• SATURDAY - Leicester City v Liverpool (kick-off 4.30pm UAE): Bruising home defeats to Brighton and Manchester City have all but ended Liverpool's reign as Premier League champions. How they react in their next two matches - against the Foxes and Leipzig in the Champions League - could decide whether the season is heading for disaster or mere disappointment. Leicester sit third in the table, three points and one place ahead of the Reds. Prediction: Leicester 1 Liverpool 2. Reuters
    SATURDAY - Leicester City v Liverpool (kick-off 4.30pm UAE): Bruising home defeats to Brighton and Manchester City have all but ended Liverpool's reign as Premier League champions. How they react in their next two matches - against the Foxes and Leipzig in the Champions League - could decide whether the season is heading for disaster or mere disappointment. Leicester sit third in the table, three points and one place ahead of the Reds. Prediction: Leicester 1 Liverpool 2. Reuters
  • Crystal Palace v Burnley (7pm): A crucial week coming up for the Clarets. Sitting one place and eight points outside the drop zone, they now take on 13th place Palace, followed by the third and second bottom clubs - in Fulham and West Brom - in their next three games. Come out of those undefeated and manager Sean Dyche can start feeling confident that his team will be playing top-flight football next term. prediction: Crystal Palace 1 Burnley 2. AP
    Crystal Palace v Burnley (7pm): A crucial week coming up for the Clarets. Sitting one place and eight points outside the drop zone, they now take on 13th place Palace, followed by the third and second bottom clubs - in Fulham and West Brom - in their next three games. Come out of those undefeated and manager Sean Dyche can start feeling confident that his team will be playing top-flight football next term. prediction: Crystal Palace 1 Burnley 2. AP
  • Manchester City v Tottenham (9.30pm): The victory over Swansea in the FA Cup on Wednesday was City's 15th in a row, a record for successive domestic wins by an English top-flight club. On that same night, Spurs lost 5-4 to Everton and a repeat of that defensive sloppiness here and Jose Mourinho's latest battle with old rival Pep Guardiola could be a messy one. Prediction: City 3 Spurs 1. Reuters
    Manchester City v Tottenham (9.30pm): The victory over Swansea in the FA Cup on Wednesday was City's 15th in a row, a record for successive domestic wins by an English top-flight club. On that same night, Spurs lost 5-4 to Everton and a repeat of that defensive sloppiness here and Jose Mourinho's latest battle with old rival Pep Guardiola could be a messy one. Prediction: City 3 Spurs 1. Reuters
  • Brighton v Aston Villa (Midnight): It has been some run in the league for Graham Potter's Brighton of late. Unbeaten in five games - including victories over Leeds, Spurs and Liverpool - means the Seagulls are 10 points clear of the bottom three and you would fancy them to add inconsistent Villa to their list of top-half scalps. Prediction: Brighton 1 Villa 0. AFP
    Brighton v Aston Villa (Midnight): It has been some run in the league for Graham Potter's Brighton of late. Unbeaten in five games - including victories over Leeds, Spurs and Liverpool - means the Seagulls are 10 points clear of the bottom three and you would fancy them to add inconsistent Villa to their list of top-half scalps. Prediction: Brighton 1 Villa 0. AFP
  • SUNDAY - Southampton v Wolves (4pm): It is fair to say Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton are not enjoying the best of spells. Five defeats in a row, shipping nine at Manchester United and then losing to a Newcastle side that finished the game with nine men is a demoralising series of blows. After a tough run themselves, Wolves have picked up four points from their last two games - against Arsenal and Leicester - and will fancy adding to Saints' woes here. Prediction: Southampton 1 Wolves 2. Reuters
    SUNDAY - Southampton v Wolves (4pm): It is fair to say Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton are not enjoying the best of spells. Five defeats in a row, shipping nine at Manchester United and then losing to a Newcastle side that finished the game with nine men is a demoralising series of blows. After a tough run themselves, Wolves have picked up four points from their last two games - against Arsenal and Leicester - and will fancy adding to Saints' woes here. Prediction: Southampton 1 Wolves 2. Reuters
  • West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United (6pm): Conceding a last-gasp goal to draw 3-3 with Everton in their last league outing was a sucker-punch for United as they attempt to keep in touch with rivals City at the top of the table. A different set of pressures for the hapless Baggies who sit second bottom, 11 points from safety. If Sam Allardyce drags his team out of this mess, it will go down as the greatest of all relegation escapes. Prediction: West Brom 1 United 4. AP
    West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United (6pm): Conceding a last-gasp goal to draw 3-3 with Everton in their last league outing was a sucker-punch for United as they attempt to keep in touch with rivals City at the top of the table. A different set of pressures for the hapless Baggies who sit second bottom, 11 points from safety. If Sam Allardyce drags his team out of this mess, it will go down as the greatest of all relegation escapes. Prediction: West Brom 1 United 4. AP
  • Arsenal v Leeds United (8.30pm): If Leeds could find some consistency to go with their ability to entertain, Marcelo Bielsa's side would be challenging for a European spot. As it is, they sit mid-table in 10th spot, one point and one place ahead of the Gunners. Mikel Arteta's men have erratic form problems of their own, taking one point and scoring one goal in their last three games. Prediction: Arsenal 2 Leeds 3. Reuters
    Arsenal v Leeds United (8.30pm): If Leeds could find some consistency to go with their ability to entertain, Marcelo Bielsa's side would be challenging for a European spot. As it is, they sit mid-table in 10th spot, one point and one place ahead of the Gunners. Mikel Arteta's men have erratic form problems of their own, taking one point and scoring one goal in their last three games. Prediction: Arsenal 2 Leeds 3. Reuters
  • Everton v Fulham (11pm): Goals galore in Everton's last three games that have finished 10-8 in favour of Carlo Ancelotti's men. The porous defence will be a concern but they come up against a Fulham side that have managed just 17 goals from 22 league games and can expect to ship a few more in the other end at Goodison Park. Prediction: Everton 3 Fulham 1. Getty
    Everton v Fulham (11pm): Goals galore in Everton's last three games that have finished 10-8 in favour of Carlo Ancelotti's men. The porous defence will be a concern but they come up against a Fulham side that have managed just 17 goals from 22 league games and can expect to ship a few more in the other end at Goodison Park. Prediction: Everton 3 Fulham 1. Getty
  • MONDAY - West Ham v Sheffield United (10pm): For the second league game in a row, the Hammers come up against one of the bottom three at the London Stadium. They missed the chance to break into the top four when they could only draw 0-0 with Fulham last time out and it will be a huge missed opportunity if they also fail to take three points against bottom club Sheffield United. Prediction: West Ham 2 Sheffield United 1. AFP
    MONDAY - West Ham v Sheffield United (10pm): For the second league game in a row, the Hammers come up against one of the bottom three at the London Stadium. They missed the chance to break into the top four when they could only draw 0-0 with Fulham last time out and it will be a huge missed opportunity if they also fail to take three points against bottom club Sheffield United. Prediction: West Ham 2 Sheffield United 1. AFP
  • Chelsea v Newcastle United (midnight): It has been a solid start to his Chelsea reign for new manager Thomas Tuchel. Ten points from a possible 12 is not to be sniffed at and they are now just a point shy of a top-four spot. After a catastrophic run of form - 12 games without a win - Steve Bruce's Magpies have finally showed some attacking threat with two victories in three matches but the loss of top scorer Callum Wilson to injury for six to eight weeks is a body blow. Prediction: Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0. Reuters
    Chelsea v Newcastle United (midnight): It has been a solid start to his Chelsea reign for new manager Thomas Tuchel. Ten points from a possible 12 is not to be sniffed at and they are now just a point shy of a top-four spot. After a catastrophic run of form - 12 games without a win - Steve Bruce's Magpies have finally showed some attacking threat with two victories in three matches but the loss of top scorer Callum Wilson to injury for six to eight weeks is a body blow. Prediction: Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0. Reuters

