It’s an enormous and lengthy weekend within the Premier League, with consideration firmly again on the title race for each Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis after the latter switched focus to the FA Cup final weekend.
The ten video games are unfold throughout 4 days, with crushed FA Cup semi-finalists Leeds United kicking issues off towards relegated Burnley on Friday.
Arsenal will look to pile the strain on Metropolis within the title race on Saturday night after they host Fulham, two days earlier than Pep Guardiola’s facet spherical off the financial institution vacation weekend’s fixtures at Everton.
Manchester United host Liverpool as the 2 outdated rivals look to take one other step in direction of Champions League qualification, whereas Tottenham’s uphill battle to keep away from the drop takes them to fifth place Aston Villa.
Fellow strugglers West Ham and Nottingham Forest even have video games towards sides with European ambitions, and Crystal Palace and Newcastle United will every be looking for outcomes that may put any discuss of them being sucked into the relegation battle to mattress.
101GreatGoals predicts each fixture from what is bound to be a captivating weekend within the Premier League.
FRIDAY
Leeds United v Burnley
A win would virtually definitely be sufficient to verify Leeds’ survival, and they are going to be clear favourites towards a Burnley facet that parted firm with Scott Parker on Thursday following their relegation.
Nonetheless, Leeds had been removed from spectacular within the FA Cup semi-final final weekend and there could possibly be a hangover from that defeat to Chelsea. Nerves will jangle at Elland Highway if a Burnley facet that beat Leeds within the reverse fixture take the lead, however Daniel Farke’s males ought to have sufficient to assert the factors.
Prediction: Leeds 2-1 Burnley
SATURDAY
Brentford v West Ham
There was a level of fortune about West Ham’s win over Everton final week, however the Hammers will see the quick journey to West London as a chance to take one other big step in direction of survival. Brentford’s European cost has stalled considerably. It has gone beneath the radar that they haven’t received since a 4-3 victory at Burnley in February, with the Bees winless in seven video games since, together with a penalty shootout defeat to West Ham within the FA Cup.
Brentford have received three of their final 4 Premier League dwelling video games towards West Ham, the exception being a 1-1 draw final season. Nuno Espírito Santo’s males would most likely be proud of the identical outcome once more.
Prediction: Brentford 1-1 West Ham
Newcastle United v Brighton and Hove Albion
Newcastle are determined to cease the rot and put any lingering relegation fears to mattress. Eight factors away from the underside three, the Magpies have probably already accomplished sufficient, however a win right here to finish a run of 5 4 successive defeats by a single aim would make everybody on Tyneside breathe a little bit simpler.
Brighton have been a bogey crew for Newcastle and are in glorious kind, having swept apart Chelsea final trip. Remarkably, Fabian Hurzeler’s facet have an opportunity of Champions League qualification and have misplaced simply two of their final 17 Premier League video games towards Eddie Howe’s crew, although each of these defeats had been at St James’ Park.
Nonetheless, Newcastle had been improved in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal final weekend, and with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton again within the facet, it looks like the right time for them to carry the temper.
Prediction: Newcastle 3-1 Brighton
Wolves v Sunderland
Regardless of dropping 5-0 at dwelling to Nottingham Forest final Friday, Sunderland are nonetheless very a lot ready to push for European soccer, and they are going to be grateful for the journey to all-time low Wolves.
Rob Edwards’ males rediscovered a few of their battle final week as they made life extraordinarily troublesome for struggling Tottenham, however the actuality is that the momentum that they had a number of weeks in the past is gone.
Sunderland aren’t prone to produce a repeat of their defensive collapse towards Forest, and this must be an pleasurable away day for his or her travelling followers.
Prediction: Wolves 0-2 Sunderland
Arsenal v Fulham
Arsenal could also be a little bit weary following their Champions League exertions towards Atletico Madrid, whereas Fulham are coming off a powerful victory over Aston Villa final trip.
Nonetheless, the Cottagers’ document on this fixture doesn’t encourage confidence that they may give Metropolis a serving to hand within the title race.
Certainly, Arsenal haven’t misplaced in 32 dwelling league video games towards Fulham, that’s the most any facet has confronted one other with out defeat in English soccer league historical past.
The Gunners’ win over Newcastle was edgy quite than spectacular and, after a hard-fought sport in Madrid, one other workmanlike victory seems to be probably for Mikel Arteta’s facet.
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Fulham
SUNDAY
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth have had a very long time to stew on the late equaliser they conceded towards Leeds of their most up-to-date fixture, whereas Palace will probably be coming off an extended journey to Poland to face Shakhtar Donetsk within the Convention League semi-finals.
Very similar to Newcastle, Palace want another outcome to be completely positive of their top-flight standing for subsequent season, nevertheless it’s unlikely they may prioritise this fixture forward of the second leg with Shakhtar.
As such, anticipate Bournemouth’s push for Europe to rediscover momentum.
Prediction: Bournemouth 3-0 Crystal Palace
Manchester United v Liverpool
Arne Slot’s guests head into this sport on the again of three successive league wins, a run that has put them in a really snug place heading right into a sport with their arch rivals.
Barring a outstanding drop off in kind, United will probably be taking part in Champions League soccer subsequent season, and the dearth of strain ought to make for a frenetic, extremely charged and entertaining affair at Outdated Trafford.
The distinction between the 2 sides is accidents. Liverpool are with out Hugo Ekitike and Mohamed Salah and, whereas Alexander Isak broke his scoring duck towards Palace final trip, it’s troublesome to envisage the Reds producing sufficient to assert victory over Michael Carrick’s facet.
Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Liverpool
Aston Villa v Tottenham
Spurs’ win over Wolves was a Pyrrhic victory, as Xavi Simons was misplaced for the season to a knee damage whereas Dominic Solanke suffered a hamstring damage.
Tottenham are left with simply three match attackers going into the journey to Villa Park, with their lack of choices prone to mitigate the affect of any fatigue Villa could really feel from their Europa League semi-final towards Nottingham Forest.
Villa might safe Champions League soccer with a win if outcomes go their approach and so they’re significantly better outfitted to punish the defensive frailties that had been nonetheless there for Tottenham towards Wolves final week.
Tottenham have misplaced six of their final 10 Premier League video games towards Villa. One other defeat right here would go away them with a mountain to climb to flee a primary relegation since 1977.
Prediction: Aston Villa 4-1 Tottenham
MONDAY
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest
Forest will probably be glad for the additional day of relaxation within the wake of their European tie with Villa and, no matter how that sport performs out, determine to be in assured temper after their final away efficiency towards Sunderland.
Forest haven’t misplaced at Stamford Bridge since returning to the highest flight in 2022, however they face a Chelsea facet that appeared markedly extra assured within the FA Cup semi-final following the sacking of Liam Rosenior.
The Blues nonetheless weren’t overly convincing towards Leeds, however they would be the brisker of the 2 groups, and their high quality ought to inform towards a facet they beat 3-0 within the reverse fixture.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Everton v Manchester Metropolis
Metropolis could possibly be six factors behind Arsenal, albeit having performed two video games fewer, by the point they kick off on the Hill-Dickinson Stadium, however that’s unlikely to faze Pep Guardiola’s facet.
In Guardiola’s tenure with Metropolis, they’ve solely misplaced as soon as away at Everton, a 4-0 defeat to Ronald Koeman’s Toffees within the Spaniard’s first season in 2017.
Since then, it’s a fixture that Metropolis have dominated. Winless of their final three video games, there’s little to counsel an Everton facet that endured a defensive drop-off throughout that run will be capable to do Arsenal a favour.
Prediction: Everton 0-2 Manchester Metropolis
