Premier League Predictions, Week 35

Welcome back to our predictions, Premier League fans! We're into the last month of the season, and just as they often do, the fixtures are all starting to run up against each other now. I come to you on the one day of this last week that hasn't featured any Premier League football, and we're about to get right back into it!

Last time out, a couple near-misses (namely Manchester United and Liverpool edging out, instead of drawing, Aston Villa and Tottenham) were all that stood between me and perfection. My other 5 (!) predictions were all correct, including my bold projection that Brighton would topple Man United, and in the case of Manchester City's victory over Fulham, I nailed the scoreline to a T. That was good enough for a 5.5/7 week, which brings my season total to 65/120. Just like my Liverpool lads, I'm rounding into form right at the season's end.

But, the games are less than 12 hours away from kicking back off, so no time for making coronation weekend all about myself. Here are your 5 for Week 35!

Manchester City vs. Leeds United

As Manchester City march towards their inevitable coronation, Leeds will try to play the role of banana peel on the road with their third manager of the season, newly anointed Sam Allardyce. I don't see Big Sam's fit with this Leeds personnel at all, to be honest, but his track record of frustrating and confounding major clubs with negative, brash football is undeniable, and the Peacocks' desperation to stay out of the relegation zone means you can't write this off as an automatic loss. City will pull this out, but it will be more of a slog than you might expect.

The Pick: Man City, 2-0

Liverpool vs. Brentford

Two matches for Liverpool in the last week, two wild, sloppy wins that they scrapped out. It hasn't always been pretty for the Reds, but they're winning games now (5 in a row!), something that just hasn't been consistently true all season. Brentford, who has rediscovered their form in recent weeks, might legitimately represent Liverpool's toughest competition since their showdown with Arsenal, but I think between the Anfield advantage and a late frantic Top 4 push, Jurgen Klopp's men will edge it just again.

The Pick: Liverpool, 3-2

Newcastle United vs. Arsenal

A clash between the two biggest surprise successes of the year comes at a tilting point in the season. After April, it sure seems as if Arsenal is destined to lose out in the title race to Manchester City while Newcastle appears solidly headed for the Top 4. If the latter wins this one in front of a friendly crowd, it would surely calcify both those destinies, whereas if the road warriors pull out a victory, it could throw a spanner in the works for both clubs. At almost this exact point last season, Newcastle's home win derailed Arsenal's Top 4 dream; this year, they'll repeat themselves and officially end the Gunners' title dream.

The Pick: Newcastle, 2-1

West Ham United vs. Manchester United

West Ham, after picking up their form at a crucial time, have slid right back into the heat of the relegation sweepstakes after a three-match slump, due in large part to brutal scheduling: visits from Liverpool and Manchester City sandwiched around a road trip to Crystal Palace. It doesn't exactly get easier with a visit from Manchester United on the docket, though their next opponents can relate to dropping points at inopportune times. The Red Devils' generally terrific season is somewhat sputtering down the stretch, and with just 4 points from their last 9, they really are in the thick of the Top 4 fight now. The mirroring high stakes for each club lends itself to a really intriguing tie, but apart from just being the better side, I think Manchester United will feel more urgency from Liverpool bearing down on them than West Ham will with the various relegation-threatened sides.

The Pick: Man United, 2-1

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Everton

Alexis MacAllister's last-second penalty earned Brighton the victory they so thoroughly deserved over Man United (and frankly, had deserved in the FA Cup semifinal as well), and re-launched the now-6th-place Gulls' European dreams for next season. Everton, meanwhile, did well to scrape back for a crucial point on the road at Leicester, but remain in 19th place, very much in danger of facing their first relegation to the Championship in over 70 years. There is little better motivation fuel in sports than the threat of relegation, and I do fear Brighton's recent emotional, cathartic win might cause them to take their eye off the ball a little. But they're at home on the south coast, and Everton seems wholly done for.

The Pick: Brighton, 2-0