Burnley v Man City (12:30pm Saturday)
This is a tough one to call. Burnley are very very good at home, and generally don't concede many goals at all. Man City's away form has been pretty solid though, and they're used to scoring a lot of goals this season. Nevertheless, they also played their strongest team away in Germany on Wednesday night, which means that they'll probably make quite a few changes, including Sergio Aguero who has a niggle. If they don't, then their team will certainly be fatigued. That, coupled with Burnley's exceptional home form means that I think a shock could be on the cards.
Prediction: 1-1
Hull v West Brom (3pm)
Another potentially tricky one to call, but Hull really are very very awful at the moment. Their home form isn't atrocious but then neither is West Brom's away form, and the Baggies looked mightily impressive on Monday night against a lackluster Burnley team. You'd have to say that West Brom really should be favourites to nick all three points.
Prediction: 2-0 West Brom
Leicester v Middlesbrough (3pm)
Leicester are another team in European action, but their comfortable win on Tuesday night gives them a bit more recovery time and they've not looked as fatigued post-European games this season. Moreover, they're at home and their form at the King Power has been excellent over the last twelve months. Boro on the other hand, looked decent at the back against Chelsea but lacked cutting edge, and you can't see them troubling the Foxes too much based on current form.
Prediction: 1-0 Leicester
Liverpool v Sunderland (3pm)
This one is a game that Liverpool should win. Sunderland are, it has to be said, in very good form with back to back wins, but those wins were against Bournemouth and Hull, and truthfully Liverpool should offer a totally different prospect. At Anfield, where the Reds' form is impeccable, with a week off to recover and no fresh injury concerns, Liverpool have no excuses for not being at if not near their best, and if they manage that, then they should win easily.
Prediction: 4-1 Liverpool
Swansea v Crystal Palace (3pm)
Swansea won't get many better opportunities to pick up their first win since the opening day of the season than this one. Palace are in wretched form, and once they start a slide under Pardew, it gets worse before it gets better. It's early days in the season but this is already looking like a must-win game for both sides, with the relegation battle already looming large over both of their respective campaigns.
Prediction: 1-1
Chelsea v Spurs (5:30pm)
You have to say that it doesn't look good for Spurs. Chelsea are in imperious form, with six wins on the bounce, not conceding in any of them. Moreover, Spurs themselves look lackluster and were torrid in midweek against Monaco. That coupled with injuries to key players such as Alderweireld, and the fact that they played in midweek, all goes against their cause. That said, this is a high intensity game and it will not be as easy as some might think for Chelsea. So much depends on the quality of Chelsea's individual flair players like Hazard (who has history against Spurs). But I think they have to be favourites to nick it, even though Spurs will certainly give them a game.
Prediction: 2-1 Chelsea
Watford v Stoke City (12pm Sunday)
A tasty one this one. Both teams have only lost one of their last six and are climbing the table. Both teams have set systems working for them, and individual key players. Sadly for Stoke though, one of their key players, Joe Allen, won't be playing, and this is a huge loss. Moreover, Watford have only lost once at home this season, and that was to Arsenal, so you don't fancy Stoke to come and pick up the win. Watford to nick it for me.
Prediction: 2-1 Watford
Arsenal v Bournemouth (2:15pm)
Arsenal did have midweek football, and Bournemouth have done well so far in this season's Premier League. Moreover, we've already seen Boro come to the Emirates and snatch a point. However, realistically this is clutching at straws, and when Bournemouth concede against big teams, they tend to end up getting a bit of a thumping. I could see Arsenal returning to form here in a big way.
Prediction: 4-0 Arsenal
Man United v West Ham (4:30pm)
United are a team right now that are in mixed form. One win in six in the league, but only losing one game in their last two months. Much improved performances against Swansea, Arsenal and Feyernoord suggest that United are getting back to somewhere near their best. And truthfully, against a West Ham side that remain nowhere near good enough, and that are teetering on the edge of the drop zone, somewhere close to United's best form should be more than enough to secure a comfortable win.
Prediction: 3-1 United
Southampton v Everton (4:30pm)
And finally, this is an interesting clash between two sides that are good, but not quite good enough to challenge for the top four. Southampton are in a rut, admittedly exacerbated by very tough fixtures, having played the top three in their last four games. Likewise, Everton are struggling for form, with one win in seven and suffering a brutal hammering at the hands of Chelsea a couple of weeks ago. Everton's away form is dismal, Southampton's home form pretty solid so I'm going to give the edge on this one to home advantage.
Prediction: 1-0 Southampton
The Hard and Fast Section
- Buttler and Woakes back in. Broad injured. Duckett dropped.
- Aussies finally looking good in third test.
- Hamilton fastest in practice. Too little too late?
- England make changes again ahead of Argentina test.
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