THE VERY BLUNT PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEW & PREDICTIONS (WEEK 14)
Welcome to the Christmas period where fixtures and injuries come at you with reckless abandon, navigate these choppy waters at your own risk…
Every week we’ll be giving you our blunt takes and predicting each Premier League match featured in our Pick 10 league along with any other big fixtures - will you take our advice?
Arsenal vs Wolves
Went top after City & Liverpool slugged it out at the Etihad Stadium, having the best defensive record in the Premier League this season also helps considering they’ve conceded only 10 goals in their 13 games to date. Their free-flowing all-out attack has been parked in a bid to shore things up at the back - and it has worked, thus far…
Gary O’Neil is constantly on the precipice of being recognised as the greatest manager who has ever lived, and then his Wolves team lay an egg. The referees wanted blood this season, and for no apparent reason they have chosen Wolves as their lowly victims. Seriously, they could actually be in contention for Europe without the decisions against them so far this season.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Wolves
Newcastle vs Manchester United
Another team snakebitten by a questionable refereeing decision in the week, Newcastle have faced the wrath of the football gods with their never-ending injury list. Progression to the last sixteen of the Champions League is out of their hands, but ground must be made up in their quest for a consecutive top-four finish - a tall order with a stretch of fixtures that will test their decimated squad.
No other team could have won five out their past six league matches and be considered disappointing, step forward Manchester United. Their decent run has been masked by unconvincing performances and despite a purple patch of form, they’re still four points adrift of the top-four. Three of United’s next four league encounters are against Newcastle, Chelsea & Liverpool…
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Manchester United
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Hate to say we told you so, but we had zero confidence in Chelsea following their 4-1 win over capital rivals Tottenham. We called it (sorry not sorry). Collapsing against a Newcastle side missing half of their squad to injury is a punch to the proverbials, there’s truly little to suggest Chelsea can even compete for a place in Europe. Mauricio Pochettino is best off sealing shut the revolving door transfer policy at this point.
After a dour patch of form everyone was beginning to worry about Brighton, a narrow win over Nottingham Forest is nothing to shout about but hey, a win is a win. Albion had not won for seven Premier League matches, a run stretching back to the end of September and the worst of the De Zerbi era. Last weekend’s victory put them back in touching distance of European places, at least for now…
Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester City vs Tottenham
Probably should’ve beaten Liverpool, instead you’ve now let Arsenal leapfrog you and kept Jurgen Klopp’s side on your tail. City have been in winning positions late on in their last two Premier League games, away to Chelsea and against Liverpool, but have had to be content with a draw on both occasions. You have to wonder how Pep Guardiola will navigate a crowded title race…
We don’t care that you have a depleted squad, you’ve lost three straight and bottled the title. Okay, might be overexaggerating there slightly but alarm bells must be going off. With City, West Ham and Newcastle up next there is the potential that Spurs go from a resounding unbeaten streak to a horror winless run. Just imagine that for a second, reinforcements might be required in January.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham
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