The Premier League is getting ready for another blockbuster gameweek of football.
This is the penultimate weekend of fixtures in 2018 and things get off to a flying start with the mini-Manchester-Merseyside derby; Manchester City host Everton at midday on Saturday and in the day’s evening kick-off we have east vs. west in a London derby between Fulham and West Ham.
Sunday sees England’s Europa League boys both playing at the same time but the main event of the weekend is undoubtedly The Manchester-Merseyside derby as Manchester United travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool.
We’ve had a look at the fixtures and had two of the Squawka team come up with predictions:
Manchester City vs. Everton
Muhammad Butt: Everton have always been something of a bogey side for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, but after their disappointment last week the Champions will be out to get back on track. Everton will provide stiff resistance but in the end, the Sky Blues should prevail. 3-1 City.
Ben Green: Having suffered their first league defeat of the season last week, City will be frothing at the bit to bounce back when they play host to the Toffees on Saturday. For Marco Silva, three matches without victory paints an unsavoury picture, and that will probably extend to four as Pep Guardiola has never tasted back-to-back Premier League defeats. 2-0 City.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Raheem Sterling has been sensational this season and has taken his game to new heights. No player in the Premier League has registered more assists from open player (six) than Sterling.
Crystal Palace vs. Leicester
MB: It’s hard to make sense of Crystal Palace this season, but one thing is certain: they rely a whole lot on Wilfried Zaha. Leicester aren’t exactly in the best form themselves, though, and so it’s hard to see a winner emerging. 1-1 draw.
BG: The Eagles are in dire straits at present and will be without suspended talisman Wilfried Zaha this weekend. It has been well-documented just how woeful Roy Hodgson’s men are without their prodigious winger, and so Claude Puel – whose Leicester have been somewhat underwhelming of late – will certainly look to take advantage. 1-2 Leicester.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Ben Chilwell is a star in the making and continues to improve game-by-game. Of teams outside the ‘top-six’ no player has taken more touches (1252) than Chilwell.
Huddersfield vs. Newcastle
MB: Newcastle haven’t won in three games but they’re also unbeaten on the road since the start of October when Manchester United stole a win from them. Expect Rafa Benitez’s boys to get the best of David Wagner’s workhorses. 1-2 win.
BG: It was despair last time out for the Magpies who suffered their first defeat since October when a last-gasp Wolves winner put them to the sword. With that being said, Rafa Benitez is a tactically astute coach and will be itching to lock horns with a deflated Huddersfield side, though David Wagner will be keen to ensure his side do not suffer four successive defeats. 1-1 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Salomon Rondon has proven a shrewd acquisition since joining the books over the summer. He has been directly involved in four of Newcastle’s last six Premier League goals (three goals, one assist).
Spurs vs. Burnley
MB: Spurs are back in the Champions League knockout rounds and should bring that swagger back to the Premier League. The only question is how much did that draw take out of them, physically? They’ll probably still beat Burnely, but it won’t be easy. 2-1 Spurs.
BG: Spurs will be beaming going into this match after their midweek exploits in Catalonia and they face a Burnley side precariously languishing in the Premier League’s nether reaches; the Clarets have not yet rediscovered their defensive resiliance from last campaign and will struggle to keep a potent Spurs’ side at bay. 3-0 Spurs.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Dele Alli endured a one-month layoff earlier in the campaign but is starting to blossom. Last week Alli became the second-youngest player to score 40 Premier League goals for Spurs.
Watford vs. Cardiff
MB: Watford are steadily finding their feet again and their display at Everton showed that they can strike quickly and decisively – but also that they can’t close things out. You know what that means against a hard-fighting Cardiff. 1-1 draw.
BG: The Hornets were a joy to watch against Everton, playing with a verve and vigour accentuated by Roberto Pereyra and teenage talent Domingos Quina. Cardiff meanwhile have surprised this season and sit 14th in the table, but having not won on the road, it looks an ominous task travelling to Vicarage Road. 2-1 Watford.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Callum Paterson scored the vital winner last week and continues to shine. No player has won more duels (151) than Paterson in the Premier League this season.
