Good day everyone,
I hope you are all well and having an excellent week, welcome to CryptoGod-1’s blog on all things sports. This weekend sees us reach the halfway point in the league, with some big derbies as the Manchester clubs face off, Liverpool face a tough challenge in Brighton, huge relegation battle with the bottom four playing each other, and the North London Derby finishes out the weekend.
Fixtures — Times are shown as U.K. Time
This weeks round of fixtures will see the games kicking off on Thursday evening until Sunday evening. There is an additional game included, meaning both Chelsea and Fulham will play twice over the five days as they play out a previously postponed game on Thursday night.
Thursday 12th January 2023
Fulham - Chelsea 8pm KO (Kick Off)
Friday 13th January 2023
Aston Villa - Leeds 8pm KO
Saturday 14th January 2023
Manchester United - Manchester City 12.30pm KO
Brighton - Liverpool 3pm KO
Everton - Southampton 3pm KO
Nottingham Forest - Leicester 3pm KO
Wolves - West Ham 3pm KO
Brentford - Bournemouth 5.30pm KO
Sunday 15th January 2023
Chelsea - Crystal Palace 2pm KO
Newcastle - Fulham 2pm KO
Tottenham - Arsenal 4.30pm 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.
Fulham - Chelsea
The first game of this round of fixtures sees Chelsea visiting Craven Cottage, with Fulham sitting seventh on 28 points above a struggling Chelsea who have 25 points and sit in tenth position. It has been a long time since these two entered a game with Fulham sitting firmly above Chelsea in the standings, with the Cottagers putting themselves into the mix for European football while Potter's side has been struggling. Fulham have won all three of their league games since returning from the World Cup break, while also progressing in the FA Cup last weekend. A victory over Chelsea here would make it four consecutive top-flight wins for the first time since the 1965-66 season. This begins a run of tough fixtures for them in January, but have a decent record of only two defeats at home all season. They have however only managed to win two of their last six games at Craven Cottage. Chelsea meanwhile have announced the loan signing of Joao Felix, looking to boost Potter's side who have only managed a single win in their last six league games. Defeat to Man City in the FA Cup last weekend saw the fans chanting for Tuchel, but Potter has the backing of the owners, for now at least. However five defeats in their last seven in all competitions is an awful record which sees Chelsea fighting to get into Europe for next season, while they have not managed to win away in the league since beating Aston Villa on October 16th 2022. Fulham will be missing Mitrovic as he is banned, while Kebano is ruled out with injury and Duffy is a doubt. Chelsea meanwhile will see Kante, James, Fofana, Broja, Chilwell, Loftus-Cheek, Sterling, Pulisic, and Mendy missing this one. This will be a really difficult one to call, with both teams likely keeping an eye on their schedule which sees them playing again on Sunday. Fulham will be without their talisman in Mitrovic but will still fancy themselves on current form. Chelsea's plethora of injuries will not help, while Felix is a strong addition it remains to be seen whether he will be thrown straight into the action. Historical results favour Chelsea, but Fulham have been strong against the big six this season. Therefore I am backing Silva's side to add more misery for Potter and record a 2-1 home win.
Aston Villa - Leeds
Leeds, sitting in 14th position with 17 points, will be looking to win for the first time since the start of November when they travel to Villa Park to face a Villa side who occupy 11th in the table with 22 points. Villa have looked a changed side under Emery, with three wins, one draw and three defeats so far. With three wins in their last five league games the Lions are just three points off the top half of the league. They did however lose 2-1 at home to League Two outfit Stevenage in the FA Cup last weekend meaning the league is their only remaining focus this season. Emery is looking to add players to his side to improve their form and have agreed a deal to sign left back Alex Moreno from Real Betis for a fee of £13.3m. Leeds, meanwhile only managed a draw in their FA Cup game with Cardiff City and will have to face a replay in the coming weeks. They have not won in their last four league fixtures either, but have improved by getting draws in their last two in the Premier League. Their run without a win stretches back to early November as Marsch looks for ways to get his side firing once more. Sitting only two points from the relegation zone, there is a lot of hard work ahead for Leeds to get themselves clear of the danger. Dendoncker, McGinn, and Diego Carlos are all ruled out for Villa, with Augustinsson and Cash both doubts. As for Leeds, they will travel without Gray, Sinisterra, and Dallas, while Forshaw and Bamford need to be assessed. Leeds have the third-worst away record in the league this season and I cannot see that changing here. Villa have been looking strong under Emery and are likely only going to get better with more time under his coaching. Therefore I expect Villa to continue their good home form and collect the three points with a 3-1 home win.
