The festive period means one thing for Premier League clubs: a busy fixture list. All 20 sides are in action in midweek and here we take a closer look at some of the more interesting affairs. First we will see if Crystal Palace can get closer to Premier League safety with a win over an entertaining Watford side. Kicking off at the same time are Huddersfield and Chelsea who find themselves some way apart in the table. That’s not to say Chelsea will have an easy time of things at the Kirklees Stadium however.
Moving onto Wednesday and we’ll see if Tottenham can get their push for a top four place back on track by beating Brighton. Home games were something Spurs relished last season but their temporary home of Wembley hasn’t brought the same level of joy as White Hart Lane. Moving across to the other side of London and there is a derby match between West Ham and Arsenal to look forward to. It’s not a game the Hammers are fancied to get anything from so any points David Moyes’ men can pick up here will be a big bonus.
Tuesday 12th December 2017
Crystal Palace v Watford (20:00) – Both teams to score (5/6 with Coral)
Crystal Palace fans have reason to think their side can beat the drop this season under Roy Hodgson. The former England boss has done well given that for much of his time at Palace he’s been without a fully fit recognised striker. The return of Christian Benteke didn’t have an immediate impact as his side fired blank when he started against Brighton and West Brom but Palace should benefit from his services in the long run. Two goalless draws away from home shows that Palace can keep things tight at the back when they need to and Mamadou Sakho plays a huge role in this.
Palace tend to play more openly home compared to away though and this should lead to an entertaining evening at Selhurst Park. Watford’s league matches are averaging over three goals a game and there seems to be goalmouth action at both ends most times they play. This was something highlighted during their recent 4-2 loss to Man United and even the 1-1 draw with Spurs. Marco Silva will be looking for his men to attack here but with Palace dangerous on the break, it’s easy to see both teams finding the back of the net.
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea (20:00) – Huddersfield to win with +2 handicap (4/5 with Betfair)
The title may not be on for Chelsea this season but Antonio Conte will be ensuring his side retains their place in the top four in the face of some tough competition. Games like this should be returning three points and the Blues have generally been good on the road this season. They showed a lot of character to restrict Liverpool to a point at Anfield having played in Azerbaijan just days earlier and they impressed when thrashing West Brom 4-0. Alvaro Morata got his name on the scoresheet against the Baggies but it’s something he hasn’t been doing enough lately after initially making a strong start to the season.
Huddersfield have been on the receiving end of a few defeats lately but more have come on the road than at home. At the Kirklees Stadium the Terriers can be a rather tough nut to crack. They famously beat Man United there in October and then were very close to claiming a point against Man City last month. Tottenham had a much easier time of things in Yorkshire when winning 4-0 but individual errors played a big part in that result. If the home side can avoid any costly mistakes here, they look capable of winning with a +2 goal handicap.
Wednesday 13th December 2017
Tottenham v Brighton & Hove Albion (20:00) – Brighton to win with +2 handicap (21/20 with Coral)
It’s quite surprising to see how well Brighton are priced for a +2 handicap victory here. The Seagulls have adjusted well to Premier League life and as things stand they look set to beat the drop. They have been a tougher side to beat at home than away but performances on their travels have hardly been poor. There were positives to take from the 1-0 defeat to Man United and 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. Facing another big side here and Chris Hughton’s men should at least fancy themselves not to be beaten comfortably.
On paper there’s no denying that Tottenham are the stronger side but they’ve often struggled to break sides down at Wembley. Brighton will know exactly what they need to do here, defend deep and restrict the space in behind that the likes of Kane and Alli would try to exploit. It’s a tactic employed successfully by the likes of Burnley, Swansea and West Brom this season who have all claimed a point against the Londoners. Pochettino’s side will likely dominate possession but they could well have another frustrating time of things against what is a fairly well drilled defence.
West Ham United v Arsenal (20:00) – Arsenal to win (8/13 with Betfair)
David Moyes hasn’t enjoyed the most resounding start to life as Hammers boss but a big performance at home could give the fans and the players a huge lift. A rather lengthy injury list won’t make life any easier for the Scot but it is thought that a few of his players will be fully fit by Wednesday. Defensive absences have hurt the Hammers a lot this season particularly that of Jose Fonte and it’s led to them conceding goals at quite a rapid rate.
Arsenal lost a big game against rivals Man United recently but you can’t say the Gunners played poorly, especially in attack. Had it not been for David De Gea, Arsene Wenger’s side could’ve extended their winning home run in the league to 13 games. Playing away has occasionally been a weakness for the Frenchmen’s side and it’s something Stoke and Watford among others have exposed this season. They do seem to absolutely love making the short trip to East London though, last losing an away test to West Ham in 2006. A lack of injuries and generally a good atmosphere among the club at the moment makes you think they’ll extend this run while collecting three points.