PREMIERSHIP PREDICTIONS
Premiership Predictions & Correct Scores for the weekend of April 21st – 25th 2010
by Doug Martin
Best Predicted result(s) of the previous weekend: “Everton beating Blackburn away which is a difficult place to get three points” as well as “Villa beating Portsmouth away & Liverpool beating West Ham at home both by the correct score”
Last weekend saw some surprising results especially Arsenal losing a two goal lead at Wigan to lose 3-2 in the last ten minutes. I predicted only four out of ten for the weekend but managed two correct scores. Those were Villa winning 2-1 at Portsmouth & Liverpool beating West Ham 3-0 at home. My other correct results were Everton winning at Blackburn & Sunderland beating Burnley at home.
Onto This weekend’s predictions & the title race is wide open again as Manchester United gained a great three points with a deserved win at rivals Manchester City while Chelsea lost 2-1 at Spurs. Arsenal are now out of the title after a very bad defeat at Wigan. They were 2-0 up with ten minutes left & somehow managed to lose 3-2. I really couldn’t see Manchester United or Chelsea having that type of result.
Good luck & see you all next week.
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Villa had a good 2-1 win at bottom club Portsmouth on Sunday which was good for me as I predicted just that result/scoreline. That result leaves Villa in 6th place but six points behind Spurs in 4th place. With so few games left it is unlikely that they will overtake Spurs for that Champions League place but never say never. They are behind Liverpool by just the one point & this game is the game in hand that they have over them, obviously it goes without saying that they will overtake Liverpool if they win at Hull. Despite their defeats to Chelsea Vila have recovered well to win at Bolton & Portsmouth & draw at home with in form Everton. Hull managed a very good 0-0 draw at Hull on Saturday to close the gap on West Ham to three points in their battle to avoid the drop. This is their game in hand on everyone around them at the bottom & it is a vital game as well as a very hard game for them. I think that Villa will sneak a win as they have a very good away record this season especially against sides in the bottom half of the table.
Result Prediction: Aston Villa to win
Score Prediction: Hull 1 Aston Villa 2
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Arsenal’s two defeats on the trot at Spurs & Wigan on Sunday have ended their title chances which means it will be another season without a trophy for the club. A shame as their football at times deserves better. They are obviously assured of Champions League football for next season & only have pride to play for now. They now face a Manchester City side that lost rather disappointingly at home to Manchester United 1-0 in the 94th minute. I watched the game & I thought they deserved to lose as they just didn’t seem as hungry for the game as United. With Spurs beating Chelsea this now means that City are two points behind Spurs who have overtaken them. It’s all to play for in terms of 4th place. This is a tuff game for City but they did beat Arsenal 4-2 at home earlier in the season. Arsenal will obviously be looking for revenge after that defeat especially as they also lost in the League cup to City as well. I think it will be a good game & a close one but Arsenal will just shade it which could mean trouble for city & that 4th place.
Result Prediction: An Arsenal win
Score Prediction: Arsenal 2 Manchester City 1
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Bolton are all but safe now after their great 2-1 win at Stoke which was a result I didn’t see coming especially after their recent form going into the game. Bolton now face a Portsmouth side who lost again, this time at home to Aston Villa on Sunday. They are in the FA Cup final which has amazed me & I suspect a lot of other people as well. Portsmouth have only won six games in the league all season. They lost at home to Bolton earlier in the season & I think Bolton will win this one as well. Portsmouth have only one twice away all season as well, at Wolves & Burnley. It would be great if Portsmouth won the FA Cup final which if they did would be the greatest upset since Sunderland then of the second division beat Leeds United the then holders & runners up in the title that year by a whisker to Brian Clough’s Derby County. A home win & a pretty easy one as well.
