The highlight games for the next set of EPL matches are ARSENAL versus CHELSEA and EVERTON versus LIVERPOOL. Our feature columnist, John Newsome previews these and all game week 29 matches with his unique and insightful commentary. You can view all previous analysis from John’s regular column here: English Premier League Predictions For Saturday.
Please note all prices quoted below were correct at the time of publication.
Game Week-29
These 6 midweek fixtures are the reverse of Game Week-9 and finish off the complete set of Game Week-29 where 4 fixtures were played and the rest postponed due to the FA Cup Quarter-Finals.
A quick note regarding the FA Cup.
From next season (2024/25) there will not be replays in any ties from the 1st-Round onwards.
Each round will have its own specific weekend, with no Premier League fixtures taking place at the same time, as what happened this year.
The Final will be played on the penultimate weekend of the Premier League season with no other games taking place on the same day or the Friday before to make the FA Cup showpiece more of an occasion.
The Premier League have also scrapped the Mid-Season break.
Since the announcement that the replays will be scrapped, there has been a bit of a backlash regarding that decision.
This EveryTip column doesn’t want to get embroiled in that debate, other than to say that all things in life evolve and move on.
Things can’t just stay the same, because ‘that’s what has always happened!’
At least give it a try, then see if not having replays, has a positive or negative impact on the game.
John Newsome’s opinion is, ‘Scrap the replays!’
Tuesday 23rd
ARSENAL v CHELSEA
20.00 in England
TNT Sport
Arsenal gained a victory over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday, with goals from Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard giving Mikel’s Young Guns all 3 points from a 2-0 away night scoreline.
That puts Arsenal back at the Top of the Premier League table with the same 74 points as Liverpool but with a slightly better goal difference.
Both have played 33 times.
Man City sit in 3rd place, a point adrift but have a game in hand over the 2 leaders.
Arsenal and Liverpool will have played again before Man City’s fixture against Brighton on Thursday.
Remaining fixtures-
Arsenal v Chelsea
Tottenham v Arsenal
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Manchester United v Arsenal
Arsenal v Everton
Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League last Wednesday, suffering a defeat in Germany against Bayern Munich by a 1-0 scoreline, meaning an aggregate loss of 3-2, over the 2-legs.
Chelsea last competed in the Premier League on the 15th of April and gained a brilliant victory over Everton at Stamford Bridge by a Cole Palmer inspired 6-0 score.
Cole not only scored the perfect hat-trick, a left-foot strike, a header and a right-foot strike but also converted a penalty to get 4 goals on the night and take his personal tally to 20 Premier League goals, putting the ex-Man City player joint top of the goal-scoring charts with Erling Haaland and having more assists than the Norwegian/Leeds lad.
When Chelsea were awarded the penalty against Everton, there were some handbags between the Blues players, with a number of them wanting to take the spot-kick, including Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke.
It was left to the Captain, Conor Gallagher to pull rank and give the ball to Cole who doesn’t miss penalties having converted 9 this season.
Betfred has what’s called ‘Double Delight, Hat-Trick Heaven!’
If a player scores the First Goal, as Cole did on Monday Night, at Odds of 5/1, then scores a 2nd, those Odds go to 10/1.
If the player then scores a 3rd and ultimately the Hat-Trick, the Odds are now 15/1, so those who had a few quid on Cole Palmer to Score First, as offered up in this EveryTip column last week, should be happy and got paid at 15/1 from Betfred.
So a cheeky Tenner on Cole would have returned £160 (£150 plus the £10 stake!)
You are welcome.
There are a couple of penalty records that Cole Palmer can break this campaign, one being the most in a season, currently 11 by Andrew Johnson back in 2004/05 and the other being a perfect 100% conversion rate, also 11, that Yaya Toure holds at the moment, however, that wasn’t from one season.
In last season’s Premier League, Ivan Toney, who had converted 10 out of 10 but again not in the same campaign, had the chance to make it 11 against Newcastle in April 2023.
Unfortunately, IT missed the 11th, however, did convert one later in the game but the 100% record was gone.
Regarding penalties, was Cole Palmer sat at home on Wednesday night, thinking to himself,
‘Pep, you should have kept me at the Etihad, I would have scored a penalty against Real!’
That’s all hypothetical, for now, CP is a Chelsea Blue and is at least matching the City Blue Erling Haaland in the goal-scoring charts.
