Watford vs Tottenham - 12:30 - Saturday 18th January 2020 - BT Sport

Watford @ 9/4     Draw @ 5/2   Tottenham @ 6/5

Watford take on Tottenham in the first fixture of match week 23, with the Hornets continuing their stunning run of form under new manager Nigel Pearson. The Hornets are finally out of the bottom three after their fourth win in five matches, with Pearson's unbeaten record extending to five matches ahead of this huge match. That win sees Watford move to 17th and it's the first time they have been out of the relegation zone this season, Nigel Pearson is doing an incredible job there and they must now feel that they can move further away from trouble. Watford made a fast start when Gerard Deulofeu was denied by Mark Travers before Abdoulaye Doucoure put the Hornets in front on 42 minutes. Travers' clearance only found Ismaila Sarr, who crossed for Doucoure to fire into the roof of the net for his second goal in as many matches. The Hornets were a constant threat on the counter-attack and made the score 2-0 midway through the second half, with Deeney blasting in after Bournemouth failed to clear the ball from the area. Roberto Pereyra volleyed in a third during stoppage time as Watford claimed their third straight victory (90+2). That is another massive win for the Hornets and extends their unbeaten run to five matches, with Watford and Deeney in particular enjoying a complete transformation under the Englishman. Their fifth win of the season has finally seen them rise out of the relegation zone and now they face Tottenham in incredible form and they will be confident of causing an upset. Watford have a poor record against Tottenham, they will be looking for only their second win in 14 matches but with Spurs at the opposite end of the form table it couldn't be a better time to play them.

"We did what we had to do to win the game and I think that’s the important thing from our own perspective. We’re finding different solutions in games and different ways of winning them." "There are times we’ve played some really good football and won games, and then today was an example of when we showed quite a bit of resilience and game understanding but also using our quality when we could." "I thought our counter-attacking situations were really good and we created a lot of chances, we defended set plays with an incredible desire to keep the ball out of the back of the net and we needed to. It’s a great result for us, but we have to keep our focus from here on in." Nigel Pearson said his side need to retain their focus as they face Tottenham in their next fixture.

Spurs Narrowly Beaten

Tottenham come into this match on the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat against Liverpool, with Roberto Firmino's decisive strike in the first half proving to be the difference. Jose Mourinho's side have now registered back to back 1-0 defeats, with their top four hopes slipping away as they are now nine points behind Chelsea. That defeat, their 8th of the season, means that they have now dropped to 8th in the Premier League, with their top four hopes slipping away. It was an even encounter, with both sides started strongly with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shooting against the post, while Son Heung-min fired narrowly wide. Virgil van Dijk might have given Liverpool the lead, but his header from Jordan Henderson's cross was well saved by Paulo Gazzaniga. Liverpool did evenutally break the deadlock on 37 minutes, Firmino latching on to Mohamed Salah's pass to rifle home.   Spurs improved in the second half and might have levelled late on had Son not blazed over or substitute Giovani Lo Celso been able to steer Serge Aurier's cross past Alisson. It's another poor performance and result from Spurs, who were desperately trying to shackle Liverpool and hope that they would win on the counter attack or through a mistake and this Liverpool team now know how to win ugly. They face a Watford side that have been in excellent form since the appointment of Nigel Pearson, but Spurs do have an excellent record, with 8 wins in the previous 13 matches. 

"Apart from the result, so many positives. Sometimes football is cruel and today was one of those days. The boys gave absolutely everything and Liverpool, on top of being a fantastic football team, today they can say they are a lucky team." "We created chances and started creating chances when we felt the game was completely under control. When Liverpool have games broken is when they kill opponents. We never let that happen." "We were always very solid and then we felt we had to have a real go with players like Lamela, who hasn’t started a game for three or four months, we put everything in, fantastic effort, great individual performances, for some players, it was their best performances since I arrived, absolutely good performances."

Jose Mourinho was proud of his side despite the narrow 1-0 defeat against Liverpool.

Betting Tips

• BTTS @ 4/7
• Troy Deeney to score first @ 4/1
• Heung Min Son to score first @ 9/2

Arsenal vs Sheffield United - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

Arsenal @ 4/5     Draw @ 13/5    Sheffield United @ 18/5

Arsenal take on Sheffield United in the first of six 3pm kick offs this Saturday, with Arsenal looking to make it back to back home wins as they face a stubborn Sheffield United side. Arsenal have made some good strides under new manager Mikel Arteta but the 1-1 result against Crystal Palace last Saturday means that there is still plenty of work to do and it'll be a long process. It's a draw that sees Arsenal remain in 10th on 28 points, level with Everton and Southampton, they are 11 points off Chelsea so it could be another season without Champions League football. After a superb opening from the Gunners, it was an 18-pass move that culminated in Alexandre Lacazette sliding in Aubameyang to finish into the bottom corner to put Arsenal in front after 12 minutes. Arsenal's intensity dropped off after 35 minutes, with Crystal Palace slowly clawing their way back into the game and they eventually did in the second half, when in form Jordan Ayew equalised in the 54th minute, his deflected effort looping beyond Bernd Leno.  It got worse for the Gunners as captain and scorer Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was initially shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Max Meyer, which was upgraded to a red after consultation with the VAR. The skipper will now miss three games for his straight red card. Arsenal did come the closest to winning the game as Vicente Guaita's fingertip save pushed Nicolas Pepe's shot on to a post late on as neither side could find a winner. It was another mixed result for Arsenal but even tougher to take given that they will now be without their captain and top goal scorer for another three matches. It's another poor defensive display from Arsenal as well, with the Gunners conceding a sloppy equaliser. Arsenal will be looking for their 3rd win in 8 matches against the Blades and they will be looking to avenge the 1-0 defeat at Bramall Lane earlier in the season.

