Good day everyone,

I hope you are all well and having a great start to the weekend, welcome to CryptoGod-1's blog on all things sports. Today we will be looking at the upcoming weekend games in the Premier League. This round should see some exciting games, including the Manchester Derby, a return to league action for Liverpool and Chelsea, along with many encounters in the middle of the table.

 

Fixtures - Times are shown as U.K. Time

This weekends round of fixtures take place over 3 days, from Saturday lunchtime until Monday evening.

 

Saturday 5th March

Leicester - Leeds 8pm KO (Kick Off)

Aston Villa - Southampton 3pm KO

Burnley - Chelsea 3pm KO

Newcastle - Brighton 3pm KO

Norwich - Brentford 3pm KO

Wolves - Crystal Palace 3pm KO

Liverpool - West Ham 5.30pm KO

 

Sunday 6th March

Watford - Arsenal 2pm KO

Manchester City - Manchester United 4.30pm KO

 

Monday 7th March

Tottenham - Everton 8pm 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 weekends matches. Remember this is just my fun analysis and should not be taken as advice or a guarantee. 

 

Leicester - Leeds

This will be the first game in charge for new Leeds manager Jesse Marsch, and they face a Leicester side who overcame Burnley in their midweek rearranged fixture. The Foxes sit 12th and have been way off their top four challenge of recent years, but a top-half finish is certainly achievable. Leeds meanwhile have one of the worst away records in the league, managing just 10 points from their 13 matches while conceding a worrying 35 goals away from home. They enter this match having lost four straight league games and conceding 17 times in the process. Leicester will be without Evans, justin, Fofana, Castagne, and Bertrand. Leeds will be without Cooper, Phillips, and Hjelde but Bamford is back in training. This will be an interesting first game for the American Leeds manager and a surprise could be on the cards. Leicester will be hoping to continue their recent good result and find form before their midweek Europa Conference League clash with Rennes. Its a tough one to call but I will back Leicester to secure the three points at home and win this game 2-1.

 

Aston Villa - Southampton

Villa will be looking to claim back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since November, as Southampton will look to build upon their recent excellent results and progress in the FA Cup. Since Boxing Day, Villa have seen a poor run of form in which they won only two of their last nine matches and slipped to 13th in the table. They remain 12 points off the top seven and nine points above the drop, although they have a game in hand on a lot of teams above them. Southampton have won five and drawn one of their last six in all competitions, and they have put together an unbeaten run of five league games which includes three victories from their last four. Villa will be missing Marvelous Nakamba while Traore will need assessment before the match. As for Southampton, Tella, McCarthy, and Lyanco will all be absent with injuries. Hasenhuttl has created a well-oiled machine at Southampton and they will provide a tough challenge to a Villa side who have lost to relegations candidates in recent weeks. While Villa will defend deep and put in tough tackles, I think the Saints are too impressive currently for them. The game will be tight but I expect Ward-Prowse to have a say in it and the game should end 1-3 in Southampton's favour.

 

Burnley - Chelsea

Chelsea progressed in the FA Cup after their shootout loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup Final last weekend, and will hope the impending sale of the Abramovich era does not impact the squad. Burnley have been impressive of late seeing them pick up seven points from three matches. They lost to Leicester during the week, and sit one point from safety behind Everton. They have only three league wins all season, including away to Chelsea, but have managed to only loose four times at home. The Blues are third in the table, three points ahead of the chasing pack. Two wins from their last six in the league has not been the best, but they have managed to pick up 27 points from 13 away league matches. Burnley will be without Pieters, Stephens, Vydra, and Gudmundsson through injury, while Chelsea will be missing Chilwell, Christensen, and Azpilicueta. This will be a tough encounter for Chelsea and unless they are at their best they could suffer just like Tottenham did at Turf Moor. That being said I think Tuchel will ensure his team kicks on and doesn't get stuck in a battle for top four, and should sneak a 0-2 win away from home.

 

Newcastle - Brighton

Newcastle are on an unbeaten league run of seven games, and face a Brighton side who have lost three league games in a row. The change in form for Newcastle has seen them claim 14 points from their last six games and climb to 14th in the table, pulling clear of the relegation zone and making the most of their winter spending. Newcastle have not won any of their nine Premier League meetings against the Seagulls however, and Potters side will hope to continue that run when they meet. The Seagulls remain in the top half of the table in 10th, and have secured 19 points on the road this season. Newcastle will need to assess star player Saint-Maximin, while Trippier, Wilson, Lewis, Ritchie, and Hayden are all out. Brighton meanwhile will be missing Mwepu and Sarmiento. This game will most likely see a share of the spoils, given Newcastle's record against Brighton and the fact the Seagulls are excellent at securing draws this season. The Geordies will extended their unbeaten start to 2022 and this game will end up 2-2.

 

Norwich - Brentford

Both these sides are on winless league runs in the league, with Norwich being defeated by Liverpool in the FA Cup at Anfield during the week. Norwich will certainly feel they need the win more as they sit five points from safety having played two more games than 17th-placed Everton. Brentford are three points clear of 18th placed Burnley, but have played two more than them, and wont want to loose more ground in their debut season in the league. With Eriksen back on the field they will have hope for that creative spark, as they have lost eight of their previous nine in all competitions. Norwich will be without Omobamidele, Idah, and Placheta is a doubt. Brentford will see Dasilva serve the first of his three game ban, while Fosu and Jeanvier will also be out. Brentford's inability to keep a clean sheet away from home is well-known, but Norwich have the worst home attacking record in the league ahead of this relegation six-pointer. This will be a desperate battle for points for both of these sides, but seeing as the Bees will have both Toney and Eriksen raring to go I can see them sneaking the points here with a 1-3 victory at Carrow Road.