Added to that, the Boy has got to go to Germany as part of Gareth Southgate’s England Squad, if only to take one of the penalties, from a shootout, that will no doubt materialise in the Semi-Final against France when the game finishes in a draw.
Chelsea come into this game following a defeat against Man City in the Semi-Final of the FA Cup on Saturday.
In truth, Mauricio’s Blues were the better team but just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net, which is ultimately, what football is all about.
Now it’s about how high in the Premier League that Mauricio Pochettino can get his Blues, currently sitting 9th in the table with 47 points from 31 games played, meaning there are a couple or 3 games in hand over the others around.
West Ham are in 8th place with 48 points but have played 34 times, plus have to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle and Manchester United sit 6th and 7th respectively with 50 points apiece, from 32 games.
Remaining fixtures-
Arsenal v Chelsea
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Chelsea v Tottenham
Chelsea v West Ham
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
Brighton v Chelsea
Chelsea v Bournemouth
Those 7 games, starting tonight, will be played over 27 days, which basically means, a game every 4 days.
Both teams shared the points at Stamford Bridge back in September 2023, with the game finishing in a draw by a 2-2 score.
Cole Palmer converted a penalty in the 1st-half to give the Blues a lead at the break.
Mykhailo Mudryk added a 2nd, just after the restart before the Gunners staged a comeback.
Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard scored for Arsenal to give both teams a point apiece.
Betfred offer Arsenal at Odds On 8/15, the draw at 7/2 and 9/2 for Chelsea to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 13/10 that Bukayo Saka Scores Anytime and 7/4 that Cole Palmer Scores Anytime.
Home Win 2-1- Get 7/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Wednesday 24th
WOLVES v BOURNEMOUTH
19.45 in England
Wolves suffered a defeat against Arsenal on Saturday Night Football with the Gunners getting the victory by a 2-0 scoreline.
Wolves sit in 11th place with 43 points from 33 games completed.
Gary O’Neil has done a brilliant job with his Gold and Blacks and is not in any relegation danger but probably not in the hunt for a European position, however, it does give Gary something to work on next season.
Remaining fixtures-
Wolves v Bournemouth
Wolves v Luton
Man City v Wolves
Wolves v Crystal Palace
Liverpool v Wolves
Bournemouth suffered the expected defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday.
Despite Dominic Solanke scoring the opener, Andoni Iraola’s Cherries conceded 3 to ultimately lose the contest by a 3-1 scoreline, as predicted in this EveryTip column last week.
That leaves Bournemouth in 13th place with the same 42 points as Fulham from 33 games played.
Remaining fixtures-
Wolves v Bournemouth
Bournemouth v Brighton
Arsenal v Bournemouth
Bournemouth v Brentford
Chelsea v Bournemouth
Wolves gained the away day victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality in the Game Week-9 affair.
Dominic Solanke scored the opener to give the Cherries a lead at half-time.
Matheus Cunha equalised for Wolves just after the restart then the game changed in the 54th minute when Lewis Cook was shown a straight Red Card leaving Bournemouth with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Sasa Kalajdzic scored the Wolves’ winner late on to give Gary O’Neil’s Gold and Blacks a satisfying victory by a 2-1 scoreline, over the club that had sacked him at the end of the previous campaign.
Betfred offer Wolves at 7/5, the draw at 12/5 and 6/4 for Bournemouth to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 7/5 that Hwang-Hee Chan Scores Anytime and 5/4 that there are Under 2.5 Goals.
Draw 1-1- Get 6/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
CRYSTAL PALACE v NEWCASTLE
20.00 in England
Crystal Palace smashed 5 past West Ham on Sunday, to gain a victory by a 5-2 scoreline.
Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, a couple from Jean-Philippe Mateta and a West Ham own goal gave Oliver Glasner’s Eagles the points at Selhurst Park.
After 5 winless games, that’s now 2 victories in a row leaving Crystal Palace in 14th place with 36 points from 33 games played.
Remaining fixtures-
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace v Manchester United
Wolves v Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Newcastle were one of the 6 teams that didn’t play over the weekend and are back in action after an 11-day break.
In the last outing, Eddie Howe’s Magpies smashed a sorry set of Ange Postecoglou’s LilyWhites, inflicting a defeat on Tottenham by a 4-0 scoreline, in front of an emphatic Toon Army at St James Park.
Alexander Isak scored twice, with Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar getting the other 2.
