Premier League Week 34 Fixtures: Full Picks and Predictions for Matchday 34
Liverpool carried on their astonishing run of form at Upton Park at the weekend, as a hard-fought 2-1 victory at West Ham was their ninth win in a row. But they face the sternest test in Week 34 as Manchester City ride into town.
Will the league's two highest scorers guarantee us goals, or will they cancel each other out?
If the latter, then Chelsea are primed to take advantage. Just two points behind Brendan Rodgers' table-toppers, the Blues head to Anfield in Week 36 in what could prove a title decider.
Proceedings will start at Anfield, as at every Premier League ground on Week 34, seven minutes later than normal. This is to honour the 96 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster of 25 years ago.
Below is a list of all of Week 34 fixtures and score predictions:
| Fixture | Date | Time | Prediction |
| Stoke City vs. Newcastle | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 2-1 |
| Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 2-1 |
| Southampton vs. Cardiff City | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 3-0 |
| Sunderland vs. Everton | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 1-3 |
| Fulham vs. Norwich City | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 1-0 |
| West Brom vs. Tottenham | Saturday April 12 | 3:07 p.m. BST/10:07 a.m.ET | 1-1 |
| Liverpool vs. Manchester City | Sunday April 13 | 1:37 p.m. BST/8:37 a.m. ET | 3-2 |
| Swansea City vs. Chelsea | Sunday April 13 | 4:07 p.m. BST/11:07 a.m. ET | 0-2 |
| Arsenal vs. West Ham | Tuesday April 15 | 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET | 2-1 |
Liverpool vs. Manchester City
The game of the weekend is easily the Sunday afternoon fixture taking place at Anfield.
Liverpool are on a magnificent run of nine wins in a row, per WhoScored.com, and they will be looking to make it 10 against Manchester City, a team who still harbour their own ambitions of Premier League title glory.
There are no real guarantees in football, but it would be a huge surprise if there were not goals in this game. Liverpool have now scored an astonishing 90, whilst City have weighed in with a decent total of their own: 84.
The Reds should have the edge with their strike force of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge still in impeccable form.
Despite not scoring at West Ham on Sunday past, the movement from Liverpool's front two was a joy to watch, and their intelligence at finding space made the outball from the midfield and defensive areas that much simpler.
It's the area where City must be at their very best. Vincent Kompany will have his work cut out if either Sturridge or Suarez target the less mobile Martin Demichelis; however, in Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, City have the best defensive midfielders in the league.
Toure in particular is in fine form. He added another goal to his man-of-the-match performance against Southampton to give him a total of 18 for the season in the 30 games that he has played.
With both teams looking to play football the right way, the game could be won in midfield. In David Silva, City have one of the finest passers of a ball in the league, and if he is allowed to get on the ball, he is likely to be decisive.
Similarly, Jesus Navas is likely to terrorise Jon Flanagan on the Liverpool left given half the chance, so the work rate of Jordan Henderson and captain Steven Gerrard is key to stemming the blue tide.
Prediction: 3-2
Arsenal vs. West Ham
Arsenal simply cannot afford to drop any more points between now and the end of the season if they want to guarantee themselves at least a Champions League qualification spot.
The Gunners were simply too good the last time these two sides met at Upton Park on Boxing Day 2013, running out 3-1 winners. However, their season has tailed off alarmingly since then, with only two wins from their last seven, per WhoScored.
In their favour is a fabulous Premier League home record, which hasn't seen them lose since the opening day against Aston Villa, per WhoScored.
Arsene Wenger remains worried after their latest defeat. Per Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, he said:
"Was there a lack of fight? You could say that. It is a massive worry to lose a game like that. We have to analyse it well and come back with a different attitude, with more personality and stronger challenges. We have to go back to basics. Our performance was not convincing, not defensively, not offensively.
"
West Ham are in an end-of-season malaise, with nothing to play for other than professional pride. Whilst they made life tough for Liverpool last time out, the Hammers' season is drifting into obscurity with just two wins in their last six, per WhoScored.
With no real pressure on them, West Ham can afford to play their natural game without any burden, and will feed Andy Carroll at every opportunity.
The target man is looking at a late run into Roy Hodgson's England World Cup side, and a decent showing here may bring him further into the reckoning.
With Everton breathing down their necks, Arsenal's need for all three points is obvious.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunderland vs. Everton
Sunderland simply have to win this game to give them any chance of Premier League survival.
Already seven points adrift at the foot of the table, a loss to Champions League chasing Everton could be fatal to the Black Cats' chances of staying in the division.
In Romelu Lukaku, the Toffees have a striker in great form with 13 goals and six assists in his 25 games (two as sub), per WhoScored.
Without a win in their last seven in all competitions, per WhoScored, Sunderland can ill do without a confident, expansive Everton who will come looking for the win to keep them in contention for a European place.
The last time Sunderland scored more than one goal was back at the beginning of February, against local rivals Newcastle. If ever there was a time for Jozy Altidore to add to his paltry one goal in 27 appearances (eight as sub), per WhoScored, then that time is now.
Prediction: 1-3
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