The final weekend of football games before the first international break of 2017 and a chance to try your hand at Premier League betting.
The betting odds continue to fluctuate at both ends of the table and it’s easy to see why.
WEEK 29 SATURDAY:
West Bromwich Albion vs Arsenal
I read the other day that Arsenal had put their Champions League annihilation at the hands of Bayern Munich behind them because they had bounced back in the FA Cup.
Their opponents were non-league Lincoln City!
The age of delusion clearly isn’t dead, but Arsenal’s season will be if they are not careful.
West Brom may be in the comfort zone but they won’t make life easy for the Gunners.
Crystal Palace vs Watford FC
After back-to-back league wins, what chances does Sam Allardyce have guiding the Eagles to three straight victories?
Every chance, I’d say, against a Watford side that can’t possibly have the hunger their opponents, just a point clear of the drop zone, will possess.
On saying that, with home matches against Sunderland and West Brom to come, Walter Mazzarri’s side are surely only three victories from safety.
Everton vs Hull City
After winning the match for Hull last weekend with a substitute double, Oumar Niasse won’t be involved at all this time.
He is unable to play at Goodison Park under the terms of his loan deal with Everton.
That will be a blow for a side that remain in the bottom three – just – and face the Toffees on the rise under Ronald Koeman.
Stoke City vs Chelsea
After N’Golo Kante’s brilliant goal sank 10-man Man Utd in the FA Cup, league leaders Chelsea return to league action with talk of a league and cup double hotting up.
There is no doubt they have been helped enormously by the lack of European competition, yet you can’t take away from what they have achieved thus far.
As they try and close in on a second league championship in three years, they will have to overcome a side that have become something of a bogey – Stoke saw off Chelsea twice on their home turf last season.
Sunderland vs Burnley
With just two away points all season, Sunderland will fancy their chances of a home win.
After three defeats in a row, anything else is simply not enough as the Wearsiders try and peg back a six point gap from safety.
They will give their all but it may not be enough unless David Moyes can turnaround their fortunes – and fragile confidence – quickly.
West Ham United vs Leicester City
After writing another glorious, unexpected chapter in their history, Premier League champions Leicester go in search of a fourth straight win under interim boss Craig Shakespeare.
However, after their stunning victory over Sevilla in the Champions League, the Foxes may struggle to lift themselves for this one.
An ideal time then for the ‘Jekyll n’ Hyde’ Hammers to claim three points and try and climb into the top half of the table for the first time all season.
WEEK 29 SUNDAY:
Bournemouth vs Swansea City
Joshua King’s last-gasp and hat-trick clinching goal last weekend must have lifted the mood up a few notches in the Cherries’ camp.
Not only was it their first victory of 2017 but it gave them more breathing space from the bottom three after 10 weeks without a win.
Swansea now need to bounce back themselves, although even if they lost this, the confidence they have gained under Paul Clement should be enough to see them pull clear.
Middlesbrough vs Manchester United
Aitor Karanka’s side are very defensive and, unsurprisingly, the lowest scorers in the Premier League.
They could now do with becoming as ruthless in attack as they can be resolute at the back.
A good time, perhaps, to be playing a United side facing their third game in seven days.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton
Such has been his form of late, there’s no doubt Spurs will miss Harry Kane – they only won four out of 10 when he was missing in the autumn.
The prognosis suggests the front man won’t be out for as long as feared with an ankle injury.
Yet this should be a genuine test against a Saints side that seem fresh and ready for a late-season charge for a top-eight spot.
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