It was a dramatic round of games in the Premier League in midweek and none more so than Manchester City’s dramatic injury-time winner against Southampton courtesy of Raheem Sterling to maintain their eight-point lead at the top over Manchester United.
Another action-packed weekend awaits and each week I will be posting my picks for the upcoming matches on here. Please feel free to send me yours. Up to now, I’ve not been having the best season so far as I’m currently under 50% but hopefully my luck will start to change. Anyway enough talking here we go with my Predictions....
Saturday
- CHELSEA 2 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0
After a shaky start, Chelsea has started to click into gear and are unbeaten in six games. They did what they had to do in sneaking past struggling Swansea City on Wednesday night but had boss Antonio Conte sent off for comments he made to a linesman and he faces a touchline ban as a result.
Newcastle had lost 4 in a row but steadied the ship somewhat coming back from two-goal score down to pinch a draw with West Bromwich Albion in midweek.
The Blues rested star man Eden Hazard so he will be fresh and I believe he will be too much for the Magpies in this one.
- BRIGHTON 0 LIVERPOOL 3
Brighton have made a really creditable start to life back in the big time under boss Chris Hughton and currently sit in 10th spot.
They don’t look phased in the top-flight but this is a start of a crucial period with the crammed Xmas and New Year period coming up.
Liverpool is the original Jekyll and Hyde outfit. One game they can look unstoppable and the next can be as if they’ve never played with each other before. In Mo Salah the Reds have THE signing of the season and he bagged another two goals coming off the bench in midweek taking his total to 17 in all competitions so far.
An incredible return.
Salah and Sadio Mane will cause mayhem for the Seagulls rearguard. The question is will the Reds backline be able to hold out?
- EVERTON 2 HUDDERSFIELD 1
Was Everton’s four-goal hammering of West Ham Utd a turning point in their season? I think it could well be especially with the fact that Sam Allardyce has taken over and Wayne Rooney will be buzzing after his hat-trick against the Hammers.
Huddersfield seems to be in free fall now with three successive defeats and they will want to stop the rot. They have been too defensive on their travels and will need to show some threat to the Toffees but the home side to win this for me.
- LEICESTER 2 BURNLEY 2
This is a tough one to call. Both teams will be brimming with confidence after cracking wins in the week. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are looking very dangerous but Burnley’s away record has been excellent this term. Think it’s going to be an entertaining game but a draw for me.
- STOKE 2 SWANSEA 1
Both teams in dire form and at the wrong end of the table. The Swans are already entrenched in the bottom three and defeat for Stoke could see them join them.
Again another’s tough call but I’m going with the home advantage here.
- WATFORD 1 TOTTENHAM 3
Watford has had an excellent season so far under Marco Silva but they’re coming off the back of a heavy home defeat to Manchester United.
Tottenham have failed to win any of their three league games since the international break and are going backwards in the table currently lying in seventh place. There’s too much quality in the Spurs side for such a run to continue much longer and I see them having too much firepower for the Hornets on Saturday.
- WEST BROM 2 C PALACE 2
Alan Pardew’s first game in charge of the Baggies against the club he both played for and managed. Another relegation six-pointer but I believe there will be goals.
Palace have a lot of excellent players going forward especially in Wilfried Zaha bit I really can’t pick a winner so will sit on the fence.
- ARSENAL 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 2
The game of the weekend and I found myself wrestling with this one. I could see either side taking the points but I think United’s greater physical presence and defensive shape will just see them through.
It’s the type of game where Romelu Lukaku needs to shed that flat-track bully tag and produce on the big stage. Arsenal have won their last three without conceding a goal and this should be an absolute cracker.
Sunday
- BOURNEMOUTH 2 SOUTHAMPTON 1
The South Coast Derby is always a passionate affair and this will be no different. Bournemouth sits just four points above the drop zone and the Saints a further two-point score better off.
Both teams come into the game off the back of defeats in midweek and I see this being a tight affair but am tending to lean towards the home side nicking this one.
- MANCHESTER CITY 4 WEST HAM UNITED 0
On paper, this does look like the easiest pick of the week but you just never know in this game. Man City in imperious form conquering all that come before them while West Ham are just going from bad to worse. You feel that City’s run will come to an end at some point but I can’t see any chance of that happening against the Hammers. To me, it’s a question of how many City will score.
Look out for my review of the week's action and more predictions next week.
