Stoke City v LiverpoolChelsea v Sunderland
Manchester United v Burnley
Tottenham v Hull City
Wolverhampton v Wigan Athletic
Everton v Manchester City
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Blackburn v Fulham
Bolton v Arsenal
Liverpool v Tottenham
Saturday, January 16
Stoke City v Liverpool
Team news: Stoke City - Tuncay (doubtful), Sorensen (IN) -- Liverpool - Torres (OUT), Gerrard (OUT), Benayoun (OUT), Babel (OUT), Maxi (IN), Mascherano (IN), Riera (IN), Reina (doubtful)
Verdict: Liverpool's horror season got from bad to worse midweek when they were booted out of the FA Cup 3rd round by Championship strugglers Reading. As if that wasn't bad enough, Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun will all be out for lengthy periods due to their respective injuries. The Merseysiders will hope that the purchase of winger, Maxi Rodriguez, will help rejuvinate the team. Stoke City have had to wait 10 days since their fine 3-2 win over Fulham so there will no wondering which team will run out the game stronger.
Liverpool is a club in disarray at the moment, on and off the pitch. Stoke City will not get a better opportunity to get a win over the Merseysiders for the first time since 1984. The visitors are boosted by the return from suspension of Mascherano, but it is questionable what sort of influence Maxi and Riera will have, with the former lacking match practice and the latter not having played competitive football for over a month. Stoke City is a tough team to play at the best of times so with so many key men missing, Liverpool will have their work cut out.
Pick: Stoke City DNB @2.66 (sbobet, 6 units)
Stoke City 1 - 1 Liverpool
Everton v Manchester City
Team news: Everton - Yakubu (int.duty), Yobo (int.duty), Distin (IN) -- Manchester City - Lescott (OUT), Toure (int.duty), Adebayor (rested), Viera (OUT), Ireland (OUT), Onuoha (IN), Bridge (OUT)
Verdict: Mancini's perfect record will come under scrutiny at Goodison Park as Manchester City face in-form Everton. Despite registering four wins on the trot, the draw has been kind to Mancini until now. At the Emirates last weekend, Everton displayed a performance that belies their 12th placed position on the ladder. In the end, fortune favoured the Arsenal as both teams settled for the 2-2 draw. Both teams are in form here as Everton are undefeated in 6 whereas Manchester City are four games without defeat.
Manchester City's long list of absentees is rather worrying, especially in the defensive department. With the acquisition of American, Landon Donovan, Everton do have a threat on both wings (with Pienaar on the left) so I expect the vulnerable Garrido and Zabaleta to come under extreme pressure. Marouane Fellaini has been a revelation in recent months for the home team in screening the back 4. I expect him to cut most of the supply through the middle so Tevez may need to venture wide to get some space. Everton are beginning to hit their straps, achieving draws against top 5 opposition in Chelsea, Tottenham and now Arsenal. I expect the home team to have no fear when Manchester City come to town and consider them slight favourites here.
Pick: Everton DNB @2.10 (boylesports, 8 units)
Everton 2 - 0 Manchester City
Manchester United v Burnley
Verdict: Following the dissapointing results against Leeds United and Birmingham City, Manchester United return to Old Trafford and could not of hand picked a better team to get back on track. Burnley hold one of the worst defensive records in the division and have a dismal away record of (0-1-9). If that wasn't bad enough, Burnley are missing key defenders in Carlisle and Caldwell, meaning youngster Duff and Edgar will take their place. It's all good news for Manchester United in team news, Van der Sar returns in goals while Berbatov is also passed fit.
Burnley defeated Manchester United 1-0 at Turf Moor, earlier in the season, so I expect the Red Devils to exact a bit of revenge here.
Pick: Manchester United -2AH @1.79 (betsson, 7 units)
Manchester United 3 - 0 Burnley
Sunday, January 17
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Team news: Aston Villa - Friedel (IN), Carew (IN), l.Young (IN) -- West Ham United - Noble (doubtful), Parker (doubtful), Franco (OUT), Sears (IN)
Verdict: Aston Villa will aim to topple Manchester City and regain 5th spot when they meet a troubled West Ham United side. West Ham United are really going through a bad period, on and off the pitch, with the club up for sale and the team suffering from a poor run of results.
