Premier League Week 13 Fixtures: EPL Picks and Predictions for Matchday 13
Matchday 13 of the 2014-15 Premier League season will give some of the expected contenders suffering a slump the chance to gain some momentum, while the second and third teams in the standings will go head-to-head Sunday.
Liverpool and Arsenal are both on a losing streak, and they'll have the opportunity to change that against Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion, respectively.
The clash between Southampton and Manchester City will undoubtedly steal the spotlight, but Tottenham and Everton might actually make for the most entertaining fixture, with the race for tickets to the Europa League heating up fast. Here's the full schedule for Week 13:
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| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 12.45 p.m. BST | West Brom | Arsenal | 0-1 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | West Ham | Newcastle | 1-1 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | Swansea | Crystal Palace | 1-0 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | Burnley | Aston Villa | 0-0 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | Liverpool | Stoke | 2-2 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | Manchester United | Hull | 1-0 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 3 p.m. BST | Queens Park Rangers | Leicester | 0-0 |
| Saturday, Nov. 29 | 5.30 p.m. BST | Sunderland | Chelsea | 0-2 |
| Sunday, Nov. 30 | 1.30 p.m. BST | Southampton | Manchester City | 1-2 |
| Sunday, Nov. 30 | 4 p.m. BST | Tottenham | Everton | 1-2 |
And here are the current Premier League standings:
| 1 | Chelsea | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 32 | |
| 2 | Southampton | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 6 | 18 | 26 | |
| 3 | Manchester City | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 13 | 11 | 24 | |
| 4 | Manchester United | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 19 | |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 15 | -1 | 19 | |
| 6 | West Ham United | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 18 | |
| 7 | Swansea City | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 | |
| 8 | Arsenal | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 17 | |
| 9 | Everton | 12 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 17 | |
| 10 | Tottenham Hotspur | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 17 | -1 | 17 | |
| 11 | Stoke City | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 15 | |
| 12 | Liverpool | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 18 | -3 | 14 | |
| 13 | West Bromwich Albion | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 17 | -4 | 13 | |
| 14 | Sunderland | 12 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 13 | |
| 15 | Crystal Palace | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 21 | -4 | 12 | |
| 16 | Aston Villa | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 17 | -11 | 12 | |
| 17 | Hull City | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 17 | -3 | 11 | |
| 18 | Leicester City | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 10 | |
| 19 | Burnley | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 20 | -12 | 10 | |
| 20 | Queens Park Rangers | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 23 | -12 | 8 |
Desperation Mode Already Setting in for Reds, Gunners?
It's far too early in the 2014-15 season to push the panic button if you're Arsenal or Liverpool, with both teams within five points of the top four. But for supposed top teams, carrying a losing streak is never a good sign.
Arsenal have lost two in a row and face a trip to West Brom—the Reds have dropped three consecutively and will host Stoke. On paper, both clubs should be favourites. However, nothing is a given when teams are struggling for form like this.
Arsene Wenger sounded optimistic ahead of his team's Champions League clash against Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund, refusing to show any sign of struggles within the club, via the club's official Twitter feed:
Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers sounded a lot less optimistic after the loss against Crystal Palace, per the Sunday World's Kevin Palmer:
Injuries and poor form have taken their toll on both teams, yet that in itself doesn't justify the poor performances we've seen so far. Speaking about Rodgers' situation at Anfield, ESPN's Iain Macintosh believes it's time for drastic measures:
"But Sunday's defeat was a message, in much the same way that a brick hurled through a window is a message. It was a warning. Liverpool cannot afford to trudge through the season simply hoping that everything will get better. On the evidence of last weekend, and most of the weekends that have preceded it this season, it won't.
Rodgers has been in charge of Liverpool for 88 league games, during which time his side has conceded a whopping 111 goals. That's unacceptable for a club with such lofty ambitions. He has had more than enough time for assessment, coaching and recruitment, but defending is still a problem. It needs to be stop being a problem.
"
For Wenger, the situation is different. The French veteran caretaker has seen it all throughout his long career. With the Gunners continuing to struggle in the Premier League, though, he now has a choice to make, according to the Daily Telegraph's Henry Winter:
A win in Week 13 could silence the critics for now, for both managers. West Brom and Stoke are solid teams, but they're both coming off losses and don't carry the kind of form that should worry the Reds or Gunners.
Matchday 13 likely won't signal the end for either manager's tenure, regardless of the outcome of the matches. However, Rodgers and Wenger could do themselves a huge favour by putting together a solid performance to build some momentum moving forward.
Can the Cinderella Stories Continue?
If the current Premier League standings would hold until the end of the season, Southampton would play Champions League football, Newcastle United would qualify for the Europa League and West Ham United would be the first alternate for the same tournament if any of the clubs above them grabbed an international ticket through cup football.
Raise your hand if you saw this coming before the season. Now put it down again, because you're lying.
Southampton sold the bulk of their squad to Liverpool, Alan Pardew's time as manager of the Magpies seemed all but over and the Hammers were counted among the favourites for relegation by the likes of Fox Sports' Martin Gibbes before a ball was kicked:
"West Ham have steadily declined under Allardyce. The entertainment philosophy he first preached has turned into a staid, pragmatic style that will take some overhauling. The Hammers have an aggressive board who demand nothing short of massive improvement this season. At this stage though they are looking more like relegation candidates.
"
In defending champions Manchester City, Southampton will face one of their toughest challenges of the season. Via World Soccer Talk, things won't get much easier from this point on, either:
Meanwhile, Newcastle and West Ham will go head-to-head, giving both teams a chance to prove their credentials as surprising top teams in what should be a close battle.
By the end of Week 13, we'll have a much clearer picture about the state of these overachieving clubs. And while one result doesn't make or break a season, don't be surprised if at least one of these clubs sees its fortunes change following a disappointing performance.
