'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The fixtures are coming thick and fast in the Premier League. This run around Christmas and New Year makes this league truly special. Seasons can be defined over the course of the next few fixtures!
Arsenal and Manchester City secured crucial wins last weekend. And unlike last time, it's Arsenal who plays first in gameweek 19. By the time Pep Guardiola's men face Sunderland away from home on Thursday, Arsenal would have played high-flying Aston Villa.
Safe to say, these set to fixtures at the halfway mark of the league could have serious ramifications in the clubs' aspirations. On that note, let us dive straight into my predictions for gameweek 19 in the Premier League.
Trending
Burnley vs Newcastle United
Burnley were unlucky not to get the win against Everton. We keep talking about it, they are always competitive in games. Even when they lose, they never get hammered. It's always the odd goal that beats them.
When I look at Burnley, I see the lack of a good finisher in that team. They created some chances against Everton, but no one was able to find the back of the net. I think that's a massive problem.
Newcastle's form on the road has been atrocious! I saw them against Manchester United last weekend. How can a team dominate so much and not score a goal? The second half was all Newcastle and they got nowhere near to scoring.
Eddie Howe will be the first to admit that Newcastle have not performed well this season. They've been hugely inconsistent. You could argue they played well to get something out of the game against United, but that's just not enough.
Newcastle are in desperate need of a run. If they can get five, six wins on the bounce, they will fly up the table because it's really tight among the mid-table teams. Backing them to win here.
Prediction: Burnley 0-2 Newcastle United
Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Both teams are struggling at the moment. If it's the Chelsea that turned up in the first half against Aston Villa, they will rip Bournemouth to shreds! It's a good time for Chelsea to be playing Bournemouth, who are without a win in nine games.
If West Ham start picking up points, Bournemouth are in trouble. They are on a downward spiral and could slip into the relegation zone if it happens. But since the next game is against Chelsea, you never know. Chelsea play well in patches and it's difficult to know whether they will be good or vulnerable on the day.
I've told you this from the start of the season, Cole Palmer made Nicolas Jackson and Jackson made Palmer! Nothing has changed. You look at Joao Pedro, he always wants to drop deep and Palmer isn't the same player when they start together.
It's quite funny how Chelsea lost to Aston Villa after they took Palmer off. Enzo Maresca would have been preserving him for the Bournemouth game. But now that they've lost, they are 10 points behind Villa. Even if Chelsea beat Bournemouth and Villa lose to Arsenal, there will still be seven points between them!
Stamford Bridge won't be a good place to be if Chelsea lose this game. Bournemouth have been so poor and I think the hosts will get the win here.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Bournemouth
Nottingham Forest vs Everton
Nottingham Forest are still down in 17th. I've always said they will avoid relegation and I stand by it. But one win for West Ham can put pressure on them, if they don't start winning matches.
So this is a big game for Sean Dyche against his former club Everton. With Iliman Ndiaye away on AFCON duty, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall injured and Jack Grealish unwell, I expect Everton to struggle. If those three don't play, Everton become toothless in attack.
Everton have failed to score in the last three games as well. I'm backing Forest to get a huge three points that will open up some breathing space between them and West Ham.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Everton
West Ham United vs Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham are in trouble. I expected them to beat Fulham, but they lost. To make matters worse for them, Leeds got a point against Sunderland. Safe to say, gameweek 18 did not go their way at all!
Can West Ham hold on to Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen during the January transfer window? That will be crucial to their chances of survival. If West Ham sell them before the end of the season, they are relegated!
Brighton are a funny team. If you look at the game against Arsenal, they found a goal out of nothing and so nearly scored another. If David Raya did not make that world-class save, we would be looking at a completely different picture.
West Ham were unlucky to lose to Fulham. I think they will fail to win again. A draw would do them no good though, still a bad result for West Ham.
Prediction: West Ham United 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Arsenal vs Aston Villa
It all comes down to how Aston Villa start this game. If they begin the first half like they did against Chelsea, they will be out of sight quickly! If you're playing Arsenal, you won't be able to get away with a poor start like that.
Ollie Watkins was unbelievable off the bench against Chelsea. It's an encouraging sign for Villa. But even though they have won their last two games, I don't believe Villa have played well. Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara are also unavailable, which is a massive miss.
