Premiership Predictions: March 5th to 7th: (Saturday to Monday) 2011
Match 1: Birmingham – West Brom: (Saturday March 5th: 12.45pm):
Birmingham had a fantastic result on Sunday in the League Cup final when they won 2-1 with a late goal. This was the first time that Birmingham had won a major final at Wembley & their first trophy since winning the same trophy in 1963. Well done to them as it is good that the so called lesser clubs win trophy’s.
Birmingham now play West Brom at home in a classic relegation six pointer as both sides are struggling against a drop into the Championship. Blues lost their last game at home 2-0 to improved Newcastle. Blues home form is not as strong as last season as the Newcastle defeat was their third defeat at home this season. The other defeats have come against Everton & Arsenal.
Blues have only won four home games this season & they were against Stoke, Blackpool, Chelsea & Blackburn. On a further plus note they have drawn with Manchester United, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Wigan, Spurs, Liverpool & West Ham. So their home record is not as bad as first seemed mainly because of the draws.
West Brom managed a rare point at Stoke on Monday with a late goal in a 1-1 draw. It was only their third away bore draw of the season, after draws at Manchester United & West Ham but more importantly it was only the 5th game this season that they have avoided defeat away from home in the premiership. Shocking away form but not as bad as Wolves.
I think that Blues will win this game as they will be full of confidence after their win against Arsenal last Sunday but it will be close. I also think that both clubs will stay up come the end of the season as well & in West Brom’s case probably only by a point.
Match prediction: Birmingham to win
Score Prediction: Birmingham 2 West Brom 1
Attendance Prediction: 27,000
Match 2: Arsenal – Sunderland: (Saturday March 5th: 3pm):
Arsenal are will be bitterly disappointed not to have won the League Cup final on Sunday. They gave the game away with a dreadful goalkeeping error that was more at home in the Sunday league than a Major final. However, they will have been lifted by Manchester United’s defeat at Chelsea on Tuesday night that means they are 4 points behind them but with a game in hand.
Arsenal obviously need to pick themselves off the floor & remind themselves that they are still in the title race. They now face a Sunderland side who are on a bad run. Sunderland have now lost their last 4 league games, the latest on Saturday when they went down 2-0 at Everton as predicted by yours truly. Sunderland’s away form is not too good. They have managed to win at Chelsea, Blackpool & Aston Villa. The draws have come at Liverpool, Blackburn, Wigan & Spurs but they have lost at Manchester United, Newcastle, Stoke, West Brom, Wolves & Fulham.
Arsenal’s home form is good, especially since the autumn period when they lost three times to Newcastle, Spurs & West Brom. In fact since they lost to Spurs in November they have only dropped one point at home & that was in a goalless draw with Manchester City. The wins at home then have come against Blackpool, West Ham, Birmingham, Wolves, Chelsea, Everton, Wigan, Bolton, Fulham & last time out Stoke whom they beat last Tuesday.
I think that Arsenal will start this game nervously but because of Sunderland’s recent bad form will take all three points to keep the pressure on Manchester United who play Liverpool away on Sunday.
Match prediction: A home win
Score Prediction: Arsenal 2 Sunderland 0
Attendance Prediction: 60,000
Match 3: Bolton – Aston Villa: (Saturday March 5th: 3pm):
Both sides had good results last Weekend. Bolton stopped their bad run of away defeats by drawing 1-1 at Newcastle & Villa beat Blackburn 4-1. I enjoyed the Villa win as I was at the game. These sides drew 1-1 earlier in the season at Villa Park & to be honest I can see a similar result in this game as both sides are on a good run & will probably cancel each other out.
Bolton’s home form is good with only two defeats against Liverpool & Chelsea. The wins have come against Newcastle, Stoke, West Brom, Wolves, Everton (last time out at home),Spurs & Blackburn. The draws were against Wigan, Manchester United & Blackpool. Bolton are higher in the table than Villa standing at 7th in the table opposed to Villa’s 12th place in the table.
Villa’s victory against Blackburn has lifted them to 12th as already mentioned & means they are 5 points above the relegation zone. Villa should be safe. Villa’s away record is not good with only two wins on the road at Wigan & Wolves & draws at Fulham, Chelsea, Birmingham & last time out at Blackpool 1-1. The list of defeats is long. They have been at Manchester United, Manchester City, Spurs, Blackburn, Stoke, Newcastle, Sunderland & Liverpool.
Too be fair to Villa their away record has improved since the signing of Darren Bent with the win at Wigan & two draws at Blackpool & Birmingham. The only defeat was at Manchester United which of course was expected.
Both sides to cancel each other out in a draw.
Match prediction: a Draw
Score Prediction: Bolton 1 Aston Villa 1
Attendance Prediction: 24,000
Match 4: Fulham – Blackburn: (Saturday March 5th: 3pm):
Fulham gained a very good point at Manchester City on Sunday in a 1-1 draw. I suppose it wasn’t really a surprise to Fulham fans as they are the draw specialists this season in the Prem. It was 14th draw of the season & their 8th away from home.
