Match to catch
The highlight of this weekend’s English Premier League action isn’t so much a match to catch as an occasion - a party that was so unlikely at the start of the season that you could have got better odds on Piers Morgan becoming Arsenal manager - when new champions Leicester City receive the trophy after their home game against Everton. Captain Wes Morgan will collect the cup to cheers from a squad of dedicated but formerly unheralded players, who have become household names thanks to their heroics over the last nine months, and 32,000 fans lucky enough to have tickets. It should make for an entertaining match and fantastic atmosphere - and maybe there will be a moment as memorable as in previous title parties, when unlikely goalscorers such as Claude Makelele, Tony Adams and Gary Pallister netted strikes that became part of Premier League folklore. Prediction: Leicester 2 Everton 1.
Keep an eye on
While Leicester’s players and fans will be recovering from their party on Sunday, Manchester City and Arsenal still have some serious business to attend to at the Etihad Stadium. Both clubs will be kicking themselves at being beaten to the title, but City need a win to ensure they hold off local rivals United and qualify for next season’s Champions League, while the Gunners still have hopes of pipping North London neighbours Tottenham to second place. Both have under-achieved this season and the fact they are battling it out for the minor prizes on the penultimate weekend will rankle with those in the stands and the directors box. Prediction: Man City 1 Arsenal 1.
For the purists
Bournemouth and West Brom are both comfortably clear of the relegation battle, so their main goal for the season has been achieved, but they have suffered slumps in form since securing safety and now only hapless Aston Villa are on a worse run. The Cherries have just three points from their last six matches and the Baggies only two, so with confidence at a premium this one could be a little difficult to watch. Prediction: Bournemouth 1 West Brom 0.
Showing form
Newcastle’s last-gasp bid to beat the drop gathered some momentum with a crucial win over Crystal Palace last weekend, meaning Rafael Benitez’s side are now four games unbeaten and, more importantly, out of the relegation places. On Saturday they visit rock-bottom Aston Villa and will be desperate for another victory to give themselves some breathing space before rivals Sunderland and Norwich play their games in hand in midweek. The Toon’s away form has been abysmal all season - they have only eight points from 18 matches on the road - but they won’t get a better opportunity than at Villa Park. Prediction: Villa 1 Newcastle 2.
Need a win
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has overseen an upturn in form in recent weeks that has not only earned his side an FA Cup final place but also, according to media reports, given the Dutchman a reprieve from the sack. Jose Mourinho was widely expected to succeed Van Gaal this summer, but the United board now apparently want the Portuguese to wait another 12 months. In the short term, the Red Devils need to win at Norwich on Saturday to keep their hopes of a top-four finish alive and they should be too strong for the struggling Canaries. Prediction: Norwich 0 Man Utd 2.
Get involved
Think I’m way off the mark? Tweet me your English Premier League predictions via @MartinDownerUK.
- The writer is a freelance journalist based in the UK
