EPL Week 21 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixture Info
Week 21 of the 2014-15 Premier League season is set to kick off on Saturday when Liverpool visit a struggling Sunderland side, with Brendan Rodgers' men looking to continue their ascent of the league standings.
The Reds have moved up to eighth thanks to recent losses of form for both Swansea City and Newcastle United, but they still have a long road ahead of them as they chase down the European spots. Sunderland are winless in their last three in the league, so a trip to the Stadium of Light couldn't come at a better time for the Reds.
League-leaders Chelsea will look to rebound from their New Year's Day loss against Tottenham Hotspur, while Manchester City will travel to Merseyside to take on Everton. Arsenal will attempt to avenge last month's loss against Stoke City, while Manchester United and Southampton go head-to-head at Old Trafford on Sunday.
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Here's the schedule for Week 21, complete with full picks:
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 12.45 p.m. | Sunderland | Liverpool | Draw |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | Burnley | Queens Park Rangers | Draw |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | Chelsea | Newcastle United | Chelsea |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | Everton | Manchester City | City |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | Leicester City | Aston Villa | Draw |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | Swansea City | West Ham United | West Ham |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. | West Bromwich Albion | Hull City | WBA |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 5.30 p.m. | Crystal Palace | Tottenham Hotspur | Tottenham |
| Sunday, Jan. 11 | 1.30 p.m. | Arsenal | Stoke City | Arsenal |
| Sunday, Jan. 11 | 4 p.m. | Manchester United | Southampton | United |
Key Players
Morgan Schneiderlin, Southampton
With the kind of season Morgan Schneiderlin is having, the question is not whether the France international will be in Ronald Koeman's plans when Southampton travel to Old Trafford but whether the Saints can hold onto their star midfielder until then.
The 25-year-old is being linked with a move to seemingly every top Premier League team, and while he told Telefoot (h/t Goal) that he expects to remain with the club until the summer, it seems almost a foregone conclusion the likes of Arsenal and United will at least approach Saints with offers:
"It’s always difficult to leave in January.
"
I think I’ll finish the season at Southampton and we’ll see what will happen next. I don’t set my mind on these things anymore.
What should happen will happen. Since this summer, I learned that you should never think that you’re gone before you actually did.
Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe explains what makes the holding midfielder so valuable:
Transfer rumours or not, he'll be vital to Southampton's chances of slaying another giant of English football in back-to-back weeks. Schneiderlin missed Saints' 2-0 win over Arsenal, and the club needed a monstrous performance from Victor Wanyama to keep the Gunners midfield in check.
The Red Devils have some serious injury concerns in the defensive department, with Rafael da Silva and Luke Shaw both picking up knocks in the FA Cup win over Yeovil Town, per BBC Sport:
This means the Dutch manager is likely trot out with a similar starting XI to the one we saw against Stoke City and overload the midfield areas with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata, taking the pressure off his back line.
Facing that kind of an attacking presence, Southampton will need their top enforcer at his best to win the ball back quickly, launch counter-attacks and keep United from setting up camp too far up the pitch.
Moussa Sissoko, Newcastle United
One thing Chelsea have done very well this season is bounce back from setbacks, and Newcastle United know that. Moussa Sissoko was rested for the Magpies' FA Cup loss against Leicester City for a simple reason—his contributions will be sorely needed on Saturday.
Caretaker manager John Carver took some criticism for his squad selection against Leicester City, via ITV, and having publicly declared his interest in becoming permanent manager of the club, per BBC Sport, he is in need of a big result at Stamford Bridge.
Newcastle ended the Blues' unbeaten run to start the season, and Sissoko played a big part in that win. He tracked back well to keep Eden Hazard and Willian from running amok in the open spaces and routinely beat John Obi Mikel in the midfield battle.
The Nigerian filled in for the suspended Nemanja Matic that day, and Squawka devoted an entire article to how sorely the Blues missed their Serbian breaker in midfield:
Matic won't be sitting on the bench when these teams meet on Saturday, and his physical style of play should help take the pressure off Cesc Fabregas and open up space for Hazard.
Newcastle beat Chelsea in December because they dominated the midfield battle, outworked the Blues and were the more physical side. Sissoko isn't a defender, but he'll once again need to put in his fair share of work in that area if the Magpies are to have any chance of repeating their heroics.
