Premier League Predictions: Matchweek 13

SATURDAY:

BRENTFORD V BURNLEY

Brentford have proved a lot of doubters wrong this season and Keith Andrews deserves a lot of credit for the job he's done.

They lost some key players over the summer and they haven't missed them one bit as the players who have replaced them have stepped up and delivered.

Burnley have looked competitive in a lot of their games this season but they haven't been able to turn enough of those performances into results.

I don't see them doing that in this one as they've been poor on the road whereas Brentford have been very strong at home.

Because of this I'm going for the straightforward prediction of a win for the Bees.

PREDICTION: 3-1

MAN CITY V LEEDS

Man City made a lot of changes against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek and I don't know why.

Was Pep wanting to give fringe players a chance or was he saving his regulars for this game which isn't a massive game for them.

Maybe he rested his regular as a punishment for their defeat at Newcastle and made the changes in the hope that the players coming into the team would put in a better display.

Questions are beginning to be asked of Daniel Farke at Leeds and I don't know why because they've been in a lot of their games this season.

They might not be in great form at the moment following one win from their last five games but they have put in some competitive performances and especially at home.

Their only issue has been scoring goals and their lack of someone who can do that on a regular basis. They need to fix that issue in January of they're to stay up.

City will bring their regulars back into the team for this one after resting them in midweek and because of this I'm expecting them to show a reaction and win comfortably.

PREDICTION: 4-0

SUNDERLAND V BOURNEMOUTH

Sunderland were relegated the last time the two sides met in this very fixture back in 2017 with Bournemouth winning 1-0 to seal Sunderland's fate.

Regis Le Bris' side are still unbeaten at home this season and their home form has been key to their strong start to the season.

But their season is about to be put to the test with the game they have coming up and especially the next three which are against Liverpool, Man City and Newcastle.

A win from them in this one would certainly give them the confidence they need to help them through those tough games.

Bournemouth have hit their first sticky patch of the season following two defeats and a draw from their last three games and it was bound to happen sooner or later.

They showed resilience and character to come from behind and nick a draw against West Ham which they deserve a lot of credit for and especially as they were without main man Antoine Semenyo.

Semenyo could be back for this one after missing the last game through injury and his return would no doubt be a welcome boost for the Cherries.

Both teams have been two of the surprise packages this season and I'm expecting this to be a good game because of this.

Both teams will go for it as they both like to play on the front foot. But I do think they'll both be resilient and resolute and because of this, I think the points will be shared.

PREDICTION: 2-2

EVERTON V NEWCASTLE

Everton boss David Moyes said that he liked seeing his players fighting each other after seeing Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane fighting each other on the pitch against Man United on Monday with Gueye being sent off for slapping Keane in the face.

I was surprised he said that as most managers would not like seeing their players fight each other on the pitch, including Grahame Souness who was manager of Newcastle when Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer had their on-pitch scrap with both players being sent off.

The Toffees deserve a lot of credit for winning that game against United with 10 men and they deserved to because United were well off it.

Newcastle are still without a win away from home this season and their struggles on the road continued in midweek following their defeat at Marseille in the Champions League.

Everton have been strong at home since moving into their new stadium and I fancy them keep up their strong home record in this one.

Newcastle may have more goals in them, but with the poor form they've been in away from home I have to back Everton here.

PREDICTION: 1-0

TOTTENHAM V FULHAM

Do either side want to win this game?

Spurs have been poor at home this season whilst Fulham have been poor away from home having not won on the road all season.

Spurs will want to put a terrible week behind them following back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and PSG but their performance against PSG was encouraging as they showed more energy and fight than they did against Arsenal.

Fulham have often played well against the so-called big teams in the past and I can see them give Spurs a game in this one.

Marco Silva's side got a 1-1 draw in this fixture last season and I think they'll so the same in this one because of Spurs' poor home form.

PREDICTION: 1-1

SUNDAY:

CRYSTAL PALACE V MAN UNITED

Palace come into this game off the back of playing in Europe during the week and may feel a bit tired as a result of it.

Man United on the other hand have no European commitments which in some way gives them the advantage in this game.

But they still need to show up and perform and especially after their lacklustre display against Everton on Monday.

A lot of people thought United were beginning to turn a corner before the Everton game after going into that game on a five game unbeaten run.

But their performance showed that they and the fans shouldn't get too ahead of themselves as they have done many times when they've been on a decent run.

I do think they'll show a reaction and win this game though only because they've haven't been in Europe unlike Palace.

The Eagles will probably be the better side, but I can see them tired as the game progresses and United taking advantage of it.

PREDICTION: 1-2

ASTON VILLA V WOLVES

Villa were much improved in the second half against Leeds after looking average at best in the first half and it was because they offered more of an attacking threat.

They've been a team transformed since the early weeks of the season where they failed to win any of their first five games and now they're one of the form teams in the league following six wins from their last seven league games.

The same can't be said about Wolves as they're still without a win and bottom of the table with just two points to their name.

They lost again last weekend against Crystal Palace in Rob Edwards' first game in charge and he must've been very brave to take that job in the first place knowing that he was taking over a side who are low on confidence with very little chance of staying up.

I think Villa will put them more in the mire here as I'm backing them to win this game and comfortably.

PREDICTION: 3-0

NOTTINGHAM FOREST V BRIGHTON

Forest were excellent against Liverpool last weekend and they look like a side who have gone back to basics under Sean Dyche.

They won this fixture 7-0 last season under Nuno and whilst the fans would love a repeat of that, I don't see it happening as they come into this game off the back of playing in Europe during the week and may feel tired as a result of it.

Brighton come into this game in 6th place and only two points off the top four which so far marks a very good season.

But their away form is a worry as they've won just once on the road all season with that sole win coming against Chelsea back in September.

Forest may feel a bit tired after playing in Europe during the week, but I think they'll follow up their win over Liverpool with another victory in this one because of Brighton's poor form on the road.

PREDICTION: 2-0

WEST HAM V LIVERPOOL

I think West Ham are turning a corner under Nuno Espirito Santo following the recent results they've had but they will feel disappointed with letting a two goal lead slip against Bournemouth last weekend.

Nuno took points off Liverpool both home and away last season when he was at Forest and he'll surely be feeling confident of taking more points off them in this one knowing the state Liverpool are in at the moment.

I don't see how Liverpool will turn things around because to me they look like a side who are low on confidence and all over the place.

I mentioned in my key points of the weekend post that Arne Slot is under serious pressure and after seeing them against PSV in midweek, I'm starting to think that he's on thin ice.

I think he could well be after this game which I can only see them losing due to the terrible run they're on and West Ham beginning to find some form.

I'm backing West Ham to continue their resurgence with Jarrod Bowen getting at least one of goals.

PREDICTION: 2-0

CHELSEA V ARSENAL

Both teams had brilliant results in the Champions League in midweek and will come into this game with a lot of confidence on board.

Chelsea put in a mature performance against Barcelona on Tuesday from start to finish as they defended well and caused them problems with their pace out wide.

Repeating that performance in this one will be challenging as Arsenal are a much stronger side who are on a completely different level as they showed against Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Arsenal have really evolved as a team under Mikel Arteta and they showed against Bayern Munich that they are a team to be taken seriously.

We all know that they're favourites to win the Premier League because of how consistent they've been this season and how strong their squad.

But they could also be the favourites to win the Champions League after beating Bayern the way they did in midweek and their performance that night will have sent a message to the other teams in the competition.

This game will be close because of the form both teams are in, but I think Arsenal will end up on top because they're the stronger team on paper.

PREDICTION: 0-2