"I was pleased with how we started the game, with the way we dominated the first half. We saw things that we'd worked on in training and the way they executed them was good." "We started to give bad free-kicks away and that's something that we have to avoid. Then we switched off for the goal. We completely switched off and allowed them to put the cross in. We turned and conceded the deflection, and I was very disappointed with that." "I just watched it and it looked nasty, to be fair. Knowing Auba, there's no intention to make such a tackle. Hopefully he hasn't been injured and we are sorry for that. The decision was made and we have to accept it."  Mikel Arteta gave his thoughts on Pierre Emerick Aubameyang's dismissal after his side drew against Crystal Palace.

Blades Beat Hammers

Chris Wilder's side come into the match on the back of a 1-0 win against West Ham on the Friday Night Football, with VAR yet again proving to be controversial as they ruled out a Hammers equaliser. It was a great performance from the Blades, who recovered from back to back defeats against Manchester City and Liverpool to beat a resurgent West Ham side under their new manager David Moyes. That win sees them move up to 6th in the table on 32 points, ahead of Wolves, Tottenham and Arsenal and just two points off Manchester United.  It was Sheffield United who had the first chance in the first half when John Egan headed over for the hosts, while Hammers forward Felipe Anderson side-footed wide at the other end. West Ham lost Lukasz Fabiaski to a 14th-minute injury and his replacement, David Martin, made an error that led to the only goal. His intended pass to Fabian Balbuena eight minutes after half-time was intercepted by John Fleck and the midfielder set up Ollie McBurnie to finish. John Lundstram also had a shot blocked after a brilliant flowing move, while substitute Lys Mousset's shot was saved by Martin. West Ham twice thought they had equalised late on but Sebastien Haller’s volley was disallowed for offside, and Robert Snodgrass's added-time strike in off the post was ruled out by the VAR for handball by Declan Rice in the build-up. It's another fantastic result for the Blades with a bit of help from VAR, but their record this season reads eight wins, eight draws and six defeats and that moves them to within two points of Manchester United. The Blades will be looking to make it back to back wins against Arsenal and in the process secure their 9th win of the season and open the gap up to seven points between themselves and the Gunners. 

"I feel for David [Moyes] and the players. The same thing has happened to us a few times. But we would've been devastated if we'd have drawn that game. Soon as they scored, no one was looking at it but I felt for the opposition - it's the same moans and groans as we've had in the past." "We had to improve the performance because tonight wasn't at our best. We've had to grind one out. We gave the ball away cheaply. We had two or three really good chances but didn't take them." "We made a poor decision late in the game but that's what happens when you go backwards and they came on to us." Chris Wilder was sympathetic towards David Moyes side after they were denied a late equaliser after VAR intervened.

Betting Tips

• Over 2.5 Goals @ 37/40
• Alexandre Lacazette to score first @ 3/1
• Lys Mousset to score first @ 9/2

Brighton vs Aston Villa - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

Brighton @ 13/20      Draw @ 31/10      Aston Villa @ 4/1

Brighton take on Aston Villa this weekend, with the Seagulls looking to recover from their 10th defeat of the season against Carlo Ancelotti's Everton. Graham Potter's men come into this match on the back of a 1-0 defeat away against Everton last Saturday, a defeat that sees them remain in 14th place in the league on 24 points. It means the Seagulls have now lost three of their last five matches and they will be looking for their second win in four matches. The only goal of the game came in the 38th minute when Lucas Digne played in Richarlison, who skilfully jinked through the Brighton defence before curling beyond Mat Ryan. The Seagulls improved in the second half and almost equalised on 53 minutes when Leandro Trossard crashed a shot against the crossbar. Richarlison looked to double Everton's lead as he saw his effort well-blocked by Lewis Dunk, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin drew a superb save from Ryan as Everton increased the pressure. Substitute Glenn Murray nearly levelled for Brighton late on but narrowly missed the target as Everton held on to stay 11th on 28 points. That was a tough result for Graham Potter and his side, they were second best in all departments in this fixture, but a win here would get them back on track and see them beat a potential rival to stay in the league. A win for Brighton against Villa could move them up to 13th depending on results, with Newcastle without a win in four and facing Chelsea at home in their next match.

"I thought we put a lot into the game and pushed in the second half. We hit the bar and had a lot of attacking entries, but we just lacked a bit in the final third to make the most of our play." "The difference in the end was probably the high quality of their goal. Other than that there wasn’t much in the game in the first half and we changed it around at half-time." "I thought we stepped on our game in the second half and at 1-0 we were still in it but we weren’t able to get the goal, although it wasn’t for the want of trying. We had some opportunities, but we lacked that little bit and that’s the difference."

Graham Potter said it was a game of fine margins as his side narrowly lost against Everton.

Villa Hammered By City

Dean Smith's side come into this match on the back of a hefty 6-1 defeat at home to Manchester City, far from ideal preparation heading into a huge game. That result was humiliating for Aston Villa, with Dean Smith's side absolutely humbled at home against one of the best sides in world football. However a win against City even at home would have been difficult and they will go some way to redeeming that defeat if they were to beat Brighton. That defeat means that Villa remain in 18th place, and they are just one point away from Watford and West Ham. Manchester City were back to their rampant best in this match, with Riyad Mahrez opening the floodgates with a low shot past Orjan Nyland after 18 minutes. It was 2-0 to Mahrez and City just six minutes later (24) before Aguero fired in from 20 yards to make the score 3-0 after 28 minutes. Brazillian Gabriel Jesus got in on the act as he guided in from a superb Kevin De Bruyne pass to cap a stunning first-half display (45+1). Argentine Sergio Aguero scored his second on 57 minutes to overtake Thierry Henry in the scoring charts with his 176th Premier League goal and he lashed in to complete his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining (81). It was also the Argentinian's 12th Premier League treble surpasses Alan Shearer for the most hat-tricks in the competition. Aston Villa's Anwar El Ghazi grabbed a late consolation from the penalty spot (90+1). That result means that Villa drop into the relegation places for the first time this season. Villa are on a mixed run with three defeats and two wins in their last five matches. They do have an excellent record against Brighton as well, having beat the Seagulls 2-1 in their previous encounter at Villa Park.

"We were certainly contributors to our own downfall today. We made mistakes for goals and I think the third goal summed up our performance. They made 20 passes without any physical contact and Sergio Aguero puts it in the top corner from 20 yards out with no one within three of four yards of him." "As good a team as Manchester City are, if you’re making any physical contact on them then you’re going to get punished. We know that we’ve contributed to the scoreline today, which doesn’t help. A lot of those players are the same players who did so well against Burnley and Leicester City." "It’s a setback but I’m sure that it won’t harm us going forward because we’ve got three big games against teams in and around us." Dean Smith was optimistic despite his side losing 6-1 at home against Manchester City.

Betting Tips

• BTTS @ 4/7
• Neal Maupay to score first @ 3/1
• Jack Grealish to score first @ 15/2

Man City vs Crystal Palace - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

Man City @ 1/12      Draw @ 9/1     Crystal Palace @ 35/1

Man City host Crystal Palace at the Etihad with Guardiola's side looking to avenge the 3-2 defeat they suffered against the Eagles last season. Guardiola's side come into this match on the back of a 6-1 win against Aston Villa, with City now on a run of three successive wins going into this match and with that they have overtaken Leicester City to go into second. City have moved to 47 points with that win and their record this season is played 15, drawn 2 and lost 5.  Manchester City were back to their rampant best in this match, with Riyad Mahrez opening the floodgates with a low shot past Orjan Nyland after 18 minutes. It was 2-0 to Mahrez and City just six minutes later (24) before Aguero fired in from 20 yards to make the score 3-0 after 28 minutes. Brazillian Gabriel Jesus got in on the act as he guided in from a superb Kevin De Bruyne pass to cap a stunning first-half display (45+1). Argentine Sergio Aguero scored his second on 57 minutes to overtake Thierry Henry in the scoring charts with his 176th Premier League goal and he lashed in to complete his hat-trick with nine minutes remaining (81). It was also the Argentinian's 12th Premier League treble surpasses Alan Shearer for the most hat-tricks in the competition. Aston Villa's Anwar El Ghazi grabbed a late consolation from the penalty spot (90+1). That was a fantastic result for Guardiola's side, with his team now on a fantastic winning run and they will be looking to make it four wins on the bounce against a tough Crystal Palace side. City will be looking for their 13th win 20 matches against the Eagles.

“We played well against United, but they played better in the second half - today it was for the full 90 minutes. I think we have always been there this season, even when we have lost games like at Norwich, we created lots of chances - but sometimes maybe we lost our incredible focus occasionally and after back to back titles, it is difficult with the reality of everything." "But now we are second and we are going to try and maintain this position until the end of the season." "I think he is one of he most incredible players I have seen in this league. To achieve this, he had to be consistent for many years and this is an incredible compliment for him."

Pep Guardiola was delighted with his sides performance and praised Sergio Aguero's legendary status at City.

Eagles Hold Gunners

Crystal Palace come into this match on the back of a 1-1 draw against Arsenal, with Palace's record against the top six sides continuing to impress. It was another excellent draw for Palace, with the Eagles coming from behind to register a hard fought draw against a resurgent Gunners side under new manager Mikel Arteta. The result leaves them in 9th place on 29 points, one point and one place above last weekends opponents Arsenal, they are unbeaten in their last four matches albeit with three successive draws. After a superb opening from the Gunners, it was an 18-pass move that culminated in Alexandre Lacazette sliding in Aubameyang to finish into the bottom corner to put Arsenal in front after 12 minutes. Arsenal's intensity dropped off after 35 minutes, with Crystal Palace slowly clawing their way back into the game and they eventually did in the second half, when in form Jordan Ayew equalised in the 54th minute, his deflected effort looping beyond Bernd Leno.  It got worse for the Gunners as captain and scorer Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was initially shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Max Meyer, which was upgraded to a red after consultation with the VAR. The skipper will now miss three games for his straight red card. Arsenal did come the closest to winning the game as Vicente Guaita's fingertip save pushed Nicolas Pepe's shot on to a post late on as neither side could find a winner. Roy Hodgson will be delighted with his side, showing more grit and determination to get a result and they will be slightly disappointed that they were unable to get all three points given that Arsenal ended the game with ten men. This will be a huge test for Palace, with City still holding onto their faint hopes in the title race.

