Premier League Predictions, Week 12

Welcome back to your Premier League predictions! As we near the end of 2020, we've reached the midway point of the Champions League and the Europa League, and are fast approaching the midway point of the Premier League.

It's hard to believe we could be there already in a season that started in mid-September, but that's the beauty of cramming loads of matches, domestic and international, into a compressed time frame. We the fans never want for action, and at the end of the day, isn't that more important than the mental and physical well-being of the athletes playing the game we love? All cynicism aside, I do have something to celebrate from the last week: a return to winning ways. No, I'm not just talking about the resurgent form of my beloved Liverpool, I'm talking about an end to my atrocious prediction form. At long last, I snapped a 7-week slide of batting .500 or less on my picks. Though I incorrectly stated Liverpool and Manchester United would settle for draws, I got my win predictions right for Chelsea, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur. And my spot-on score prediction for the latter two matches secured me a-- could it be? --downright good week on the whole, notching 4 points out of 5. That lifts my season total to a slightly more palatable 26.5/50.

But, the matches are underway, and are just 12 hours away from resuming, so let's not waste any more time with premature victory laps. Here are your 5 for Week 12!

Manchester United vs. Manchester City

The Manchester Derby is always a must-watch matchup, or at least always has been in the last decade, but a whole lot is on the table this time around. It had seemed like both of these teams were off to a bad start by their own lofty expectation, but suddenly, quietly even, a spot on the Top 4 is on the table with a win tomorrow, providing massive implications to this rivalry match. Of the two Manchester sides, City is undoubtedly the team in form, while United, who has fought from behind in two straight Premier League matches, is trying to shake off the ghosts of their midweek Champions League capitulation. There's no question Manchester City should be favored, but it's United who recently has always gotten up for this game. I go back and forth on an outright winner, so I'm going to split the difference and say that it will be a "Reverse United": the Red Devils come out hot, but allow City to claw back and get a result.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2

Everton vs. Chelsea

What on earth has happened to Everton? They were the hottest team in the league at the start of the season, and coming off a great offseason, held worlds of hype while they stood at the top of the table. Now they have won just 1 of their last 7, against cellar-dwellars Fulham, while slipping into 9th place. Chelsea, conversely, has completely completely rounded into form over the last couple months, the summer spending spree signings starting to swiftly synergize. Though they're still hovering just behind Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the standings, their consistent form of late has caused many to take notice: Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp recently labelled them the favorites in the league. So can their good run continue, or will Everton rediscover the form of September and early October? The Toffees certainly have the players and manager to score an upset, but they've just lost my trust at this point.

The Pick: Chelsea, 3-2

Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham's 10-match unbeaten streak and lead atop the Premier League table continues into another week! The Spurs bounced back nicely from a sloppy draw against Chelsea two weeks ago with a commanding win in the North London Derby last Sunday. Their next opponents, Crystal Palace, scored a dominant win over West Bromwich to regain some positive mojo after falling from a brush with the Top 4 thanks to two huge losses. Palace very well could be up for it this weekend; they have relished the role of spoiler against great teams in years past. But I just don't know that they have enough to knock off a focused, freewheeling Tottenham side.

The Pick: Tottenham, 2-1

Fulham vs. Liverpool

Liverpool's first match with some fans back in Anfield could not have gone better last weekend, treating the Kop to a 4-0 romp over Wolves, who are typically a worthy adversary. In a continuation of their good week, they clinched 1st place in their Champions League group, and perhaps most important of all, are finally starting to get more players returning from injury than leaving because of it. Speaking of their personnel, though, might Klopp's bizarre decision to play some starters in their meaningless midweek game come back to haunt his team? There's no question they still need as much energy as they can get this year; there are no freebie games in this Premier League season. Fulham have had an unimpressive start to their league campaign just like they did in in 2018, when they were last promoted. That said, they do have the attacking prowess to cause a makeshift Liverpool back line some trouble. I think I'd feel stupid for not picking Liverpool to win this match, but wouldn't be surprised if we see a return to disjointed, gritty Liverpool rather than the clinical side we saw last weekend.

The Pick: Liverpool, 2-1

Leicester City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Leicester City, easily the most frustrating team in the league this year, is so far hanging on to their Top 4 spot, but just barely. I call them frustrating because every time I think the Foxes have worked their kinks out they have an absolutely baffling loss, but then when I'm ready to write them off, they bounce back with a resounding victory. Somewhat similarly, I've struggled to predict Brighton correctly this year; I've continually thought more highly of the Gulls this year than their point total has shown, but by and large that faith in them has not panned out for me (case in point: Brighton haven't actually won since September). Yet, when I finally remembered to predict a loss for them last time, they went out and snagged a shock point from Liverpool. So it's risky for me to even try my hand at this match, but here we go again: I'm going to say this is a match where Brighton finally capitalizes on their apparent potential and puts it all together to score a much-needed upset over a Leicester side that was caught sleeping. And yes, I'm aware I've basically ensured I got that pick wrong. Cue a 5-0 Leicester rout.

The Pick: Brighton, 3-1