Premier League Week 15 Fixtures: EPL Picks and Predictions for Matchday 15

The 15th week of the Premier League season could mark the first time a real wobble appears in Chelsea's seemingly inevitable saunter toward the title.

The table-topping Blues have seen their lead reduced to just six points thanks to a mini revival from reigning champions Manchester City.    

Now Chelsea face the prospect of an away game with Newcastle United. That means a trip to the northeast, surely one of manager Jose Mourinho's least favourite destinations.

If the Blues slip up, City can pile on the pressure if they beat Everton in the final game of Saturday's fixtures. The Toffees have flattered to deceive too often this campaign but are talented enough to frustrate the champions.

Here's the full list of fixtures for Matchday 15:

Date	Time	Home	Away	Prediction
Saturday, Dec. 6	12.45 p.m. (GMT)	Newcastle United	Chelsea	2-2
Saturday, Dec. 6	3 p.m. (GMT)	Hull City	West Bromwich Albion	2-0
Saturday, Dec. 6	3 p.m. (GMT)	Liverpool	Sunderland	2-1
Saturday, Dec. 6	3 p.m. (GMT)	Queens Park Rangers	Burnley	1-2
Saturday, Dec. 6	3 p.m. (GMT)	Stoke City	Arsenal	1-1
Saturday, Dec. 6	3 p.m. (GMT)	Tottenham Hotspur	Crystal Palace	1-0
Saturday, Dec. 6	5.30 p.m. (GMT)	Manchester City	Everton	3-1
Sunday, Dec. 7	1.30 p.m. (GMT)	Swansea City	West Ham United	1-1
Sunday, Dec. 7	4 p.m. (GMT)	Aston Villa	Leicester City	2-0
Monday, Dec. 8	8 p.m. (GMT)	Southampton	Manchester United	1-2

Here's how the standings look before finding out if any of these predictions will come to fruition:

Position	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	Chelsea	14	11	3	0	33	11	22	36
2	Manchester City	14	9	3	2	31	14	17	30
3	Southampton	14	8	2	4	24	10	14	26
4	Manchester United	14	7	4	3	24	16	8	25
5	West Ham United	14	7	3	4	23	17	6	24
6	Arsenal	14	6	5	3	22	15	7	23
7	Swansea City	14	6	4	4	19	14	5	22
8	Liverpool	14	6	2	6	19	19	0	22
9	Newcastle United	14	5	5	4	15	17	-2	20
10	Tottenham Hotspur	14	6	2	6	18	21	-3	20
11	Everton	14	4	6	4	24	22	2	18
12	Aston Villa	14	4	4	6	8	18	-10	16
13	Stoke City	14	4	3	7	14	18	-4	15
14	Sunderland	14	2	8	4	13	23	-10	14
15	Crystal Palace	14	3	4	7	18	23	-5	13
16	West Bromwich Albion	14	3	4	7	14	20	-6	13
17	Hull City	14	2	6	6	15	21	-6	12
18	Burnley	14	2	6	6	10	22	-12	12
19	Queens Park Rangers	14	3	2	9	14	27	-13	11
20	Leicester City	14	2	4	8	14	24	-10	10

More Frustration for Chelsea in the Northeast

Chelsea lost this fixture 2-0 last season in one of their worst performances since Mourinho returned to the club last summer. The Blues have also been frustrated in the northeast this season.

Getty Images/Getty Images

They recently drew 0-0 at Sunderland in what was a particularly flat display. The Magpies could heap more misery on Chelsea at St James' Park, a ground on which the Blues have been beaten during their last three visits.

Of course, history may not count for much if Mourinho's star-studded squad hits top gear. Players such as winger Eden Hazard, attacking midfielder Oscar and playmaker Cesc Fabregas have imbued Chelsea with a real attacking zest this season.

However, much will depend on the return from suspension of talisman Diego Costa. The striker was hardly missed during Chelsea's recent 3-0 thumping of Tottenham Hotspur.

Tony Marshall/Getty Images

Didier Drogba and ex-Newcastle star Loic Remy bagged goals in his absence. That was an affirmation of Chelsea's title-winning depth, per Dominic Fifield of the Guardian:

"

This was a glimpse of life should injury properly interrupt Costa’s serene progress to date. Jose Mourinho will be reassured that the £32m signing is not irreplaceable. […]

Drogba is still as like for like as Chelsea possess but he has been readjusting to life back in the Premier League, a veteran softened by age and those post-Munich spells in China and Turkey that were supposed to be his retirement plan. The alternative, the slippery Loïc Rémy, is more about pace and movement than brawn.

"

However, despite the confidence the Costa replacements may have inspired at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will need the man himself to fire at Newcastle. The Magpies can be stingy on their own patch and Alan Pardew's men have been able to get under Mourinho's skin in the past.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Yet Pardew's plans may be undone by Fabricio Coloccini's lingering calf problem. Pardew won't risk the veteran Argentine centre-back against the league leaders, per Daily Star reporter Ian Murtagh:

"

Colo has been out on the training ground but whether he has the fitness levels to play a game of this sort, I really don’t know.

