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This will be the weekend of high-profile encounters, potential and actual relegation six-pointers, battles between high-flying and below-par charges. Top-four teams meet on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal will try to stop red-hot Leicester City, while the Citizens have a difficult task of ending Tottenham’s positive streak. Liverpool, Southampton, West Ham United and Everton are already seen as winners against their respective opponents, since they plan to pursue their European dream, but bear in mind that this is the Premier League, the only competition in Europe where there is no such thing as an absolute favorite. One or two surprises are bound to occur, ant the table could acquire a completely different appearance on Sunday night.
Saturday
13:45 GMT Sunderland vs Manchester United
Special: Man Utd to Win is 10/1
15:00 GMT Swansea City vs Southampton
Maya Yoshida’s early goal against West Ham United (1-0) extended Southampton’s undefeated run to five games. Thanks to their impressive run of late, the Saints started their ascend in the overall standings, currently occupying the 7th place. However, Ronald Koeman’s charges are struggling on their travels this term, with a single triumph in their previous six encounters (D1 L4). Now they arrive to Swansea, where the St Mary’s Stadium outfit are yet to taste the bitterness of defeat in the Premier League. The Swans upped their performances of late, which resulted with the creation of a four-point cushion between the Liberty Stadium outfit and the bottom three. Francesco Guidolin is the main reason for their four-game undefeated run, alongside in-form Sigurdsson and Ayew. Both teams enter this encounter pressure-free, but both teams want to continue their positive runs. That is why I expect a spectacle for the fans, with plenty of fireworks on both sides.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals
15:00 GMT Bournemouth vs Stoke City
AFC Bournemouth will host Stoke City for the first time in the Premier League, hoping to extend the undefeated run on home turf against the Potters they recorded in the League One (W3 D1). Before the loss against Arsenal (2-0) in the previous round, the Cherries were on a four-game undefeated streak, and will be looking to bounce back to winning ways, thus coming one step closer to securing the survival in the league. Stoke City have been suffering from a serious dip in form of late, failing to emerge victorious from six straight matches on all fronts. Also, the Potters struggle in front of opposition goals, with a mere one delivery in the spell and, judging by the below par performances of their offensive line, I do not reckon they are about to start producing anytime soon. Eddie Howe’s charges have been blowing hot and cold at Dean Court this season, scoring just over a goal per game on average, and it will be up to Benik Afobe, who found the net in three consecutive Premier League fixtures, to improve the pale percentage. All point taken, it is obvious that we are up for a dull, low-scoring meeting on Saturday afternoon.
Tip: Under 2.5 goals
15:00 GMT Crystal Palace vs Watford
Alan Pardew’s charges will be looking for their first Premier League triumph since mid-December. The Eagles boat a 0-3-5 record since, with a disappointing three scored goals in the spell. Such miserable streak brought them down to the 12th position in the table, which is why Selhurst Park outfit need a victory, if they plan to stop the downfall. Quique Sánchez Flores’ men have been performing beyond expectations this season, but failed to net a goal in two straight games, and it will be up to Odion Oghalo to stop the negative trend. The Nigerian international have been scoring for fun of late, and will present the biggest danger to Pardew’s drafty defense. With the absence of quite a few star forwards due to injuries, Scott Dann took charge of scoring goals for the Eagles, and Watford should be extra careful with him, at least when it comes to set pieces. The Hornets recorded a single clean sheet in their last seven league games on the road, and I do not suppose they are capable of saving their net this time out. I do not expect a lot of goals in this clash, but I do expect at least a goal on both sides.
Tip: Both teams to score
15:00 GMT Everton vs West Bromwich Albion
The Toffees have been on their highest standard in their last three matches, securing three convincing victories with the identical result (3-0). This raise in form give them every right to hope for a place in Europe next season, but they need to further their winning run. Tony Pulis’ charges have been going through a rough patch in recent fixtures, failing to triumph in their previous five league games. Even though they managed to advance to the next stage of the FA Cup, their pale performance against Peterborough United did not convince me that the Baggies are capable of ending the negative trend this time out. Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley started delivering goals once again, and the struggling West Brom’s defensive line does not appear as a worthy adversary to players of such quality. I expect at least a brace of goals in Foster’s net and, possibly, another clean triumph for the Toffees.
Tip: Home win
15:00 GMT Norwich City vs West Ham United
Thanks to yet another defeat, this time against Aston Villa (2-0), Norwich City continued their fast approach to the very rock-bottom of the Premiership. The Canaries are up for a heavy battle in order to avoid relegation and need to end their five-game losing run fast. West Ham United are one of the biggest surprises of the season, Slaven Bilic is doing wonders with his team, which currently sit on the 6th position in the overall standings. The Hammers recorded a morale-boosting triumph in the FA Cup against Liverpool, thanks to Ogbonna’s extra-time header in the dying moments of the match, and the Boleyn Ground outfit will be high on confidence during their visit to Carrow Road. Dimitri Payet posed himself as the team-leader and much will depend on his performance and inspiration. Even though Alex Neil’s men are in desperate need of points, their below-par displays of late do not convince me they will be anything more than a mere witnesses of West Ham’s new away victory.
Tip: Away win
17:30 GMT Chelsea vs Newcastle United
Special: Chelsea to Win is 8/1
Sunday
12:00 GMT Arsenal vs Leicester City
Special: Arsenal at 10/1 or Leicester City at 12/1
14:05 GMT Aston Villa vs Liverpool
16:15 GMT Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
Special: Man City at 10/1 or Tottenham at 12/1
