Premier League Predictions, Week 32

Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! We are eating our fill of soccer these days, after a long March break. The conclusion of the Champions League and Europa League quarterfinal round is barely in our rearview, and the Premier League weekend is already starting back up!

Last week in predictions, I continued my backslide from my near-flawless outing two weeks ago. Fortunately, the point from which I started my slide was high enough, that I actually still did okay. I did not, as you might expect, pick Leeds to beat Manchester City, and I missed on both Manchester United and Liverpool's victories. However, my scoreline prediction for the latter was accurate, and my dead on prediction on West Ham's victory over Leicester was enough to salvage a 3/5 week. That brings my season record to 69/135, which, while not great, once again boosts my season percentage up, this time to an only mediocre 51%!

But, the matches are less than 24 hours away from kicking back up, so let's not waste any more time trying to convince you I'm better than I am. Here are your 5 for Week 32!

Everton vs. Tottenham Hotspur

The Premier League weekend kicks off what could very well be considered an elimination match for the Top 4, especially if there is a winner. Both clubs have spent time atop the Premier League table; first Everton, then a couple months later, the team they beat in the season opener. But those days feel like ages ago, as the two clubs sit in 8th and 7th place now, respectively. Other than a solid win against Aston Villa, Tottenham's last 5 matches have been brutal: a loss in the North London Derby, an unceremonious exit from the Europa League at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb, and dropping 5 points from leading positions against Newcastle and Manchester United. You would think that surely they won't fall victim to that again. But the bad news for Spurs is that Everton-- who has taken just 5 points from their last 5 matches-- desperately need a win, too, and this season is starting to take on a real "Mourinho's side losing its wheels" vibe that we've seen before.

The Pick: Everton, 2-1

Newcastle United vs. West Ham United

No, you're not seeing things: with 7 matches left from here until the end of the season, West Ham is poised to seal a spot in next year's Champions League. Not only that, after last week's win over Leicester, the Hammers are 1 point in 3rd place. Not only that, nobody (not even Manchester City) has had a better 2021 than West Ham. So can they keep the good vibes rolling this weekend? Newcastle is the exact kind of team and place that tend to trip up glory-hunters, and I'm tempted to predict that very thing happening this weekend, especially because the Magpies aren't safely out of relegation danger. But West Ham's form (and Jesse Lingard's renaissance) is for real, and it's hard to pick against.

The Pick: West Ham, 2-1

Chelsea vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea's shock loss to West Brom two weeks ago may have had a lasting effect on their ability to keep a clean sheet, but fortunately for Blues fans, not their form in general. They've advanced to the Champions League semifinals, and their win over Crystal Palace kept them in the thick of the Top 4 hunt, and that maintained form is good news as they come up against a Brighton side that has zero problems scoring goals and giving good teams trouble, but has a lot of problems sealing the deal. I expect that phenomenon will continue this weekend.

The Pick: Chelsea, 3-2

Aston Villa vs. Manchester City

There have been more shocking scorelines this season, perhaps, but you'd be hard pressed to find more stunning results than Manchester City's loss to Leeds last weekend, a match in which the champions-elect had 29 shots to the Premier League newbies' 2. With stats as staggered as that, and with an 11-point lead intact at the top of the table, it's hard to call the loss cause for concern, but it will give hope to Aston Villa, whose Top 4 dreams are holding on by a thread. Like their opponents, Villa suffered a 2-1 loss thanks to a stoppage time goal, and Liverpool's late winner left the Villains 11 points out of Champions League qualification, albeit with one match in hand. This is an absolute must-win if they are going to keep hopes alive, but unfortunately for them, I get the sense City is ready to just about wrap up this Premier League race once and for all.

The Pick: Manchester City, 2-0

Leicester City vs. West Bromwich Albion

After just two wins from their last five, Leicester City's place in the Top 4 has been winnowed to a 2-point margin. You'll forgive Leicester fans if they're having PTSD flashbacks to last season's epic collapse, and it's definitely the case that the Foxes absolutely need a win this weekend. However, their opponents also absolutely need a win. West Brom are firmly in the relegation zone, sitting 8 points from safety, but their fans might cling to the fact that Sam Allardyce's men have had a tendency to frustrate and confound good clubs multiple times this season. If Leicester can force their opponents to play an open game, they will run riot. If it's a vintage Big Sam performance, they're in trouble. Given how desperate the Foxes surely are to avoid a repeat of last season, I'm gonna guess the former is what happens.

The Pick: Leicester, 5-2