Premier League predictions: Match week 23 – Part 1
This weekend brings four derby matches and a clash between two of the most in-form teams in the league. Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester United on Sunday and will be hoping to hand United their first defeat of the season.
One of the biggest derbys of English football takes place on Merseyside, as Liverpool lock horns with their fiercest rivals, Everton. It will be a big day for Kenny Dalglish as he will make his return to the Anfield dugout after an absence of nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Sunderland would be looking to take revenge from their cross-city rivals Newcastle United, who thrashed them 5-1 at St James Park earlier in the 2010-11 season.
That’s not it, we have the Midlands derby between Aston Villa and Birmingham and a London derby between West Ham and Arsenal. There is plenty to look forward to this weekend with some big matches coming up, where there is a lot more at stake than just 3
points.
We start our predictions for Match Week 23 with the game at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea v Blackburn
It will be interesting to see how Chelsea come out and play against a Premier League opposition. Recently, they thrashed Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup with some excellent football. They would have gained some real confidence from that game but the question is
whether they will be able to transmit that form into this game.
Considering that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 have picked up 6 points from last six games while Blackburn have picked up the same number of points from half that number of games, Blackburn should start as favourites, if form is the criteria.
However, Blackburn will be buoyed by the expected arrival of former hero, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 but so were Wolves and many other teams
in 2010-11 season.
Steven Kean will be happy if his team can come away with a point, but it looks unlikely even though Chelsea have been horrible of late.
Prediction: 1-0
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Not many will be interested in this game but still watch it for the sake of seeing City’s new high profile signing, Edin Dzeko. However, we are not sure what formation will Roberto http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mancini-c23323 opt for. He might start with both Dzeko and Carlos Tevez or bring
Dzeko from the bench.
No matter what team City will put out, it should be good enough to overcome Wolves. However, everyone will be eager to see the £27m Bosnian in action this weekend.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Wolves-c40952 did brilliantly to beat Chelsea but this will be a different ball game altogether. City are the form team and while Wolves don’t score many, City don’t concede many at home either.
We expect a reasonably easy ride for the Citizens.
Prediction: 2-0
Stoke City v Bolton Wanderers
These two teams are enjoying a good season and have exceeded expectations both in terms of performances and points accumulated at this stage.
Bolton have been extremely impressive in the season but have been slightly off colour recently. They have managed a single draw from their last three Premier League encounters.
Stoke City meanwhile have been picking up points with reasonable consistency. If they can beat Bolton, they will make it three wins in three.
Stoke are only three points behind Bolton and a win for them will put these two teams level on points. Owen Coyle has been rightly credited for a fantastic season for Bolton so far but http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tony-c35440 Pulis deserves a lot more recognition.
This will be a tightly contested affair but the physicality of Stoke at home makes them favourites for this one.
Prediction: 2-1
Continued in part 2…
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