Result Prediction: Bolton to win
Score Prediction: Bolton 2 Portsmouth 0
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Hull improved their chances of staying up with a useful 0-0 draw away against Birmingham City last Saturday. If they had not had that dreadful home defeat to Burnley the week before then they would be out of the relegation zone. They now face a Sunderland side who are safe for another season thanks mainly to their excellent home form. They beat Burnley at home last Saturday to confirm their good home form even if it was only 2-1 in the end. However, their away form has basically been crap. They haven’t won away since they beat Bolton on the opening day of the season. They have only managed a few draws since then at Blackburn & amazingly Manchester United when they were only denied victory by an injury time goal for United. I think that Hull will manage a win here as they are so desperate but I have ni idea if it will be enough for them to stay up.
Result Prediction: A Hull win
Score Prediction: Hull 2 Sunderland 1
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Match 5: Manchester United - Tottenham: (Saturday April 24th 12.45pm):United are back in the title race after their 1-0 away at Manchester City last Saturday. With Chelsea losing at Spurs 2-1 the lead at the top is now down to just the one point. United now face A spurs side who have beaten both Arsenal & Chelsea in the last week. Spurs have a very bad recent record at old Trafford & it will be interesting to see how they do. I suspect they will lose but it might be a close game. Spurs have recovered well after their 2-0 Fa Cup Semi final defeat to Portsmouth but on their last away trip they lost badly at Sunderland 3-1. Spurs away victories so far this season have been at Stoke, Blackburn, Portsmouth, West Ham, Wigan & Hull. Their record suggests that they are not so good away at the bigger teams but they have managed draws at Aston Villa & Everton. United have only lost twice at home this season to Aston Villa & recently Chelsea but I can’t see them losing a third time. Will this victory help United go top of the Premiership with so few games left? We will see.
Result Prediction: A Home win for United
Score Prediction: Manchester United 3 Spurs 1
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Match 6: West Ham - Wigan: (Saturday 24th April: 3pm):This is a vital game to both sides but more so West Ham because of their worse position in the table. They are only three points ahead of Hull below them while Wigan thanks to that 3-2 victory over Arsenal are seven points clear & virtually safe from relegation. West Ham lost 3-0 at Liverpool on Monday night as I predicted which ended their little unbeaten run of two games. They need a victory to put some more daylight between themselves & Hull who are playing a Sunderland side who are not that great away, so no slip ups. A lot of people including myself were surprised by Wigan’s victory against Arsenal last Sunday but in retrospect It wasn’t that big a shock as Wigan had beaten Chelsea & Liverpool at home already this season . Wigan have been very inconsistent this season as was proved by them drawing at home with lowly Portsmouth 0-0 the match before they beat Arsenal 3-2. Mad. I think because Wigan have less to play for & they have a bad a way record that West Ham will win this game but with Wigan as has been proved before this season you can never be to sure.
Result Prediction: A West Ham win
Score Prediction: West Ham 2 Wigan 0
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Match 7: Wolves - Blackburn: (Saturday 24th April: 3pm):Wolves improved form continues this time with a very good 0-0 draw away at Fulham. They have now only lost once in their last six games & that was a 94th minute defeat at Arsenal. They now face a Blackburn side who are safe from the drop & lost for only the third time this season at home to Everton last Saturday (as I predicted). A Wolves win would almost certainly see them safe for a second season in the top flight. They are six points ahead of Hull & so victory will be very welcome. Blackburn’s away form is the complete opposite of their home form, i.e., it is crap. Blackburn beat Wolves 3-1 earlier in the season & I should know as I was at the game. I think Wolves have grown up since that defeat & have become harder to beat as the season has progressed. Wolves drew at home with mid table Stoke City 0-0 last time out. Wolves have already beaten Bolton & Burnley at home this season so Will they beat the third side beginning with “B” in the Premiership? I think so. A home win but it will be a low scoring game.
