LIVERPOOL vs EVERTON (1230) Everton have a miserable record against their dearly-loved neighbours, having won just one of their last 28 encounters. The Reds are flying high, sort of, while the Toffees continuing their quest to drop out of the Premier League. The result? Obvious, innit. Home win.
BOURNEMOUTH vs WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (1500) Under Gary O’Neil, Wolves are probably doing a lot better than the Cherries’ upper hierarchy expected and it would be surprising if they weren’t starting to rue their decision to let him go. How O’Neil would like to get one over his former employers, but it’s hard to choose between the two sides. Draw.
BRENTFORD vs BURNLEY (1500) There are just three points between these two, neither of which have engaged turbo mode yet this season. Come five o’clock there are likely to be six points between them. Home win.
MANCHESTER CITY vs BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (1500) This has the makings of a very decent game of football. Two sides that are very precise. Both like to play and both will fancy their chances of at least a point today. Wouldn’t mind being a fly on the walls of both dressing rooms at half-time. Draw.
NEWCASTLE UNITED vs CRYSTAL PALACE (1500) Palace are becoming – or have become – one of the Premier League’s more boring teams. From their perspective, that may not be such a bad thing, as they find themselves in the top half of the table. But Newcastle will be just too strong for them today. Home win.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST vs LUTON TOWN (1500) Forest in 13th have made a surprisingly encouraging start to the season. The biggest surprise Luton have produced is the four points they’ve accumulated to date. Little chance of them adding to that this afternoon. Home win.
CHELSEA vs ARSENAL (1730) So what’s happened to Chelsea? That’s more rhetorical than anything else. While they find themselves in the lower half of the table, Arsenal trail leaders Spurs by goal difference only. They would surely like to take this splendid opportunity to overtake them if only for 48 hours. Psychology’s a powerful beast. Away win.
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs MANCHESTER UNITED (2000) The Blades have mustered one solitary point all season. Given their wealth, Man U haven’t done an awful lot better, sitting in 10th place with 12 points. But there’s more than the Peak District between these two, and sadly there’s only one outcome you can foresee. Away win.
*SUNDAY*
ASTON VILLA vs WEST HAM UNITED (1630) This will be one heck of a test. Although our recent record at Villa Park is surprisingly good (three wins on the trot), this is a different, sharper Villa who are on a 10-game winning streak at home and will seriously challenge our inevitable spoiling tactics. But there’s more to us these days than merely defending deeply. There’s a sense of purpose that we’ve not seen in a while. With Soucek playing higher – and better for it – and Bowen, Coufal and Zouma all in fine form, we’ll pose significant threats of our own. And we might even see Kudus in the starting line-up. Draw.
*MONDAY*
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs FULHAM (2000) Fairly routine, you’d think, with Spurs ending the evening back on top of the pile. Home win.
*CHAMPIONSHIP*
Leicester and Ipswich have opened a tasty gap between themselves and the chasing pack, for whom just five points separate the next 13 sides. Sheff Wed, Rotherham and QPR make up the sorry bottom three. Millwall, without a manager after Gary Rowett’s departure, visit third-placed Preston in today’s early game, and Middlesboro who are climbing up the table go to lowly Stoke. Grey skies and rain complete the outlook.
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