Premier League predictions & catch up

Once again the English Premier League gave us plenty of goals (29), the narrowest of victories for the reigning champions (1-0), a couple of unconverted penalties, some shocking refereeing decisions, and some serious injuries that will have an impact on this league and the Champions League.

Saturday's early kick-off was the last of Newcastle United’s “Big Three” matches. This run of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea began with the Magpies unbeaten in the league and third in the table. Many non black and white fans pointed to the calibre of the teams Newcastle had faced up to that point and suggested that they would revert to form against “proper” opponents and record nil points. As it turned out Newcastle took just one point from their three matches and let in seven goals while scoring just two. Chelsea beat them 3-0 at St James's Park, but those facts and that score hardly tell the full story, as Newcastle United could feel justifiably aggrieved when the referee mistakenly failed to send off Chelsea’s David Luiz (for a clear foul on Demba Ba, with the striker clear on goal) in the third minute. Had Newcastle being facing 10 men (for 87 minutes), you may well have thought they would have taken all three points from the game. As it was (facing all 11 Chelsea players) Newcastle were still just 1-0 down heading into the final minutes and the predicted   1-1 draw looked definitely possible, if not probable. However Newcastle's search for an equaliser led them to be stretched at the back and Chelsea record two goals in the last five minutes of play (including injury time) and gave them a very flattering scoreline.After Newcastle's phantom penalty (that they were awarded at Old Trafford against Manchester United last weekend) some might say that it was Karma that denied them the man advantage against Chelsea, but only the severely uncharitable would ignore the fact that the way Newcastle were forced to chase the game led to an injury to defender Steven Taylor, which looks like he’ll be now be missing the rest of the season.

Another game that was blighted by injury was Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Aston villa, which became their fourth 1-0 victory in their last five league matches and their seventh consecutive league game where they have failed to score more than a solitary goal. The champions also suffered a costly injury when striker Hernandez was taken off with suspected ankle ligament damage, after getting his studs caught in the turf. It looks like the Little Pea will be out for 3-4 weeks, so he’ll be absent from United’s vital Champions League clash this week against Basel. Aston Villa suffered their own injuries as Shay Given and Jermaine Jenas, both picked up injuries.  Despite a tepid game, a win is still three points and Manchester United are now unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League visits to Villa Park. While Manchester United are grinding out ugly wins to keep pace with table topping Manchester City, the blue half of Manchester seems to be scoring goals for fun! The Champions Elect put five past Norwich City which meant they have scored three or more goals in 11 of their 14 league games this season and have a goal difference of +35 which dwarfs the rest of the league.

Meanwhile further down the table

Steve Kean managed to breathe a huge sigh of relief, as thanks to 4 goals from Yakubu his Blackburn side clawed their way off the foot of the table, leapfrogging both Wigan and Bolton, as their game at home to Swansea ended 4-2. However, this did little to temper the tempers of Blackburn fans, who feel this is too little too late. Bolton's season continues to deteriorate and their 4-0 victory at Loftus Road on the opening day of the season now seems more of a mirage than anything else. They were on the receiving end of 3-0 Spurs victory as Harry's boys continue to play and score like a true top four side. Wigan did Bolton a small favour and kept them off the foot of the table by being overrun by Arsenal, whose own early stumbles are now a distant memory as the Gunners continued their assault on the top for with a 4-0 victory at the DW Stadium.

New manager Martin O'Neill had a perfect view (from the stands) of the problems he’s taking on at Sunderland, as they succumbed 2-1 to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Mick McCarthy’s side have now won back-to-back Premier League home matches for the first time since February. Sunderland almost looked like they were about to record their second away victory of the season; as leading 1-0 they were awarded a spurious penalty when Sebastian Larsson went down all too easily. Yet instead of wrapping up the game 2-0 with the spot kick Larsson could only see his effort saved before Wolves took the ball and the advantage to the other end of the pitch and scored an equaliser. Sunderland were now in disarray and Wolves looked like winners. The home side duly took the second goal and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Elsewhere in the middle of the table Stoke recorded a 1-0 victory over Everton and Queens Park Rangers had to share the points with West Brom in their 1-1 draw.

The table does make very interesting reading

Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all won keeping everything “as was” for the Premier League's bronze, silver and gold positions. Chelsea's victory over Newcastle put the London club above the Geordies, while Arsenal's victory over Wigan meant that Newcastle slipped down further, to sixth place. This is the first time they've been outside the top four since September and things may get even worse for Newcastle if Liverpool ignore my prediction and beat Fulham. A win with any score puts Liverpool equal with Newcastle on points but with a superior goal difference. A Liverpool win would put Newcastle way down the table in seventh but interestingly they would have eight points and 13 goals separating them from eighth place Stoke.

Wigan, Bolton and Blackburn look likely to continue to shuffle the bottom three amongst themselves although Sunderland, if they don't start picking up points under their new manager could find themselves being sucked into a four horse relegation race. Fulham, provided they don't manage to beat Liverpool on Monday night are just three points off the foot of the table and two points above Blackburn.

How much excitement can you take?

Next weekend the EPL has a couple of bankers and a relegation six pointer on offer, not to mention a game that should be a stone cold classic next Monday night.

Saturday sees Arsenal host Everton, which should see the Gunners record another tidy three points and likely improve their goal difference further. Bolton have a chance to drag themselves out of the relegation slot when they host Aston Villa who are the sort of top half of the table team that Bolton will fancy their chances against.

Liverpool host Queens Park Rangers also on Saturday and will be looking at nothing less than three points in an attempt to keep pace with the top six. You might want to have a bet on Manchester United beating Wolves 1-0 at Old Trafford, although I do feel the Red Devils are due a flurry of goals and we all know that Wolves tend to concede plenty.

Newcastle have to try and start winning games again despite their injury problems, but should hope that now the big three games have been played they can take that form and effort and translate it into three points, when they travel to Norwich. Saturday also sees Fulham travel to a tricky place to take points from, which probably won't improve their away record when they take on Swansea. Wigan travel to West Bromwich Albion hoping for the same sort of result that they recorded against Sunderland, as if they can't start winning games like this they won't be playing in the Premier League next season.

Sunday's lunchtime kick-off sees Martin O'Neill's first game in charge of Sunderland and he couldn't have asked for a better fixture as the Black Cats host Blackburn. This may be a game that Sunderland can ill afford to lose, but it is certainly a game that Steve Kean can't afford to leave pointless, as now that the first managerial sacking of the season has been and gone, (Sunderland parted company with Steve Bruce last week) he is the hot favourite to be the next person shown the door.

Spurs are playing with the belief and a form that suggests they will find Europe no problem next year; they take a trip Stoke, who must be considering their European commitments an unwelcome drain on resources that has detrimental effects on their league position. Form says Spurs should walk all over Stoke and the Britannia Stadium is no longer the Fort Knox type fortress it once was. The English Premier league has again saved the best for last as Monday night sees Chelsea take on the champions elect; Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have now recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time in ten months, but City can make everybody else seem ordinary when they play against them. The pressure maybe off Villas-Boas (after a pair of 3-0 victories) so Chelsea could afford to lose this game without heralding murmurs of his sacking, but I also feel that City who (should the Red Devils beat the Wolves on Saturday) will only have a two-point cushion above the prospective champions are hardly likely to go easy on Chelsea, so in soccer betting, I predict an away win, and a great game.