PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH PREVIEWS MONDAY DECEMBER 28 – WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30

Crystal Palace v Swansea City – Monday 1500

Positions: Crystal Palace 5^th, Swansea 16^th

Form: (League matches only – earliest matches first):

Crystal Palace

LWDWWD (11pts)

Swansea

DLLLLW (4pts)

• Swansea finally recorded a win on Boxing Day after a wait of eight matches. However, they face a tough trip to a Crystal Palace side who are unbeaten in five. Palace forwards Connor Wickham and Yannick Bolasie have been ruled out for at least another month.

Everton v Stoke City – Monday 1500

Positions: Everton 9^th, Stoke 11^th

Form:

Everton

WDDDLW (9pts)

Stoke

WLWDLW (10pts)

• Romelu Lukaku’s scoring run ended on Saturday, but Everton still managed a last gasp win. They may be hard pressed to repeat the feat against a Stoke side who now boast many talented players – the rough and tumble days under Tony Pulis appear long gone. Everton’s injury issues appear to be easing though, and a number of key players may return from injury wither in this match, or in the coming weeks.

Norwich City v Aston Villa – Monday 1500

Positions: Norwich 17^th, Aston Villa 20^th

Form:

Norwich

LDLDWL (5pts)

Aston Villa

LLDLDD (3pts)

• If there are any crumbs of comfort for Villa, it is that they have managed to record several draws lately. Villa must start winning soon if they have any chance of staying up, and this match is one of the ones they really need to target.

Watford v Tottenham Hotspur – Monday 1500

Positions: Watford 7^th, Tottenham 4^th

Form:

Watford

LWWWWD (13pts)

Tottenham

WDDLWW (11pts)

• Two teams in decent form meet here – perhaps a high scoring draw is on the cards?

West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United – Monday 1500

Positions: West Brom 13^th, Newcastle 18^th

Form:

West Brom

WDDDLL (6pts)

Newcastle

LLWWDL (7pts)

• West Brom are now without a win in five, lost to Swansea last time out and stand just three places above the relegation zone. Newcastle have failed to capitalise on their two recent back-to-back wins, so this could give the Baggies a chance to get back to winning ways.  They will however be without the suspended James McClean and Salomon Rondon once again.

Arsenal v Bournemouth – Monday 1730

Positions: Arsenal 2^nd, Bournemouth 14^th

Form:

Arsenal

LDWWWL (10pts)

Bournemouth

DDWWWD (12pts)

• This season never ceases to surprise – few would have guessed that Arsenal would lose heavily at Southampton. Their opponents here are in superb form, but Arsenal probably remain favourites.

Manchester United v Chelsea – Monday 1730

Positions: Man Utd 6^th, Chelsea 15^th

Form:

Man Utd

WDDLLL (5pts)

Chelsea

WDLLWD (8pts)

• Although neither side is in title contention, both teams will surely be very keen to win this one. The pressure on Louis van Gaal grows after another United defeat, and the Red Devils are near the bottom of the six game form table. United will have Bastian Schweinsteiger back from suspension and may have Matteo Darmian back from injury. Despite the new optimism some sense around Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were far from convincing against Watford, and their goalscorer Diego Costa will now be suspended for this match.

West Ham United v Southampton – Monday 1730

Positions: West Ham 10^th, Southampton 12^th

Form:

West Ham

LDDDDD (5pts)

Southampton

LLDLLW (4pts)

• Can Southampton build on their excellent win over Arsenal and triumph again here. They may stand a good chance against a West Ham team who have not won in eight, even if six of these have been draws. Andy Carroll may return for West Ham, but Southampton’s Graziano Pelle remains sidelined.

Leicester City v Manchester City – Tuesday 1945

Positions: Leicester 1^st, Man City 3^rd

Form:

Leicester

WDWWWL (13pts)

Man City

LWLWLW (9pts)

• Another real test of Leicester’s credentials. They lost to Liverpool on Boxing Day and were comfortably second best. City have alternated wins and losses lately and have not recorded an away win in some time, and Vincent Kompany’s latest injury setback will be a major blow.

Sunderland v Liverpool – Wednesday 1945

Positions: Sunderland 19^th, Liverpool 8^th

Form:

Liverpool

WWLLLW (9pts)

Sunderland

WWLLLL (6pts)

• Liverpool remain inconsistent, but will surely fancy their chances against a Sunderland side who have the worst defensive record in the league, and who have shipped 11 goals in losing four successive matches.