It’s hard to believe that we have already reached Week 23 of the Premier League season and it is full steam ahead towards the end of the campaign.
Liverpool will be confident of extending their lead when they host Crystal Palace on Saturday night, while Manchester City are offered a terrific opportunity to keep the pressure on when they play the last-placed Huddersfield Town.
Wolves
Last 5 Matches: LDWLL
Ladder Position: 11th
Goal Difference: -5 (GF 23, GA 28)
Leicester
Last 5 Matches: WWLWL
Ladder Position: 8th
Goal Difference: +1 (GF 26, GA 25)
A competitive fixture to open Week 23 and a legitimate case to be made for both clubs. Wolves became the latest club to fall to Manchester City most-recently while Leicester, who beat City only weeks ago, fell to the lowly Southampton. I’m happy to be with the home side at their current price.
Newcastle
Last 5 Matches: DLDLL
Ladder Position: 18th
Goal Difference: -15 (GF 16, GA 31)
Cardiff
Last 5 Matches: LDWLD
Ladder Position: 17th
Goal Difference: -22 (GF 19, GA 41)
Two of the league’s battlers will go toe-to-toe in England’s north, and this is another tough one to decipher from a betting perspective. Newcastle small resurgence leading into Christmas is well and truly in the dust and they are staring down the barrel of three-consecutive losses, while the Bluebirds have managed a few decent results, between forgettable performances. There’s a huge disparity in head-to-head betting and I’m happy to be with the away side at current odds.
Liverpool
Last 5 Matches: WWWLW
Ladder Position: 1st
Goal Difference: +40 (GF 50, GA 10)
Palace
Last 5 Matches: WDLWL
Ladder Position: 14th
Goal Difference: -8 (GF 20, GA 28)
Palace have recorded a number of pleasing results recently but obviously, they will need to muster a season-best performance to take anything away from league-leaders Liverpool at Anfield. After a loss to second-placed City, the Reds bounced back into the winner’s stall at the expense of Brighton. While I don’t think they’ll win, I think that Palace can get on the score sheet.
Southampton
Last 5 Matches: WLLDW
Ladder Position: 16th
Goal Difference: -13 (GF 23, GA 39)
Everton
Last 5 Matches: LWLLW
Ladder Position: 10th
Goal Difference: +2 (GF 33, GA 31)
Southampton recorded a good win over Leicester City last weekend and will be confident of continuing that run past a pretty inconsistent Everton side. The Toffees responded to a couple of disappointing losses with an easy win over Bournemouth last week and a repeat of that effort would see them winning this.
Bournemouth
Last 5 Matches: WLLDL
Ladder Position: 12th
Goal Difference: -11 (GF 31, GA 42)
West Ham
Last 5 Matches: LWLDW
Ladder Position: 9th
Goal Difference: -2 (GF 30, GA 32)
Last-start winners West Ham travel south to take on Bournemouth in Week 23 and look primed for another good performance and win, against a side that has fallen out of form throughout the last month. The Cherries didn’t have the answers for Everton last weekend and will have their hands full with a club that is probably more dangerous, when they put it all together.
Watford
Last 5 Matches: WLDDW
Ladder Position: 7th
Goal Difference: 0 (GF 32, GA 32)
Burnley
Last 5 Matches: LLWWW
Ladder Position: 15th
Goal Difference: -20 (GF 23, GA 43)
An interesting fixture will see Burnley, who are seeking a fourth-consecutive win travel to Vicarage Road to take on the seventh-placed Hornets. Prior to Christmas I would have been eager to take Watford at the $1.65 they are currently displaying to win, but Burnley’s resurgence has been fair. This is clearly the Clarets’ biggest test so far, but I think they’re good enough to take a point.
United
Last 5 Matches: WWWWW
Ladder Position: 6th
Goal Difference: +12 (GF 44, GA 32)
Brighton
Last 5 Matches: LDWDL
Ladder Position: 13th
Goal Difference: -6 (GF 24, GA 30)
Their recent form suggests that the United of old is making a serious comeback and Brighton are the next club that has been tasked with halting the resurgence. Brighton have been a competitive outfit all season and they are more than capable of another good performance here, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to go with United for the full 90.
Arsenal
Last 5 Matches: WDLWL
Ladder Position: 5th
Goal Difference: +14 (GF 46, GA 32)
Chelsea
Last 5 Matches: LWWDW
Ladder Position: 4th
Goal Difference: +23 (GF 40, GA 17)
Easily the biggest match of the round will take place at the Emirates on Sunday morning when Arsenal hosts Chelsea. Chelsea snuck past the lowly Newcastle last weekend, while Arsenal dropped their most-recent one to West Ham. Both will be eager to respond with a big performance here and I am happy to sit on the fence.
Huddersfield
Last 5 Matches: LLLLD
Ladder Position: 20th
Goal Difference: -24 (GF 13, GA 37)
City
Last 5 Matches: LLWWW
Ladder Position: 2nd
Goal Difference: +42 (GF 59, GA 17)
Huddersfield look the most likely to be demoted at the end of the season and they surely face too great a task in the form of City this weekend. City’s dip in form is well and truly history and they are well positioned for a fourth-consecutive win in Week 23.
Fulham
Last 5 Matches: DDWLL
Ladder Position: 19th
Goal Difference: -29 (GF 20, GA 49)
Spurs
Last 5 Matches: WWLWL
Ladder Position: 3rd
Goal Difference: +24 (GF 46, GA 22)
A London Derby to conclude Week 23’s slate but two completely different classes of club. Fulham are caught in the relegation dogfight and are faced with a potential third-consecutive loss, while Spurs will be eager to respond to last weekend’s loss to Manchester United.