Hump day just got a touch more bearable, with EPL Game Week 24 kicking off first thing Wednesday morning (ADST).
Match of the round takes us to Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea and Arsenal attempt to remain relevant pieces in the league.
Elsewhere, Liverpool travel to Wolverhampton in search of their eighth straight clean sheet, City cross swords with the Blades and Man United look to upset Burnley at Old Trafford.
I’ve previewed all ten fixtures across GW24, providing my best bets alone the way.
Bournemouth’s recent form line has more “L’s” than “Dullsville”, which also perfectly portrays their performances since early November.
The Cherries are looking to clinch their fifth straight defeat at the hands of a bottom six side, failing to score in their last four outings against Norwich (20th), Watford (17th), West Ham (16th) and Brighton (15th)!
Brighton have shown glimpses of brilliance this season but have failed to capitalise at the top end of the pitch, scoring two or more goals on just one occasion across their last seven matches (2-0 vs the Cherries!).
Bournemouth look destined to be playing the likes of Charlton Athletic in 2020/21 and will move closer to that reality with a loss to the Seagulls tomorrow morning!
After grinding out a nil-all draw to Tottenham in GW23, Watford are now six games without defeat under Nigel Pearson!
The Hornets have only conceded twice during their unbeaten run, which includes a 3-nil thumping of the Villans in GW20.
Pearson will be without inform winger Ismaila Sarr who suffered a hamstring strain against the Spurs, but have a ready made replacement in January signing, Ignacio Pussetto.
Aston Villa will be desperate to escape the relegation zone with a victory at home tomorrow, although such a result seems beyond them, especially without a healthy striker.
Crystal Palace; they can’t lose, they can’t win, but boy are they good for a draw!
The Eagles have drawn their past four EPL matches and have split the points in six of their last eight!
Southampton’s hot streak finally came to an end over the weekend, when they threw away a two-goal first half advantage, going on to lose 2-3 to the Wolves.
Danny Ings was kept scoreless for only the second time in his last eleven starts, with the Wolves giving the former Liverpool striker minimal room to operate.
The Saints are playing an attractive style of football, but we can count on Roy Hodgson to drain all the life from this mid-table contest.
Only goal difference separates Everton and Newcastle on the Premier League table.
Everton have came on in leaps and bounds since the “departure” of Marco Silva, climbing from 18th to 11th over the last eight Game Weeks.
Carlo Ancelotti has thrown his support behind Everton’s home-grown striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who in turn has scored four times across his last five starts including a double against the Toons in GW20.
Newcastle broke a four game winless run with a surprise victory against the Blues on the weekend, the Toons held on for a one-nil win despite Chelsea recording 19 attempts on goal!
Everton have been a class above Newcastle across the last month of football and should pick up all three points at Goodison Park.
Sheffield United have had a slow start to the new year, winning just once across their last four fixtures.
The Blades are fiends for a low scoring contest, with nine of their last ten matches going under 2.5 total goals, including their trip to the Etihad Stadium in GW20.
City have looked a shadow of the team which claimed back-to-back Premier League Titles, falling 16 competition points behind Liverpool following a disappointing showing against Palace on the weekend.
Pep’s defence may be in a shambles but his offence is firing off all cylinders, lead by Sergio Aguero who has scored six times across his last three games including the match clinching strike at Bramall Lane.
Man City haven’t dropped points in successive matches this season and I’m expecting that trend to continue tomorrow morning!
Chelsea play host to Arsenal in a London Derby, which has garnished about as much anticipation as the DVD release of Paranormal Activity Part IV.
Both sides come into this clash off the back of disappointing performances, the Blues were kept scoreless against Newcastle while the Gunners relinquished a one-nil advantage against the Blades.
Arsenal will still be without their majority goalscorer and captain in Aubameyang, who found the back of the net the last time these two side met.
Chelsea form has taken a drive in the last 10 weeks, with their offence beginning to show signs of stagnation.
Lampard’s side has been kept scoreless on four occasions across their last 10 matches, while Tammy Abraham’s shooting boots could use a polish with the English striker scoring just three goals since GW12.
However, Tammy will take confidence in the fact that he scored last time out against the Gunners in Chelsea’s 2-1 come from behind victory.
Missing: Leicester City.
Last Seen: 8 Points behind Liverpool on December 9th 2019.
Someone up Jamie Vardy’s Red Bull dose, the mercurial striker has fallen flat in front of goal, finding the back of the net once in his last five games including a missed penalty during the loss to Burnley over the weekend.
Brendan Rodgers is guilty of tinkering with his starting XI too frequently, with the Foxes losing all momentum over the festive period.
Since the return of David Moyes, West Ham have conceded twice across their last three games, unfortunately they have struggled at the top end of the pitch with one goal from their last two matches.
Leicester came away with all three points away from home against the Hammers in GW19 and should return to winning ways at King Power stadium on Thursday morning.
Tottenham are winless in four and have looked completely toothless since Harry Kane sustained a hamstring tear.
The Spurs may be forced to throw money at a short term fix, in order to cover the gapping hole at the top of the pitch, with Mourinho’s side held scoreless across their last three games.
Despite a win over the Cherries on the weekend, the Canaries are still anchored three points clear on the bottom of the table.
Teemu Pukki broke his five game goal draught, scoring from the spot and securing the three points his side so desperately required.
Norwich clinched a two-all draw against the Spurs in GW20, but were completely outplayed throughout the contest and were gifted the point with a late Toby Alderweireld own goal.
Rashford OUT = United CAST!
Man U fans were hit with the worst news since Phil Jones was offered a new contract, when Marcus Rashford was diagnosed with multiple stress fractures in his lower back.
United’s golden boy has been involved in 18 of his side’s 36 goals this campaign, almost single handedly dragging the deadweight of 10 grown men to 5th position on the Premier League table (probably the cause of said stress fractures).
Burnley broke a four game losing steak with a win over the Foxes on the weekend. Man of the match honours went to the Claret’s keeper Nick Pope, who foiled countless attempts on goal from Vardy and co. including a stunning penalty save.
Despite losing Rashford, Man U have only lost on one occasion at Old Trafford this season and have the quality to overcome Burnley’s direct approach.
With a match away against City to come, this week’s contest against the Wolves looms as one of two big hurdles standing between Liverpool and a fabled undefeated season.
Impressively, the Wolves have accounted for Man. City twice this season, and have the ability to pull off an upset over the Champions in waiting.
Nuno’s team showed oodles of character to come from two goals down to claim a 3-2 victory over the inform Saints in GW23, the second time they achieved such a feat since doing so against City.
Liverpool’s form speaks for itself: W W W W W W W W D W W W W W W W W W W W W W.
The last seven of those W’s came at the expense of ZERO goals which, coincidentally is the same amount of goals the Red’s have conceded in their last four matches against the Wolves.
Just like their sheets of late, I am expecting the Reds to take the Wolves to the cleaners.