Premier League Predictions, Week 20
© Micah Veldkamp, 2024
Happy New Year, Premier League fans! Having started this series in the year of our lord 2018, I can scarcely believe I'm saying this, but: welcome to the first predictions of 2025!
We're through a holiday logjam for now, which means no more teams playing 3 matches in 6 days or something like that, at least for the next little while. But we did just emerge from that exact scenario, with me having picked 8 matches last time you heard from me. And...the less said about how I did, the better. I did nail the scoreline of Liverpool's Boxing Day victory over Leicester, and did accurately predict Arsenal's New Year's Day win at Brentford. But that, quite literally, was all, whiffing on the other 6 matches entirely. That's a 2.5/8 outing for me, pulling my season total down to a dangerously mediocre 38/75.
Now, the matches are less than 24 hours away from kicking back off, so let's not waste any more time yearning for Auld Lang Syne. Here are your 5 for Week 20!
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Newcastle United
Newcastle have slowly but surely been rounding into form and resembling the Top 4 team they’re capable of being. Tottenham…well, Tottenham are never failing to entertain. But man, are they struggling; since their 4-0 stunner over Manchester City before Thanksgiving, Spurs’ lone Premier League win came over cellar-dwellers Southampton. I still believe there's a turnaround coming, especially as some of their players return from injury, but the difference in form between these two teams is too stark at the moment for me to comfortably predict a draw.
The Pick: Draw, 2-2
Crystal Palace vs. Chelsea
I’m old enough to remember when Chelsea were perceived as the top title challengers. Okay, yes, that was mere weeks ago- but a surprise draw to Everton and two shock losses (home vs. Fulham and away to Ipswich Town) later, they’re suddenly in danger of falling out of the Top 4 altogether. The Blues need a win badly to stay relevant to title discussion. Crystal Palace have troubled many a good team, and get them at home, but truthfully the Eagles have looked a shell of their late ‘23-‘24 selves this season.
The Pick: Chelsea, 2-0
Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Arsenal
Brighton have developed somewhat of a frustrating trend in recent years: starting the season excellently, turning heads with some surprisingThere’s plenty of reason to expect an upset in this one- it’s in Brighton, it’s a rematch of a fixture that finished in a tough 1-1 draw at Arsenal’s stadium back in August, the Gunners are without their best player. But I think Arteta’s men will have their antennas up for that very reason, and do enough to escape the South coast with 3 points.
The Pick: Arsenal, 2-1
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest is one of the biggest stories of the Premier League season; their current five-match winning streak has them tied for 2nd place in the league. Nuno Espirito Santo of course deserves a lion's share of the credit, and this fixture will be all about the former Wolves manager's return to his old stomping grounds, his first since leaving the club three years ago that he took to the Premier League. Wolverhampton are in a far worse place than they typically were under his reign, barely staying above the relegation zone. I don't think they're good enough to beat Forest straight up, but they're scrappy enough to get a desperately needed point.
The Pick: Draw, 1-1
Liverpool vs. Manchester United
The last days of 2024 couldn't have gone much better for Liverpool: their unbeaten streak in all competitions extended to 23, their lead stop the Premier League table grew to 9 points, they sit atop the Champions League table, they've qualified for the League Cup semifinals, and just about all their rivals stumbled into a bad spell of form. Perhaps none of those rivals are in worse shape than their biggest foe of all, Manchester United. The Red Devils haven't enjoyed one bit of a new manager bounce under Ruben Amorim, their New Year's Eve loss to Newcastle marking their 4th in a row since their stunning upset of Man City. Unsurprisingly, the talking points entering this match aren't as much "who will win" as they are "how badly will United get beat this time." Every pessimistic and paranoid bone in my body wants to pick a draw or perhaps even a Man United upset, because I can't tell you how many times I've seen a team being written off completely before a big match come out and surprise everyone, and I've seen it happen in this exact fixture more than once in recent years. I won't, because this match is at Anfield, and because Liverpool have largely proven my pessimistic picks unfounded this season...but if the Reds don't win this match, don't say I didn't warn you of the possibility.
The Pick: Liverpool, 2-1
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