With the midweek madness behind us and the FA Cup semi-finals set to steal the show this weekend we have just six fixtures in the Premier League to look forward and as ever there are a couple of little London derbies thrown into the mix.
Premier League fixtures:
Saturday, April 21st
West Brom vs Liverpool
Watford vs Crystal Palace
Sunday, April 22nd
Arsenal vs West Ham
Stoke vs Burnley
Man City vs Swansea
Monday, April 23rd
Everton vs Newcastle
West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool
The Hawthorns, Birmingham
The Baggies ill fate could be sealed this weekend with three games to play, if they are defeated at home by Liverpool and results elsewhere go against them. West Brom have won just seven games all season, with three of those coming in the cup competitions although victories over this weekend’s opponents Liverpool at Anfield in January was followed up most recently with a smash-and-grab 1-0 win against might Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out to preserve their survival hopes for at least another week. The last time Liverpool lost a league match at the Hawthorns was on the opening day of the season in 2012 when they were humbled 3-0, although a subsequent run of three successive draws there was ended in the corresponding fixture last season when Roberto Firmino scored to seal a 1-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Writer’s Pick: West Brom 1-2 Liverpool
Watford vs Crystal Palace
Vicarage Road, London
Two teams not quite out of the relegation scrap just yet, Watford and Crystal Palace, both of whom have endured managerial changes this campaign, will clash in the first of the weekend’s London derbies. The Hornets are without a win in five since beating bottom side West Brom over a month ago while Crystal Palace on the other hand have now picked up two wins from their last four matches following a seven-match winless streak prior to that. Watford have won just two of their last 15 matches against Palace in all competitions, dating back to their Championship days with their last home victory against the Eagles coming as far back as February 2009. Bakary Sako and James McArthur each scored within the space of a minute, right at the death, to secure a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win for Palace when the sides met in December.
Writer’s Pick: Watford 2-2 Crystal Palace
Arsenal vs West Ham United
The Emirates Stadium, London
The second London derby of the weekend is a slightly more spicy affair as West Ham United make the short trip north to take on the Gunners in their own backyard. The Hammers became the first-ever team to beat Arsenal in a competitive fixture at the Emirates when Bobby Zamora scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win for the visitors. Since then though West Ham have only recorded one win in 21 matches across all competitions against them, coincidentally, at the Emirates once more, this time by a 2-0 scoreline on the opening day in August 2015. This fixture has seen 108 goals in 53 Premier League encounters, at an average of 2.04 goals per game. Three second-half goals earned all three points for Arsene Wenger’s men in this fixture last year before a 0-0 draw at the London Stadium earlier the season.
Writer’s Pick: Arsenal 3-0 West Ham
Stoke City vs Burnley
Bet365 Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent
The Clarets have had a stellar season under Sean Dyche and despite their defeat at home to Chelsea on Thursday evening, Burnley still find themselves in the lofty heights of seventh place ahead of their trip to Stoke who are in serious need of a win if they are to have any say in the fate of their Premier League lives. The Potters have won two of their last three home matches against Burnley in the division including a 2-0 victory in the corresponding fixture last season. Jon Walters was on the scoresheet that day for Stoke, but now plies his trade for Burnley and could make an appearance at his old stomping ground on Sunday.
Writers Pick: Stoke 1-2 Burnley
Manchester City vs Swansea City
The Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Manchester City will take to the field for the first time as newly crowned champions when they welcome Swansea City to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The Swans have won just once in 13 top-flight matches since being promoted to the Premier League in 2011. The Welsh outfit have been a mainstay in England’s top tier ever since but are now in real danger of dropping out of the division. Despite suffering just four defeats in 20 matches in all competitions since Carlos Carvalhal took charge, Swansea are only just out of the relegation zone, one place and four points ahead of Southampton in 18th. City will be without star striker Sergio Aguero who has netted three times in his last three appearances against Swansea with Gabriel Jesus, who scored twice in a 2-1 win in the corresponding fixture last season, expected to lead the line.
Writers Pick: Man City 3-1 Swansea
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