As the noise of Chelsea's long run of straight wins settles after being manhandled by Spurs in their last league fixture during the festive season. The week 21 round of matches kicks off with Tottenham entertaining West Brom at White hart lane, while new manager Silva and his Hull City team welcome Eddie Howe's AFC Bournemouth. Arsenal take on familiar foe in Swansea City while Leicester City will try to replicate what they did to Manchester City the last time they faced a big team in the late kick off on saturday as they host title favourite Chelsea.
The Super Sunday games presents us with the star match of the week but before then Everton will take on Man City in the battle of the Blues.
Saturday 14/01/2017
Tottenham Vs West Brom 1:30pm
Spurs return to play once again in front of their fans for the third time in 12 days. White Hart lane have come to be a happy haunting ground for spurs as they are yet to be beaten at home in the league this season. It will be remembered that it was on the same ground that they ended Chelsea's run of 13 straight wins and for the first time in a long while leaving Antonio Conte with nothing to celebrate about on the touch line not to talk of offering and receiving hugs. Going by statistics Spurs have an 87% win ratio at home which makes them huge favourites for this one.
West brom will be hoping to bounce back from the FA cup defeat to Derby County to get something from this game but the odds are all against them as they have conceded a goal in each of their last 8 matches while Spurs have scored in 100% of their home matches and are unbeaten in their last 10 games at home.
Prediction: Tottenham 2 - 0 West Brom (1, over 1.5)
Burnley Vs Southampton 4pm
Turf Moor is a difficult place to visit, you can ask Manchester United, Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Sunderland. This weekend Southampton will be the most recent team to visit Turf moor as they tackle Burnley on their journey towards resurgence on the back of three successive defeats in the league. Southampton will be boasted by the fact they defeated Liverpool 1 - 0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi finals at home (Saint Marys') and will be hoping to carryover the form and luck into this particular game as they seek to end their disastrous run of form.
Burnley on the other hand will be worried so much as they will be oozing with confidence knowing that 96% of their points have been earned at home and have also scored 86% of their goals no place other than at home. So with Burnley it is true of the saying, 'no place like home''.
Prediction: Burnley 0 - 1 Southampton (X2, over 0.5)
Hull City Vs AFC Bournemouth 4pm
Marco Silva will be given his first taste of what games in the EPL feels like when his team welcomes Bournemouth to the KCO Stadium. Any one who watched the EFL Cup tie against Man Utd on Tuesday will no doubt believe that Hull City are a work in progress. But the EPL being a difficult league and presents no one with a breathing space for learning, Hull will have to put to action all they have leaned within a short while in this game against a tough Bournemouth side who can not only play football but also score goals as Arsenal were made to find out.
Having seen Marco Silva perform wonders in his previous clubs, I have no other option than to back him up for a win in this game.
Prediction: Hull City 2 - 1 Bournemouth (x1, GG, over 1.5)
Sunderland Vs Stoke City 4pm
This is one of those games you don't even know on what bases you will use to judge both teams not to talk of coming up with a prediction. But going by the performance of Sunderland against Liverpool on the 2nd of January 2017, I see them having an answer to the questions Stoke City will be asking of them.
Prediction: Sunderland 0 - 0 Stoke City (X)
Swansea Vs Arsenal 4pm
Some season ago this fixture will send shiver through the spine of Arsenal supporters knowing well that Swansea always have a way of getting the edge over them; having defeated them 2 - 1 on 9th of November 2015, and 0 - 1 on 11 May 2015 (same season) and also during the reign of Christian Michu. Currently Arsenal have nothing to worry about as they embark on this trip to Wales. Swansea may have their third manager already this season but that will not make any difference as the Gunners get set to sweep anything that is on their path as they seek to amend for the lacklustre performance they produced last time out against Bournemouth where striker Giroud was criticised for celebrating his last minute equaliser as though his team had just won the Champions League. Mesut Ozil was recently quoted in the papers saying that Wenger offers him the freedom on the pitch'' and it will be expected that he will ultilize that freedom to cause damage to the Swans.
Watford Vs Middlesbrough 4pm
This is a fixture between two teams struggling for form with Watford winning just once in six attempt and Middlesbrough also boasting of a similar record.
In terms of quality of play at the moment Middlesbrough seems to be the better of both sides.
It is also worth mentioning that both teams won their respective FA Cup games last weekend. And that will make this a must watch for the neutrals.
Watford won the first meeting between this sides in October and will be hoping to do a double over Middlesbrough and with Tom Cleverly signing for Watford I think that will make a lot of difference.
Prediction: Watford 2 - 1 Middlesbrough (x1,GG, over 1.5)
West Ham Vs Crystal Palace 4pm
The news of Dimitri Payet not wanting to play for West Ham again have tilted the balance in this fixture. This will be the perfect time for big Sam to get his team to start winning games.
West Ham suffered a whooping at the hands of Manchester City in the third round of the FA cup, and now being rocked by the news of Payet refusal to play coupled with the departure of some of the players for the AFCON, I don't see them psychologically ready to get anything from this fixture.
Prediction: West Ham 1 - 3 Crystal Palace (2, GG, over 2.5)
Leicester City Vs Chelsea 5:30pm
Chelsea responded well to their defeat to spurs with a 4 -1 win against Peterborough United, they will be hoping to replicate that performance against the defending champions.
Leicester on the other hand came from a goal down to win 1-2 against Everton, with Ahmed Musa scoring a brace and new signing Wilfred Ndidi making an impressive debut.
Prediction: Leicester City 1 - 2 Chelsea (x2, over 1.5)
Sunday 13/01/2017
Everton Vs Man City 1:30pm
The Super Sunday kicks off with this mouth watering clash. On paper this appears to be a difficult game but in reality if things go as planned it will simply be a walk over for Manchester City. Everton have finally rediscovered how to win games with 3 wins in their last 6 games and a draw making it just two defeats in 6. Having recently thrown away a 1 goal led to loose 1 - 2 to Leicester in the FA cup, this fixture might be coming too soon for them as they try to build up their confidence and continue their upward movement on the table.
Prediction: Everton 0 - 3 Manchester City (2, over 1.5)
Manchester United Vs Liverpool 5pm
Manchester United 15 games unbeaten record in all competition will be put to the test this weekend as they welcome Liverpool to old trafford. Man Utd have enjoyed victory over Liverpool in this fixture whenever it is played on a Sunday with the one united fans will remember faster being the one starred by Juan Mata in which he scored a spectacular bicycle kick and the sending off of Steven Gerrard after 40 seconds on the pitch.
Mourinho has called on the old trafford crowd ''not just to show up to the theatre but to play with the team'' and whenever any manager from United make such appeal the home crowd have never disappointed.
Prediction: Manchester United 2 - 0 Liverpool (1, over 1.5)
