EVERTON VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH
LAST MEETING
February 20, 2016 (Goldsands Stadium): Bournemouth 0-2 Everton
FORM
Everton: LDDDL
Bournemouth: LLWLL
KEY STATS
- Everton have never lost against AFC Bournemouth in the five matches they have played in all competitions (W4 D1)
- The five meetings between the Cherries and the Toffees have averaged four goals per match
- Romelu Lukaku has scored in both of his appearances against AFC Bournemouth this season, once in the Barclays Premier League and once in the FA Cup
- AFC Bournemouth mustered 10 shots on target against Everton back in November, the most they have ever managed in a single BPL fixture
- Ross Barkley hasn’t scored or assisted a single goal in any of his last 10 Premier League appearances for Everton
TEAM NEWS
Everton are without Gareth Barry because of a knock he sustained in the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool eight days ago, Seamus Coleman and Phil Jagielka (both hamstring) are out and Ramiro Funes Mori is banned.
For AFC Bournemouth Harry Arter has an Achilles problem and Adam Smith has missed the last three matches with a hernia. Max Gradel (leg) is also a doubt.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Everton XI: Robles; Oviedo, Pennington, Stones, Baines; Besic, McCarthy; Lennon, Barkley, Cleverley; Lukaku
Bournemouth XI: Boruc; Francis, Elphick, Cook, Daniels; Ritchie, Surman, Gosling, Pugh; King; Afobe
PREDICTION: Everton 1-1 Bournemouth
NEWCASTLE UNITED VS CRYSTAL PALACE
LAST MEETING
November 28, 2015 (Selhurst Park): Crystal Palace 5-1 Newcastle
FORM
Newcastle: LLWDD
Palace: DWDDL
KEY STATS
- The reverse fixture earlier this season was the first time since March 1998 that Newcastle United had lost against Crystal Palace in all competitions (W8 D3)
- Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse has scored in all three of his Barclays Premier League matches against Crystal Palace
- Emmanuel Adebayor has scored six goals and assisted six more in his last nine BPL matches against Newcastle United. He jointly holds the Barclays Premier League record for most assists in a single match (four for Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle in February 2012)
- Newcastle are unbeaten in their last three matches (W1 D2 L0) and have not gone four unbeaten in the BPL since Alan Pardew’s tenure (six matches between Oct-Nov 2014)
- Crystal Palace have won the fewest Premier League games in 2016 so far (1)
TEAM NEWS
Pardew has a “slight concern” over Wilfried Zaha but Palace have no other injury worries to contend with.
Newcastle are set to be without Daryl Janmaat (groin) and Fabricio Coloccini (calf) for the final three matches. Yoan Gouffran and Steven Taylor are doubts.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Newcastle XI: Darlow; Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett; Townsend, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko; Perez; Cisse
Crystal Palace XI: Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Puncheon, Cabaye, Jedinak, Sako; Bolasie; Wickham
PREDICTION: Newcastle 2-1 Crystal Palace
STOKE CITY VS SUNDERLAND
LAST MEETING
November 28, 2015 (Stadium of Light): Sunderland 2-0 Stoke
FORM
Stoke: WDLLL
Sunderland: DDLWD
KEY STATS
- Sunderland have lost just one of their last nine Barclays Premier League meetings with Stoke (W5 D3 L1). Stoke have won five and lost just one of their last eight BPL meetings with Sunderland at home (W5 D2 L1)
- The Black Cats have failed to score in four of their last seven away BPL trips to Stoke, netting four goals in total in this period
- Jermain Defoe is enjoying his best goalscoring season in the Barclays Premier League (13 goals) since 2009/10 at Tottenham Hotspur (18 goals). This is his highest tally of away goals in a single BPL season (10 goals)
- Jack Butland saved 74% of shots this season in the BPL prior to his injury, but his replacements Shay Given and Jakob Haugaard have saved just 33% of shots combined
- Sunderland have allowed their opponents a league high 200 shots on target in the Premier League this season
TEAM NEWS
Sunderland have no new injury concerns and are set to have a full squad to choose from.
Stoke lost influential midfielder Ibrahim Afellay to a long-term knee injury last week, joining goalkeeper Jack Butland (ankle) on the sidelines.
