IF you’re like me and you’re having trouble keeping up with all the matches at this time of year then, quite frankly, you need to get your priorities in order.
That’s right, leave the Christmas shopping for now – that’s what 5pm on Christmas Eve is for – and just throw yourself headlong into the football instead.
Take this weekend where there are more games than you can shake a Santa at.
But who’s going to win, who’s going to lose and who or what is going to make Jose Mourinho smile again?
Answer: nobody and nothing…
Leicester v Crystal Palace
Saturday September 16, kickoff 12.30pm, watch the game on Sky Sports Main Event or with Now TV day pass for £6.99
Which of these statements about Roy Hodgson is true?
(a) He once ate an entire cow, hooves and all, for charity.
(b) He has a tattoo of Lulu on his left buttock.
(c) He has never lost against Leicester City as a manager.
The answer, of course, is (b)… I mean (c).
Yes, Roy’s won three and drawn one against the Foxes and he’ll be in no mood to surrender that unbeaten record here. Trouble is Leicester are flying. They’ve won four on the spin and they haven’t lost in any of their last four league games against Palace (W3, D1).
But it looks like the Eagles’ luck may be changing. Not only did they snatch an entirely undeserved win against Watford this week but they could go seven games unbeaten in the league if they avoid defeat here.
Which they won’t, obviously.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Arsenal v Newcastle
This has got all the hallmarks of good old-fashioned pumping.
Arsenal’s home form is exceptional, as is their record of beating Newcastle in all nine of their last encounters, scoring 22 goals and conceding only six. They’ve also won their last five against the Magpies at the Emirates.
Is it worth Newcastle turning up? All of the evidence – and I mean all of it – suggests not.
Look at Rafa Benitez. He’s never managed a team to victory away to Arsenal (D2, L4) and it could well mean am eight defeat from their last nine games should they go down again here.
Still, look on the bright side Magpies fans. Mike Ashley might be gone soon.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Brighton v Burnley
Two sides with distinctly different experiences of the top-flight this season.
The Seagulls are fading badly and need a win to stop a run of form that could see them lose four consecutive league games for the first time since 2011 when, as luck would it have it, one of the defeats was to Burnley. They have got a decent record against the visitors, however, and haven’t lost to them in the last six meetings (W3 D3).
Contrast that with the Clarets, who have won six of their last eight league matches (W6, D0, L2) and now have their sights set on a place in next year’s Champions League.
I’ll say that again. Burnley are going for the Champions League.
Bonkers, I know.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Chelsea v Southampton
After their comfortable win at Huddersfield in midweek, Blues boss Antonio Conte said the only way they could win the title is by winning all their remaining games and hoping that Manchester City slip up somewhere along the way.
Neither of those things is likely.
Chelsea will start this game as overwhelming favourites and it’s hard to see just how Southampton are going to pick themselves up after that 4-1 home battering by Leicester in midweek.
Perhaps the only hope they have is in the shape of Charlie Austin, or rather Charlie Austin himself, rather then something just in the shape of him. The striker has scored eight goals in his last 12 Premier League starts for Saints, including four in his last four games.
But here’s the rub.
Southampton have kept one clean sheet in their last 24 matches against Chelsea and that was back when Charlie Austin was just 13 years old.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Stoke v West Ham
Having taken four points against Chelsea and Arsenal, David Moyes is edging ever closer to a return to Old Trafford (please!) and if he can avoid defeat here it’ll be the first time since March 2014 that’s he’s gone three matches unbeaten in the league.
Every chance he’ll do it too.
The Hammers have a new-found confidence while their hosts Stoke are about as consistent as David Davis.
That said, Stoke are unbeaten in all eight Premier League matches against the Hammers under Mark Hughes (W3, D5) and Sparky’s also won his last two home games against David Moyes too, having beaten Manchester United in 2014 and Sunderland in 2016.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Watford v Huddersfield
Watford seem to have the number on the newly-promoted sides, especially at home, and the Hornets are unbeaten in their last seven league games against them at Vicarage Road, winning three and drawing four.
Huddersfield, like fellow newbies Brighton and Newcastle, are wobbling at the moment too. They’ve lost five of their last six league games with their only win coming against a Brighton side that should be ashamed of themselves.
I’m not sure I’ve got anything else to say about this game.
Hang on…
Nope, that’s it.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Manchester City v Spurs
Saturday December 16, kickoff 5.30pm, watch live on BT Sport
Just shading Watford v Huddersfield for the title of the biggest game of the weekend is runaway leaders Manchester City versus Spurs.
A year ago you would have fancied Tottenham to take the spoils here but as they’ve stagnated slightly, City have reached new, unprecedented levels. Indeed, Pep’s men could become the first team ever to beat each of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham in a Premier League season before the New Year.
And even though Spurs are the team that have won more Premier League away games at City than any other team (10), you can’t really see beyond a 16th consecutive win for the Cityzens.
That really is a rubbish nickname, incidentally, and I don’t know a single City fan that calls them that.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
West Brom v Manchester United
Sunday December 17, kickoff 2.15pm, watch live on Sky Sports Main Event or with a Now TV day pass for £6.99
Do you ever look at Jose Mourinho, as he moans and groans and spits and scowls his way through every interview, and wonder why he bothers? He’s clearly not enjoying his job. Maybe he needs a new career? He could try funeral directing. The last thing you need to do with that is smile.
Yep, Jose is becoming a bore and the sooner he realises he’s past his peak and opts for a comfy job in international management (or funeral directing) the better, as far as I’m concerned.
And West Brom might be the team to make his miserable face that bit longer here too given that no manager has beaten a Mourinho side in the Premier League more than Alan Pardew (3)
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Bournemouth v Liverpool
Sunday December 17, kickoff 4.30pm, watch on Sky Sports Main Event or with a Now TV day pass for £6.99
What is it with Liverpool? One minute they’re shoving it in the net like goal-hungry maniacs, the next they can’t even beat West Brom.
Yes, they’re unbeaten in their last eight league games (W5, D3) but it’s hardly the kind of form that’s going to worry any side above them in the Premier League pecking order.
Still, at least we should see some goals. Why? Because a) only one league fixture last season had more goals scored than Bournemouth v Liverpool (11) and that was Crystal Palace v Swansea (12), and (b) both defences are very average.
Keep ‘em peeled for Mo Salah too. He needs just one more goal to become the first Liverpool player to score 20+ in all competitions in a season since Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge both did so in 2013/14.
And it’s not even Christmas!
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Everton v Swansea
You can say what you like about Sam Allardyce – and most people do – but he’s turned this Everton team around in double-quick time. The Toffees have taken 10 points from their last four Premier League games and that’s one more than they managed in their previous 12 combined.
Much of their change in fortunes is down to Wayne Rooney who not only has nine league goals this season but who has also been involved in seven goals in his last seven league games against Swansea (three goals, four assists).
And if you want an idea of just how badly Swansea are struggling this season then consider this – they have scored the same number of league goals as Rooney this season.
So will the Toffees put the Swans to the sword at Goodison?
No, because swans belong to the Queen and killing them is an offence tantamount to treason.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
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