Up to date:
Mar 17, 2023 6:41 pm
We check out a few of this week’s Premier League fixtures, together with an opportunity for Arsenal to go 8 factors clear towards Crystal Palace, and two large video games for relegation-threatened sides, when Leicester journey to Brentford, and Wolves host Leeds.
This Week’s Premier League Fixtures
Nottingham Forest v Newcastle
Aston Villa v Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur
Wolves v Leeds
Chelsea v Everton
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Brentford v Leicester
Brentford bounced again to profitable methods towards basement boys Southampton, with a easy 2-0 win over The Saints. Regardless of solely main 1-0 for giant components of the sport, the outcome was by no means actually doubtful, as a usually strong defensive show ensured Brentford returned dwelling with all 3 factors.
Ivan Toney notched his sixteenth Premier League objective this season. Final season he managed 12, and he might be in search of at the very least 20 by the tip of the season, and with the shape he’s in, he ought to simply obtain this.
Brentford now sit 3 factors behind Newcastle in fifth place, and may they put a run of type collectively, they might simply meet up with them. Brentford has stunned everybody already this season, so they might as nicely obtain a European spot while they’re at it.
Leicester seemed like they had been again after beating Aston Villa 4-2 after which Spurs 4-1, however since then, they’ve misplaced 4 video games on the bounce, while solely scoring a single objective throughout that point.
Their 3-0 loss towards Man United might be neglected, United had been in nice type and so they had been by no means anticipated to get something from that sport. The identical goes for Arsenal once they misplaced 1-0. They then misplaced 1-0 towards Southampton away from dwelling, the place they actually ought to have been anticipating to win.
Of their final sport, they misplaced 3-1 to a reinvigorated Chelsea. Patson Daka lastly acquired on the scoresheet for Leicester, however they had been woeful. If not for VAR, they might have been 2 or 3-0 down by the point that they had scored. Wout Faes acquired a late sending-off to compound Leicester’s distress.
The followers are usually not pleased with Brendan Rodgers. They’ve been sucked right into a relegation battle, sitting above Bournemouth in 18th on objective distinction alone. Do the board give Rodgers the remainder of the season to show it round? Or do they pull the set off and provides another person a shot at holding them up. A loss right here might be Rodgers’ final sport.
This sport seems prefer it must be a straightforward win for Brentford. At dwelling, they’re formidable. They haven’t misplaced since their 3-0 defeat towards Arsenal in sport week 7. They’re so strong and hit groups on the break with velocity and energy. Leicester is simply so weak in the intervening time, they can not rating, can’t defend, and appear to be they’re out of concepts. They are surely in hassle now.
Prediction: Brentford 2 – 0 Leicester
Wolves v Leeds
It is a big sport for either side. While Wolves sit in thirteenth, they’re solely 3 factors above the relegation spots. Leeds however, sits in nineteenth, 1 level away from security. A outcome for both aspect right here could be big.
Wolves have gotten troublesome to name in current weeks. They acquired an excellent win towards Spurs the opposite week, with Traore scoring the one objective of the sport and securing 3 factors. Final weekend, they misplaced 2-1 towards Newcastle and had been lucky that they didn’t concede extra.
Wolves haven’t been a group to attain a whole lot of objectives, so that they depend on holding strong, attending to the odd objective right here and there to win 1-0. Towards Newcastle, they had been horrible for the primary half an hour, and will have been 2 or 3 down. They saved themselves within the sport, nonetheless, and ended up equalised, with Hwang Hee-Chan scoring his first objective of the season.
The one optimistic for Wolves, is that they managed to carry on for therefore lengthy. They saved it at 1-0, saved themselves within the sport, and will have gotten a degree out of it, if not for Almiron restoring Newcastle’s lead with 11 minutes to play. If a group comes at Wolves from the beginning, they wrestle, but when they will survive an early onslaught, they’re greater than able to profitable.
Leeds performed out a really entertaining 2-2 draw at dwelling with Brighton, by which they got here from behind twice to safe a degree. Patrick Bamford acquired his second objective of the season 5 minutes earlier than halftime.
Jack Harrison then went from villain to hero, scoring an personal objective to present Brighton a 2-1 lead, after which occurring to attain within the appropriate web, notching his second objective of the season, and guaranteeing Leeds got here away with a degree.
A degree has not completed them any favours, nonetheless. It has saved up tempo with the groups above them, however they have to be selecting up all 3 factors at this stage, and placing a ways between them and the drop. It’ll be a troublesome few weeks for Leeds, however their Premier League survival hinges on it.
This sport may go both manner. If Leeds scores early, it places the stress on Wolves, and with their lack of objectives, they might not discover a manner again into the sport. However Leeds just isn’t precisely in nice type, and won’t wish to come into this sport all weapons blazing. I can see a rating draw right here, which can profit Wolves greater than Leeds.
Prediction: Wolves 1 – 1 Leeds
Chelsea v Everton
Chelsea has now received back-to-back video games within the Premier League for the primary time since mid-October. Their type has been woeful and so they rightfully sit in tenth place in the intervening time, however issues might be trying up for Chelsea and so they might slowly begin to stand up once more.
After beating Leeds 1-0, they travelled to Leicester for what may have been a tough tie. They blew Leicester out of the park early on and may have been 2 or 3-0 up. VAR chalked off an early objective for them, however they remained centered and received 3-1 in the long run.
A giant optimistic for Chelsea on this sport might be that Mykhailo Mudryk acquired his first help of the season. After being largely unimpressive up to now since signing in January, he had his greatest sport in a Chelsea shirt, offering the help for Kovacic’s objective. Chelsea might be hoping he can kick on from right here, and add some much-needed creativity to their attacking menace.
Chelsea additionally superior within the Champions League earlier this month, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on mixture. They now face Actual Madrid within the subsequent spherical, who knocked Liverpool out with an mixture rating of 6-2.
Everton took an enormous step in direction of Premier League survival with a vital 1-0 win at dwelling towards Brentford. Regardless of being dominated on the ball, Everton greater than held their very own towards a group pushing for a European spot and totally deserved their win.
It was a fast begin for Everton, scoring within the first minute of the sport, with Dwight McNeil grabbing his third objective of the season. Everton had probabilities to increase their lead however didn’t capitalise. Nevertheless, in addition they defended resolutely, as a Sean Dyche aspect usually would, coming away with a clear sheet, and people all-important 3 factors.
Everton now sits in fifteenth, one level above the relegation zone. They should hold selecting up factors if they’re to stay away from hassle. There are groups under them in a lot worse type, however all it takes is one win for a couple of sides under them, and so they fall straight again into the underside 3.
Chelsea ought to actually be profitable this sport. They’ve dwelling benefit, are in comparatively good type, and may now be excessive in confidence. Dyche thrives on these video games nonetheless, he’ll set Everton as much as be irritating to play towards. He’ll need the Chelsea crowd to develop stressed with their group. I’m going to go together with my head right here and predict a Chelsea win, however my coronary heart says Everton will get one thing out of this.
Prediction: Chelsea 2 – 1 Everton
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Arsenal has had a rollercoaster of per week in all competitions. Arsenal made quick work of Fulham, with their 3 first half objectives securing all 3 factors for The Gunners. The sport noticed Leandro Trossard make historical past, turning into the primary participant to get 3 assists within the first half of a sport, taking part in away from dwelling.
Trossard has been an excellent signing, and he’s proving his worth already for Arsenal. He’s so inventive, and at all times seems like an excellent participant each time he’s on the ball. Arsenal might be hoping he can add a couple of objectives to his sport, on prime of the assists, however no one can complain about his performances up to now.
Arsenal then noticed themselves shedding out on a possible piece of silverware, after getting knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon. The tie was finely poised after an entertaining 2-2 draw away from dwelling, and it seemed as if Arsenal would possibly progress when Granit Xhaka took the lead after 19 minutes.
Sporting Lisbon had different concepts, as Pedro Goncalves scored from the midway line, lobbing the ball over a helpless Ramsdale. The tie went into additional time, which noticed Manuel Ugarte despatched off with 2 minutes to go. Sporting Lisbon held on to take Arsenal to penalties, and there have been jubilant scenes within the away finish when Martinelli missed his spot kick, finally knocking Arsenal out.
Crystal Palace has been terrible these days. They too, like Trossard, have made historical past not too long ago, turning into the primary group in current historical past to not register a single shot on the right track in 3 consecutive video games within the Premier League. Their lack of objectives has been a priority for weeks, and now they don’t seem to be even creating probabilities.
They had been barely higher once they performed Brighton on Wednesday night time, registering 3 pictures on the right track from the 11 taken, nonetheless, none of those discovered the again of the web, which means they’ve not scored of their final 4 video games. Brighton ran out 1-0 winners, with Solly March scoring the one objective of the sport.
The followers have grown sick and bored with Vieira now, and the board have responded, sacking him simply 1 day earlier than their subsequent sport, which means Paddy McCarthy, the U21’s coach, will take cost of their sport towards Arsenal.
Solely time will inform whether or not or not this was the fitting choice, however one thing wanted to be completed. Their subsequent appointment might be big for them, as they’re dropping nearer and nearer in direction of the relegation zone.
Regardless of the midweek heartbreak for Arsenal, this must be an easy win for them, particularly contemplating they’re at dwelling. Their attackers are on fireplace, and their defence is usually strong, which might be a problem for Crystal Palace. Alternatively, Palace might profit from the managerial change, and so they may spring a shock right here. A snug dwelling win for me right here although.
Prediction: Arsenal 3 – 0 Crystal Palace
Different Predictions
- Nottingham Forest 0 – 1 Newcastle
- Aston Villa 1 – 1 Bournemouth
- Southampton 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
