PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH PREVIEWS: SATURDAY JANUARY 23 – SUNDAY JANUARY 24

Norwich City v Liverpool – Saturday 1245

Positions: Norwich 16^th, Liverpool 9^th

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

Norwich

WLWWLL (9pts)

Liverpool

LWWLDL (7pts)

·         Norwich have been very busy in the transfer market this month. Will their new signings give them a chance of picking up a win against Liverpool? Given recent results for the two teams, and Liverpool’s failure to defend set pieces and their lack of options upfront, the Canaries may have a great chance.

January transfer window new signings:

Norwich – Ivo Pinto (defender, Dinamo Zagreb), Timm Klose (defender, Wolfsburg), Matt Jarvis (midfielder, West Ham, £2.5m), Ben Godfrey (midfielder, York City), Steven Naismith (forward, Everton, £8.5m)

Liverpool – Marko Grujic (forward, Red Star Belgrade, £5.1m - loaned back for rest of season), Steven Caulker (defender, QPR, loan)

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur – Saturday 1500

Positions: Crystal Palace 8^th, Tottenham 4^th

Form:

Crystal Palace

WDDLLL (5pts)

Tottenham

WWWDLW (13pts)

·         Tottenham are top of the six game form table, and will fancy three more points against Palace, who are on a very poor run.

  

Leicester City v Stoke City – Saturday 1500

Positions: Leicester 2^nd, Stoke 7^th

Leicester

WLDDWD (9pts)

Stoke

LWWLWD (10pts)

·         Leicester are still level on points at the top, despite having one win and two goals in their last five matches. Stoke’s results have been less good on the road than at home, so Leicester probably start as marginal favourites.

January transfer window new signings:

Leicester – Demarai Gray (forward, Birmingham, £3.7m)

Manchester United v Southampton – Saturday 1500

Positions: Man Utd 5^th, Southampton 10^th

Form:

Man Utd

LLDWDW (8pts)

Southampton

LWLLWW (9pts)

·         Although their last win came via their only shot on target, football is a results business, and United are unbeaten in four, leading Louis van Gaal to audaciously suggest they remain title contenders. Here they host Southampton, and possibly new signing Charlie Austin. The Saints appear to be finding some form, but United may have more of a cutting edge.

January transfer window new signings:

Southampton – Charlie Austin (forward, Queen’s Park Rangers, £4m)

Sunderland v Bournemouth – Saturday 1500

Positions: Sunderland 19^th, Bournemouth 15^th

Form:

Sunderland

LLLWWL (6pts)

Bournemouth

WDLDLW (8pts)

·         After back-to-back wins, Sunderland came back down to earth with a bump against Tottenham. Bournemouth’s performance against West Brom meanwhile delighted manager Eddie Howe, and with Sunderland’s defensive difficulties still apparent, Bournemouth may start as slight favourites.

January transfer window new signings:

Sunderland – Dame N’Doye (forward, Trabzonspor, loan) – awaiting work permit, Jan Kirchhoff (defender, Bayern Munich)

Bournemouth – Benik Afobe (forward, MK Dons, £9m), Lewis Grabban (forward, Norwich, £7m), Juan Iturbe (forward, Roma, loan)

Watford v Newcastle United – Saturday 1500

Positions: Watford 12^th, Newcastle 18^th

Watford

WDLLLL (4pts)

Newcastle

DLLLDW (5pts)

·         Newcastle returned to winning ways last week against West Ham, and stand an excellent chance of taking another three points given the wretched run Watford are experiencing.

January transfer window new signings:

Watford – Nordin Amrabat (forward, Malaga), Costel Pantilimon (goalkeeper, Sunderland)

Newcastle – Henri Saivet (midfielder, Bordeaux), Jonjo Shelvey (midfielder, Swansea, £12m)

West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa – Saturday 1500

Positions: West Brom 13^th, Aston Villa 20^th

Form:

West Brom

LLWWDL (7pts)

Aston Villa

DDLLWD (6pts)

·         Does only three defeats in eight count as an improvement for the League’s bottom club? Villa gave a good account of themselves in drawing with Leicester last week, and this local derby against a far from consistent West Brom side may represent an opportunity for Remi Garde’s team.

West Ham United v Manchester City – Saturday 1730

Positions: West Ham 6^th, Man City 3^rd

Form:

West Ham

DDWWWL (11pts)

Man City

LWDWDW (11pts)

·         West Ham’s nine match unbeaten run ended unexpectedly at Newcastle, so how will they respond? Despite that loss, this is likely to be tough test of City’s poor away record and their defensive frailties.

January transfer window new signings:

West Ham – Sam Byram (defender, Leeds)

Man City – Anthony Caceres (midfielder, Central Coast Mariners)

Everton v Swansea City – Sunday 1330

Positions: Everton 11^th, Swansea 17^th

Form:

Everton

LWLDDD (6pts)

Swansea

DWDLLW (8pts)

·         Swansea have now lost only two of the last six, and Everton are still not in brilliant form. Everton were however unfortunate not to beat Chelsea last week, and they may start as favourites given their better goal threat.

January transfer window new signings:

Everton - Shani Tarashaj (forward, Grasshoppers, £3m - loaned back for rest of season)

Arsenal v Chelsea – Sunday 1600

Positions: Arsenal 1^st, Chelsea 14^th

Form:

Arsenal

WLWWDD (11pts)

Chelsea

WDDWDD (10pts)

·         It’s two very different draws – a 3-3 and a 0-0 for Arsenal in their last two matches. Chelsea are finally putting together an unbeaten run, but remain just four points clear of the relegation zone. In what is sure to be a keenly fought encounter, maybe a high scoring draw is on the cards?

January transfer window new signings:

Arsenal – Mohammed Elneny (midfielder, FC Basel, £5m)