BOXING DAY:
MAN CITY V EVERTON
After weeks of refusing to rule Man City out of the title race, I finally decided to rule them out after their defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday.
They do go on incredible runs in the second of a season, but they're too far behind to even be considered. I still think they'll make the top four as there is enough quality in their team, but I don't see them being in the title race.
Everton took points off and kept a clean sheet in their last two games against Arsenal and Chelsea, two teams who are likely to be challenging for the title.
They weren't expected to get many points from their recent run of fixtures which were all tough. They ended up with five which is something they would've taken.
I can see Sean Dyche's side pick up another point in this one as City struggling to create chances and the Toffees are a tough team to beat.
City are vulnerable defensively but as Everton don't have many goals in them, I think this will be one of the rare occasions where they keep a clean sheet.
PREDICTION: 0-0
BOURNEMOUTH V CRYSTAL PALACE
Bournemouth were excellent from start to finish against man United on Sunday and their current squad might be the best one they've ever had.
They're 5th in the league, in great form and have been an enjoyable team to watch. Andoni Iraola deserves a huge amount of credit for the job he's done.
Crystal Palace put a good run of results together before their 5-1 hammering at Arsenal on Saturday and they'll need to do it again so they can keep a good distance between themselves and the bottom three.
The Eagles could again be without Eberechi Eze due to injury and if they're to go on another good run, they'll need him back in the team ASAP.
Because of the form Bournemouth are in, I have to back them here. But I do think Palace will give it a good go.
PREDICTION: 2-1
CHELSEA V FULHAM
Chelsea saw their eight match winning run come to an end against Everton on Sunday, which some people might see as a slight set back in their title bid.
Enzo Maresca won't be bothered with that at all as he's played down his side's title chances a number of times this season, and rightly so because he'll want his team to not get too far ahead of themselves.
Fulham have competed well when taking on the big teams this season and have taken points off three of them in Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool.
I'm expecting them to give Chelsea a good game here like they did other big teams. But I think they'll again fall short due to the quality that Chelsea possess.
PREDICTION: 2-1
NEWCASTLE V ASTON VILLA
Newcastle might be starting to find some consistency following three successive wins from their last three games in all competitions.
Alexander Isak is on fire at the moment and I asked the question at the weekend if he's the best striker in the Premier League at this moment in time. His form suggests it and I'm backing him to keep it up in this one.
The Magpies won this fixture 5-1 on the opening day of last season and did very well in exploiting Villa's high line. I expect that Eddie Howe's side will look to do the same again in this one.
Aston Villa were reasonably comfortable against Man City on Saturday and their midfield in particular were very impressive.
Morgan Rogers was arguably their standout performer in that game and he is looking a very exciting prospect indeed. He's quite possibly been one of the players of the season so far.
Both teams will score here as they both have goals in them, but I think Newcastle will be the side that come out on top as I can see them repeat a similar kind of performance to what they put in against Villa last season.
PREDICTION: 3-1
NOTTINGHAM FOREST V TOTTENHAM
Nottingham Forest enter Christmas inside the top four and I even asked the question if they could be Champions League contenders.
They can definitely challenge for Europe but in terms of the Champions League, it depends on how long they can keep up this current run of form.
Spurs must be the most inconsistent team in the league this season. One week they can look brilliant and the next they're a different team.
They were all over the place defensively against Liverpool and they were lucky that they didn't lose by more.
Forest will more than fancy their chances here as they have the pace out wide to hurt Spurs on the counter attack.
Spurs will have more of the ball and will press high, but their high line makes them vulnerable on the counter and I think Forest can exploit that with the pace of Elanga and Hudson Odoi.
PREDICTION: 2-0
SOUTHAMPTON V WEST HAM
Southampton looked much improved at the back against Fulham by not playing out from the back and making important blocks.
New boss Ivan Juric takes charge for the first time in this one and he'll want his side to build on that performance and the result.
I'm not really sure about their appointment of Juric as he's someone no one has ever heard of. When that is the case with a new manager, he'll either be really bad or turn out to be quite good.
West Ham have struggled for consistency this season and everyone still isn't sure what their playing style is under Lopetegui.
He was brought in to play a more attacking brand of football as the fans were not happy with the brand they were watching under David Moyes. But we're yet to see it and I'm not sure we will.
They might not have a clear identity in how they play, but I do think they'll get a win from this game no matter how they play.
PREDICTION: 0-1
WOLVES V MAN UNITED
Wolves got off to flyer under new boss Vitor Pereira with their win and performance against Leicester with the clean sheet being the pleasing element of it.
They did at times play dangerously in that one, but they did hang on for the clean sheet which will give the team a lot of confidence.
Man United were outplayed by Bournemouth on Sunday and if Amorim didn't know how big a job he had on his hands, he surely does now.
He has a lot to do to get United back to where they want to be and it could be some time. It certainly looks that way when you look at the current state of the team.
He still doesn't know his best team and it could be a while till he does as the players are not his, they're from four different managers. It will probably be next season when we'll see his Man United team.
I don't see them being particularly convincing here but I do think they'll get the win, no matter how they play.
PREDICTION: 1-2
LIVERPOOL V LEICESTER
Liverpool have to be the favourites for the title and I think they are. Yes they're top of the league at Christmas, but between them, Chelsea and Arsenal, they're the most likely to win it as the majority of their squad have been there and done it.
They blew Spurs away on Sunday and they should've won by a lot more with the amount of times they got in behind the Spurs defence, and the chances they created.
Leicester have been hopeless defensively in each of their last two games against Newcastle and Wolves, and I really do fear for them heading into this one.
They were beginning to look like a Premier League side when Ruud Van Nistelrooy came in and I was beginning to think that they might stay up. But their last two games have given them a reality check and shown that he has work to do in January.
I can only see a Liverpool win here and a comfortable one. I'm also backing Salah to get one or two given the form he's in.
PREDICTION: 5-0
FRIDAY:
BRIGHTON V BRENTFORD
Brighton have been great to watch at times this season, but their current form isn't great at the moment as they haven't won any of their last four.
I do think they'll return to winning ways in this one though only because Brentford have the worst away record in the league.
Brentford saw their unbeaten home record come to an end against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and with that run over, maybe they might pick up their first win on the road.
But I don't see that happening.
PREDICTION: 3-2
ARSENAL V IPSWICH
Arsenal could be without Bukayo Saka for a few months after h pulled his hamstring in their win against Crystal Palace. Saka will of course be a big loss for the Gunners because of how important he is to them. But I do think they can cope without him as Leandro Trossard is more than capable of stepping up in his place.
It's been good to see Gabriel Jesus back among the goals recently and his return to form will no doubt give him a lot of confidence. But whether he can prove that Arsenal don't need a striker remains to be seen.
Ipswich were taught a harsh lesson about the Premier League against Newcastle on Saturday and especially for the third goal they conceded, where they got caught playing out from the back.
Their keeper Ari Muric just can't be trusted with the ball at his feet and it wasn't the first time that he has been caught out when trying to play out this season.
They can't afford to make that mistake in this one otherwise Arsenal will punish them as they're a top side.
The Gunners may be without Saka, but I still think they'll win this one fairly comfortably as they still have quality players in other positions.
PREDICTION: 3-0
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