FRIDAY:
LEICESTER V NEWCASTLE
Leicester will move a win away from securing Champions League football for next season if they win this one and 5th placed West Ham fail to win their game against Everton. The Foxes are currently 5 points clear of West Ham and a win here will extend that gap to 8 points until West Ham play their game against Everton on Sunday.
The Foxes have a tricky run of games till the end of the season following this one as they face Man United, Chelsea and Spurs in their final three games as well as the FA Cup final against one of those teams in Chelsea. These final few games could really test their top four credentials because of the quality of opposition they'll be facing in their remaining games. They blew their top four hopes in the final month of last season and hopefully that won't happen again because of the margin between themselves and the teams below them outside the top four.
Newcastle never really turned up in their defeat to Arsenal last weekend as they didn't create many clear cut chances if not any during the whole 90 minutes. They did have both Callum Wilson and Allan Saint Maximin back on the pitch together for the first time since February, but both of them were largely ineffective for most of the game. Steve Bruce will want a better showing from his players in this one so they can push themselves further towards safety.
The Magpies should be pretty much safe as they're 9 points clear of the relegation zone but they still need a couple more wins to be mathematically safe for another season. They have Man City following this one which could put them back in the picture if Fulham win their next two including their game with Burnley on Monday night. But the Magpies do however two winnable ones to end the season with in Sheffield United and Fulham which they'll be looking to win. The Fulham game could turn out to be a big one if the gap between them and Newcastle decreases.
I'm going for a Leicester win because I think they'll have enough quality to win this game. They're in some decent form at the moment and have more than enough in them to beat Newcastle.
PREDICTION: 2-0
SATURDAY:
LEEDS V TOTTENHAM
Leeds' top 10 hopes took a blow last weekend following their 2-0 defeat to Brighton where they were second best for most of the contest. They were not as clinical in attack as they have been for the majority of the season and they missed Kalvin Phillips' influence in midfield which they have done whenever he's been unavailable. If Phillips is unavailable in this one like he was last weekend, Leeds could once again struggle.
Marcelo Bielsa's men have taken points off four of the big six recently with draws against Chelsea, Liverpool and Man United plus a win at champions elect Man City. That should give them some confidence going into this game because they showed against those teams that they can compete against them and get a result. They looked relatively solid in those games and they've been that since the turn of the year. Their improvement in that area has helped them push towards the top half of the table.
Spurs were back to their attacking best against Sheffield United last time out with Gareth Bale bagging his first hat trick on English soil since December 2012. It may have been against the team at the bottom of the league who have already been relegated but Spurs still put in a good performance and they had to because they want to end the season on a strong note. Ryan Mason will want another one like that in this one so Spurs can edge closer towards European football for next season.
Spurs are still yet to appoint a permanent manager ahead of next season and they'll be looking to appoint one soon the new boss can start planning ahead of next season. Their search for a new boss appears to be more difficult than we thought as there is no clear favourite to take the job. Brendan Rodgers may be the bookies favourite but he won't leave Leicester any time soon because of the project he has there. Whoever comes in to take the job will have a big job on their hands in rebuilding the side after two disappointing seasons.
I'm going for a Spurs win because Leeds may be without Kalvin Phillips who has been a big miss for them whenever he hasn't played. With Spurs finally clicking in attack with Gareth Bale coming into form alongside Kane and Son, Spurs should have enough to win this game.
PREDICTION: 1-3
SHEFFIELD UNITED V CRYSTAL PALACE
Sheffield United were never in the game against Spurs last time out and you weren't really expecting to. Paul Heckingbottom will want a response from his players in this one so they can end the season strongly in order to build some momentum to take into the Championship next season. That result against Spurs dented their hopes of doing that and a win in this one will hopefully get them back on track.
The Blades' win in this fixture last season set them up for a successful first season back in the top flight because it was early in the season and it gave them a platform to build on for the rest of the season. They haven't built on that platform this season because they lost a lot of games in the early stages and their lack of wins early on are why they've been relegated. They need to end the season strongly so they can have something to build on for the start of next season.
