Everton v Bournemouth
– Saturday 1500
Positions: Everton 11th,
Bournemouth 14th
Form (League matches only – earliest matches first):
Everton
LLDDDL (3pts)
Bournemouth
WLLWLL (6pts)
- Everton have a very poor
defensive record in home matches, and still have injuries in defence;
while Bournemouth’s goals against tally is the third highest in the
division. So there could well be goals here, more likely than not arising
from mistakes rather than moments of outstanding skill.
Newcastle United v
Crystal Palace – Saturday 1500
Positions: Newcastle
19th, Crystal Palace 16th
Form:
Newcastle
DLLWDD (6pts)
Crystal Palace
LDWDDL (6pts)
- Newcastle are unbeaten in
three, but remain in serious trouble in second bottom spot. They came from
2-0 down to draw against Liverpool last week, and will need more of the
same spirit during the rest of the season if they are to survive. Palace’s
form remains poor – in the league at least – and the Magpies are likely to
see this as a ‘must win’ game.
Stoke City v
Sunderland – Saturday 1500
Positions: Stoke 10th,
Sunderland 17th
Form:
Stoke
LWDLLL (4pts)
Sunderland
DDDLWD (7pts)
- Sunderland still have a
lot of work to do to preserve their Premier League status, and like local
rivals Newcastle, this is one of the matches they will be targeting for a
win. Three successive defeats, conceding four goals in each, suggests a
lot about how Stoke are approaching their end of season dead rubbers.
Watford v Aston Villa
– Saturday 1500
Positions: Watford 12th,
Aston Villa 20th
Form:
Watford
LLLDWL (4pts)
Aston Villa
LLLLLL (0pts)
- Watford have won just one
of their last eight league matches, and also lost their FA Cup semi-final
last weekend. However, any team playing hapless Aston Villa at present is
likely to win. Gabriel Agbonlahor has resigned as Villa club captain after
a series of adverse headlines in recent weeks.
West Bromwich Albion
v West Ham United – Saturday 1500
Positions: West Brom
13th, West Ham 6th
Form:
West Brom
LDLLLD (2pts)
West Ham
WDDDDW (10pts)
- The form table massively
favours West Ham, but things many not be quite as easy for the Hammers as
one might think. In drawing four successive matches recently, Slaven
Bilic’s side conceded nine goals. If West Brom can reproduce their second
half display from Monday’s match with Tottenham, they could make life
awkward for another top six side here.
Arsenal v Norwich
City – Saturday 1730
Positions: Arsenal 4th,
Norwich 18th
Form:
Arsenal
WWDDWD (12pts)
Norwich
LDWWLL (7pts)
- Norwich suffered a
potentially damaging defeat to Sunderland last time out, but may still
stand a chance here. Arsenal are unbeaten in seven, but four of those have
been draws, and the fans are making the Emirates far from welcoming for
their team at present. Arsenal were held by Crystal Palace in their last
home match, and another banana skin awaits here in the shape of a Canaries
side fighting for survival.
Swansea City v
Liverpool – Sunday 1200
Positions: Swansea 15th,
Liverpool 7th
Form:
Swansea
LWDWLL (7pts)
Liverpool
LDWWWD (11pts)
- Two matches ago, Swansea
defeated Chelsea, but the joy was short lived as they conceded seven goals
in losing their next two matches. Although Liverpool will have played
their Europa League semi-final only three days later, their better recent
form makes them favourites here. Liverpool’s Mahmadou Sakho
will be suspended from this match – and probably many more – after his
positive drugs test.
Manchester United v
Leicester City – Saturday 1405
Positions: Man Utd 5th,
Leicester 1st
Form:
Man Utd
LWWLWW (12pts)
Leicester
WWWWDW (16pts)
- This could be the day when
the title is decided. After winning seven of their last nine matches,
surely Leicester will claim the one win they may still need to clinch the
title at some stage in their remaining three matches? But will it be here?
With United having won six of the last seven in all competitions; with
Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford posing a huge threat upfront; and with
Jamie Vardy suspended for an additional match, this will be a very tough
assignment for Leicester. However their recent results and recent
defensive records suggests they can claim at least a point here. Leicester
manager Claudio Ranieri recently said that it was ‘now or never’ for his
team, and logic is on his side. The Foxes will not start next season as a
5,000-1 bet for the title but star players (and possibly their manager)
may move on in the summer in search of higher wages; they may not be as
lucky with injuries next year; Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United
may all be stronger next year; and no one will ever make the mistake of
underestimating them again!
Southampton v
Manchester City – Saturday 1630
Positions:
Southampton 8th, Man City 3rd
Form:
Southampton
WWLWDW (13pts)
Man City
LWWWDW (13pts)
- City cannot let their
league focus slip, given they are yet to confirm their Champions League
place for next season. However, the fact that this match takes place in
between the two legs of City’s semi-final with Real Madrid must increase
the chances of a Southampton side who are themselves in good form.
Chelsea v Tottenham
Hotspur – Monday 2000
Positions: Chelsea 9th,
Tottenham 2nd
Form:
Chelsea
DDWLLW (8pts)
Tottenham
WWDWWD (14pts)
- Even if Leicester do not
finish the job the previous day, defeat here will spell the end of
Tottenham’s title challenge. Spurs will do well to come through this test
in a spicy London derby atmosphere and keep the title race alive. At time
of writing, retrospective action had not yet been taken against Dele Alli
for his alleged punch against West Brom.