Butland’s deputy Shay Given (groin) may also miss the rest of the campaign, but Xherdan Shaqiri should recover from a hamstring injury to feature.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Stoke XI: Haugaard; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Muniesa; Imbula, Whelan, Diouf, Bojan, Arnautovic; Joselu
Sunderland XI: Mannone; Yedlin, Kone, Kaboul, Van Aanholt; Borini, M’Vila, Kirchhof, Cattermole, Khazri; Defoe
PREDICTION: Stoke 0-2 Sunderland
WATFORD VS ASTON VILLA
LAST MEETING
November 28, 2015 (Villa Park): Aston Villa 2-3 Watford
FORM
Watford: LLDWL
Aston Villa: LLLLL
KEY STATS
- Watford will be looking to secure two league wins in a single season against Aston Villa for the first time since 1969/70
- Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five BPL matches against Watford, but shipped three goals in the reverse fixture earlier this season at Villa Park (2-3)
- The Hornets have lost just one of their previous eight BPL meetings against Aston Villa at Vicarage Road (W4 D3 L1), the defeat coming in August 1999
- Heurelho Gomes needs one more clean sheet this season to equal his best ever BPL tally (12 for Tottenham Hotspur in both 2008/09 and 2009/10)
- Aston Villa have lost 10 successive league matches; their longest sequence of league defeats since May 1963 (11 in a row)
TEAM NEWS
Watford are not thought to have any fresh injury concerns and Odion Ighalo is expected to feature despite the passing of his father shortly after Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final.
Villa meanwhile could welcome back Ciaran Clark following an ankle injury, but remain without Kieron Richardson (calf).
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Watford XI: Gomes; Nyom, Britos, Cathcart, Ake; Guedioura, Suarez, Watson; Deeney, Jurado; Ighalo
Aston Villa XI: Guzan; Hutton, Clark, Lescott, Cissokho; Sanchez, Gueye, Westwood; Bacuna, Ayew, Sinclair
PREDICTION: Watford 3-1 Aston Villa
WEST BROM VS WEST HAM
LAST MEETING
November 29, 2015 (Upton Park): West Ham 1-1 West Brom
FORM
West Brom: DLLLD
West Ham: DDDDW
KEY STATS
- Seven of the last 10 Barclays Premier League meetings between West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United have ended in a draw
- West Ham have lost just two of their last 11 BPL away trips to West Brom (W5 D4 L2)
- Andy Carroll has scored six goals in his last six competitive appearances for West Ham
- Dimitri Payet (102) has created 75 more chances for his team-mates than Darren Fletcher (27), who is West Brom’s most creative player this season in the BPL
- West Brom have played 21.8% of their passes long in the Premier League this season; a higher proportion than any other side
TEAM NEWS
Forward Saido Berahino and goalkeeper Ben Foster (both ankle) missed the match in north London but could both be passed fit for this one.
Long-term absentees Chris Brunt (knee) and James Morrison (hamstring) remain sidelined.
West Ham have a clean bill of health as they seek to secure European football for their first campaign at London’s Olympic Stadium.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
West Brom XI: Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Evans; Yacob, Fletcher; Sessegnon, Gardner, McClean; Rondón
West Ham XI: Adrian; Antonio, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Noble, Kouyaté, Lanzini; Sakho, Carroll, Payet
PREDICTION: West Brom 0-1 West Ham
ARSENAL VS NORWICH CITY
LAST MEETING
November 29, 2015 (Carrow Road): Norwich 1-1 Arsenal
FORM
Arsenal: WDDWD
Norwich: DWWLL
KEY STATS
- Arsenal have won eight of their last 12 Barclays Premier League home matches against Norwich City (W8 D3 L1)
- Just one of the last 14 BPL meetings between the two sides has ended in a Norwich win. The Canaries have lost seven and drawn six against the Gunners in this period
- This fixture will be Arsene Wenger’s 750th Barclays Premier League match in charge of Arsenal – only Sir Alex Ferguson (810) has managed more in the competition
- Arsenal have recorded the most touches in the opposition box this season (1158), while opponents Norwich City have made the fewest (569)
- No team in the Premier League has a lower scoring top scorer than Norwich City this season; Redmond and Mbokani (five goals)
TEAM NEWS
Santi Cazorla is in contention to make his first Barclays Premier League appearance since a 1-1 draw at Norwich City in Novembe, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is nearing a return from his own knee problem.