Manchester United - Manchester City
Sitting in fourth with 35 points, United welcome second place Man City who have 39 points so far this season. United overcame Charlton to reach the Carabao Cup Semi Final during the week, continuing their good fun of form which saw them win five of their previous six league games and also secure a win over Everton in the FA Cup. Ten hag has been doing excellent work so far which sees his side having broken into the top four and sitting just four points behind Man City, although their 6-3 defeat earlier in the season will still be fresh in his mind. A lack of attacking power has been covered by the impressive form of Rashford, and the club are looking to secure a potential loan for Weghorst to make up for the departure of Ronaldo. City meanwhile have been patchy this season, there is no doubting that, as they have only won four of their previous six league games. Their progress in the FA Cup was confirmed last weekend but they had a tricky encounter with Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter final on Wednesday night. Possibly with one eye on the Derby, Pep's side went two down within thirty minutes and could not find a way back into the game, leaving City out of the competition. Pep will be furious and I believe we will see Man City come out firing in this game as a response. United will be missing van de Beek, Sancho, Greenwood, and Tuanzebe, with Dalot a doubt. City meanwhile will enter the derby without Dias. City will go back to their full strength side and be eager to get one over their rivals here. City walked through the United defence in their previous encounter, and while United have improved since then, I can see the likes of De Bruyne and Haaland making things very difficult for the home side. Likely Casemiro will be tasked with stopping De Bruyne, which in turn cuts out the service for Haaland, but more than likely Pep will have a plan for this. I can see City winning this one 0-2 to boost their title bid.
Brighton - Liverpool
Brighton sit a mere point behind Liverpool in the standings, with the Seagulls having 27 points in eight position and Liverpool sitting in sixth. These teams played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in De Zebri's first game in charge earlier in the season, and the Italian has seen his side win four of their last six league games. There have been moments where things looked out of sorts, but barring a lose to Arsenal, they have won all their games since the restart which included a thrashing of Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. That came on the back of dismantling Everton and the Seagulls will be looking to build on their excellent form and keep themselves in the running for a European place. Klopp meanwhile knows his side have been nowhere near their best this season, and that showed once again last weekend as they were held to a draw in the FA Cup by Wolves. In all honestly Wolves should have won that game, and besides a debut for Gakpo, it was a disappointing game overall for the Reds. Their bid to propel themselves into the top four will be put to the test here, and their loss to Brentford will put further pressure on this side. They had managed four league wins in a row prior to that loss but the midfield and its lack of dominating games is still an issue. Nunez scored over Wolves and many will be hoping the confidence boost of finding the back of the net will see him finishing off more of his sides chances, but the loss of van Djik is a big one for the side. They have however managed to go unbeaten in the previous 14 league games he’s failed to start, winning 11 of them. Brighton will be missing Mwepu and Moder for this one, with Trossard a doubt. Liverpool meanwhile will be without Melo, van Dijk, Diaz, and Jota, with Firmino and Milner needing to be assessed ahead of the game. Klopps side have lost half of their away league games so far this season and another loss here would see Brighton climb above them in the standings. The Seagulls are impressive in front of goal this season, with 32 in the league so far meaning the Reds defence will be in for a real test. While I think Liverpool’s woeful form could have a major impact on them, having a front three of Gakpo, Nunez, and Salah could be enough to get them over the line. Going against the form books, I will back Liverpool to deliver a narrow win here of 1-2.