I can’t really give a clear message on injuries because we haven’t done much yet.

Since Burnley on Tuesday night, we’ve had a lot of recovery time and a lot of players have just had massages and treatment.

"

Coloccini's absence would be a blow, but Pardew can be encouraged by his attacking resources. Schemer Remy Cabella and dynamic midfield workhorse Moussa Sissoko can cause an aggressive but somewhat plodding Chelsea back four a problem or two.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Those problems will punctuate what will be a spiky affair, one that will briefly interrupt Chelsea's otherwise efficient dominance of the title race.

Irresistible City Attack Will be Too Much for Everton

Everton boss Roberto Martinez has seen his team leak 22 goals already this season. That's why he should endure a few sleepless nights ahead of facing a City attack that has clicked into high gear.

The driving force behind that acceleration has been Sergio Aguero. The Argentine striker is in irresistible form at the moment.

The 26-year-old's latest victim was hapless Sunderland. Aguero toyed with the Mackems defence en route to a pair of goals and an assist for the steadily improving Stevan Jovetic.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

That might be the really scary thing about Aguero and the City attacking line: He has plenty of support. Not only is Jovetic finally showing signs of life, but midfield colossus Yaya Toure is also creeping back to his rampaging best.

That makes City a major threat to Chelsea. It will certainly make the Citizens too much for an Everton team that just can't seem to build any momentum.

The Toffees recently earned a fantastic 2-0 away win over Wolfsburg in the UEFA Europa League. But that's been followed by a 2-1 defeat to Spurs and a tame home draw with Hull City.

There's little wrong with how Martinez's team looks going forward. Belgian pair Romelu Lukaku and Kevin Mirallas are a major threat.

But a lack of efficiency at both ends of the pitch is preventing the Toffees from seeing games out. After the stalemate with Hull, Liverpool Echo reporter Greg O'Keeffe bemoaned the problem:

Don't expect the trend to change against the Citizens. Lukaku and Co. may spring an early surprise, but City's confidence and class will eventually overwhelm the men from Goodison Park.

Yet More Heartache Awaits Arsenal at the Britannia Stadium

As much as Mourinho may loathe a trip to the northeast, no manager probably looks forward to an away trip less than Arsene Wenger does when his team makes the journey to Staffordshire.

The Frenchman has witnessed successive Arsenal teams get roughed up, to put it mildly, at the Britannia Stadium. Significant sections of the Stoke support also don't view the Gunners boss in the kindest light.

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

More disappointment could be in store for Wenger at his least favourite ground. He's lost on four of seven visits, winning just once.

Too often his players have become easily frustrated by the kicks they receive from the Potters. That frustration usually comes at the expense of Arsenal being defiant enough to resist the physicality and let their football do the talking. However, that might change this time around as the Gunners can rely on a different mentality going forward.

The change in mindset comes courtesy of summer signings Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck. The former has been in sensational form since arriving from Barcelona.

Sanchez has hit 14 goals already this term, with nine coming in the league. His latest successful strike was the late winner in Arsenal's recent 1-0 win over Southampton.

That vital contribution continued the superb run Sanchez had established in November. Squawka Football detailed his awesome numbers during the month:

Along with Welbeck, Sanchez gives the Gunners something they haven't had enough of in recent campaigns. Namely, true graft and endeavour up front.

Both are tireless runners who will harass defenders in possession and pounce on any mistakes. That could be a problem for a Stoke back line that isn't as solid as it was in the days when previous manager Tony Pulis made sure his midfield offered plenty of cover.

In fairness to current boss Mark Hughes, a little less solidity is a sacrifice worth making for the brand of more expansive, attractive football he has brought to the Potteries. Today's Stoke squad isn't defined by Rory Delap's rocket-style throws or eye-watering tackles from the defence.

Instead, skilled forwards such as Mame Biram Diouf, Bojan Krkic and Marko Arnautovic make Stoke a genuine attacking threat. Hughes' team was desperately unlucky not to play its way to a point at Old Trafford in the recent 2-1 defeat against Manchester United.

The Welshman will hope a style of play that's more pleasing on the eye can undermine the Gunners. Hughes will also count on history being on his side, knowing he has an excellent recent record against Wenger, as Opta Joe noted:

It's difficult not to expect Stoke to earn at least a draw from a fixture the Gunners often seem to lose even before stepping on to the Britannia pitch. Ultimately, a lot will depend on Arsenal's attitude.

If Sanchez and Welbeck can coax a willingness from the rest to fight through the oppressive atmosphere and deal with any overt physicality, the Gunners could at last reverse their fortunes on their bogey ground.

By the end of Week 15, expect things to look a lot closer at the top. For the first time, it will be Mourinho and Chelsea's ability to deal with pressure that will be under scrutiny.