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 weekend will see European hopefuls Villa and Newcastle face off, Chelsea host Brighton, City look to cause more pain for Leicester, Arsenal face a difficult trip to West Ham, while Leeds welcome Liverpool to Elland Road.
Fixtures — Times are shown as U.K. Time
This weeks round of fixtures will see the games kicking off on Saturday lunchtime until Monday evening.
Saturday 15th April 2023
Aston Villa - Newcastle 12.30pm KO (Kick Off)
Chelsea - Brighton 3pm KO
Everton - Fulham 3pm KO
Southampton - Crystal Palace 3pm KO
Tottenham - Bournemouth 3pm KO
Wolves - Brentford 3pm KO
Manchester City - Leicester 5.30pm KO
Sunday 16th April 2023
West Ham - Arsenal 2pm KO
Nottingham Forest - Manchester United 4.30pm KO
Monday 17th April 2023
Leeds - Liverpool 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 week matches. Remember this is just my fun analysis and should not be taken as advice or a guarantee.
Aston Villa - Newcastle
Sixth placed Villa, with an impressive 47 points, will host third place Newcastle who have 56 points of their own. Villa are on a four game winning run going into this one, having overcome Forest last weekend. Emery has overseen 11 league wins since his arrival and only Arsenal have secured more points since he took over from Gerrard. Villa are playing attractive football. with Watkins on a goalscoring streak, and have real hopes of getting into Europe. Assuming Villa score in this game then Emery will equal the record held by Walker (Norwich 1992) and Ancelotti (Chelsea 2009) of scoring in each of their first 18 matches in charge. Their challenge of Newcastle will not be an easy one however, as Howe has his side sitting firmly in the Champions League places and will arrive at Villa Park on the back of five straight wins in the league. They overcame Brentford last time out and record signing Isak is hitting form at the right time along with combining excellently with Wilson upfront. The dip in form around the Carabao Cup final seems long behind them now and they are three points ahead of fifth place Spurs with a game in hand. Villa will be missing Steer, Bailey, Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara, and Cash through injury, while Newcastle will be missing Krafth, Fraser, and Saint-Maimin, while they also have doubts over the fitness of Almiron. Aston Villa have an impressive five wins and a draw in their last six Premier League games, while Newcastle have managed five wins and a defeat in their last six in the league. Newcastle comfortably won the reverse of this fixture 4-0 back in October and will be looking for their first double over Villa since the 2013/14 season. Two inform teams face off here and it is very difficult to seperate them. Both are challenging for their own place in Europe next season, and with Villa's in form attack facing Newcastle rock solid defence, it is bound to be a close game. Therefore, I am going for a 2-2 draw in what is likely to be a fierce and fiery battle.
Chelsea - Brighton
Eleventh placed Chelsea on 39 points will face off against in form Brighton who are seventh with 46 points. Lampard has had a tough time since returning to the Chelsea dugout, with a Champions League defeat to Real Madrid following their defeat against Wolves. Chelsea have only managed to win four time in their last 21 games. They have also failed to score in four successive matches across all competitions and are 17 points behind the top four. They are also seven points behind what should be the final European place in the table, seventh, having played two games more than that side - Brighton. With their season looking unforgettable and their transfer outlays having produced little, Chelsea will try salvage something from the remainder of this campaign here. Brighton meanwhile could all but end the season for Chelsea here, and after the VAR disaster in their 2-1 defeat to Spurs last weekend it is likely the Seagulls will be fired up going into this one. The loss ended their seven game away from home unbeaten run in the league but will look to get back to winning ways here. A win would be the first ever league win for Brighton at Stamford Bridge, and the Seagulls have only suffered two defeats in their last twelve league games, albeit both to London teams in Spurs and Fulham. Chelsea will be missing Chukwuemeka, Broja, and Koulibaly. Brighton meanwhile will be without Lallana, Colwill, Moder, Mwepu, Sarmiento, and Lamptey. Chelsea have two wins and two draws in their previous six league games, while Brighton have three wins and two draws in their previous six in the league. Brighton managed to beat Chelsea 4-1 at home earlier in the season. Chelsea seem like they will never score a goal, and Brighton have been one of the best attacking sides in the league this season. While Lampard is struggling to have an impact, De Zebri has gotten his team playing like a fine tuned machine and therefore I can only see one winner as Brighton cement their European ambitions with a 0-2 away win here.
