18 th – 19 th March 2017

Saturday 12.30pm

West Brom have hit a little bit of a wall recently after two defeats on the bounce. Beaten at home by struggling Palace and then beaten at Everton means they're now quite a way off that seventh place that would see them into Europe. They've had a good season but they could be in danger now of just coasting till the end with European qualification taking a big hit in their two last games. That's what Arsenal will be hoping who come here needing to win in the battle for the top four. They were humiliated again by Bayern and I can't count the win over Lincoln as them bouncing back because it's hardly real competition for them. Their season now comes down to the top four and FA Cup and the fans won't settle for that. But Wenger needs to make sure Arsenal stay in the Champions League you would think if he has any chance of staying beyond the end of the season. This is normally the point of the season Arsenal hit form after not producing when it mattered most. But they've got real competition for the top four this season however I will say they just edge over the line here.Prediction: West Bromwich Albion 1-2 Arsenal

My Premier League 2016/17 Predictions

West Bromwich Albion Arsenal

Saturday 3.00pm

Palace fans won't be saying it too soon but they might have finally turned a corner. I've been waiting for Palace to hit some form for a long time, their squad is far too good and with Allardyce in charge it was always a matter of time I thought before they eventually turned it round. And they will be looking at this match with the aim of making it three on the bounce. The win over Boro was a big three points and to follow that up by going to West Brom and winning was impressive and I see their run continuing here. Watford might be looking a little nervously over their shoulders now especially if they lose here. They're not out of the woods yet and with sides like Palace, Leicester and Swansea finding form they need to make sure they don't get dragged down near the bottom. But I don't expect either of these sides to go down but I do think Palace continue to stretch away from the bottom three here.Prediction: Crystal Palace 2-1 Watford

Saturday 3.00pm

Everton have been rocked by the news of Romelu Lukaku's decision to not sign a new contract. I'm not sure it's smart of Lukaku to come out and say the things he's said questioning the desire of the club and their ambition. He's in great form and now he's landed himself in hot water with the fans most of which will be thinking to hell with his form if he doesn't want to be here get rid of him. It puts Koeman in a tough spot, does he drop his best player and top goalscorer sending a message or does he continue to play him when he'll probably be in for a frosty reception from the home fans and his head can't be in the right place. I understand he wants to be playing at the top level, playing Champions League football and

Crystal Palace Watford

Everton Hull City

winning trophies but this could turn out to be another case of a player going about getting a move in completely the wrong way. Whether he plays here or not I expect Everton to win, they're pretty comfortable in seventh now and at home I can't see Hull pulling off a shock here even with the Lukaku situation overshadowing the match. Hull's win against Swansea last week was a big result. It keeps them in the fight and in touch with the sides above. But I still think it's going to be very tough for them to escape relegation and I can't see them getting something here.Prediction: Everton 3-1 Hull City

Saturday 3.00pm

Going to Stoke is usually very tough but I can't see Chelsea being halted here. They continue their charge towards the title and are still on course for the double after making the cup semi-finals. Looking at the table they can even afford to drop points here and still go on and win the title comfortably. But like I've said before Conte will not have his players slacking and will know there's still plenty of opportunity for dropped points and will have his players ready to avoid all potential banana skins like this match is. Stoke have been doing not bad recently with their latest result being a point at Man City. I think they'll finish top half comfortably and they can give Chelsea a good game here but I don't see them being good enough to derail them in the end.Prediction: Stoke City 1-2 Chelsea

Stoke City Chelsea

Saturday 3.00pm

Sunderland must win this, if they don't I think they're down. They're six points adrift of safety and if they can't take maximum points here I think they're doomed. They've always managed to pull off a great escape in recent years but as the weeks go by it looks more and more likely their luck will run out this season. This is the home game they absolutely must win and the pressure is really on them. Burnley are another side who will just be cautious looking over their shoulders at the minute. But I can't see them being dragged down into any danger however with the hosts being the side who have no choice but to win I'll say they just about pull it off to at least keep them alive in the battle for survival.Prediction: Sunderland 1-0 Burnley

Saturday 3.00pm

Can you believe the turnaround in Leicester since Ranieri's sacking. Not only have they pulled away from the bottom three but they're also in a Champions League quarter final. We all heavily criticised the decision to show Ranieri the door but the owners will point to the results since then and say they made the right decision. I think they were very smart to keep Craig Shakespeare in charge till the end of the season, a man who knows this squad. They would've been worse off with someone new coming in trying to get to grips with things at this late stage of the season. They've done brilliantly in the Champions League and are virtually guaranteed a Hollywood tie now whoever they are drawn against. But in the league they still need to go on and ensure survival but I think they could suffer from a bit of European hangover here. West Ham's aim will be to try finish in the top half but recent results haven't been great. But as I

