Premier League Predictions Week 21

A north London derby should herald a lively start to the weekend, before two ex-England bosses duel it out at Goodison Park when Everton host Palace.

Elsewhere on Saturday, a resurgent Swansea will look to continue their great escape act under Carlos Carvalhal when Burnley visit the Liberty.

The 5.30pm kick-off may well see Riyad Mahrez return for Leicester to face Man City who had a £65 million bid turned down for the Algerian on transfer deadline day.

On Sunday the Benitez/Mourinho grudge match resumes when Man United head to St James’ Park, while Southampton fans can reacquaint themselves with many of their old favourite players when Liverpool visit.

Once again the Leader’s sports writers go head-to-head to predict the outcome of all ten top-flight games.

With three points for predicting the correct score, or one for the correct match outcome (win/lose/draw), let us know your thoughts on this weekend’s action.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

NICK HARRISON: No-one wants to say it but world-beater Kane’s been awful in recent weeks. He looks desperate for a rest but that’s not going to come this weekend when he has the perfect chance to show what he can offer in the north London derby. 3-1

TOM NORRIS: This is set up very nicely. Tottenham will want to prove that they are north London’s top dogs by beating their rivals, but Wenger’s men won’t be sitting back. Could be a shootout between Kane and Aubameyang, which I fancy the England man to win. 4-2

DAN HEALD: A fiery derby fixture that normally produces goals shouldn’t disappoint this time around. For all of Arsenal’s defensive failings you have to admire their latent attacking threat. Wenger’s men to prevail here. 2-3

Everton v Crystal Palace

NH: Two ex-England managers go head to head in a game that will go a long way to showing just why the national side has been so rubbish in top tournament football. Allardyce and Hodgson will settle for a point. 2-2

TH: Big Sam needs a result here. The Goodison faithful are getting restless and not beating Palace, who are without the likes of Zaha, Sako, Puncheon and Loftus-Cheek, is unacceptable. Looking at that injury list, it’s hard not to see a home win. 2-0

DH: Allardyce will be acutely aware of the need to restore some Toffees pride after their Emirates horrorshow. Palace generally struggle on the road and could be on the end of a narrow defeat here. 2-1

Stoke City v Brighton

NH: When Brighton go on the attack they look pretty dangerous. And Hughton should tell his side to go for it against a Stoke back-line that are shaky to say the least. Shaqiri needs a little help from Allen and Co. 2-1

TN: Don’t expect this to be a cracker. Brighton are functional at best and Stoke are still trying to come to terms with Lambert’s style and desperately attempting to grind out results to stay up. Stoke should have enough to snatch this one. 1-0

DH: A cursory glance at Paul Lambert’s striking options do not inspire much faith in Stoke’s bid to beat the drop. Chris Hughton loves the cautious approach and would happily take a point here. 1-1

Swansea City v Burnley

NH: The Swans should have kept a few of those FA Cup goals for tomorrow in a game where they may find it hard to break down Burnley. But confidence should be high in South Wales where the Clarets will be be sunk. 2-1

TN: Swansea will certainly be confident on the back of mauling Notts County, but Burnley won’t be afraid of this trip having held Pep’s City to a draw last weekend. 1-1

DH: Don’t expect a repeat of Swansea’s eight-goal mauling of Notts County earlier this week. Carlos Carvalhal has done fine work since taking charge  but may have to settle for a point against the dogged Clarets. 1-1

West Ham v Watford

NH: Deulofeu is a tremendous signing for Watford if thry are going to adopt an attacking policy. He ran rings around a Chelsea defence that is normally rock solid. There’s every chance he’ll do the same to the unhappy Hammers. 1-2

TN: Not many saw Watford’s dismantling of Chelsea coming, probably not even Javi Gracia. It would be easy to presume they would be able to do the same to the Hammers, but football is a funny old game, as they say. 1-1

DH: Football’s a fickle game. One minute Moyes is being lauded as a relegation-thwarting messiah, the next his Hammers side are winless in three and beset with crippling injuries. A trip to London Stadium will hold little fear for Javi Gracia’s buoyant Hornets. 1-2

Manchester City v Leicester City

NH: Can’t see Sterling starting after he was hauled off at Burnley. With Aguero also under-par of late, no wonder Danilo is trying his luck from way out. Don’t beat against him banging another one in against The Foxes. 3-1

TN: City’s draw at Burnley was just a blip. Pep’s men created enough chances to win comfortably and there will certainly be no panic from the boys in blue. Leicester will have a go at their hosts, but it’s not easy to win when you haven’t got the ball. 3-1

DH: While he cuts an animated figure on the touchline, Guardiola gives little away in post-match interviews. But it’s to assume he was fuming with Sterling’s appalling miss against Burnley. So expect a finishing masterclass from City against a Foxes side that will have a Mahrez-shaped hole in attack. 4-1

Huddersfield Town v Bournemouth

NH: A stunning start to a Super Sunday triple bill? I think not. The Cherries are looking to make it four wins out of six and there’s no reason why they can’t do that against a team that could be heading straight back to the Championship. 1-2

TN: Television companies have got to show teams a certain amount of times and this looks like a tickbox exercise. Midday kick-off on Sunday afternoon won’t help this one either. 1-1

DH: Will the Terriers be feeling the effects of their extra-time win at Birmingham? Bournemouth are flying after successive wins and I’m backing them for another here. 1-2

Newcastle United v Manchester United

NH: Oh for a Phillipe Albert chip! A home win isn’t unthinkable against a United side who have underperformed under Mourinho. Newcastle's best chance of scoring will be if Jones returns for United after his own goal cracker at Tottenham. 1-2

TN: Just the sort of game Jose loves. The United boss will take his team to a packed out St James’ Park for a televised encounter and look to grab all three points. Hard not to see that happening either with the visitors’ attacking talents. 0-2

DH: There’s no love lost between Benitez and Mourinho, but it’ll be the Portugese who’ll be smiling on Sunday afternoon. United lack the attacking fluency of their Ferguson heyday, but they’re more than capable of grinding out wins against the likes of Newcastle. 1-3

Southampton v Liverpool

NH: Going to Southampton will be like a scouting trip for Klopp, who loves taking Saints players up to Anfield. It might be worth keeping tabs on Jack Stephens. He can defend and score goals and he might be a little bit cheaper than Van Dijk. As for Liverpool; again it will be up to Salah to rescue them. 2-3

TN: Like a charity game this one – Southampton versus Southampton old boys. The home side will know plenty about Klopp’s men, but that won’t help them much against Salah, Mane and Firmino. 1-3

DH:  How will Van Dijk be received by Saints fans? The £75million man will be under intense scrutiny at his former club. Pellegrino will be glad his side banked three points last week, because this one won’t end well for them. 1-3

Chelsea v West Brom

NH: I didn’t expect Conte to be around for this one especially after his bizarre starting line-up at Watford. He has to start with Giroud, tell Fabregas to pull his socks up and not bother with Luiz at the back. 2-1

TN: Conte has another chance to save his job. Andre Villas-Boas and Di Matteo have bitten the dust after defeats to West Brom, so Conte will be worried. Hard to see Chelsea losing, but they were thumped by Bournemouth and Watford. Ancelotti and Hiddink will have their phones on. 2-1

DH: Defeat to West Brom ended the Chelsea tenures of both Villas-Boas and Di Matteo, but Conte seems to be bullet-proof. His contempt for the club’s hierarchy allied with poor performances on the field suggest he won’t cling on much longer though. 1-1