Premier League Week 12 Predictions: Stars Who Will Shine This Weekend

The fixtures have been kind this weekend, serving up a plethora of local derbies and big-name clashes. It takes a certain kind of player to thrive in this situation—and one who is unaccustomed to finishing on the losing team.

Date	Kick-Off Time (GMT)	Home Side	Away Side
Saturday, November 23	12:45	Everton	Liverpool
Saturday, November 23	15:00	Stoke City	Sunderland
Saturday, November 23	15:00	Newcastle United	Norwich City
Saturday, November 23	15:00	Hull City	Crystal Palace
Saturday, November 23	15:00	Fulham	Swansea City
Saturday, November 23	15:00	Arsenal	Southampton
Saturday, November 23	17:30	West Ham United	Chelsea
Sunday, November 24	13:30	Manchester City	Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday, November 24	16:00	Cardiff City	Manchester United
Monday, November 25	20:00	West Bromwich Albion	Aston Villa

Steven Gerrard, Liverpool 

For a Liverpool player, there aren't many bigger games than the Merseyside derby. Travelling to Goodison Park, the Reds meet a fifth-placed Everton side who are flourishing under Roberto Martinez.

However, Everton's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace will have left a sour taste in their mouths, while Liverpool will arrive slightly more buoyant after their 4-0 demolition of Fulham prior to the international break.

Luis Suarez scored twice in that game, but he could yet remain with his international teammates for the second leg of Uruguay's playoff with Jordan. Uruguay won the first leg 5-0, however, so there's also a chance Suarez is rested and allowed to travel back to England.

Suarez is no stranger to goals or controversy in this fixure; witness his exaggerated "dive" celebration under the nose of David Moyes in 2012 for proof of both.

Ultimately, though, it's Gerrard who embodies the determination and skill needed to triumph in this fixture. He returned to form in a big way against Fulham, roaming from box to box in a manner that enables him maximum impact on the game.

He created four chances, notched two assists and was instrumental in everything Liverpool did. After sitting out England's embarrassing loss to Chile, he'll be raring to go on Saturday.

Loic Remy, Newcastle United

Alan Pardew's Newcastle are almost impossible to predict. The only certainty is that they'll thrill and frustrate in equal measure.

From a painful defeat that granted archrivals Sunderland their first win of the season, they suddenly burst into life and beat both Chelsea and Tottenham.

From toothless to ruthless in the space of a few weeks, Loic Remy has been a big part of their success.

Replacing the beleaguered Papiss Cisse, Remy has netted seven goals this year and single-handedly kept Newcastle in the top half of the table.

The Magpies play Norwich City on Saturday, with the Canaries finally managing to find the net in a 3-1 victory over West Ham before the break.

That win was the only time Norwich have scored two goals or more since their 2-2 draw with Everton in Week 1 of the season, so the side will be full of optimism as Chris Hughton returns to his old team.

Nevertheless, the Norfolk side have been defensively fragile all year, poor away from home—see the 7-0 drubbing at Manchester City—and prone to collapse when faced with a creative midfield.

It's difficult to back them here, and Remy should have a productive day—providing "good Newcastle" decide to show up, of course.

Andros Townsend, Tottenham Hotspur

Andros Townsend admitted to Colin Murray at talkSPORT that he needs to score more goals for Spurs, especially if he is to stake his claim for an England place in the World Cup next year:

"

Goals and assists make you un-droppable and I know there are great players all vying for two wing spots at Spurs, so I need to get more goals and assists to cement my place in the team and not give the manager an excuse to drop me.

"

Starting this new resolution at Manchester City would be a huge lift for Andre Villas-Boas, who has seen his side drop to seventh following the 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle.

Townsend has been a real bright spot in the Spurs side since forcing his way into the first team, and his impressive goal on debut for England—plus an assist—will have given him further confidence in his ability.

Manchester City have slipped to eighth and still dearly miss captain Vincent Kompany. According to Jamie Jackson at The Guardian, Kompany is expected to be absent until December with a thigh injury.

The door is open for Townsend and Spurs to take advantage. Sunderland showed that determination is enough to beat Manuel Pellegrini's side, so Spurs should look to attack and pin them back early.