A full round of fixtures awaits the Premier League this weekend after it returned from the coronavirus-induced suspension with two rescheduled games on Wednesday evening.
Sheffield United only secured a point as they were held to a draw by Aston Villa during the opening fixture at Villa Park. Meanwhile, Manchester City established a thumping 3-0 victory over Arsenal at the Etihad later in the night.
The marquee fixtures of Gameweek 30 will come in the form of the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park and Tottenham Hotspur’s clash with Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Without further ado, let us take a look at what the Premier League has in store for us this weekend.
Norwich City vs Southampton (Prediction: 0-1)
Friday night will see Norwich City welcome Southampton to Carrow Road in the opening fixture of the first full game-week since the COVID-19-enforced break.
Daniel Farke’s men sit six points away from safety at the bottom of the table with nine games remaining and will be hoping to kickstart their escape from the danger zone with a win over the Saints.
Meanwhile, their Hampshire-based opponents occupy 14th position in the standings and will be looking to extend their impeccable record against promoted teams by securing their first Premier League double over the hosts.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United (Prediction: 1-2)
Tottenham Hotspur will play host to Manchester United in a much-awaited game on Friday night as both sides are aiming for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men currently occupy fifth place in the standings, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, and will be aiming to extend their 11-game unbeaten streak in all competitions this weekend.
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s Spurs, who struggled for wins before the break, sit eighth on the table and will be hoping to string together a run of victories to strengthen their last-minute push for a Champions League spot.
Watford vs Leicester City (Prediction: 1-2)
Watford and Leicester City will kick-off Saturday’s fixtures with a crucial match at Vicarage Road as both clubs will be battling for points to fulfil contrasting ambitions.
The Hornets are placed 17th on the table, with only goal difference keeping them out of the danger zone, and will face a tough challenge against the Foxes in their attempt to climb further up the standings.
Meanwhile, the visitors, who currently occupy third place on the table, will be keen on holding on to their Champions League spot with a victory this weekend, especially when the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United following close behind.
Brighton vs Arsenal (Prediction: 1-1)
Brighton and Hove Albion are set to welcome Arsenal to the American Express Community Stadium on Saturday as they look to gain extra insurance from relegation.
The Seagulls, who occupy 15th place on the Premier League standings, are unbeaten in four games against the Gunners and will be aiming to extend this record as they target a higher position on the table.
Mikel Arteta’s men, on the other hand, are currently languishing at ninth place on the table and will be looking to make amends for their discouraging 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Wednesday. They will certainly be keen on establishing their first league win over the hosts since October 2017 and move closer to the European spots in the process.
West Ham United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Prediction: 0-2)
West Ham United are set to meet Wolverhampton Wanderers at the London Stadium on Saturday in a game that will have significant ramifications on both ends of the table.
The hosts currently occupy 16th place on the standings and will be looking to move further away from the danger zone to avoid a relegation dogfight.
Meanwhile, the visitors, who are seventh on the table, will be keen on pushing for the European spots by extending their winning streak against the Hammers in the Premier League to four games.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace (Prediction: 0-1)
Bournemouth will be looking to drag themselves away from the bottom three when they host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday night.
The Cherries will head into the Premier League encounter with 27 points, same as Watford and West Ham, but are below the two clubs at 18th place on goal difference. They will certainly be looking to strengthen their chances of survival with a win against the Eagles this weekend but will have a difficult task ahead of them.
Roy Hodgson’s men, who occupy 11th place on the table, had been on a three-game winning streak before the lockdown and will be aiming to climb higher up the table, with only six points separating them and the top five.
Newcastle United vs Sheffield United (Prediction: 0-2)
Sheffield United will make the trip to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon after being held to a draw at Villa Park on their first game after the break on Wednesday.
Chris Wilder’s men, who are currently sixth on the Premier League table, are mounting an unexpected challenge for the Champions League spots this season and will hope an easy win this weekend helps strengthen their lofty ambitions.
Meanwhile, the Magpies occupy 13th place on the standings- eight points clear of the bottom three- and will be putting the massive takeover reports away to focus on staying out of the relegation zone.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea (Prediction: 1-2)
Chelsea will travel to the West Midlands on Sunday to face Aston Villa in a fixture that will significantly affect both ends of the table.
The Villans are in the middle of an intense relegation battle as they sit 19th on the Premier League standings after securing a solitary point against Sheffield United on Wednesday. Dean Smith’s men have a difficult task ahead of them as they try to claw their way out of the relegation zone by getting the better of their London-based visitors.
Meanwhile, the Blues, who currently occupy fourth place on the table, will be aiming to consolidate their position in the Premier League top four with a win at Villa Park.
Everton vs Liverpool (0-3)
Liverpool‘s relentless title charge will resume with a highly-anticipated Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday night.
The Reds, who are 22 points clear at the summit of the Premier League, are two wins away from lifting their first league title in three decades and will certainly not let their rivals slow them down this weekend.
The Toffees currently occupy 12th place on the table with little to challenge for this season. Carlo Ancelotti’s men will, however, be more than happy to delay Liverpool’s celebrations with a favourable result.
Manchester City vs Burnley (Prediction: 2-1)
Manchester City are set to welcome Burnley to the Etihad Stadium on Monday night after securing a thumping 3-0 victory over Arsenal on Wednesday.
The hosts have resigned to the fact that the Premier League title is heading to Liverpool and will now be aiming to keep Leicester City at bay and strengthen their hold on second place.
Meanwhile, the visitors were on a seven-match unbeaten run in the top flight before the enforced lockdown and will hope to continue their form against the reigning champions as they look to get closer to the European spots on the table.Â
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