Good day everyone,
I hope you are all well and had an excellent week, welcome to CryptoGod-1’s blog on all things sports. This weekends sees the other half of the teams on their winter break, with only five games taking place. These will include Arsenal hosting Palace, Sheffield United up against West Ham, Bournemouth welcoming Liverpool, and Brighton hosting Wolves. Brentford will be hosting Forest in the first gave Ivan Toney will be eligible to play in following his lengthy ban.
Fixtures — Times are shown as U.K. Time
This weeks round of fixtures will see the games spread out across three days from Saturday morning until Monday evening.
Saturday 20th January 2024
Arsenal - Crystal Palace 12.30pm KO
Brentford - Nottingham Forest 5.30pm KO
Sunday 21st January 2024
Sheffield United - West Ham 2pm KO
Bournemouth - Liverpool 4.30pm KO
Monday 22nd January 2024
Brighton - Wolves 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 week matches. Remember this is just my fun analysis and should not be taken as advice or a guarantee.
Arsenal - Crystal Palace
Arsenal currently sit in fourth with 40 points while Palace sit in fourteenth with 21 points.
Arteta will have serious questions to ask following his side taking only a single point from the last nine available, including a 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage last time out in the league. They were beaten 2-0 at home by Liverpool in the FA to leave Arsenal with a serious mountain to climb if they wish to win some silverware this season. They are back from their break in Dubai and will have only managed one win in their last seven in all competitions and could drop out of the top four with a loss having topped the table on Christmas Day. They are on their worst run of form under Arteta and he will know upping morale, and maybe a new signing, could reignite their title charge.
Hodgson's side overcame Brentford 3-1 at Selhurst Park last time out in the Premier League to give the Eagles a badly needed league win. They went on to secure a 0-0 at home to Everton in the FA Cup before the replay at Goodison saw Everton progress as Palace continue to struggle for goals. They sit five points above the relegation zone and their last game in the league saw them ending an eight game winless run in the Premier League. They are nine games without a clean sheet and their record in London derbies during 2023/24 is the worst in the league.
Arsenal will be missing Timber, Vieira, Partey, Elneny, and Tomiyasu. They will also need to check on Jesus and Zinchenko. Crystal Palace will be without Doucoure, Rak-Sakyi, Ward, Olise, Holding, and Ayew.
Form Last Six League Games:
Home: WLWDLL
Away: LLDDLW
Arsenal overcame Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park back in August, while the two league encounters last season also ended in wins for Arsenal. However prior to that it was only one win in eight for Arsenal over the Eagles. Arsenal have been struggling for goals but will expect to score against Palace, but I could see Hodgson's side putting in enough to make this a close contest. Their FA Cup replay meant no winter break and that could be the difference here as I will go for a narrow home win.
Final score: 2-1
Brentford - Nottingham Forest
Brentford sit in sixteenth with 19 points while Forest sit in fifteenth with 20 points.
Following a run of five league defeats in a row, including away to Crystal Palace on New Year's Eve, Frank will hope his side can get back on the right track to stop their tumble down the table. They managed a 1-1 draw with Wolves in the FA Cup at home before the replay at the Gtech Community Stadium save Wolves win a five goal thriller after extra time. The Bees are now seven games without a win in all competitions, six of which have ended in defeat. They sit three points above the relegation zone, although Luton have a game in hand. They have lost their last five league games but will have Toney back from his long suspension to once again lead the line.
Nuno Santo managed another win last time out in the Premier League as Forest beat Manchester United 2-1 at the City Ground. They followed that up with a 2-2 draw against Blackpool before the replay saw Forest emerge 3-2 winners in extra time. Santo's side made it three wins from their last four games for the new manager and although the club sit four points above the relegation zone, the news of FFP charges will not have been welcomed. Santo has seen his side score at least twice in all five of his games in charge and will hope that form can continue here.
Brentford will be missing Henry, Mbeumo, Schade, Hickey, Wissa, Ghoddos, Onyeka, and Norgaard. They will also need Ajer. Nottingham Forest will be missing Awoniyi, Felipe, Sangare, Aina, Niakhate, Kouyate, Boly, and Aurier. They will also be missing Elanga and Origi.
Form Last Six League Games:
Home: WLLLLL
Away: LDLLWW
These sides played out a 1-1 draw at the City Ground back in October. Last season Brentford managed a 2-1 home win over Forest and a 2-2 draw at the City Ground. The Tricky Trees have failed to beat Brentford in all of their Premier League games so far, with a 1-1 draw at the Gtech and a 1-3 home defeat at the City Ground last season. Brentford will be boosted by Toney returning to the side and that could see them cause an upset. Forest will expect to score, but I think Brentford could end their losing streak and secure a point here.
Final score: 2-2
Sheffield United - West Ham
The Blades are currently bottom with 9 points while West Ham sit in sixth with 34 points.
Sheffield United lost 2-0 away to Manchester City in their last league game and are now five games since their last Premier League win. A resounding 4-0 away win over Gillingham saw them progress in the FA Cup and Wilder will hope to take momentum from that win into this encounter. They sit eight points from safety with only two league wins so far this season, and they boast the league’s weakest defence and attack. Wilder sparked a win after his return last month but the squad has no wins in their last four in the league, managing only a point. The potential news of both Everton and Forest getting points deductions will perhaps give them a better fighting chance of staying in the league if results improve.
