With the excitement of the EFL Cup done and dusted, eyes will turn back to Premier League action for the 25th instalment of the season. Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points last weekend, which was seized upon by Arsenal who smashed Leeds 4-0. This means Arsenal remain top by six points, then Manchester City and Aston Villa in that order. At the other end things haven’t moved. Wolves, Burnley and West Ham are still holding the bottom three positions.

This week we begin with a match on Friday night. Leeds will host Nottingham Forest, which will kick off at 8pm (GMT). We then move into a mammoth Saturday of football, starting at 12:30pm. Manchester United will welcome Tottenham to Old Trafford. Following that we have five fixtures at 3pm. Aston Villa will travel to Bournemouth, Arsenal will go up against Sunderland, Burnley will face West Ham, Fulham will take on Everton and Wolves will play Chelsea. To round off an exciting day of football will be Newcastle entertaining Brentford at 5:30pm. Moving into Sunday we have two fixtures. Brighton vs Crystal Palace will kick at 2pm. Then the big game of the weekend will see Liverpool battle Manchester City at Anfield, kick off will be 4:30pm.

Leeds vs Nottingham Forest

This has the potential to be one of best fixtures of weekend. Leeds were thrown around by Arsenal last weekend and were left feeling the effects. Daniel Farke insisted that Arsenal are just an extremely good team and there’s nothing to worry about in terms of his own side and their goals. Despite the loss, the West Yorkshire outfit have only suffered that fate twice in their last 11 games. It’s a brilliant achievement, considering how their season started, but they need to start churning out wins. Most of those 11 games have been draws and that’s great, but it can allow for other teams to catch up. Leeds are still 16th in the table, but are level on points with Forest. If Leeds are to win it won’t change their position, but it’ll keep them in touching distance of Crystal Palace and Spurs. If they’re going to get a win from anywhere, it’ll be at Elland Road, losing just three times on home soil.

Forest have performed well enough in the last few weeks to close the gap on Leeds. They even share the same goal difference, however, Leeds have scored more goals meaning they look slightly better on the table. Sean Dyche is now unbeaten in four games, having lost all of the previous four. They’ve picked up important wins against West Ham and Brentford. More importantly, this form is helping them steer clear of the relegation zone, sitting six points better off than West Ham. Dyche has also found a way for his side to find that extra bit of grit away from home. Despite sitting 17th in the table, they have the 10th best away record in the league. They’ve lost on six occasions, but have won on four. Not even Liverpool have more wins on the road than Forest.

Despite a poor showing against Arsenal, I do believe that Farke will have shaken his lads up and will return to winning ways. They’ve got the ingredients to win most matches, but Forest will be tough.

Predicted Result: Leeds 2-1 Forest

Manchester United vs Spurs

The Red Devils have seemingly turned over a new leaf under Michael Carrick. Despite needing some late drama in two of the three wins, the fact that they’re winning is key. Beating Manchester City isn’t easy, beating Arsenal also isn’t easy, beating them both within a week is virtually unheard of. That’s what Carrick has achieved so far, plus a 3-2 victory over a plucky Fulham side. This has put them in the driving seat for the top four battle, especially as Chelsea and Liverpool have the Champions League to contend with. United have sole focus on the league and that will be a huge advantage. They’ve also brought themselves within five points of Villa and therefore six points of City. With those two sides also battling in Europe, it’s not out of the question that United could catch them. If you include Amorim’s final few weeks for United, the Red Devils are unbeaten in seven league fixtures. They last suffered defeat at the hands of Aston Villa just before Christmas.

Spurs are at the other end of the spectrum as they suffered defeat three games ago. For Thomas Frank, his sides last win in the league came at the end of December. That’s six games without a win. However, Champions League form has been a beacon of hope for the North London side who saw themselves finish 4th in the prestigious competition. They need to start translating that form to their domestic ties, otherwise they’ll be facing an awkward relegation battle at the end of the season. Having said that, they proved to themselves to be resilient against Manchester City last weekend, rescuing a draw from two goals down. That was their second 2-2 draw in a row. The North London side sit 14th in the league and are only able to hit 13th if they win. However, it’s imperative they do, otherwise the clubs above them can distance themselves. If they’re going to win, at the very least they’re playing away from home and that’s been a real positive area for Spurs this season. They have the 4th best away record in the league.

The 2-2 draw was an excellent fight back for Spurs and that will give them a lift, but United are very strong at the moment and I can see them dispatching Spurs with relative ease.

Predicted Result: United 3-1 Spurs

Bournemouth vs Villa

Bournemouth are improving every week. Their slump between November and December will have permanent ramifications for their season, but there’s still so many points left to play for. Since losing to Arsenal, the Cherries are unbeaten and they’ve won three times. Beating the likes of Liverpool and Spurs. It’s seen them rise from 15th to 12th and they’ll be aiming to reach higher. Although unlikely, they could rise to 8th. They’ll also be clinging to the form at the Vitality Stadium as it’s been very good. They’ve only lost twice all season, picking up six wins in the process. Andoni Iraola will be thankful that another home fixture awaits his side.

While Bournemouth are experiencing a revival, Villa are on the decline. They’ve lost some key members of the squad to injury, but that’s just something they need to cope with. They’ve still won a couple of games recently, but it’ll have to be more if they want to keep up with City and Arsenal. It’s also important to make sure they don’t get dragged into a top four battle, as they only have a five point safety net. In spite of all that, Villa have been very good away from home. They rank 2nd in the league, picking up six wins away from Villa Park. However, it might not be a sustainable approach as they’re walking a fine line with their xG performance. It has them sitting 12th, they’re 16 points better off than what their underlying metrics are suggesting. Unai Emery has found a way so far, but it’s hard to see it continuing for too much longer.

I do think Bournemouth will give Villa a tough game. Losing Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn has been a huge blow and I think the midfield will be stretched too thin to deal with Bournemouth. They won’t necessarily lose, but I can’t see them winning.

Predicted Result: Bournemouth 2-2 Villa

Arsenal vs Sunderland

The Gunners found success in the week after dumping Chelsea out of the EFL Cup. Arsenal won 4-2 on aggregate, winning the 2nd leg 1-0. This came after a return to form in the Premier League, sweeping Leeds out of the way. They now face another promoted side in the shape of Sunderland. They drew 2-2 last time out, so Mikel Arteta will be looking to do one better. Prior to the Leeds game, Arsenal hadn’t won in three matches. They even lost to Manchester United before they played Leeds. Despite the recent slump, the Gunners still have the joint-best home form in the league, missing out on top spot on goal difference to City. They’ve lost just once which makes Sunderland’s task even more daunting.

Speaking of form, Sunderland away from home are one of the worst in the league. They’ve won on two occasions, dropping points in the other 10. Needless to say, the Black Cats struggle on the road and this is amplified when you look at the amount of goals they’ve scored. Six is the 2nd worst in the league with only Wolves scoring less. They can’t even claim defensive superiority as it’s very average. They lost 3-1 the last time they had to leave the Stadium of Light. That was against relegation battling West Ham. Regis Le Bris has a big task on his hands and will have to do it without Grant Xhaka, the captain and leader of this squad.

While on paper it should be a cakewalk for Arsenal, we know that Sunderland will sit very deep with their back five. It’ll be a game of seeing if Arsenal can break down what can be an impenetrable defence. I think Arsenal will, but will need an early goal.

Predicted Result: Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland

Burnley vs West Ham

This is exactly the kind of game that Burnley need to win. Survival is the only thing on Scott Parker’s agenda and a win here keeps that dream alive. Even though they sit 11 points off of Nottingham Forest and Leeds, there’s just a five point gap separating them and West Ham. Of course a win shaves off more than half of that, reducing that to just two points. With Leeds and Forest facing off, Burnley can reduce the deficit to one or both of those sides. Even though Burnley were smacked 3-0 by Sunderland last weekend, they had picked up three draws in a row. Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs all dropped points at the hands of Parker’s men. This game doesn’t need the form guide, it just needs Burnley to show up and grind out a win.

