IT'S SWANSEA VS A RESURGENT EVERTON, SPURS HOST VILLA AND THE GUNNERS HEAD TO TURF MOOR
Angel Rangel is set to return to the starting 11 in place of injured Kyle Naughton who picked up an ankle injury in the victory over Hull city while Pacey winger Jefferson Montero faces a late fitness test.
Everton have a number of injury concerns, the most worrying is Romelu Lukaku who will have a late fitness test to determine his place in the squad. Aiden McGeady, Darron Gibson, Bryan Oviedo and Tony Hibbert will not make the team due to various injuries.
Prediction; Swansea 1-1 Everton
Swansea are a tough side to beat at home, Everton are on the form of their lives. To me this has one result scribbled on the wall, a draw. Should be an entertaining match to open the weekend, and I'm expecting both sides to cancel each other out.
SOUTHAMPTON VS HULL
Both these sides lost last weekend to Everton and Swansea respectively and both will be hoping to bounce back in style. Southampton have seen their Champions League hopes vanish in a couple of months but are still hoping to make it to the Europa League at least. The Saints will be looking for a third consecutive home win when the Tigers come to town but it's never easy against a relegation threatened outfit. The home team have won the last five of this fixture and will be looking to make it six as they tussle with Liverpool and Tottenham for a place in next seasons Europa League.
Hull were poor against Swansea in the last outing and another performance like that today will have Steve Bruce running for cover. The Tigers put on a great showing against run away leaders Chelsea not too long ago and a performance reminiscent of that will be more than welcomed by Steve Bruce.
Ronald Koeman welcomes back Steven Davis after he missed the trip to Goodison Park with a groin injury, but Filip Djuricic (ankle) misses out. Shane Long is set to lead the line against his former club.
Hull midfielder Meyler serves the first game of a three-match ban, but Tom Huddlestone is available to return after serving a two-game suspension. Gaston Ramirez is ineligible to face his parent club. Curtis Davies and Andrew Robertson should be back in the line up.
SUNDERLAND VS CRYSTAL PALACE
Alan Pardew takes his new side Palace to his old rivals Sunderland and will definitely want a performance par to the performance against Manchester City that yielded three points . Sunderland were victorious in the Tyne-Wear derby thanks to a Jermaine Defoe left foot volley. Despite that win, the Black Cats just sit three points ahead of the drop and will want nothing less than three points.
Sunderland have a goal scoring problem, and have only netted more than twice on two occasions this season, one of them was against Palace in the reverse fixture which they won 3-1. This is definitely a better Palace side than they one they faced before, under Pardew, the Eagles have shown some mental strength and desire to win games and this shall be a tough game for Dick Advocaat's men.
Set piece specialist Sebastian Larson begins his two match suspension after receiving his 10th yellow card of the campaign against Newcastle last weekend. Experienced defender Wes Brown, Emanuele Giaccherini and Ricky Alvarez all remain sidelined due to injuries.
Alan Pardew will welcome back Joe Ledley and Mile Jedinak who has completed his four match suspension but strikers Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell are not yet fit while Jordan Mutch is also sidelined with a thigh problem.
Prediction; Sunderland 1-2 Crystal Palce
The Eagles just look perfect.....okay not perfect but good under Pardew and I see them winning this but not as comfortably. Both teams will be on a high following impressive results last weekend. Sunderland are desperate for three points but I don't see them getting it.
TOTTENHAM VS ASTON VILLA
Tim Sherwood returns to White Hart Lane hoping for good fortunes against his previous employers and will be hoping in form striker Christian Benteke can fire his side to victory. Villa rescued a valuable point midweek at home to QPR to keep them two places above the drop thanks to a Benteke hat trick.
Spurs have won the last five meetings in this fixture netting two or more goals in the process. Villa haven't won at Spurs since 2008 and all Villa fans will be hoping Sherwood can register a first victory in six seasons in a ground he knows so well. Spurs were lethargic in their last outing and will have to vastly improve if their to pick up all 3 points.
