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Premier League Preview – Matchday 25

Deke Hardman in Editorial, English Premier League 5 Feb 2016

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Leaders Leicester City can open up a six point lead over favourites Manchester City with victory at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday

Leaders Leicester City can open up a six point lead over favourites Manchester City with victory at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday

This weekend’s Premier League action kicks off at the Etihad Stadium where title favourites Manchester City take on league leaders Leicester City.

Both sides secured victories in midweek, so a three point gap remains between the two though Manuel Pellegrini’s side will reclaim top spot with victory thanks to their superior goal difference.

The East Midlands outfit have not won at the home of the Citizens since November 2003, but victory here would see their title winning odds slashed with just thirteen games to go.

Rivalry

North London duo Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are currently tied on forty-five points in third and fourth place respectively and will both be looking to capitialise on any slip ups from the top two.

Spurs host Watford looking to extend an winning run that currently stands at five games while Arsenal will look to return to take all three points from their visit to Bournemouth on Sunday having been held to a goalless draw by Southampton last time out.

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as the latest round of fixtures concludes with Manchester United’s visit to Chelsea.

Resurgence

Louis van Gaal’s side go in to the weekend five points off the top four while the champions are a further eleven points behind, and just eight above the relegation zone.

Fresh from being named January’s Premier League manager of the month, Ronald Koeman takes his Southampton side to West Ham United, who currently sit just one place above the Saints in the table.

The Hammers are just a point behind fifth place Manchester United and could close the gap on the top four to just three with a triumph over the South Coast side.

Liverpool, who have won just one of last five games in the league, take on a Sunderland side who are four point from safety.

Relegation

Sam Allardyce’s side have actually taken more points than Jurgen Klopp’s men in 2016, but remain odds on favourites to get relegated at a price of 1/6.

The Black Cats’ north east rivals Newcastle United also find themselves in the bottom three but will climb above the dotted line if they beat West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City lose at bottom of the table Aston Villa.

Villa are ten points behind the Canaries and must win to keep alive their ever decreasing hopes of retaining their top flight status.

Elsewhere, tenth place Stoke City host and Everton side who begin the weekend one point and one place below them in the table while Swansea City welcome out-of-form Crystal Palace to the Liberty Stadium.

Despite riding high in fifth place on Boxing Day Alan Pardew’s men are without a win in seven league games and are now nine points off the European qualification places.

To what extent will the title be decided this weekend?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Deke Hardman


Freelance football writer with a love of the game that goes back to the mid nineties when both his beloved Nottingham Forest and England had genuine hope of acheiving some level of success. A regular contributor to both SoccerNews.com and FreeBetting.com, Deke also dabbles in music journalism with his heart and head still stuck in the latter years of the twentieth century.

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