It’s hard to know what to make of both Brighton and Bournemouth, this season. Neither club gives the impression of being in crisis, yet they only have 20 points each and sit just 2 points above the relegation zone. This South-Coast derby looks to be a genuine six-pointer. Which club does John Newsome see coming out on top? Here are his thoughts on all matches taking place, in game-week 20. You can view all previous analysis from John’s regular column here: English Premier League Predictions For Saturday
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BRIGHTON v BOURNEMOUTH
Early Saturday Afternoon Football live on Sky Sports after TV coverage in the Amazon Jungle.
A quick turnaround for 8 of the Premier League clubs who have all played on Boxing Day, just 48-hours ago.
Brighton lost against Tottenham at their Swanky new stadium on Boxing Day even after taking the lead through Adam Webster.
Yet, like a poor dog walker, the Seagulls couldn’t hold onto the lead, you can have that one!
Tottenham scored twice to inflict a 2-1 defeat on Graham Potter’s boys.
After 2-straight defeats, maybe the visit from a struggling Cherries is just what Brighton need.
Bournemouth did stop the losing streak on Boxing Day getting a 1-1 draw against Arsenal.
However, that is just 4-points from a possible 24-on offer, so although the Dan Gosling goal that earned Eddie’s Cherries a point, was fruitful, the Cherries do need to pick up a few victories and will target this game at the Amex.
At the Amex, last season, back in April, Bournemouth smashed Brighton, with Eddie’s Cherries getting a 5-0 victory over Chris Hughton’s Seagulls.
Dan Gosling gave Bournemouth a 1-0 lead going into the half-time break.
In the 2nd-half, Ryan Fraser, David Brooks, Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas all scored to round off the easy 5-0 victory.
Anthony Knockhaert was shown a straight Red Card in the 2nd-half when the score was 2-0.
The poor home result went a long way in deciding Chris Hughton’s future at The Amex when the heir achy decided to replace Chris with Graham Potter when the season finished.
Betway offer Brighton at slight Odds On 5/6, the Draw at 11/4 and 16/5 for Bournemouth to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 9/2 that Neal Maupay Scores First and slight Odds On 7/8 that there are Under 2.5 Goals.
Draw 1-1
SOUTHAMPTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Southampton smashed everyone’s Accas on Boxing Day surprisingly beating Frank Lampard’s Chelsea 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
There were a lot of cats that got kicked on Thursday night after Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond scored the Saints goals that got the brilliant 2-0 victory.
Brilliant for Southampton but rubbish for the betting slip owners.
Wreck-It Ralph was happy, not only did he mastermind the victory at Stamford Bridge but he also starred on BBC 1 Boxing Day TV.
Crystal Palace got a great festive 2-1 London victory against West Ham on Saturday.
After going a goal behind, ex-Hammer Cheikhou Kouyate pulled a goal back for the Eagles against the club that didn’t want him.
Check Mate.
Jordan Ayew got the winner in the 90th-minute to give Roy’s Boys the Boxing Day spoils against Manuel Pellegrini’s Bubbles.
James Ward-Prowse scored in the 2nd-half to cancel out Wilfried Zaha’s opener before the break to give both teams a share of the points when these 2-met at St Mary’s last season.
Betway offer Southampton surprisingly at slight Odds On 19/20, the Draw at 13/5 and 14/5 for Crystal Palace to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 5/2 that Danny Ings Scores First and 13/4 that Luka Milivojevic Scores Anytime.
Draw 1-1
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WATFORD v ASTON VILLA
Watford were up North on Friday to take on Pep’s High Flying City.
Nigel Pearson’s first 2 out of 3- games in charge at Vicarage Rd, ironically have been against the Manchester clubs.
Big Nige masterminded a great 2-0 victory against Ole’s Wheels and then got a draw against Sheffield United before having to face City.
Aston Villa stopped the 4-game Premier League losing streak and got a great 1-0 victory against Norwich on Boxing Day to keep them within touching distance of the teams out of the relegation places.
Conor Hourihane’s 2nd-half strike was enough to give Dean Smith the victory against fellow promotion rivals and now fellow relegation rivals Norwich.
The victory against the Canaries leaves Villa on 18-points, 5-more than Norwich and just a point behind West Ham.
A quick word about Conor, play him Dean, Villa are a better side with Conor in than out!
It’s been a few years since Aston Villa visited Vicarage Rd
In April 2016, Ciaran Clark opened the scoring for Villa before Almen Abdi equalised for the Hornets in 1st-half stoppage time.
Jordan Ayew restored Villa’s lead just after the break then had Aly Cissokho sent off to give Watford the man advantage.
The Hornets left it late but the extra-man took its toll on Villa and with time running out, Troy Deeney scored 2-injury time goals to give Watford a great 3-2 victory.
Betway offer Watford at slight Odds On 19/20, the Draw at 14/5 and 13/5 for Aston Villa to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 9/2 that Troy Deeney Scores First and 14/5 that Jack Grealish Scores Anytime.
Home Win 3-1
NEWCASTLE v EVERTON
Newcastle nearly had a Deja Vu game at Old Trafford when Matty Longstaff scored the opening goal against Manchester United like he had done back in October.
Unfortunately, for the travelling Toon Army, the goal just kicked Manchester United into life and Ole’s Wheels ran out easy 4-1 victors over Steve Bruce’s Magpies.
After a goalless 1st-half at Goodison Park on Thursday, a goal from Dominic Calvert-Lewis, late in the game, gave Carlo Ancelotti’s Toffees a brilliant 1-0 victory over Burnley.
That leaves Everton unbeaten in 4-Premier League games now and just 3-points behind today’s opponents Newcastle.
At St James Park last season this was a very entertaining game that eventually finished in a 3-2 victory for Newcastle.
Eventually, because Everton did actually take a 2-0 1st-half lead with goals from Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.
Matt Ritchie missed a penalty for Newcastle prior to the break.
Rafa Benitez must have hammered his players in the dressing room as the Magpies came out in the 2nd-half and scored 3-goals to give them the great result.
Goals from Salomon Rondon and 2-from Ayoze Perez gave Newcastle the victory.
Betway offer Newcastle at slight Odds On 19/20, the Draw at 13/5 and 14/5 for Everton to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 7/1 that Andy Carroll Scores First and Evens 1/1 that there are Over 2.5 Goals.
Home Win 2-1
WEST HAM v LEICESTER
There was a lot of fight in the Hammers team at Selhurst Park on Boxing Day, unfortunately, the fight was between their own players with Mark Noble at the centre.
Mark is a Hammer through and through and it appears he is losing the plot with his teammates.
Another 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace, even after taking the lead through Robert Snodgrass.
The dog walker society out there won’t be contacting the Hammers anytime soon as they simply can’t hold onto a lead.
Leicester were humbled at the King Power in the very late Boxing Day fixture against Jurgen’s Reds.
Brendan’s not so Wonderful Human Beings were soundly beaten by the scoreline of 4-0.
It’s rumoured Rod Stewart was in the stands wearing a Liverpool shirt singing,
‘I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke my heart, if you had stayed at Celtic just a little bit longer, Brendan, if you had stayed? Oh my heart’ At the London Stadium back in April, Brendan had already arrived in Leicester from Celtic and came away from the Capital with a point following a very entertaining 2-2 draw.
Michail Antonio scored 1st for the Hammers to give them the lead at the break.
Sheffield Superstar Jamie Vardy equalised for the Foxes early in the 2nd-half before Lucas Perez, who had just been introduced as a substitute, put West Ham back in the lead.
Leicester left it late, with one of their substitute’s, Harvey Barnes, getting the equaliser in the 92nd-minute.
Betway offer West Ham at 100/30, the Draw at 16/5 and Odds On 8/11 Leicester for to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 12/5 that Jamie Vardy Scores First and 7/5 that there are Over 3.5 Goals.
Away Win 1-3
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NORWICH v TOTTENHAM
Late Saturday Afternoon Football live on Sky Sports.
Norwich are rock bottom of the Premier League table after a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
The defeat leaves Daniel Farke’s Yellow and Geeen’s 7-points from safety.
Tottenham came from a goal behind to beat Brighton on Thursday.
Harry Kane got his obligatory goal before Dele Alli got the winner to give Jose Mourinho’s Spurs a great 2-1 victory to take them just 3-points behind Chelsea in fourth place after Frank’s Blues subsequent loss.
It was February 2016, when Tottenham last went to Carrow Rd.
Goals from Dele Alli and 2-from Harry Kane gave Mauricioare Pochettino’s Spurs the 3-0 victory over Alex Neil’s Canaries.
Betway offer Norwich at 4/1, the Draw at 100/30 and slight Odds On 8/13 for Tottenham to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 11/8 that Teemu Pukki Scores Anytime and 15/4 that Harry Kane Scores Two Plus Goals.
Away Win 1-3
BURNLEY v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday Evening Football live on BT Sport.
Burnley suffered a 1-0 defeat against Everton on Thursday leaving Sean Dyche’s Clarets in 12th-place in the Premier League with 24-points.
After going a goal behind in the late Jungle kick-off, Manchester United comfortably beat Newcastle 4-1 on Boxing Day.
The Red Devil’s were haunted by Matt Longstaff again but quickly exorcised the Ginger Ghost with the Triple Ms, Anthony Martial, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford.
Martial, Mason and Marcus! scoring 3-first half goals to deflate Big Brucey.
Tony M got his 2nd and United’s 4th after the break to give Ole the much-needed victory.
There are a lot of poor dog walking teams currently that simply can’t hold onto a lead.
Another note about dogs is they are stopping potential footballing stars.
There’s a saying,
“Golf spoils a good walk”
Well there is a new version of that.
“Dog’s spoil a good walk” dogs! When everyone was growing up, dogs were dogs, someone threw a stick and the dog ran off for 4-hours, nowadays everyone treats the dogs like kids, the thing is they are not kids, they are dogs.
The clues in the title and how they look, they look like dogs!
Take them onto the park, all they want to do is sniff other dogs bits.
Meaning the owner is stood there, next to some fit person, trying to chat him or her up and the dogs sniffing his or her dogs body.
Then the dog does their business in the middle of the football pitch.
The dog can’t go in the woods bit can they?
Where no one goes, no!
The dogs do the toilet in the middle of the football pitch, so the owner has to go over and pick it up, with the bag, then the finger goes through the bag and the hands covered in, well you know.
Its ok first thing in the morning because the owner can wipe their hands on the dew but in the middle of the afternoon, it’s difficult.
It is the reason England haven’t won anything in over 50-years,
When the 40-50 year olds were younger playing football on the streets and the parks, they used their skills to dribble around the dogs mess.
Gazza was brilliant because he lived on an estate where dogs roamed everywhere, now with everyone picking the dogs stuff up in bags, it’s not producing good footballers and another thing about youth football.
On a regular Saturday morning with said dog, it’s mind blowing on the park.
Firstly there are more cars on the pitch then balls, there’s a car park 100-yards away but the super parents who don’t allow their kids chocolate or Coca Cola, the poor liccle things, have to eat seeds or raisins as treats and drink “water” OMG water! when the guys and girls of the ‘70s were kids, they drank council pop, not water.
Now they give there kids raisins etc, yet don’t park in-the car park and walk 200 yards to the pitch, no!
The owners drive where the dog walkers are, nearly running them over, to park next to the pitch.
Then they get their kids to ” like ” football.
There are more cars, parents and coaches than kids, there are 9 cars, 10 dads, 2 mums, who have obviously got divorced and it was “their turn” and 6 kids playing 2 v 3, because 1-kid started crying due to not wanting to be there.
No wonder England are rubbish at football.
Jose Mourinho was still at the Old Trafford helm when the Pink Devil’s last visited Turf Moor.
Romelu Lukaku scored two 1st-half goals to give United a 2-0 victory against the Clarets.
Paul Pogba missed a 2nd-half penalty before Marcus Rashford, who had only been on the pitch 10-minutes, was shown a straight Red Card after a silly altercation with Phil Bardsley.
Betway offer Burnley at 14/5, the Draw at 13/5 and slight Odds On 19/20 for Manchester United to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer Odds On 10/11 that there are Under 2.5 Goals and 23/10 that Paul Pogba Scores Anytime.
Draw 1-1
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ARSENAL v CHELSEA
Early Sunday Afternoon Football live on Sky Sports.
Mikel Arteta aka Pep 2, oversaw a great 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
After falling behind in the 1st-half, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised for Mikel’s new look Gunners to earn Pep 2 a great opening point.
It’s rumoured Mesut Ozil had fell out with Freddie Ljungberg but Mikel brought the enigmatic German back into the starting eleven against the Cherries.
Unai Emery never got on fully with Mesut so after Unai and Freddie, Mikel decided to play the World Cup winner.
Strange that, apparently Mesut is useless, yet has a World Cup Winners medal on the Chez Ozil sideboard.
Chelsea ruined a lot of post-Christmas celebrations after going down to a 2-0 home defeat against Southampton on Thursday.
After a good Vodka fuelled Christmas Eve, some Pink Bubble on Christmas Day, everyone was ready for a little Boxing Day punt on the football and horses.
