Soccer English Premier League Prediction

Manchester Utd vs Everton - Match Preview

⚽ 8 April 2023 - 11:30 GMT +0

Manchester United’s fitness levels are being put to the test with this third contest in just six days. Erik ten Hag hasn’t been looking to make excuses for his side, though, and stated in the wake of Wednesday’s midweek 1-0 win over Brentford that he’d witnessed “the performance I expect and demand." Having bounced back from their 2-0 loss at Newcastle on Sunday, United come into the round level on points (53) with the third-placed Magpies - and three ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have played one more game!

With the race for the Champions League so tight, United can’t afford to drop points again here. They might be glad to see Everton coming to town since they boast a remarkable 38 Premier League (PL) wins against them - only against Tottenham have they secured more. After H2H victories already in the PL and FA Cup earlier in the season, another success here would see the Red Devils squash the Toffees three times in one campaign for only the third time ever.

Although they sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone ahead of the game week, there’s a new fighting spirit in this Everton side. That was perhaps captured best on Monday night when, despite being down to ten men for a third of their contest with Tottenham, they battled back to draw 1-1 thanks to a late wonder strike from defender Michael Keane. Sean Dyche’s men have now found an equaliser immediately after falling behind to each of their last three goals conceded.

That result extended Everton’s unbeaten run to four PL matches (W1, D3) and they could go five without a loss for the second time this PL season here. Meanwhile, if they win, then Dyche will grab an impressive personal record of becoming just the second-ever English manager to win away at Old Trafford in the PL with two different clubs.

📋 Players to watch: Including during midweek, United’s Marcus Rashford has scored the opening goal in each of his last three goalscoring appearances. All-action Alex Iwobi scored in the reverse H2H and has created more chances than any other Everton player (47) this season, while no player won possession more often than him on Monday night vs Spurs (11).

⚡ Hot streak: Manchester United has a 100% PL record so far this term in 12.30 pm PL kick-offs (W3).

Tottenham vs Brighton - Match Preview

⚽ 8 April 2023 - 14:00 GMT +0

There was little letup in Tottenham Hotspur’s tumultuous few weeks on Monday night. They somehow managed to only draw 1-1 with relegation-threatened Everton at Goodison Park, despite being gifted a second-half penalty and boasting a one-man advantage for a third of the contest. Interim manager Cristian Stellini was frustrated with his side’s failure to carry out a “plan” after the hosts went down to ten men, and now he must come up with another to end their troublesome run of just one win in six outings (D3, L2).

Still right in the battle for a Champions League place but now low on confidence, the Tottenham camp will take no comfort from their underwhelming home record in the month of April; they’ve lost three of their last five PL matches in the month. Another would make Stellini the first Spurs boss since Clive Allen in 2007 to lose his first official home game in charge, with a record of W7, D2 for managers in the hot seat since.

Brighton is aiming to swoop in and profit from Tottenham’s wobble as they chase what would be a remarkable top-four finish. Their 2-0 win at Bournemouth on Tuesday night means they’ve now suffered just one competitive defeat across the whole of 2023 (W10, D4). That victory also cut the gap to Spurs coming into this round to just four points - with two games in hand!

The Seagulls' last visit to the capital came in February when they drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace. Solly March netted after half-time in that one, meaning 15 of Brighton’s last 18 PL goals in London have been scored in the second half. Noteworthy perhaps given a 90th-minute winner here last season (1-0) ended a run of five straight-away H2H defeats for Brighton.

📋 Players to watch: Tottenham have scored in five of their last seven competitive H2Hs with Brighton, and Harry Kane netted in all five! Labelled an “amazing player” by teammate Alexis MacAllister after Brighton’s Tuesday night win, 18-year-old sensation Evan Ferguson has scored four goals in four combined matches for club and country.

⚡ Hot stat: Brighton has scored more goals in Saturday 3 pm PL games than any other team this season (28).

Wolves vs Chelsea - Match Preview

⚽ 8 April 2023 - 14:00 GMT +0

Wolverhampton Wanderers scored against Nottingham Forest with their only shot on target (D 1-1) so if they’re going to win some of the “nine finals” that manager Julen Lopetegui says they have ahead, they’ll likely need to create better chances. That fortuitous point lifted them a little clearer of the relegation zone, but a three-match winless streak (D1, L2) is still worrying for the Molineux faithful.

A lack of goals continues to hurt Wolves, particularly as none of their last 12 Premier League (PL) home games were drawn (W5, L7) and on each occasion the side scoring first won, placing added emphasis on finding an opener. Perhaps taking on a Chelsea side which has just sacked its second manager of the season could be the tonic they need as they’ve only lost one of the last four H2Hs they’ve hosted (W2, D1).

Chelsea began life without Graham Potter by drawing 0-0 against Liverpool on Tuesday, with the fact a point wasn’t even enough to lift them into the top half of the table showing just how far the Blues have fallen. They’ve scored just 29 goals this PL season, their third-lowest tally after 29 league fixtures in the club’s history, so it’s painfully obvious where the new manager has to focus, with Frank Lampard taking over as interim boss until the end of the season.

Lampard will also have to work on Chelsea’s dismal away form, as their 3-1 win at struggling Leicester in their last PL road trip was their first in nine attempts (D4, L4), four of which saw them fail to score. Having drawn a blank here last term (D 0-0), the Blues might not relish this trip to the West Midlands even if the return of N’Golo Kanté has added bite to their midfield at just the right time of the season.

📋 Players to watch: Chelsea’s Kai Havertz scored his last four goals between the 40th and 80th minute, and although Daniel Podence scored an 83rd-minute equaliser for Wolves against Forest, four of his six PL goals this term came before half-time.

⚡ Hot stat: Wolves have received a league-high six PL red cards this term – four of them at home.

Southampton vs Manchester City - Match Preview

⚽ 8 April 2023 - 16:30 GMT +0

One of Southampton’s glaring weaknesses was exposed again last round as they conceded their 12th Premier League (PL) set-piece goal of the season to lose 1-0 to fellow strugglers West Ham. Even though others above them lost in midweek matches, their position at the bottom of the table is looking increasingly ominous after winning none of their last four league fixtures (D2, L2).

That’s a long way from being the ideal preparation for taking on reigning PL champions Manchester City, but they did win the last meeting here in January when they were 2-0 victors in the League Cup. Perhaps a crumb of comfort can be extracted from their mixed home PL record of late (W1, D1, L1), which coincidentally matches their recent H2H record at St Mary’s in the PL.

Man City have now chalked up seven consecutive wins following a 4-1 victory over Liverpool on Saturday which saw them net 4+ goals for the third straight match and led manager Pep Guardiola to declare it “almost the perfect performance”. They need more of that if they’re to close the eight-point gap to Arsenal at the top of the table so expect no let-up here, especially if Erling Haaland is fit to return.

That’s a daunting prospect for any side, particularly as his goals have helped the Cityzens go four PL away games without defeat (W3, D1), all fixtures which featured scoring after the 75th minute. Despite that, City has scored only twice on the road themselves during that period in the league this term, so they may be keen to get as much business as possible done early.

📋 Players to watch: Theo Walcott scored and assisted in Southampton’s last home game and has registered five career goals against Man City, four of which came before half-time. City’s Jack Grealish was widely praised for his performance against Liverpool, which included his third consecutive league strike after the 55th minute.

⚡ Hot streak: Southampton has won none of the last seven home league games in which they conceded the first goal (D2, L5).