Premier League: 25th and 26th February Game Week Preview and Predictions

The Champions and Europa Leagues rolled back into town last week. Five of the teams previewed here featured in European competition, and their league opponents will be looking to take advantage of that.

With no Premier League games until 25th Feb., all clubs will be looking to use this opportunity to get their players revitalised and refreshed for the most critical part of the season.

The most glamorous tie is, without a doubt, the North London derby between Arsenal and Spurs. Both teams are vying for a top-four finish and coming off the back of a win each in their last league game, so a pulsating thriller may be on the cards at the Emirates.

Towards the bottom of the table, there are some intriguing matchups, none more so than Wigan vs Aston Villa. The Latics last picked up a vital three points away to Bolton, while Aston Villa slumped to another defeat at the hands of Man City. A third straight loss for Villa, coupled with a Wigan win, and they will find themselves right in the relegation mix.

Blackburn face an ominous task away to Man City. The Blue half of Manchester are 12 from 12 at home, though Blackburn will take hope from a win at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

Manchester United will come up against a Norwich side vibrant from a hard-earned league win at Swansea. Only the Red Devils had picked up three points at the Liberty Stadium prior to the Canarie's 3-2 win at the weekend.

QPR host Fulham and Mark Hughes' honeymoon period is quickly coming to an end. The need for points is vital after slumping to a 3-2 defeat at Ewood Park on Saturday. Fulham will be buoyed by their 2-1 home win against Stoke, but their solitary away win in the league this season doesn't inspire much hope of them leaving Loftus Road with all three points.

Newcastle welcome a manager-less Wolves to St James Park, with both teams coming off the back off five and four goal maulings respectively. The threat of being sacked was looming ominously over McCarthy's head and the defeat to local rivals West Brom was the last straw for chairman Steve Morgan.

Stoke welcome Swansea to the Britannia, and the Swans will fancy their chances. Both West Brom and Sunderland have left with maximum points from the Potteries' last two home games.

A disappointing loss away to Everton will surely spark a Chelsea reaction at Stamford Bridge come the 25th. On the other hand, Bolton know every point is vital to avoid relegation. Andre Villas-Boas and Owen Coyle will both be looking to rally their troops after each suffering a loss in their last league match.

West Brom host a Sunderland side with six wins in their last 10, who were unlucky not to take any points from their last home league tie with Arsenal. The Baggies were the victors in a Midlands derby that saw Peter Odemwinge score three, and they'll be hoping for more goals from him at the Hawthornes. 

Chelsea vs Bolton

Last Time

Bolton 1 Chelsea 5

This Time

Things haven't gone according to plan for Andre Villas-Boas since his arrival from Porto. The youngest manager in the league is feeling the heat after the league defeat to Everton. He will be targeting this game as a chance to regain some momentum and ease the pressure as Chelsea look to secure a fourth-place finish. The Blues have won seven of 12 this year at home, losing only to Aston Villa, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Owen Coyle makes the trip down south knowing that the points for survival need to come from somewhere. The prior 5-1 loss to Chelsea will not inspire much hope of a win, but he'll be hoping for a gutsy performance, and a point would be satisfactory. If Bolton are to do this, they will need to pick up their first away draw of the season, having lost eight and won four on their travels in 2011/12.

While Chelsea haven't been great this year, we should see a big turnaround from the Everton defeat as The Pensioners look to take the full three points. There are always goals when these teams meet, and I expect this match will be the same.

Prediction

Home win

Best Bet

Chelsea -1 at 8/13 with bwin.

Newcastle vs Wolves

Last Time

Wolves 1-2 Newcastle

This Time

Newcastle will host a manager-less Wolves side after Mick McCarthy was given his marching orders last Monday. The big question will be whether the midlands team have the motivation to get a result here.

Although the Magpies suffered a pulverising defeat at White Hart Lane last weekend, they are better equipped to bounce back. They know that Chelsea are fumbling of late, and being only one point off fourth place, they will eye this game as a must-win.

Wolves have the third lowest amount of goals scored away from home this season, and I don't see them adding too many to their total at St James Park. Newcastle are more powerful in midfield with star man Demba Ba always a goal threat.

Newcastle have only lost twice at home in 2011/12, averaging just under three goals per game. With Wolves defence letting five in against rivals West Brom, all signs point to a resounding home win.

