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ASTON VILLA vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (1230)
A game that has plenty of meaning in the division’s upper reaches. You may turn away now. Both sides have excelled this season and are looking for the best Europa and Champions League finishes. They are both enjoying good form and they both have strong incentives. Given the class in their combined ranks, this has the makings of a quality start to the weekend. Draw.
EVERTON vs FULHAM (1500)
Fulham are in a dip, while Everton don’t seem to know where they are. A glance at the table shows they’re out of the bottom three by the skin of their dentures. And that makes this a vital game in the Toffees’ bid to stay up. Their home fans always seem to be their twelfth man, so expect a tricky afternoon for the visitors. Home win.
CHELSEA vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (1500)
This is probably the first time in history that Brighton are favourites to win this fixture. That says a lot about both sides, but particularly about the visitors who have built on last year’s achievements with a phenomenal season thus far. They’re in a strong position to quality for a UEFA place and they peer down at their visitors from an unaccustomed height. Poor old Frank. Away win.
SOUTHAMPTON vs CRYSTAL PALACE (1500)
Palace are almost – but not quite – safe and will want to confirm safety at the earliest opportunity. As for the Saints, few people would give them even an outside chance of staying up. Having said that, four points – the difference between them and Everton – is not an insurmountable gap even at this stage. So they do have something to play for and have shown in recent games that they aren’t entirely useless. Draw.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs BOURNEMOUTH (1500)
It’s been a tumultuous old season for Spurs, but they still look set for a Europa League finish. Unless they do a real Spursy and find themselves eclipsed by two out of Villa, Brighton and Liverpool. The Cherries, meanwhile, are fighting hard for their top flight survival and have done a pretty good job of it so far. Expect a gritty encounter that will hopefully boost our chances of staying up. Home win.
MANCHESTER CITY vs LEICESTER CITY (1730)
Things ain’t looking good for Leicester and chances are they’re going to look even less good at the final whistle. Man City have belief and are very much in the hunt. Foxes don’t like hunts, and although this one doesn’t have them in its sights, they’re likely to end the day with the dotted line having been raised further. Home win.
*SUNDAY*
WEST HAM UNITED vs ARSENAL (1400)
Is there anything remotely exciting or encouraging to expect from this one? Actually there is. Having dropped two points from a winning position last week, a bout of those pesky heeby-jeebies may have started affecting the once-runaway league leaders. And with City having presumably put Southampton to the sword yesterday, the Gunners will feel the heat of northern air blasting up their rear end. Can we take advantage of that? Can we take a point – or three – from them? Yes, we can. Will we? Not a bleeding hope. Away win.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs MANCHESTER UNITED (1630)
Forest have a tough run-in, but as long as things are as close at the bottom they’ll feel they have a chance of pulling off the unlikely. Man U are in a battle for third and it will be games like this that will tell if they can pip the Geordies to that place. Away win.
*MONDAY*
LEEDS UNITED vs LIVERPOOL (2000)
You just don’t know what you’re going to get from Liverpool. Or, for that matter, from Leeds. The season is effectively over for the Reds, while Leeds still have survival to fight for. Could be a good ‘un. Away win.
*CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND-UP*
Having secured promotion, all Burnley have to do now is to claim the title their season has so richly deserved. And keep their manager, although that may be one step too far. They’ll need two wins at most from their last six games. They visit embattled Reading this afternoon. Luton and Michael Carrick’s Boro, who demolished Norwich last night, look to have secured play-off spots, which leaves Millwall, Blackburn, Preston, Norwich, Coventry, Sunderland and West Brom (all separated by five points) competing for the other two places. Likewise at the bottom, Wigan and Blackpool appear to be gone. It wasn’t long ago that both those clubs were entertaining Man C, Liverpool and Arsenal in league games. Next season they’ll be hosting the likes of Orient and Northampton Town. That leaves Reading, Cardiff, QPR, Huddersfield and Rotherham (separated by four points) scratching each others’ eyes out in the relegation denouement.
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