"We found it very hard in the first 20 minutes to exert any serious pressure. They ran the game." "But we put that right in the 15 minutes before half-time when we made life much harder for them and that continued in the second half. Over the total of the game, we can be pleased with the point. It was a point we deserved." Roy Hodgson praised his side after they came from behind to secure a point against Arsenal.

Betting Tips

• Man City to win and BTTS @ 17/10
• Sergio Aguero to score first @ 2/1
• Jordan Ayew to score first @ 14/1

Norwich vs Bournemouth - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

Norwich @ 6/5      Draw @ 5/2     Bournemouth @ 9/4

Norwich host Bournemouth at Carrow Road in another of the 3pm kick offs, with the Canaries looking to bounce back after their 4-0 thumping at Old Trafford last weekend. This could be one of the biggest games of Norwich's season, with Bournemouth still struggling in and around the bottom of the Premier League and Norwich desperate to bridge the gap between themselves and the rest of the pack. Daniel Farke's men are 20th in the league and on 14 points, the defeat against United won't have helped that. Marcus Rashford and United made a fast start at the Theatre of Dreams, with the 22-year-old breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes with a close-range volley from Juan Mata’s cross. He then doubled the lead from the penalty spot seven minutes into the second half (52) after Brandon Williams was brought down by Tim Krul. United were on the rampage and Anthony Martial soon got in on the act, making it 3-0 two minutes later (54) with a header from Mata's right-wing cross. Mason Greenwood was a substitute on for Andreas Pereira, and he scored five minutes after his introduction (76) to seal a comfortable victory. This was another game to forget for Daniel Farke and his side, with little positives to take from their Old Trafford humbling. They will be looking to bounce back and secure a first win in 10 matches, against Everton in November, and get their survival hopes back on track. They will be looking for just their fourth win of the new season and looking for their second win in four matches against the Cherries.

"Even in the first-half, Manchester United dominated the game and were the better side. We were not that accurate in our passing and our possession. From the start, it was a really difficult game for us." "We still had the chance to stay in the game, we had some chances close to the half-time whistle, the best of them from Todd Cantwell when the goalkeeper [David De Gea] was there with a top class save.When you’re just 1-0 down, you’re still in the game and you still have a chance to come back." "But the game defining moment was when we conceded so quick after the half-time whistle. It was an unnecessary penalty and also a crossing situation when we were five against one in our own six-yard box. To be 3-0 back against arguably the best counter attacking side in this league is, of course, very tough."

Daniel Farke admitted the best side won in their 4-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

Cherries In Real Trouble

Bournemouth come into this match on the back of a hefty home defeat against Watford, with the Hornets overtaking the Cherries to dump them deep in relegation trouble in the process. Eddie Howe's side are now on a run of one win in eleven games, which is relegation form and if he can't turn this run of form around quickly that will be the inevitable conclusion for Howe and his club. They have dropped down to 19th place and are on 20 points and are now two points away from safety. Watford made a fast start when Gerard Deulofeu was denied by Mark Travers before Abdoulaye Doucoure put the Hornets in front on 42 minutes. Travers' clearance only found Ismaila Sarr, who crossed for Doucoure to fire into the roof of the net for his second goal in as many matches. The Hornets were a constant threat on the counter-attack and made the score 2-0 midway through the second half, with Deeney blasting in after Bournemouth failed to clear the ball from the area. Roberto Pereyra volleyed in a third during stoppage time as Watford claimed their third straight victory (90+2). Bournemouth are on an appalling run of form, the worst in the Premier League, with just one point in their last five matches and this fixture against Norwich is the biggest match of their season. The Cherries will be looking for their sixth win of the season and their first since the Chelsea win back in December.

"Tough game, we battled and stuck to the game in the first half. It wasn't a great performance from either team before half-time but the goal sucked the life out of us and gave them a boost." "We needed to do better. We weren't creative enough, similar to recent weeks, and the first goal is a hammer blow for us. It is a team thing and we didn't execute what we wanted, put ourselves under pressure and conceded a poor goal. "We all learn from those moments and the team has to take responsibility. It was difficult for us today, we had a strong team, good balance, so it's disappointing. We are always concerned when we don't win. We were desperate to do well. The first goal damaged us mentally and we didn't recover. We are in a difficult moment and need to lift ourselves." Eddie Howe admitted his side were in a difficult moment and they desperately need a win.

Betting Tips

• Over 2.5 Goals @ 5/6
• Teemu Pukki to score first @ 14/5
• Callum Wilson to score first @ 11/2

Southampton vs Wolves - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

Southampton @ 6/4     Draw @ 23/10     Wolves @ 15/8

Southampton take on Wolves this weekend with the hosts in incredible form after their 2-1 win away against Leicester City. The Saints come into this match 12th in the table and on 28 points, with Hasenhuttl's side on an incredible run of form that has enabled them to move eight points clear of the relegation zone and level on points with Arsenal. During that run they have won four matches they have beaten Aston Villa, Chelsea, Tottenham and Leicester. It was the hosts Leicester who took the 14th-minute lead, with Jamie Vardy crossing for Dennis Praet to tap in at the far post for his first Premier League goal. Southampton equalised five minutes later when Stuart Armstrong's deflected effort made it 1-1. The Saints were then awarded a penalty, with Caglar Soyuncu fouling Shane Long, but it was overturned by the VAR due to the Southampton forward being offside in the build-up. Danny Ings had the final say and provided the decisive moment on 81 minutes, latching on to substitute Che Adams's pass to finish underneath Kasper Schmeichel for his 14th goal of the season. Leicester did look for a vital equaliser but Jonny Evans' late header was ruled out for offside by the VAR as Southampton made it 13 points from a possible 15 to climb to 12th place with 28 points. It's another excellent result for the Saints as they extended their unbeaten run to five matches, during that time they have beaten three of the top six and a win here would be an incredible set of results against top class opposition. Southampton will be looking for their 4th win in 6 fixtures against Wolves.

Wolves Held By Magpies

Wolves come into this match on the back of their third successive 1-1 draw against Newcastle, with Nuno's men ending a run of back to back defeats. It's another frustrating result for Nuno Espirito Santo's side, who are now on a run of three games without a win, registering just one point from their last nine and they will be disappointed they could not find the crucial goal they needed. That draw means they remain in 7th place and on 31 points, still in a great position. Miguel Almiron continued his fine form and scored his second PL goal as he gave Newcastle a seventh-minute lead when he latched on to Dwight Gayle's neat flick and finished into the top-right corner. But Wolves struck back almost immediately as Leander Dendoncker equalised in the 14th minute, sweeping in a right-footed finish from Joao Moutinho's corner. Newcastle were grateful to Martin Dubravka for keeping them in the match as the goalkeeper saved Raul Jimenez's close-range header and denied Pedro Neto at his near post. That was a tough afternoon for Wolves, who will be desperately disappointed that they were unable to beat a Newcastle side at fortress Molinuex. Wolves face a Southampton side who are on an excellent run of form and who they have a poor record against, Nuno's men will be looking for just their second win in six matches against the Saints.

"It was not so good. Newcastle were well-organised, we didn’t start the game well. We reacted to the goal and after that I think we managed better, we created chances but not the normal possession that we have." "Newcastle were organised, it was difficult to find the lines and spaces, but we tried really hard until the end. Newcastle’s goalkeeper played a fantastic performance that allowed them to stay in the game, it wasn’t the best, but the character and willingness was there." "We produced. Good saves, some I think we should improve, the final touch, the delivery of the ball. It was difficult because Newcastle didn’t want to go for the game, reducing space, well-organised, tight, we struggled there." Nuno was frustrated as his side failed to capitalise and secure a much needed three points.

Betting Tips

• Under 2.5 Goals @ 5/6
• Danny Ings to score first @ 13/5
• Raul Jiminez to score first @ 5/1

West Ham vs Everton - 15:00 - Saturday 18th January 2020

West Ham @ 15/8      Draw @ 12/5     Everton @ 29/20

West Ham welcome Everton to the London Stadium, with manager David Moyes pitting his wits against his former employers and Carlo Ancelotti. The Hammers come into the match on the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat against Sheffield United, with VAR ensuring that Robert Snodgrass' late effort was chalked off due to a Declan Rice handball in the build up. That decision ensured they lost and the result means they remain on 22 points and in 16th place. It was Sheffield United who had the first chance in the first half when John Egan headed over for the hosts, while Hammers forward Felipe Anderson side-footed wide at the other end. West Ham lost Lukasz Fabiaski to a 14th-minute injury and his replacement, David Martin, made an error that led to the only goal. His intended pass to Fabian Balbuena eight minutes after half-time was intercepted by John Fleck and the midfielder set up Ollie McBurnie to finish. John Lundstram also had a shot blocked after a brilliant flowing move, while substitute Lys Mousset's shot was saved by Martin. West Ham twice thought they had equalised late on but Sebastien Haller’s volley was disallowed for offside, and Robert Snodgrass's added-time strike in off the post was ruled out by the VAR for handball by Declan Rice in the build-up. That was the first defeat of the new David Moyes era and it was one that will feel harsh given VAR's interception. Their record in the last five matches is three defeats and two wins and the Hammers will be looking to bounce back at the first time of asking against a rejuvenated Everton side. The Hammers have a poor record against the Toffees, winning just nine of their previous forty-seven matches. 

