Paul Merson's predictions for Leicester vs Liverpool and other Premier League GW 24 fixtures
It feels like weeks since we watched the Premier League! It’s finally back now with a set of midweek fixtures and we should be in for a fair share of excitement this month. The race for the top four is beginning to heat up, and it’ll change with every passing week.
Every now and then, teams get winnable fixtures and need to make the most of them. Manchester United and Tottenham have winnable matches this week, and I do worry about Wolves and Arsenal. If they don’t keep up, they could find themselves six points behind their rivals, and that’s a big gap at this stage of the Premier League season.
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The top-four race is a hard one to predict, but I’m still going to go with what I said ages ago. Arsenal should be able to finish in fourth place. They play one game a week, and if they become consistent and don’t pick up injuries, they have a good chance.
The relegation battle is also absolutely amazing at the moment and the next few weeks will be crucial. There’s plenty of action to look forward to in the Premier League this week, and here are my predictions for this week’s games.
Newcastle United vs Everton
I watched Everton the other day against Brentford, and I thought they were quite impressive. They play at a high tempo under Frank Lampard. They’re playing against a team in the Premier League's bottom three this week, and they will want to win this game.
If Everton get beat, they get dragged into a relegation battle. If Newcastle lose, they’re going to think they’re still in danger despite spending all that money. Everton played quite well against Brentford, and I’d be surprised if Newcastle won this game.
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Everton did well against Brentford in the FA Cup, but I’d be shocked if Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek sat this one out. They spent quite a lot of money on them, and there’s no point resting your best players at this stage of the Premier League season. With Frank at the wheel now, I think Everton will be all right this season
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-1 Everton
West Ham United vs Watford
I was impressed with Watford the other day against Burnley. They were the better team throughout the game and they dominated their opponents. Roy Hodgson was brought in to do a job, and he did exactly that on Saturday. They’ve barely kept a clean sheet all season, but I think they set a base against Burnley and were really solid.
West Ham are stuttering a bit in the Premier League and could find themselves in a bit of trouble here. Watford pass the ball around very well and could give West Ham a run for their money this week.
Prediction: West Ham United 1-1 Watford
Burnley vs Manchester United
Manchester United had a bad result against Middlesbrough, but I thought they played quite well in the first half. They don’t have much of an identity at the moment. If you’re going to play a 4-2-2-2 with a midfield two, you want someone like N'Golo Kante in there.
I think Ralf Rangnick is trying to keep people happy at times. He’ll need to change it up and switch to a 4-3-3 eventually. He’s got a lot of square pegs going into round holes, and they’re all over the place if I’m being honest. He has a squad full of players he doesn’t need.
I’m disappointed with Burnley's Premier League form this season. They manage to keep clean sheets, but they never look like they’re going to score. I’d be amazed at the highest level if Manchester United lost this game.
Prediction: Burnley 0-2 Manchester United
Norwich City vs Crystal Palace
I like Crystal Palace and the way they play – they’re a team that can hurt you. They don’t have anything to play for, really – they’re safe, but they’re hard to play against.
Norwich have won two on the trot in the Premier League and also beat Wolves in the FA Cup. They’ve turned a corner, and this is a must-win game for them. If they’re not beating Palace at home, they’ll likely be relegated because they have harder games coming up.
Crystal Palace are really dangerous on their day, and they’re not a good team to play against. This is a winnable Premier League game for Norwich and I’d like to see them win just to keep it going, but I don’t think it’s happening this week.
Prediction: Norwich City 1-3 Crystal Palace