Football

Liverpool bounce back, Thomas Tuchel extends unbeaten Chelsea start: Premier League predictions

We pick out the winners and losers from the latest round of English top-flight fixtures

Gareth Cox

February 12, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

There seems to be no stopping the Manchester City juggernaut at the moment.

Fresh from thumping Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield, City are now five points clear at the top of the Premier League – with a game in hand on second-placed Manchester United – having won a top-flight record-breaking 15 matches on the spin in all competitions.

Next up for Pep Gaurdiola's men is a clash with Spurs at the Etihad. Also playing on Saturday are Leicester City against Liverpool at the King Power Stadium, Crystal Palace's home game with Burnley and Brighton versus Aston Villa at the Amex.

On Sunday, Southampton take on Wolves on the south coast, West Bromwich Albion face Manchester United at the Hawthorns, Arsenal clash with Leeds at the Emirates Stadium and Everton entertain Fulham on Merseyside.

There are two games rounding off the latest round of fixtures on Monday when West Ham take on Sheffield United and Chelsea face Newcastle, both in the capital.

For Gareth Cox's in-depth predictions, browse through the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.

The National predictions:

Leicester City 1 Liverpool 2

Crystal Palace 1 Burnley 2

Manchester City 3 Spurs 1

Brighton 1 Aston Villa 0

Southampton 1 Wolves 2

West Bromwich Albion 1 Manchester United 4

Arsenal 2 Leeds United 3

Everton 3 Fulham 1

West Ham 2 Sheffield United 1

Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0

ArsenalManchester UnitedWest Ham UnitedEverton