Everton - Fulham
Struggling Everton in seventeenth with 27 points will host tenth place Fulham who themselves have 39 points. Everton fell to defeat last time out when they visited Old Trafford, and Dyche will know his side need to improve to drag themselves out of the relegation battle. Their four game unbeaten streak was ended by the Red Devils, and they will need to up the intensity in the midfield to achieve this. Everton have generally been poor away from home this season, but at Goodison they are a different side. Since Dyche has taken over they have managed 10 points in five home league games, and that included games against four sides in the top half. Goal difference is all that keeps them in the bottom three and Dyche will know their lack of goals, being the worst scoring side in the league, could be a deciding factor come the end of the season. As for Fulham, since their collapse against United in the FA Cup they have fallen off a cliff. With Mitrovic banned and some of their recent defeats including matches against strugglers West Ham and Bournemouth, their hopes of Europe are fading fast. Some players may feel they have done enough this season and their minds are already on their holidays, but a trip to Goodison is not ideal to improve their form. Fulham have only managed one one at Goodison, behind closed doors in 2021, but had lost on 27 occasions before that dating back to 1949. Silva is also looking for his first win over Everton as a manager. Everton will be without Townsend, Doucoure, and Coleman, while they have doubts over the fitness of Calvert-Lewin and Vinagre. Fulham meanwhile will be missing Kebano, Mitrovic, and Kurzawa. Everton have one win and three draws in their last six league games, while Fulham have one win and four defeats in their last six in the league. When these sides met back in October it was a goalless draw. This time around that result would not do much for either side. Everton have the advantage of playing earlier than most of their relegation rivals, but despite their good home form this will be a difficult game. Even without Mitrovic this Fulham side should be able to cause Everton problems, and therefore I am going to back a 1-1 draw in this one.
Southampton - Crystal Palace
Bottom place Southampton on 23 points will be up against it as they welcome twelfth placed Crystal Palace, who have 33 points, to St. Marty's Stadium. Last time out Man City tore Southampton apart with Haaland causing all sorts of problems. Selles will know they were always unlikely to get anything in those kind of games, but the number of games for them to get points are running out. They are on a five game winless run in the league and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four. They have eight games to save their Premier League status but Selles has insisted that he will not "waste time" peering at the standings. If they lose here to Palace it will be the tenth league game of the season where the Saints have lost at home and the third time in their history such a home record has happened. The previous two times, in 1993-94 and 2019-20 they were relegated. Palace secured a huge win over Leeds last time out as Hodgson has dragged them right back up away from the relegation fight. They are top of the nine teams at risk and sit six points clear of the drop. He has overseen two wins on the bounce and Palace seem to have a spring back in their step, even without star man Zaha. Olise and Eze have shown they are capable of taking the bull by the horns with this side and not since Hodgson was last in charge did they manage three league wins in a row, although they seem more than capable of that here. Southampton did beat Palace in the FA Cup in January thanks to a Ward-Prowse free kick so they will need to be mindful of that here. Southampton will be without Livramento and Larios, while they have fitness concerns over Lavia, Adams, and Salisu. Palace meanwhile will be without Zaha and Guaita, while they have doubts over Edouard, Ferguson, and Richards. Southampton have one win and three defeats in their last six in the league, while Palace have two wins and four defeats in their last six league encounters. When these sides met in the league back in October it was Palace who managed a narrow 1-0 win. Going into this one I think Palace will be the winners once again here. They have managed to rescue 20 points from losing positions this season, so even if Southampton get ahead I can only see one winner. The Eagles will be soaring after their previous win and will be looking for more goals here, therefore I am going for a 1-3 win for Palace and further misery for Southampton in their battle against relegation.
