EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 18 Premier League Fixtures

There's little rest for the wicked in the Premier League as England's elite make their return on Boxing Day for a packed schedule of frosty fixtures in Week 18 of the 2016-17 campaign. 

Leaders Chelsea will play at home to Bournemouth on Monday in the hope they can maintain a post-Christmas charge at the Premier League title, while Arsenal will welcome West Bromwich Albion to the Emirates Stadium.

Reigning champions Leicester City will hope to go three games unbeaten for just the third time this season when they host Everton, and relegation-threatened Sunderland face a daunting trip to Manchester United.

Title challengers Liverpool aren't in action until Tuesday, when they play host to Stoke City, while Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino makes his return to former club Southampton on Wednesday.

Read on for a breakdown of the Week 18 fixture schedule, complete with score predictions and a preview of the players who will be worth keeping an eye on during the festive period.

Date	Time	Home	Prediction	Away
Monday, December 26	12:30 p.m. GMT/7:30 a.m. ET	Watford	1-1	Crystal Palace
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Arsenal	3-1	West Bromwich Albion
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Burnley	2-1	Middlesbrough
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Chelsea	2-0	Bournemouth
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Leicester City	2-2	Everton
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Manchester United	2-0	Sunderland
Monday, December 26	3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET	Swansea City	1-1	West Ham United
Monday, December 26	5:15 p.m. GMT/12:15 p.m. ET	Hull City	1-3	Manchester City
Tuesday, December 27	5:15 p.m. GMT/12:15 p.m. ET	Liverpool	2-0	Stoke City
Wednesday, December 28	7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET	Southampton	1-0	Tottenham Hotspur

Islam Slimani, Leicester City

Leicester were able to secure a 2-2 draw in last Saturday's trip to Stoke City despite seeing star striker Jamie Vardy sent off after 28 minutes, and Islam Slimani will be the man expected to fill his boots against Everton this Monday.

The summer signing from FC Porto has made a decent start to life in the Premier League since coming to England, and Squawka highlighted just how important he was to the recent 4-2 win over Manchester City in particular:

That was arguably the Algerian's best performance in a Leicester shirt, although African football writer Dean Ammi noted Slimani's consistency has even rivalled the numbers achieved by compatriot Riyad Mahrez this term:

"

Riyad Mahrez for Leicester City this season:

7 goals
3 assists

Islam Slimani for Leicester City this season:

6 goals
4 assists#LCFC pic.twitter.com/trHouNQ692

— Dean Ammi (@whufcammi) December 10, 2016"

Foxes manager Claudio Ranieri could add either Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa or Ahmed Musa to his starting lineup on Monday in order to account for Vardy's absence, but the real onus falls at Slimani's feet.

Everton have won two away league games this season, the most recent of which was a September victory at Sunderland. They've also conceded 13 times playing outside of Goodison Park this term, meaning Slimani could have room to make the difference.

Joe Allen, Stoke City

PAUL ELLIS/Getty Images

Both Liverpool and Joe Allen have enjoyed upward spirals since parting ways over the summer, with the former challenging for title success under manager Jurgen Klopp while the latter has become a key star for Stoke City.

Allen will make his return to Anfield on Tuesday, having excelled under the guidance of Welsh countryman and Potters manager Mark Hughes, as evidenced by the official Premier League Twitter account:

It didn't take long for the Wales international to find his groove at the bet365 Stadium, and ESPN's James Tyler also picked Allen out as one of his bounce-back stars of the campaign earlier this season:

He'll come up against former team-mates Jordan Henderson and Adam Lallana in midweek, hoping to outshine those who once kept him out of Klopp's plans, although Anfield has been something of a fortress so far this term.

Allen will hope to destabilise the Reds' engine room in the hope he can inspire a Stoke City surprise in their trip to Merseyside, where the midfield battle will be of special importance if the Potters are to take a result.