If the Hammers were to win instead then they can confidently assume they won’t fall below Burnley at the very least. The gap will open to eight points which seems an almost impossible mountain for Burnley to climb, considering they’ve only achieved 15 all season. West Ham could put a nail in the coffin and they essentially need to do it to avoid sticking a nail in their own coffin. Recent form suggests that Nuno Espírito Santo will ensure his side fight for every point. Prior to beating Spurs on the 17th January, the East London side hadn’t won a league game since the 8th November. That’s a stretch of 10 games. After beating Spurs, they were then able to beat Sunderland. It looked like the good form was going to continue against Chelsea, they were 2-0 up inside 36 minutes. However, Chelsea delivered a crushing blow late on when Enzo Fernandez scored the winner.

Clearly West Ham have a bit more about them at the minute, but Burnley will make Turf Moor a fortress. I can see a very scrappy draw occurring with both sides playing like they don’t want to lose.

Predicted Result: Burnley 1-1 West Ham

Fulham vs Everton

Fulham have been on a sensational rise in the last couple of months, but the engine is spluttering. They had climbed into 7th, but have fallen to 9th. The important aspect of that is they are still in the top 10. If they beat Everton then they can leapfrog Sunderland and Brentford back into 7th. They’ll also be happy to return to Craven Cottage as they’ve lost their last two away ties, losing to Leeds and Manchester United. The Cottagers have also won seven at home, only three teams in the league have won more. That just happens to be the three teams occupying the top three spots in the division. If Marco Silva wants to ensure his side keep their place in the top 10, they’ll have to improve their defensive numbers. Only one team in the top half of the table have conceded more than the West London side.

Everton have been an enigma this season. I can’t ever work out if they’re in good or bad form as they violently swing between the two. It’s something that David Moyes will have to work on, the consistency of results. Even if their last five games, they won once, lost once and drawn three times. They’ve scored just one goal for four games in a row now, so goals are still an issue. Cleary Moyes has worked on his defensive structure after his side lost 4-2 to Brentford a few weeks ago. But, still they lack that killer threat up top. The Toffee’s have scored the least amount of goals in the top half of the table, in fact you have to cast your eyes down to 15th to see a side that have scored less.

It’s hard to see what result will come of this fixture because Everton have pulled off some seriously impressive away wins, but Fulham have their mojo back on home soil. I think home advantage will see Marco Silva’s side through this one.

Predicted Result: Fulham 2-1 Everton

Wolves vs Chelsea

With Arsenal’s win last weekend, and defeat for Wolves, this has confirmed that the West Midlands side can’t finish top. But, I don’t think that will be given even the slightest bit of thought. Full focus is on surviving the relegation battle, but they’ve slipped 18 points behind Forest and Leeds. They had started 2026 very well, not losing any of the first three fixtures, even picking up their first win. However, it’s now two defeats in a row and that will dent any aspirations they had of survival. The more realistic aim is for them to try and lift themselves off the bottom, eight points separate them and Burnley. It’s not an impossible task, but it’ll be more for pride than anything. I can talk about the underlying metrics all I want, but it’s pointless. They’re bottom for a reason and when they’ve only won a single game in 24, nothing is going to look good.

Chelsea had a disappointing midweek. They put up a fight against Arsenal, but couldn’t break them down. In the end, Havertz sunk them entirely. Despite no EFL Cup final to play, there’s plenty left on the table for Liam Rosenior. First up is the battle for top four. It’s a battle they’re currently losing, but only one point separates them and Manchester United, who hold 4th. Rosenior has certainly improved Chelsea’s form in the league as they’ve now won three in a row. Chelsea’s away form has always been good, but it’s now the third best in the league, losing just three times away from Stamford Bridge. They’ve also scored the most goals in the league while on their travels.

Chelsea have revived their season and it’s thanks to Rosenior for that. They’re in the kind of form that put them in title-winning conversations at the start of the season. Wolves are there for the taking and I think Chelsea will comfortably roll past them.

Predicted Result: Wolves 0-3 Chelsea

Newcastle vs Brentford

Newcastle have suffered in the league lately, ever since they lost Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in midfield. The normal fight and aggression has been subdued and it’s allowed teams to walk all over the club. Liverpool smashed them 4-1 at the weekend, piling on the misery for Eddie Howe. To make things worse, they recently lost Anthony Gordon to injury. They now sit on two defeats in a row, so things need to change dramatically. They’re unlikely to win the Champions League, so top four is important for them if they want to keep their best players. It is just an eight point gap separating them from the main objective, but they need to start winning games. They were knocked out of the EFL Cup without much of a fight, City cruising to a 5-1 win on aggregate.

