After the extraordinary events in European competition this week we have been given a stark reminder that anything can and probably will happen in football. Anything that is apart from Aston Villa winning another game between now and the end of the season! I have been asked by the Fourthofficial.com powers that be to start predicting all 10 EPL games every weekend rather than just three. Quite why I am not sure as anyone that can nail all ten should not be sat in front of a computer on a Friday night, they should be laying on a beach in the Bahamas, posting ostentatious photographs on their Instagram account. I have acquiesced to making ten predictions but will continue to highlight my favorites in ‘Three for the Weekend’!
Norwich 1 Sunderland 2
By a country mile the biggest game of the weekend. Sunderland simply HAVE to win and will be primed to do so. Three points for the Black Cats at Carrow Road in the early Saturday kick-off and their fate will be firmly in their own hands. The Canaries put up a fight at Palace last weekend but got nothing and I still believe they will go down.
Leicester’s free scoring forward line found it tough to break down Sam Allardyce’s rear guard and there is no comparison between Jamie Vardy and Dieumerci Mbokani. Up front for Sunderland, Jermaine Defoe is due a goal as he has gone two matches without one and will more than fancy his chances of navigating the ball into the back of the net past a suspect defense. Keep an eye out for Jack Rodwell too. He will be desperate to atone for a ‘Miss of the Season’ contender against Leicester last weekend when the score was 0-1.
Bournemouth v Liverpool – OVER 2.5 Goals.
Lovely to see Liverpool fans having the confidence to log onto Facebook this week for the first time in quite a while after the kind of unexplainable comeback that the Reds do so well. All three outcomes in this one are possible:
A) Liverpool batter Bournemouth 6-0 and the YNWA merchants will be all over social media for another week talking about a title tilt next season.
B) They will be shattered after the exertions of Thursday night and collapse in the style of their 3-2 loss at Southampton immediately after the Manchester United victory in the previous round of the Europa League.
C) A mixture of A and B results in a high scoring draw. Fair play to Jurgen Klopp, even if their supporters still get on your nerves he is making Liverpool interesting to watch! 6 of the last 7 EPL games involving Liverpool have featured over 2.5 goals. That will do for me.
Stoke 1 Tottenham 3
It was impossible not to be taken by the way Spurs swept aside Manchester United last week with three quite brilliant goals. That what was the first Lilywhite’s win over the Red Devils at White Hart Lane for 15 years and illustrates perfectly where both clubs are at right now.
Stoke have just one win in five and after threatening to go on a European place run after three straight wins from mid-February now look booked for mid table with just one win in the last five. With the added possibility that Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be further motivated should Leicester drop points against West Ham on Sunday it will be an away win at the Britannia for me on Tuesday morning Malaysian time.
Other predictions for this weekend!
Norwich 1 Sunderland 2
Everton 2 Southampton 2
Man United 4 Aston Villa 0
Newcastle 2 Swansea 1
West Brom 0 Watford 0
Chelsea 2 Man City 1
Bournemouth 2 Liverpool 3
Leicester 2 West Ham 2
Arsenal 3 Crystal Palace 0
Stoke 1 Tottenham 3
Other posts by Patrick Kinghorn
