn't follow that up in midweek against Real Madrid. Their performance overall was poor with Trent Alexander Arnold's defensive header setting up Marco Asensio to score Real's second and Naby Keita being hauled off minutes before half time. Jurgen Klopp will want a better showing from his players in this one so they can gain some confidence to take into the second leg at Anfield on Wednesday.
The reds will be out for revenge in this one following their 7-2 defeat to Villa earlier in the season which set them up to have a tough title defence ahead of them this season. It's definitely turned out that way for them and especially since Christmas where they have fallen away drastically. They haven't won at home since beating Spurs in December and they'll surely be eager to get back to winning ways at home in this one having lost their last six home games going into this one.
Aston Villa's 7-2 win over Liverpool at the start of the season told us that they were not going to be in a relegation battle like they were last season. It's definitely turned out that way as they're 9th in the table and in with a chance of qualifying for Europe next season. They've improved at both end of the pitch by looking more solid defensively and more clinical in attack unlike last season. They've been the most improved team in the league this season.
Villa will once again be without talisman Jack Grealish for this one following another injury set back which will side-line him for another two weeks. A lot of us thought he was going to be back in Villa's win over Fulham last weekend having returned to training in the week leading up to that game. But sadly he wasn't and he's now going to be unavailable for another couple of weeks which will be frustrating news for Villa and for Grealish himself.
I'm going for a Liverpool win because Villa are without Grealish and if he was available for this one, I might've predicted Villa to get something. Liverpool's current home form may be poor, but I'm expecting them to bounce back in this one. Especially as Villa are without their talisman.
PREDICTION: 2-1
CRYSTAL PALACE V CHELSEA
Crystal Palace have lost their last six games against Chelsea with their last win coming back in 2017 which was Roy Hodgson's first win in charge of the Eagles. Palace have beaten Chelsea at this stage of a season before and they happened when they were involved in a relegation battles under Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce. The landscape is a lot different this time because the Eagles are good as safe and unlikely to be dragged in. They lost this fixture 3-2 around this stage of last season where they dropped off and Roy Hodgson will not want that to happen again this time round.
The Eagles could yet have another end of season slump as they face three of the big six in Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool along with high flying Leicester following this difficult clash with Chelsea. They do have a couple of winnable fixtures till the end of the season but overall, Palace have a tough run in.
Chelsea put their surprise defeat to West Brom behind in midweek by winning 2-0 against Porto in the first leg of their Champions League Quarter final tie. They had to dig deep with Porto having most of the shots, but in the end they got the job done and gained an advantage going into the second leg on Tuesday. Thomas Tuchel wanted a reaction from his players following the West Brom results and they gave him one for sure. It was a good solid performance and one which they'll be looking to build upon.
The blues have no injury concerns going into this one with N'Golo Kante expected to make his return after a week out with a hamstring injury suffered whilst on international duty with France. Kante was looking back to his best before he got his injury and his return will be a massive boost for Chelsea going into the rest of the season.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I have a feeling that Palace are going to get something from this game. As Chelsea have dropped points against sides they're expected to beat in recent games, I can see Palace get something here.
PREDICTION: 1-1
SUNDAY:
BURNLEY V NEWCASTLE
Burnley shot themselves in the foot last week against Southampton as they were 2-0 up inside the first half hour before letting that lead slip before half time. It's very unlike Burnley to let a lead like that slip because they're usually well organised and hard to beat. They picked up some good results before the international break and they'll want to return to that kind of form by winning this one along with the other games they have to play.
The Clarets are just a few games from securing safety as they're seven points above the relegation zone and unlikely to set sucked back in because they have a nicer schedule than the teams below them. They have at least four winnable games between now and the end of the season following this one and if they can win at least two of them they should be safe for another season in the Premier League.
Newcastle put in a good display against Spurs last weekend as they started the game on the front foot and forced Spurs into mistakes. Joelinton arguably put in his best performance in a Newcastle shirt by scoring the opener and linking up with his teammates which we haven't seen enough of since he's been at the club. He like his club have something to build on if they're to end the season in the strongest possible way.
