Premier League Week 13: Predicting every match this weekend
This weekend's list of Premier League fixtures consists of some interesting matches, and everyone is curious to see how Jose Mourinho will fare in his debut with Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool meanwhile aim to maintain their comfortable cushion at the top of the table, but can Crystal Palace ruin their plans?
The difference between 5th and 15th in the standings is a mere three points, so fans can expect to see quite a few changes in the table after Monday. On that note, here is a full list of predictions for this weekend's action.
Mourinho will claim 3 points in Tottenham debut
West Ham will host Tottenham this weekend, and the pressure is building up on Manuel Pellegrini's shoulders. The Hammers have only taken two points from their last six matches and they are clear underdogs in this clash.
Tottenham have been struggling too, but Jose Mourinho would be aiming to generate new optimism in his squad. Harry Kane and company should get the job done.
Arsenal will pile on the misery for Southampton
Southampton are currently in the relegation zone (19th) with eight points from 12 matches, and defeating Arsenal this weekend will be a huge challenge for them.
Arsenal's record in their last four league games consists of two draws and two losses, which suggests they will come out firing against a relegation-threatened opponent in order to get a much-needed win.
Leicester City will extend their winning streak
Some pundits from mainstream media outlets have predicted an upset here, but there is very little chance that Leicester City will drop points against Brighton.
The Seagulls will host the match, but the Foxes have been one of the best road teams in the Premier League this season. Brighton should be competitive in this clash, but they will struggle to score against a defense that has only conceded eight goals.
Watford will not win their first home game this weekend
Watford have stunned many pundits and neutral fans with their slow start to the season. They are the only team in the league that have failed to win more than one game.
Burnley, on the other hand, are exceeding expectations. The fact that Sean Dyche's men have scored 17 goals this season indicates that they should take something from this game.
Liverpool will get win number 12 in London
Crystal Palace can be a tricky opponent; they managed to defeat Manchester United at Old Trafford and earn a draw against Arsenal at the Emirates earlier this season. But while those results are impressive, they are no match for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp knows how important it is for his team to maintain the eight-point gap between themselves and Leicester City, and he will come out all guns blazing.
Bournemouth and Wolves will split the points
Bournemouth and Wolves are two evenly matched sides that are difficult to separate. Both teams have been racking up draws this season; they are level on points and their goals for and goals conceded statistics are almost identical.
A win for either side would not be a surprise, but a draw is the most likely outcome.
Another defeat is on the cards for Norwich City
Norwich City turned a few heads at the very start of the season, but things have gone downhill since they upset Man City in September. The Canaries have only taken one point from their last seven fixtures.
Everton are not where they want to be in the table either, but they are the superior side and they should claim all three points at Goodison Park.
Man City will climb ahead of Chelsea this weekend
Chelsea are in fine form at the moment, having won their last six Premier League games, and they are capable of causing several problems for Man City. The defending champions are coming off a big loss against Liverpool and they are expected to take their frustration out on this young Chelsea side.
If Pep Guardiola's men do in fact suffer back-to-back losses, it's safe to assume that his side will pretty much be out of the title race.
The Blades will keep it close against the Red Devils
Sheffield United have been the most pleasant surprise of the season, and they look far more united than their counterparts from Manchester. The Blades have only scored 13 goals this season, but they have only conceded an impressive nine goals.
Manchester United are coming off a 3-1 win against Brighton, but they will struggle to score more than one goal at Bramall Lane.
Newcastle will have to settle for a point at Villa Park
Many pundits thought Newcastle United would be doomed this season without Rafa Benitez, but they find themselves in 13th place with 15 points from 12 matches. They managed to win back-to-back games before the international break, but Aston Villa will be tough to defeat.
The Villans have lost their last three games and they will come out with plenty of urgency to turn things around before yet another difficult string of matches. One team's confidence and the other's desperation sounds like a draw.
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