Premier League Week 21 Fixtures: EPL Picks and Predictions for Matchday 21
After a week of FA Cup action, the Premier League is pleased to make its return to English shores in time for Matchday 21, with Christmas cobwebs gradually dusting away from each team.
League leaders Chelsea began 2015 on a dour note when they dropped to Tottenham 5-3 on New Year's Day, but the Blues will hope to reestablish their cushion at the top when Newcastle head to Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho's men are far from the only team under pressure to improve, however, as we dissect some of Week 21's biggest collisions, complete with predictions.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
| Date | Time | Home | Prediction | Away |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 12:45 p.m. GMT/7:45 a.m. ET | Sunderland | 1-1 | Liverpool |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Burnley | 2-1 | QPR |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Chelsea | 3-1 | Newcastle |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Everton | 1-2 | Man City |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Leicester | 1-1 | Aston Villa |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | Swansea | 3-2 | West Ham |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 3 p.m. GMT/10 a.m. ET | West Brom | 1-0 | Hull |
| Saturday, Jan. 10 | 5:30 p.m. GMT/12:30 p.m. ET | Crystal Palace | 2-2 | Spurs |
| Sunday, Jan. 11 | 1:30 p.m. GMT/8:30 a.m. ET | Arsenal | 3-1 | Stoke |
| Sunday, Jan. 11 | 4 p.m. GMT/11 a.m. ET | Man Utd | 2-1 | Southampton |
| Position | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Chelsea | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 44 | 19 | 25 | 46 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 44 | 19 | 25 | 46 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 20 | 14 | 37 |
| 4 | Southampton | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 15 | 19 | 36 |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 34 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 25 | 9 | 33 |
| 7 | West Ham United | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 24 | 7 | 32 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 27 | 1 | 29 |
| 9 | Swansea City | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 29 |
| 10 | Newcastle United | 20 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 25 | 31 | -6 | 27 |
| 11 | Stoke City | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 22 | 24 | -2 | 26 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 20 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 22 | -11 | 22 |
| 13 | Everton | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 29 | 33 | -4 | 21 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 20 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 18 | 30 | -12 | 20 |
| 15 | Hull City | 20 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 26 | -6 | 19 |
| 16 | Queens Park Rangers | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 22 | 35 | -13 | 19 |
| 17 | West Bromwich Albion | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 29 | -10 | 18 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 30 | -10 | 17 |
| 19 | Burnley | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 32 | -15 | 17 |
| 20 | Leicester City | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 33 | -14 | 14 |
Must-Watch Matchups
Chelsea vs. Newcastle United
Following the defeat at White Hart Lane last week, Mourinho's Chelsea made a mixed return to action with their FA Cup win over Watford on Sunday.
Newcastle, currently under the guidance of caretaker manager John Carver, will have taken solace in the west Londoners' slow start against Championship opposition, but the second half's three-goal haul was a far more vicious Chelsea display.
The club's success has come through no small thanks to the wealth of chances they tend to create, per Squawka, but without Diego Costa starting on Sunday, the finishing touch was sometimes lacking:
Mourinho's side are now level on points with Manchester City and are nowhere near as assured to take this season's title as they were a month ago.
Fittingly, it was the Magpies who began that slump and handed Chelsea their first defeat of the season. But Carver's Newcastle are a team out of sorts since Alan Pardew's departure, while the Blues are now more aware of the threat at hand.
Prediction: Chelsea 3-1 Newcastle United
Swansea City vs. West Ham United
One may not have predicted at season's beginning that Swansea City and West Ham would be two of those teams competing for a European finish at this stage of the 2014-15 campaign.
Swansea, ninth, currently sit three points behind the Hammers, seventh, and can take a massive leap in their search for top-six contention with a win at the Liberty Stadium this Saturday.
Garry Monk is facing the east Londoners at the right time, too. West Ham are currently without a win in three matches and have just lost Alex Song, Cheikhou Kouyate and Diafra Sakho to the Africa Cup of Nations.
It was thought Song may be available to Sam Allardyce, but the Daily Mail confirmed on Monday that Cameroon had decided to call the midfielder up late on:
With so many key absences, Swansea will hope to pounce and the fact that West Ham play against Everton in their FA Cup fourth-round tie on Tuesday only helps the Welsh outfit further.
Prediction: Swansea City 3-2 West Ham United
Manchester United vs. Southampton
Now unbeaten in 11 matches across all competitions, Manchester United are a shadow of their former 2014-15 selves, with manager Louis van Gaal weathering the storm of his injury crisis and now seeing the fruits of his labour.
Ahead of next Sunday's clash with Southampton, the Dutch tactician spoke highly of his squad following their 2-0 FA Cup win over Yeovil Town, praising their ability to cope with a packed schedule, per the club's official Twitter account:
A loss at home to the Saints would see United surrender a massive advantage in their hunt to finish third—or even higher should Chelsea and Manchester City drop points.
However, dropping points at home is something the Red Devils have done only twice this season, while the Saints have won just one of their last three trips outside St. Mary's.
Radamel Falcao is beginning to hit form for Van Gaal while Wayne Rooney continues to impress depending on where he's utilised, but it's United's defence that will again shoulder pressure in dealing with the threats of Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic and Co.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Southampton
