The Premier League season just won’t stop throwing up shocks, at times it’s hard to see any of these teams going on to take the title. The relegation battle keeps changing shape, it’s pretty difficult to keep track of, but it’s also fantastic for the viewers, who are served up great entertainment almost every week.
This week looks set to be the same, with some big games from around the top flight. We’ve got relegation six pointers, teams fighting it out in the top half and a title clash. Arsenal and Manchester City’s meeting on Monday night is set to be the big highlight, with both of those sides harbouring ambitions of topping the table. Here we’re previewing that clash and all the other live games this weekend, plus we’re providing a betting tip for each.
Saturday 19th December 2015
Newcastle v Aston Villa (17:30) – Newcastle to win (21/20 with Bet365)
These two are currently locked in the middle of the relegation dogfight, but they come into this one in wildly different circumstances. Villa are winless in 15 matches, and they’re rooted to the bottom of the table. They’re already eight points from safety, and they will be bottom on Christmas Day, which is usually a sign that a team is on course to be relegated. Can they get a result at St James’ and close the gap on the teams above them?
Newcastle come into this on the back of two successive victories, after beating Liverpool and home and Tottenham at White Hart Lane. That has hauled them out of the bottom three. They’re now 15th, and if Steve McClaren’s team can keep up this recent good form, then they’ll have a cushion between them and the bottom three. Some have written off this recent revival, saying that the players are only performing to put themselves in the shop window for January. Even if that is true, they’re on TV on Saturday again, and they should be able to perform against a hapless Villa side. We’re backing a home win in this one.
Sunday 20th December 2015
Watford v Liverpool (13:30) – Both teams to score (10/11 with Coral)
The first of Sunday’s offerings sees Liverpool heading to an in-form Watford side. The Hornets have won three games on the spin, and they are actually two places above Liverpool in the table. Their great season sees them positioned well clear of relegation, and they look set to finish the season far removed from the bottom three. With an 11 point lead over 18th, plus 25 points on the board before the half way stage, it’s hard to see them ending up in any danger.
Liverpool’s honeymoon under Jurgen Klopp has taken a bit of a nose dive, after they needed a last minute goal last weekend to prevent back to back league defeats. Divock Origi’s goal saw them rescue a draw against West Brom, but things aren’t right at Anfield. They come into this game priced at evens to win, and they could go on to take victory, but it’s hard to back them. Watford will be full of confidence here, and they could pull off a big result. We’re not backing either team, instead we’re backing both of them to score. With two very capable attacks going head to head, BTTS at 10/11 with Coral seems like a price too good to miss.
Swansea v West Ham (16:00) – Draw (12/5 with Coral)
Two out of form sides meet at the Liberty on Sunday evening, with both teams in need of a win. The Hammers haven’t won in their last six, but they have four draws in their last five games. That’s helped them keep their place in the top half, but they need to turn this patch of form around soon. Gone is their early counter attacking flair, and now they seem to be struggling to get through teams. The momentum and confidence they had has seemingly evaporated, stunting their push for a place in the top six. Could their final season at Upton Park fizzle out and leave them scrapping dangerously in the bottom half?
Swansea sacked Garry Monk after an awful run of form, but now they need to get through this period while they appoint a new manager. They came close to getting a point against Manchester City on Saturday, so things look to be improving for them. The big question is, can they go out and dominate games like they used to at home, or has their style got stale? This team seems built to play a certain way, but their displays over the last few months seem to have lacked a cutting edge. With neither of these two doing well we’re backing a draw here, extending the Hammers’ recent draw streak, and giving the Swans a small boost, after losing five of their last six matches.
Monday 21st December 2015
Arsenal v Manchester City (20:00) – Arsenal to win (6/4 with Sky Bet)
This game is the big one, looking like it’ll be huge in the context of race for the title. Right now, these two seem like the only two sides realistically in the title race, even with Leicester playing out of their skin. The Gunners need a win in a big game to prove to people that they’re genuine contenders, plus a victory would open up a four point gap over City. While that isn’t a huge cushion, it’s more than we’ve seen at the top for most of the campaign. The Gunners had a mini wobble a few games back, but they’ve bounced back brilliantly to win back to back games. Can they build on that by seeing off the current bookies’ favourites to win the league?
Manchester City should really be running away with the league this season, given how much they strengthened an already impressive squad this summer. Despite that, they keep being pegged back, they can never establish themselves at the top. They’ve not won back to back games since early October, which says a lot about their struggles this term. On top of that, City haven’t won in their last four away games in the league, with their last victory on the road coming in September. While they aren’t a team in crisis, they are a team with issues. There seem to be problems under the surface at the club, and that’s why we’re backing a win for the Gunners on Monday night.