• Queens Park Rangers v Stoke City: QPR have score once in four games, Stoke have scored twice. Two teams struggling to get going this season points to another cautious game. PREDICTION: Draw, 0-0. (Photo: Peter Powell / EPA)
    Queens Park Rangers v Stoke City: QPR have score once in four games, Stoke have scored twice. Two teams struggling to get going this season points to another cautious game. PREDICTION: Draw, 0-0. (Photo: Peter Powell / EPA)
  • Burnley v Sunderland: Promoted Burnley have yet to win a game but at home, against a side who don’t travel well – this is the kind of match they need to win if they want to stay up this season. PREDICTION: Burnley, 2-0. (Photo: Stu Forster / Getty Images)
    Burnley v Sunderland: Promoted Burnley have yet to win a game but at home, against a side who don’t travel well – this is the kind of match they need to win if they want to stay up this season. PREDICTION: Burnley, 2-0. (Photo: Stu Forster / Getty Images)
  • Newcastle United v Hull City: This game last season saw Newcastle manager Alan Pardew headbutt a Hull player on the pitch, Saturday could be his last match in charge after a dismal start to the season which sees them bottom of the table. With Hull are playing well it is hard to see a Newcastle win. PREDICTION: Draw, 1-1. (Photo: Lynne Cameron / AP / PA)
    Newcastle United v Hull City: This game last season saw Newcastle manager Alan Pardew headbutt a Hull player on the pitch, Saturday could be his last match in charge after a dismal start to the season which sees them bottom of the table. With Hull are playing well it is hard to see a Newcastle win. PREDICTION: Draw, 1-1. (Photo: Lynne Cameron / AP / PA)
  • Swansea City v Southampton: An unlikely clash between the third- and fourth-placed teams, this is the trickiest game to call. Home advantage means Swansea could sneak a win, especially if their dynamic wingers Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge hit top form. PREDICTION: Swansea, 2-1. (Photo: Christopher Lee / Getty Images)
    Swansea City v Southampton: An unlikely clash between the third- and fourth-placed teams, this is the trickiest game to call. Home advantage means Swansea could sneak a win, especially if their dynamic wingers Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge hit top form. PREDICTION: Swansea, 2-1. (Photo: Christopher Lee / Getty Images)
  • West Ham United v Liverpool: Liverpool need to bounce back after the slip up against Villa but they will have to grind out a result at Upton Park, where they struggled to a 2-1 win last season. PREDICTION: Liverpool, 1-0. (Photo: Olly Greenwood / AFP)
    West Ham United v Liverpool: Liverpool need to bounce back after the slip up against Villa but they will have to grind out a result at Upton Park, where they struggled to a 2-1 win last season. PREDICTION: Liverpool, 1-0. (Photo: Olly Greenwood / AFP)
  • Leicester City v Manchester United: On the back of a confidence-boosting thrashing of QPR last week, United’s new-look side should have too much for Leicester. The home side have been playing well, without the results, so don’t expect a huge victory. PREDICTION: Manchester United, 2-0. (Photo: Paul Ellis / AFP)
    Leicester City v Manchester United: On the back of a confidence-boosting thrashing of QPR last week, United’s new-look side should have too much for Leicester. The home side have been playing well, without the results, so don’t expect a huge victory. PREDICTION: Manchester United, 2-0. (Photo: Paul Ellis / AFP)
  • Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion: West Brom look like relegation material and should be no match for a Spurs side who deserved to win at Sunderland last weekend. PREDICTION: Tottenham, 3-0. (Photo: Olly Greenwood / AFP)
    Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion: West Brom look like relegation material and should be no match for a Spurs side who deserved to win at Sunderland last weekend. PREDICTION: Tottenham, 3-0. (Photo: Olly Greenwood / AFP)
  • Everton v Crystal Palace: Everton’s Champions League hopes took a blow last season when they lost at home to Palace. Without Tony Pulis guiding the ship thought, Palace are not the same side as last season. PREDICTION: Everton, 2-0. (Photo: Andrew Yates / Reuters)
    Everton v Crystal Palace: Everton’s Champions League hopes took a blow last season when they lost at home to Palace. Without Tony Pulis guiding the ship thought, Palace are not the same side as last season. PREDICTION: Everton, 2-0. (Photo: Andrew Yates / Reuters)
  • Manchester City v Chelsea: The game of the weekend, City need victory more than Chelsea do, in terms of confidence and the early running in the title race. Last season, Jose Mourinho was happy for Chelsea to take points away at title rivals but he ended up with a win at City after a perfect counter-attacking display. This time a win would put Chelsea eight points clear of City already. Hard to see it happening though. PREDICTION: Manchester City, 1-0. (Photo: Christof Stache / AFP)
    Manchester City v Chelsea: The game of the weekend, City need victory more than Chelsea do, in terms of confidence and the early running in the title race. Last season, Jose Mourinho was happy for Chelsea to take points away at title rivals but he ended up with a win at City after a perfect counter-attacking display. This time a win would put Chelsea eight points clear of City already. Hard to see it happening though. PREDICTION: Manchester City, 1-0. (Photo: Christof Stache / AFP)

Football

Arsenal hold off Aston Villa; Man City stifle Chelsea: The National’s Premier League predictions

Thomas Woods

September 18, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

Deputy Sports Editor Thomas Woods delivers The National’s predictions for Gameweek 5 in the English Premier League, including Arsenal putting down upstart Villa and City holding off Celsea in the marquee matchup of the week.

Manchester UnitedArsenalAston VillaNewcastle United