Tottenham - Bournemouth
Spurs are in fifth with 53 points ahead of their clash with fifteenth place Bournemouth who have 30 points. Spurs managed to get past Brighton last time out, albeit thanks to plenty of VAR controversy. It all kicked off between the managers in that one, before the awful officiating which led to an apology to Brighton from the PGMOL. The win, however undeserved, leaves Spurs just three points off fourth placed United and third placed Newcastle having played a game more than both. Spurs have five wins in their last five home league games and will be going for their six unbeaten game in a row in all competitions if they avoid defeat here. Stellini got his marching orders in the last game and managerless Spurs will need to find some stability in the dugout going forward, but they will still have full belief of getting into the top four. As for the Cherries, they managed a narrow win away to Leicester last time out. It marked their third win in five league games and Bournemouth will be aiming to pull away from the bottom three, but they will need to be more ruthless in front of goal to achieve that. Three points clear of the drop means they could be dragged back into it if they fail to win here, and their record of not winning back to back away league wins since the 2018-19 campaign means the Cherries are up against it here. Spurs will be without Emerson Royal, Lucas Moura, Bissouma, Sessegnon, Davies, and Bentancur. Bournemouth meanwhile will be missing Fredericks and Stanislas while doubts remain over the fitness of Senesi and Traore. Spurs have three wins and two draws in their previous six league games, while the Cherries have three wins and three defeats in their last six in the league. Spurs came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2 back when these sides met in October. Bournemouth showed plenty of attacking threat last time out but their lack of finishing could be a huge issue. Spurs are still disjointed and without a clear plan, but their battle for fourth is far from over. It will likely be a hard fought encounter but I can see Spurs emerging with the win at home with a 2-1 result.
Wolves - Brentford
Wolves are in thirteenth place with 31 points as they welcome ninth placed Brentford, who have 43 points, to Molineux. Lopetegui oversaw his side beat Chelsea last time out to ruin Lampard's first game in charge of his second stint as Chelsea manager. Wolves had been on a three game winless run prior to this result and have now opened up a four-point gap to the relegation zone. Their form at home has been patchy, with a recurring theme of win one, then lose one, then win one, meaning they will be up against it here to change that pattern. They have however managed wins over West Ham, Chelsea, and Spurs at home so their record against sides visiting from London is certainly a strong one. Brentford lost to Newcastle last time out, as Toney missed a penalty for the first time at the club. It was the Bees second league defeat in a row as they are beginning to stumble in their race for Europe, three points off seventh having played two games extra. They also have only one clean sheet in their last nine in the league and Frank's side have only managed three away league wins all season. Of their last six away league games, they have only managed to win once. Wolves will be missing Kalajdzic, Jonny, Ruben Neves, and Francisco Oliveira, while they also have doubts over Matheus Nunes and Boubacar Traore. Brentford meanwhile will be without Ajer, Lewis-Potter, and Jansson, while they have doubts over the fitness of Onyeka. Wolves have managed to win two and lose three of their last six in the league, while Brentford have one win and three defeats in their previous six league matches. These sides played out a 1-1 draw when they met earlier in the season. This game seems very evenly matched up here, with neither side showing the obvious form to be considered a winner here. Brentford will likely be content with their league position and status secured for another year, while Wolves know every point will be a massive boost to their survival hopes. Therefore I can see another draw on the cards here, to end the hoo-doo Wolves have at home, and a final result of 1-1.
