Premier league Preview and Predictions: Bother For Leicester?

Mar 17, 2023 6:41 pm

We check out a few of this week’s Premier League fixtures, together with an opportunity for Arsenal to go 8 factors clear towards Crystal Palace, and two huge video games for relegation-threatened sides, when Leicester journey to Brentford, and Wolves host Leeds.

This Week’s Premier League Fixtures

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle
Aston Villa v Bournemouth
Brentford v Leicester
Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur
Wolves v Leeds
Chelsea v Everton
Arsenal v Crystal Palace

Brentford v Leicester

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Brentford bounced again to profitable methods towards basement boys Southampton, with a easy 2-0 win over The Saints. Regardless of solely main 1-0 for giant components of the sport, the end result was by no means actually doubtful, as a usually stable defensive show ensured Brentford returned house with all 3 factors.

Ivan Toney notched his sixteenth Premier League objective this season. Final season he managed 12, and he will probably be in search of at the least 20 by the top of the season, and with the shape he’s in, he ought to simply obtain this.

Brentford now sit 3 factors behind Newcastle in fifth place, and may they put a run of type collectively, they may simply meet up with them. Brentford has shocked everybody already this season, so they might as effectively obtain a European spot while they’re at it.

Leicester regarded like they had been again after beating Aston Villa 4-2 after which Spurs 4-1, however since then, they’ve misplaced 4 video games on the bounce, while solely scoring a single objective throughout that point.

Their 3-0 loss towards Man United might be neglected, United had been in nice type and so they had been by no means anticipated to get something from that recreation. The identical goes for Arsenal once they misplaced 1-0. They then misplaced 1-0 towards Southampton away from house, the place they actually ought to have been anticipating to win.

Of their final recreation, they misplaced 3-1 to a reinvigorated Chelsea. Patson Daka lastly bought on the scoresheet for Leicester, however they had been woeful. If not for VAR, they may have been 2 or 3-0 down by the point that they had scored. Wout Faes acquired a late sending-off to compound Leicester’s distress.

The followers should not proud of Brendan Rodgers. They’ve been sucked right into a relegation battle, sitting above Bournemouth in 18th on objective distinction alone. Do the board give Rodgers the remainder of the season to show it round? Or do they pull the set off and provides another person a shot at retaining them up. A loss right here might be Rodgers’ final recreation.

This recreation appears prefer it needs to be a straightforward win for Brentford. At house, they’re formidable. They haven’t misplaced since their 3-0 defeat towards Arsenal in recreation week 7. They’re so stable and hit groups on the break with velocity and energy. Leicester is simply so weak in the meanwhile, they can not rating, can not defend, and appear to be they’re out of concepts. They are surely in bother now.

Prediction: Brentford 2 – 0 Leicester

Wolves v Leeds

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This can be a large recreation for each side. While Wolves sit in thirteenth, they’re solely 3 factors above the relegation spots. Leeds however, sits in nineteenth, 1 level away from security. A end result for both aspect right here could be large.

Wolves have gotten troublesome to name in current weeks. They bought a superb win towards Spurs the opposite week, with Traore scoring the one objective of the sport and securing 3 factors. Final weekend, they misplaced 2-1 towards Newcastle and had been lucky that they didn’t concede extra.

Wolves haven’t been a group to attain a whole lot of objectives, in order that they depend on retaining stable, attending to the odd objective right here and there to win 1-0. In opposition to Newcastle, they had been horrible for the primary half an hour, and will have been 2 or 3 down. They saved themselves within the recreation, nonetheless, and ended up equalised, with Hwang Hee-Chan scoring his first objective of the season.

The one constructive for Wolves, is that they managed to carry on for therefore lengthy. They saved it at 1-0, saved themselves within the recreation, and will have gotten some extent out of it, if not for Almiron restoring Newcastle’s lead with 11 minutes to play. If a group comes at Wolves from the beginning, they wrestle, but when they’ll survive an early onslaught, they’re greater than able to profitable.

Leeds performed out a really entertaining 2-2 draw at house with Brighton, wherein they got here from behind twice to safe some extent. Patrick Bamford bought his second objective of the season 5 minutes earlier than halftime.

Jack Harrison then went from villain to hero, scoring an personal objective to provide Brighton a 2-1 lead, after which happening to attain within the appropriate internet, notching his second objective of the season, and making certain Leeds got here away with some extent.

Some extent has not carried out them any favours, nonetheless. It has saved up tempo with the groups above them, however they have to be selecting up all 3 factors at this stage, and placing a ways between them and the drop. It’s going to be a troublesome few weeks for Leeds, however their Premier League survival hinges on it.

This recreation may go both manner. If Leeds scores early, it places the strain on Wolves, and with their lack of objectives, they might not discover a manner again into the sport. However Leeds just isn’t precisely in nice type, and won’t wish to come into this recreation all weapons blazing. I can see a rating draw right here, which is able to profit Wolves greater than Leeds.