Newcastle’s shirt worn against Tottenham had RNID adorned on the front, which is the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
There was a brilliant initiative that allowed some of those who are Deaf to feel the excitement of the game that is sometimes missed due to not hearing the events.
New ‘Haptic’ kits will help Newcastle fans who are deaf or have hearing loss to obtain a better experience of the atmosphere at St James Park.
The shirts use sensors which vibrate when an action, such as a goal, takes place on the pitch.
The shirts were created with a partnership between Newcastle United’s kit sponsor Sela and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID).
It is part of an initiative called ‘Unsilence the Crowd’.
When a goal was scored, the Newcastle badge on the shirt started to vibrate giving the wearer an idea that the stadium was in uproar following the goal.
Well played Newcastle!
Son Heung-Min was up against Fabian Schar for most of the game and in reality got no change out of the Big Newcastle Defender, with Fabian seeing off Sonny in the 58th minute when Nice-One was taken off by Ange.
Fabian was heard to say to the ‘Little Man’
‘I got you, babe!’
Sonny and Shar.
It was a brilliant performance from Newcastle that left them in 6th place with 50 points, now above Manchester United, both having 50 points but with the Magpies goal difference being superior.
Both have completed the same 32 games and don’t play again in the Premier League until today.
Newcastle- 50 points, scored 69 and conceded 52 (plus+17)
Manchester United- 50 points, scored 47 and conceded 48 (minus-1)
The goal difference is massive so Newcastle are now in the box seat for a Europa League spot, with United heading for the Conference League (Europa).
However, added to that, there is still a fixture against United at Old Trafford in the penultimate game of the campaign, that could decide which European Competition either team play in next season.
Remaining fixtures-
Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Newcastle v Sheffield United
Burnley v Newcastle
Newcastle v Brighton
Manchester United v Newcastle
Brentford v Newcastle
Newcastle gained a comfortable home victory over Crystal Palace at St James Park back in mid-September 2023.
Jacob Murphy, Anthony Gordon and Sean Longstaff scored to give Eddie’s Magpies a lead at the break before Callum Wilson added a 4th in the 2nd-half to inflict the defeat on Roy Hodgson’s Eagles by a 4-0 scoreline.
Betfred offer Crystal Palace at 7/4, the draw at 23/10 and 13/10 for Newcastle to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 5/1 that Alexander Isak Scores First and 2/1 that Newcastle Score in Both Halves.
(If your pre-match First Goalscorer bet scores First and then scores a Second, Betfred DOUBLE the odds.
If they score a Third, Betfred TREBLE the odds.)
Draw 2-2- Get 10/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
MANCHESTER UNITED v SHEFFIELD UNITED
20.00 in England
Manchester United gained a point from a draw by a 2-2 score against Bournemouth last time out before the FA Cup Semi-Final.
Bruno Fernandes scored both goals, 1 being a converted penalty, to earn Erik’s Ten Bobs a point that leaves United in 7th place with the same 50 points as Newcastle who sit a place above with a better goal difference.
Newcastle- 50 points, scored 69 and conceded 52 (plus+17)
Manchester United- 50 points, scored 47 and conceded 48 (minus-1)
Remaining fixtures-
Manchester United v Sheffield United
Manchester United v Burnley
Crystal Palace v Manchester United
Manchester United v Arsenal
Manchester United v Newcastle
Brighton v Manchester United
The Semi-Final saw United progress to the Final and now face the Noisy Neighbours in a Manchester Derby Final.
That’s not really the full story from the game against Coventry but at the moment, this EveryTip column won’t go anywhere near that particular Cul-De-Sac which will eventually lead to Erik Ten Hag being down the concrete.
What is Dutch for,
‘I’ll get my coat!’
Sheffield United suffered another defeat on Saturday, this time against Burnley at Bramall Lane.
As mentioned last week, the first 6 words from that sentence can be copied and pasted and used in most of the games involving the Blades, which is what John Newsome has just done.
Only the day, opponent and venue needs altering.
Gustavo Hamer did score for Sheffield United just after the break, however, Burnley had 2 on the board at that point, then added 2 more to inflict the defeat by a 4-1 scoreline.
The Blades remain at the bottom of the Premier League table with 16 points from 33 games played.
Sixteen!
Remaining fixtures-
Manchester United v Sheffield United
Newcastle v Sheffield United
Sheffield United v Nottingham Forest
Everton v Sheffield United
Sheffield United v Tottenham
James from Swinton, nowhere near Bramall Lane, is gearing up for life back in the Championship with the prospect of heading to glamorous places such as Sheffield to face the rivals, Sunderland and Portsmouth.
The lad wants his first footballing love, Barnsley FC to gain promotion, however, unfortunately for the Super Reds, that’s not going to happen.
Little Jimbo was straight in the local boozer after the game against Burnley, drowning his sorrows on Fruit Kopparberg and telling the missus,
‘That Premier League is corrupt love, anyways another packet of Pork Scratchings?’
Sheffield United suffered a home defeat against Manchester United at Bramall Lane.
Ollie McBurnie did score a quick equaliser to cancel out an earlier Scott McTominay goal, taking both teams in level at the break.
Diogo Dalot scored a beauty midway through the 2nd-half to give Erik’s Red Devils the victory over Hecky’s Blades by a 2-1 scoreline.
Betfred offer Manchester United at Odds On 1/4, the draw at 4/1 and 8/1 for Sheffield United to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 13/10 that Bruno Fernandes Scores Anytime and slight Odds On 5/6 that there are Over 3.5 Goals.
Home Win 3-1- Get 9/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
EVERTON v LIVERPOOL
20.00 in England
Sky Sports
Everton gained a professional victory over Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Goals from Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil, gave the Toffees the much-needed points by a 2-0 scoreline.
That leaves Everton in 16th place with 30 points from 33 games completed.
Nottingham Forest sit below with 26 points and have played a game more than Everton.
Remember, both teams have had points deducted which at the minute, are being appealed against.
Remaining fixtures-
Everton v Liverpool
Everton v Brentford
Luton v Everton
Everton v Sheffield United
Arsenal v Everton
Liverpool gained a victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday to keep their title hopes alive.
After a defeat last week against Crystal Palace and then subsequently being knocked out of the Europa League, albeit getting a win in the away leg against Atalanta, Jurgen’s Reds needed to get back on track.
Mr Klopp made a few changes to the starting lineup, dropping Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister to the bench and starting Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota as the main Strikers.
Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a brilliant free kick to give Liverpool a lead, which was equalised on the stroke of half-time to take both teams in level at the break.
Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota added 2 and 3 to give Liverpool the points from a 3-1 away day score.
Liverpool sit 2nd in the table with the same 74 points as Arsenal, both a point ahead of Man City but both have played a game more.
Arsenal and Liverpool will play their midweek fixture before Man City, so the Premier League could look a lot different come the weekend.
Remaining fixtures-
Everton v Liverpool
West Ham v Liverpool
Liverpool v Tottenham
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Liverpool v Wolves
After three-quarters of the contest had taken place when these two last met at Anfield, the score was still 0-0.
Then Liverpool were awarded a penalty which Mo Salah converted before Mo added his and Liverpool’s 2nd in the 97th minute to give Jurgen’s Reds the home victory over Sean’s Toffees by a 2-0 scoreline.
Betfred offer Everton at 9/2, the draw at 16/5 and Odds On 4/9 for Liverpool to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 7/4 that a Penalty is Awarded and 15/8 that Liverpool Win To Nil.
Away Win 0-2- Get 7/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
Thursday 25th
BRIGHTON v MAN CITY
20.00 in England
Sky Sports
Brighton didn’t play over the weekend and come into this fixture against Man City off the back of a draw by a 1-1 score, against Burnley at Turf Moor.
After the Seagulls Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen attempted to clear the ball away but smashed it against a Burnley player, it left Brighton trailing going into the final quarter of the match.
Luckily for the away fans in attendance, the Burnley Goalkeeper, AriJanet Muric also made an error, allowing a back pass to go straight into the net.
The point gained, as it’s always a point gained, not 2 lost, left Brighton in 10th place with 44 points from 32 games completed.
After the weekend’s set of fixtures, Brighton remained in 10th place, with the teams close around (Wolves, Fulham and Bournemouth) all suffering a defeat.
Remaining fixtures-
Brighton v Man City
Bournemouth v Brighton
Brighton v Aston Villa
Newcastle v Brighton
Brighton v Chelsea
Brighton v Manchester United
Man City haven’t played in the Premier League since Saturday the 13th of April, so it will be 12 days following the victory against Luton that elevated Pep’s High Flying Blues to the summit of the Premier League with 73 points from 32 games played.
Last Sunday, Pep Guardiola was sat in the front room of his 3 Bedroom Terraced House in Moss Side, wearing an old Crystal Palace shirt with ‘Hilaire’ and Number 11 on the back of the iconic Sash.
After 90 odd minutes when the referee blew his whistle, Pep was overcome with emotion following Palace’s sensational victory over Liverpool at Anfield, joining in with the Eagles faithful, singing the brilliant Carl Perkins tune,
‘And I’m feeling, Glad all over!
Yes, I’m Glad all over.’
Changing the words to,
‘And I’m feeling, Guardiola!
Yes, I’m Guardiola.’
After 10 minutes of merriment, Pep nipped upstairs and swapped his Palace Jersey for an old Villa Shirt, with ‘Withe’ and 9 on the back, then settled down in the hope that Aston Villa would somehow derail Arsenal’s title chances, getting at least a draw at the Emirates.
The Guardiola home went berserk on the stroke of full-time, with Villa going one better and inflicting a defeat on the Gunners, meaning Man City finished the weekend at the summit of the Premier League knowing that a 4th Title in a row was back in their hands.
‘And I’m feeling, Guardiola!’
Remaining fixtures-
Brighton v Man City
Nottingham Forest v Man City
Man City v Wolves
Fulham v Man City
Tottenham v Man City
Man City v West Ham
Unfortunately, the fun was temporarily put on hold, after Man City suffered penalty shootout heartbreak against Real Madrid in the Quarter-Final of the Champions League last Wednesday at the Etihad.
After drawing the away leg in the Bernabeu by a 3-3 scoreline, the game in Manchester finished in another draw by a 1-1 score, meaning the dreaded spot-kicks.
After Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic missed their kicks, Real Madrid went through to the Semi-Final, which means the ‘Double Treble’ is no longer on the table.
There was a lot of disparaging talk from certain quarters about how Real Madrid had ‘dumped’ Man City out of the Champions League and how City had lost.
First things first, Man City didn’t lose and were only ‘dumped’ out due to a penalty shootout, which as everyone knows is a lottery.
The score after 210 plus minutes was 4-4.
Four-Four against one of the best teams in the World who have won the Champions League 14 times and have a Manager who has won it twice as a Player and 4 as a Manager.
Pep Guardiola and his Man City players should be afforded tremendous respect for the effort made in all of this season’s competitions.
It was then a game at Wembley against Chelsea in the Semi-Final of the FA Cup, which saw City get back on track and gain a victory over Mauricio’s Blues to progress to the Final against the Numpty Neighbours in a Manchester Derby.
Following the weekend’s fixtures, both Arsenal and Liverpool gained a victory and now sit above Man City with 74 points, a point more but have now played a game more, meaning it is still in City’s hands.
Both will have played their Game Week-29 encounter before this fixture at the Amex, so City could in theory be 4 points adrift of Arsenal and Liverpool, meaning the pressure will really be on for this game against Brighton.
Man City gained the victory over Brighton at the Etihad in the Game Week-9 encounter.
Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland scored the City goals in the 1st-half before Ansu Fati pulled a goal back for Brighton after the break.
Manuel Akanji was shown a 2nd Yellow Card and ultimately a Red in the 95th minute, however, despite being down to 10 Men, Pep’s High Flying Blues held on for the points from a narrow 2-1 scoreline.
Betfred offer Brighton at 5/1, the draw at 18/5 and Odds On 2/5 for Man City to come away with all 3-points.
Betfred offer 5/1 that Phil Foden Scores First and 11/10 that there are Over 3.5 Goals.
(If your pre-match First Goalscorer bet scores First and then scores a Second, Betfred DOUBLE the odds.
If they score a Third, Betfred TREBLE the odds.)
Away Win 1-3- Get 9/1 on Betfred & Claim your new account welcome offer!
There was further excitement up in Scotland when guess what?
That’s correct, Celtic will face Rangers (again) at Hampden Park in the Scottish Pub Cup following victories for both, against Aberdeen (who?) and Hearts (who?) respectively.
The loveable OzScot was straight on the phone to Melbourne’s Open Top Bus Companies to book one for him and the Lad at the end of May.
One hopes it doesn’t rain.
There’s another Old Firm Derby coming up in the Scottish Pub League on the 11th of May which will surely decide where the Coveted Trophy is going this year.
Braveheart/Kylie is still spinning around.
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