We’re back with another packed weekend of Premier League football spread out over Saturday, Sunday and the UK’s Bank Holiday Monday – it’s a football feast fit for a king!
First up are the 3pm games, where Chelsea once again try to win a game, this time away at Bournemouth – maybe £600m can nab a goal at least? There’s also Big Sam’s return as Leeds go to the Eithad, and a shedload of games across Sunday and Monday for the Coronation weekend – the crown jewel being Arsenal’s trip to Newcastle at 4:30pm for Super Sunday.
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So, it’s only fitting that we bow down and vow fealty to the Crown Prince of the Correct Score call, our resident tipster and Premier League prediction King, Mark Lawrenson. He’s coming into this weekend off a cracking performance last week too so tremble in fear at the awesome power of Lawro’s Premier League picks…
Saturday 3pm: Bournemouth v Chelsea
Bournemouth have done so well. Like many people, I would’ve had them as favourites to be relegated at the start of the season but they’ve really had an excellent campaign. When you think they get 12,000 people a week on the gate, it’s amazing.
I think they might consider renaming the team at Chelsea to Chelsea-nil after this season but I will give them at least a goal here. I still think Bournemouth could come out as winners though, which would be a massive result and virtually guarantee they’ll stay up.
Bournemouth 2-1 Chelsea
Saturday 3pm: Man City v Leeds
The first thing to say with Sam Allardyce coming in at Leeds is he’ll want to make them difficult to beat, but they’ve been conceding goals like there’s no tomorrow and City are on a great run. Kevin De Bruyne didn’t even play in midweek so is rested coming into this and we all know about Haaland and his record. It wouldn’t surprise me if Pep Guardiola changes his team around some more ahead of the Champions League tie next week, but they’ve so many outstanding players they can still cope with Leeds. I’ll go for a comfortable City win.
Man City 3-0 Leeds
Saturday 3pm: Spurs v Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace look safe now at 40 points. Quite a few people groaned when they saw them bringing in their old manager Roy Hodgson to rescue them, but he’s done a fab job there.
You just don’t know what Tottenham will do the way they are playing. I was at Anfield last week and saw some of their fans leaving when they were 3-0 down. And then they came back! In part that was down to Liverpool getting lax, of course. They are at home though and the fact Palace are clear of the drop now might favour Spurs.
Spurs 2-0 Crystal Palace
Saturday 3pm: Wolves v Aston Villa
Julen Lopetegui had to apologise last week after Brighton pummeled Wolves 6-0 but he hasn’t done a bad job since he came in and I’d be pretty sure they’ll tighten things up this week after that last performance.
Aston Villa have been as good as anyone since Unai Emery arrived but this is a midlands derby too and I wouldn’t be surprised if it finished a draw.
Wolves 1-1 Aston Villa
Saturday 5:30pm: Liverpool v Brentford
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
Brentford had a brilliant result last week, it’s always great to get two goals late to turn a game around like that. Liverpool have won five on the trot but they still look a bit all over the place at the back to me. I was at Fulham in midweek and they were unlucky not to get a point from that game.
Still, this is at Anfield, so I’d expect a home win.
Liverpool 2-0 Brentford
Sunday 4:30pm: Newcastle v Arsenal
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
I just have a feeling that this game has 1-1 written all over it.
Defensively, Newcastle have been very, very good this season. They also have a very strong home record – only Liverpool have won at St James’ Park all season. Teams find it difficult to go and play there. Arsenal in their last few games have been conceding goals. They’ve got ahead in games and been hauled back, so I can see this being quite tight and it finishing as a score draw.
Newcastle 1-1 Arsenal
Sunday 7pm: West Ham v Man United
TV: BT Sport 1
Man United have been playing non-stop it seems in recent weeks. They just played on Thursday night at Brighton, losing in the last minute, and now they’re away again to face West Ham. They look a better team recently than have all season and they are difficult to play against.
But I think if you said to David Moyes now would you take a draw, he would. He’ll be very vigilant and cautious at home and I can see this playing out as a draw.
West Ham 1-1 Man United
Monday 3pm: Fulham v Leicester
Fulham have done very well this season, and have some good players who other clubs will want. They’re a big, formidable team too and I like the way they play. João Palhinha in particular impressed me against Liverpool and I think a lot of clubs would take him in a heartbeat if they got the chance.
Leicester have had bit of an upsurge with their new management structure recently. They probably thought at 2-1 up against Everton that they were going to get a vital three points, but it wasn’t to be and they only drew.
There’ll be more disappointment for them this Monday I think as I fancy Fulham to win here.
Fulham 2-1 Leicester
Monday 5:30pm: Brighton v Everton
TV: BT Sport 1
I’ll go for 2-0 Brighton here simply because goals have been a massive problem for Everton all season, despite the fact they got two against Leicester.
Brighton are a really good footballing team. They’ve been like that the last couple of years but now they’ve added more goals to the team as well. That’s made all the difference for them this season and I can see a solid win for them on Monday.
Brighton 2-0 Everton
Monday 8pm: Nottm Forest v Southampton
TV: Sky Sports Main Event
It feels like Southampton are doomed anyway. I think they are gone. Forest’s home form was really strong but it has dipped. However, I still feel like they can get the result they need here. It’ll give them a chance of surviving.
Nottm Forest 2-0 Southampton
LAWRO V PUNTER CHALLENGE
So, you’ve heard what Mark Lawrenson has to say, but can this week’s Paddy Power punter take down our game-guessing guru with their Premier League predictions?
If you don’t know what we’re talking about, where have you been? Every Premier League gameweek we’re putting up at least £/€50 – more if there’s a rollover – to anyone who can outsmart Lawro in guessing the outcome of that week’s games. All the rules are here, but in a nutshell it’s three points for a correct score, and one point for a correct result. Simples.
There’s £/€100 up for grabs this weekend after Lawro saw off the challenge of Ian from Kilbeggan last weekend as he picked five correct results and nailed one the 2-1 scoreline in Brentford v Forest to run out an 8-6 winner.
This week, Chris, a Wolves fan from Leeds puts it up to the prognosticator extraordinaire in our predictions game!
Here are his correct score calls…
Bournemouth 2-1 Chelsea
Man City 2-0 Leeds
Spurs 1-1 Crystal Palace
Wolves 1-1 Aston Villa
Liverpool 2-1 Brentford
Newcastle 2-2 Arsenal
West Ham 1-3 Man Utd
Fulham 1-1 Leicester
Brighton 4-0 Everton
Forest 2-1 Southampton
The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com right now
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