Prediction

Home win

Best Bet

Newcastle to win at 4/6 with Stan James

QPR vs Fulham

Last Time

Fulham 6-0 QPR

This Time

Mark Hughes knows the pressure is on. With the decision to sack Neil Warnock moving further into the distance, the time is at hand to start amassing points.

Sitting in 16th place, the London club are well and truly embroiled in a relegation dogfight. Fulham, on the other hand, are in 12th place, nine points ahead of their big-spending London neighbours. They will be hoping to put some distance between themselves and the Hoops, but their away form suggests they will struggle to do so.

Fulham have won only once away from Craven Cottage, scoring a mere seven goals in 12 games this season. QPR will be aware of this and hoping to capitalise.

Their spirited comeback against Blackburn may not have been enough to claim a point, but Mark Hughes will still be satisfied with the effort. There seems to be a group of players at Loftus Road who are genuinely willing to battle for survival.

While QPR may only have won two games at home, they will have enough to see off Fulham here. Should they fail to do so, they could find themselves in the bottom three. Hughes will not be shy in alerting them of this, and they should pull through with a home win.

Prediction

Home win

Best Bet

QPR to win @ 6/4 with Bodog

West Brom vs Sunderland

Last Time

Sunderland 2-2 West Brom

This Time

What a difference a manager can make. Having worked his magic previously at Wycombe, Leicester, Celtic and Aston Villa, Martin O'Neill is going the right way about emulating Peter Reid's time at the club.

Sunderland are now up to ninth in the table, with six wins from their last 10. The Black Cats were unlucky not to have taken a point from their meeting with Arsenal at the Stadium Of Light. For large periods of the game, Sunderland matched Arsenal in all areas of the pitch.

O'Neill has a good group of players who are capable of a top 10 finish, and he seems to have instilled a new drive and belief in the club. If they hope to approach a Europa League place, they will need to go to teams like West Brom and get a result.

West Brom under Roy Hodgson have managed seven points from a possible 12 to move themselves eight points clear of the relegation zone. Coming off a momentous humiliation of local rivals Wolves, The Baggies will see this game as a real chance of getting three points.

With home advantage, there will not be a huge amount between the two teams. Morale wise, West Brom will be in the ascendancy given the nature of their 5-1 win. Hodgson will need to build upon this, knowing that a win would put them firmly in mid-table and one point behind Sunderland.

Defensively, West Brom have been disappointing this year. If they can find a way to reduce the opportunities given to their opponents at the Hawthornes, they would find life a lot easier in the Premier League. They have only kept three clean sheets at home this season, and Sunderland know there will be chances.

Given the results of the last fixtures for both clubs, there won't be much to separate these two, and I expect goals.

Prediction

Draw

Best Bet

Both teams to score @ 10/11 with William Hill

Wigan Athletic vs Aston Villa

Last Time

Aston Villa 2-0 Wigan

This Time

Time is running out for Roberto Martinez's Wigan side if they are going to haul themselves off the bottom of the table. While the style of play the Spaniard employs is admirable, there comes a time when survival is more important than substance.

Wigan have four points from their last six and will hope to make it seven from nine when Villa visit the DW Stadium. If they can inflict a third defeat in three games on Villa, Wigan know there is the possibility that will not be propping up the table come Saturday evening.

Alex McCleish hasn't had the most idyllic of starts to his time at Aston Villa. Given that he moved from midland's rivals Birmingham City, he knew there would be an element of the home support he would have to win over.

With only two wins in their last 10, Villa are slipping ever closer to the drop zone and know that an away trip to Wigan is not easy. Villa have only managed three wins in 12 away from Villa Park, and teams such as Liverpool, Chelsea, Everton and Norwich have only managed a point at the DW.

The contrasting fortunes of both clubs make this game hard to call. Villa's defensive talisman, Richard Dunne, is out for the coming weeks, and he is crucial to them. If this ended as a home win, I wouldn't be surprised, but Villa have the attacking threat to bother Wigan. I see the spoils being shared.

Prediction

Draw

Best Bet

Under 2.5 goals at 3/4 with bwin

Man City vs Blackburn

Last Time

Blackburn 0-4 Man City

This Time

Manchester City will hope to make it a perfect 13 wins from 13 games at the Etihad Stadiumwhen when they host Blackburn Rovers.

While Blackburn only have a solitary away win to their name this season, it came during an incredible performance at Old Trafford. This will be the chief motivational factor in Steve Keane's pre-game talk. Having also beaten Arsenal at home, Blackburn will believe they can come away with something from this game.

Man City, on the other hand, continue to keep one step ahead of rivals Manchester United. A 1-0 win away to Aston Villa on Sunday keeps them two points clear at the summit of the table. While Blackburn are in need of points, after moving out of the bottom three, City will have the class to prevail.

At the Etihad, The Citizens have been flawless. If they are to win their first ever Premier League title, they need to win this game and make it seven wins in their last 10 in the league.

Man City are conceding only 0.5 goals on average at home. With their air-tight defence and multi-talented offense, they should ease to victory against Blackburn on Saturday.

Prediction

Home win

Best Bet

Man City -1 at 8/15 with bwin

Arsenal vs Tottenham

Last Time

Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal

This Time

It's been a long time since Spurs were viewed as favourites going into a North London derby away from home. Coming off the back of a 5-0 win over Newcastle and sitting in the top three of the league, the favouritism is fully justified.

Harry Redknapp has now settled his legal battles, but one distraction has been replaced with another. The talk of him being installed as the new England manager is still at the forefront of people's thoughts. While it's certain he will manage England at Euro 2012, the question is, when will he leave Spurs?

In the meantime, he knows he has a job to do securing Champions League football next season. With only one loss in their last 10, Spurs will view a defensively questionable Arsenal side as there for the taking.

The Gunners handed Martin O'Neill his first Premier League home defeat last weekend via a late Thierry Henry winner. For large parts of the game, both teams were on an equal footing. If Arsenal cannot raise their game against Tottenham, they will struggle.

Defensively, Arsenal have only kept eight clean sheets in 25 league games, with Bolton, Everton, Wigan, Newcastle, QPR, West Brom and Swansea accounting for them. When faced against quality opposition, Arsenal have struggled badly to contain a potent attacking threat.

With attacking options such as Garth Bale, Emmanuel Adebayor and now Louis Saha, Arsenal may not have enough to contain Spurs. It will be a full-blooded, end-to-end game with both teams attacking, but Spurs should have the edge on Arsenal's questionable defence.

Prediction

Away win

Best Bet

Both teams to score at 8/13 with bet365

Norwich vs Man United

Last Time

Manchester United 2-0 Norwich

This Time

The dust of the Evra/Suarez debacle will have settled by the time United visit Carrow Road on the 26th February. Manchester United will be looking towards closing the gap at the top of the Premier League.

In Norwich, United will find a team hot off a great 3-2 win at Swansea. Judging from the Canaries' last performance at Old Trafford, United will have to work hard to come away with three points from this game.

Paul Lambert has a dogged, hard-working side that is typical of the Glaswegian mindset. Grant Holt and Anthony Pilkington have been the outstanding performers in a season that sees Norwich four points behind Liverpool in eighth place.

Manchester United will be invigorated after the 2-1 win at Liverpool. Their form is coming at just the right time, and there is a possibility Tom Cleverly could feature. United will know the importance of a win here, and their experience should see them through.

Expect a United win, but they will have to work extremely hard to attain it.

Prediction

Away win

Best Bet

Manchester United to win @ 4/7 with Bodog

Stoke vs Swansea

Last Time

Swansea 2-0 Stoke

This Time

Two things separate Swansea from Stoke at present. A 10-goal differential and involvement in the Europa League. Unfortunately for Stoke, the latter may turn into an unwelcome distraction.

Stoke will face an away trip to the Valencia on the 23rd February, where they will play the second leg of the last 32 tie. Only three days later, they will face a Swansea team that will have been fully rested since their loss at home to Norwich.

Playing a team who has one of the highest pass completions in Europe is not ideal on the back of a trip to the Mestalla.

Swansea will know that they have the game to trouble Stoke. The previous meeting of the two ended in a 2-0 win for The Swans, and I don't see any reason why this will be altered this time around. Although Stoke will have home advantage, the circumstances surrounding this meeting will contribute greatly.

Brendan Rodgers will have his team fully fit and focused and will make the ball do the work at the Britannia. Stoke are facing a massive game away in Spain against a Valencia side that will make them work.

They way in which Swansea control the ball will be too much of a shift for Stoke within three days.

I'm siding with a rare away win here with the draw no bet. Swansea have only managed two wins away from the Liberty Stadium, but have the players to work Stoke. An in-form Danny Graham could also add another to his tally of 10 Premier League goals so far this season. 

Prediction

Away win

Best Bet

Swansea(draw no bet) at 7/4 with Bet365