Tough at the top

ARSENAL v LIVERPOOL

This is the headline match for the premier league on Wednesday, billed as a battle of two teams who look to pass, control & dominate their opposition.  Arsenal are the model that Liverpool's owners FSG are looking to emulate.  Invest in young players bring them through and in the worst case scenario they will have a higher resale value.  Coming into this match Arsenal have lost just two of their last ten and their only recent defeat at home came against Manchester City.  Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns coming into this match whilst Liverpool are still missing Reina & Enrique.  Liverpool have suffered three defeats in their last five away matches and this includes the cup defeat against Oldham from Sunday.  One positive for Liverpool is the fact they have scored in all of their last five away matches and during these matches all have seen three or more goals.  Liverpool's main problem this season has been the reliance on Suarez, his current goals tally is sixteen goals with only Gerrard close on seven.  The next highest scorer for Liverpool is divided amongst the squad with several of two goals.  Arsenal have on the other hand shared the goals with the current leading scorer being Walcott on ten goals.  The trend for this match is goal scoring draws and I believe Liverpool would be happy to take a point from the Emirates.  I would suggest there will be goals in this match Arsenal averaging two and half goals per game at home whilst Liverpool boast one and half goals per away game.  I would be surprised if Arsenal don't take the points in this match and also if it is not a entertaining match feature quality and goals.

NORWICH v TOTTENHAM

Norwich are currently one of the teams really struggling for form in the league, suffering three defeats in their last five which included a defeat at home to Luton in the fa cup.  Just over a month ago things seem so different for Norwich with results against Manchester United & Arsenal but that all now seems along time ago.  Their opponents have won two and lost two of their last five on the road but Spurs have been good for goals recently.  With four of their last five matches seeing two or more goals Spurs really have provided great entertainment.  They will be confident travelling to Norwich with a record of four wins in their last five trips there.  Another item to note is Spurs have only failed to score once all season away from home.  Norwich has no fresh injury problems just the long term absence of John Ruddy in goal, whilst Spurs will sorely miss Sandro in the centre of midfield.  Luckily they have a able replacement in Scott Parker to cover in a vital area.  My main area of concern for Norwich is they have only averaged one goal per game at home and face a team that are averaging two goals per game in Spurs.  I'm opting for goals in this match and believe Spurs will come away with something from this match.

EVERTON v WEST BROM

This match features another team eyeing champions league football for next season, Everton come into the game undefeated in their last five with three wins and two draws.  They face a team in West Brom that has seen their form slip recently after a bright start under Steve Clarke.  Once tipped as a outside chance for European football they have recently suffered three defeats and one draw in their last five on the road and their only win came against relegation threatened QPR.  Both teams come into this match with a strong trend for both team scoring with WBA seeing eight of their last ten whilst Everton have seen it in nine of their last ten.  I would suggest their should be a couple of goals in this match and looking at historical records Everton have won three of the last five meetings at Goodison.  Both of these teams top scorers are large physical targets and also a major part of team play, Fellaini leads for Everton on eight goals whilst Lukaku leads with nine for WBA.  One point of interest in both of these teams averaged first goal scored in a matches is after the forty second minute, so this may well be a slow starting match with most goals coming in the second half.  This is another match that should see a couple of goals and as to a match result I would suggest a home win.

MAN UTD v SOUTHAMPTON

United come into this match in fantastic form undefeated in their last ten winning seven.  Whilst if you look at the longer picture they have lost just one of their last twenty at home and have won eighteen of them.  Southampton come into the match in good recent form with just one defeat in their last five.  But they have changed manager and this makes their style of play slightly less predictable.  United's only real injury worry is Ashley Young whilst the visitors have no fresh concerns coming into the game.  The real sign of the size of task for Southampton is they are facing a team that are averaging just under three goals per home game and with the statistic that Southampton are conceding two goals per away game on average.  Also looking at historical records United have won nine of the last ten at Old Trafford but one crumb of comfort for the saints is they have scored in eight of the last ten trips.  I'm predicting goals and a home win in this match but it may well be a landslide victory main would anticipate.

READING v CHELSEA

Reading seemed to have turned a form corner in the league winning four of their last five matches and their only defeat coming at home against Arsenal.  It is no coincidence that during this improved form Reading have kept three clean sheets in their last five, their defending was a key concern for the management and was highlighted regularly in post match interviews.  They face a Chelsea that is best described as Jekyl & Hyde.  On their day they are brilliant and full of goals but on other nights they suffer from a lack of tempo and urgency.  Their main problems have come at home with a good away record winning three and drawing two of their last five away from home.  Coming into this match Chelsea will be missing the suspended Hazard and this could be a major blow.  A area of comfort for Chelsea is they are undefeated in recent matches at Reading so will fancy their chances of taking some points here.  There should be goals in this match with Chelsea averaging two goals per game on their travels and only not scoring just once this season.  I'm siding with goals and Chelsea taking some points back to London with them.

FULHAM v WEST HAM

The final midweek match sees a London derby between to two teams desperately looking for results to help secure this league positions.  The home team normally boast a strong home record and this has been their back bone of improved league positions in recent seasons.  But recently they have had only two wins in their last ten matches and one of these was against Blackpool in the fa cup.  During these last ten matches both teams have scored in seven of them.  So from a Fulham team that struggle to keep goals out they face a West Ham side that have found scoring goals difficult.  They have failed to score in four of their last five away matches and backs up their average of less than one goal per game away from home.  West Ham will be missing young Potts & Reid in this match and that will mean more defensive reshuffles.  Strangely West Ham have a very good record at Craven Cottage with three wins from the last four matches.  Fulhams top scorer is Berbatov with seven goals and with West Hams top scorer being Kevin Nolan on just five goals this really does highlight the away teams problem again.  West Ham have a strong trend for early goals in their matches but I wouldn't be suggesting this match would see an abundance of goals.  Overall I wouldn't be surprised if West Ham can take a point from this match if only judging by the way West Ham bullied Fulham in the earlier match this season.


Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone !!!