"I thought they were terrific tonight and I’d say we didn’t deserve to lose and we might even have been disappointed to have drawn in the end. I think if we had come here and taken a draw, we'd have been happy because it is such a tough place to come to and Chris has done such a good job here." "But, for me, I thought we scored a good goal to equalise. I’m a football man and I watch football and I thought Declan Rice did brilliantly well to break through the middle with good power and good strength. Their defender did well to get back and headed it on to Declan. Declan went on, played a good pass and we scored." "I’m just telling you, I think it’s a really good goal. I think Declan deserves great credit for his strength to get through and for that to happen, from my point of view it's not right." David Moyes gave his thoughts after his side were denied a late equaliser in the game against Sheffield United.

Toffees Beat Seagulls

Everton come into this match on the back of a narrow 1-0 win against Brighton and Hove Albion at Goodison Park, a third win in four matches for Carlo Ancelotti's men. The Italian has enjoyed an excellent start to life at the Toffees, with three wins in four matches, with their only blemish coming against Manchester City. It's a result that sees Everton move up to 11th, level on points with Arsenal and Crystal Palace, a good recovery from messers Ancelotti and Ferguson initially. The only goal of the game came in the 38th minute when Lucas Digne played in Richarlison, who skilfully jinked through the Brighton defence before curling beyond Mat Ryan. The Seagulls improved in the second half and almost equalised on 53 minutes when Leandro Trossard crashed a shot against the crossbar. Richarlison looked to double Everton's lead as he saw his effort well-blocked by Lewis Dunk, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin drew a superb save from Ryan as Everton increased the pressure. Substitute Glenn Murray nearly levelled for Brighton late on but narrowly missed the target as Everton held on to stay 11th on 28 points. It's another excellent result for Everton, with wins against Burnley, Newcastle and Brighton ensuring they have somewhat recovered their poor position from Marco Silva's reign, another win here would be four from five and could see Everton move up to 8th depending on results. The Toffees will be looking for their 9th win of the season and their 27th in 48 matches against the Hammers. 

"The most important part of the day was the result. The performance for 60 minutes was good." "We were a bit slow at the beginning to build up from the back but after that we were in the game, we could have scored a second one, but naturally at the end when we are only 1-0 up we had more difficulty controlling the game." "But everything was OK, we defended well, suffering a little bit but absolutely normal." Carlo Ancelotti was delighted with his sides response after the disappointment of losing to Liverpool in the FA Cup.

Betting Tips

• Total Goals Under 2.5 @ 37/40
• Sebastien Haller to score first @ 5/1
• Dominic Calvert Lewin to score first @ 10/3

Newcastle vs Chelsea - 17:30 - Saturday 18th January 2020 - Sky Sports

Newcastle @ 11/2      Draw @ 10/3     Chelsea @ 1/2

Newcastle take on Chelsea in the Saturday Night kick off, with the Magpies looking for a first win in five matches to kick start their 2020 against a Chelsea side who were back to their best against Burnley. 

The Magpies come into this match on the back of a 1-1 draw away against Wolves, a gritty performance that will have delighted Steve Bruce, especially when you consider the good record that Wolves have at home. That draw means that Newcastle end a run of three successive defeats and remain in 13th place on 26 points ahead of this tie. Miguel Almiron continued his fine form and scored his second PL goal as he gave Newcastle a seventh-minute lead when he latched on to Dwight Gayle's neat flick and finished into the top-right corner. But Wolves struck back almost immediately as Leander Dendoncker equalised in the 14th minute, sweeping in a right-footed finish from Joao Moutinho's corner. Newcastle were grateful to Martin Dubravka for keeping them in the match as the goalkeeper saved Raul Jimenez's close-range header and denied Pedro Neto at his near post. Steve Bruce will be delighted with his sides resolve as well as the performance of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka who was in excellent form. They will be looking to completely dispell their winless run when they face Chelsea and will be targeting a win against the Blues. Newcastle will be looking for their 8th win of the season and their 13th in 50 meetings against Chelsea.

"With the problems we've got we deserved something. I don't think there's a club out there which has 12 or 13 players missing." "They ran a million miles and their resilience was there for everyone to see. We lacked a bit of quality in the top end of the pitch but I couldn't fault their effort and endeavour. I thought it was going to be a repeat of when we lost four players in 12 minutes against Leicester." "Joe [Joelinton] had the courage to carry on [with a groin problem] when we were down to the bare bones. It's ridiculous, I've never known anything like it in 40 years." Steve Bruce felt his side deserved something as his side were hit with more injuries during the stalemate at Wolves.

Blues Hammer Clarets

Chelsea come into this match on the back of a complete home performance against Burnley, with the Blues 3-0 hammering arguably their best Stamford Bridge performance of the Lampard era. It was a return to winning ways at home for Frank Lampard's side, who perfectly banished the 2-0 defeat against Southampton they suffered in their last home match, in between times they have secured four points on the road including a 2-1 win against Arsenal. The win against the Clarets ensures that they retain their five point gap over 5th placed Manchester United. Burnley will have been devastated as Jeff Hendrick thought he had put them ahead in the 19th minute, but his header was overturned for offside after consultation with the VAR. Needless to say this goal could have had a huge impact in the game but sadly for the Clarets didn't count. Chelsea did make them pay though, with Jorginho making it 1-0 to the Blues on 27 minutes, converting a penalty after Matthew Lowton had fouled Willian. Frank Lampard's side doubled their lead on 38 minutes, as Tammy Abraham headed in a cross from Reece James for his 13th Premier League goal of the season. Callum Hudson-Odoi added his name to the scoresheet four minutes after the restart (49), converting Cesar Azpilicueta's cross for his first Premier League goal for the Blues and completing the win for Chelsea. It's the perfect result and performance from Frank Lampard's side as they looked to bounce back after their last home performance. That was their 12th win of the campaign and their 13th here could see them move eight points clear of United who face Liverpool on Sunday. They face a Newcastle side who they have an excellent record against, winning 25 of their previous 49 encounters.

