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The games are coming thick and fast in the Premier League as we approach the climax of the season. There were plenty of interesting results in midweek with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City securing wins. Nottingham Forest got an excellent win at home to Manchester United as well, while Newcastle United and Aston Villa also secured hugely-important victories.
We're already looking forward to the next round of fixtures as the race for top four heats up even more. With teams prepared to fight tooth and nail in the last few weeks of the season, it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.
Without further ado, let us dive straight into my predictions for gameweek 31 in the Premier League:
Everton vs Arsenal
This is a hard game for Arsenal. They are definitely out of the Premier League title race. Liverpool will now have to lose half their games, while Arsenal win all their remaining matches, for it to change and that is impossible! Mikel Arteta's men also have the big game against Real Madrid coming up next week.
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I fully believe Arsenal will rest some key players for this game. Look at what happened to Gabriel Magalhaes. They can't risk any more injuries. I don't see the point in playing Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice or William Saliba against Everton. If any of them three players get injured, Arsenal shouldn't even bother turning up for the Real Madrid game!
The injury to Gabriel has certainly swung the Champions League tie in favour of Real Madrid. However, I don't think the result is a foregone conclusion. Arsenal will not get steam-rolled like some people think. As long as there are no more injuries, Arsenal will have a slight chance.
Arsenal have a tricky decision to make with respect to Bukayo Saka this weekend. They can either start him or bring him off the bench in the second half. I'd probably start him and play him for 45 or 30 minutes because the speed of the game in the beginning is different to the speed of the game towards the end.
If Arsenal play their strongest team, they will win this fixture 1-0. But I have a feeling they will play a weakened XI after the injury to Gabriel and as such, I'm backing Everton to win this.
Prediction: Everton 2-1 Arsenal
Ipswich Town vs Wolves
Ipswich Town managed to get a great result in midweek after beating Bournemouth. But even if they win this game against Wolves, I can't see how they can avoid relegation. Ipswich have some incredibly tough fixtures coming up and I don't think they can do it.
Wolves also won in midweek and I feel that result actually helped Ipswich play with more freedom against Bournemouth. Ipswich sensed a free hit there and were able to express themselves on the pitch.
Nothing but a win for Wolves here. That would open up a 12-point gap between these two teams.
Prediction: Ipswich Town 1-2 Wolves
Crystal Palace vs Brighton & Hove Albion
I was quite shocked by Crystal Palace's draw against Southampton. Considering their form, I expected Palace to wipe the floor with Saints. I think after reaching the FA Cup semi-final and basically having nothing to play for in the Premier League, they took the gas off the pedal a bit.
Brighton, meanwhile, suffered a huge blow in their midweek game against Aston Villa. After that 3-0 defeat, it seems like Brighton will now struggle to secure European qualification for next season. I've said this before, when Brighton get to a certain point and the pressure is on them to deliver, they always crumble.
It's been a really bad week for Brighton and failure to win against Palace could be the end of their European dreams. I expect goals in this game, but I don't think either team can get the win.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 2-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United vs Bournemouth
It's funny because I have the exact same thing I said about Brighton when I talk of Bournemouth now. It was a great chance for them to boost their hopes of qualifying for a European competition but they lost to Ipswich! How did that happen?
Bournemouth must win this game to stay alive in the race for a European berth. Fortunately for them, they now face a West Ham team that has not set the stage on fire under Graham Potter. I still think this will end up being a draw though.
Prediction: West Ham United 1-1 Bournemouth
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest secured a massive result in midweek, but I'm going to back Aston Villa here. Villa are flying at the moment and a win will put them back in the hunt for top four. Every now and then Forest have one result that just doesn't go their way and I think this game will exactly be that.
I'd be shocked if Villa lost this game. I expect them to keep the ball for the majority of the game and sooner or later, Forest will get hurt. January signings have certainly helped Villa turn a corner. Every club in the Premier League is probably thinking, 'why didn't we get Asensio?'. That transfer was truly a masterstroke from Villa.
