EPL Week 27 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixtures
Manchester City and Liverpool's meeting in the Capital One Cup final disrupts the Premier League fixture list slightly in the season's 27th week. It also provides City's title rivals the chance to open up even bigger leads ahead of the fourth-placed team.
Of the main contenders, both Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur are best positioned to do that. They each have winnable home fixtures where nothing less than three points will be acceptable from genuine contenders.
But it's Arsenal's title hopes that will be under the closest scrutiny when they travel to take on Manchester United. The Red Devils may be experiencing some tough times under manager Louis van Gaal, but Arsenal haven't won a league game at Old Trafford since 2006.
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Here are the full fixtures for Week 27, along with picks for each game, followed by a focus on the key players:
| Date | Time (GMT / ET) | Match | Pick |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 12:45 p.m. / 7:45 p.m. | West Ham United vs. Sunderland | West Ham 1-0 |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. | Leicester City vs. Norwich City | Leicester 2-1 |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. | Southampton vs. Chelsea | Chelsea 0-1 |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. | Stoke City vs. Aston Villa | Stoke 2-0 |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 3 p.m. / 10 a.m. | Watford vs. Bournemouth | Watford 1-0 |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 5:30 p.m. / 12:30 p.m. | West Bromwich Albion vs. Crystal Palace | Draw 1-1 |
| Sunday, Feb. 28 | 2:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. | Manchester United vs. Arsenal | Draw 1-1 |
| Sunday, Feb. 28 | 2:05 p.m. / 9:05 a.m. | Tottenham Hotspur vs. Swansea City | Spurs 1-0 |
Olivier Giroud, Arsenal
Last season's 1-1 draw was a rare mild success for the Gunners at the Theatre of Dreams in recent times. Theo Walcott's shot deflected off Tyler Blackett to earn Arsenal a point, although the north London side might have won it had Olivier Giroud converted a late chance at the near post.
The French striker's exasperating miss might have been the precursor for Arsenal's biggest problem this season, namely an inability to find the net consistently. Manager Arsene Wenger's side has drawn a blank in league action on seven occasions this season, per results from the club's official site, with three of those blanks coming away from home.
Wenger needs his primary centre-forward to start firing again. Giroud has netted 12 league goals this season, according to WhoScored.com. He's also the team's most prolific attacker across all competitions, per Squawka:
But the former Montpellier man hasn't scored in England's top flight since bagging a brace in a 3-3 draw at Liverpool back in mid-January.
Still, Giroud remains vital to Arsenal's title bid. The towering Frenchman is the key to what's been a more direct style of play in recent matches. Wenger's men have loaded more crosses and more long passes toward the box to take advantage of Giroud's aerial prowess.
The 29-year-old must rediscover his scoring touch and test an injury-hit United defence that is struggling at the moment.
Arsenal currently seem built to scrape a narrow win away from home. But if they are held again, it will be the season-long struggle to score that dents the Gunners' title hopes.
N'Golo Kante, Leicester City
If relegation-threatened Norwich City are going to cause high-flying Leicester any problems, they will rely on their talented midfield. The Canaries boast some fine technical players in the middle, schemers Foxes linchpin N'Golo Kante will have to control.
Norwich need goals, and Jonny Howson and Wes Hoolahan both have the guile to create ample chances. It will be up to Kante to cut off the supply from the middle by harassing City's ballplayers whenever they are in possession.
It's a remit Frenchman Kante is familiar with this season. His energy levels are incredible, and the 24-year-old rarely gets it wrong when making a tackle.
In fact, former Manchester United centre-back-turned-BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand believes Kante knows no equal as a ball-winner in today's game:
It's lofty praise, but the former Caen man has certainly established himself as the stabilising force among Leicester's title hopefuls. Another busy and intelligent performance from Kante will get the Foxes three more priceless points and keep Leicester's surprise title bid strong.
