EPL Week 17 Prediction

The premier league enters its week 17 this weekend as the battle for the top four places intensify. With league leader Chelsea looking to extend their lead at the top as their close rivals face tough opponents meaning that points will be dropped. While Manchester United will be looking to close the gap between themself and the current occupants of the top four.
Crystal Palace and Chelsea kick off the week 17 round of matches with an early game while West Brom and Man Utd concludes the Saturday fixtures with the day's last kick off. While Sunday sees the biggest game of the round between Manchester City and Arsenal then the week 17 round of matches concludes on Monday with the Merseyside Derby.
Saturday 17/12/2016
Crystal Palace Vs Chelsea 1:30pm
Crystal Palace will be heading into this one at the back of a painful defeat to Manchester United in midweek at the Selhurst park. Luckily for them they will still be the host for this one as Chelsea come visiting. Despite their defeat to United, Alan Pardew's men can take solace in the fact that they put up a great fight against a star stunted United side and will be hoping they can repeat such against a Chelsea side that are currently unbeaten in their last 10 matches.

Chelsea having extended their lead at the top by 6 points on Wednesday with a 1 - 0 win against Sunderland thanks to a Cesc Fabregas goal, will be coming into this one knowing that the English premier league does not give room for lapses and will be hoping to escape with anything they can get at Selhurst park.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Chelsea (X, GG, over 0.5)


Middlesbrough Vs Swansea City 4pm
This is a battle between the 17th placed team and the 18th placed team in the league both coming into this at the back of a defeat at the midweek games conceding 3 goals each.
Middlesbrough will be hoping to return to winning ways after two consecutive defeats, which have seen them drop to 17th. Playing at the Riverside once again will prove to be the difference for them going into this fixture.
Swansea on the other hand are yet to maintain a good run of form which have seen them record both wins, draw and defeats in their last 6 games.
Middlesbrough boast of a 29% home win ratio but it is still far better than Swansea's 17%  away win ratio this season.
Prediction: Middlesbrough 2 - 1 Swansea City (1x, GG, over 1.5)

Stoke City Vs Leicester City 4pm
10 men Stoke city escape unstained against a strong Southampton side on Wednesday. The Potters have lost just twice in their last 6 games. They will be coming up against the defending champions who from the look of things have prioritize the UEFA Champions league over the league this season. Leicester may have defeated Manchester City 4 -2 over the weekend but they do not look nothing like Leicester City of last season. They will be hoping to avoid a defeat in this one to disengage themselves from the relegation battle come May 2017.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 - 1 Leicester City (X, GG, over 1.5) 

Sunderland Vs Watford 4pm
This may sound unbelievable but Sunderland have recorded 3 wins in their last 6 matches and have also suffered the same number of defeat. They come up against a Watford side that have been reinforced with the recovery of Nigeria strikers Isaac Success and Odion Jude Ighalo from injury and the heavy presence of striker Okaka.
Sunderland have the advantage of playing at home and also having an experienced manager in David Moyes which may play in their favour in this one. With that said I cannot see anything other than a win for Sunderland in this one.
Prediction: Sunderland 1 - 0 Watford (1, over 0.5)

West Ham Vs Hull City 4pm
At this stage of the season am sure most Hull City supporters will be disappointed with their position on the league table despite having appointed a former understudy of the league greatest manager Alex Ferguson in Mike Phelan. Hull City currently sit on the 19th position with a single win in their last 6 matches. They will hoping this season become a learning curve for them if they don't get relegated come May.
They will be paying a visit to the Olympic stadium for this weekend fixture against a West Ham side that have tasted all the big teams in the land and are happy with the line up of fixtures they have this festive period as they have showed with  their 1 - 0 defeat of Burnley and I see them extending their number of wins to two with this fixture.
Prediction: West Ham 1 - 0 Hull City (1, over 0.5)

West Brom Vs Manchester United  6:30pm
I have always been of the opinion that this games (last game of Saturday) have a way of being tricky and things do not usually go according to plan. For this one, the plan would have been for a West Brom upset but for it being a late game, I see United being the one to cause the upset. It not always you hear a United win being called an upset but with the way the season have gone so far for them, that is what it is going to be.
West brom have been on a very fine form of late, they boast of a 58% home win ratio which is a little above average, a Form which have seen them suffer just a single defeat in their last 6 games with four wins and one draw.

Manchester United themselves are currently unbeaten in their last 7 matches a record people do not take notice of due to high number of draws in that run. But United are gradually picking up form after having recorded back to back win for the first time in the league since their flawless August. They will be hoping to keep the gap between themselves and the top four very minimal and a victory against West Brom will be enough to do the magic.
Prediction: West Brom 1 - 2 Manchester United  (X2, GG, over 1.5)

Sunday 18/12/2016
AFC Bournemouth Vs Southampton 2:30pm
The 9th placed team in the league take on the 10th placed team with both team hoping to finish at the top half of the table come May 2017. Considering current form Afc Bournemouth are obviously favourite for this one, bearing in mind that the game will be played at the Vitality stadium where they hold a 67% win ratio. Southampton failed to capitalize on their numeric advantage against Stoke City on Wednesday night where they both shared 1 points after a goalless draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Southampton will be looking to concentrate more on the league after being eliminated from the Europa League and a win here will be enough to put them on the right track.
Prediction: Bournemouth 2 - 1 Southampton. (X1, GG, over 1.5)

Mancherster City Vs Arsenal 5pm
When the league began in August this was the most anticipated game of the season with the two team sweeping pass their opponent. But as the league progressed City began to drop points here and there which now sees them 4th on the log one point below Arsenal who too have topped the table at a certain stage this season.
City will be without star striker Kun Aguero and Fernadihno who both were suspended after their involvement in the clash with Chelsea players in their 1 - 3 defeat to the Blues at the start of the month. With llkay Gundogan  injured, Yaya Toure will walk himself back into the team which will be a big boost to the team.

Arsenal will be looking to extend the gap between them and City and they know that only a win against the Citizens will make that possible. But having suffered a setback against Everton on Tuesday night Arsenal may not poise much threat as they could if they had left Goodison park with all three points.
Prediction: Manchester City 2 - 2 Arsenal 

Tottenham Hotspurs Vs Burnley 5pm
Tottenham are beginning to look more like themselves after they destroyed Hull city 3 - 0 on Wednesday night in the week 16 of the English Premier League.
They will be happy to welcome Burnley to White Hart Lane, as they continue the surge to secure a place in Europe come next season.
Burnley themselves will be looking at the game ahead because they do not stand a chance against a Spurs side who are looking to make up for lost grounds in the league after being relegated from the UEFA Champions league to the Europa league.
Prediction: Tottenham 3 - 0 Burnley (1, over 1.5)

Monday 19/12/2016

Everton Vs Liverpool 9pm
The Merseyside Derby have always been a game that provides us with huge entertainment, but this season's own will have an added spices with the current form of Liverpool and the dazzling skills of Mane.. Though I know that such game have nothing to do with form. Everton may have defeated Arsenal on Tuesday, and Liverpool defeating Middlesbrough but all these mean nothing when both team line up against each other on Monday night. Its one of those games that pride is at stake.
 Prediction: Everton 0 - 0 Liverpool (X)