Crystal Palace will be eager to return to winning ways in this one having lost their last three league games against Chelsea, Leicester and Man City. With those games now done and out of the way the Eagles can now look forward to ending the season on a strong note. Their remaining games are almost half winnable half tough as they face Southampton and Aston Villa following this one before taking on Arsenal and Liverpool in their final two games. They'll be looking to get points in their next three including this one so they have some confidence to take into those tough final two fixtures.
The Eagles have had a fairly solid season this year as they've kept themselves out of a relegation battle to remain in the middle of the table which is where they deserve to be. Having another season like that next year could be tough as they have a number of players out of contract in the summer along with their manager who is yet to be offered a new deal. They need to sort both out at the end of the season so they can start planning ahead of the new one.
I'm going for a Palace win because I think they'll have enough in them to win this game. They're solid and well drilled at the back like they have been over the last few seasons and with a player like Wilfried Zaha in your side, you have every chance of winning. I can see him have a good game in this one.
PREDICTION: 0-2
MAN CITY V CHELSEA
Man City will finally get their hands on the title if they win this one and it would mark a very good week for them. They booked their place in the Champions League final on Tuesday night by beating PSG 2-0 where they were the better side throughout. They've finally reached the stage of the competition they've always wanted to reach and all they have to do is deliver on the day which I'm sure they will because of the team they are.
City surely will play a stronger team in this one than they did against their opponents in the FA Cup a few weeks. They never really turned up on the day as they struggled to get in behind Chelsea's solid backline and create any serious opportunities. With this game being the one where they'll hopefully secure the title, Pep will hopefully field his best team so they can get the result they need in order to win the title.
Having beaten them in the FA Cup a few weeks ago, Chelsea have the opportunity to beat them three times in a season as they will meet City in the Champions League final at the end of May. They put in a convincing performance in their semi final win over Real Madrid and they now have the opportunity to complete an unlikely double as they have the FA Cup final to play next Saturday.
The Blues are the favourites to take that final Champions League spot as they currently occupy that position ahead of 5th placed West Ham. They do have some challenging fixtures to end the season with but they should still have enough in them to stay in that position as they have a strong squad and a good manager at the helm. I can't see them falling away any time soon.
I'm going for a City win because I think they'll have enough quality to win the game. They'll hopefully play a stronger team than they did against Chelsea a few weeks ago and if they do they'll put in a much better performance than they did in the FA Cup.
PREDICTION: 2-1
LIVERPOOL V SOUTHAMPTON
Liverpool have had two weeks to prepare for this game after their clash with Man United last weekend was postponed due to the Man United fans protesting against their club on the Old Trafford turf. Hopefully they've used the last two weeks to work on their shooting because of the amount of chances they missed in their last two games against Leeds and Newcastle. They created a lot of goals scoring opportunities in those games but they didn't take them all as they dropped points from winning positions in both. Jurgen Klopp will not want that to happen again in this one because this is a game that his side have to win they're to finish in the top four at the end of the season.
The reds will need to win pretty much all their remaining fixtures if they're to qualify for next seasons Champions League because they're 7 points behind 4th placed Chelsea and they'll also need the teams above to drop points in order for them to finish in those spots. They have a big end to the season ahead of them as they look to climb back into that top four before the season ends.
Southampton were 6th after their win over Liverpool in the reverse fixture back in January and now they find themselves 11 places lower in 15th. They were also level on points with then 4th placed Spurs on that day as well with a potential top four challenge on the cards after a good start to the season. But was never going to be the case as they've won just twice since that win at St Marys with those wins coming against Sheffield United and Burnley.
The Saints will once again be without Danny Ings for this one as the former Liverpool striker is still out with a hamstring injury which could rule him out for the rest of the season. Ings has had an injury disrupted season this year as he's scored just 10 goals which is almost almost half of what he got last season. He might've had more goals to his name if it wasn't for the injuries he picked up and Southampton may not be where they are in the table.
