Premier League Predictions: Match Week 17 – Part 3
To read Part 2, click http://www.senore.com/Premier-League-Predictions-Match-Week-17-Part-2-a47378.
Only 3 games are left to be predicted for this weekend, with two of them between the top 5 in the table. However, we will first look at the lunchtime kick off game on Sunday, which will be played at the Molineux stadium.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Birmingham City
Wolves abysmal run of form came to a halt two weeks back, but normal service resumed last week when Blackburn simply tore them apart. Mick McCarthy would have given the Wolves players a real lesson last week and it probably was a bad week for the Wolves.
Birmingham have been woeful away from home this season. They are yet to register a win away from home and continue to draw too many games. Their defence seems to be at its best when playing against a top team, but it might just crack against Wolves as it has done so many times this season.
Wolves know that they need to get a decent run of form before the end of the year and accumulate some points before the gap between them and others gets too big. The dire situation can be imagined by the fact that even a win would keep Wolves at 19th, but they will be able to close the gap with Birmingham to just 3 points and will keep everybody interested in the bottom half.
Nonetheless, the Wolves might just come all guns blazing and win the game to at least keep their manager quiet for another week.
Prediction: 2-1
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea
Last season, this would have not been considered a crucial encounter, but what we have seen from Tottenham this season and from Chelsea over the last month or so, this certainly is a huge game. The London derby is expected to be a cracking game of football and Tottenham can feel confident going into this game. They topped their Champions’ League group and are scoring goals for fun now.
Chelsea will again be without Frank Lampard and Alex but the big miss for them will be Jose Bosingwa. His absence could mean that Chelsea might have to deploy Paula Ferreira in the right back position, which would mean that he will have to cope with the inform Gareth Bale. However, it is believed that Michael Essien will be asked to play in that position to nullify the threat of the Welshman.
This really is a tough one to call for and it all depends on which team plays better football on the day.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester United vs. Arsenal
The big one for this weekend takes Gunners to Old Trafford. Arsenal have the best away record in the league and they keep on popping up with terrific performances. Form counts for little in games like these, but for the record, these are the two most in form teams in the league.
Arsenal will make a late call on influential skipper Cesc Fabregas and if he returns, it will be a massive boost for the Gunners. However, in Samir Nasri they have the league’s most inform player and in Robin Van Persie they can all upon a striker who loves scoring goals when it matters most.
Manchester United had a rest last weekend, but played well and created plenty of chances against Valencia in midweek. Wayne Rooney looked sharp and he along with Berbatov will be the key against Arsenal’s shaky defence.
It is going to be a cagey affair with a number of small battles all over the pitch. It all depends on who wins most of them. Arsene Wenger, whose team sits top of the table going into match week 17, will take a draw if offered before hand and we believe that even Sir Alex would not mind a draw, even though he will certainly go for a win.
Prediction: 1-1
Tags: