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Premier League Preview: Matchday sixteen

Deke Hardman in Editorial, English Premier League 8 Dec 2017

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Fans of Manchester United and Manchester City, and neutrals alike will be hoping the best is saved til last in matchday sixteen in the Premier League as the top two face each other at Old Trafford.

There is an eight point gap between the rivals going into the weekend and victory for Pep Guardiola’s side would surely, even before Christmas see the Citizens place one hand firmly on the trophy.

United have won their last four league games which, whilst still being impressive is less than a third of the run City have been on though the latter did lose in Europe midweek, with their qualification for the next round already secured.

Four of the last five meetings between the sides have seen fewer than two goals and you can back that outcome this time around at a price of 37/13 with 888 Sport.

Derby day

Earlier on Sunday Liverpool take on Everton in the Merseyside derby, with the hosts both sides showing promising signs.

The Reds are scoring for fun having netted fifteen goals in their last three games while the Toffees, despite their struggles this term also go in to this clash on the back of three straight wins.

The weekend’s action kicks of at the London Stadium where struggling West Ham United take on champions Chelsea.

The Hammers saw their winless league run extended to eight games last time out, despite taking the lead against leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

However that loss – their ninth of the campaign saw them slip to nineteenth place and they are just one point above rock-bottom Swansea City.

In contrast, Chelsea have lost just once in their last twelve outings in all competitions and their win over Newcastle United last a week ago kept them to within three points of second place.

Chasing pack

Fifth placed Arsenal secured two high scoring wins either side of last weekend’s defeat to Manchester United and will, if only temporarily move back into the top four if they triumph at Southampton while their North London rivals will hope to beat Stoke City at Wembley after taking just two points from the last nine available.

Burnley are level on points with sixth-placed Spurs and face a Watford side just one place below them while Leicester City travel to Newcastle United in Saturday’s late kick-off hoping for another three points that would keep them in touch with the top eight.

Battles at the bottom

There is a battle of the promoted sides at the John Smith’s Stadium as Huddersfield Town take on Brighton and Hove Albion while Crystal Palace will hope to continue their mini-revival as they welcome Bournemouth to Selhurst Park.

Finally, Swansea City will be looking to stop the rot as they play a West Bromwich Albion side who themselves sit just three points above the relegation zone.

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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