Prediction: Wolves 1 – 1 Leeds

Chelsea v Everton

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Chelsea has now gained back-to-back video games within the Premier League for the primary time since mid-October. Their type has been woeful and so they rightfully sit in tenth place in the meanwhile, however issues might be trying up for Chelsea and so they might slowly begin to stand up once more.

After beating Leeds 1-0, they travelled to Leicester for what may have been a difficult tie. They blew Leicester out of the park early on and may have been 2 or 3-0 up. VAR chalked off an early objective for them, however they remained targeted and gained 3-1 ultimately.

An enormous constructive for Chelsea on this recreation will probably be that Mykhailo Mudryk bought his first help of the season. After being largely unimpressive to this point since signing in January, he had his greatest recreation in a Chelsea shirt, offering the help for Kovacic’s objective. Chelsea will probably be hoping he can kick on from right here, and add some much-needed creativity to their attacking risk.

Chelsea additionally superior within the Champions League earlier this month, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on combination. They now face Actual Madrid within the subsequent spherical, who knocked Liverpool out with an combination rating of 6-2.

Everton took an enormous step in direction of Premier League survival with a vital 1-0 win at house towards Brentford. Regardless of being dominated on the ball, Everton greater than held their very own towards a group pushing for a European spot and totally deserved their win.

It was a fast begin for Everton, scoring within the first minute of the sport, with Dwight McNeil grabbing his third objective of the season. Everton had probabilities to increase their lead however did not capitalise. Nonetheless, additionally they defended resolutely, as a Sean Dyche aspect usually would, coming away with a clear sheet, and people all-important 3 factors.

Everton now sits in fifteenth, one level above the relegation zone. They should preserve selecting up factors if they’re to stay away from bother. There are groups under them in a lot worse type, however all it takes is one win for a number of sides under them, and so they fall straight again into the underside 3.

Chelsea ought to actually be profitable this recreation. They’ve house benefit, are in comparatively good type, and may now be excessive in confidence. Dyche thrives on these video games nonetheless, he’ll set Everton as much as be irritating to play towards. He’ll need the Chelsea crowd to develop stressed with their group. I’m going to go along with my head right here and predict a Chelsea win, however my coronary heart says Everton will get one thing out of this.

Prediction: Chelsea 2 – 1 Everton

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

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Arsenal has had a rollercoaster of per week in all competitions. Arsenal made brief work of Fulham, with their 3 first half objectives securing all 3 factors for The Gunners. The sport noticed Leandro Trossard make historical past, changing into the primary participant to get 3 assists within the first half of a recreation, taking part in away from house.

Trossard has been a superb signing, and he’s proving his worth already for Arsenal. He’s so inventive, and all the time appears like a superb participant every time he’s on the ball. Arsenal will probably be hoping he can add a number of objectives to his recreation, on high of the assists, however no person can complain about his performances to this point.

Arsenal then noticed themselves dropping out on a possible piece of silverware, after getting knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon. The tie was finely poised after an entertaining 2-2 draw away from house, and it regarded as if Arsenal may progress when Granit Xhaka took the lead after 19 minutes.

Sporting Lisbon had different concepts, as Pedro Goncalves scored from the midway line, lobbing the ball over a helpless Ramsdale. The tie went into further time, which noticed Manuel Ugarte despatched off with 2 minutes to go. Sporting Lisbon held on to take Arsenal to penalties, and there have been jubilant scenes within the away finish when Martinelli missed his spot kick, finally knocking Arsenal out.

Crystal Palace has been terrible currently. They too, like Trossard, have made historical past lately, changing into the primary group in current historical past to not register a single shot on course in 3 consecutive video games within the Premier League. Their lack of objectives has been a priority for weeks, and now they don’t seem to be even creating probabilities.

They had been barely higher once they performed Brighton on Wednesday evening, registering 3 photographs on course from the 11 taken, nonetheless, none of those discovered the again of the web, which means they’ve no longer scored of their final 4 video games. Brighton ran out 1-0 winners, with Solly March scoring the one objective of the sport.

The followers have grown sick and uninterested in Vieira now, and the board have responded, sacking him simply 1 day earlier than their subsequent recreation, which means Paddy McCarthy, the U21’s coach, will take cost of their recreation towards Arsenal.

Solely time will inform whether or not or not this was the proper determination, however one thing wanted to be carried out. Their subsequent appointment will probably be large for them, as they’re dropping nearer and nearer in direction of the relegation zone.

Regardless of the midweek heartbreak for Arsenal, this needs to be an easy win for them, particularly contemplating they’re at house. Their attackers are on fireplace, and their defence is often stable, which will probably be a difficulty for Crystal Palace. Alternatively, Palace might profit from the managerial change, and so they may spring a shock right here. A snug house win for me right here although.

Prediction: Arsenal 3 – 0 Crystal Palace

Different Predictions

• Nottingham Forest 0 – 1 Newcastle
• Aston Villa 1 – 1 Bournemouth
• Southampton 1 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur