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EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 18 Premier League Fixtures

Gill ClarkDec 16, 2018

Premier League leaders Liverpool kick off the Week 18 fixtures on Friday against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.

Manchester City play on Saturday against Crystal Palace, while Tottenham Hotspur take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Arsenal will be hoping to return to winning ways against Burnley, while Manchester United face struggling Cardiff City and Chelsea host Leicester City.

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Week 18 Predictions and Fixtures

Friday, December 21

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Liverpool

Saturday, December 22

Arsenal 2-0 Burnley

Bournemouth 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea 2-1 Leicester

Huddersfield Town 0-1 Southampton

Manchester City 3-0 Crystal Palace

Newcastle United 2-1 Fulham

West Ham United 2-2 Watford

Cardiff 1-3 Manchester United

Sunday, December 23

Everton 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Eden Hazard, Chelsea

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Eden Hazard of Chelsea scores his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea FC at American Express Community Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Brighton, United Kingdom. (

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Chelsea face a visit from Leicester on Saturday and have talisman Eden Hazard going into the game in red-hot form.

The Belgian scored and assisted against Brighton on Sunday and was almost unplayable at the Amex Stadium.

Squawka Football showed how effective he's been this season:

Hazard's goal against Brighton was his first since October, but he has still been crucial to the cause:

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has deployed Hazard as a false nine in recent weeks, and the Belgian has helped inspire victories over Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Yet no matter where he is deployed on the pitch the Foxes will need to find an answer to the threat he brings whenever he's on the ball.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reacts to a missed chance during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Huddersfield Town at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 8, 2018. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/Getty Images

Arsenal's 22-game unbeaten run came to an end at Southampton on Sunday, and the Gunners will be looking to get back on track against Burnley.

Unai Emery's men have slipped three points behind Chelsea in fourth place and need a victory to avoid falling further behind in the race for Champions League spots.

Burnley showed against Tottenham on Saturday just how difficult they can be to break down. Spurs needed a stoppage-time goal from Christian Eriksen to seal a late win at Wembley Stadium.

Aubameyang has 10 Premier League goals this season but has now gone three games without finding the back of the net.

The Premier League showed how effective he has been for Arsenal:

Aubameyang will feel he's overdue a goal and may fancy his chances against a Burnley side that have conceded 33 times in 17 Premier League games.