Everton - Southampton
The Toffees currently occupy 18th position with a mere 15 points as they welcome bottom of the table Southampton, who themselves only have 12 points, to Goodison Park. Everton head into this having lost to United in the FA Cup after a league run which has seen them without a league win since they beat Crystal Palace in October, although they did manage an impressive draw away to Man City just before the new year. Lampard is under pressure, with his side struggling against relegation once more and the fans less than impressed. Everton have also failed to win at Goodison in their previous three league fixtures, which will be of real concern as their home form was their saving grace previously. Southampton meanwhile have not won in the league since beating Bournemouth in October and are on a run of six league defeats in a row. They managed a narrow victory over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup last weekend, and their Carabao Cup quarter final against Man City ended with Southampton going into the Semi Finals. Their cup runs have been the one bit of respite in a disappointing season so far, while manager Jones is facing increasing pressure from fans with some still questioning if the job is too much for him too soon. They did manage to sign Mislav Orsic, a Croatian left winger, to boost their attacking output, and further additions had been linked in a bid to left the club out of the relegation zone. Lampard's side will be without Patterson, Garner, Iwobi, Keane, and Townsend. Southampton will be missing Livramento, Larios, Bella-Kotchap, and Walcott, while McCarthy will be a doubt. This is a difficult one to call, with neither side inspiring confidence heading into this one. Both have been poor in the league and both are real contenders for relegation this season, and because of that I will back this to be a nervy and tense affair which ends in a 1-1 draw.
Nottingham Forest - Leicester
Nottingham Forest are sitting in 15th position with 17 points going into this clash against 13th place Leicester who also have 17 points. Another fixture which sees two sides in relegation danger facing off. A mixed week for Forest saw them knocked out of the FA Cup by Blackpool before a penalty shootout victory over Wolves in the Carabao Cup. Two wins from their last six league games has them clear of the relegation zone for now, however they remain two points clear of 18th placed Everton and will need to find a way to continue picking up points. Their home form has been the saving grace this season, with three wins and three draws from nine home games where the majority of their points have come from so far. Cooper's side do have a negative goal difference at home of -1, so for all their good work it has often been narrow score lines which have secured them points, and their overall tally of 13 goals in the league is the second worst in the division. Leicester meanwhile beat Gillingham to progress into the next round of the FA Cup, but lost to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter finals during the week. The Foxes have lost all three league games since the World Cup ended, and their poor form from the beginning of the season seems to have returned. Rodgers will wonder what he needs to do, as his side had looked to have turned a corner before the break. They have been slightly better away from home this season, but six defeats from nine away league games is not good reading. Injuries have played their part but they are joint fourth worst team in the league for goals conceded with 31. Coopers side will be without Lingard, Niakhate, Biancone, Richards, and Kouyate, while Gibbs-White, Williams, and Awoniyi are all doubts. Rodgers will be without Justin, Soumare, Evans, Praet, Pereira and Bertrand. He will also need to assess Dewsbury-Hall and Maddison ahead of this one. This could be the perfect time for Forest to play Leicester, as they are looking a real mess at the back once more. Whether or not Cooper's side can capitalise on it is the real question. While Forest have plenty of their own issues, they have looked like a capable team on occasion, and I believe the home crowd could spur them on here against Rodger's men. Therefore, I am going for a very narrow 1-0 home win for Forest to pile more pressure on the Foxes.
Wolves - West Ham
The other two teams from the bottom four meet in this one, with Wolves sat in 19th position on 14 points and welcoming a West Ham side who have dropped into the relegation battle and find themselves sitting in 17th with 15 points so far. Wolves were eliminated from the Carabao Cup in the quarter finals thanks to a penalty shootout loss to Forest, and face an FA Cup replay against Liverpool after drawing at Anfield last weekend. They enter this game on the back of two wins from their last six games in all competitions, but only one league win in their last six. New manager Lopetegui has a lot of work to do to pull his side out of the relegation zone, although there have been positive signs so far and Cunha is expected to provide a massive boost to their attacking threat. Its early days still for Lopetegui and he has the credentials to turn this side around, although the upturn in form will need to happen sooner rather than later. A showing like they gave against Liverpool in the Cup is what the team needs to produce going forward. As for West Ham, Moyes has seen his side go from Europa League Semi Finals against Eintracht Frankfurt last season to being in real danger of relegation this one. Their Conference League campaign is still going well with games resuming in February, but domestic form has let the Hammers down this season. Their narrow win over Brentford in the FA Cup provided a small morale boost, but in the league they have suffered defeat in five of their previous six. The spending spree in the summer did not quite have the desired effect, although there have been positives from the likes of Paqueta. Whether Moyes will be allowed to strengthen further this window remains to be seen, and the recent passing of David Gold could see a shake up of how the club intends to operate going forward. For now Moyes remains in charge and will need to find that spark which made his team so strong last campaign. Wolves will be missing Traore, Kalajdzic, Neto, and Oliveira, while Nouri and Podence are doubts. West Ham will travel without Cornet while Areola, Lanzini, Zouma, Scamacca, and Coufal are doubts. Both these sides need three points to breathe life into their seasons and get themselves into a position to start climbing away from the relegation places. However, due to that, I can see this being a tight and edgy game with the most likely outcome being a draw, therefore I am going for 2-2 as the final result.
