Drudgery Beckons: PL Games for 17th - 19th January 2026
Posted: 15 Jan 2026, 15:39
Saturday, 17 January 2026 12:30
Manchester United v Manchester City
Venue: Old Trafford
League Positions: 6 v 2
Current Forms: 12 v 33
The clash of the northern monsters monkeys. Home advantage and (yet another) new boss bounce will bring the expected benefits to the Great Expectakers, but City seem to have found their scoring boots in the FA Cup. Remind me again, please, who Manchester United have in the 4th round...
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Chelsea v Brentford
Venue: Stamford Bridge
League Positions: 8 v 5
Current Forms: 15 v 41
Chelsea's FA Cup demolition of mighty Charlton will have been tempered by their home loss to Arsenal in their 1st League cup semi-final. Fulham are unbeaten in their last 5 (and are no longer even remote candidates to challenge us for a highly coveted relegation spot). That being said, Chelsea last won a league game 5 rounds (yes, I know already. If someone can come up with a better noun, collective or otherwise for a group of 10 league games, let me know) ago. Home advantage rules though, in this game.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Leeds United v Fulham
Venue: Elland Road
League Positions: 16 v 9
Current Forms: 21 v 35
Fulham are the most "in form" side, Leeds are the most "At Home" side in this game. That fence was clearly refurbished over FA Cup weekend, and I'm on it.
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Liverpool v Burnley
Venue: Anfield
League Positions: 4 v 19
Current Forms: 27 v 20
15 of Burnley's "current form points" come from their 5-1 demolition of Millwall (who? Never heard of them!) last week. Liverpool though, seem to, single handed, be redefining "Blowing hot & cold". I believe that home advantaged abetted by a slight form tail-wind will be the decider.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Sunderland v Crystal Palace
Venue: Stadium of Light
League Positions: 10 v 13
Current Forms: 21 v 6
My how we laughed at Palace crashing out of the cup at their first attempt at defending it. Got just over £52 on that game alone which bought me 3 cases (36 pints) of Singha beer out here in Thailand, which I naturally shared with the 2 Man Utd. fans I regularly drink with. This match? Oh! If I must. Sunderland all day long.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
League Positions: 14 v 18
Current Forms: 8 v 17
15 of our current form points also come from our FA Cup game last weekend. As for our form in the league? I'd rather not go there. But, as they say, "Needs must", so here we go: Every team we play from now on - especially this lot - will have their fixture with us circled in "3 point red ink" in their calendar. No Lanzini to rescue a point for us this time round, and surely even Tottenham cannot be that "spursy" to not come away from this with all 3 points. Ladies & Gentlemen. It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I am forced to predict:
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 17:30
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Venue: City Ground
League Positions: 17 v 1
Current Forms: 12 v 39
Talk about "Lucky, lucky Arsenal"! Their recent run of games must feel like manna from heaven. I strongly suspect that they'll feast again on foraged Forest food.
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 18 January 2026 14:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
Venue: Molineux
League Positions: 20 v 7
Current Forms: 30 v 30
Boy! Oh boy! Do Newcastle need (NEED) this fixture. Half of both team form points come from cup wins, so neither have a league form they can sing about from the mountains. Wolves cup win, though, was against pretty ropey neighbours of theirs, whilst the Bar-codes won a penalty sudden death against fellow PL side Bournemouth. Probably going to go only one way, this one:
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 18 January 2026 16:30
Aston Villa v Everton
Venue: Villa Park
League Positions: 3 v 12
Current Forms: 31 v 11
Sunderland soundly dumped Everton out of the cup; someone was clearly playing the "dick" in their stadium sponsor's name. Talking of stadiums though, this game is at one of the better ones in the League still standing. As for the result? Well, Villa do need to keep in touch with Manchester City from now on, and maintain the gap between themselves and teams sitting 4th to 10th below them. I think that this they will do.
Prediction: Home Win
Monday, 19 January 2026 20:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v A. F. C. Bournemouth
Venue: Falmer Stadium
League Positions: 11 v 15
Current Forms: v
South coast shenanigans! Shiver me timbers, matey! Do we care? Well Bournemouth are only (only!!!) 3 places above us in the league, so...No! No! and thrice No! Michael. They've got almost twice the amount of points we have!...Can't see them adding to that total, but, even so, they're still not relegation candidates. Brighton will be pushing (ooh-er, missus) for Europe again next year, so:
Prediction: Home Win
Acca? What do you mean acca? Oh, this...
Arsenal (Away @ Nottingham Forest 1/2)
Liverpool (@ Home to Burnley 2/11)
Newcastle United (Away @ Wolverhampton Wanderers 7/10)
Aston Villa (@ Home to Everton 8/13)
Pretty poor odds all around this week.
