BY Victor Akhidenor
Ahead of this weekend’s Barclays Premier League (BPL) action, our analysts are here again to provide you with their views and predictions on every fixture.
The star match is the London derby between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. The odds and the Jose Mourinho’s factor give the Blues the edge.
But what do Kayode Tijani, Aisha Falode and Sunday Omeike think?
Find out, and lot more, in this edition of BPL preview.
Sunday: Hull City have been taking a gung ho approach this season due to their abundance of talent in the attacking department. However, their defence keeps shipping in goals, meaning results have been inconsistent. Crystal Palace’s width on the wings with Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie will look to feed on this perceived vulnerability but the time is ripe for a Hull City win, especially when it’s a home fixture. Steve Bruce’s boys to nick an entertaining game. 2-1
Aisha: Hull showed great spirit to come from two goals down against champions Manchester City last weekend although they eventually lost 4-2. Crystal Palace had a good result beating Leicester 2-0. I feel this will end in a 1-1 draw.
Kayode: I wonder why Steve Bruce is yet to give Hatem Ben Arfa and Gaston Ramirez a league start since arriving on transfer deadline day. They need those two to shore up their team. It’s a home game and like Sunday said, I give it to the home team as well. 3-1
Sunday: This is not the Championship because I would have predicted a straight win for Burnley. They are still looking for a win and struggling to score goals, while Leicester City have accustomed themselves to the Premiership, defeating Manchester United in the process (smiles at Kayode, a United fan). However, it is not easy to shed the underdog tag in the Premier League. Leicester have upgraded and have enough experience to see out this game, which would be played at a frightening pace. Although I think Burnley would finally score, I don’t see them outscoring Nigel Pearson’s men. 3-1
Aisha: After a decent start, Leicester City are beginning to struggle. But their opponents are fellow promoted side Burnley who are bottom of the league. Leicester should win this. 2-1
Kayode: It seems Leicester are paying the price after beating United with two questionable penalties. They lost to Palace last week and I see them dropping points in this game as well. 1-1
Sunday: In Pools Betting circles, this is what I’d call a home banker (general laughter)! Forget Liverpool’s struggles home and abroad, and neglect their post-Champions League match trauma tag – West Brom’s rising sun will be dimmed by Gerrard and co. The captain has demanded a response from his team mates and he’d surely get one – Sturridge available or not. Please don’t ask me if Ideye will score the consolation (another round of laughter)! 3-1
Kayode: Sunday, Ideye will score a hat-trick and gatecrash Keshi’s team list! The Kop are struggling at the moment and their marquee signing – Mario Balotelli – is yet to deliver the goals. I fancy their chances against West Brom, though. 3-0
Aisha: Like you guys correctly pointed out, it hasn’t been a good start to the season by Liverpool and they were lethargic against Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday. I expect them to lift their game against West Brom. 3-1
Sunday: This is a dull game in the making. The question here is: where will Sunderland find their goals? Gus Poyet’s men are out of their depth in attack and with Steven Fletcher, Connor Wickham and Jozy Altidore firing blanks, so it’s hard to see how they’d win this one. Stoke on the other hand have been playing some entertaining football this season, have a surreal away record and Victor Moses is back to his terrorising best. However, they are known to suffer the usual dip and this would mean a share of the spoils. 1-1
Aisha: Peter Crouch and Victor Moses have formed a decent strike partnership for Stoke City and I think they will cause Sunderland some problems. I’ll go for an away win here. 1-2
Kayode: I’ll go for an away win as well. Poyet’s men are struggling for survival so early in the season with just five points from a possible 18! The Uruguayan performed magic last season by steering the club off relegation. The magic is waning. 1-3
Sunday: I really wouldn’t love to preview a Newcastle game again. Not until after Alan Pardew has been sacked. Swansea will benefit from a comical show from the visiting Toon Army. A straightforward win for the Welsh ducks. 3-1
Kayode: It’s obvious you can’t wait to see the back of your coach. I think you will wait at least for another week. Newcastle were unlucky to lose against Stoke on Monday. This is another away fixture against a Swansea side that have not recovered from the bashing at Stamford Bridge. 1-2 (Sunday shakes his head disapprovingly).
Aisha: It seems whenever Newcastle plays these days, there is speculation about the future of their manager Alan Pardew (glances at Sunday who is smiling). Swansea have been wobbling in their last few matches but should win this 2-1 (Sunday brandishes a “Pardew Out” banner)
Aisha: Aston Villa made a flying start to the season but suffered consecutive 3-0 loses to Arsenal and Chelsea. They will perform better against Man City and could get a draw. 2-2
Kayode: I don’t see that happening! They will lose by the same margin to the champions who are getting to the form that saw them win the title. All is not rosy for them in the Champions League after dropping points yet again against Roma. Villa will pay for this! 0-3
Sunday: Aston Villa have not only lost their unbeaten start to the season, they have had to face both Arsenal and Chelsea to lose it and they lost both games resoundingly, the latter without an excuse of flu. I agree with Kay and expect another bashing at the hand of the reigning champions who seem to lift their game in the BPL but look like lame ducks in Europe. Aguero to score in this rout. 0-3
Aisha: Manchester United won against West Ham last weekend but captain Wayne Rooney picked up a red card and will miss this clash. Everton will be difficult for United and I think this will end 2-2
Kayode: Aisha, no doubting the fact that Everton have become a bogey side for United. This time though, they will leave Old Trafford with their tails behind their back! Rooney will not be missed as Van Gaal will deploy Juan Mata in the position he played against West Ham. I see Falcao scoring his first goal in English football on Sunday. 4-1
Sunday: Everyone already knows how Manchester United will line up but it will be interesting to see if Roberto Martinez will stay pragmatic on this one. Will he go for a three-man defensive midfield to protect his leaky defence against the goals-pregnant Van Gaalacticos attack or will he go for broke with an extra attacking player to pick apart United’s comical defence? Nevertheless, it is a blessing in disguise that Rooney won’t feature in this because he has had underwhelming games against his former team and home-town club in recent years. The time has come for Falcao to open his BPL account (winks at Kayode) in a win for the Red Devils. 3-1
Aisha: Chelsea and Arsenal are the only unbeaten sides left in the league. Arsene Wenger has never beaten Jose Mourinho in any competition and I don’t see it happening here. Arsenal had a good outing in the Champions League in midweek but the Gunners will find Chelsea too strong at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea will take this 3-1
Kayode: Danny Welbeck, previously with Manchester United (the name of the club reaches 110 decibels as he calls it), scored a hat-trick in the Champions League during the week and the Blues will find him too hot to handle. He will hurt them. I see a win for the Gunners – Arsene Wengers’s first against Jose Mourinho. 1-2 (looks the other way to avoid the glare from Aisha, a Chelsea fan)
Sunday: Jose Mourinho knows how to win the BPL and his performances in the big games is a major factor. Arsene Wenger, however, is a master at blowing these kinds of games and that’s why Mourinho labeled him The Messieurs! Diego Costa has been terrorizing Premier League defender and I expect a torrid afternoon for Mertesacker and Koscielny – a defender without a back according to my Yoruba friends (general laughter)! The presence of Fabregas on the blue side has stoked this already hot fire and expects no favours from his former Gunners lads and faithful. The Blues can now win in two ways – beautifully and dirty – while Arsenal can run out of ideas if the opponent takes the game to them. Wenger, if he wants to take any point away from the Bridge would do well to stick playmaker Mesut Ozil in the No 10 position so as to pick out through passes for the pacy trio of Sanchez, Welbeck and Chamberlain. A high-tempo match in this London derby and based on the coach’s reputation and home advantage, Chelsea will nick this. 2-0
Aisha: Southampton have surprised even themselves with their superb performances this season. Spurs did well to draw with Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend. I think a draw will be a fair result here. 1-1
Sunday: Just like Swansea earlier in the season, the time has come for Southampton’s bubble to finally bust. Tottenham will take the derby point and improve to smash the Saints. Pochettino’s men are in a lull and a win is badly needed and a Southampton side he helped to forge last season – before it was torn apart on his departure – is the perfect inspiration for this fixture. His players will fight tooth and nail for the win at White Hart Lane. 3-1
Kayode: I go for a win for Spurs as well. Southampton have done well to be in second position on the log. They would fancy their chances against the London side and hope for at least a point. I very much doubt it though. 3-0
Sunday: Someone should please wake me up when QPR finally shed their tag as the worst travelers in the league. They seem to oversleep on the train during their away visits and produce embarrassing displays unworthy of a Premier League side. Sam Allardyce’s team, on the other hand, are playing free flowing football with most players living up to their potential or punching above their weight. Another hiding for Harry Redknapp and QPR. 3-0
Aisha: QPR manager Harry Redknapp comes up against his old club. Current West Ham boss Sam Alladyce will want to make Redknapp’s return to Upton Park a miserable one. West Ham to win this 2-1
Kayode: It won’t be a happy return to Upton Park for Harry Redknapp as his former team will compound his troubles. They will remain in the relegation zone after this match. 3-1
MATCH | KAYODE | AISHA | SUNDAY | RESULT |
---|---|---|---|---|
Liverpool v Everton | 3-2 | 3-2 | 3-1 | 1-1 |
Arsenal v Tottenham | 3-2 | 3-1 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Crystal Palace v Leicester | 1-2 | 2-2 | 1-0 | 2-0 |
Hull City v Manchester City | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 2-4 |
Chelsea v Aston Villa | 3-0 | 3-0 | 3-0 | 3-0 |
Manchester United v West Ham | 3-2 | 3-1 | 3-1 | 2-1 |
Southampton v QPR | 2-0 | 3-0 | 3-1 | 2-1 |
Sunderland v Swansea | 1-2 | 1-1 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
West Brom v Burnley | 2-1 | 2-1 | 2-0 | 4-0 |
Stoke City v Newcastle | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 1-0 |
PUNDITS | WK 6 CORRECT RESULT (1PT) | WK 6 CORRECT SCORE (2PTS) | WK 6 TOTAL POINTS | CUMULATIVE POINTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Aisha Falode | 5 | 2 | 7 | 31 |
Sunday Omeike | 6 | 2 | 8 | 26 |
Kayode Tijani | 5 | 2 | 7 | 20 |
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