With no more international fixtures until the summer, we have non-stop Premier League action until the end of the season and it’s shaping up to be an exciting finish. The race for the top four is very much alive and even seventh placed Everton have a slim shot of making it. To keep any faint hopes alive however they must claim three points against Liverpool on Saturday.
The following day, two more top four contenders face one another, Arsenal and Manchester City. With Arsenal seven points adrift of third place City, this is a massive fixture for the Gunners and for Arsene Wenger.
At the other end of the table, there is a big relegation clash in Sunday’s earlier kick-off between Swansea and Middlesbrough. Out of the two, it’s the Teesiders who are far more favoured for the drop and a loss to the Swans would make their survival hopes look very slim indeed. Two wins on the bounce for Bournemouth have stopped them being drawn into a relegation scrap and Eddie Howe’s men can now breathe easy for a while. To make it three wins from three, they’ll need to see off the challenge of fellow south coast side Southampton on Saturday evening.
Saturday 1st April 2017
Liverpool v Everton (12:30) – Liverpool to win (13/20 with BetVictor)
Ronald Koeman will see how his Everton side cope without regular right back Seamus Coleman after the Irishman broke his leg after being on the wrong end of a horrific tackle while on international duty. It’s likely to make their afternoon a lot tougher in a derby they’ve enjoyed little success for many years.
The Toffees have won just one of their last 23 meetings against their Merseyside rivals. While there have been many draws in this time, Liverpool must surely have the psychological edge coming into the game. Everton’s recent record on the road, one win in five, doesn’t suggest their poor record in the derby will end anytime soon either.
Liverpool may have lost three of their last seven home games in all competitions and struggled to see off Burnley last time out at Anfield but you can expect them to be strong here. The Reds often raise their game for the big matches and they’ve gone the entire season without losing to any Premier League team currently placed ninth or higher. Their attacking talents should be able to find plenty of joy against an Everton defence missing their star right back. Skipper Jordan Henderson is expected to return for the Reds too and his timely comeback should be the catalyst for a home win.
Southampton v Bournemouth (17:30) – Both teams to score (3/4 with Bet365)
Due to postponements, the League Cup final and international fixtures, this is Southampton’s first home game in almost two months. Claude Puel will be hoping he can put on a show for the home crowd and you should fancy them to score goals even if Manolo Gabbiadini is out injured. They still posed a real goal scoring threat against Tottenham when the Italian limped off and they should fare even better against a much weaker defence. Shane Long can be a real danger on his day and it would be no surprise to see him score his first St Mary’s goal of 2017.
Bournemouth don’t tend to keep many clean sheets but they have been in decent goal scoring form of late, notching seven in their last four games. They’ve not had much trouble scoring away from home either, largely thanks to Joshua King who has been in fine fettle. The Norwegian is making the Cherries look like a more threatening outfit, compensating for the lack of goals of both Callum Wilson and Benik Afobe. With Virgil Van Dijk still likely to be out for the Saints, don’t expect them to be solid enough to prevent the away side scoring here.
Sunday 2nd April 2017
Swansea v Middlesbrough (13:30) – Swansea to win (evens with Betfair)
Paul Clement has to be given plenty of credit for turning the Swans around. The Welsh side previously looked devoid of hope but some good results since have dragged them out of the relegation zone. It’s their good home form which has been largely to thank for this. Three wins on the trot at the Liberty Stadium will act as a real boost coming into another important fixture. Defensively there are still issues but the return of Martin Olsson and Kyle Naughton should help keep things tighter than during their 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
Steve Agnew’s reign as Middlesbrough boss didn’t get off to the best start with a 3-1 home defeat to Manchester United but there were positives to take from the game. Rudy Gestede’s goal ended his club’s run of eight and half hours without a goal and with two up top, Boro looked a more dangerous side. Whether Agnew starts with two up front this weekend remains to be seen but you feel that Boro will be caught out at the back if they do. It’s hard to see any Middlesbrough starting XI putting on a convincing all-round display so back them for yet another away defeat.
Arsenal v Manchester City (16:00) – Manchester City to win (11/8 with BetVictor)
For many, this game will be the pick of the week’s action and it should be a very entertaining match. At the Emirates Stadium, it’s been a fixture the Gunners have enjoyed far more than City, with the Citizens only claiming one league win here. There’s reason to think Arsenal’s solid record may take a hit here though as they are in a rather poor place at the moment. Speculation surrounding the future of Arsene Wenger combined with some bad league performances is making Arsenal look like a side there for the taking.
It’s Arsenal’s defence which is the biggest concern, having conceded 11 goals in their last five league games. This is something City will be able to exploit especially if Kevin De Bruyne is passed fit to play. Guardiola’s side have sometimes struggled away against stronger teams in the league but they do at least come into the game with some decent away form. City have won their last three league games on the road, keeping clean sheets in all of them. They still have their issues but at odds of 11/8, they are worth gambling on as they can be a ruthless outfit on their day.