16 groups might be in motion on Thursday, with vs kicking issues off at 12:30pm and vs the headline act at 8pm. Then, on Friday, host and tackle struggling .
There are large permutations at each ends of the desk, with the races for the title, Champions League qualification and survival all hotting up.
We’ve taken a have a look at all 10 matches from gameweek 18 and given our predicted scores.
Manchester Metropolis vs Everton
Manchester Metropolis can’t purchase a win proper now, taking only one victory from their final 12 matches throughout all competitions. Pep Guardiola’s males have taken simply 4 factors from their final eight Premier League matches, slumping to seventh within the course of.
However ask any Evertonian and so they’ll let you know that if a crew wants a win or a striker wants a purpose, they’ll do it towards the Toffees. Everton have a bizarre behavior of permitting golf equipment and gamers to finish poor runs towards them — take Southampton’s solely Premier League win to this point this season coming towards them for instance — and regardless of their defensive brilliance in latest weeks, Metropolis will choose up three important factors.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Bournemouth are flying excessive with their second 3-0 Previous Trafford win in two years lifting all of them the best way as much as fifth within the Premier League, simply three factors off the Champions League locations. The Cherries are unbeaten of their final 5, profitable 4 of them, with the one draw towards Southampton seeing them equalise within the ninetieth minute.
Palace, in the meantime, have been introduced again right down to earth of their double-header towards Arsenal final week, first dropping 3-2 within the EFL Cup earlier than being thumped 5-1 at house within the Premier League. However, the Eagles had misplaced simply one in every of their final 9 throughout all competitions earlier than that and now discover themselves sixteenth within the desk, 4 factors away from the relegation zone.
Oliver Glasner’s males have taken outcomes towards some high quality sides lately, together with Brighton, Man Metropolis, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Tottenham. Nonetheless, Bournemouth look unstoppable proper now.
Chelsea vs Fulham
Chelsea have been introduced again right down to earth with a bump final trip as Everton held them to a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park, very practically snatching all three factors within the ultimate phases. Even so, The Blues are solely 4 factors behind Liverpool and unbeaten of their final 12 matches throughout all competitions. It’s exhausting to see them being shut out twice in a row — particularly once they’ve received their final three towards Fulham and have stored a clear sheet in every of their final 4 conferences.
Fulham have been draw specialists in latest weeks and are a tricky aspect to crack. Plus, they at all times wish to get one over on their illustrious West London rivals. Nonetheless, at Stamford Bridge, it’s exhausting to go for something aside from a stable Chelsea win.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa
It is a battle between two top-four contenders very a lot getting their acts again collectively.
Each Newcastle and Aston Villa suffered main dips earlier this winter however every have rallied and climbed again up the desk; the previous to eighth and the latter to sixth, separated by simply two factors and the Premier League champions within the desk.
Newcastle did the double over Villa final season and did so by an 8-2 combination scoreline. Nonetheless, you possibly can simply see these two going at it hammer and tongs however cancelling one another out.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham
That is fairly merely a must-win recreation for Spurs.
Ange Postecoglou’s males at the moment are eleventh within the desk after their surprising 6-3 defeat to Liverpool and path Forest within the fourth and ultimate Champions League spot by eight factors. That’s hardly shocking given the Lilywhites have received simply two of their final seven league matches, taking simply seven factors throughout that point.
Against this, Forest have received 4 of their final 5 and are wanting more and more more likely to hold maintain of that shock top-four spot.
Each side are sturdy going ahead, however Tottenham’s leaky defence will as soon as once more betray them right here — although they need to be good for some extent.
Southampton vs West Ham
If Southampton are to make a miraculous escape, it has to begin now. The Saints are stranded on the backside of the desk with only one win and 6 factors from 17 video games. They’ve scored fewer targets (11) than another aspect within the Premier League and are second solely to Leicester (37) for targets conceded (36). In the meantime, they’ve made 27 errors resulting in photographs and 11 errors resulting in targets — seven and three away from another Premier League crew, respectively.
So, is that revival going to begin towards West Ham? Effectively, the Hammers are nonetheless stuttering however are at the very least unbeaten of their final three, even when two of them have been attracts. Even so, with how lengthy it’s taken Southampton to get Ivan Juric within the sizzling seat, West Ham ought to discover their opponents off stability.
Wolves vs Man Utd
Wolves have been a bit faster getting Vitor Pereira appointed and instantly acquired a brand new supervisor bounce, thrashing Leicester 3-0 away in his first recreation in cost. There’s nonetheless lots of work to do to get to security however the early indicators are good.
As for Man Utd, they’re reeling following every week that noticed them exit the EFL Cup 4-3 towards Tottenham earlier than being battered 3-0 at house by Bournemouth. If he wasn’t already, Ruben Amorim will now be painfully conscious of simply how troublesome the job forward of him actually is.
Wolves might be on a excessive after the Leicester end result and that might carry them to a shock level.
Liverpool vs Leicester
In all honesty, Liverpool made their win over Tottenham much more difficult than it wanted to be, just about switching off for quarter-hour. However to attain six targets away and take a 5-1 lead in simply over an hour is a greater indication of the place this rampant crew is at.
After taking 4 factors from his first two video games in cost, Ruud van Nistelrooy has been given a harsh reminder of how troublesome it’s going to be to maintain Leicester up, dropping their final two video games towards Newcastle and Wolves with zero targets scored and 7 conceded.
This ought to be probably the most nailed-on results of the gameweek.
Brighton vs Brentford
Brighton are winless of their final two at house and have drawn 4 of their eight matches on the Amex to this point this season. What’s extra, the Seagulls are winless of their final 5 total, drawing three and dropping two.
Nonetheless, they’re enjoying the proper opponent in the event that they wish to kind their house kind out, with Brentford managing only one level from eight video games on the highway this season. The Bees have misplaced 4 of their final 5 throughout all competitions, together with their final three. They don’t have a look at all more likely to lastly discover an away win.
Arsenal vs Ipswich
Fuelled by 5 targets from Gabriel Jesus, Arsenal recovered from their goalless draw towards Everton completely final week, beating Crystal Palace twice; 3-2 within the EFL Cup and 5-1 within the Premier League — the latter away from house. The Gunners at the moment are unbeaten of their final 10 throughout all competitions and need to achieve floor on Liverpool, trailing the leaders by 9 factors with one recreation additional performed.
Ipswich couldn’t construct on their late 2-1 win over Wolves, getting a 4-0 thumping at house to Newcastle final trip. They’ve run some respectable groups shut this season to their credit score, nevertheless it’s exhausting to see them doing the identical towards an Arsenal aspect rediscovering their attacking mojo.
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