Fulham now play Blackburn at home hoping to pull further away from the drop zone. They are 5 points clear in 13th place. It is since the new year that Fulham’s form has improved with only defeats at Liverpool & at home to Bolton in the FA Cup 5th round. They have 6 home wins to their name against Wigan, West Brom, Stoke, Newcastle & Wolves. The draws have come against Manchester United, Birmingham, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Everton & last time out at home when they drew 0-0 with Chelsea. In fact they should have beaten Chelsea because they missed a last minute penalty to win. The defeats have come against Manchester City, West Ham & Spurs. So not a bad home record & it makes you wonder where Fulham would be in the table if they had turned a percentage of their draws into wins.
Blackburn have struggled recently with some heavy defeats mainly on Saturday when they lost 4-1 at Aston Villa. They have as a consequence dropped down the table to 14th, 4 points ahead of the bottom three. They should be safe from relegation but their recent form is of concern.
They have managed to win at Blackpool, Newcastle & West Brom but have lost at Liverpool, Stoke, Spurs, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Chelsea, Manchester United & Bolton.
It is Blackburn’s away record that will again let them down in this game but with Fulham it could be a draw. I am going to stick my neck out a go for a home win.
Match prediction: Fulham to win
Score Prediction: Fulham 2 Blackburn 1
Attendance Prediction: 26,000
Match 5: Newcastle – Everton: (Saturday March 5th: 3pm):
Newcastle drew at home with Bolton on Saturday which was not a good result for them as they were hoping to avenge the 5-1 defeat they suffered at Newcastle earlier in the season. Everton meanwhile had a dreadful result in the FA Cup 5th round against Championship side Reading on Tuesday when they lost 1-0 & this after they had beaten Chelsea in the 4th round at Stamford Bridge on penalties.
Everton will need to pick themselves up & to be honest I don’t think they will in this game as Newcastle’s home form has slowly improved as the season has progressed. They have beaten Aston Villa, Liverpool, Sunderland, West Ham & drawn with Bolton, Wigan, Fulham, Spurs & Chelsea. They are due a home win & I think they will in this game.
Everton’s away record is ok with a lot of draws. The draws have been at Liverpool, West Ham, Fulham, Spurs, Sunderland, Chelsea, & Blackpool. They have also won at Manchester City & Birmingham.
The list of defeats have come at Stoke, Blackburn, Aston Villa, Arsenal & last time out away at Bolton when they went down 2-0.
I think that as Everton will be low on confidence because of the Reading defeat & that Newcastle haven’t won at home since beating West Ham over the holiday period then the mags will win.
Match prediction: Newcastle to win
Score Prediction: Newcastle 2 Everton 1
Attendance Prediction: 45,000
Match 6: West Ham – Stoke: (Saturday March 5th: 3pm):
West Ham got a great win against Liverpool on Sunday when they beat them 3-1. It was a deserved win & only their 4th home win of the season & 6th overall. West ham now try to win two games on the bounce for the first time this season against a Stoke side who have a below par away record in the Premiership this season.
West Ham’s home wins have come against Wigan, Spurs, Wolves & Liverpool while the draws have come against West Brom, Everton, Fulham & Blackpool. The defeats (too many) have come against Birmingham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle & Bolton. It is West ham’s home record of six defeats that has seen them struggle for most if not all of the season. West Ham are still in the bottom three but at least they are making a fight of staying up.
Earlier in the season these teams drew 1-1 at Stoke but this time I think that West Ham will go one better and gain three points against a Stoke side who have lost 10 times already away from home this season. They have on the plus side managed to win at Newcastle, Blackburn & West Brom plus a draw at Wigan.
It is Stoke’s home form that has kept them for most of the season in the top half of the table. They are safe from relegation bar an amazing slump. They are also into the quarter finals of the FA Cup as are West Ham. In fact both sides play each other at Stoke in the Quarter finals.
A home win for West Ham then & will they survive this season?
Match prediction: A West Ham win
Score Prediction: West Ham 2 Stoke 1
Attendance Prediction: 36,000
Match 7: Manchester City – Wigan: (Saturday March 5th: 5.30pm):
City had a very disappointing 1-1 home draw with Fulham last Sunday. It now leaves them still in 4th place in the table but only two points ahead of Chelsea who also have a game in hand on them. This means that City need to get back to winning ways after defeat at Manchester United and of course the home draw with Fulham last Sunday.
They now play bottom side Wigan who fell to the bottom of the table after their 4-0 home defeat to leaders Manchester United last Saturday. I will mention the foul by Wayne Rooney that was not punished by the ref or the FA after the game in that Wigan’s chairman Dave Whelan was correct when he said that if it had been the other way around then the Wigan player would have been sent off & that there is one set of rules for United & another for the rest of the Premiership. How Alex Fergusson can complain about the ref after the Chelsea game is beyond me. What tunnel vision.
