Premier League predictions

Under pressure, but could be top of the table after today's games

Arsenal v Fulham
Despite the well publicised blips suffered by Arsenal in recent times they have won four of their last five league games and are joint second in the league just two points behind the leaders Manchester United. It does seem remarkable that people, including me, have asked whether Arsene Wenger’s time at the club should be coming to an end.

Fulham are hovering just outside the drop zone and have won just one of their last eleven league games. In fact, they’ve only won two all season. They could be in trouble and their striker crisis means that they are just not a threat. Good though they are defensively, they will struggle here because Arsenal know that they can’t hurt them.

Soccernews prediction: 3-0

Birmingham v Tottenham
The euphoria of the cup win over bitter local rivals Aston Villa was soured somewhat by the crowd trouble, but the Birmingham players will still be on a high. If they take a close look at the game the other night they will see that they showed great spirit, but not a lot else. They will need more than spirit in this one.

Three straight wins has seen Tottenham rise to fifth and put the pressure on those above them. Everything they do at the moment seems to work and I don’t see that run coming to an end here.

Soccernews prediction: 0-2

Blackburn v Wolves
The tactics of humping the ball into the other team’s penalty area and throwing five six-footers at the ball, the goalkeeper and the defenders seems to work well for Blackburn against the less able sides but not so well against the better ones, as shown at Old Trafford.

Wolves are second from bottom and have just one point from seven away games so I guess Big Sam’s tactics might just work again.

Soccernews prediction: 1-0

Blackpool v Manchester United POSTPONED
On paper these two sides shouldn’t really be on the same pitch. The difference between the two clubs and the two sets of players is about as big as it could get. Despite that I can see a really difficult game ahead for Fergie and his men.

Blackpool sit in mid-table and have only lost once in their last six games. They continue to defy the odds. However, Manchester United are unbeaten in the league, top of the table and if last week’s annihilation of Blackburn is anything to go by, coming into some pretty decent form as well. There can only be one winner can’t there?

Soccernews prediction: 0-2

Chelsea v Everton
Chelsea halted their mini slide a little last week with a point at Newcastle but just one win in their last five league outings is not good enough for them. They desperately need three points from this one. They are boosted by the return of John Terry.

Everton just can’t get going and a run of five winless games was topped off last week with a 4-1 humbling at home to West Brom.

This may well be a cagey game with both teams playing with desperation. If Chelsea get their noses in front they could run riot. If Everton do, Chelsea could fall apart.

I think Chelsea’s class will win the day.

Soccernews prediction: 3-1

Manchester City v Bolton
A local derby that doesn’t get much attention for being so. The two grounds are just fifteen miles apart.

Both clubs are doing well this season and would probably settle for finishing in the fourth and sixth places they currently occupy. Having said that, City have won just twice in their last seven and were disappointing last time out in a 1-1 draw at Stoke.

Bolton also only managed a draw last week, coming back from 2-0 down at home to Blackpool. That made it five without defeat for Owen Coyle’s men.

I fear that the City faithful may have to endure another of those drab goalless draws again.

Soccernews prediction: 0-0

Wigan v Stoke
They may only be third from bottom but I think Wigan may well be the worst side in the top league. They have conceded twenty-six goals in their fifteen games and scored just eleven. Recent form shows three straight defeats and just one win in nine.

Stoke had a rotten start to the season but have now risen to eighth place in the table and are on a run of four without defeat. They’ll fancy their chances here. So do I.

Soccernews prediction: 0-2

SUNDAY 5TH DECEMBER

Sunderland v West Ham
One has to wonder if the brilliant win at Chelsea was something of a false dawn for Sunderland. Since that game, they have drawn disappointingly at home to Everton and become just the second team all season to lose to Wolves. With defenders out injured, the most worrying statistic is that they conceded five goals in those two games.

Presumably West Ham’s season was saved by last week’s win over Wigan, although a glance at the table shows they are still bottom. However, that win together with the thumping of an admittedly weak Manchester United in midweek will have raised the spirits considerably.

I can see both teams conceding goals in this one.

Soccernews prediction: 2-2

West Brom v Newcastle
Two of the promoted sides take each other on tomorrow. They will be reasonably pleased with their twelfth and ninth places respectively at this stage.

West Brom halted a run of five games without a win last week with a great result at Everton. There is no doubt that on their day they can give any Premier League team a run for their money.

Newcastle are very up and down and followed up a humiliating 5-1 defeat at Bolton with a cracking draw at home to Chelsea.

A lot will depend on which two teams turn up on the day but I fancy West Brom to carry on from where they left off last week.

Soccernews prediction: 2-0

MONDAY 6TH DECEMBER

Liverpool v Aston Villa
Two sides who would have started the season with aspirations of a top four finish but find themselves in tenth and fifteenth place respectively.

Liverpool have won four of their last seven to show some improvement and seem to be grinding out some results without playing well.

Villa have only won one of their last nine and seem to be incapable of getting a result despite playing quite well.

On the basis of that, I expect Villa to dominate the game and Liverpool to sneak a win.

Soccernews prediction: 1-0