It’s Week 18 of Premier League play and we are halfway through the 2009-10 season. Things are really heating up and some teams at the bottom of the table have picked up some spots as of late, making things a bit more interesting. My pick for match of the week has to be Aston Villa at Arsenal. Here I take a look at this weeks match ups giving you insight on making your EPL soccer wager a winner.
#1 Chelsea has been dropping points as of late but still maintain a four-point advantage over second place Manchester United. They drew 1-1 with West Ham in their last outing. They travel to play #7 Birmingham City on Saturday. Chelsea will be without striker Nikolas Anelka as he sidelined with a muscle strain. City is unbeaten in their last nine and continues to climb the table. They are playing well and this will challenge Chelsea. Birmingham is hopeful key defenders Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell will be fit. With home advantage I see Birmingham taking a point from Chelsea with a draw.
#2 Manchester United has also been dropping points in recent weeks. Injury-plagued United has suffered two defeats from their last three league outings. They were beaten 3-0 by Fulham in their last outing. They travel to play #17 Hull City this weekend. United will hope for a repeat of last season’s win over the Tigers. Hull has not scored in their last three league matches, and lost in their last outing, 3-0 to Arsenal. United will need to pick up the pace and I see them doing it this week against Hull.
My pick for match of the week is #4 Aston Villa traveling to play #3 Arsenal. The Gunners have a match in hand on their championship rivals and can put pressure on the leaders with victory at home. Both clubs have the same number of points with Arsenal having the edge on goal difference. Aston Villa has won four straight games and if they win at the Emirates Stadium, they will equal their longest ever run set in 1996 and repeated in 1998. The Villans are the only team to have never lost at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal has won seven of their eight games at home this season. Expect Arsenal to extend their home winning streak while picking up the three points.
#5 Tottenham Hotspur can leapfrog rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa into third place should they beat #9 Fulham this weekend. The Whites and Spurs are in good form, having lost just once out of their last six league matches. The Hotspur are fresh off a 2-0 win at Blackburn. Fulham will be carrying momentum after their 3-0 defeat of Manchester United in their last game. With Fulham having home advantage you can expect a win for the Whites at Craven Cottage.
New manager Roberto Mancini takes charge of # 6 Manchester City who had an exciting win in their last outing when they defeated Sunderland 4-3. They will host # 11 Stoke City this weekend. City is aiming for a third consecutive home win while Stoke City has taken one point from a possible nine. Midfielder Nigel de Jong returns from a one-match suspension to face Stoke on Boxing Day. Expect a win from City in this one.
#8 Liverpool’s season just seems to get worse every week as they dropped points to bottom Portsmouth in their last outing. They will host the hot # 12 Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Wolves have taken nine points from a possible 12 in recent weeks, which have moved them out of the bottom three. Javier Mascherano starts a four-match suspension for Liverpool this Saturday. The Reds have dropped 27 points so far, compared to 2008-09 when they dropped just 28, but I think Liverpool will have just enough to take the three points in this game with home field advantage.
#10 Sunderland has been dropping down the table in recent weeks and is coming off a loss to Manchester City in Week 17 of league play. They will host # 15 Everton who have drawn their last three league games. Sunderland will be without suspended central defender Michael Turner as he starts a four-match ban after failing in an appeal to have his red card at Manchester City overturned. Everton’s injury woes continue with reports that Phil Neville, Sylvain Distin and Joseph Yobo are all close to comebacks after long-term problems, but not until the New Year. Expect Sunderland to take all three points in this one.
#13 Blackburn Rovers have lost their last two games and are coming off a home defeat to Tottenham last week. They travel to play #16 Wigan who is only a point behind them. Wigan had their last match called off because of snow and ice. Both sides have taken one point from a possible nine. Wigan will be without midfielder Mohamed Diame, who is sidelined for four to five weeks because of a knee injury. The teams are closely matched and I think this will result in draw with both teams picking up a point.
#14 Burnley were beaten by the Wolves 2-0 and have picked up just a single point away from home this season. They will host # 18 Bolton this weekend. Burnley have won five of their nine home matches while Bolton have taken four points from their last six. Expect Burnley to pick up a much-needed three points with home advantage.
# 19 West Ham will host #20 Portsmouth. Portsmouth had a surprising 2-0 home win over Liverpool, while West Ham took a point from Chelsea in a 1-1 draw. Portsmouth hopes to welcome back goalkeeper David James for the upcoming match but even so, expect West Ham to take this one at home, along with the points.
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