West Brom v Arsenal (12:30pm Saturday)
Arsenal's problems are highly publicised, with three defeats in four in the league, a massive beating at the hands of Bayern and two routine wins against non-league opposition doing nothing to stem the tide for the Gunners. This has become a must-win game for Arsenal, but it'll be a tough trip to the Hawthorns, to face a West Brom side in good nick and sat 8th in the Premier League table. However, since hitting the 40 point mark and entering March, West Brom have taken their foot off the gas, and back to back comfortable defeats with a few players missing will give the Gunners hope. Could be tense, could be tight.
Prediction: 2-1 Arsenal
Crystal Palace v Watford (3pm)
Palace are resurgent, with back to back wins against West Brom and Boro. This is the sort of game that they need to win, as they have a very nasty fixture list coming up. Nevertheless, Watford are in bad form themsleves and will be wary of finding themselves dragged into a dogfight. This could be a very tight game of football, especially as Mamadou Sakho has finally helped shore up a Palace defence that has been too leaky this season. If you had to back someone in this game, it would be Palace, but I quite fancy the draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Everton v Hull City (3pm)
Everton are in hot form, with only a defeat to Spurs derailing their charge towards European football. Nevertheless, Everton's home form is incredible, with five straight wins since their loss to Liverpool. Hull meanwhile have forged a great home record for Marco Silva, but still struggle to generate any positive results away from home, and you'd assume that this one is as one-sided as it comes.
Prediction: 3-0 Everton
Stoke City v Chelsea (3pm)
This is the sort of potentially sticky game that Chelsea have become experts at navigating, as was evidenced by their 2-1 win against West Ham last time out. I would expect this game to go very similarly to that one, with Chelsea able to exert a level of control over proceedings and score either once or twice to see the game out. Stoke have a wretched record against the top six this season, and despite their goalless draw with City, they'll be going into this one as massive underdogs.
Prediction: 2-0 Chelsea
Sunderland v Burnley (3pm)
What a big game this is for Sunderland. When you're down the bottom, home games are vital. Sunderland may have disappointing home form, with just three wins from fourteen games this season, but that's nothing compared to Burnley's wretched away record of just two draws and twelve defeats. Sunderland frankly aren't going to get many better opportunities this season to rack up three points at home, so they need to take them. But for some reason, I fancy Burnley to nick another point, maybe even more.
Prediction: 2-2
West Ham v Leicester (3pm)
Craig Shakespeare is 3 for 3 since taking over as Leicester boss. But all of those wins have come at the King Power, and Leicester still haven't won a single away game this season, with their away record only marginally better than Burnley's. West Ham meanwhile are in poor form, with just one win in six, following a brutal 3-2 loss to Bournemouth last time out, as well as defeats to Chelsea and Man City. Nevertheless, West Ham have largely played to form this season, beating teams worse than them that come to the London Stadium, so I'm going to back them to edge out this one.
Prediction: 3-1 West Ham
Bournemouth v Swansea (5:30pm)
The big games down the bottom are coming thick and fast. Swansea's loss to Hull last time out, coupled with Bournemouth's huge win over West Ham signalled a dramatic shift in form for both clubs and otherwise I would have predicted a win for the visitors. As it is, this is a very tough one to call. Both teams need the points, both have their various strengths, and whilst it would be easy to sit on the fence, I'm going to back the superior firepower of the Swans despite their loss at the KCOM.
Prediction: 2-1 Swansea
Middlesbrough v Man United (12pm Sunday)
This is an interesting one. Man United are one of only two teams this season who are better away from home than at home (the other being Palace), as they average 2 points per game away from Old Trafford, winning seven of their twelve games and losing just twice. Nevertheless, they're missing their two key players in Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and have struggled all season to break down teams as defensive astute as Boro have been. That, coupled with Boro's new manager bounce, could well be enough for the home side to nick a point. But probably not, especially as Boro almost certainly won't score.
Prediction: 1-0 United
Spurs v Southampton (2:15pm)
Spurs have a terrific record at White Hart Lane, where they swept aside Millwall 6-0 just a week ago. Moreover, their home record is bolstered by their overall good form in the league, their defeat at Anfield their loss in the league in 2017. Only Chelsea can match their league form at the moment. However, they could be missing as many as five key players for this game, including star striker Harry Kane, and that makes them vulnerable. Saints meanwhile haven't played much league football recently with the cups in play, but have won their last two league games and will be well rested. I predict a tight game.
Prediction: 1-1
Man City v Liverpool (4:30pm)
The big game of the weekend is between two of the teams chasing Champions League football: Liverpool and Man City, which is why it's ironic that it may be a Champions League hangover that costs the home side, as they crashed out of the UCL in a bruising encounter with Monaco in France on Wednesday night. That will surely affect their squad's fitness levels. But Liverpool face injury worries of their own, still shorn of Henderson and Sturridge and maybe even losing Origi and/or Firmino. Nevertheless, if the Reds can get Firmino starting with Lovren back in defence they'll be damn close to their best XI, and in big games this season, the Reds have been exceptional. This is going to be a close, tactical encounter, and it could go either way. Much will hinge on whether Firmino starts, and also on the form of Phillipe Coutinho who has been poor in recent weeks but absolutely loves playing against Man City (see 2014, 2015 [twice] and 2016)
Prediction: 2-1 LFC
The Hard and Fast Section
- Leicester are into the quarters of UCL to face Athletico.
- Bayern Munich v Real Madrid. Monaco v Dortmund. Phwoar.
- Man United through to face Anderlecht.
- Karanka gone. Agnew in. Yikes.
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