The Magpies could have Callum Wilson back for this one which would be a massive boost because he has been a huge loss for them whilst he's been out injured. They haven't scored enough goals during his absence because they haven't had a striker who can put the ball in the net on a consistent basis. With him potentially back alongside Allan Saint Maximin, Newcastle have a good chance of staying up because of how important the pair are to the team itself.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I can't see much between the two sides. Because of that I don't think this game will be anything but a dull affair as they don't score many goals between them.
PREDICTION: 0-0
WEST HAM V LEICESTER
West Ham almost blew another 3-0 lead on Monday night as they held on for a 3-2 win over Wolves where they made a brilliant start. That result moved them into the Champions League places above Chelsea following their defeat to West Brom on Saturday and the question about West Ham's chances will be whether they have enough to stay in that position. The next number of games could tell us the answer.
The biggest blow to the Hammers' top four hopes are the injuries to Declan Rice and Michail Antonio. Rice has been in excellent form this season and has developed as a player throughout the season whilst Antonio is the only recognised striker in their squad. Rice gives the Hammers backline the protection it needs and without him in the side, the Hammers may not be as solid in midfield and the defence may not be as well protected. Mark Noble can do a job there. But the understanding between him and Soucek may not be the same as it is when Rice is alongside the Czech midfielder.
Leicester may have the advantage in this one because of how good they have been on the road and the lack of fans in the stadium which would normally give the home team the advantage. There have been more away wins than home win this season and Leicester have been one of the masters of that with 10 wins out of 15 games on the road which has them 2nd on the away league table behind Man City. They've only lost once on their travels which came against Liverpool back in November.
The Foxes have their FA Cup Semi final against Southampton next weekend and Brendan Rodgers will want his side to win this one so they have some confidence to carry into that cup tie. They may rest a few players in this one with game in mind but I don't think they will because they haven't got a game in midweek and they're playing a side who are one place below them in the league.
I'm going for a Leicester win because West Ham are without Rice and Antonio. With Rice missing in the Hammers' midfield, the defence won't be as well protected and I can see the Foxes use that to their advantage.
PREDICTION: 0-2
TOTTENHAM V MAN UNITED
Spurs' 6-1 win over United at the start of the season was supposed to set them on their way to having a good season. Well, it hasn't exactly turned out that way. Spurs did pick up some good results after that win which lead them to topping the table in November. But since then their form has been inconsistent along with their performances. They have struggled to see games out when they've been ahead like the one against Newcastle last weekend and they haven't started enough games on the front foot which we want to see more of from them because of the players they have in their squad. That's been the story of their season since Christmas.
Spurs' record against teams in the top half of the table has been pretty dreadful with just one win against any of the current top 10 since Christmas which came against Aston Villa before the international break. Jose Mourinho needs to sort that out if Spurs are to finish in the top four at the end of the season because you need to beat the teams around you in order for you finish in those positions. Improving their consistency will be a start for them improving that record.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was under a lot of pressure following the 6-1 game earlier in the season with a lot of people calling for him to be sacked. Six months later he's still in charge and United are above Spurs in the league in 2nd which no one saw coming at the time of their last meeting. Solskjaer deserves a lot of credit for getting United into the position they find themselves in because he was under a lot of pressure for a number of weeks and he stood up to the pressure by getting results which he needed to. United stuck by him like they did before and it paid off as United picked up some good results to reduce the pressure and they now look certain to qualify for next seasons Champions League.
One question I have ahead of this game is who will start for United in goal? David De Gea made his return to the starting line up last night in their 2-0 win over Grenada in the Europa League whilst Dean Henderson has been the first choice for the last number of games in the league. Henderson has done well when he's taken his recent opportunities but De Gea's return last night could put him back in the team for this one. We'll wait and see who Solskjaer picks.
I'm going for a United win because they're unbeaten away from home and Spurs have a poor record against teams in the top half of the table. Spurs may have Son back from injury, but I still think United will in because I'm not sure which Spurs will turn up.
PREDICTION: 1-2
SHEFFIELD UNITED V ARSENAL
Sheffield United won this fixture last season and it set them on their way to having a fantastic season. That results feels like a long time ago now because it was early in the season and both sides were in completely different positions to the ones they're in now. If the Blades are to pull it off again, they'll need to be at their very best because anything less will get them nothing from this game.
The Blades are just games away from relegation as they're 15 points from safety with 8 games left to play. They've been relegation bound for the majority of the season and it now looks certain because they have a tough run in and the players are low on confidence like they have been all season. They were 8th at this stage last season and pushing for Europa League place which now feels like a long time ago. They're now 15 points adrift with little hope of staying up.
