Saturday 25th April 2009
Safety for Bolton is close enough for them to be able smell it. Six points clear of the drop zone with five games left. Surely another three points will be enough for them to guarantee Premier League football next season. Can they get it today?
Aston Villa have lost their chance of Champions League qualification although it is still mathematically possible. Eight points behind Arsenal is a step too far. They are guaranteed Europa League football next season and will be looking to finish the season on a high.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
There is no stopping David Moyes’ Everton team. In the last week they have beaten Manchester United to reach the FA Cup final and drawn at Chelsea to all but end their interest in the title. They are a difficult team to beat and they are as well organised as any team in the league.
Manchester City, on the other hand, sometimes seem to be totally unorganised. They still have just one away win all season and I don’t see that changing at Goodison Park.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
Remarkably, Fulham have a very real chance of European qualification. They are in a three way fight with West Ham and Tottenham for the last place although Manchester City and Wigan will still fancy their chances.
Possibly even more remarkably, Stoke are almost safe and ready to face another season in the top flight.
These are two over-achieving sides who will probably cancel each other out.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-0
Hull are looking to be in a great deal of trouble. They cannot buy a point, let alone a win, and they will not be looking at this fixture with any confidence at all. They managed a draw at Anfield earlier in the season but both teams were a very different proposition at that time.
Liverpool will be smarting from their Champions League exit and the two points they dropped at home to Arsenal. They have fallen behind United again and will be desperate for three points here. That desperation is the only hope that Hull can cling on to.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-3
Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Portsmouth got Sir Alex Ferguson’s team back on track. Three points ahead with a game in hand is a strong position, but they know they can’t afford to drop points. They are still not firing on all cylinders and Tottenham will provide stiff opposition.
Harry Redknapp has dragged Tottenham out of the relegation zone and taken them to the verge of Europe. He will be convinced that Tottenham can get something out of this game.
I think they might.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
West Brom are doomed and Sunderland are far from being safe. In fact, for Sunderland to have any confidence for the final couple of weeks of the season, they need to get a result here.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
Chelsea will think they are out of the title race but a win here and other results going in their favour and they will be right back in the frame.
West Ham hold pole position for the final European qualification place and are playing with a certain swagger and confidence under the excellent Gianfranco Zola.
I fancy Chelsea to keep the pressure on at the top at West Ham to hand the initiative back to Fulham or Tottenham.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-2
Sunday 26th April 2009
OK, the basic facts here are that Arsenal are a very good team and Middlesbrough are not a very good team.
Arsenal are in the Champions League semi-finals and virtually assured of a place in that top competition next season.
Middlesbrough have a remote chance of survival but that won’t be helped by a trip to The Emirates.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
Just three points clear of the drop zone, Blackburn are in real need of some points.
Wigan are safe and they probably haven’t quite got enough to challenge for Europe this season. In other words, Blackburn have everything to play for and Wigan have nothing. That may well be a decisive factor in this one.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
Monday 27th April 2009
Potentially, Newcastle could go into this game seven points from safety. More realistically, they will be four points behind the rest. Either way, this is a must win game for Alan Shearer and his men.
Portsmouth are only six points clear of the drop zone and the bad news for Newcastle is that they will be desperate for a result as well.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-1
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