Manchester City - Leicester
Second place Manchester City have 67 points and will be looking to further close the gap to the top as they host nineteenth placed Leicester who have 25 points. City will be aiming for their tenth win in a row in all competitions having beating Bayern Munich during the week and Southampton last weekend. City are on fire in their attack having managed a tally of 24 goals in their last five games, scoring at least three times in each of those. With Haaland looking to break all sorts of records they will be looking to close the gap on Arsenal down to three points before booking themselves a third successive Champions League Semi Final. They have also won ten of their last twelves games against Leicester in all competitions. The Foxes meanwhile have appointed Dean Smith to take charge until the end of the season alongside Craig Shakespeare and John Terry. They have seven defeats and a draw from their last eight games in all competitions and are rooted in the bottom three. A 1-0 home loss to Bournemouth last weekend summed up where the club is at, and a defeat here will be their 20th defeat of the season in all competitions. With key players looking like their are considering their futures and turmoil at the club, the most surprising Premier League winners in the competitions history could be facing relegation if they cannot find a winning formula in their final eight games. City only have to deal with Foden being out injured, while Leicester have Dewsbury-Hall and Justin ruled out, with doubts over the availability of Barnes, Tielemans, and Bertrand. City have five wins and a draw in their last six league games, while Leicester have one draw and five defeats in their last six league fixtures. Man City secured a narrow 1-0 win when these sides met back in late October, but I think they will have a much easier game this time. They are in form and aching for goals, hunting down Arsenal as part of a treble chase. A win here will have them breathing down Arsenal's necks while also remaining very much a favourite for the Champions League. Therefore I can see Pep playing a strong side and recording a comfortable 5-1 home win.
West Ham - Arsenal
West Ham as in fourteenth position with 30 points as they prepare to welcome league leaders Arsenal, who themselves have 73 points, to the London Stadium. The Hammers managed a 1-1 draw with Gent in their Europa Conference League clash on Thursday following their narrow win over Fulham last weekend. Putting European quests for silverware aside, West Ham are three point above the drop zone and have lost just once in their last four outings in the league. The pressure is still on Moyes but an upturn in results is resulting in him being afforded the time to rectify the situation. However the destructive performance against Newcastle will be on everyone's mind, as it brought about the end of their five game home unbeaten run. They host Arsenal this time around, who themselves let a two goal lead slip last time out at Anfield. Arteta watched on as his side not only lost control of the game, they were lucky to take a point from it. Ramsdale produced some fine interventions to keep them in it, while their lead at the top is now six points having played a game extra. Anything other than a perfect end to the season could see the title slip away and with tough games ahead, including against their title rivals City, Arsenal can ill afford to stutter any further. Scamacca is the only absentee for West Ham, while Arsenal will be without Tomiyasu, Nketiah, and Elneny, while Saliba is also a doubt. West Ham have three wins and two defeats in their last six in the league, while Arsenal have five wins and a draw in their last six league matches. Arsenal beat West Ham 3-1 when these sides met back in December. Getting the crowd up at Anfield was not a wise move, and as soon as Xhaka squared up with Alexander-Arnold the game changed on its head. Arsenal will need to be mindful not to allow a similar mistake to happen here, but West Ham have been far from giving their fans any reason to cheer of late. The fact Arsenal will be fresher should also play into their hands, although West Ham will be fighting for their lives in this one. I think the Hammers will make life difficult for Arsenal, but overall Arteta's men should have enough about them to see the game out with a 2-3 away win.
