SATURDAY:
NOTTINGHAM FOREST V MAN CITY
Nottingham Forest needed penalties to get past Ipswich in the FA Cup on Monday despite fielding a relatively strong team.
Their Premier League form has bean to plateau recently following two defeats and a draw in their last three games. This could be a sign that the pressure of being in the top four race is beginning to get to them.
Man City were given an early scare by Plymouth in the FA Cup last weekend but they were always going to turn it around due to the quality they have.
They're the only big six side to have beaten Forest this season when they won the reverse fixture 3-0 back in December, when they were on such a poor run of form at the time.
They have picked up some good results since the turn of the year, but they still have the same problems they've had for most of the season.
Forest will definitely score here as they're dangerous on the counter, but I think City will have enough quality to secure the points here.
PREDICTION: 1-3
BRIGHTON V FULHAM
Both teams booked their place in the FA Cup Quarter Finals last weekend and they'll both surely be looking to win that competition.
Brighton have been on a good run of form since losing 7-0 to Nottingham Forest and they deserve credit for turning things around.
Fulham have a better record away from home this season than they did last season and it's better than their record at home.
Brighton have been reasonably strong at home this season even though they have picked up a lot of draws on their own patch.
But despite the latter, I think they'll bag another win here because of the form they're in.
PREDICTION: 2-1
CRYSTAL PALACE V IPSWICH
Crystal Palace will be without top goal scorer Jean-Phillipe Mateta for this one and possibly the next few following the injury he picked up against Millwall in the FA Cup.
His absence will no doubt be a massive blow for the Eagles because of the form he's been in and how important he has become for them recently.
Eddie Nketiah will lead the line in Mateta's absence here and he'll be determined to make the most of this opportunity.
Ipswich went out of the FA Cup to Nottingham Forest on Monday via penalties and their full focus will now be on Premier League survival.
Kieran McKenna's side have a better record on the road than they do at home this season and that might give them a small chance of getting something here.
Palace don't have the best of records at home and are without their top scorer in Mateta. But I still think they'll come out on top here because of the quality they have.
PREDICTION: 2-0
LIVERPOOL V SOUTHAMPTON
Liverpool had Alisson to thank for against PSG in midweek as his many saves more than kept them in the game.
Arne Slot might make some changes for this one with the second leg in mind but I don't think he'll make too many as his side are fighting for a league title. They are playing a side with no confidence in Southampton, but I still think they'll play a strong enough team.
Southampton gave Liverpool a good game when the two sides last met back in November and their performance on the day was one of the very few good ones they've put in this season.
Everyone knows that they're pretty much doomed, but if their is something that they have left to play for, it is getting more than the 11 points Derby got in 2007/08.
The saints have 8 so far this season and there is a possibility that they could break that record as they have very little confidence on board.
This game will definitely end with a Liverpool win and a comfortable one too.
PREDICTION: 4-0
BRENTFORD V ASTON VILLA
Brentford had the best home record in the league earlier in the season, which I have said quite a bit over the last few weeks, but since their incredible home form ended they haven't won any games on home soil.
I think that winless run at home will end here though as Villa are on a terrible run away from home, and come into this game off the back of playing in the Champions League.
Aston Villa have won just once in games after playing in Europe during the week and I don't see that changing here.
With their poor away form alongside that, I'm backing the Bees to win here.
PREDICTION: 2-1
WOLVES V EVERTON
Wolves will be without main man Matheus Cunha for this one and possibly the next few following his red card against Bournemouth in the FA Cup where he completely lost control.
His absence will definitely be a major blow for Wolves, but I don't see it having a major impact on their survival chances as there is still a big enough gap between themselves and the bottom three.
Everton on the other hand will have their in-form forward available in Beto who has been on fire since David Moyes returned to the club.
The Toffees are unbeaten since losing their first game under David Moyes against Aston Villa and their form since has ruled them out of being in a relegation battle.
Because of Wolves being without Cunha, I can only see this one ending with an Everton victory.
PREDICTION: 0-1
SUNDAY:
CHELSEA V LEICESTER
Chelsea's last league game saw them hammer Southampton 4-0 and they have the chance here to build some consistency.
This game should be nearly as straight forward as the Southampton game as the Leicester side they're playing are also struggling and very low on confidence.
The reverse fixture was Steve Cooper's last game in charge of Leicester and there are some people who think that it was wrong to sack him and replace him with Van Nistelrooy.
I can understand why some would think that as the Foxes have only got worse since Van Nistelrooy took over, and both their performances and the stats can back that up.
It's not all his fault though as the team he inherited wasn't a Premier League quality team, and he wasn't backed in January to bring in new players to improve the team.
I can only see things get worse for his side in this one as I think it will be a comfortable Chelsea win.
PREDICTION: 3-0
TOTTENHAM V BOURNEMOUTH
Spurs were beginning to climb up the table prior to their defeat to Man City in their last league game and were bolstered by the returns of some key players through injury.
They have more players on their way back in Micky Van De Ven, Christian Romero and Dominic Solanke, all of whom could be available for this game.
Bournemouth still have a place in Europe in their sights, but they have lost three of their last four in the league including back to back defeats to Wolves and Brighton.
That could be a sign that the pressure of being European contenders is beginning to get to them as they're not used to being in the position they're in.
Both teams will definitely score here as they're both attack minded teams, but I think Spurs will claim the points as they have players coming back and I have a sneaky feeling that they'll win this one.
PREDICTION: 2-1
MAN UNITED V ARSENAL
The Europa League is all Man United have left to play for this season following their FA Cup exit at the hands of Fulham last weekend.
We all know they're not going to qualify for Europe and they're probably not going to finish in the top 10 either because of the form they're in.
Ruben Amorim's side got a draw against Arsenal in the FA Cup before beating them on penalties back in January, and it's against the so-called big teams where they play better.
Arsenal were ruthless against PSV in midweek and their performance in that game will surely give them a lot of confidence.
There has been a lot of talk about them not having a recognised striker and their failure to bring one in during the January transfer window. Their performance against PSV will have no doubt silenced their doubters.
But this game will be tougher as I think United will turn up and put in a performance like they have done whenever they take on one of the so-called big teams.
I don't see them winning this one, but I do think they'll put in a performance and nick a draw.
PREDICTION: 1-1
MONDAY:
WEST HAM V NEWCASTLE
West Ham come into this game off the back of two straight wins over Arsenal and Leicester which will give them some much needed confidence.
They got off to a stuttering start under Graham Potter, but things might be beginning to turn for them following those two impressive wins.
Newcastle have been far from convincing in recent weeks and that could be because they have one eye on next weekend's Carabao Cup final.
They'll be without Anthony Gordon for both this game and the cup final following his sending off against Brighton in the FA Cup, and his absence will be a massive blow for them.
I think the Magpies will have one eye on the cup final again in this one and because of that and West Ham beginning to find some form under Graham Potter, I'm backing the Hammers to claim the points here.
PREDICTION: 2-0
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