Good day everyone,

I hope you are all well and having a great week after the exciting AFCON and FA Cup action, welcome to CryptoGod-1's blog on all things sports. Today we will be looking at the upcoming matches in the Premier League with a return to action after the winter break. It will be the first game for Eddie Howe to show-off his new squad, a chance for Rangnick's side to bounce back after FA Cup defeat, and a big game for Liverpool to get revenge on Leicester for their defeat earlier in the season. Chelsea are away at the FIFA Club World Cup so there will only be nine games taking place in this round.

Fixtures - Times are shown as U.K. Time

This weeks round of fixtures take place over 3 days, from Tuesday evening until Thursday evening.

Tuesday 8st February

Newcastle - Everton 7.45pm KO (Kick Off)

West Ham - Watford 7.45pm KO

Burnley - Manchester United 8pm KO

Wednesday 9th February

Manchester City - Brentford 7.45pm KO

Norwich - Crystal Palace 7.45pm KO

Tottenham - Southampton 7.45pm KO

Aston Villa - Leeds United 7.45pm KO

Thursday 10th February

Liverpool - Leicester 7.45pm KO

Wolves - Arsenal 7.45pm KO

Predictions

Now for the most exciting part, as I go through the latest info regarding each team to make an attempt at predicting the results for this weeks matches. Remember this is just my fun analysis and should not be taken as advice or a guarantee. 

Newcastle - Everton

Another relegation battle here after Everton's terrible run of form under Rafa Benitez. It was a great start for Lampard in the FA Cup, and both these teams have strengthened in the Transfer Window. It will be very interesting to see if Newcastle can click, but there in no doubting there defence and midfield is much stronger than it was. Doubts remain up front but if they can get good service into Chris Wood then the goals should come. As for Everton, their midfield is much stronger and it will be exciting to see Van Der Been and Dele Alli getting their first chances in the Everton shirt. Both these managers have a lot to prove so this should make for an exciting encounter. Both teams have only one league win in their previous six, and will be looking to change their form in this encounter. Newcastle will be missing Hayden, Ritchie, Lewis, Wilson, and Fernandez. Lascelles may also be missing from action in the upcoming game. For Everton, Davies, Doucoure, and Delph are all out missing while Calvert-Lewin is a doubt after sustaining a knock to the knee in training. It will be a fascinating encounter with both sides looking to show off their new players, but given Newcastle are at home and the dynamics of their players, especially Guimaraes assuming he settles in to English football alright, I can see the Magpies winning this game by a score of 2-1.

West Ham - Watford

Both teams had mixed fortunes on the weekend, as West Ham managed a win in the FA Cup while Watford played out a goalless draw against Burnley in their rearranged fixture. Hodgson will be pleased they managed a clean sheet in his first game in charge, but this will be a much tougher test for the Hornets. The Hammers are sitting in 5th and in with a real shout of Champions League football if can maintain their form. Declan Rice and Jarred Bowen will be crucial to this, while they will hope for Antonio to hit some goalscoring form once again. Watford will hope they can push on from Hodgson's first game in charge, but they have not picked up a win in ten league games. Ogbanna is going to miss the game for West Ham, although they will hope Antonio can play after being at AFCON, while Lanzini is a minor doubt. The chances of Zouma playing are slim after his cat kicking incident, while Masuaku is also unlikely to feature with injury. As for Watford, Dennis will be back from injury, while Baah and Nkoulou will both miss with injuries. Assuming West Ham don't have a major falling apart, I cant look beyond them for this one. They should get a comfortable victory here, and even hope to keep a clean sheet of their own against 18th placed Watford. I will be going for a 3-0 home win here.

Burnley - Manchester United

The Clarets remain rooted to the bottom of the table after their nil-all statement against Watford on the weekend. The managed to draw by the same score line against Arsenal before the break, but they are bottom thanks to the fact they have only one victory so far this season. New signing Weghorst looks like an interest acquisition, and linked up well with Cornet. The 197cm /  6' 5.5" tall striker is certain to cause some problems for United's defenders. The Red Devils were knocked out of the FA Cup by Middlesbrough. They will be hoping to bounce back here and confirm themselves in fourth place in the table. The Red Devils have managed to amass 19 points on their 11 away Premier League games this season, remaining unbeaten away from home in the league since the 4-1 loss at Watford. They will be weary of another defeat to a team in the relegation battle and will have to do so with Fred and Tellas who have COvid-19, while Lindelof and Bailly are both injured. Mason Greenwood is also of course out with the club suspending him while he faces allegations of assault and rape. Burnley will be without Vydra, Gudmundsson, and may also be missing Taylor and Barnes for this encounter. In what should prove to be a close contest, I can see Rangnick's side sneaking a victory against a tough side to break down, and coming away with a 1-2 victory. 

Manchester City - Brentford

Last time out in the league Man City could only manage a draw with Southampton and will hope they can return to winning ways here. They picked up a comfortable victory in the FA Cup over the weekend and will look to extend their nine point lead in the league, albeit Liverpool have a game in hand. They have tasted victory in their previous nine league games at home and will expect to continue that run against the Bees. Brentford lost to Lampard's Everton side in the cup on the weekend, and are currently on a run of four league defeats. Their excellent start to the season has dropped off and they sit in 14th, eight points clear of the relegation places. Palmer and Jesus are the only absentees for City, while Brentford will be hoping Mbeumo and Wissa return after recently testing positive for Covid-19. Fosu, Jeanvier, and Jorgensen will miss out with injury while Eriksen wont be ready to make his debut just yet due to a lack of fitness. With the form certainly on the Citizens side, it is difficult to look beyond Pep's team for this one. While Brentford can give anyone a game on their day, I expect City to win at home with a score of 3-1.

Norwich - Crystal Palace

Norwich head into this game on the back of a three game winning streak in all competitions, after victory in the FA Cup over the weekend meaning they will play Liverpool in the next round. Their back to back league wins means they managed to climb out of the relegation zone before the Winter break, and will hope to continue that form. Vieira's side also won in the FA Cup on the weekend, but their return of just one point from a possible nine in the league means they now sit 13th in the table after 22 games. The Eagles have failed to win in five games on the road and scored only once in their previous four away games. Krul, Kabak, and Sorensen will be missing for Norwich, while Palace will only be without Kouyate due to his victory at AFCON. In what should be a tight and tough encounter, I feel it may be a stretch too far for the Canaries to achieve a third league win in a row. With Palace on mixed form, a draw seems the fairest result and this game should end with a score of 1-1.

Tottenham - Southampton

Both these sides managed victory in the FA Cup over the weekend, and will be hoping to continue their success when they meet on Wednesday night. With Spurs two points and two games in had over fourth placed Man United, they will be hoping new signings Bentancur and Kulusevski can help them progress in the league. Spurs have taken 13 points from a possible 15 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since Conte took charge and have a great record of scoring at least twice in each of those games. Southampton sit in 10th and a comfortable ten points clear of the drop, but they have not kept a clean sheet in their last eleven Premier League games. For Spurs, they will be without Dier, Skipp, and Tanganga for this match, while the Saints will be missing Tella, McCarthy, Lyanco, and possible also Broja. With the stats clearly in Spurs favour, it will be difficult to look past them for this one. Their league form has been patchy but they are solid at home, and Southampton's inability to keep a clean sheet spells goals galore. I can see Spurs taking the lead and holding on with a 3-1 victory at home.

Aston Villa - Leeds United

The Gerrard revolution is taking shape at Villa, with neither team involved in the FA Cup at the weekend this will mark their first game since the winter break. Villa sit 11th in the table and will be looking to climb further with new signings Coutinho and Digne joined by Chambers in strenghtening the side. The former two have had big impacts so far and will hope it continues. Bielsa's sit remain 15th and seven points off the drop, knowing their nine league defeats so far puts them in danger of a relegation battle. They have only managed to win have won two of their ten league away games this season and have already conceded 23 goals in their 10 away fixtures. For Villa, Marvelous Nakamba is the only notable absentee. Leeds however will be hoping to welcome back Shackleton, Forshaw, and Cresswell, but will be without the services of Bamford, Firpo, Phillips, and Cooper. Villa will hope to make use of their strenghtened squad in this match compared to the injury woes of Leeds, and their upwards trajectory should see Villa record another win under Gerrard with a score of 2-1.

Liverpool - Leicester

The Thursday night schedule sees some big encounters, with the Reds winning in the FA cup on the weekend while Leicester were beaten comfortably by Nottingham Forrest, who had also beaten Arsenal in the previous round. These sides meet in December where Leicester won thanks to a Lookman goal, but Liverpool have only conceded one goal in the last 450 minutes of league football at Anfield. The Reds are on a good run and will hope they can keep pace with City at the summit, having won their previous four games in all competitions. Leicester have two wins and three defeats in their last six league games so are certainly going into this with very patchy form. Tenth in the table and 10 points off of sixth-placed Arsenal with a game in hand means its unlikely they will push for European football this season. Liverpool will have a decision to make whether or not to play Salah after his AFCON exploits, while Mané is still away celebrating victory with Senegal. New signing Diaz made an instant impact at the weekend as did the returning Elliot from injury, with Thiago also available for selection. Gomez, Origi, and Oxlade-Chamberlain are all also back in training giving Klopp a very healthy squad to pick from. As for Leicester, Mendy will be absent as he is also celebrating AFCON success, while Vardy, Fofana, Bertrand, Castagne, and Evans are all ruled out with injury. Liverpool will look to take advantage of set pieces and maintain a tight defence as the Foxes are more than capable of scoring, but Liverpool should get the win at home with a comfortable victory of 3-0.

Wolves - Arsenal

Both these sides have real hopes of landing European football for next season, and Wolves will still believe they can push for Champions League with them sitting 8th with a game in hand and four points off United in 4th. This will be Arsenals first game since before the Winter break, while Wolves lost to Norwich in the FA Cup over the weekend. With Adama Traore departed, their tight defence in only conceding 16 goals in the league will be their best hope. They had lacked goal scoring threat this season, with the third-worst goals tally of only 19 scored. Wolves have only scored eight goals at home this season which will boost Arteta's confidence in securing a result. Arsenal are short up front with Aubameyang joining Traore at Barcelona, and failing to replace him in the window. With Lacazette and Nketiah Arsenal only recognized strikers, and both seeing their contract expire in the summer, its interest times for the London based side. They have not tasted victory in five games, and are on a run of four games without a goal in all competitions. Wolves will be without Jonny, Neto, Boly, Hwang, and Mosquera for this game, while Arsenal will welcome back Xhaka and Partey but Elneny is a doubt after his exploits at AFCON with Egypt. This will be a tough one to call, and purely beacuse of how difficult it is to score past Sa in the Wolves nets coupled with Arsenals lack of real goalscorers, I can see this ending as a 0-0 draw. 

Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the preview of the league matches and get to see the games during the week.

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

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