Result Prediction: A Wolves win
Score Prediction: Wolves 2 Blackburn 1
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Match 8: Aston Villa - Birmingham: (Sunday 25th April: 12pm):This is the big one, at least in Birmingham it is. Villa are still hoping they can catch Spurs & Manchester City & make 4th place come the end of the season. I don’t think they will but it has been a good effort by Villa. It has also been a good effort by Birmingham this season as most people including myself thought they would go straight down. They had a bad start but they recovered well & as a bonus reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup. However, their away form in the second part of the season has been bad. They have only won once since the new year & that was at bottom club Portsmouth. They lost one of only two home defeats this season 1-0 to Villa earlier in the season. They are a changed animal since then & I think they will make this game very difficult for Villa but I think that Villa will prevail but it will be a close game. It must also be pointed out that Villa have a good home record this season having only lost twice to Wigan & Liverpool. A home win.
Result Prediction: An Aston Villa win
Score Prediction: Aston Villa 2 Birmingham City 1
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Match 9: Burnley - Liverpool: (Sunday 25th April 3pm):Burnley lost again last Saturday, this time 2-1 at Sunderland which more or less proved that the 4-1 win at Hull was a blip & that they had not turned the corner. Brian laws it seems is still going to take them down. They now face a Liverpool side who are still in with a chance of a 4th place finish but it is looking more & more unlikely. Liverpool’s away record is dreadful as we all know. They have lost 8 times away this season as apposed to just two defeats in the whole of last season. Those away defeats in full then: Spurs, Portsmouth, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Wigan, Sunderland & Fulham. I think because Burnley have lost their home form which was pointed out in big style by Manchester City’s 6-1 victory in their last home game. To me the 2-1 home defeat to Wolves was when I realised that they were doomed. Anyway, I just can’t see Liverpool losing this game because despite their bad form in the league this season they are still a match for Burnley who are looking doomed. A shame.
Result Prediction: A Liverpool win
Score Prediction: Burnley 1 Liverpool 3
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Match 10: Chelsea - Stoke City: (Sunday 25th April 4pm):Chelsea lost at Spurs last Saturday which has allowed Manchester United back into the title race as they are now only the one point behind Chelsea now. That 2-1 victory at Old Trafford by Chelsea is now looking very vital. Chelsea now meet a Stoke side who they have beaten twice already this season. They won 2-1 at Stoke in the League & of course beat Stoke in the FA Cup Quarter Finals as well. Stoke lost at home to Bolton last Saturday which suggests that they have taken their foot off the pedal since they confirmed their stay in the Premiership for another season. Chelsea as their manager has said need to keep their heads as the title is still in their own hands. Chelsea’s home form is excellent this season with only the one defeat to Manchester City & only one draw at home to Everton before Christmas which somehow seems a long time ago. Chelsea were rather lucky in their last home game as they only just beat a Bolton side 1-0 who felt rather angry that they were not awarded a least one penalty in that defeat. A home win for Chelsea.
Result Prediction: A Chelsea win
Score Prediction: Chelsea 3 Stoke 0
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Match 11: Everton - Fulham: (Sunday 25th April: 3pm):Everton are ending the season well as was proved by their great 3-2 victory at Blackburn last Saturday, a ground where it has been difficult this season to get a result. If Everton had played the first half of the season like they have in the second then they would be in 4th place & therefore Champions League qualification. A shame as I like Everton. It will be interesting to see how Everton do at the start of next season. They now face a Fulham side who have achieved safety as well as a fantastic run in Europe reaching the semi finals where they play Hamburg away on Thursday. The travelling might prove a problem for them recovering for this game & to be honest their away form is bad enough without that sort of help. Fulham’s away record is not good then & Everton’s form is very good. A no brainier to me. A home win & some revenge for Everton as they lost at Fulham 2-1 earlier in the season.
Result Prediction: A home win
Score Prediction: Everton 3 Fulham 1
That’s all for this week. See you all next week for more fun.
Douglas Martin
April 20th 2010
dapmartin@hotmail.co.uk
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