Football

  • Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Liverpool 2 – Saturday, midnight (UAE time): Wolves have won three in a row and will be a good test for Liverpool. But Jurgen Klopp’s side always seem to have an answer and with Sadio Mane back to his best they should retain top spot in the Premier League with another win here. Reuters
    Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Liverpool 2 – Saturday, midnight (UAE time): Wolves have won three in a row and will be a good test for Liverpool. But Jurgen Klopp’s side always seem to have an answer and with Sadio Mane back to his best they should retain top spot in the Premier League with another win here. Reuters
  • Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 – Saturday, 4.30 pm: A big game for Unai Emery’s men who need an instant response after losing to Southampton last weekend, with a League Cup loss to Tottenham Hotspur in midweek a further setback. Burnley are low in confidence though and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be too much for them to handle. AP Photo
    Arsenal 3 Burnley 0 – Saturday, 4.30 pm: A big game for Unai Emery’s men who need an instant response after losing to Southampton last weekend, with a League Cup loss to Tottenham Hotspur in midweek a further setback. Burnley are low in confidence though and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be too much for them to handle. AP Photo
  • Bournemouth 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: Bournemouth are another side who have had a dip in December, losing their past three games in all competitions. But Eddie Howe’s men are too good to be in the doldrums for long and with Callum Wilson back to full fitness they have the edge here. Action Images via Reuters
    Bournemouth 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: Bournemouth are another side who have had a dip in December, losing their past three games in all competitions. But Eddie Howe’s men are too good to be in the doldrums for long and with Callum Wilson back to full fitness they have the edge here. Action Images via Reuters
  • Chelsea 3 Leicester City 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: It is too simple to say that when Eden Hazard plays well that his side do as well. There is of course more to it then that but the Belgian’s return to form has coincided with two wins in the past week and a third triumph, in all competitions, in six days should come here. Getty Images
    Chelsea 3 Leicester City 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: It is too simple to say that when Eden Hazard plays well that his side do as well. There is of course more to it then that but the Belgian’s return to form has coincided with two wins in the past week and a third triumph, in all competitions, in six days should come here. Getty Images
  • Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 2 – Saturday, 7 pm: It is worrying times for Huddersfield. They do not score enough goals and they are losing to their rivals at the bottom. They lost to Newcastle United last Saturday and they will lose again here. Southampton, with Danny Ings and Charlie Austin, have more potency in front of goal and they win here. Getty Images
    Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 2 – Saturday, 7 pm: It is worrying times for Huddersfield. They do not score enough goals and they are losing to their rivals at the bottom. They lost to Newcastle United last Saturday and they will lose again here. Southampton, with Danny Ings and Charlie Austin, have more potency in front of goal and they win here. Getty Images
  • Manchester City 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Saturday, 7 pm: City need to keep the pressure on Liverpool and with players such as Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne returning to fitness after injury they can do that here. Palace are a solid defensive unit but they, like a lot of other teams, will not be able to handle City. Reuters
    Manchester City 4 Crystal Palace 0 – Saturday, 7 pm: City need to keep the pressure on Liverpool and with players such as Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne returning to fitness after injury they can do that here. Palace are a solid defensive unit but they, like a lot of other teams, will not be able to handle City. Reuters
  • Newcastle United 2 Fulham 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: After a slow start Newcastle have pulled themselves away from the bottom three. What Rafa Benitez’s side may lack in quality in the final third they make up for in spirit and determination. They won at Huddersfield with a battling effort and they will be too good here for Fulham as well, with Salomon Rondon a probable difference maker. Action Images via Reuters
    Newcastle United 2 Fulham 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: After a slow start Newcastle have pulled themselves away from the bottom three. What Rafa Benitez’s side may lack in quality in the final third they make up for in spirit and determination. They won at Huddersfield with a battling effort and they will be too good here for Fulham as well, with Salomon Rondon a probable difference maker. Action Images via Reuters
  • West Ham United 2 Watford 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: Both sides play good football and this should be an entertaining encounter. West Ham will just edge this, thanks to having marginally the better quality in the final third thanks to Felipe Anderson and Javier Hernandez. Getty Images
    West Ham United 2 Watford 1 – Saturday, 7 pm: Both sides play good football and this should be an entertaining encounter. West Ham will just edge this, thanks to having marginally the better quality in the final third thanks to Felipe Anderson and Javier Hernandez. Getty Images
  • Cardiff City 0 Manchester United 3 – Saturday, 9.30 pm: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game as caretaker manager of Manchester United is against the club he managed in 2014. United underperformed with Jose Mourinho at the helm and Solskjaer will hope that the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard can supply the attacking pace to disrupt the Welsh side. United to be too strong for Cardiff and give Solskjaer a winning start. EPA
    Cardiff City 0 Manchester United 3 – Saturday, 9.30 pm: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game as caretaker manager of Manchester United is against the club he managed in 2014. United underperformed with Jose Mourinho at the helm and Solskjaer will hope that the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard can supply the attacking pace to disrupt the Welsh side. United to be too strong for Cardiff and give Solskjaer a winning start. EPA
  • Everton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3 – Sunday, 8 pm: It may sound daft to say about a side that have won 13 games already and are in the title hunt, but Tottenham look to be finally clicking after not always been convincing so far in the campaign. They were superb in beating Arsenal in the League Cup, and Dele Alli particularly looks to be finding his highest level again. Everton’s fragile backline should provide Alli and his teammates with plenty more opportunities here.. Action Images via Reuters
    Everton 0 Tottenham Hotspur 3 – Sunday, 8 pm: It may sound daft to say about a side that have won 13 games already and are in the title hunt, but Tottenham look to be finally clicking after not always been convincing so far in the campaign. They were superb in beating Arsenal in the League Cup, and Dele Alli particularly looks to be finding his highest level again. Everton’s fragile backline should provide Alli and his teammates with plenty more opportunities here.. Action Images via Reuters

Manchester United make winning start under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: Premier League predictions

Away victory for stopgap manager at Cardiff City where Norwegian was once in charge

Graham Caygill

December 21, 2018

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a great opportunity to make a winning return to Manchester United, where he is a stopgap manager tasked with the unenviable challenge of shoring up the Premier League giants' fortunes in England's top flight.

Solskjaer, who has replaced the dismissed Jose Mourinho, will lead the beleaguered United side to a club he once managed: Cardiff City.

Meanwhile, expect victories also for the league's big guns - Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Ahead of this round of fixtures, sports editor Graham Caygill has made his predictions and explained his reasoning in the photo gallery above. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.

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