After a midweek period packed full of Premier League games from Monday to Thursday, we’ve got another huge round of fixtures this weekend. Not just are sides facing crucial matches in the run in, but there’s also the small matter of the FA Cup semi-finals. With plenty of live league action plus the two games at Wembley, we’ve got quite a bit to look forward to.
While some of the weekend’s big games have been postponed due to the cup games, we still have a title fight to focus on. Leicester are up against Swansea on Sunday as they look to close in on the title. Sunderland are hoping to give their survival hopes a boost against an out of form Arsenal. Saturday sees Everton taking on Manchester United at Wembley, while Palace and Watford meet on Sunday in the second FA Cup semi. Here’s our look ahead to all those games, along with our top betting tip for each.
Saturday 23rd April 2016
Everton v Manchester United (17:15) – United to win (23/20 with Betfair)
The first FA Cup semi sees two bosses who are aiming to save their seasons and possibly their jobs in the cup. Taking home the FA Cup this season would be huge for Louis van Gaal or Roberto Martinez, but one of them will be crashing out of the competition this weekend. But which one will be booking a place in next month’s FA Cup final? Right now, the bookies seem pretty undecided. Manchester United go in as favourites, but they’re still pretty well priced.
This United group haven’t been this far in a cup competition, so it will be interesting to see just how Van Gaal approaches it. While his side haven’t done much to excite the United faithful this season, this kind of game is one that the Dutchman’s system is built for. It should be pretty tight given the stakes, but United are set up to stand up against pressure and strike. Given Everton’s poor defensive record, United’s main worry will be keeping a clean sheet. United edged a match between the two sides pretty recently, and we’re expecting a narrow win for the Red Devils again, avenging two previous FA Cup semi-final defeats by the Toffees..
Sunday 24th April 2016
Leicester v Swansea (14:05) – Leicester to win to nil (7/4 with Coral)
Sunday’s action kicks off with the league leaders. They’re hoping to get back to winning ways this weekend, but they’ll be without Jamie Vardy. The West Ham game last weekend was the first time we’ve seen the Foxes really look like the pressure was getting to them. They need a big response to that this weekend, or else Tottenham will smell blood. Leicester need eight points to secure the title, can they claim three towards that total this weekend?
The Swans come here with little to play for, but also nothing to lose. They’ll have seen the game last weekend and they should come here with no fear. This will be a huge examination of the defensive strengths that Leicester have relied upon. After last weekend’s setback, the main thing they need to do here is get back to basics. Three points is all they need, and another 1-0 win would be just the ticket. We’re backing a win to nil for the leaders, as they move even closer to creating history.
Crystal Palace v Watford (16:00) – Watford to win (2/1 with Coral)
Sunday’s schedule really forces you to pick between the FA Cup and the Premier League. BT Sport have their Cup semi on just before the second league game on Sunday. This semi features two sides who weren’t considered cup contenders back at the start of the competition. Both Watford and Palace have done fantastically well to get this far, but which of the two will claim a spot in the final? It’s a very evenly matched tie, with these two separated by just two points in the league table.
Watford are slight underdogs, but Palace are below them in the table. The Hornets have had a fantastic season since claiming promotion, and that’s included a win over FA Cup holders Arsenal. A win over Palace in the semi would be just as memorable, and it would give Quique Sanchez Flores’ team another highlight of their season. While they aren’t considered favourites, we think Watford should be. They’re facing a side who have won just once in the league in 2016. Palace were fighting off relegation up until very recently, while Watford have had an eye on this game for a while. This will be another tight contest, but we’re backing Watford to just edge it.
Sunderland v Arsenal (16:15) – Sunderland win or draw double chance (6/5 with Bet365)
While the Cup semi is happening, Arsenal head up to Sunderland. The Gunners saw their hopes of the title disappear completely last weekend, and now they face a tough trip to a side who are fighting for their lives. The Black Cats moved within a point of safety with a 3-0 win over Norwich last weekend, and now they’ll be hoping to pull off another great escape in the final weeks of the season. It’s a trick they’ve done before and they’ve taken some pretty big scalps in the past on their route to safety.
Arsenal have fallen from title challengers to fourth place. Manchester United are chasing them down, and the Gunners are in danger of surrendering a Champions League position. They face a Thursday/Sunday schedule this week, and that’s not something they’ll want to do regularly next term. While they knew they needed a win last time out, they’ve known that quite a lot recently. Their draw against Palace at the weekend shows they’re more than capable of taking their eye off the ball. We see them struggling again this weekend, with Sunderland battling for anything they can get. We’re backing the home side to take at least a point, at 6/5 with Bet365.
See also:
- BTTS Tips (23rd & 24th April)
- Acca Tips (23rd to 25th April)