Saturday 11th April 2009
Eight points clear of the drop zone, Bolton should now be relatively safe. Four points behind the leaders, Chelsea will still fancy their chances of lifting the title.
On paper this looks like a guaranteed home win and whilst nothing can be absolutely 100% certain at this time in the season, it is difficult to see anything other than three points for Chelsea.
The Blues were exceptional at Liverpool but even an ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ performance against Bolton should be enough to win.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
There is no doubt that Liverpool will be hurting from their Champions League defeat. It is often said that the worst time to play a good team is when they have just been beaten. If that is the case I pity Blackburn who are still looking for points to ensure their safety.
Liverpool may well have to write off their Champions League dreams but at just one point behind a faltering Manchester United, they are awfully close to winning what for their fans, is the big one.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-1
This is a must win game for Middlesbrough and a mustn’t lose game for Hull. Middlesbrough are five points adrift of safety and Hull are five points the other way but falling fast.
A defeat or even a draw for Middlesbrough would almost certainly signal the end of the Premier League tenure whilst defeat for Hull would make relegation become a very real possibility.
Forget the games at the top, Premier League matches don’t get much more important than this.
SoccerNews prediction: 1-0
Pompey are edging towards safety whilst West Brom are almost certainly doomed. West Brom’s problems have been fairly basic this season. They haven’t been able to score enough goals and they haven’t been able to stop the opposition scoring. That really is a recipe for disaster.
Pompey went through a seriously dodgy spell but then they sacked Tony Adams and have now steadied the ship. They are not totally out of trouble but three points here will be a big step towards survival.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Another big game here with both teams fighting for their lives with varying degrees of success. Stoke have done incredibly well to find themselves sitting six points above the relegation zone whilst Newcastle are still the wrong side of the line by three points.
Stoke play with a passion and an endeavour and probably more skill than they are given credit for. We don’t yet really know how Alan Shearer’s Newcastle play as his first game in charge was so tough, at home to Chelsea.
The wonderful thought for Stoke fans and the horror for the Toon Army is that a win for Stoke will probably see them stay up and defeat for Newcastle may well be one of the penultimate nails in their coffin.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
If you could pick a time to play Manchester United this would probably be about as good as it gets. One win in four and a terrible injury list. When was the last time a United team looked in this much disarray?
Sunderland have not looked too bright recently and they are just one place and three points clear of the dreaded drop.
It may be a good time to play United but surely they’ll have enough to beat what is a pretty poor Sunderland side.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-1
Seventh play eleventh in a game that sees two teams doing a whole lot better than their fans would have feared a few months ago.
Tottenham are the team we all thought they should be, under Harry Redknapp, whilst Gianfranco Zola has put together a tidy and efficient side. Unfortunately for the Hammers, injuries to their front men leave them a little short of fire-power and I expect Tottenham to exploit that fact.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-0
Wigan are still going well in the league, sitting in eighth place, but they had a bit of a horror show in their 4-0 defeat at Everton last time out.
Arsenal are flying and the return of a scoring Adebayor and an influential Fabregas has made them even better. The injuries to Gallas and Almunia are a blow, but they should still have enough to win this and cement their fourth place in the table.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-2
Sunday 12th April 2009
This could have been a battle for fourth place but with a slight slip from Everton and a major slip from Villa it is now a battle for fifth place.
When the sides met at Goodison Park and Villa won a thriller with an injury-time goal, it looked as though Villa would leave Everton a long way behind. Since then, things have changed and David Moyes has done his usual excellent job in making the most of what he has got.
On current form Everton are probably favourites to pip Villa for fifth and I think Moyes will settle for a point in this one.
SoccerNews prediction: 0-0
City had a poor result in Europe in the week but that was, of course, away from home. They have been abysmal on their travels this season but have, at times, been scintillating at home.
Fulham are an up and down side, but showed how good they can be at home when they beat City’s neighbours a few weeks ago. Unfortunately for them, like City, they are not too clever away from home.
SoccerNews prediction: 2-1
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