PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH PREVIEWS: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 2 – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3

(Transfer information correct as of Monday 1745)

Arsenal v Southampton – Tuesday 1945

Positions: Arsenal 3^rd, Southampton 8th

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

Arsenal

LWWDDL (8pts)

Southampton

WLLWWW (12pts)

·         Things have improved immeasurably for Southampton in recent weeks, and now have better form than their illustrious neighbours. But with Arsenal likely to be able to call on Alexis Sanchez for his league return, and Southampton possibly without Graziano Pelle, the Gunners start as favourites.

January transfer window new signings:

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

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

Leicester City v Liverpool – Tuesday 1945

Positions: Leicester 1^st, Liverpool 7^th

Form:

Leicester

LDDWDW (9pts)

Liverpool

WWLDLW (10pts)

·         The start of a testing run for Leicester, who remain top by three points. Liverpool certainly have the players capable of winning this, but with some decent reinforcements made by Leicester during this transfer window, they may just edge this one.

January transfer window new signings:

Leicester – Demarai Gray (forward, Birmingham, £3.7m), Daniel Amartey (defender, Copenhagen, £6m)

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

Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur – Tuesday 1945

Positions: Norwich 17^th, Tottenham 4^th

Norwich

LWWLLL (6pts)

Tottenham

WWDLWW (13pts)

·         Norwich have been the busiest club this month, but it is asking a lot for them all to gel instantly and halt their losing run against such strong opposition.

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), Patrick Bamford (forward, Chelsea, loan)

Sunderland v Manchester City – Tuesday 1945

Positions: Sunderland 19^th, Man City 2^nd

Form:

Sunderland

LLWWLD (7pts)

Man City

WDWDWD (12pts)

·         City – now the bookies’ favourites for the title - are putting together a decent unbeaten run, and expect them to improve their poor away form with three points here.

January transfer window new signings:

Sunderland – Dame N’Doye (forward, Trabzonspor, loan), Jan Kirchhoff (defender, Bayern Munich), Steve Harper (goalkeeper, unattached), Wahbi Khazri (midfielder, Bordeaux)

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

West Ham United v Aston Villa – Tuesday 1945

Positions: West Ham 6^th, Aston Villa 20^th

Form:

West Ham

DWWWLD (11pts)

Aston Villa

DLLWDD (6pts)

·         Villa are now unbeaten in three, and may just fancy this one. Emmanuel Emenike still awaits his international clearance so is unlikely to make his Hammers debut.

January transfer window new signings:

West Ham – Sam Byram (defender, Leeds), Emmanuel Emenike (forward, Fenerbahce, loan)

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth – Tuesday 2000

Positions: Crystal Palace 11^th, Bournemouth 16^th

Form:

Crystal Palace

DDLLLL (2pts)

Bournemouth

DLDLWD (6pts)

·         After riding high a few weeks ago, Palace now have the worst form in the league. This may be the match when Bourtnemouth’s new forward singings gel and they score a few goals. Joe Ledley misses out for Palace with injury, and Yohan Cabaye is doubtful.

January transfer window new signings:

Crystal Palace – Emmanuel Adebayor (forward, unattached)

Bournemouth – Benik Afobe (forward, Wolverhampton, £9m), Lewis Grabban (forward, Norwich, £7m), Juan Iturbe (forward, Roma, loan), Marius Adamonis (goalkeeper, FK Atlantas, loan)

Manchester United v Stoke City – Tuesday 2000

Positions: Man Utd 5^th, Stoke 9^th

Form:

Man Utd

LDWDWL (8pts)

Stoke

WWLWDL (10pts)

·         Stoke were very disappointing in losing to Leicester in their last league match, and also exited the FA Cup at the weekend. For all their recent issues, United’s defeat against Southampton was their first in five, and they should start as favourites here. Stoke’s Marc Wilson faces a long lay off after being injured in their Cup match.

West Bromwich Albion v Swansea – Tuesday 2000

Positions: West Brom 14^th, Swansea 15^th

Form:

West Brom

LWWDLD (8pts)

Swansea

WDLLWW (10pts)

·         Two teams in need of a win go head to head, and Swansea’s last two performances may just give them the edge. West Brom hope to welcome back Darren Fletcher from injury.

January transfer window new signings:

West Brom – Sandro (midfielder, Queens Park Rangers, loan), Alex Pritchard (midfielder, Tottenham, loan)

Swansea – Alberto Paloschi (forward, Chievo, £8m)

Everton v Newcastle United – Wednesday 1945

Positions: Everton 12^th, Newcastle 18^th

Form:

Everton

WLDDDL (5pts)

Newcastle

LLLDWL (4pts)

·         Two teams in poor form meet here. Newcastle have made some eye catching signings, so the stage is set for one of them to bag a winning goal here.

January transfer window new signings:

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

Newcastle – Henri Saivet (midfielder, Bordeaux), Jonjo Shelvey (midfielder, Swansea, £12m), Andros Townsend (midfielder, Tottenham, £12m), Seydou Doumbia (forward, Roma, loan)

Watford v Chelsea – Wednesday 1945

Positions: Watford 10^th, Chelsea 13^th

Form:

Watford

DLLLLW (4pts)

Chelsea

DDWDDW (10pts)

·         Resurgent Chelsea – unbeaten in six – must be fancied against Watford, even though the Hornets edged past Newcastle in the last league match

January transfer window new signings:

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

Chelsea – Alexandre Pato (forward, Corinthians, loan)

Tipster Street.