"It was just what was needed in terms of performance and result. The one thing that was obvious to everyone is that we could have scored more goals but at least we did score, and we scored in the first half." "A big factor in the recent losses at home was that we had a relative amount of control and didn’t score, everyone got a bit nervous and we conceded. "I am not getting carried away but it feels nice to smile during a game and enjoy what you are watching – positive football with great movement off the ball and getting combinations down the sides and crossing balls a lot. And looking like we are going to score a lot of goals."

Frank Lampard was delighted with his side after they produced an outstanding performance at home to beat Burnley.

Betting Tips

• Under 1.5 Goals @ 18/5
• Joelinton to score first @ 10/1
• Tammy Abraham to score first @ 12/5

Burnley vs Leicester - 14:00 - Sunday 19th January 2020 - Sky Sports

Burnley @ 15/4      Draw @ 11/4      Leicester @ 3/4

Burnley take on Leicester City in the first of the Super Sunday fixtures as both sides look to bounce back from their poor defeats last weekend. The Clarets come into this match on the back of a 3-0 defeat away against Chelsea, with Sean Dyche's side failing to score for the third time in four matches. They are on a run of four successive defeats and they will desperately be targeting their 8th win of the season. They are currently in 15th place on 24 points and just four points above the relegation zone. Burnley will have been devastated as Jeff Hendrick thought he had put them ahead in the 19th minute, but his header was overturned for offside after consultation with the VAR. Needless to say this goal could have had a huge impact in the game but sadly for the Clarets didn't count. Chelsea did make them pay though, with Jorginho making it 1-0 to the Blues on 27 minutes, converting a penalty after Matthew Lowton had fouled Willian. Frank Lampard's side doubled their lead on 38 minutes, as Tammy Abraham headed in a cross from Reece James for his 13th Premier League goal of the season. Callum Hudson-Odoi added his name to the scoresheet four minutes after the restart (49), converting Cesar Azpilicueta's cross for his first Premier League goal for the Blues and completing the win for Chelsea. Sean Dyche will be disappointed with that result as well as his sides alarming recent form, they have lost four successive matches against Everton, United, Villa and now Chelsea, with three of those very tough fixtures but the home defeat against Villa will be the one that really hurts Burnley and Dyche. The Clarets will be looking for only their 3rd win in 10 encounters against Leicester City.

"We have had injuries and illness and it’s not ideal, but I still expect a lot from my players and I thought the starting 11 we put out today could compete. We’re in a tough period at the minute and we just need to free the group up a bit." "Nobody is quite playing with that fluidity and anticipating the game. That’s from tightness and not getting results and it’s not easy. We have to come out of that because it’s a vicious circle." "You have to free yourself up and be confident enough to go and win a game, but equally you could argue that wins bring that confidence. It’s the chicken and egg scenario and this is the reality of the Premier League." Sean Dyche was left looking for answers after his side registered their fourth successive defeat against Chelsea.

Foxes Shocked By Saints

Leicester come into this fixture on the back of a shock 2-1 defeat at home against Southampton, that despite the 9-0 away defeat earlier in the season. It was another poor result for Leicester who have now lost three of their last five matches, Rodgers will be particularly disappointed as they came into this game on the back of successive wins against Newcastle and West Ham. That defeat could prove costly, especially given both the nature of it and the fact it was at the King Power Stadium. It was the hosts Leicester who took the 14th-minute lead, with Jamie Vardy crossing for Dennis Praet to tap in at the far post for his first Premier League goal. Southampton equalised five minutes later when Stuart Armstrong's deflected effort made it 1-1. The Saints were then awarded a penalty, with Caglar Soyuncu fouling Shane Long, but it was overturned by the VAR due to the Southampton forward being offside in the build-up. Danny Ings had the final say and provided the decisive moment on 81 minutes, latching on to substitute Che Adams's pass to finish underneath Kasper Schmeichel for his 14th goal of the season. Leicester did look for a vital equaliser but Jonny Evans' late header was ruled out for offside by the VAR as Southampton made it 13 points from a possible 15 to climb to 12th place with 28 points. It was another poor result for Brendan Rodgers's side who have had the stuffing knocked out of them after the defeats to Man City and Liverpool in particular. They have still had an incredible season, winning 14 of their 22 fixtures but they will be targeting a 15th win of the season against Burnley and a sixth in 10 matches against the Clarets.

