Premier League Predictions, Week 24
Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! No midweek fútbol this week save for some FA Cup replays, so it's been a whole week since soccer, which I think we can all agree is a travesty. But Premier League action returns in earnest tomorrow!
In case you can't remember my picks from last week, I batted a perfect .500 in the four matches previewed. Arsenal did give Liverpool trouble as I expected, but they only went and beat the Reds, which I did no expect. Nor did I expect the latter's Merseyside rivals Everton to get a point off of Tottenham. But! I did correctly project the two Manchester teams' wins, and in the case of Man City, nailed the scoreline and everything. My 2.5/4 weekend brought my season total to a somewhat palatable 55/85.
Now, the matches are less than 12 hours from kicking back off, so let's not waste any more time on fine dining. Here are your 5 for Week 24!
Manchester City vs. Everton
Everton finally got a big result at a crucial time with their draw against Tottenham, but make no mistake, these are two teams going in opposite directions. Man City rolls and briefly ascends to the top of the Premier League table...
The Pick: Man City, 4-1
Liverpool vs. Burnley
...but they will have to hope Liverpool drop points, otherwise their stay atop the standings won't last more than a couple hours. Liverpool will want a bounce back in the worst way; it's hard to nitpick too much when last Sunday marked just their second loss all season (and their first that wasn't a hatchet job by the officials), but the Reds looked absolutely pedestrian in a massive match with title implications. Fortunately for them, this weekend they play host to a relegation-bound team. Surely that spells a rebound on the horizon.
The Pick: Liverpool, 3-0
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton have been perhaps the most bizarre team in the league this season, vacillating between well-organized, spirited, punching above their weight, and absolutely disastrous, like in their 4-0 capitulation to Luton Town last week. I expect the Gulls to look much more like the side that spanked Crystal Palace last weekend, but I think I still trust resurgent Tottenham more at this point, especially at home, and especially with the imminent return of Son Hueng-min from the Asian Cup.
The Pick: Tottenham, 2-1
West Ham United vs. Arsenal
Earlier this season, when Arsenal got a big result against Liverpool that boosted their title hopes, they came out in their very next match and laid an egg at home against West Ham. Five days ago, Arsenal commanded a title-tilting showdown to defeat Liverpool, and in their first match since, they travel to... West Ham. David Moyes' boyes will be locked in with the home crowd at their back, especially coming off their disappointing showing against Man United last weekend, and will be a tough out. But I suspect the Gunners will have that first fixture in front of mind and will not let the same team beat them twice.
The Pick: Arsenal, 3-2
Aston Villa vs. Manchester United
Don't look now, but Manchester United have only gone and gotten themselves back into Top 4 contention with their strong performances in recent weeks. Their path to the Top 4, of course, still runs through opponents Aston Villa, who jumped back into 4th place with a dominant win over Sheffield United. It's still hard to get a read on which version of both teams will show up, honestly; so because I trust United's form more at the moment but I trust Villa's coaching anf home field advantage, I'll split the difference.
The Pick: Draw, 2-2
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