In a Premier League weekend of giants clashing with one another and minnows who appear about to be slain, how much further is your favourite team inching up the Premier League table?
Photo: Maxisport / Shutterstock.com
There are several interesting clashes this week, including between prominent clubs or those in top form.
Among them, Tottenham faces Manchester United and Chelsea faces Southampton. In the highlight of the rest of the matches this week, underdog Burnley goes up against another Goliath club, Manchester City.
Arsenal vs West Ham United (14 Mar, 11pm)
In a game with very little for West Ham to look optimistic about, Arsenal will be hoping to take advantage of its opponent’s recent poor run of form. The currently 10th-placed Hammers have taken a mere three points from their last five Premier League matches.
On the other side of the field, the Hammers face an Arsenal team that has hardly looked stronger this season. With four wins from the last five league matches, and an FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Manchester United, manager Arsene Wenger and his Gunners might be looking at this week’s match as a mere formality.
Prediction: Arsenal 2 – 0 West Ham
Burnley vs Manchester City (15 Mar, 1.30am)
Manchester City cannot afford to drop points if it wants to hold on to any hope of catching league leaders Chelsea, especially against bottom teams like Burnley. City will be sure not to hold back this time after an embarrassing 2–2 draw when the two met earlier in the season.
Equally in dire need for three points, Burnley will be hoping for a repeat of the stellar performance against City in order to keep its battle to avoid relegation going.
It sits precariously in 19th place and is not looking like a survivor at the moment.
Prediction: Burnley 0–2 Manchester City
Photo: mooinblack / Shutterstock.com
Chelsea vs Southampton (15 Mar, 9.30pm)
Chelsea was yet another team to face the wrath of Burnley’s tough spirit, taking away just one point from their clash last month. Now five points clear at the top with a game in hand, it’s all about focus and consistency to see the title chase through.
Southampton has fallen from the top tier in recent weeks, having taken seven points from the last five games. It is still a very manageable climb back into European football for this season’s surprise package and taking one or three points off the league leaders could once again kick-start the Saints’ quest.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Southampton
Manchester United vs Tottenham (16 Mar, 12am)
Together with rival Arsenal, Manchester United is now just an arm’s length from City and Chelsea. Perhaps it might be too big a gap to close at this point of the season but, apart from a blip against Arsenal in the FA Cup, van Gaal’s men do not seem to be letting up.
Their opponent this week is 6th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, which has had a pretty ordinary season. Now, with only two league positions and three points’ difference between them, Spurs are hoping that this is the week they once again reclaim their place in the top four.
Prediction: Manchester Utd 2-1 Tottenham
By Basil Lee
ADVERTISEMENTS