Unai Emery is also getting the best out of Marcus Rashford, who has fit in quite well. If Rashford had gone somewhere else, would it have worked? I'm not so sure. Credit to Villa, I believe they will win here and finish inside the top five.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Tottenham Hotspur vs Southampton
This is a nothing game for Tottenham. Their big game is coming up in midweek against Frankfurt in the Europa League. This is a nice game to have before that season-deciding clash though. There is no point in beating Southampton and then losing over two legs to Frankfurt. Like Arsenal, Spurs must be careful about injuries.
I can't see Tottenham playing their best team against Southampton. I wouldn't even be surprised if Spurs rested literally everybody! If you asked me who among Tottenham and Manchester United have the better chance of winning the Europa League, I'd say Spurs! It pains me to say that but Manchester United face Athletic Bilbao, who are one of the top teams remaining in the Europa League. So at this moment in time, it has to be Tottenham in my opinion.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Southampton
Brentford vs Chelsea
Brentford is a tough place to go to as an away team and Chelsea will feel that this weekend. Even though Chelsea looked better the other day, they should've beaten Spurs by more goals in my opinion. I know Brentford aren't flying at home like they were at the start of the season, but this is still a very tricky game for Chelsea.
If Chelsea can get at least a draw and then beat Ipswich in the next game, they will be in the top five with six games to go. If you told them that at the start of the season, I'm sure they would've taken it.
Chelsea must win the Europa Conference League. It's important because if they win, they will become the first team to lift all European titles in club football. Also, if Chelsea fail to win the Conference League and finish seventh in the league, they won't be in Europe next season!
Prediction: Brentford 1-1 Chelsea
Fulham vs Liverpool
Fulham have hit a bit of a brick wall, haven't they? I didn't think they ever got going against Arsenal and were quite poor. Liverpool were fortunate in the Merseyside derby win over Everton and did not play very well in my opinion.
I thought Liverpool's goal was offside but it's all fair in the end because Everton deserved to go down to 10 men and were lucky to have James Tarkowski on the pitch. But if I'm Arne Slot, I wouldn't be too happy with that performance. Lately, Liverpool haven't been hitting the heights we're so often used to seeing them hit.
It looks like Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Anfield. But considering how both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have been tipped to stay now, Liverpool will still be happy with how things stand. Keeping two out of them three players for next season is unbelievable and the best possible result in this situation.
If Conor Bradley was fit, he would've started at right-back. I have no problem with Curtis Jones, I think he's a good footballer and deserves to be on the pitch more often for Liverpool. But the problem is Antonee Robinson on that flank. If Salah is unable to track back and help out, Robinson can trouble Jones a lot.
I would pick Salah, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz as the front-three for Liverpool in this game. But I don't think the Reds will win at Craven Cottage.
Prediction: Fulham 1-1 Liverpool
Manchester United vs Manchester City
This is an interesting game because Manchester United enjoyed a lot of the ball in that defeat at Nottingham Forest. And Manchester City are not ripping teams apart either, you know what I mean? City went 2-0 ahead against Leicester and it eventually became boring! That is so unlike the City of the past.
The Manchester derby this time around isn't a foregone conclusion like in the past few years. I feel Manchester United have a chance. It's not like City are playing well and I don't expect them to dominate the hosts at Old Trafford.
Jack Grealish looked good in that deeper midfield role against Leicester. But I don't really know how much that performance really means cause Leicester are one of the worst teams in the division! All I'm saying is that City isn't at their best and that gives United a strong chance to get something from this game.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City
Leicester City vs Newcastle United
I can't see anything but a Newcastle win here. They secure a brilliant victory over Brentford in midweek. That result has put them in strong contention for a top four finish. Another win here and they will boost their chances even further.
It's a dream season already for Newcastle. For them to win that trophy after so long was massively important. Now the icing on the cake would be finishing in the top four and returning to the Champions League. If Newcastle keep playing like this, they will have a strong chance of doing it.
I'm a big fan of Newcastle's midfield trio. Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes - they have everything from guile, strength and pace. They work together so well as a unit and that has made all the difference for Newcastle this season.
Prediction: Leicester City 0-3 Newcastle United
