The festive period of Premier League football is about to start.
Get ready for fans in Santa hats of their respective sides’ colour, Christmas-themed chants, managers moaning about the amount of matches they must contend with and loads of general talk about how a winter break might benefit the lads on the pitch later in the season.
Still, it’s great isn’t it? Absolutely tons of football is coming, with the average Premier League side facing up to around four games in around 10 days.
It’s a test. A test of a manager’s skill when it comes to rotating his squad, a test of the quality within the playing staff and a test of mental strength, which is vital when it comes to thriving in the top flight of English football at this time of year.
There’s a wonderful round of fixtures to trigger this part of the campaign too, making the task of choosing three feature games a challenge. Bet on all matches at BMR’s green-listed bookmakers.
Arsenal vs. Liverpool
Earlier in the campaign, Arsenal made the trip to Anfield, opened the game up against Liverpool and were annihilated 4-0. This encounter is a chance to show that some lessons have been learned by the Gunners.
After all, the blueprint for stopping Liverpool has been laid down in recent weeks. If you defend deep and with intelligence — as Everton and West Bromwich Albion did in their draws at Anfield — then you have a chance of getting a result. If you open the match up, as was the case against at Bournemouth on Sunday, you’ll likely get a beating.
Still, Arsene Wenger is not a manager you sense will take a backwards step and so often in these matches at the Emirates Stadium, he instructs his sides to press high up the pitch. Against Liverpool that would potentially be disastrous.
Because the visitors have shown this season they can play through sides, but with the pace of players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane out wide, they can also knock a simple ball over the top with devastating results.
Liverpool have shown better signs defensively, too, as of late, something that’ll obviously be vital against this talented Arsenal attack. If the visitors can limit their opponents in the final third, they can do some serious damage at the other end of the field.
There are always goals in this fixture, though, with last season’s 4-3 win for Liverpool one of the matches of the campaign. There may not be as many this time, but the travelling fans will be heading back to Merseyside with three points again. 1-3 (19.00 SkyBet)
Everton vs. Chelsea
Although his appointment at Goodison Park was greeted with some concern, Sam Allardyce has done a fine job stabilising what was a sinking ship at Everton earlier in the campaign.
Under his stewardship, the team has won three and drawn one Premier League games, Wayne Rooney has rediscovered his best form, and all of a sudden fear of relegation have evaporated, with the Toffees 10 points clear of the drop zone.
It means Saturday’s showdown with Chelsea is something of a free hit for the Toffees. Of course, they’ll be keen to keep this excellent run going and potentially fuel hope of a Europa League place come the end of the campaign. But if they can’t, the hysteria that gripped Goodison in the early weeks of the campaign won’t flood back.
That’s in part down to the fact that the Blues, while they are unlikely to defend their Premier League crown, are still a fine football team; in their last 10 outings they’ve won eight, drawn one and lost one.
There are Chelsea players beginning to find the levels they reached last season, whereas Eden Hazard may well be playing the finest football of his Blues career so far. While top spot appears out of reach, in the second half of the campaign the Belgian has the class to propel this team forward.
A major challenge awaits them on Saturday against an Everton team that has improved defensively and added incision in attack. It should be an intriguing tactical battle between two very different managers, though it’s one Antonio Conte will just about edge. 0-1 (6.50 Ladbrokes)
Swansea City vs. Crystal Palace
So often we focus on what goes on at the top of the table, but Christmas time is a time for all! And this showdown at the Liberty Stadium is a humungous one for Swansea City.
Their loss at Everton on Monday means they remain bottom of the table and four points from safety. It was a display that cost manager Paul Clement his job.
It’s the wrong time to be playing Palace too. Manager Roy Hodgson pulled the Eagles out of their own rut earlier in the campaign, made them difficult to beat at home and they’re now actually playing some entertaining stuff. Everything certainly came together in the 3-0 win over Leicester City last weekend.
While Palace have been largely poor away from home this term, the display at the King Power is one these players are capable of. Christian Benteke was back to his belligerent best at the point of the attack, while Wilfried Zaha produced a stunning display, leaving the Foxes defence in tatters with his pace, power and flair.
Those two, in particular, will be too much for an out-of-sorts Swansea side to handle. There may be a sense of freedom among the Swansea players after Clement\’s departure and a positive atmosphere at the Liberty Stadium, but there are too many issues to resolve for the Welsh outfit. 0-2 (12.00 Ladbrokes)
Brighton vs. Watford
Two teams that have found wins hard to come by as of late after bright starts to the season. Watford were walloped 4-1 by Huddersfield in their last outing and may benefit from getting out on the road, whereas Brighton battled to a draw against Burnley. A draw appears to be on the cards here in a tight encounter. 1-1 (6.50 William Hill)
Manchester City vs. Bournemouth
So United couldn’t stop them, Tottenham couldn’t stop them, can Bournemouth potentially spring a huge shock and upset City’s winning run? It looks unlikely, as City are on an incredible run and playing stunning football. The Cherries, by contrast, are weak at the back and lacking confidence going forward. It\’ll be a routine home win. 4-0 (9.50 Betfair)
Southampton vs. Huddersfield
The 4-1 win over Everton feels a long time ago for Southampton, who have gone five without a win since them. Granted, fixtures have been tough for Saints, but it’s hard to see them overcoming a Huddersfield side that had their swagger back when they swatted aside the Hornets. The visitors will fancy this one, but will have to make do with a point. 1-1 (8.00 Betfair)
Stoke City vs. West Brom
The last time Stoke were at the Bet365 Stadium, things did turn toxic during the 3-0 defeat to West Ham and you worry the same may happen here if it doesn’t go to plan early on. West Brom are in just as poor a predicament, though, with no win in 16 and goals hard to come by under new boss Alan Pardew. The Potters will just do enough. 2-1 (6.50 Betfair)
West Ham United vs. Newcastle United
Credit where it’s due, David Moyes is doing a fine job at West Ham and will be confident of pushing his side further away from the relegation zone on Saturday when they host a toiling Newcastle side. The Magpies are really in a rut and with a game against City to follow this one, a positive result is imperative; it’s tough to see them getting one. 2-1 (9.50 Betfair)
Burnley vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Few would’ve anticipated Burnley heading into this fixture ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table, but they can build a four-point gap to Spurs with three points at Turf Moor on Saturday. Still you expect a response from Tottenham after the stinging 4-1 loss to City last time out, and they should have enough to stifle Burnley. 0-2 (6.50 Coral)
Leicester City vs. Manchester United
After losing to Palace and being dumped out of the League Cup in midweek, the fizz that’s engulfed the King Power Stadium as of late has faded away. United, following their own embarrassing exit from the League Cup against Bristol City in midweek, have to respond too. It’s easy to see these two cancelling one another out. 1-1 (7.50 William Hill)
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