Wolves vs. Bournemouth
MB: Wolves have won two on the bounce and Bournemouth are in genuinely wretched form. Much as Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson are having great seasons, Wolves will probably just about find a way at Molineux. 2-1 Wolves.
BG: This will be an extremely interesting clash; the defensively sound Wolves against the prolific goalscoring Cherries. Nuno Espirito Santo tinkered with his tactics against Newcastle and it nearly backfired so expect a restored XI with Raul Jimenez leading the line. It is hard to separate these two sides, so expect a stalemate. 2-2 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Ryan Fraser has been a revelation this season and is proving indispensable. Only Eden Hazard (eight) has registered more assists than Fraser (seven).
Fulham vs. West Ham
MB: Fulham are terrible, but West Ham can also be terrible when they put their minds to it. On paper you’d think West Ham should blow the Cottagers away, but Fulham isn’t played on paper and you’d be a fool to write off King Claudio. 3-3 draw.
BG: The Hammers have won three on the spin and scored three goals in each of those matches – a first time since 1982. The Manuel Pellegrini revolution is finally coming together, but they face stern competition in Claudio Ranieri’s Cottagers, who will look to rectify last weeks’ capitulation. 1-1 draw.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Felipe Anderson is a man on form, and whisper quietly, but possibly West Ham’s answer to Dimitri Payet. He has netted five goals across his last six league outings, which is as many as in his previous 34 combined for both West Ham and Lazio.
Brighton vs. Chelsea
Eden Hazard has now been directly involved in more goals (15) than any other player in the Premier League this season.
⚽️ 7 goals
️ 8 assists
Two decisive deliveries in a huge game.
pic.twitter.com/TxH4oNfsYo
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 8, 2018
MB: Unlike the Prime Minister, Brighton are strong and stable. They now have the aura of an established Premier League side; proper middle of the road stuff which is immensely impressive given they only came up last season. They’ll give Chelsea a game but the Blues will have too much quality in the end. 1-3 Chelsea.
BG: The Blues shocked the Premier League last week after thwarting a usually formidable Man City, making the Wolves defeat look but a distant memory. However, Brighton will not lie down, though Maurizio Sarri has excessive quality at his disposal and should follow up from last week’s win. 0-2 Chelsea.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Eden Hazard has started the season like a house on fire and looks fired up for more. No player has completed more passes into the final third (477) than Hazard this season.
Southampton vs. Arsenal
MB: Ralph Hasehuttl was always a strange mid-season appointment, surely a coach like him needs time to train with his players? Something the festive calendar provides little of. The Gunners are blowing everyone away right now and haven’t lost at St. Mary’s since 2015. Expect that trend to continue. 2-3 Arsenal.
BG: Ralph Hasenhuttl’s philosophy may take time to bed in, as his high pressing intensity is diametrically at odds with his predecessor’s style. Arsenal should therefore take advantage of the Saints’ tactical infancy and continue their ridiculous unbeaten run. 1-3 Arsenal.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Lucas Torreira has rejuvenated Arsenal’s midfield and looks a frightening prospect in the middle of the park. He won more fouls (seven) against Huddersfield last week than any midfielder has won in a single Premier League game so far this season.
Liverpool vs. Manchester United
MB: There’s a Metallica song called Creeping Death which is actually about the worst and final plague God inflicted upon the Pharaoh of Egypt in Exodus, but it might as well be about Manchester United this season. There’s an intense feeling of dread hanging around Old Trafford, like something horrible is lurking just around the corner. United have avoided humiliation all season, with Mourinho hanging on by his fingernails. Well no more, now the something horrible is here. They’re going to go to Anfield and despite the best efforts of Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are going to make José Mourinho’s Manchester United ride the lightning. 5-1 Liverpool.
BG: It is the age-old bitter rivalry between two of English football’s great aristocrats. The Reds have been scintillating, while United have been anything but. Jurgen Klopp will be eager to continue his unbeaten league run, and they should have enough panache to overcome a stagnant Jose Mourinho side. 2-1 Liverpool.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Marcus Rashford has scored two goals in two matches and will look to make it three this weekend. He has directly contributed to five goals in his last three Premier appearances (one goal, four assists).
The post Premier League predictions for all 10 matches this gameweek appeared first on Squawka News.
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