West Ham drew 0-0 away to Brighton to record their fourth Premier League clean sheet in a row, having not conceded in the league since they shipped five against Fulham. The Hammers then drew 1-1 at home with Bristol in the FA Cup before the replay saw the Hammers eliminated by Bristol City. They are only six point off an unexpected Champions League place push, having beaten Arsenal and Manchester United in December. The injuries have mounted up and the FA Cup replay meant they got no winter break. The squad will hope to push for Europe again next term and the lack of progress in the Cup may end up being a blessing in disguise.
Sheffield United will be missing Basham, Lowe, Egan, Davies, Jebbison, Larouci, and Slimane. They will also need to check on Trusty, Bogle, Ahmedhodzic, Baldock. West Ham will be missing Antonio, Paqueta, Kudus, Aguerd, Fornals, and Benrahma, while both Edson Alvarez and Bowen need assessment.
Form Last Six League Games:
Home: LWLDLL
Away: WLWWWD
The Hammers beat the Blades 2-0 back in September and the Hammers have won their last three against the Blades without conceding a goal. The Hammers also have clean sheets in their last four league games meaning the Blades will be up against it to find the back of the net. I can see plenty of goals for Moyes side if they get into gear and this should end as a solid win for the away side.
Final score: 0-3
Bournemouth - Liverpool
Bournemouth are twelfth with 25 points while Liverpool sit top of the table with 45 points.
Iraola's side lost 3-1 away to Spurs last time out to end a run of four Premier League wins in a row. They did get to winning ways in the FA Cup with a 3-2 win over Queen Park Rangers as Iraola will hope the Spurs result was just a minor blip. With Solanke having won the Premier League Player of the Month for December for scoring six times, he will look to get one over his former employers. Their recent wins over Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, where the Cherries scored 9 and only conceded twice, will give them confidence going into this huge clash as they currently sit nine points above the relegation places.
Klopp's side overcame Newcastle 4-2 at Anfield on New Year's Day to cement themselves at the top of the league and followed that up with a FA third round win away to Arsenal. Their Carabao Cup Semi Final first leg against Fulham ended with the Reds winning 2-1 and they will be in good spirits as they return to league action with the services of Salah. A win here would put Liverpool five clear of Manchester City having played a game more. They have won four of their last five in all competitions, drawing the other game, and only City have scored more than the Reds in the league this season. With the club going for four trophies expect Klopp's side to produce high tempo performances in the months ahead.
Bournemouth will be without Hamed Traore, Adams, Senesi, Kelly, Kerkez, Fredericks, Ouattara, Semenyo, and Randolph. Liverpool will be without Robertson, Thiago, Bajcetic, Matip, Tsimikas, and Alexander-Arnold. Endo and Salah are at the Asia Cup and AFCON respectfully, while Szoboszlai is a doubt.
Form Last Six League Games:
Home: DWWWWL
Away: WWDDWW
Liverpool beat Bournemouth 3-1 at home back in August, while they also overcame Iraola's side in the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 win in November. Liverpool have managed to win 16 of the 21 encounters between these sides, but they did lose at the Vitality Stadium last season 1-0 having beaten Manchester United 7-0 the previous weekend. Ensuring complacency does not creep into their game against the in-form Cherries will help ensure Klopp's side get over the line even without their star players.
Final score: 0-2
Brighton - Wolves
Brighton sit eight with 31 points while Wolves sit in eleventh with 28 points.
The Seagulls drew 0-0 at home to West Ham last time out in the Premier League but did manage a win over Stoke in the FA Cup. The club have only managed a single win from their last five games, although three of those have been draws. They have also only managed a three wins from their past fifteen league games, as their European exploits took their toll on the squad. A refresher over the winter break should see De Zerbi's side back looking for their best form, and they are on an eight-game unbeaten run at home in the Premier League. The Seagulls got their first clean sheet of the season last time out and will look to build on the impressive goal scoring of Joao Pedro, who has 15 goals so far this season.
Wolves managed a 3-0 home win over Everton on New Year's Eve in the Premier League before drawing away to Brentford in the FA Cup. The replay at Molineux saw Wolves emerge victorious after extra time and they have also managed to win three Premier League games in a row. They would move into the top half with a win here, and currently sit 12 points above the drop zone. Wolves are also currently on a run of scoring in twenty of their previous twenty-one games in the Premier League as O'Neil has ensured their previous scoring woes are long eradicated.
Brighton will be missing Enciso, Veltman, Lamptey, Fati, Mitoma, Adingra, and March, while they also need to check on the fitness of Igor Julio. Wolves will be missing Otto, Hwang, Ait-Nouri, Joao Gomes, and Boubacar Traore.
Form Last Six League Games:
Home: WDLDWD
Away: WDLWWW
Brighton managed a 4-1 win at Molineux back in August and Brighton have a habit of scoring first in their games at the Amex this season, opening the scoring in six of ten encounters. Both sides inability to keep clean sheets will likely see plenty of goals in this one, but I think being at home should just about be enough for Brighton against a tired Wolves side.
Final score: 3-1
Match Prediction Summary
Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
Brentford 2-2 Nottingham Forest
Sheffield United 0-3 West Ham
Bournemouth 0-2 Liverpool
Brighton 3-1 Wolves
Check out my 2023/24 Season Predictions here: Predictions 23/24 Season
Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the preview of the matches and get to see the games.
Peace. CryptoGod-1.
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