A victory for Spurs will push them ahead of Liverpool who are not in action till Monday and four points behind struggling City who have a crunch derby affair against neighbors United tomorrow. Defeat for Villa will leave them looking over their shoulders so they'll have to pick up a point at least.
Hugo Lloris and full-back Kyle Walker are both set to miss this one. Apart from that Pocchetino should have a full squad to chose from.
Alan Hutton, Scott Sinclair and Ashley Westwood are all set to be out and long term injury Libor Kozak is still sidelined with a broken leg. Aly Cissokho is set to return.
Prediction; Tottenham 2-0 Aston Villa
Villa just never look the part away from home and I see them struggling in this one. Spurs should run out easy 2-0 winners and put more pressure on the teams around them.
WEST BROM VS LEICESTER CITY
Leicester City travel to the Hawthorns looking for another victory following their impressive victory against West Ham last weekend. That win has given the side a bit of hope in their chances of survival and another win today shall really have the foxes fans hoping even more.
West Brom will be disappointed with their showing last weekend in front of their home crowd as they were thumped 4-1 by a team that has generally struggled away from home this season, QPR. That defeat has definitely left them just looking over their shoulders as their now just seven points ahead of the relegation zone.
West Brom will be hoping for a result similar to the reverse fixture in which they picked up a 1-0 win and continued their winning results against Leicester making it four consecutive victories.
Craig Dawson will be available for Tony Pulis but Yusuf Mulumbu starts his three game suspension following his red card for elbowing Joey Barton while Matt Upson and Dean Hammond will be available for Leicester city.
Prediction; West Brom 3-1 Leicester City
West Brom did get hammered last weekend at home to QPR, chances of them getting hammered again today at home is very unlikely according to me. Tony Pulis must have been working on went wrong in the course of the week and I expect West Brom to be too strong for Leicester city.
WEST HAM VS STOKE
Both these sides are in poor form and both will be looking to end their slumps. The Hammers have lost three in four while Stoke have lost three consecutive games. West Ham have been a surprise this season and are probably comfortable in 9th spot. Lets not forget these sides are 9th and 10th in the table only separated by goal difference.
The previous fixture ended in a 2-2 draw, West Ham coming from two goals down. At that time West Ham were probably in the best form they've ever been in and they weren't familiar with the term losing. They'll have to turn things around though as they are winless in last three games against Stoke.
The Hammers who have won one of their last nine Premier League games will be without Andy Carroll once again, Doneil Henry and James Tomkins who has undergone a shoulder surgery but welcome back Ecuador forward Enner Valencia.
Marc Wilson will be available for the Potters, Jon Walters as well, who has been training this week.
Prediction; West Ham 1-1 Stoke
I see a draw in this one, both teams in bad form but comfortable in mid-table. Nothing here to play for really, but it will depend on who wants the win more.
BURNLEY VS ARSENAL
Burnley welcome the last of the top eight teams they've faced in consecutive weeks to Turf Moor. The Clarets are second from bottom although picked up a much needed point against Spurs last time out after a great showing that should have seen them pick up three instead.
Arsenal are on fire, and are my bet to finish runners up to Chelsea this season. They were emphatic against Liverpool last weekend absolutely obliterating a Liverpool side that in all honesty couldn't tell their left from right that day. An eighth successive Premier League win for the Gunners will see them go four and five points clear of United and City who clash horns tomorrow.
These kind of games are never easy for the big guns at such a pivotal point of the season. Burnley are well aware that only three points is good enough at this point of the campaign but face a daunting task against the leagues in form side.
Burnley will be without midfielder Dean Marney and defender Kevin Long, both long term absentees but welcome back winger Ross Wallace, right back Steven Reid and Matt Taylor after a seven month injury lay off.
Arsenal will be without Laurent Koscielny who is suffering from a groin injury and keeper Wojciech Szczesny who has a rib problem.
Prediction; Burnley 1-3 Arsenal
Arsenal are just on fire and it's hard to see them losing at the moment. Ozil looks to be back at his very best and the rest of the team is playing wonderful football. So all I see in this is an Arsenal win, if they get it going like they did against Liverpool, Burnley are in for a long 90mins.
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