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Saturday’s Premier League football action should be a
cracker in respect to the bottom of the table, as all relegation-fighting teams
play. There’s just one place left as Burnley and QPR’s fate was sealed last
week, and it’s not clear yet, even with only 2 games to play!
First up on Saturday, Aston Villa look to ensure their
Premier League status, with a trip to St Mary’s in the 12:45 kick-off.
As I’ve previously mentioned, Villa’s turn-around under Tim
Sherwood has been fantastic since taking over in February, but can they make it
three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time this season, when they
face The Saints, who have been a little out of form of late.
Villa’s main trouble in the first half of the season was a
lack of goals, but that’s certainly changed over recent weeks, with Villa
netting 10 league goals in their last 5 games, including 2 at City, and 3
against Everton and QPR.
Sherwood’s side are 4 points ahead of Hull City, who occupy
that last relegation place at the moment, and a win for Villa on Saturday would
ensure their Premier League survival.
Despite a very good season, Villa’s opponents Southampton
have only won 1 of their last 6 league games. They’ve lost their last 2, and 3
of the last 4, including losses against Stoke, Sunderland, and Leicester most recently,
and The Saints have also conceded 2 goals in each of their last 4 league games,
but still have the second-best defensive record behind Champions Chelsea.
PREDICTION - Southampton 1-1 Aston Villa
The team most in trouble, is Steve Bruce’s Hull City, who
despite 2 consecutive wins, have gone onto 2 consecutive losses, and now have
Spurs and United to end the Season.
The Tigers lost at home once again this season, without
scoring, against a team that hadn’t won, or scored in their last 6-7 games. Despite
that win, Burnley were relegated, and left Hull City in a whole lot of sh*t!
The only positives Steve Bruce can take at the moment, is
that Spurs have lost their last 2 games (and last 2 home games), and are
without a win in the last 3. Another slight positive, United haven’t been brilliant
away from home in the league this season, and have lost 3 of their last 6 on
the road. Other than that, it’s bleak!
Ideally Hull need 2 victories, and you just can’t see that,
otherwise, it’s getting a result and hoping for others around them to falter.
PREDICTION – Tottenham 2-1 Hull City
The biggest game on Saturday, in regards to the relegation battle
comes from The Stadium of Light, as Sunderland host in-form Leicester City.
Sunderland still have a game-in-hand over the teams around
them, and gained a massive result, and 3 points, last Saturday, beating Everton
2-0 at Goodison Park.
Two deflected goals were enough to ensure the 3 points against
The Toffees, but they were also lucky not to concede a penalty with the score
at 0-1, when Defoe showed true strikers defending skills, and brought down
Coleman in the box after failing to track the run, only for the referee to wave
it away.
To be fair, it was the slightest of touches, and difficult to see in
real-time, but it was a nailed-on penalty…….And potentially cost me my
predicted correct score of 1-1….not that I’m bitter about that or anything!
That’s now back-to-back wins for Sunderland, after victory
over Southampton previous to that, and makes it 3 wins in the last 5 league
games.
In-form Leicester City also beat Southampton more recently,
thanks to 2 goals from Algerian Mahrez, who is a player I like; direct, quick,
attack-minded, dribbler, goal-scorer.
Leicester have now won 6 of their last 7 league games, with
that only defeat against Champions Chelsea, and scored 14 goals, and keeping 4
clean-sheets, in those 7 games.
Despite getting 18 points from the last 21 available,
Leicester aren’t certain of survival, although with already-relegated QPR to
play at home on the last day of the season, and already 3 points ahead of Hull,
with a better goal-difference, I think Pearson’s side will survive.
PREDICTION – Sunderland 1-1 Leicester
Newcastle United remain just above the drop-zone in 17th,
after a run 8 consecutive league losses, which was ended at the weekend, with a
1-1 draw at home to West Brom. They’ll certainly be grateful of the 5
consecutive league wins they put together in October/November.
Newcastle travel to Loftus Road to face newly-relegated QPR,
who you expect, despite relegation, will want to put on a good show for the
fans, in the last home game of the season, and make up for the humiliating 6-0
defeat to City, so it may not be easy for The Magpies.
John Carver’s side face West Ham on the final day of the
season, and it could go down to the wire, and to that final game.
PREDICTION – QPR 2-1 Newcastle
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