It’s been a long, and a boring international break. But, thank God, EPL is back! The action begins in all earnest tomorrow evening, beginning with a blockbuster opening between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea are the other big guns that play this Saturday. And the Galacticos of Manchester United? You’ll have to wait till early Tuesday morning for them. Well, that’s just too bad because Sunday sees only Liverpool among the top teams in action. Anyway, let’s have a look at all the matches and have fun predicting the result of each!
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest match of the weekend. Manchester City are really picking up after quite a slow start to the season. Tottenham has never quite enjoyed playing the Manchester club, and lost both matches against them last season, including a horrible 5-1 loss at White Hart Lane. But Spurs have improved tremendously under manager Mauricio Pochettino and have a new steely defence that doesn’t give in so easily. They will need all the defensive solidity they can manage against the rampaging Manchester City forward line though. The Spurs defensive midfield duo of Capoue and Mason will have a busy match holding off the amazing Yaya Toure, perhaps the most complete central midfielder in the world. Tottenham bank heavily on the out of form Emmanuel Adebayor, but the Manchester City defensive duo of Kompany and Mangala look too strog. Should be an easy win for Manchester City, and they will want to be as close to their main rivals Chelsea as possible.
Our Prediction: Man City 3 Spurs 1
Arsenal v Hull
Arsenal didn’t put up much of a fight against Chelsea a fortnight back, and the most combative part of the Arsenal squad was manager Arsene Wenger, who really gave it back to arch rival Jose Mourinho. But the rest of the Arsenal team hardly did their manager any good and were beaten quite easily. They would want to pick up their game though, and will have more than half of their regular side missing because of injury. Chambers, Debuchy, Ramsey, Ozil, Arteta, Walcott and Giroud – all regular starters, and they are all out. Hull would go all out for an upset win knowing that Arsenal have one eye on the Champions League game being played next week, as the play the Belgian side Anderlecht. This is a match that calls out for a shock result and we may get at least a draw here.
Our Prediction: Arsenal 2 Hull 2
Everton v Aston Villa
Everton have had a horrible start to the season, there is no question about it. Equally, Aston Villa have had a brilliant start, although their season has flagged a little in the last few games. From being in the top three, Aston Villa have come down to no. 10. This is a huge disappointment for manager Paul Lambert and his famous assistant, Roy Keane, who would surely expect more from their team. Villa have even failed to score in their last 3 matches. Everton did well enough against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but were unlucky not to snatch a point at least. This is a match Everton manager Roberto Martinez would really target to kick-start the season for his club, and recover lost ground. We predict a hard fought win for the Liverpool based team.
Our Prediction: Everton 2 Aston Villa 1
Newcastle v Leicester City
Newcastle are yet to win a single match in this season, have only got four points from four draws and it’s hardly a surprise that they find themselves in the bottom three. Newcastle are a club in deep trouble as the supporters find themselves in a bitter battle against the management. Clearly, the passionate Newcastle fans want manager Alan Pardew and owner Mike Ashley out of the club, but the management looks like in no mood to oblige. This is just a shame because the negative energy around the club is taking all the fun away from football and it is to nobody’s surprise that majority of the Newcastle players want to leave the club. Newcastle are still fighting though, especially players like striker Papiss Cisse, who wants to make an impression after an injury ravaged previous season. Cisse has got four goals from three matches, but he has been Newcastle’s only good performer. This match represents a golden opportunity for Leicester City to snatch a precious away win. Marshalled by experienced Argentinean midfield star Esteban Cambiasso, Leicester look set to win this win and put another nail on the Newcastle coffin.
Our Prediction: Newcastle 2 Leicester 3
Southampton v Sunderland
Southampton have been one of the form teams of the season. They have had spectacular start and stand third on the EPL table. They did lose the last match against Tottenham, which would be a slight blemish on what has otherwise been a perfect season. Southampton players such as the giant Italian centre forward Pelle, have been simply sensational. One wouldn’t be surprised to see a much bigger club make the move for Pelle next season, as he seems to be a complete package as a striker – tall, strong, fast, great touch and very skillful. Sunderland’s mediocre season only looks good in comparison to the horrors faced by their North-Eastern rivals, Newcastle United. Otherwise, Gus Poyet’s team couldn’t really be too pleased with their performance this season.
Sunderland have failed to score in 2 of their last three games and one can’t see them scoring any in this match as Southampton have the best defensive record in the league, having conceded only 5 goals so far in seven matches this season. For the Saints, Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand have been excellent .Southampton seem to have too much talent and in too much of a good form to lose any point in this match.
Our Prediction: Southampton 3 Sunderland 1
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
IndiaBet.org is trying hard to find out why there could be an upset in this match, but can’t think of even the slightest chance of something like that happening. Chelsea and Crystal Palace are so far apart that they could well be playing in two different leagues. The only question that remains in this match is whether Diego Costa could get another hat trick, and if Chelsea might score more than five goals. This match is as easy as it gets for the brilliant Chelsea side and Jose Mourinho would find it hard to stifle a yawn or two during this match. Too easy! Men against boys!
Our Prediction: Crystal Palace 0 Chelsea 3
Burnley v West Ham
One doesn’t see Sam Allardyce as one of the biggest names in football as he has only managed lower table sides such as Bolton, Blackburn and now West Ham. But he is seriously good at what he does. Not only is he the most experienced manager in the league, not once has any of his teams been relegated, in all his years in top flight football. He really knows how to get the best out of mediocre players and he seems to be doing the same at West Ham, who are having a splendid season after having stared so poorly. West Ham are in an excellent position of seventh in the league table, this is way beyond what even their most ardent supporters would have expected, for just a limited squad. Burnley on the other hand, have had trouble scoring goals, and don’t look likely to score any against West Ham either. We fully expect West Ham to win this match and finish in the top half of the table by the end of the season.
Our Prediction: Burnley 0 West Ham 2
QPR v Liverpool
Liverpool have resurrected a season that was falling apart somewhat and are now placed ninth in the league table. This match against QPR should be one of those matches that a top side like Liverpool should win comfortably and we fully expect them to win. However, Harry Redknapp is a canny old manager, who has been in top flight football for ages now, and knows every trick in the trade. He would do his best to inspire his side to get a draw out of this one. We expect Liverpool to find it hard to break down the QPR defence. A scoreless draw looks possible, but we expect Liverpool to have the extra quality to snatch a close win.
Our Prediction: QPR 0 Liverpool 1
Stoke City v Swansea
Swansea started as one of the best teams in the league, having won their first three matches, but since then, have nothing nothing much whatsoever. They really seem to have withdrawn into a shell and one can’t understand why. They do have the talent to be a mid table side and have a plenty of young and hungry players. There is little to choose between Mark Hughes’s Stoke City and Garry Monk’s Swansea, and we expect to see a boring draw here. The second possibility is a narrow home win by Stoke City.
Our Prediction: Stoke 1 Swansea 1
West Brom v Man United
This match will be played in the early hours of Tuesday, India time and there is no better way to relax after a hard day at the office than to catch the Red Devils show just how good they are. Di Maria, Falcao, Van Persie, Rooney, Mata – these players could play for any of the biggest sides in Europe, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. But they have chosen to play for Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United, and provide football supporters all over the world with a thrilling spectacle week after week. It is amazing that Louis Van Gaal was written off after just three or four matches into the season, but he is not for nothing one of the best managers in the world. Manchester United are now fourth in the league standings and while it’s too soon to think of them as title challengers – why not! Oh, and as for this match, another easy win for the new galacticos of European football!
Our Prediction: West Brom 1 Manchester United 4