I'm going for a Liverpool win because Southampton are without Danny Ings who will be a big loss for them. The reds have struggled to kill teams off recently but they should have enough in them to win this one because Southampton are without their top goal scorer and the reds have had two weeks to work on their shooting.
PREDICTION: 2-0
SUNDAY:
WOLVES V BRIGHTON
Wolves look set to finish roughly where they are now in 12th because they're unlikely to push for a top 10 finish or drop further down the table towards the bottom. They're safe for another season in the Premier League and there is not much they can do between now and the end of the season in terms of challenging for anything else.
One of Wolves' problems this season has been defending from set pieces/crosses and that problem continued in their 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday night. You would never think that to be a problem for Wolves because they're usually well organised and hard to beat defensively with some big centre haves in Conor Coady and Willy Boly in their backline. They'll need to sort this out next season because they will not want another mid-table finish due to the standards they've set themselves since they've been in the Premier League.
Brighton will secure their Premier League status for another season if they win this one as they're 10 points off the drop zone with four games left to play. Their win over Leeds last weekend all but guaranteed their safety and they'll want to get the job done in this one by winning the game as they have some tough ones to end the season with.
They put in an impressive and clinical display last time out against Leeds as they pressed them high up the pitch and took their chances when they mattered. They did miss some glorious opportunities like they have done all season but when they got in other good positions to score they took them. Graham Potter will want more of that from this players until the end of the season so they can end it on a positive note.
I'm going for a draw in this one because both sides have struggled to score this season and I can see that coming back to bite them in this game. As they're both reasonably solid defensively, I think the game will be a low scoring draw.
PREDICTION: 0-0
ASTON VILLA V MAN UNITED
Aston Villa picked up a surprising victory last time out against Everton as they won the game without talisman Jack Grealish. It was only their third win without their skipper this season and there is a slight chance that he will be available for this game which will be a huge boost for them. He probably won't play the full 90 minutes as he's out for a month but if he does get the chance to play he'll make a huge difference for Villa like he usually does whenever he's on the pitch.
Villa could move above Arsenal in the table if they win this one and Arsenal drop points in their game against West Brom as they're just one point behind the Gunners in 10th. You would never have said this at the start of the season because many people were expecting Villa to be in another relegation fight having just stayed up last season on the final day. They've kicked on this season by bringing in the right players and building on from where they left off last season in being more solid defensively. Dean Smith deserves a lot of credit for this and because of how much Villa have improved this season Smith deserves to be nominated for manager of the season alongside David Moyes and Pep Guardiola.
Man United broke their semi final cruse last night as they reached the final of the Europa League beating Roma 8-5 on aggregate despite losing 3-2 on the night. A win in that final would mark a very good season for them because they're on course to finish in the top four and winning a trophy at the end of any season is usually considered as a success. This season has arguably been their best one since Fergie left because they're playing attacking football and there is a more positive feel around the team.
United may rest some players in this one as they have to play three times in one week. After this one against Villa they play on Tuesday night against Leicester before taking on Liverpool in their rearranged game on Thursday. As they'll be up against tough opposition in Leicester and Liverpool Solskjaer may want to rest the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in this one so they can be ready for the two big games in midweek.
I'm going for a United win because they're unbeaten away from home and I can see that run continuing in this one. With Villa likely to be without Jack Grealish again, United should have enough in them to win the game.
PREDICTION: 0-1
WEST HAM V EVERTON
West Ham got their top four challenge back on track on Monday night with their 2-1 win at Burnley where Michail Antonio marked his return to the side with two goals. Having Antonio back for the end of season run in will be crucial for the Hammers because they'll need their best players available if they're to secure European football for next season. The Hammers are two wins away from securing their place in next seasons Europa League as they're 6 points clear of 8th placed Everton and a win here will move them closer.
