Week 29 returns in the Premier league with an early kick-off as Burmley host Everton. Liverpool will be in action at home to Everton in the late kick-off on Saturday as Arsenal travels to the Anex on Sunday Afternoon. Run away leaders Man City host Chelsea and Mna United will have to wait till Monday for their match against relegation threatened Palace.
Burnley vs Everton
Turf Moor
Sat, 03:30pm
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Burnley pair James Tarkowski and Chris Wood are back in contention after returning from injuries. Manager Sean Dyche says goalkeeper Tom Heaton is “very, very close” to being available after six months out with a shoulder injury.
Everton defenders Leighton Baines, Seamus Coleman and Phil Jagielka all return to the matchday squad. However, Eliaquim Mangala is likely to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury suffered last month.
Burnley won the reverse fixture at Goodison Park in October and could complete the league double against Everton for the first time since 1959-60, when they won the title. None of the previous seven Premier League meetings between these sides has finished level, with Everton winning four and Burnley three. The Clarets have only lost one of their last seven top-flight home games against Everton.
Prediction: Burnley 1-1 Everton.
Leicester City vs Bournemouth
King Power Stadium
Sat, 06:00pm
Referee: Lee Probert
Leicester City forward Shinji Okazaki could be available after a three-match lay-off with a knee injury. It remains to be seen whether manager Clud Puel will name the same eleven that drew at home to Stock last weekend.
Bournemouth could also be unchanged, with manager Eddie Howe reporting no fresh injury concerns. Defender Tyrone Mings has been receiving treatment for a back issue abroad and is the only long-term absentee.
Leicester City are yet to beat Bournemouth in the Premier League (D4, L1). There have been just five goals in as many Premier League fixtures between these sides.
Prediction: Leicester 1-1 Bournemouth
Southampton vs Stock City
St. Marys Stadium
Sat, 06:00pm
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Southampton pair Steven Davis and Shane Long are both nursing minor injuries and will be assessed ahead of Saturday’s game. Charlie Austin remains out of contention because of a hamstring injury but is edging close to a return.
Peter Crouch and Ryan Shawcross are both available for Stoke after recovering from ankle injuries. Goalkeeper Lee Grant is out with a wrist injury, while Stephen Ireland remains sidelined by a calf problem.
Southampton have won just two of their 11 Premier League meetings with Stoke (D5, L4). They could lose three league games in a row against them for the first time. Stoke could do the league double over Southampton for the first time in 50 years. The Potters have won their last two league visits to St Mary’s, both by a 1-0 scoreline.
Prediction:Southampton 1-2 Stock
Swansea City vs West Ham United
Liberty Stadium
Sat, 06:00pm
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Swansea have no new injury concerns following their FA Cup replay win over Sheffield Wednesday.
West Ham’s squad is also likely to be unchanged, with Andy Carroll, Pedro Obiang and Edimilson Fernandes still long-term absentees. Arthur Masuaku serves the fifth match of his six-game ban for spitting.
Swansea have lost the last three meetings, with their only win in 10 coming at Upton Park in May 2016 (D3, L6). The Swans have never suffered four straight league defeats against West Ham. The Hammers won the corresponding fixture 4-1 last season and are unbeaten in four Premier League visits to the Liberty Stadium since losing their first match there in August 2012.
Prediction:Swansea City 2-2 West Ham
Tottenham Hotspurs vs Huddersfield Town
Wembley Stadium
Sat, 06:00pm
Referee: Michael Jones
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen should return after missing last week’s win at Palace with an ankle issue. His partner Toby Alderweireld is still not fit as he steps up his recovery from a torn hamstring.
Huddersfield midfielder Philip Billing is available after illness, while Chris Lowe could feature after a three-match absence due to an ankle injury. Aaron Mooy and Elias Kachunga are nearing returns from knee injuries but will not be involved this weekend.
Tottenham are hosting Huddersfield in the league for the first time since August 1971, when they won 4-1 thanks to braces from Martin Chivers and Alan Gilzean. Spurs are unbeaten in six games against Huddersfield in all competitions since a 2-1 home defeat in April 1956 (W3, D3). Huddersfield could lose both league meetings with Spurs in a single season for the first time since the 1953-54 top-flight campaign.