City have a good home record with wins against Chelsea, Blackpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Bolton, Wolves, West Brom, Liverpool & draws against Fulham, Birmingham, Manchester United & Blackburn. They have only lost twice against Arsenal & Everton.
Wigan have already lost at Arsenal, Blackburn, West Ham, Manchester United & Fulham but have won at Spurs & Wolves while drawing at Liverpool (last away game), Birmingham, Everton, Bolton & Newcastle. In fact their away record is slightly better than their home form as they have lost six times at home compared to five times away.
I think that City will bounce back to form & win this game & another nail in Wigan’s relegation battle.
Match prediction: A home win
Score Prediction: Manchester City 2 Wigan 0
Attendance Prediction: 45,000
Match 8: Liverpool – Manchester United: (Sunday March 6th: 1.30pm):
United lost 2-1 at Chelsea on Tuesday which means that they are still 4 points ahead of Arsenal but Arsenal have a game in hand now. It is looking interesting in the battle for the Title. The Chelsea defeat was only United’s second away defeat of the season & second overall as they are unbeaten at home this season & to be honest it is United’s home form that will probably see them crowned champions come the end of the season.
If United do somehow lose the title it will be their away form where the finger of blame will be pointed at. They have (for United) only won 4 games away this season which compares badly with Arsenal’s seven wins & Manchester City’s six. However, they as already mentioned only lost twice at Wolves & Chelsea even if both defeats have come recently. The rest of United’s games away have of course ended in draws & they have been at Fulham, Everton, Bolton, Birmingham, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Spurs & Sunderland.
Liverpool lost for the second time under Kenny Dalglish when they went down 3-1 at West Ham on Sunday. Liverpool despite improving under Dalglish have still got a dreadful away record with 9 defeats to their name. Liverpool have also lost at home twice to Blackpool & Wolves. However, Liverpool’s home record is good with wins against West Brom, Chelsea, Bolton, Blackburn, Fulham, West Ham, Aston Villa & Stoke.
I Can’t see United losing two away games on the trot & I also think that Liverpool are simply not that good so therefore despite Liverpool raising their game for this match I suspect it won’t be enough to prevent United taking all three betting bonus points.
Match Prediction: United to win
Score Prediction: Liverpool 1 Manchester United 2
Attendance prediction: 44,000
Match 9: Wolves – Spurs: (Sunday March 6th: 4pm):
Wolves had a great 4-0 win against Blackpool last Saturday a result that lifted them out of the bottom three only for West Brom’s draw at Stoke to put them back in the relegation zone. Wolves now face Spurs at home who lost their last away game 3-1 at Blackpool. This game will be Spurs 4th away on the trot, three in the Prem & one in Europe. They have won two of them at Sunderland & AC Milan but of course lost at Blackpool as already mentioned last week.
Spurs away form is good with wins at Blackburn, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Stoke & Fulham. They have also drawn at Newcastle, Birmingham & West Brom. The defeats have come at Everton, West Ham, Manchester United, Blackpool & Bolton. Spurs are 5th in the table one point behind Chelsea & are obviously fighting them for the last Champions League place.
Wolves home record is good & is the main reason that they have a chance of staying up in the Prem this season. They have beaten Manchester United, Stoke, Birmingham, Sunderland, Chelsea, Manchester City & of course Blackpool last Saturday. They have lost to Liverpool, Arsenal, Bolton & Wigan.
Last season Wolves beat Spurs in both league games but this season they have lost at White Hart Lane 3-1 earlier in the season. I think that both sides will cancel each other out & a point will not help either side in their bids at both ends of the table.
Match prediction: A draw
Score Prediction: Wolves 1 Spurs 1
Attendance Prediction: 27,000
Match 10: Blackpool – Chelsea.: (Monday March 7th: 8pm):
Blackpool had a great win against Spurs last Tuesday when they won 3-1, however, they were knocked back down to earth by getting thrashed 4-0 at Wolves on Saturday. The defeat at Wolves leaves Blackpool in 15th place just four points above the relegation zone.
Blackpool now face Chelsea who got back to winning ways on Tuesday night when they beat Manchester United 2-1 to inflict only United’s second League defeat of the season. Blackpool have a poor home record & it is in fact their away form that is keeping them out of the relegation zone. At home Blackpool have only won against Wolves, West Brom, Liverpool & of course Spurs. They have lost to Blackburn, Manchester City, Manchester United, Birmingham & West Ham. The draws have come against Fulham, Aston Villa & Everton.
Chelsea have lost five times away this season already which is simply not good enough by their recent high standards. The defeats have come at Wolves, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal & Birmingham while they have drawn at Aston Villa, Newcastle, Spurs & Fulham. On the plus side they have won at Sunderland, Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan & West Ham. I think that Chelsea will record their 6th away win in this game at Blackpool.
The big question is if Chelsea will beat Spurs in the race for that last Champions League place?
Match Prediction: A Chelsea win
Score Prediction: Blackpool 1 Chelsea 3
Attendance Prediction: 17,000
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