 

Wolves - Crystal Palace

Wolves will look to continue their push for European football as they face a Palace side looking to climb into the top half of the table. After defeats to Arsenal and West Ham, Lage's men have slipped out of the top seven. They are seven points off Manchester United in fourth and have a game in hand on the Red Devils, although both Arsenal and Spurs have played at least a game less than Lage's side. Wolves have lost their previous two league games against Saturday's opponents Crystal Palace without scoring, which will give Vieira's side hope.  Palace have made themselves difficult to beat in recent weeks and have lost only one of their previous seven games across all competitions. They have however managed to win just one of their last eight in the league. Wolves will be missing Semedo, while Palace will count Ferguson and Wards as their only injuries. Wolves have been a surprise package this season, and Vieira has done a fine job at Palace. This will be an interesting game and could go either way, but I imagine it will finish level with a 1-1 draw.

 

Liverpool - West Ham

Carabao Cup winners Liverpool will hope to continue their excellent run of form and get one over West Ham, who beat them earlier in the season, in the process. The Reds secured victory in their FA Cup game with Norwich, while West Ham lost out to Southampton. That victory for Liverpool was their 11th in all competitions on the bounce, and they sit six points off City with a game in hand. West Ham will have one eye on their Europa League encounter with Sevilla, while Liverpool have a 2-0 lead over Inter in the Champions League. Moyes men will still have hope of qualifying for the Champions League via fourth in the table, sitting fifth currently and two points off United in fourth. Liverpool will be without Thiago, Firmino, Kieta, and Matip for this match, The Hammers will be without Coufal, Fredericks, Masuaku, and Ogbonna while Yarmolenko will be absent due to his native Ukraine being invaded by Russia. With so many games coming thick and fast for both these teams, I think Liverpools squad depth will really show. They rested many key stars from the Cup Final last weekend when they played Norwich, and although they face Inter they have a lead in that game. They will field a strong team and while West Ham will do the same, the Hammers have flattered to deceive on the road recently. This should be a one sided game and Klopp will have learnt from their defeat to West Ham in November. I am going for a 3-0 win for Liverpool.

 

Watford - Arsenal

After Watford managed to hold United to a goalless draw last time out, they face an Arsenal side with strong ambitions of finishing in the top four, maybe even top three if they win their game in hand on Chelsea and close that gap to two points. Watford have shown a defensive solidity under Hodgson, as displayed against United. Its their lack of attacking threat which holds the real cause for concern, having scored just twice in the six games since he took charge. Having managed just one win from their last 14 in the top flight, their destiny is not in their own hands. Arsenal on the other hand are two games off fourth with three games in hand and very much have their destiny in their own hands. Having taken nine points from three games in February, they are proving the lack of options up front is not causing them a hinderance. Sarr, Etebo, and Nkoulou are the absentees for Watford heading into this one, while Tomiyasu is expected to miss out for Arsenal but Smith-Rowe should return. Arsenal defence should have no problem dealing with Watford's lack of attacking threat, and while the Hornets are robust in defence, I think Arsenal should claim an away victory here with a 1-2 result.

 

Manchester City - Manchester United

The game of the weekend sees both Manchester teams face off in what should be a thrilling encounter. Three places and 19 points separate the two bitter rivals in the league, with City hoping to maintain a gap over Liverpool and United the same over their top four rivals. City managed a 2-0 FA Cup fifth-round victory against Peterborough United during the week and have a quarter-final against Southampton. They have scored 36 at home this season while only conceding nine. United are clinging onto fourth and know they cannot afford to slip up at their rivals. They know how to turn up at the Etihad and have managed to win four of their last five in all competitions on their rivals' turf. Ake, Dias, Steffen, and Palmer are all out of this one for City, with Grealish and Jesus back in contention. United have no fresh injury concerns and should see McTominay back in the lineup, with Cavani also expected to have recovered form injury. Questions will be asked of Rangnicks side here and it will be interested to see if Ronaldo starts. He can produce the magic when needed and this will be another close game, with the teams cancelling each other out and the final score being 2-2.

 

Tottenham - Everton

Tottenham will be welcoming Dele Alli back in this encounter after his winter move to the Toffees. Spurs are all over the place in terms of form and consistency, but will expect to be at their best when facing Lampard's side. Sitting seventh, they will need a result to keep their top four dreams alive. Conte has not lost to Everton as a Premier League manager, and Spurs have lost just once in their last 18 league encounter with the Toffees. Lampards side are on a run of eight defeats and two draws in their last ten away league games. Lampard will hope to find a way to better integrate Alli into his side, with Lampard's 3-4 or 4-4-2 not accommodating the talented English attacking midfielder. Bentancur and Lucas Moura will be back in action for Spurs after recent injuries, while Everton will be without Godfrey but will have Calvert-Lewin back available. With these sides at opposite ends of the table it really is all to play for, with Everton sitting one place above the drop zone. I think both sides will turn up for a tough encounter, and it should end with Spurs securing the points at home with a 3-2 victory.

 

 

Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the preview of the matches and get to see the games over the weekend. 

Peace. CryptoGod-1.

 

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