PAUL MERSON
Paul Merson predicts this weekend's 10 Premier League
fixtures, and is tipping Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea to grab three
points.
City, who have been stuttering of late, host Southampton on Nissan Super
Sunday before Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea with Manchester
United, while Arsenal host Middlesbrough at the Emirates on Saturday.
Bournemouth v
Tottenham
Bournemouth are playing very well, I watched them last week.
Spurs had a tough game in midweek and it might catch up with them for the early
Saturday kick-off. I know they got beaten 5-1 last year, but it will be
different for Bournemouth.
I've been impressed with Spurs, even when they don't
play well they get a result. They're undefeated, and when they go 1-0 down late
on against West Brom, they fight back for a result.
But I can see a draw here, which would be a superb result
for an ever-improving Bournemouth side under Eddie Howe.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2
Man City v
Southampton,
This is a difficult game for City. They had their confidence
shot at the Nou Camp, but I think they'll just get a result here.
I agree that City are short of the players Pep Guardiola
wants. They've got to change their style of play slightly, you can't keep
rolling out from the back, because teams will just close you down.
Also, you put a bit of a pressure on the goalkeeper. I want
a goalkeeper who is going to make a save, not spray it around the pitch all
day.
Southampton will be a threat, and will give them a really
good game, but I'm going with City.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1
Chelsea v Man. Utd
I'm going to go 1-0 Chelsea. I think they'll have
just a little bit more than what Liverpool had in attempting to break
United down.
People had a go at United on Monday. What do you expect?
They got a point. This is not the Manchester United of the 1990s, this is the
Manchester United of now. It's not that football has changed, it's that the
team isn't good enough.
I don't think they're good enough to mix it at the
moment. I think Jose Mourinho knows that, he set his team up, and they
didn't lose. It was a great result.
He will 100 per cent do the same at Stamford Bridge. If they
have a shot, and Chelsea have a shot, there's only one winner, and that's
Chelsea by quite a few. Mourinho won't go there and want to open the game up in
that way.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0
Arsenal v
Middlesbrough
Arsenal are irresistible at the moment. Swansea
could count themselves a little unlucky last weekend, but the way the
Gunners played in the Champions League showed that confidence is high at the Emirates.
Middlesbrough are struggling, they've got little pace in the
team and up front, and I'm going 4-0 Arsenal. They're going to suffocate them,
and I just don't see how Boro will get out of their half.
I really hope Arsene Wenger doesn't start changing the
team, because that's dangerous, they're on a right good run at the moment, and
you'd like to think he'll keep the same team.
PAUL PREDICTS: 4-0
Leicester v Crystal
Palace
Which Leicester will turn up? The Premier League Leicester
or the Champions League Leicester?
I'll go one each here. I think Leicester have put their
eggs in the European basket and I don't think they'll cope too well with
Christian Benteke.
Palace were getting on alright and then go and lose to West
Ham, so I don't think on current, short-term form there's a lot between these
teams.
I just think Leicester have been found out in the Premier
League. Other teams are sitting back now and saying: "We're not chasing
the game, you chase the game!"
It's reversed around the other way; Jamie Vardy is one of
the best in the business at running onto a ball over the top, but teams are
sitting back and giving him three or four yards, and making him turn and
attempt to beat two or three players.
PAUL PREDICTS; 1-1
West Ham v Sunderland
Sunderland are struggling, and West Ham had a really good
result at Palace and played superbly in the first half.
I can't see anything different here. It's the perfect game
for them to get back-to-back wins for the first time this season, with
Sunderland bottom of the league without winning a game. But West Ham have
to get through the first 20 minutes positively.
Sunderland have had a lot of injuries to be fair, you've got
to feel sorry for them, they haven't had a lot of luck so far.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0
Hull City v Stoke
City
I watched Hull last week, and there are ways to lose
football matches... they were well beaten by Bournemouth.
In a game where you're looking at the opposition and
thinking: "Don't lose to these teams, they're going to be around us at the
end of the season" they were blown away.
I think Stoke are a decent team, and Hull really have to
buck their ideas up after last week. I think they'll have to score first.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1
Swansea v Watford
Watford had a really good result last week, and Swansea did
alright against Arsenal. They really should have scored when Arsenal went down
to 10 men, but they didn't.
That was a free swing, but they have to win this game. It's
Bob Bradley's first game at home, he'll have them up for it, but I can see a
draw.
Bradley did brilliantly for the US national
team. I like him, I like the way he talks, his philosophy, and he's a
hard-worker.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1
Burnley v Everton
Burnley needs to get a result. They try hard every week, but
just don't have that little bit extra, and I think it's taking its toll.
You have to win your home games, if you're going to get
beaten every week away from home. It puts severe pressure on them at home.
Fulham a few years ago couldn't win away for toffee but their home
record was phenomenal, and it kept them up.
Everton had a good result at Man City, but they were
struggling before that. I think the turning point for their season was the
Norwich game in the EFL Cup. The fans have been without a cup win since 1995,
and they got beaten at home to Norwich, who didn't desperately need a cup run
in their busy season.
But I think Everton will be too much for Burnley.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2
Liverpool v West Brom
I was a bit disappointed in Liverpool against United. People
criticised United, who did sit back, but I thought Liverpool were going to come
out of the blocks and play like they have been at home recently.
They created two chances in the whole match, and I didn't
think it was good enough. They didn't have many ideas, and struggled against a
team who, granted, defended well. It was disappointing, and I expected them to
win the game.
West Brom are going to be hard to beat, they're doing well,
but I think Liverpool will win this. Adam Lallana has to play, they should take
a chance and play him.
They missed him against United, they didn't look like they
were going to open much up without him in the team. The Baggies will sit back
and they need to break them open.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1
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