Chelsea at home against Southampton?
Sure bet!
Not so, as Wreck-It Ralph is not called Wreck-It for nothing and wrecked everyone’s Accas.
Unai Emery’s Arsenal beat Maurizio Sarri’s, Chelsea, at the Emirates last season, with Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscienly getting the 1st-half goals to give the Gunners a 2-0 victory.
Betway offer Arsenal at 2/1, the Draw at 14/5 and 6/5 for Chelsea to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 5/2 that Gabriel Martinelli Scores Anytime and 15/4 that Tammy Abraham Scores First.
Draw 2-2
LIVERPOOL v WOLVES
Late Sunday Afternoon Football live on Sky Sports.
A lot would have thought Liverpool’s visit to Leicester would be a tricky affair, yet Jurgen’s Reds simply blew the Foxes away.
Goal-scorer in the World Club Cup final, Roberto Firmino opened the scoring against the Foxes in the 1st-half.
James Milner scored his obligatory penalty after the break, before Bobby F got his 2nd and Terence Trent Darby got the Reds 4th to give Jurgen a great 4-1 victory over ex-Red Brendan.
Wolves take on Pep’s High Flying City on Friday and come into this fixture against Liverpool in the Top 8 of the Premier League table.
Nuno is doing a great job at Molineux, competing in the Premier League and the dreaded Europa League, as well as an upcoming game against Manchester United in the FA Cup.
At Anfield last term, this fixture was the final game of the 2018/2019 Premier League season with Liverpool beating Wolves by a 2-0 scoreline.
Sadio Mane scored both goals to give Jurgen’s Reds the victory, however, with Man City also winning their final game, Liverpool finished a point behind Pep’s Boys in the Premier League table.
Betway offer Liverpool at Odds On 30/100, the Draw at 9/2 and 9/1 for Wolves to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer 13/8 that Roberto Firmino Scores Anytime and 9/2 that Mo Salah Scores Two Plus Goals.
Home Win 3-1
MAN CITY v SHEFFIELD UNITED
A first for the Premier League in that this fixture at the Etihad kicks-off at the unusual time of 18.00 PM on a Sunday evening.
However, it is not a live TV game in England so is scheduled at that time for an overseas broadcaster.
The English football fans who pay a fortune each month for Sky Sports or BT Sport can’t watch this late Sunday game and will have to wait until Match of the Day 2.
Cheers Sky and BT!
Man City are again on the coattails of Liverpool after Friday’s game against Wolves.
It’s probably inconceivable to think Pep’s Blues will catch Liverpool but Pep won’t concede the title just yet.
There are still 19-games left which, if Pep’s math is correct, is 57-points leaving the Citizen’s still with hope.
If City obtain the 57-points it could potentially give them a total of 98-points which could yet win the title.
It would mean Liverpool would have to lose 5-games over the next 20, which simply won’t happen, so in theory, City are playing for the runners up spot.
Sheffield United, who are still unbeaten away from Bramall Lane, have now got to face Man City at the Etihad and Liverpool at Anfield.
Chris Wilder is not happy, it’s clear to see in his facial expression, however, when Chris is happy, the Blunts don’t know.
The Blades got a valuable point following a 1-1 draw against Watford on Boxing Day.
Oliver Norwood equalised in the 1st-half after Chris’s guys had conceded a goal against Watford.
Little James from Swinton thought this game against City was on Amazon Prime again so set up an account with them to get the football.
Jimbo pretended he had bought his girlfriend a Christmas present from the popular online shopping outlet, even making her wait in all day for the delivery.
He wasn’t happy when he realised that Amazon Prime were only showing the Boxing Day games.
Jame’s girlfriend wasn’t happy either, she’d waited in all day and when the parcel arrived, all it was, was a set of ironing board covers and some tea towels.
It’s 13-years since Sheffield United headed over the Snake Pass to the Etihad.
Back in October 2006, the Etihad wasn’t named as such but just called the City of Manchester Stadium.
Stuart Pearce was the City manager, whilst Neil Warnock was in charge of his beloved Blades.
The game finished in a very entertaining 0-0 draw.
Phil Jagielka was in the Sheffield United lineup that day and could feature 13-years later with the fixtures coming thick and fast.
Betway offer Man City at massive Odds On 1/6, the Draw at 7/1 and 14/1 for Sheffield United to come away with all 3-points.
Betway offer Evens 1/1 that Raheem Sterling Scores Anytime and 100/30 Lys Mousset Scores Anytime.
Draw 2-2
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