PEP GUARDIOLA looked more like a man who’d had a tooth extracted than a satisfied boss in midweek. Man City had ended a three-game winless streak with a victory over Watford but it came at a price.
German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan was floored with a serious knee injury which is likely to keep the £20m summer signing out for the rest of the season. With leading scorer Sergio Aguero and battling midfielder Fernandinho also out due to recent suspensions, some big boots need filling when Arsenal visit on Sunday.
Guardiola has already become the top flight’s new ‘Tinkerman’. In City’s 16 Premier League games he’s made 55 line-up changes, 15 more than any other Prem team so far, as he searches for a system that will get the best out of his players.
Antonio Conte switched Chelsea to a back three earlier in the season and they embarked on a 10-game winning streak that has powered them to the top of the table. Guardiola’s tactical changes are still a work in progress.
Arsene Wenger was also in a grumpy mood in midweek after Arsenal threw away a lead at Everton to go down 2-1.
The Arsenal boss blamed poor refereeing for allowing Everton to grab a late winner rather than timid defending from his team who have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 11 games.
But the Gunners have enjoyed a decent run of success against Man City of late. Since being walloped 6-3 on a visit to the Etihad in December 2013, Arsenal have remained unbeaten in the subsequent six games between these two in all competitions.
The last goal-less draw was back in January 2011 and Arsenal have scored at least twice in each of the last five clashes.
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Saturday, December 17
Crystal Palace v Chelsea (12:30pm)
Scoring goals is not Palace’s problem – they’ve netted 11 in their last four games – it’s conceding those late, late match winners. In their four most recent defeats, all by the odd goal, the opposition has scored the decider on or after the 83rd minute. Chelsea have powered to the top of the Premier League with 10 straight wins, keeping eight clean sheets along the way. Diego Costa’s channelled aggression up front has brought him 15 goals in 21 appearances for club and country this season. Jim’s prediction: Chelsea to win a high scoring game.
Middlesbrough v Swansea (3pm)
Middlesbrough are the Premier League’s lowest scorers with 13 goals from 16 matches, while Swansea’s goal difference of -14 is a joint low with Sunderland. Alvaro Negredo has managed just three goals in his 15 games for Boro since arriving on loan from Valencia, while Jordan Rhodes and Dave Nugent grow increasingly impatient on the subs’ bench. Jim’s prediction: Boro to win a tight contest.
Stoke City v Leicester (3pm)
Marko Arnautovic’s enforced absence will be a huge loss for Stoke over the Christmas period. The Potters managed to hold on for a goalless draw after his 23rd-minute red card at home to Southampton in midweek and they are a team in form with just two defeats in their last 11 Prem games. Leicester have the joint worst away record in the Prem this season with one point from eight games. Jim’s prediction: A narrow win for Stoke.
Sunderland v Watford (3pm)
A couple of weeks ago I was talking about Sunderland winning three out of their last four Premier League games. The form books now show three defeats from the last four and with Man Utd and Liverpool to tackle over Christmas, Sunderland really need to get something out of this game to avoid starting 2017 as the bottom club. Watford have lost four of their last six games but could have taken something from the midweek defeat at Man City had Odion Ighalo not squandered an excellent chance to equalise at 1-0 down. Jim’s prediction: Depends on who starts the brightest. I’ll say Sunderland.
West Ham v Hull (3pm)
Stuttering West Ham have had several opportunities to haul themselves clear of trouble and the narrowest of narrow wins over Burnley in midweek – a 1-0 victory with captain Mark Noble tapping in after his penalty was saved – has done that for now. A win against 19th place Hull would open a seven-point gap between the two. Another painful slip and the Irons will be right back into the fire of a relegation battle. Hull were undone by Tottenham’s flying wing backs in their 3-0 defeat in midweek – their sixth straight loss on the road. Expect West Ham to throw goal happy Michail Antonio and Aaaron Cresswell down the flanks here. Jim’s prediction: Another scrappy West Ham win… just.
West Brom v Manchester United (5.30pm)
All we ask is for a repeat of their 5-5 draw from May 2013 to liven up our Saturday evening. It’s not too much to ask, is it? The Baggies are bouncing along nicely with four wins and just one defeat from their last six games. Jose Salomon Rondon’s impressive headed hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Swansea in midweek increased his personal tally to seven goals from 16 games. The visitors are unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions, during which Zlatan Ibrahimovic has plundered eight goals. With Paul Pogba finally showing some touches of real class too and Michael Carrick running the engine room, their season is on the up. Jim’s prediction: Goals, graft and Man Utd to frustrate their hosts with an away win.
Sunday, December 18
Bournemouth v Southampton (1.30pm)
In last season’s south coast clashes this pair traded 2-0 home wins. This season they are locked on 21 points each. It’s maybe worth looking at Bournemouth’s form over the past six matches: L W L W L W. That may suggest an L here to keep up the sequence, but you cannot ignore the fact they have five home wins already in the bank. Southampton failed to score at Stoke in midweek despite playing 10 men for 67 minutes. They’ve also only managed six goals and one win in eight away games this season. Jim’s prediction: 2-0 to Bournemouth.
Manchester City v Arsenal (4pm)
See details of the Coral New Customer Offer above. Jim’s prediction: A score draw and no smiles from either manager.
Tottenham v Burnley (4pm)
On the face of it this should be a romp for Spurs who have scored 11 goals in their last three successive home wins in the Premier League. Burnley have the worst away record in the division with one goal and one point to show from seven games on their travels. When you read that back this match seems such an obvious home banker that it could well turn out to be the opposite. Then reality hits. Jim’s prediction: Spurs to beat lively opposition.
Monday, December 19
Everton v Liverpool (8pm)
It has been over six years since Everton last beat Liverpool. In the 12 league and cup games that have followed, five were played at Goodison Park with four of those ending in a draw. Everton showed some mettle in the midweek comeback win over Arsenal, but Phil Jagielka showed a little too much and his red card means he’ll miss this Merseyside derby. Liverpool striker Divock Origi has scored in each of their last five games while the team have netted 40 goals in 16 Prem matches. Jim’s prediction: Everton’s wait goes on, Liverpool to win.
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