Premier League Predictions- Week Six

Credit; here

Each week, I will now post my predictions for the weekend, and see if i can get more right than BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson.

This week, for the 4/5 January, the predictions below stand.

This week's predictions	Score	Lawro	Edward
Blackpool v Birmingham	1-2	2-1	1-1
Fulham v West Brom	3-0	2-1	1-1
Man Utd v Stoke	2-1	2-0	4-0
Arsenal v Man City	0-0	1-1	2-1
Aston Villa v Sunderland	0-1	2-1	2-1
Blackburn v Liverpool	3-1	1-2	0-3
Bolton v Wigan	1-1	2-0	3-1
Everton v Tottenham	2-1	1-1	0-2
Wolves v Chelsea	1-0	0-2	1-2
Newcastle v West Ham	5-0	1-0	2-1

I expect the big winners this weekend to be Manchester United. Stoke's home form is one to be afraid of and United were lucky to come away from the Britannia with all three points after two Javier Hernandez goals but the Red Devils tend to make light work of teams at home, having beaten Blackburn Rovers 7-1 and Sunderland 2-0 over the last few weeks.

Stoke are sure to put up a fight and Kenwyne Jones will be his usual hand-full up front but it could be a case of Sir Alex Ferguson's side having all of the ball and Stoke holding firm.

They will be helped by the return of Robert Huth, who has four league goals this season, but they haven't been turned over yet and maybe it's time for United to up the anti and take control of what could be their twelfth Premier League crown.

Wayne Rooney has never scored against Stoke, but will be looking to add to his two Premier League goals this season, after hitting the target at West Brom.

Credit; here

Wayne Rooney scored the opener against West Brom at weekend and Hernandez was on target, but surely Dimitar Berbatov will partner the England international as United try to repeat their 4-0 victory against the Potters at home last season.

With their unbeaten record still there and a place top of the league still at stake before City play Arsenal on Wednesday, I expect them to do a professional job.

Furthermore, it could be another crucial result for Roy Hodgson ahead of their FA Cup tie with Manchester United, as another team who play in red, Liverpool, travel to play a Blackburn Rovers side in dire straights.

It was such an important comeback for Hodgson and the Merseysiders against Bolton but the team have been mis-firing in my opinion because of a negative approach in the team line up.

Maybe a more attacking formation, with Gerrard, Joe Cole and Dirk Kuyt supporting Fernando Torres might be the trick against a side which has conceded 18 in their last seven games.

Blackburn are on a slide with doubt over the future of their current captain, Christopher Samba, and a lack of direction on where the new owners and manager are taking the club.

The lengthening injury list at Ewood isn't helping in any way, shape or form and it might kick start Liverpool's season with another three points here.

Ewood Park isn't the fortress it was under Sam Allardyce or even Mark Hughes and Liverpool aren't the team they were but something has to give on Wednesday night.

Perhaps the man to transform the Red's fates might be Joe Cole, one of Hodgson's signings, who has scored in two of his last three visits to Rovers in the league.





Cole hit the winner for Liverpool against Bolton, but hasn't been starting for Roy Hodgson's side.




Credit; here

He will be hoping that another good performance alongside captain Steven Gerrard, who is set to earn his 550th cap, might help him cement a more permanent place in their chop and change midfield.

The big game of the week again comes at the Emirates where Arsenal play Manchester City, with the hosts looking to overtake one, if not both, of their Manchester rivals.

City have yet to beat the Gunners away in the Premier League but have won 6 of their 10 away games so far this campaign, whereas Arsene Wenger's team have lost one third of their home games, including defeats to Newcastle and West Brom.

The Gunners problem is that they have struggled to break down teams when they have been behind and that is exactly what City are good at, scoring on the break and sitting back with their three holding midfielders.

There is usually a bit of added spice between these two sides now Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor switched sides, but Arsenal have a few key players returning and they can't slip up again after their draw at Wigan.

Otherwise their 3 points against Chelsea would become meaningless and I think they might just show Roberto Mancini's side how to play top 4 four football.



Samir Nasri was the key influence as Arsenal beat City 3-0 in October.


Credit; here

In the bottom half, it will be interesting to see how Blackpool respond to their unfortunate defeat to Manchester City when they face Birmingham, who seem to be shipping goals of late.

Not only that, but their last league win came six attempts ago, at home to Chelsea and it could be time for their luck to change now they've slipped into the relegation zone.

That will be the key game at the bottom and maybe Alex McLeish's side need to find an experienced and able striker to score the goals to guide his team to safety, and they'll have to pick up at least a point from these games.

Good luck to everyone's teams.