Premier League Matchweek 24: Preview, Betting tips and Predictions
The title race is done, regardless, we have trips to make, to familiar grounds with familiar faces, to do the same thing we’ve always done, try to steal as many points as we can.
Like the Seagulls, away at the Vitality Stadium where it seems the light is out to shine no more, while we’re sure the manager has a job for life, even if they go down, he’ll be trusted to bring them back up, but for the abundance of talent in the squad, it would be a big shame to watch them disappear into the championship oblivion.
Brighton have a way with teams below them, they won’t need the third gear if Bournemouth remains the way they’ve been for months now, they have completely forgotten how to celebrate… Life must be pretty hard down Yorkshire.
Manchester City will travel to Bramall Lane, they will test their weary feet against the Blades and hope not to be burnt, are they angry? Battered and bruised, no doubt but will they respond?
Well, they have to do it against the most disciplined and organized team outside Liverpool so they will break sweats if they will offer anything to their traveling fans.
Words out for Sheffield right now are of praises and warm encomiums, not because they rallied and claimed a point at Arsenal but because it takes consistency to be where they are, they don’t look like stopping so it won’t be easy for the champions.
Let’s go to Stamford Bridge, home of probably the most inconsistent side in the Premier League.
One moment they’re giving you joy, the next they’re losing meekly to teams they should be sorting cleanly.
No disrespect to Newcastle but Chelsea have no business losing to them, maybe experience is lacking and it looks highly like the window would come handy but they must not do anything that will upset the balance of the team.
Guess who’s in town? Stalemate specialists, Arsenal!
The first leg went in the way of Chelsea after a very strong hour of quality football from Arsenal, they failed to take their chances and were dealt the blows of football late on.
The same story for Chelsea at St James’s Park, de javu for both sides and with Pierre Emerick Aubameyang still out on suspension, Gabriel Martinelli will get another chance to impress for the gunners.
Crystal Palace have built a strong reputation when Manchester City is involved and that has given them the fear factor, maybe it’s time for them to start pushing for top-six finish, if Sheffield can, they can too, and if you peep into the top four, you see a certain Leicester, so why not?
Southampton slept off last weekend and gave up a two-goal lead, strange result on two fronts.
One, they have been on a fine form and two, Danny Ings wasn’t on the scorers’ sheet despite the Saints scoring twice, he has a chance in this match and the question would be around their mentality if they don’t get a result here.
Manchester United were going to be flattered by the scoreline against Liverpool, they only lost 2-0 and in all honesty it could have been more.
They host Burnley next and before they jump to conclusions, they may have to see footages from the second half between their visitors and Leicester a few days ago.
If Burnley show same grit and gut at Old Trafford, against a very unpredictable United side, there could be more headaches for the baby faced assassin in the Red Devils’ dugout.
Carlo Ancellotti hosts Newcastle and he has to be very careful, no real superstars in the Newcastle team and they fight for each other.
Beyond tough defending, no real managerial tinkering other than a set of hungry lads that want a result, this kind of team is very hard to face on their stubborn days but the technical nous of the veteran should see this out at Goodison Park.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is being touted to lead the line for the 3 Lions in the absence of Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane, that could spur him more to greater things with his form coming with the reigns of Ancellotti, and rightly so, a certain Danny Ings can also weigh into the conversation.
Jose Mourinho by now knows his Tottenham spell won’t be an easy ride except results start to go his way, yet another stalemate last time out on a day he’d have his goalkeeper to thank for saving a penalty that could have taken the result completely away from him.
Troy Deeney went too close to the Argentine keeper and would be grateful that his defense got the job done in the end as Eric Lamela tried to bundle the ball over the line.
Norwich is the team to beat next, a team with little or no resistance right now, sinking into the murky waters of relegation with little hopes of rising again, it’s Spurs’ to lose here.
Leicester would still rue the moment Jamie Vardy missed from the spot against Nick Pope and hope the dark days are over.
Brendan Rodgers isn’t the kind of manager that panics but results are beginning to nosedive especially on days one expects them to run opponents down.
They have another opportunity against Westham, fresh from the stalemate with Everton, a match that was branded ‘The David Moyes Derby”, all eyes would be on both sides to see how they react.
Midweek games are always great to cool off after a day of hard work and no one would say no to another opportunity to beat the bookies, but remember it’s down to the writer’s opinion and you must gamble responsibly.
Fixture
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Verdict
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Player to watch
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Bournemouth vs Brighton
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Brighton to win or draw
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Neal Maupay
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Villa vs Watford
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Watford to win or draw
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Troy Deeney
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Palace vs Southampton
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Draw
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Jordan Ayew
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Everton vs Newcastle
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Everton to win or draw
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Calvert Lewin
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Sheffield vs City
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City to win
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Sergio Aguero
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Chelsea vs Arsenal
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Arsenal to win or draw
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Gabriel Martinelli
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Leicester vs Westham
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Leicester to win
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James Maddison
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Spurs vs Norwich
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Spurs to win
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Heung Min Son
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United vs Burnley
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United to win
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Anthony Martial
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Wolves vs Liverpool
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Liverpool to win or draw
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Raul Jimenez
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