The Hammers last competitive game was a 1-2 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Arsenal while the Villa were impressive in their midweek 0-1 League Cup victory at Blackburn.
West Ham have been especially poor on their travels this season (1-3-6), a record which is made even worse by the fact that they are yet to play at any of the 'Big 4'. They have also been conceding way too many goals on their travels of late to some poor teams, ie. 3-3 at Hull City, 3-1 at Bolton. Aston Villa were superb in their win at Blackburn, a venue which is traditionally tough for any team. The 3-day turn around will not be a worry for the home side as they are a very fit side with results proving that they can play well on little rest.
West Ham lack alot of firepower with the absence of Cole, Hines and now Franco while Aston Villa have only conceded 7 at Villa Park all season. Also taking into account that Aston Villa have a tough fixture list ahead (Arsenal, Fulham (a), Tottenham (a), Manchester United), they really need a win here to hang on the coat tails of the top 4.
Pick: Aston Villa -1AH @2.06 (188bet)
Aston Villa 0 - 0 West Ham United
Blackburn v Fulham
Team news: Blackburn - Jacobsen (OUT), Givet (doubtful), Diouf (susp.) -- Fulham - Zamora (OUT), Pantsil (OUT), Hangeland (IN), Etuhu (Int.duty)
Verdict: Blackburn play their 3rd game in a week following their 0-1 League Cup defeat at the hands of Aston Villa. Fulham come into this match well rested but perhaps a little low on confidence after their 3-2 defeat at Stoke City, almost two weeks ago. As if the loss wasn't bad enough, Fulham's star striker dislocated his shoulder and will now miss atleast a month of action.
Blackburn were thoroughly outplayed by Aston Villa in midweek and it's not going to get much easier against a well-organised Fulham outfit. Blackburn are winless in 9 games (all competitions) and Fulham on a two game losing streak. Despite losing 3-2 at Stoke City, Fulham can atleast take heart from their second half performance where they pegged back the score to 3-2, through Duff and Dempsey. If we look deeper into Fulham's form, they have done well in the last 3 months, and most recently led Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (lost 2-1), defeated Manchester United and achieved a respective scoreless draw against Tottenham. In contrast, Blackburn's home/away form has been dismal with goals coming at a premium.
In closing, a Blackburn side that is low on confidence, leg weary, and struggling for goals (have been held scoreless in half of their home fixtures) is definitely up against it, especially against a capable side like Fulham.
Pick: Fulham DNB @2.16 (ibcbet, 6 units)
Blackburn 2 - 0 Fulham
Tuesday, January 20
Liverpool v Tottenham
Team news: Liverpool - Babel (IN) -- Tottenham - Huddlestone (doubtful), King (doubtful)
Verdict: Both sides will look to put a frustrating weekend behind them as they were both held to draws. Liverpool were held in a scrappy 1-1 draw at Stoke City whereas Tottenham settled for a scoreless draw after a goalkeeping clinc by Hull City stopper, Boaz Myhill. Liverpool are now on a run of 3 games without a win (in all competitions) whereas Tottenham extended their undefeated Premiership run to 5 and equalled a club record of 5 consecutive clean sheets in the process.
Tottenham will hope that their 17-yr record without a win at Anfield will finally come to an end today against a Liverpool side bereft of form and key personnel. With Torres, Gerrard, Benayoun and Johnson absent, Spurs may never get a better opportunity for a while. On the weekend, Liverpool were dragged into playing Stoke City's blood and thunder game and despite Kuyt hitting the post in the dying embers of the match, a draw was a fair result. Liverpool old boys, Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane, will be looking to put their fomer employers into further misery and extend their current 4-pt lead on their rivals. Tottenham's away form of 4-4-2 has been solid including creditable draws at Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham, in addition to a win at Blackburn.
The visitors hold the edge here despite missing key men in Lennon, and most probably Huddlestone. They have the better form, a defense in confident mood, more creativity in the middle of the park, and a luxury of attacking options in Defoe, Keane and Crouch.
Pick: Tottenham +0.25AH @1.93 (sbobet, 7 units)
Liverpool 2 - 0 Tottenham
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