Saturday 21st March 2009
Blackburn were unbeaten in three prior to their 4-0 mauling at Arsenal last week and have put together enough points to escape from the relegation zone, all be it, by only one point. Despite last week’s defeat, they do seem to be on an upward spiral.
West Ham are seventh and have lost only two of their last fifteen games. That sounds impressive but their last game, the 0-0 draw at home West Brom on Monday, was one of the worst games of football seen this season.
The statistics suggest an away win but I fancy Big Sam to continue the journey to safety.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
Just a couple of weeks ago Fulham were thumped 4-0 at home by Manchester United in the FA Cup. That was the second in a row of three straight defeats that was brought to an end with a 3-1 at Bolton last week. On the whole they have proved difficult to score against although they have let in eight in their last four games.
Manchester United are still sitting pretty at the top of the league but as we all know, they will be hurting from their 4-1 humiliation at home to Liverpool last week. I can only begin to imagine just how apoplectic Fergie must have gone with his players after last week’s game and I would be very surprised if there wasn’t a strong reaction this week.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-3
Newcastle are in deep trouble. They are level on points with the team third from bottom and have won just one game in their last thirteen.
Arsenal are starting to look good. They are beginning to show signs of reaching the heights that we expected them to reach and the fact that they have re-established themselves in the top four will give them the morale and confidence boost they needed.
I fear for Newcastle in this one.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-3
Should be an away banker here with Portsmouth fighting against the drop and Everton having half an eye on that fourth Champions League qualifying slot.
Pompey have just two wins in fourteen but have looked slightly more solid since Paul Hart took over from the hapless Tony Adams.
The only hope for Pompey is that Everton have failed to win in their last five away games. I fancy them to make it six by scraping a draw.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Stoke are still in the relegation zone but they simply refuse to give up. Prior to their defeat at Everton last week they had gone three without losing including an excellent draw at Aston Villa and a win over Bolton.
Middlesbrough are one place and two points behind Stoke and they don’t seem to be showing quite the same sort of fight. Just one win in eighteen tells a sorry story for them and I think they are in very deep trouble. A defeat here could be fatal.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
Usually a good game between these two with plenty of goals. There, that should guarantee a boring 0-0 draw!
Tottenham have eased to a position six points clear of the drop zone and can feel relatively safe now and play with the freedom that should entail.
Chelsea have suddenly found themselves back in the title race after being written off only a couple of weeks ago.
This will be one of Chelsea’s harder games and I have a little suspicion that Guus might experience defeat for the first time as Chelsea boss.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
West Brom got a point at West Ham on Monday, but boy, they weren’t very good! Now some six points from safety they are beginning to look doomed. It is difficult to see where they could get six points from. I suppose this is one game where they would need three points if they are to stand any chance of surviving.
Only four points above the relegation places, Bolton are far from safe and three wins in twelve, whilst form that West Brom can only dream of, is slightly concerning.
SoccerNews prediction:
Sunday 22nd March 2009
This is a massive game for both teams. Liverpool need to build on the great work they did in their fabulous victory at Old Trafford last week. Failure to win here would render that performance relatively worthless.
Aston Villa have hit a serious blip in form and have slipped out of the top four. Defeat here would confirm the fact they are not quite ready to take on the ‘big four’.
You’ve got to fancy Liverpool to keep the pressure on United and further dent the dreams of Villa, haven’t you?
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Tenth plays fourteenth at Eastlands but victory for Sunderland would see them go level on points with their hosts.
City’s inconsistent form continues and Sunderland are little better. That makes this one the most difficult prediction this week.
I’ll go for a draw.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
Doesn’t sound like a Premier League game does it, Wigan v Hull? It sounds more like a lower league game or a Rugby League match.
The trouble is, it probably won’t look too much like a Premier League game either!
Wigan are sitting pretty in eighth place but that is the only thing that is pretty about them. Hull are just four points clear of the drop zone and I still fancy them to go down. Defeat here would be damaging.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
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