Brentford returned to winning ways last weekend as they pulled off a shock result. They managed to snatch a win at Villa Park, a stadium that has resembled something closer to Fort Knox. It was a huge achievement and it shows how far this side have come, they now sit 7th in the league and have an outside chance of making top four. They sit five points off of Manchester United, but have the same number of wins. What’s letting them down is that when they don’t win, they’re losing. It sounds obvious, but they’ve only drawn three games this season. Compare that with Manchester United who have eight. It shows that if you can’t win a game, then just don’t lose it, Brentford are struggling with that concept. The Bee’s have the lowest number of draws in the league.

Newcastle have had another long week of football and they’re coming up against a side that have been known to punish lazy teams. St James Park is still a difficult ground to visit, but it’s not as daunting as it has been. I do believe Brentford can sucker punch the Geordie’s.

Predicted Result: Newcastle 1-1 Brentford

Brighton vs Crystal Palace

The Seagulls have had a very difficult time in the league over the last few months. They’re battling away in games, but rarely coming away with a win. In fact, they’ve won just a single game in their last 11 outings. That was a 2-0 home win over Burnley. They sit 13th in the table, but with the hope of finishing 9th at the end of the weekend. Fabian Hurzeler’s men are certainly scoring enough, only Bournemouth have more goals out of the bottom 10 teams than Brighton. Despite the disappointing couple of months of football, they still maintain an excellent home record. The AMEX Stadium has only seen the home side lose once, there’s been six draws and five wins. City and Arsenal both share a singular defeat on home soil, while Sunderland are the only team remaining who have no defeats.

Palace are another team in turmoil and it’s all becoming a bit of a joke. They lost Marc Guehi, the captain and weren’t able to sign a replacement. Jean-Philippe Mateta wanted to leave, but failed a medical at AC Milan and will now be set for a period on the sidelines. Oliver Glasner seems unsure of how he wants his side to set up. They were knocked out of the FA Cup in the biggest upset in the history of the competition, losing to Macclesfield who are in the sixth tier of English football. The South London side also haven’t won a league game since the 7th December. They’ve lost six games since, which has seen them plummet down to 15th in the league, three points above two relegation battling teams. Things are turning sour for Glasner and he needs to start winning games to save the season, otherwise this club is going to get ripped apart in the summer and will have to face a rebuild.

These two sides are struggling, big time. Both managers will want to claim a victory here to find some sort of solace in the misery. However, I think they’ll cancel each other out and will play out a tedious draw.

Predicted Result: Brighton 1-1 Palace

Liverpool vs Manchester City

The big match of the weekend and the one to end game week 25. Liverpool are showing signs of their former selves coming out and that 4-1 win over Newcastle proved it. The defeat away at Bournemouth was their only loss, in any competition, since the 26th November. It’s been a really good run of form, but has seen the Merseyside club draw too many times. Arne Slot will be hugely disappointed by his team not being able to kill games. The 1-1 against Burnley comes to mind. But, with the top four battle start to taking shape, Liverpool will need to pick up as many wins as they can. If they’re able to beat City then they could finish the weekend in the top four. Home form has steadily improved as well, as they’ve haven’t lost at Anfield since the 22nd November, picking up seven wins in the process.

City have blown hot and cold ever since we ticked into 2026. They’ve earned just one win, in the Premier League, since the new year began. That was a 2-0 win at the Etihad against Wolves. They’ve had three draws and a defeat in that time. If the Gunners had been more ruthless, the league would likely be done and dusted right now, but they still sit just six points behind the North London side. Away form is where they’re struggling the most, dropping points in seven of the 12 games played outside of the Etihad. They will now travel to one of the hardest away grounds in the league to try and keep pace with Arsenal, who could open a nine point gap before City even kick a ball. What City don’t want is to be dragged into a top four battle. It’s very unlikely they will, but they only sit six points better off than Manchester United.

City have felt like their normal selves in the first half of most ties, but the 2nd half is where it all falls apart and that’s where Liverpool will look to punish them. I do think they can, Slot has the right personnel available to make it a very difficult afternoon for Pep.

Predicted Result: Liverpool 2-1 City