Crystal Palace v Chelsea (12:30pm Saturday)
League leaders Chelsea have a chance to stretch their lead at the top of the Premier League to nine points before their rivals play, and with Liverpool and Arsenal facing extremely tough games this weekend, there will be no lack of motivation for the Blues to win this game. And win it you have to suggest that they will. I'm curious to see how Palace go in this game to be honest. Chelsea have the best defence in the league but Palace have goals to spare in their team. Nevertheless, you have to say that if Hazard plays, Chelsea will score enough goals to win easily and even without him they should have enough firepower to breach a pretty poor Palace defence.
Prediction: 2-1 Chelsea
Middlesbrough v Swansea (3pm)
This should be an interesting one. Boro have a solid defensive record but the worst attack in the league. Swansea cannot defend at all but are decent coming forwards. Both teams really need the points, but Boro only managed one goal against even Hull. I think this one could go either way but for me Boro's lack of goals will come back to haunt them as I can't see them keeping a clean sheet.
Prediction: 1-1
Stoke City v Leicester City (3pm)
If Leicester are away from home, I'm predicting them to lose. Sooner or later the Foxes will win a game away from home, but until then I'm just going to hedge my bets and play it safe. And to be honest, taking these teams on their own merits I fancy Stoke, who are playing quite well at the moment, especially defensively and have lost just two of their last ten. Leicester have just one win in their last seven games, and have lost their last three games away: to Watford, Sunderland and Bournemouth.
Prediction: 2-0 Stoke
Sunderland v Watford (3pm)
This game looking like a must-win for Sunderland, as they face a tough Christmas period. Watford have been decidedly average lately, and Sunderland have been in okay form at home, but at the same time, if Watford play anywhere their best, they should walk all over Sunderland. But Watford haven't won away from home in two months, so I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to the home side.
Prediction: 1-0 Sunderland
West Ham v Hull (3pm)
Another huge game at the bottom of the table, with Hull staring down the barrel of a horrible 2017. And it's hard to see the Tigers getting anything from this one, given how utterly dreadful their away form is, having lost five in a row away from the KCOM. That said, West Ham have been pretty miserable themselves in recent weeks, admittedly against a really tough run of opposition. Even so, the Hammers have more quality on paper and surely should nick this one.
Prediction: 1-0 West Ham
West Brom v Man United (5:30pm)
This is a really tough trip for Man United. West Brom have picked up thirteen points from their last six games, the second best form in the Premier League, and haven't lost a game to a side outside the top four in over three months, with Chelsea beating them last weekend and Man City and Liverpool winning against them near the end of October. United haven't indicated recently that they'll have enough firepower to score more than once and you've got to back West Brom to score, especially at home where they've been excellent this season, scoring ten goals in their last three games at home. I'm going to go with a draw, but I could see West Brom nicking this one.
Prediction: 1-1
Bournemouth v Southampton (1:30pm Sunday)
This is a tough one to call. Both of these teams have been wildly inconsistent this season, turning in great performances one week and poor ones another. At the moment with Southampton I'm always tempted to say either 1-0 or 0-0, and whilst that is rarely the case with Bournemouth this season, I'm think I'm going to opt for the former, and back the Cherries to win this one.
Prediction: 1-0 Bournemouth
Man City v Arsenal (4pm)
The big one. This is such an important game in both of these teams' seasons. The loser could be out of the title race, Spurs are sniffing around waiting to jump into the top four, and both of these teams have quality bursting at the seams. This could be a really intense, tight game of football, and I honestly don't know which side I favour. So I'm going to fence-sit, partly because I think this game is impossible to predict, but partly because I think these sides are evenly matched and these sorts of games tend to end in a draw.
Prediction: 2-2
Spurs v Burnley (4pm)
I'm not even going to try and pretend that this is anything other than a home banker. Burnley have only picked up one point away from home and have picked up some real spankings away from Turf Moor. Spurs have been in mixed form in recent weeks but won very easily against both Swansea and Hull at White Hart Lane, where they're unbeaten this season and have dropped just four points along the way. This could be ugly.
Prediction: 4-0 Spurs
Everton v Liverpool (8pm Monday)
Who doesn't love a Merseyside Derby? This has come at a very interesting point in the season for both of these clubs, who both returned to form in midweek, Everton turning over Arsenal as Liverpool smashed Boro. Everton still haven't lost at home this season, but in general they've not played particularly well at Goodison for a few weeks. If Liverpool can turn on the style that they were able to against Boro then they should win, but this a really tough one and a close call.
Prediction: 2-1 Liverpool
The Hard and Fast Section
- Moeen century. England 284-4. Fighting.
- Bottas set for Mercedes move. Exciting.
- Suarez has a £167.5m buyout clause. Sign him up Klopp.
- Judo funding cut. Disappointment.
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