Sunderland Burnley

West Ham United Leicester City

say Leicester had such a highly emotional night during the week it could play into West Ham's hands so I'm going to say they edge Leicester out here.Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 Leicester City

Saturday 5.30pm

Both these sides are getting themselves clear from danger at the minute but will know the implications a couple of bad results could have. Bournemouth were starting to very nervously look over their shoulders but they've turned a corner with the last few results. The draw at Old Trafford was a turning point then they went on to beat West Ham even after missing two penalties. And they'll be looking to get a second win on the bounce here to get them well away from the danger zone. Swansea hit a bit of a speed bump last week with the defeat at Hull. They turned a corner when Paul Clement came in but last week's defeat to fellow strugglers was a bit derailing. They're certainly not safe and can't afford another lapse into bad form. So with both sides in similar predicaments I can see the points being shared here.Prediction: Bournemouth 1-1 Swansea City

Sunday 12.00

Middlesbrough go into this after news broke Aitor Karanka has lost his job. I always think it's a bit of a strange move to change the manager at this stage of the season when you're in a situation like Boro. If a new manager is appointed they'll have no time to come in, get to grips with the squad and start trying to make it their own because Boro need points now. They'll probably be looking at how

Bournemouth Swansea City

Middlesbrough Manchester United

it's gone for Leicester since they sacked Ranieri but I can't see how changing the manager now is going to help Boro's chances of survival. But they are in big trouble and need to try get something here. Normally the sacking of a manager provokes a response from the team like we've seen with Leicester so it could make for a more difficult game for United. United's main enemy at the moment is fixture pile up. United have played twice since Boro's last match and Boro only played last Saturday against Man City. Ibrahimovic and now Herrera are suspended for this and it looks like Pogba will be out with injury but if United are going to make it into the top four they need to win. They've dropped so many points from games that they should've won comfortably and it could very well be what keeps them out of the top four this season. Mourinho can't put all his eggs in one basket with the Europa League and hope for Champions League qualification by winning that, they need to try and ensure themselves with a top four finish. I'll say United edge this but it wouldn’t surprise me to see a passionate response on the pitch from the Boro players from the sacking of the manager which would make this very difficult for Mourinho's men.Prediction: Middlesbrough 1-2 Manchester United

Sunday 2.15pm

Spurs coasted through to the cup semi-finals last week but it was very bittersweet with the news Harry Kane is out for at least a month. It comes at the worst possible time for Spurs when they're trying to secure Champions League qualification and have the cup semi-final coming up with Chelsea. They're a very good team but Kane is the star man who gobbles up the chances this team creates for him and he's a massive miss. But I would still expect Spurs at home in these type of fixtures to still get over the line without their main man. Son is a good player who can go up top and I see Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur Southampton

continuing to cement their top four place here. Southampton have had the week off but got an important win at Watford last time out that keeps them clear of any danger in the relegation fight. They'll aim for top half for the rest of the season but Spurs' need for the points is greater here. Southampton will be boosted not having to worry about Kane but Spurs aren't a one-man team.Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Southampton

Sunday 4.30pm

Another big game in the battle for the top four. Looking at the table it looks increasingly likely City and Spurs should cement their places likely leaving it down to a three-horse race between United, Arsenal and Liverpool for the final spot. Chelsea are too far out of City's reach now I think after the draw with Stoke so the aim now for them in the league will be to try cement that top four spot and finish second if they can which wouldn't be a disaster of a first league campaign for Guardiola. City were stunned during the week crashing out to Monaco in the Champions League. Looking at the side Guardiola put out I thought he had to be thinking more defensively to protect that two-goal lead. He probably thought his side could go there and outdo Monaco like they did in the first leg to progress but it was a bad result considering the two-goal lead they had to defend. The season now comes down to finishing as high as they can in the league and trying to get some silverware with the FA Cup. But they come up against a Liverpool side here whose record against the rest of the top six is very good. Also they won ugly last week against Burnley, something they haven't been able to do so that would've been a mental block they cleared with that result. There's potential for dropped points from United and Arsenal or Liverpool might need to respond to victories from both. But if they can get something here they have a nice run in and will

Manchester City Liverpool

be confident of getting that Champions League place. And I'm going to back them to get a draw, they're very good against the top sides and I think City will still be rocked from the result in Monaco.Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool