There’s a slightly reduced schedule of Premier League football this weekend but still plenty of entertainment to feast your eyes on. It’s a weekend that sees David Moyes return to Goodison Park for just the second time as his Sunderland side take on Everton. With the Black Cats sitting rock bottom of the table, it’s a game the Scotsman would very much cherish a result from. Following that game, Watford host West Ham. They managed six goals between them last time they met and many will be hoping for just as much goal mouth action this time.
On Sunday the sole game of the day sees Tottenham face-off against Stoke. There may be less on the line for the Potters in this game but don’t expect them to give Tottenham an easy ride. If they can deny Spurs a win then this will be a huge blow to the Londoners’ quest for a top four finish. Fellow top-four hopefuls Liverpool are in action a day later with a trip to Leicester awaiting them. The Foxes are the most out of form side at the moment so anything but three points would be a huge disappointment for Jurgen Klopp and his men.
Saturday 25th February 2017
Everton v Sunderland (15:00) – Everton to win and Lukaku to score (10/11 with Sky Bet)
David Moyes has not enjoyed facing his former club so far with his record reading three loss from three meetings. This is a record which could likely get worse this weekend as his Sunderland side are not looking like a threatening outfit at the moment. A 4-0 away win over Palace offered some promise but it’s a result that is looking more like an anomaly rather than a sign of things to come. The Black Cats have lost nine of their 12 league games on the road and come into this game following a demoralising 4-0 defeat to Southampton a fortnight ago.
With Sunderland’s struggles looking set to continue, Everton should be able to maintain their run of good form a little longer at least. The Toffees haven’t lost a league game this side of Christmas and it seems that Ronald Koeman’s men are growing in belief. A goalless draw against Middlesbrough last time out can be forgiven as Boro are a tough side to break down at home. Against a far more porous Sunderland defence, Everton should able to regain their scoring touch with Romelu Lukaku, who netted a hat-trick last time he faced Sunderland, helping them to do so.
Watford v West Ham (17:30) – Both teams to score (4/5 with Coral)
Watford have the chance to secure back to back victories at Vicarage Road for just the second time this season when they face West Ham. With two wins in their last 10 league games you might not fancy them to do so but there are some reasons why the home support should be quietly confident. January loan signing M’Baye Niang appears to have been a great addition to the squad and Troy Deeney has put a poor patch of form behind him with three goals now in his last four starts. With Watford looking more assured in front of goal, they should be able to break through the Hammers’ defence.
West Ham’s scoring threat rests largely on the shoulders of Andy Carroll. Although the Englishman has been struggling with an injury, he is expected back along with fullback Aaron Cresswell. The big target man has netted four times in his last four games and when he’s on the pitch his side are often much better for it. Watford have managed just the one clean sheet since November so it’ll be a surprise if an improving West Ham side can’t find their way through. While we may not get another six goal thriller between these clubs, both should be able to score here.
Sunday 26th February 2017
Tottenham v Stoke (13:30) – Tottenham to win to nil (13/10 with BetVictor)
Stoke were one of the sides able to enjoy a nice two week break ahead of this match, with no cup or European fixtures to worry about. The Tottenham players on the other hand have had three matches crammed into this time and will come into this game far less rested than their opposite numbers. In a game of small margins, Stoke will feel it’s a great time to be playing Spurs especially as their Swiss winger, Xherdan Shaqiri, is due to make a return from a calf strain.
Despite their rather hectic schedule, Tottenham should still be fancied to win this clash. Their fairly big squad has allowed them to rotate names where necessary and the recent return of Jan Vertonghen is hugely important. Peter Crouch’s height can still cause the Spurs backline some problems but with the Belgian back in the team, Tottenham should be far more assured at the back. The Potters did net away against Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in December but with Tottenham conceding just the five league goals at White Hart Lane, back them to win with a clean sheet.
Monday 27th February 2017
Leicester v Liverpool (20:00) – Liverpool to win (8/13 with Betfair)
Liverpool have struggled against teams lower down the table just lately so you may be thinking this might not be an easy evening for Klopp’s men. Defeats to Hull and Swansea in the league and Wolves in the FA Cup highlight their problem and it’s one that needs addressing quickly. They put on a fine display to beat Tottenham earlier in the month but their record in the big matches has never been an issue. This will be a completely different test for the Reds and one that they will need to adapt to.
Seeing just how poor Leicester have been lately though, it’s hard to see them getting anything from this match. The Foxes are bereft of confidence and have had their preparation time cut thanks to a mid-week game in Seville. It’s been a very busy season for Ranieri’s squad who have now lost their last five league matches on the bounce. Something is clearly rather amiss in the Leicester camp right now and with no fix looking possible at the moment, money has to go on an away win.