English Premier League comes back following the week that featured European contests, and we had to wait for all of them to end to make a short, but a very accurate preview of Round 6.
Aston Villa vs. Leeds
This is the regional derby, with the note that both sides play exceptionally this year. The Peacocks won all the neutral fans’ hearts with their appealing play philosophy, while Aston Villa evolved into an unstoppable unit. So far the Villains allowed just two goals in the EPL, both against Liverpool in a 7-2 win.
West Ham vs. Man City
A big game for the Hammers, who managed to get out with a draw against Tottenham in the previous round, getting a late equalizer to erase a 0-3 deficit they had at halftime. It is time to confirm that point with another one. As for the Citizens, they played against Porto in the UCL, and they came back from behind to win, 3-1, showing superb composure and play in the second 45 minutes. Even though we love West Ham, in this matchup, we have to give an advantage to the Citizens.
Fulham vs. Crystal Palace
The Cottagers have been pale since the season started, and they aren’t going to survive this campaign if they continue to play like this. The defense is pretty bad, while the midfield can’t create anything for the attackers. Crystal Palace is a hard-working side, that plays to protect its own goals first, and attack later. For sure, the Eagles will try to do the same in this game.
Manchester United vs. Chelsea
The derby of the round, with the two sides entering it with a completely different mood. United was victorious on the road against PSG, 1-2, while Chelsea played without goals at home against Sevilla. Both matches were in the Champions League. The Red Devils recovered after being severely beaten by Tottenham at home, 1-6, and Chelsea still struggles, having just one victory in the past five contests.
Liverpool vs. Sheffield Untied
The Reds played their first match without Virgil Van Dijk, who will be out for a long time. They defeated Ajax on the road, 0-1 in a not so convincing manner. Klopp’s team has luck as they meet arguably the worst team in the league at the moment. The Blades suffered five failures before managing to snap a point against Fulham. And that was solely due to Cottagers’ mistakes.
Southampton vs. Everton
Two sides that play interesting and exciting football. The Saints were down 2-0 in London against Chelsea during their previous EPL match, but in the end, they snapped one point from Stamford. It was their seventh point from the possible nine in three most recent games. Meanwhile, Everton tops the table after five rounds with a 14-7 goal difference that says a lot about these guys.
Wolves vs. Newcastle
Raul Jimenez saved the Wolves against Leeds last Monday, helping them to earn their second minimal win in a row. Newcastle, snapped their defeatless streak against Man Utd at St. James Park, losing 1-4, even though they reached the lead first. The hosts are extremely defensive-minded, so bet on low-efficiency here.
Arsenal vs. Leicester
These two sides have a great rivalry that started that year when Foxes won the title. The Gunners followed them most of the time, and even inflicted Leicester one very important loss, but Vardy and the boys ate all those punches, eventually becoming the champions. Both teams lost in the previous round, Arsenal against Man City and Leicester vs. Aston Villa, so expect a cautious match.
Pick: Moderate efficiency 2 or 3 goals 1.00
Brighton vs. WBA
Two teams that didn’t start the season very well and are on the verge of the relegation zone. Despite being early to give some long-term prognosis, both Brighton and WBA will battle to avoid relegation. The Seagulls have three losses and one draw in the previous four events, while WBA lost three with two draws. In all but one, the Baggies allowed two or more goals.
Burnley vs. Tottenham
This is a must-win game for the Spurs, who lost two points at home against the Hammers in the last moments of the event. The Clarets scored just one goal in the previous four clashes, while Tottenham has 19 in the same span. No need to be a rocket scientist to figure out the winning pick here.