The Hammers were in a relegation fight this time last season and were more or less safe after beating Norwich 4-0. Like Aston Villa they've kicked on from the end of last season as they find themselves at a completely different end of the table in the Europa League places. David Moyes deserves a lot of credit for this and I won't be surprised if he is named manager of the season.
Everton may give themselves a chance in this one as they're playing away from home which is where they've had the majority of their success this season. This is a game they have to win if they're to play European football next season because anything less than a win will see them fall behind in the race for finishing in those places. They're two points behind 7th placed Liverpool and they will need to keep the pressure on them if they're to stand any chance of playing in Europe next season.
The Toffees don't have too many injury concerns going into this game but they could be without James Rodriguez who missed their defeat against Aston Villa last time out with a calf injury. They'll have Dominic Calvert Lewin and Richarlison available which is good news for them but without a fit and firing James, the Toffees lack some creativity in the final third of the pitch.
I'm going for a draw because I think it will be a very close game. Both sides have their best attacking players available and because of that I'm going for a goal scoring draw.
PREDICTION: 2-2
ARSENAL V WEST BROM
Arsenal's season is now dead and buried with the club out of the Europa League following their exit at the hands of Villarreal last night losing 2-1 on aggregate. With European football for next season looking very unlikely Mikel Arteta could be facing the chop as manager because the Gunners are probably going to finish in either 8th, 9th or 10th which isn't a good enough season for them by any means. It's been their wore season for a number of years and they have some serious planning to do in the summer if they're to get back to where they want to be.
They played well in their last league game against Newcastle where they dominated the game from start to finish. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was back on the score sheet in his first game since recovering from malaria and he'll be looking to bag another one here so he can end his disappointing season on a positive note. Much like Arsenal themselves.
West Brom will be relegated if they lose this one and Sam Allardyce's record of never been relegated as manager will also end as well. Big Sam has always saved clubs from the threat of relegation in the past but this year his luck has pretty much run out with the Baggies 10 points from safety with four games left to play. They need to really go for it in this one if they're to keep their faint hopes of survival alive.
The Baggies did have some hope of pulling off a great escape with their wins over Chelsea and Southampton at the start of April. But their last three results have pretty much ended that in draws with Aston Villa and Wolves along with a defeat at Leicester. It was always going to be a tough ask for them to pull it off because of how many points adrift they were one or two months ago.
I'm going for an Arsenal win because I think they'll have enough to beat West Brom. Their season may be over, but they should still have enough in them to win this game and relegate West Brom.
PREDICTION: 2-0
MONDAY:
FULHAM V BURNLEY
This is a game that Fulham have to win if they're to keep their faint hopes of survival alive as the Cottagers are nine points from safety with four games left to play. Their defeat to Chelsea last weekend all but killed any hope they had of staying up and they now need to pick themselves up if they're to stand any chance of beating the dreaded drop.
The Cottagers were in with a chance at the beginning of April but three defeats and a draw later has dragged them closer towards the drop. Their confidence is low having conceded late in three of their last four games against Aston Villa, Wolves and Arsenal. They conceded in stoppage time against Wolves and Arsenal and they were seconds away from securing some precious points. If there was any moment in the season that sent them down it was their last four games.
Burnley are pretty much safe and two more wins for them will guarantee that. They're nine points above the drop zone and that should be enough to keep them in the Premier League for another season with four games still to play. They were always going to stay up because of the manager they have and a win here will move them closer to the promised land.
Sean Dyche said that his side conceded soft goals after their defeat to West Ham on Monday night which you never really say about Burnley because of how solid and organised they are defensively. They've been that since Sean Dyche has been in charge and they'll be like that the longer he stays. He's the reason why Burnley are established in this league and with him in charge the Clarets are always going to survive.
I'm going for a draw in this one because I can't see much between the two sides. They're both reasonably strong defensively and I think they'll both be that in this one along with not taking chances which they've both struggled with this season.
PREDICTION: 1-1
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