Prediction:Tottenham 3-0 Huddersfield
Watford vs West Bromwich Albion
Vicarage Road
Sat, 06:00pm
Referee: Paul Tierney
Watford winger Gerard Deulofeu suffered a stress fracture of the foot last weekend and will face a spell out. Will Hughes has recovered from a hamstring problem and Didier Ndong is available after personal reasons kept him out of last week’s game.
West Brom’s on-loan forward Daniel Sturridge remains out because of a hamstring strain. Head coach Alan Pardew has an unchanged squad but says he will make changes to the side.
Watford have lost only one of the five Premier League meetings, keeping a clean sheet in both previous home games. West Brom’s last win at Vicarage Road came in a Championship game in November 2007.
Prediction: Watford 0-0 West Brom
Liverpool vs Newcastle United
Anfield
Sat, 08:30pm
Referee: Graham Scott
Liverpool will assess James Milner, who is nursing an injury, and ill pair Georginio Wijnaldum and Ben Woodburn. Full-back Nathaniel Clyne is still recovering from a back injury and is a definite absentee.
Newcastle midfielder Jonjo Shelvey will miss the trip to his former club after damaging a knee in last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. Dwight Gayle and Matt Ritchie have returned to fitness but Islam Slimani remains out.
Liverpool are unbeaten in 21 league games against Newcastle at Anfield since a 0-2 defeat in April 1994 (W17, D4). The Reds can establish a Premier League record of scoring in 22 consecutive home games against a single opponent. Newcastle have only endured two longer winless away runs against a single opponent: 29 games at Manchester United until 2012, and 22 games at Chelsea, ending in 1981. The Magpies have had four players sent off across their last four Premier League visits to Anfield.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Newcastle
Brighton and Hove Albion vs Arsenal
The American Express Community Stadium
Sun, 04:30pm
Referee: Kevin Friend
Brighton expect Czech midfielder Jiri Skalak to be available for selection after overcoming an Ankle injury. Chris Hugton however will be without Isaiah Brown and Steve Sidwell who are both still on the sidelines.
Arsenal Midfielder Jack Wilshire should be fit following an Ankle injury. The Gunners will however still be without the trio of Nacho Monreal, Santi Cazorla and Alexander Lacazatte.
Brighton have never defeated Arsenal in a competitive game since 1982. The Gunners have won all of the last four meetings between the two sides, scoring 11 goals and conceding 5. Only Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi are the only players still at Arsenal to have ever scored a goal against Brighton.
Prediction: Brighton 1-2 Arsenal
Manchester City vs Chelsea
Etihad Stadium
Sun, 07:00pm
Referee: Michael Oliver
Manchester City will have Raheem Stirling back in contention after the English forward over came a Hamstring strain. Fernandinho and Kyle Walker join Benjamin Mendy on the list of absentees for Pep Guardiola.
Chelsea is expected to still be without defender David Luiz and Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko but Ross Barkely is expected to return.
City defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the first leg thanks to Kevin De Bryne’s strike, their first victory over the Blues in the last three fixtures. the Citizens will be aiming for a third Premier league double over Chelsea. Chelsea have won only two of their last 10 visits to the Etihad stadium.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Old trafford
Mon, 11;00pm
Referee, Neil Swarbrick
Jose Mourinho’s side has no injured players returning for the game. Ander Herrera, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Daley Blind and Maroune Fellaini are all still out with injuries.
Palace on the other hand will have James Tomkins, Martin Kelly and Jeff Schlupp all returning from injury. Johan Cabaye, Muhammadu Sakho, Joel Ward, Julian Speroni, Wilfred Zaha, Bakary Sakho, Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Connor Wickam are all still out.
Palace’s last league victory at Old Trafford dates back to December 1989 when the Eagles defeated Sir Alex Ferguson’s men 2-1. Manchester United has won all of the last five meetings between the two clubs in all competitions, scoring 12 and letting in only two goals.
Prediction; Manchester United 2-0 Crystal Palace
