The transfer window is closed, so we can finally leave that circus behind us and get back to the real football.
Fortunately, the wait for the Premier League’s return is very short. There are eight matches tonight, followed by another two on Wednesday!
Results have been incredibly hard to predict this season, but @robsummerscales loves a challenge, so here goes…
Matchweek 24 Premier League predictions
Arsenal 1-1 Southampton
The Saints beat Arsenal 4-0 at St Mary’s on Boxing Day, and Ronald Koeman’s men have won their last three Premier League games, including a 1-0 victory at Manchester United in their most recent outing.
Confidence should be high for the away side, and they are definitely good enough to take a point off the Gunners, who have not been completely convincing in any of their six 2016 games to date.
Leicester City 3-1 Liverpool
Liverpool are one of just two teams to beat Leicester in the league this season, having pinched a 1-0 win over the Foxes at Anfield five weeks ago.
I don’t see Liverpool doing the double over Claudio Ranieri’s team, though. The Reds have been awful recently. They failed to score in 210 minutes of cup football against Stoke City and West Ham United last week, while their earlier 5-4 win over Norwich City was an absolute farce, featuring disgusting defending that should never have been broadcast pre-watershed.
Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 7 games against Leicester. Will that run end this evening? #LFC #LCFC #LEILIV
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) February 2, 2016
Norwich City 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Jan Vertonghen’s injury absence could prevent Spurs from keeping their eighth Premier League clean sheet of the season.
However, Mauricio Pochettino’s wannabe title contenders have hit 13 goals in their last four games. They should outscore the Canaries, who have conceded 14 times in their previous four outings in all competitions.
Sunderland 1-4 Manchester City
Manuel Pellegrini confirmed yesterday that he is leaving Man City this summer to make way for Pep Guardiola. Pellegrini remains a popular figure at the Etihad Stadium, so I can see his players putting in a big performance for him at the Stadium of Light, where City have won 4-1 on each of their last two visits.
Sunderland have lost seven of their last 10 games. I’d be amazed if that didn’t become eight of 11 tonight.
West Ham United 0-2 Aston Villa
Why BT Sport have chosen to broadcast this game live is beyond me! None of the past 13 meetings between these sides have produced more than three goals.
Villa have failed to score in four of their last seven games against the Hammers, who I think will win easy, but ugly.
Crystal Palace 2-1 Bournemouth
Alan Pardew has told Sky Sports that Emmanuel Adebayor is pencilled in for his Palace debut against Bournemouth. The former Arsenal, Man City, Spurs and Real Madrid goal-getter always starts well when he joins a new club… Sorry Bournemouth!
Manchester United 2-2 Stoke City
The Potters tore United apart early on en route to winning the reverse fixture 2-0 in December. Stoke have since won away at Everton and Liverpool, while also holding Arsenal to a draw on home soil.
Just four points separate these sides in the Premier League table. I think that will still be the case at full time.
Will Stoke complete a Premier League double over Man United by winning at Old Trafford tonight? #MUFC #SCFC #MUFCSTK
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) February 2, 2016
West Bromwich Albion 1-1 Swansea City
The Swans have be rejuvenated since the arrival of Francesco Guidolin, but a third straight win might be tough to come by.
West Brom have only lost one of their last eight games at home. The Baggies have played out three consecutive draws at the Hawthorns, where another stalemate seems likely.
Everton 3-0 Newcastle United
If Everton play to their full potential they will win easily, but the Toffees are notoriously inconsistent.
Nevertheless, it would be a big surprise if Roberto Martinez’s men did not inflict a fifth straight way defeat upon Newcastle.
Watford 1-3 Chelsea
Under Guus Hiddink, Chelsea are on their best run of form all season. After Sunday’s 5-1 win at MK Dons, the Blues are unbeaten in nine games, having hit 21 goals in the process.
Conversely, four defeats in five Premier League matches seems to suggest that Watford’s bubble may have burst. Away win.