"The performance probably didn’t merit anything from the game. The players kept going right to the end and kept fighting.We haven't seen too many of those here this season. The game was very broken, there was no real fluency in the game, lots of first or second balls, but ultimately, we didn’t defend well enough." "We didn’t press the game strong enough, or well enough, and then when we had the ball, we made too many mistakes when we had the ball. So, it looked like up until the end, it was going to be a draw, which we would have taken because we didn’t play well." "However, they played through our midfield too easily and then they get in and get the goal, so a disappointing result for us."

Brendan Rodgers reflects on a disappointing defeat for his side at home against Southampton.

Betting Tips

• Leicester to win and BTTS @ 5/2
• Chris Wood to score first @ 9/2
• Jamie Vardy to score first @ 5/2

Liverpool vs Man United - 16:30 - Sunday 19th January 2020 - Sky Sports

Liverpool @ 4/9       Draw @ 7/2      Man United @ 13/2

Liverpool take on Manchester United in the biggest tie of the weekend, with the Reds looking to extend their unbeaten record to 39 matches, with United looking to upset their bitter rivals at Anfield. The Reds come into the match on the back of a 1-0 win against Tottenham, with the Reds slightly unlucky not to have registered a more comprehensive win, albeit there was some controversy in the only goal of the game. They did triumph nonetheless and they now have a 16 point lead over Leicester with a game in hand. It would take a seismic collapse at this stage for Liverpool not to win the league. It was an even encounter, with both sides started strongly with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shooting against the post, while Son Heung-min fired narrowly wide. Virgil van Dijk might have given Liverpool the lead, but his header from Jordan Henderson's cross was well saved by Paulo Gazzaniga. Liverpool did evenutally break the deadlock on 37 minutes, Firmino latching on to Mohamed Salah's pass to rifle home.   Spurs improved in the second half and might have levelled late on had Son not blazed over or substitute Giovani Lo Celso been able to steer Serge Aurier's cross past Alisson. That was the Reds' 12th successive league victory, and it takes them 16 points clear at the top on 61. That also represents the best-ever total after 21 matches of a top-flight season in any of the five leagues, it's a phenomenal performance from Liverpool and their first league title in 30 years is all but a formality now. Liverpool come into this match in record breaking form, they are on an incredible run of 20 wins in 21 matches and they face the only side that they have dropped points against in Manchester United. Jurgen Klopp's side will be looking for the 15th win in 56 matches against the Red Devils.

"We had to play for it – and in the end we had to fight for it, really hard. We could have closed this game earlier. We should have, I would say; the chances were clear. We had moments when we didn’t make chances, but they were ones I would say usually would have to be a 100 per cent chance." "I think we played some exceptional football to bring Robbo on the touchline but then we didn’t find the free player or the defender blocked the last ball. We could have done better in these moments, but then it was only 1-0 and that’s normal." "It was intense, really, but I think we deserved the three points. It was not our best game we played so far, but it was a very good one and, as I said, [we played] really good football in a lot of parts of the game and in the end a proper fight. All good." Jurgen Klopp was happy with his sides 1-0 win away against Tottenham, another excellent performance from the Reds.

United Batter Norwich

Manchester United come into this match on the back of a perfect 4-0 defeat of Norwich at Old Trafford, with Rashford, Martial and Greenwood all scoring. That result was the perfect preparation heading into a game of this magnitude, for United players and fans alike this will be the biggest game of their season and they will be massively motivated to be the first team to beat Liverpool this season. Their 4-0 win means they remain in 5th place on 34 points and win here would consolidate their position in 5th and could bridge the gap between themselves and Chelsea. Marcus Rashford and United made a fast start at the Theatre of Dreams, with the 22-year-old breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes with a close-range volley from Juan Mata’s cross. He then doubled the lead from the penalty spot seven minutes into the second half (52) after Brandon Williams was brought down by Tim Krul. United were on the rampage and Anthony Martial soon got in on the act, making it 3-0 two minutes later (54) with a header from Mata's right-wing cross. Mason Greenwood was a substitute on for Andreas Pereira, and he scored five minutes after his introduction (76) to seal a comfortable victory. Ultimately it was an excellent result for United, albeit against the bottom side in the league. In Liverpool they face the form team in the world and a side that have been able to produce results irrespective of performances, beating them at Anfield will be a monumental task but one that they should be excited about. United will be looking for their first win in four matches against Liverpool and their first win at Anfield since 2016, when Wayne Rooney scored the winner late on.

MONEY BACK AS A FREE BET IF SALAH SCORES FIRST

 

I'm very happy. We started on the front foot. When you can walk off, and I am sure the opposition are talking about Man United as a very hard-working team, that is what I want from my team." "In any Premier League game, you have to take advantage of the pressure and domination you get. The second half was very good. We're at home, we're winning 1-0. You could easily be disappointed towards the end of the first half that we don't go in two or three, but the way they chased about the pitch like a hunt of chasing dogs I'm really, really proud of." "He's been absolutely sensational all season. The work-rate, attitude and the goals he scored today. The first one, a good finish. The second one was very calm and composed on his penalty. Remember, we missed two against these last game, and he was practising penalties yesterday, so I was quite confident." Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was delighted with his side after they brushed Norwich aside.

Betting Tips

• Mohamed Salah to score first @ 7/2
• Marcus Rashford to score first @ 11/2
• Over 3.5 goals. 9/4
• Man United to win and BTTS @ 12/1
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