EPL Week 34 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixture Info

The climax of the 2014/15 Premier League season is quickly coming into view, and there is plenty to play for at both ends of the table.

At the bottom, things have become extremely tight, and there are a number of sides desperate to secure vital points. Burnley host Leicester City in what’s an enormous game, while Queens Park Rangers, Sunderland, Hull City and Aston Villa will all be hoping to surge clear of the trap door.

Meanwhile, at the sharp end, Chelsea are closing in on the title but face a tough test of their championship credentials when they visit a red-hot Arsenal team.

Here’s a full list of the upcoming matches, predictions about which teams will come out on top and a look at a couple of players poised to make the difference for their respective sides.

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Chelsea	32	23	7	2	65	26	+39	76
2	Arsenal	32	20	6	6	63	32	+31	66
3	Manchester United	33	19	8	6	59	31	+28	65
4	Manchester City	33	19	7	7	67	34	+33	64
5	Liverpool	32	17	6	9	47	36	+11	57
6	Tottenham	33	17	6	10	53	47	+6	57
7	Southampton	33	17	5	11	45	24	+21	56
8	Swansea	33	13	8	12	38	42	-4	47
9	Stoke	33	13	7	13	38	41	-3	46
10	West Ham	33	11	10	12	42	42	0	43
11	Crystal Palace	33	11	9	13	42	45	-3	42
12	Everton	33	10	11	12	41	43	-2	41
13	West Bromwich Albion	33	9	9	15	32	46	-14	36
14	Newcastle United	33	9	8	16	34	54	-20	35
15	Aston Villa	33	8	8	17	24	45	-21	32
16	Sunderland	32	5	14	13	25	48	-23	29
17	Hull	32	6	10	16	29	45	-16	28
18	Leicester	32	7	7	18	34	51	-17	28
19	Queens Park Rangers	33	7	5	21	38	59	-21	26
20	Burnley	33	5	11	17	26	51	-25	26

Date	Time	Fixture	Prediction
Saturday, Apr. 24	12:45 p.m.	Southampton vs. Tottenham	2-2
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	Newcastle United vs. Swansea	1-2
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	Queens Park Rangers vs. West Ham	2-1
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	Stoke vs. Sunderland	2-0
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	West Bromwich Albion vs. Liverpool	1-1
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	Burnley vs. Leicester	2-1
Saturday, Apr. 24	3 p.m.	Crystal Palace vs. Hull	1-0
Saturday, Apr. 24	5:30 p.m.	Manchester City vs. Aston Villa	3-1
Sunday, Apr. 25	1:30 p.m.	Everton vs. Manchester United	2-2
Sunday, Apr. 25	4 p.m.	Arsenal vs. Chelsea	2-1

Danny Ings, Burnley

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

With his contract due to expire this summer, this could be one of the last times Danny Ings will take to the field in a Burnley shirt. But if his team are to preserve their Premier League status beyond this campaign, they must take three points against Leicester City in this upcoming encounter. It’s game in which Ings must perform too.

The Foxes have hauled themselves above Burnley with three straight wins, leaving Sean Dyche’s side rooted to the bottom of the table. With games running out, this represents one of the best opportunities for the Clarets to get three points on the board and give themselves a fighting chance of staying up.

As noted by OptaJoe, Burnley will be glad to get back to playing on home soil:

It’s a match in which they’ll need a spark, and of all the players in the current squad, Ings is the most likely to provide it. The striker adds the stardust to a team that is otherwise workmanlike, cohesive and diligent in their efforts but not overly creative.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

It’s vital they find an edge against Leicester, and with nine goals and four assists in the Premier League this season, per WhoScored.com, the most likely source is the 22-year-old. However, as we can see here courtesy of Match of the Day, it’s been a long time since Burnley found the back of the net:

Ings has been a magnificent player for Burnley, and there are few at Turf Moor who will begrudge him the chance to move to a more illustrious club at the end of the season. He’ll be remembered even more fondly by those associated with the Lancashire club if he scores the goals that drag them out of the mire. If he does, legendary status awaits.

Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal

Jon Super/Associated Press

Arsenal have been magnificent in the Premier League of late and have the chance to push back Chelsea’s title party. It’ll also be another opportunity for the Emirates faithful to see their star man Alexis Sanchez in action on the back of yet another match-winning display for the Gunners.

The north Londoners toiled for long spells against a dynamic Reading defence in the semi-final of the FA Cup, but the Chilean conjured two moments of magic to get his team over the line and into the final. As good as Arsenal have been, Sanchez is the kind of player who gives them an edge in massive matches.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

As noted by Bleacher Report’s Arsenal correspondent, James McNicholas, the former Barcelona star seems to relish the limelight:

The focus will be on Sanchez again in Week 34 with Chelsea set to visit the Emirates Stadium. If previous encounters between Jose Mourinho’s side and Arsenal are a template, the Blues will sit deep, stay solid and hope to frustrate the hosts. As such, the onus will be on the Gunners' No. 17 to break through what has this season often looked like an impenetrable Blues defence.

Bogdan Maran/Associated Press

But for a player such as the Arsenal star, this game represents another chance for him to add to what is already a hugely impressive haul of numbers in his maiden English season, per FourFourTweet:

Against a team such as Chelsea, Arsene Wenger will be looking for Sanchez to lead by example, and the manner in which Sanchez buzzes around the pitch is infectious to the other players. The Chilean's desire to score goals is just as insatiable as his willingness to get tackles in and win possession back for his team.

A victory over the Blues will do little to change the eventual destination of the Premier League title, but it would lay down a major marker for the Gunners as they look to build toward a championship charge next season. If they are going to take three points in this one, or mount a title challenge next season, Sanchez’s influence will be eminently critical.