The visitors will have Russell Martin (illness) and Andre Wisdom available for selection.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Arsenal XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal; Elneny, Ramsey, Sanchez, Ozil, Iwobi; Welbeck
Norwich XI: Ruddy; Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson; Redmond, O’Neil, Hoolahan, Brady; Naismith; Mbokani
PREDICTION: Arsenal 4-1 Norwich
SWANSEA CITY VS LIVERPOOL
LAST MEETING
November 29, 2015 (Anfield): Liverpool 1-0 Swansea
FORM
Swansea: WDWLL
Liverpool: DWWWD
KEY STATS
- Swansea City have won only one of their nine Barclays Premier League meetings with Liverpool (W1 D3 L5), losing the last four in a row
- Daniel Sturridge has scored four goals in four BPL starts for Liverpool against Swansea
- Liverpool have scored 17 goals in their last six Barclays Premier League away matches
- The Swans, however, have kept six clean sheets in their last nine BPL matches at Liberty Stadium
- Liverpool have a league-high 19 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season
TEAM NEWS
Klopp will be without Jordan Henderson (knee), Divock Origi (ankle), Emre Can (ankle) and Mamadou Sakho (suspension). He hinted that reserve goalkeeper Danny Ward could come in for Simon Mignolet after he made an assured debut at AFC Bournemouth.
Swansea will be without Leroy Fer and Alberto Paloschi (both hamstring).
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Swansea XI: Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Britton; Ayew, Cork, Ki, Routledge; Sigurdsson
Liverpool XI: Ward; Randall, Lovren, Touré, Moreno; Stewart; Milner, Allen; Lallana; Firmino, Sturridge
PREDICTION: Swansea 2-3 Liverpool
MANCHESTER UNITED VS LEICESTER CITY
LAST MEETING
November 28, 2015 (King Power Stadium): Leicester City 1-1 Manchester United
FORM
Man Utd: WWLWW
Leicester: WWWDW
KEY STATS
- After winning nine Barclays Premier League matches in a row against Leicester City, Manchester United have now won only one of their last three against the Foxes (D1 L1)
- Leicester have won 22 BPL matches in 2015/16 – their highest ever tally in a top-flight season, overtaking both 1928/29 and 1965/66 (21 wins)
- Claudio Ranieri has won only two of his previous nine BPL matches as a manager against Manchester United (W2 D5 L2); these victories coming in December 2001 and November 2003 as Chelsea boss
- Wayne Rooney has currently scored 99 Barclays Premier League goals at Old Trafford – the only player to have scored 100+ at a single ground in the competition is Thierry Henry at Highbury (114)
- If they win this match, Leicester City will become the first team to win their first top-flight league title in England since Nottingham Forest in 1977-78
TEAM NEWS
Leicester’s only absentee is striker Jamie Vardy, who completes a two-match ban.
Van Gaal has no new injury concerns to contend with, though Bastian Schweinsteiger and Luke Shaw will not be fit to feature.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Man Utd XI: De Gea; Fosu-Mensah, Smalling, Blind, Rojo; Fellaini, Schneiderlin, Mata, Rooney, Martial; Rashford
Leicester XI: Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton; Ulloa, Okazaki
PREDICTION: Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
SOUTHAMPTON VS MANCHESTER CITY
LAST MEETING
November 28, 2015 (Etihad Stadium): Man City 3-1 Southampton
FORM
Southampton: WLWDW
Man City: WWWDW
KEY STATS
- Southampton have won only one of their last nine Barclays Premier League matches versus Manchester City (W1 D2 L6)
- Joe Hart could make his 300th BPL appearance in this match. If he features he would become the sixth English goalkeeper to reach this landmark in the competition
- Sergio Aguero has scored in each of his last five BPL appearances, but the Argentina striker has never scored six in a row in the competition
- Virgil van Dijk has won 74% of his 206 aerial duels in the Barclays Premier League this season; the highest ratio of any player to have been involved in 100+ aerials
- Kevin De Bruyne has created the most goal scoring chances for Man City this season in the Premier League (71) despite appearing in only 23 of their 35 games
TEAM NEWS
Other than the absences of Silva and Toure, Pellegrini revealed the rest of the squad is available.
Southampton have no fresh injury concerns
PREDICTED LINEUPS
Southampton XI: Forster; Soares, Fonte, van Dijk, Bertrand; Romeu, Wanyama; Davis, Rodriguez, Tadic; Long
Man City XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov; Navas, Fernando, Touré, Silva; Iheanacho, Agüero
PREDICTION: Southampton 1-2 Man City
ChezaFutaa! 