Manchester City will be keeping a close eye on this game. Arsenal are playing first and could open up a five-point gap on City with a win. So this is a must win game for Arsenal. Meanwhile, if Aston Villa win, they are genuine title contenders in my opinion.
I'm going for an Arsenal win because of what I saw from Villa in the first half against Chelsea and since two of their key players will miss the game.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-1 Aston Villa
Manchester United vs Wolves
It's only a matter of when Manchester United will break down Wolves. I don't see the visitors winning at Old Trafford. I can't believe Manchester United beat Newcastle though!
I'm not sure Ruben Amorim's men deserved the three points. United were good in the first half, but were completely out of it in the second forty-five. However, I'd be shocked if they didn't beat Wolves.
United have quite a few players missing through injury and AFCON duty but they will have enough to get the better of their opponents here. Wolves have shown some fight in their last couple of away games, which is a positive. But no chance for them in this one!
Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Wolves
Crystal Palace vs Fulham
Crystal Palace look jaded. Playing twice a week is catching up to them. They should have gotten at least a draw against Tottenham. Early on in the season, Palace could have done that, but now they're just too tired to do it!
It was a great win for Fulham last weekend. Harry Wilson is enjoying a rich vein of form. Everyone was waiting for him to fulfill his potential, then he decided to leave Liverpool for regular football and now he's showing his quality at Fulham.
I rate Wilson as a good footballer. He's got a brain and the confidence is starting to show now. I would still say it's a bit too soon for the big clubs to be looking at him though. Newcastle and Tottenham may fancy him, but he needs to show more of the same in the next six months.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Fulham
Liverpool vs Leeds United
Leeds have turned a corner now and Liverpool are finding some form. Both teams will feel confident ahead of this game. The last time they met was a few weeks ago and Leeds produced an incredible performance in a 3-3 draw at Elland Road.
Including that draw, Leeds have two wins and three draws in their last five games. Even though they drew the last game against Sunderland, I think they deserved to win that one! Leeds are on a roll now.
This is a difficult game for Liverpool but they will be buoyed by Florian Wirtz finally scoring his first goal for the club. You don't pay that amount of money for someone who can't play football! He needs space, and if he gets it, he can destroy teams. The cream always rises to the top and we're seeing it with Wirtz in recent weeks!
I must also mention Hugo Ekitike, who has been outstanding since his first game at Liverpool. That assist for Wirtz in the last game is just world-class! Liverpool will be hoping Ekitike doesn't get injured because if he's out, they have no one to do what he does!
If Liverpool win this and beat Fulham away, and Arsenal drop points against Aston Villa and lose to them at Emirates in a couple of weeks, they would have gained five points on the Gunners. But Liverpool must not think too ahead, they need to take care of the next two games first.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Leeds United
Sunderland vs Manchester City
This is a good time for Manchester City to play Sunderland. When Arsenal played Sunderland away from home, it wasn't a good time and Arteta's men ended up dropping points.
Sunderland were second best to Leeds last weekend even though they got a point in that game. I fully expect City to break them down and get the win here. Sunderland will sit back and make it difficult, but City have too much guile.
I talked about this before, the pressure could be on City here since Arsenal play first. And even though City end up giving chances to their opponents, they have the magic going forward. We saw that with Rayan Cherki stepping up against Nottingham Forest.
If Sunderland did not have so many players away on AFCON duty, I would have expected them to have a real go at City. But that isn't the case and City's quality will shine through here.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-3 Manchester City
Brentford vs Tottenham Hotspur
You have to show Brentford respect when they're playing at home. They have 20 points in games played at their own stadium this season. They thrashed Bournemouth 4-1 last weekend.
Tottenham are first in the table if you only consider away games though! Spurs are bottling games only at home. The spotlight on them in front of their own fans could be the reason.
If Thomas Frank can help Tottenham beat Brentford on his return to his former club, Spurs are back in the race for top five. After the trip to Brentford, they face Sunderland, Bournemouth, West Ham and Burnley in the league. It's not the toughest of runs to put a run together!
But we're talking about Spurs here. They're one of only two teams this season to give a point to Wolves and that just shows how unreliable they are as a unit. Tottenham are not playing great football and I think they will get caught out by Brentford in this one.
Prediction: Brentford 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