Brentford - Bournemouth
Brentford are flying high and have an impressive 26 points so far to see them sitting in ninth place. Bournemouth meanwhile have got 16 points and sit in 16th position in the table. The Bees suffered defeat against West Ham in the FA Cup last weekend, but will still be on cloud nine after their triumph over Liverpool in the league. They are unbeaten in the league since Aston Villa put four past them in October, and since then have beaten both Liverpool and Manchester City, while drawing with Spurs. Their run of six games unbeaten in the league has seen them win three and draw three, leading to their push into the top half of the table. Taking into account they beat the Reds without star striker Toney, they are now only two points below sixth place and in serious contention to challenge for a European position next season. Frank has done wonder with the club and they are living the fairy-tale at the moment, their understrength line-up in the Cup will be quickly forgotten if they secure another three points here, and avoiding defeat will see them go unbeaten in seven consecutive top-flight outings for the first time since 1938. The Cherries meanwhile have lost their last three five of their last six in the league, while Burnley knocked them out of the FA Cup last weekend. They are only one point above the relegation zone and in real danger of slipping back into the bottom three after dragging themselves up the table prior to the World Cup. O’Neil’s team have failed to score in their three league defeats since the resumption of the league games, and additional reinforcements may be required this month to stop them facing a season-long battle against the drop. They have conceded 29 goals across their nine away league games this season, showing a porous defence which is the joint worst record of conceded goals away from home after nine Premier League matches. The Bees will be without Baptiste and Jansson for this one, while Hicket, Toney, and Onyeka are all doubts. Bournemouth will be without Brooks, Tavernier, Fredericks, Stanislas, Smith, and Neto, while Lerma is also currently being assessed. With Toney likely to be restored to the starting line up I can see Brentford having a lot of joy here. Their tails are up and Bournemouth are in a rut. Add to this that Toney has 12 goals and three assists already this season and it paints an ominous picture for Bournemouth, therefore I am backing Brentford to win comfortably 3-0 in the capital.
Chelsea - Crystal Palace
It has been a difficult season for Chelsea, with Potters men having a minimum of 25 points before this one, possibly more depending on their result against Fulham. Palace meanwhile will enter this game in twelfth position with 22 points on the board. Having only managed to win half of their home game so far this season, and depending on their result against Fulham on Thursday, Chelsea could enter this game in the bottom half of the league, or be knocked into the bottom half by losing here. It is very mixed times for Potters men, and Todd Boehly has not been the saviour many had hoped. His lavish spending is far from complete, but Chelsea have looked all out of sorts this season. With Felix likely to be settled into the side by the time this game comes around, they will at least have another option upfront. He is not the solution though, with more required from the entire side to help get Chelsea back up the table. Palace meanwhile have had a steady start to their second season under Vieira, although two defeats and a win since the World Cup has not helped matters. They are only three points off the top half at the time of writing but their away form has been poor this season, only managing to win two of their eight away league fixtures. They managed those two away wins during their previous three away league games, giving some hope that they have overcome their away day issues. Their form against Chelsea is not the best however, with the Eagles having lost their last 10 Premier League games against their west London rivals. It would mark huge progress for Vieira to record a win here and stamp his side as real top half contenders in the league. Chelsea will be without Kante, James, Fofana, Broja, Chilwell, Loftus-Cheek, Sterling, Pulisic, and Mendy. This assumes there have been no further injuries or bans for Chelsea since their Fulham game. Palace will be missing Mitchell, McArthur, and Ferguson. Its strange to see Palace as the form team going into this one giving their lack of consistency since the return from the World Cup, which included being knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend. However, Chelsea have somehow been even worse. One win in six league games is not what the Blues fans expected and many are questioning if sacking Tuchel was the right call. Vieira's side will look to silence the crowd and having them turn on their side as quickly as they can in this one, which could really give them a strong shout of getting a result here. I will back the Eagles to push Chelsea all the way and emerge with a well deserved point in a 2-2 draw.