Nottingham Forest - Manchester United
Forest are in eighteenth with 27 points as they host fourth place United, who themselves have 56 points. Cooper oversaw his side lose 2-0 against Villa last weekend as their fourth defeat in their last five league games means they are right back in the relegation mix. Having dropped below the dotted line on goal difference, their inability to keep clean sheets is beginning to show having not kept one in nine games. Its their home form which is keeping the Premier League dream alive, having scored in all but one of their home fixtures this season and only suffering defeat once in their last eleven league games at the City Ground. United meanwhile drew with Sevilla in their first leg of their Europa League Quarter Final, while they overcame Everton at home last weekend. The loss of key players to injury and suspension will put their European silverware ambitions in doubt, and with a tough game to come against Sevilla at home many will wonder how Ten Hag will cope with this hectic schedule. Their last two away games in the league have ended in defeat, to Liverpool and Newcastle, and if they conceded away to Forest it will be the first time since 1978-79 they have conceded 30 goals in their first 15 away league games of the season. With their defence now relying on Maguire, who many have questioned ability wise for the club over the years, Ten Hag will face his biggest test as manager over the coming weeks with the race for fourth far from over. Spurs are three points behind, having played a game more, but with United competing in Europe and the FA Cup their advantage could slip away and it could become a real dog fight for fourth. Forest will be missing Boly, Wood, Henderson, Biancone, Kouyate, Richards, and Niakhate, while they also have doubts over Scarpa, Yates, and Aurier. The Red Devils meanwhile will be without van de Beek, Heaton, Martinez, Varane, Garnacho, and Greenwood, with McTominay, Shaw, and Rashford needing late assessments. Form wise Forest have two draws and four defeats in their last six in the league, while United have three wins and two defeats in their last six league games. United beat Forest 3-0 when these sides met back in December, and United also beat Forest over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi final back in January. Neither side is likely to field their strongest eleven here considering their injury woes, and Forest will certainly be the fresher of the two sides. Forest are extremely strong at home and will cause United plenty of problems, and therefore I think they could cause an upset here. I am going to back a Forest win, although a draw is just as likely, with a final score of 2-1.
Leeds - Liverpool
Finally Elland Road will play host as sixteenth placed Leeds, on 29 points, will be up against eight placed Liverpool who have 44 points. Leeds were embarrassed last time out against Palace, shipping five and Gracia left scratching his head as to how his side were so poor after taking the lead. They have only won two of their last six league games while they now sit just two points above the bottom three. Safety is their only concern this campaign but their defence, which has conceded 25 league goals since the turn of the year, is far from solid. With just three league wins since the start of 2023, two of their recent defeats have seen them concede four or more goals. Liverpool however are far from in good form, having seen their hopes of Champions League football for next season all but disappear in their last week of games. They showed heart and spirit to drag themselves back to draw 2-2 with Arsenal at Anfield last time out after a draw with Chelsea and defeat to City, but during the week news emerged that they are out of the race for Jude Bellingham, which has caused quite the reaction among fans online. Liverpool are now winless in four league games, and away from Anfield they have managed just three league wins all season. If Liverpool can bring the desire from their game against Arsenal, where they had 19 shots from inside the box, then Leeds could be in trouble. However the lacklustre displays on the road will give Leeds fans hope of causing another upset here. Leeds will be without Wober, Dallas, and Adams, while Liverpool will be missing Ramsay, Keita, and Bajcetic, and will need to assess Diaz ahead of this game. Leeds have two wins and three defeats in their last six in the league, while Liverpool have two wins and two defeats in their previous six in the league. Leeds managed to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield back in October, the only defeat Liverpool have suffered at home in the league all season. Having ended Liverpool’s 29-game unbeaten home Premier League run when these sides last met, Liverpool and Klopp will likely be out for revenge. While Liverpool have to be considered favourites giving their attacking threat and the fact Diaz should be back in contention for this one, I dont think it will be an easy game. However, they should emerge with a narrow and hard fought 1-2 away win here.
Check out my 2022/23 Season Preview and Predictions here: Premier League 2022/23 Prediction
You can also find my updated predictions after the Round of 16 Champions League draw here: Champions League 22/23 Round of 16 Draw & Prediction
Have a great day, I hope you enjoyed the preview of the matches and get to see the games.
Have a great day.
Peace. CryptoGod-1.
** I first posted this article on Medium on the 15th of April 2023, which can be found here: https://medium.com/@1r3n9project/premier-league-22-23-match-week-31-preview-82d04ab16334?sk=a8d93a30ed6b184c71cf7ff8c16055dd **
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