Arsenal have surely been given a good kick up the back side after their poor performance against Liverpool last Saturday. They were never in the game from start to finish and they got what their performance deserved which was a defeat. It was the worst Arsenal performance I've seen for a number of months going back to the early part of the season where they were struggling to win games and their performance against Liverpool was similar to those earlier in the season.
The Gunners will be happy to have both Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe back for this one having been out for the last couple of weeks with injuries they picked up during the international break. They were both badly missed against Liverpool because they had no pace or creativity in their play. It was mainly the creative side they missed the most because they had no one to create a number of chances or pull the strings in midfield which is what both Saka and Smith Rowe have done since they came into the team after Christmas. They've grown into important players for the Gunners as the season has progressed.
I'm going for an Arsenal win because I think they'll have more than enough to win this game. With Saka and Smith Rowe back from injury, they should win this game comfortably.
PREDICTION: 0-3
MONDAY:
WEST BROM V SOUTHAMPTON
West Brom picked up a real confidence boost with their 5-2 win over Chelsea last weekend which could well be part of a great escape for them. They made Chelsea look average by pressing them high and forcing them into mistakes which is what they did throughout and they have hopefully gained a lot of confidence from the result and the performance they put in on the day.
The Baggies have already been written off in terms of staying up and you can understand why considering where they are in the table and how far off safety they are. Their result against Chelsea could however give them some much needed hope because winning games can give a team confidence and a result like the one they got against Chelsea is definitely a result that they can build on because of the way they played to get that result. If the Baggies win this one, they could have the confidence the pull off a great escape because they have a manager who has never been relegated and that could give the players plenty of belief.
Southampton showed some good character against Burnley by coming from 2-0 down to win the game 3-2. Danny Ings looked back to his best as he caused the Burnley defence all kinds of problems with his runs in behind and he got what his performance deserved with a goal. If Southampton can keep him fit, the Saints will hopefully have a good end to the season and Ings himself could force his way into the England squad for the Euros.
Southampton's poor form in 2021 has been down to mainly two things. Tiredness from the amount of games played at a high tempo and injuries to key players. One of the players they've missed the most has been Oriol Romeu because he gives the back four the protection it needs and he also gives the midfield the solidity to stop teams breaking through the lines. With Romeu out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, the Saints will need someone to step up and fill in for Romeu so they can end the season strongly.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I can see both side play a similar way and cancel each other out. I can see both teams press high, but I think West Brom will have enough defensively to hold on for the draw because of how much they've improved there recently.
PREDICTION: 1-1
BRIGHTON V EVERTON
Brighton have never lost to Everton at home since they've been in the Premier League with two wins and a draw to their name. They'll be hoping that their unbeaten home run against Toffees will continue in this one as they look to continue their push towards safety. Their hopes may have taken a blow after losing 2-1 to Man United last weekend, but they should still have enough to pull away from danger.
The Seagulls have looked better in front of goal recently with six goals scored in their last three games with half of those coming in the win over Newcastle before the international break. Goals have been Brighton's main problem this season and it's the reason why they've been in a relegation fight. They play some good football but don't take their chances. That's been the case with them all season and something they need to address next season. They have looked better in that department recently, but they still need to improve there if they're to move forward as a football club.
Everton's away from this season has been much better than their home form and you can say that about quite a few teams this season. They dropped points at home yet again on Monday night by drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace where they had some good chances but didn't take them. Vicente Guaita was excellent in the Palace goal by making several good saves but Everton will still be kicking themselves for not taking their chances.
The Toffees must win this game if they're to stay in touching distance of the European places because the teams above will have already played by the time this game begins and they have some tough games coming up with Spurs and Arsenal in their next two. A win in this one will hopefully give them the confidence to get through those games and they need to take it so they can stay in the hunt for a place in Europe next season. They're currently 8th in the league and their challenge of qualifying for Europe looks tough at the moment because the teams above them are all fighting it out for a place in the Champions League.
I'm going for an Everton win because they've been good away from home and I can see them win yet again away from home. Their record at Brighton may not be good, but I can still see them win this one and end that poor run.
PREDICTION: 1-2
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