Premier League Week #18 — Spurs v Chelsea & All Fixtures
Each week, I preview the latest round of Premier League fixtures, with this week’s standout fixture being Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea.
I’ll provide where to watch your team, kick-off times, and a detailed analysis on what might happen.
Last week, I predicted:
✅ Liverpool WIN
✅ ✅ Burnley WIN and correct score (1–0 vs Newcastle)
✅ ✅Draw Manchester United vs Everton and correct score (1–1)
✅ Manchester City Win
✅ ✅ Draw Crystal Palace vs Brighton and correct score (1–1)
Pretty good, huh?
Anyway, onto this week.
Saturday
Everton vs Arsenal (12.30pm GMT, BT Sport 1 HD)
Everton are certainly showing some character under Duncan Ferguson and the Scot is set to take charge against Everton this Saturday.
While talks with Carlo Ancelotti are progressing, the morale in the Goodison dressing room must be sky-high, despite a defeat on penalties to Leicester City in the EFL Cup.
At the other end of the spectrum, Arsenal’s performance at home to Manchester City left a lot to be desired.
Sitting in the Arsenal hospitality section at the weekend, the loudest I heard from the Emirates was the boos as the teams walked in at half time.
Actually…
That was the loudest I have ever heard the Emirates in my three visits.
Ozil walked off kicking a pair of gloves - the most he’d been involved in the game.
Patrick Aubameyang was genuinely offside more times than he touched the ball.
Caretaker Manager, Freddie Ljungberg, said after the game that the board needs to sort it out. It seems Mikel Arteta is set to land the job in a matter of minutes. You can read about that here…
He’s not wrong but Everton won’t mind. While beating Arsenal seemed impossible for the Toffees a year or so ago, they could pick up a great point here.
Prediction: Everton 1–1 Arsenal
Aston Villa vs Southampton (3pm GMT, beIN Sports)
Despite the welcome distraction of beating Liverpool’s kids on Wednesday, Aston Villa come into this game with less than great form.
Losses to Sheffield United, Leicester City, and Chelsea have left Villa fans wondering where the next win is coming from.
Luckily, Southampton’s form is similar, with only a win over lowly Norwich City to boast.
Neither team has looked particularly threatening of recent so it could be a quiet one for the defences.
Villa’s home advantage should hold them in good stead and is likely to be the deciding factor.
Prediction: Aston Villa 1–0 Southampton
Bournemouth vs Burnley (3pm GMT, beIN Sports)
Fresh off the back of good wins against Chelsea and Newcastle United, respectively, both teams will go into Saturday’s game in high spirits.
With both seeming to have fixed their defensive issues and neither flourishing in front of goal, the form book shouts 1–1. It’s hard to make a case against this result either way.
We know all favoured forwards (Josh King, Callum Wilson, Ashley Barnes, and Chris Wood) are more than capable of a winner when the time comes.
However, a winner each only ever results in a draw and no real winner.
Prediction: Bournemouth 1–1 Burnley
Brighton vs Sheffield United (3pm GMT, beIN Sports)
Brighton’s inability to put a match beyond doubt proved their downfall once against vs Palace last week.
Even with the form of Neal Maupay carrying the team, it looks hard to look past the surprise package of the season that is Sheffield United.
The Maupay train could well keep rolling along but Sheffield United looks more creative than pundits once gave them credit for.
Their differing sources of creativity can see off the best efforts of Brighton this weekend.
Prediction: Brighton 1–2 Sheffield United
Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace (3pm GMT, beIN Sports)
With both teams lacking goals, confidence, and seemingly aspiration to do more than achieve mid-table, this could be one to ignore on Soccer Saturday.
As pointed out (and proved correct) last week, Newcastle lack an out and out goalscorer. Crystal Palace aren’t overly covered in that department either, with Wilfred Zaha being to the go-to source for creativity and flair — and goals.
The Newcastle faithful yearn for a team their city deserves to cheer on but this year (and this weekend) is not the one.
Palace can’t rely solely on Zaha for much longer.
Prediction: Newcastle United 0–0 Crystal Palace
Norwich City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (3pm GMT, beIN Sports)
Fresh from a shock point against Leicester City last week, Norwich will go into this fixture with a much sought-after desire to win.
Wolves didn’t underperform at home to Spurs on Sunday, rather Spurs showed the quality that we not so long ago associated with them when it mattered.
Ultimately, Norwich’s campaign has been reliant on the goalscoring form of striker, Teemu Pukki.
A doubt going into this weekend, Norwich will do well to score without him.
Assuming he doesn’t play, this leaves Norwich with a mountain to climb and no goals to defend against. Not something Norwich have done particularly well this year.
Prediction: Norwich City 0–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Manchester City vs Leicester City (5.30pm GMT, Sky Sports Main Event HD)
The battle for second place is heating up in the Premier League.
Manchester City bounced back to form with a thumping at Arsenal last weekend. It was done and dusted by half time against a team that looked demoralised from the off.
Leicester will pose a much different team.
They remain a threat going forward and still boast the best defence in the league.
Jamie Vardy will no doubt cause the makeshift City defence more than a few problems. However, City oozed class and creativity with Kevin De Bruyne and İlkay Gündoğan running the show perhaps better than they had the entire season.
Sergio Aguero has returned to training for Manchester City, but, with the busy festive period approaching, this looks a game too soon.
City’s firepower and confidence could and should prove too much for Leicester, even without the Argentine, but we could be in for one hell of a game.
Prediction: Manchester City 3–2 Leicester City
Sunday
Watford vs Manchester United (2pm GMT, Sky Sports Main Event)
Manchester United remain a mystery this season. Just as they look set to return to winning ways and former glory, a poor and uninspiring performance returns.
Poor and uninspiring, however, is exactly how the form and season of Watford would be described by any football fan.
Watford enter the tricky Christmas period with a succession of losses that doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon.
United are also bolstered by a morale booster in the EFL Cup versus Colchester United in the week.
Assuming United don’t trip over each other, which is more than possible at the moment, this should be routine.
Prediction: Watford 0–2 Manchester United
Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (4.30pm GMT, Sky Sports Main Event)
Jose Mourinho looks to have got Spurs back to winning ways — despite still lacking his desired solid back line.
Chelsea have gone backwards recently so this looks a tough fixture to go into with confidence.
However, a London derby does something to both sets of fans that sets this up to be a great game for Super Sunday to broadcast.
Both leading strikers Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham are more than capable of turning in on up front. Midfield creativity isn’t lacking either with Dele Alli, Son Heung-min, Christian Pulisic, and Mason Mount experiencing fantastic spells.
It really could go either way, with the form book leaning towards Spurs.
However, it’s a derby, with Mourinho facing his old team, and you can bet the Chelsea away fans will be in fine voice.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2–2 Chelsea
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