After the international break, the Premier League returns and the run in begins. There are as few as seven games left for many sides in the league campaign, and there’s still plenty to play for. We have two relegation spots still wide open, the top four is far from settled and we have the most interesting title race in years.
Looking ahead to the last few games, we can expect plenty of twists and turns in the run in. This weekend has thrown up some tough matches for those towards the top, and here we’re looking ahead to each of the games on TV across Saturday and Sunday. With the top two both playing, as well as Manchester United who are pushing for fourth, there’s plenty worth betting on.
Saturday 2nd April 2016
Aston Villa v Chelsea (12:45) – Both teams to score (21/20 with Coral)
The weekend starts with what looks like the worst fixture of the bunch. Bottom of the table (and Championship-bound) Aston Villa host a Chelsea side with nothing but pride to play for. The Blues are out of all competitions, while Villa are basically out of the Premier League. This a ground that the Blues historically hate coming to, but this could be their last trip here for quite a while. Villa are offering up nothing of note right now, and their fans are simply waiting for their relegation to be confirmed at this stage.
Even this poor Chelsea side are expected to win easily in this one. They are odds on for the victory, despite not even needing the three points. Given that they’re going to finish somewhere in mid-table, are these players remotely bothered about which position they’re going to finish in? There’s little of interest to this game at all, the only thing that makes it worth watching is how bad these two are at the back. Villa’s defence has been awful all season, while Chelsea have conceded more goals than anyone in the top half. Both teams to score is well priced here, and we can see the two attacks coming out on top here, since neither has anything to lose.
Liverpool v Tottenham (17:30) – Liverpool to win (8/5 with Betfair)
Things get a lot more interesting once the early kick off is out of the way, with this huge game for Tottenham on Saturday evening. Can they close the gap on Leicester with a win at Anfield? On the face of it, Spurs should be able to take something from this game against the side who are ninth in the table, especially as they need to keep winning if they’re going to have a chance of winning the league title. But, this is Spurs, and they never tend to do all that well when they make the trip to Anfield.
While slipping up here would be typical Tottenham, it would also be typical of the top sides in the league. Manchester City were hammered here recently, while Arsenal drew 3-3 against an injury plagued Reds side. Leicester also lost here this term, so Liverpool have put together a pretty good record against the top four so far. They’ll be hoping to continue that against Spurs, and we think they have a pretty strong chance. Tottenham have lost their last three matches here, and you have to go back to 2011 for the last time they won at Anfield. We see another tough game for Spurs, with Liverpool putting a dent in their title challenge.
Sunday 3rd April 2016
Leicester v Southampton (13:30) – Leicester to win to nil (12/5 with Coral)
Should Liverpool stop Spurs, this would then become a huge game for Leicester. Regardless of how Tottenham get on, this is a must win clash for the Foxes. Either they restore their current five point lead, or they extend it. With only a few games left to play, that would be huge for them. This Southampton side are tricky opponents, as they sit seventh in the table and they’ve got an outside chance of making the top four.
Going into this one Leicester have put together quite a record. They’ve won four of their last five games 1-0, and that’s helped them stay clear at the top. With only a few games left, if they can keep grinding out results, the title should fall into their lap. Their run in isn’t the easiest, but they have proven that they can scrap for points and edge out games. We see them doing something similar here, which means this won’t be the most entertaining match. We see them taking all three points here and keeping a clean sheet, which is 12/5 with Coral.
Manchester United v Everton (16:00) – United to win (11/10 with Bet365)
The final game of the weekend sees Manchester United hoping to keep up their push for fourth. They will be looking to build on their win at Man City last time out with another victory here. Given that they’re closing in on fourth placed City, this would be an awful time for the Red Devils to slip up. They need to keep this form going if they’re to have any chance of making the Champions League, and knocking City down in to the Europa League places. Given that they are competing with both City and West Ham, there’s no room for mistakes or missed opportunities.
United’s main problem this season has been scoring goals, while Everton can’t seem to keep a clean sheet. Even under Louis van Gaal’s restrictive tactics, United should be able to get goals here. They hit three against the Toffees at Goodsion Park, but right now even one would be enough. While United haven’t been convincing all season long, we still think they have enough to edge this contest. It’s not likely to be a great game, but we see United taking all three points in this one, as they keep up the pressure on Man City.