Newcastle - Fulham
Third place Newcastle has amassed 35 points so far this season ahead of their meeting with Fulham. The Cottagers will have played Chelsea already ahead of this one, so will at minimum be sitting on 28 points. Newcastle will be buzzing at the moment having gotten into the Carabao Cup Semi Finals on top of their excellent start to the season, although Sheffield Wednesday did manage to knock them out of the FA Cup last weekend. Not since December 1995 have Newcastle matched their current record of 15 games without losing in the top flight, with their defensive record keeping them ahead of United in the table on goal difference. They could face United in the Carabao Cup final assuming both sides progress in their Semi Finals, but for now the focus will be on ensuring another strong performance from Howe's men against a Fulham side who will have played Chelsea only a few days before this. Fulham will be tougher to predict going into this one, although as mentioned above they will be in the midst of a tough period of games which will likely have a massive impact on how the remainder of their season plays out. Mitrovic will be a key figure for them, likely tasked with bullying the Newcastle defence here, having won four and lost four of their nine away games in the league so far this campaign. Their home form has been slightly stronger, but Fulham have by no means been poor away from Craven Cottage this season. They face one of their toughest tasks here, as Newcastle are unbeaten at home in the league this season. Newcastle will be missing Krafth, Targett, and Shelvey, while Fulham will have Mitrovic back after his ban, but Kebano is ruled out with injury and Duffy is also a doubt, and this assumes there have been no further injuries or bans for Fulham since their Chelsea game. The Magpies should come out firing in this one and make the most of their confidence, pushing Fulham and making the most of their home support. The Cottagers will try stifle the Newcastle attack, but I expect Howe's men to be patient and use their confidence to secure a big win, with a final result of 4-1.
Tottenham - Arsenal
The big North London Derby sees fifth place Spurs, on 33 points, welcome league leaders Arsenal who so far have an impressive 44 points this campaign. After getting through in the FA Cup last weekend, attention returns to the league where Spurs have been better at home than away this season, although they have still suffered three defeats at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the league. Conte has seen his side produce mixed form since the return from the World Cup, with a win, loss, and draw in their last three, and only three wins in their last six league games. He has called for spending from the higher ups to bolster the squad, but for now has to work with what's available. They are now two points off the top four having played a game more than United, and will need to find some rhythm if they wish to seriously push for Champions League again next season. Arsenal on the other hand have managed to win seven of their nine away games so far this season, however their one league defeat did come away from home when they travelled to Manchester United. Arteta should take this as a warning, along with his sides draw with Newcastle last time out in the league. The lead at the top has been reduced to five points and with a tough schedule of fixtures this month he will be keen to ensure the Gooner's remain clear at the top of the table. On top of the tough league games his side will have to travel to Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round and its likely the depth of Arteta's squad will be really tested over the next couple of weeks. While Arsenal may be the form team heading into this one, Arteta will be weary of his sides abysmal record against their North London rivals which has seen Spurs unbeaten at home to Arsenal since 2015. Spurs will be missing Lucas Moura for this one, while Bentancur, Bissouma, Kulusevski, and Richarlison are all doubts. Arsenal will be without Jesus and Nelson. This should be a fascinating match and will likely provide plenty of drama. I expect tempers to boil over at some point during this game with plenty of bookings along the way. Both Conte and Arteta would accept nothing less. Result wise, I think this could prove to be the making or undoing of Arsenal. If they get a result here it sends a message to the rest of the league that they mean the business. However, I do not think that will be the case, and I can see Conte's side performing to the highest level once more against their arch rivals. In doing so Spurs should secure a 3-1 home win to boost their fans and season's hopes, while putting a major dent in Arsenal's title bid.
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.
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** I first published this article on Medium on the 12th of January 2023, which can be read here: https://medium.com/@1r3n9project/premier-league-22-23-match-week-19-preview-c8ac2133b8f **