Total stake: £11.00
Potential returns: £31.52
Manchester United v Manchester City
Venue: Old Trafford
League Positions: 6 v 2
Current Forms: 12 v 33
The clash of the northern monsters monkeys. Home advantage and (yet another) new boss bounce will bring the expected benefits to the Great Expectakers, but City seem to have found their scoring boots in the FA Cup. Remind me again, please, who Manchester United have in the 4th round...
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Chelsea v Brentford
Venue: Stamford Bridge
League Positions: 8 v 5
Current Forms: 15 v 41
Chelsea's FA Cup demolition of mighty Charlton will have been tempered by their home loss to Arsenal in their 1st League cup semi-final. Fulham are unbeaten in their last 5 (and are no longer even remote candidates to challenge us for a highly coveted relegation spot). That being said, Chelsea last won a league game 5 rounds (yes, I know already. If someone can come up with a better noun, collective or otherwise for a group of 10 league games, let me know) ago. Home advantage rules though, in this game.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Leeds United v Fulham
Venue: Elland Road
League Positions: 16 v 9
Current Forms: 21 v 35
Fulham are the most "in form" side, Leeds are the most "At Home" side in this game. That fence was clearly refurbished over FA Cup weekend, and I'm on it.
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Liverpool v Burnley
Venue: Anfield
League Positions: 4 v 19
Current Forms: 27 v 20
15 of Burnley's "current form points" come from their 5-1 demolition of Millwall (who? Never heard of them!) last week. Liverpool though, seem to, single handed, be redefining "Blowing hot & cold". I believe that home advantaged abetted by a slight form tail-wind will be the decider.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Sunderland v Crystal Palace
Venue: Stadium of Light
League Positions: 10 v 13
Current Forms: 21 v 6
My how we laughed at Palace crashing out of the cup at their first attempt at defending it. Got just over £52 on that game alone which bought me 3 cases (36 pints) of Singha beer out here in Thailand, which I naturally shared with the 2 Man Utd. fans I regularly drink with. This match? Oh! If I must. Sunderland all day long.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
League Positions: 14 v 18
Current Forms: 8 v 17
15 of our current form points also come from our FA Cup game last weekend. As for our form in the league? I'd rather not go there. But, as they say, "Needs must", so here we go: Every team we play from now on - especially this lot - will have their fixture with us circled in "3 point red ink" in their calendar. No Lanzini to rescue a point for us this time round, and surely even Tottenham cannot be that "spursy" to not come away from this with all 3 points. Ladies & Gentlemen. It is with deep regret and a heavy heart that I am forced to predict:
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 17 January 2026 17:30
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Venue: City Ground
League Positions: 17 v 1
Current Forms: 12 v 39
Talk about "Lucky, lucky Arsenal"! Their recent run of games must feel like manna from heaven. I strongly suspect that they'll feast again on foraged Forest food.
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 18 January 2026 14:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
Venue: Molineux
League Positions: 20 v 7
Current Forms: 30 v 30
Boy! Oh boy! Do Newcastle need (NEED) this fixture. Half of both team form points come from cup wins, so neither have a league form they can sing about from the mountains. Wolves cup win, though, was against pretty ropey neighbours of theirs, whilst the Bar-codes won a penalty sudden death against fellow PL side Bournemouth. Probably going to go only one way, this one:
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 18 January 2026 16:30
Aston Villa v Everton
Venue: Villa Park
League Positions: 3 v 12
Current Forms: 31 v 11
Sunderland soundly dumped Everton out of the cup; someone was clearly playing the "dick" in their stadium sponsor's name. Talking of stadiums though, this game is at one of the better ones in the League still standing. As for the result? Well, Villa do need to keep in touch with Manchester City from now on, and maintain the gap between themselves and teams sitting 4th to 10th below them. I think that this they will do.
Prediction: Home Win
Monday, 19 January 2026 20:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v A. F. C. Bournemouth
Venue: Falmer Stadium
League Positions: 11 v 15
Current Forms: v
South coast shenanigans! Shiver me timbers, matey! Do we care? Well Bournemouth are only (only!!!) 3 places above us in the league, so...No! No! and thrice No! Michael. They've got almost twice the amount of points we have!...Can't see them adding to that total, but, even so, they're still not relegation candidates. Brighton will be pushing (ooh-er, missus) for Europe again next year, so:
Prediction: Home Win
Acca? What do you mean acca? Oh, this...
Arsenal (Away @ Nottingham Forest 1/2)
Liverpool (@ Home to Burnley 2/11)
Newcastle United (Away @ Wolverhampton Wanderers 7/10)
Aston Villa (@ Home to Everton 8/13)
Pretty poor odds all around this week.
Total stake: £11.00
Potential returns: £31.52
