English Premier League: Predicting Week 7 Results
Last week, I beat BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson by a solitary point with my predictions as I guessed the score of three matches correctly (those at Wigan, West Brom and QPR) and chose the correct result in four other games.
It was a good weekend for London teams and the top of the Premier League table is starting to look familiar, with Newcastle United the only surprise name in the top six.
This weekend starts and ends with two of the biggest derbies in the Premier League: the Merseyside match between Everton and Liverpool tomorrow lunchtime and the North London clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal late on Sunday afternoon.
Elsewhere, there will be tricky away fixtures for Chelsea and Manchester City, while Stoke City will have a chance to prove how far they have come under manager Tony Pulis and whether they have the consistency and quality to finish in a European qualifying place.
This week, my adversary is Vijay Murali, an accomplished writer with more than one million reads and a passionate Arsenal fan to boot. He will surely offer a different angle from me, an avid Spurs fan, on the North London derby.
Go to the next slide to start reading our preview of a weekend which could throw up more surprises, controversy and a hatful of goals.
Everton vs. Liverpool
1 of 10Date: Saturday 1 October, 12:45 BST
Last season: Everton 2-0 Liverpool
Key Players: Tim Cahill (Everton), Andy Carroll (Liverpool)
Form: Liverpool did just enough to beat Wolves at home last weekend and climb to fifth, but Everton were undone by two second-half goals away to front runners Manchester City and sit in mid-table
Odds: Everton 21/10 Draw 23/10 Liverpool 6/4
Prediction: Everton 2-1 Liverpool
Vijay Murali says: Everton 2-2 Liverpool
Aston Villa vs. Wigan Athletic
2 of 10Date: Saturday 1 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: Aston Villa 1-1 Wigan Athletic
Key Players: Darren Bent (Aston Villa, above), James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic)
Form: Aston Villa conceded an injury-time goal away to QPR in a 1-1 draw, but Wigan's slow start and lack of concentration at home to Spurs meant a 2-1 loss. This saw them remain perilously close to the bottom three
Odds: Aston Villa 4/6 Draw 3/1 Wigan 5/1
Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Wigan
Vijay Murali says: Aston Villa 1-2 Wigan
Blackburn Rovers vs. Manchester City
3 of 10Date: Saturday 1 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: Blackburn 0-1 Man City
Key Players: Chris Samba (Blackburn), David Silva (Man City, above)
Form: Blackburn are still struggling defensively and in attack and are 18th with just four points from five matches. Man City beat Everton at home but struggled for fluency during the 90 minutes.
Odds: Blackburn 11/5 Draw 16/5 Man City 8/13
Prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1-3 Manchester City
Vijay Murali says: Blackburn Rovers 0-4 Manchester City
Manchester United Vs.Norwich City
4 of 10Date: Saturday 1 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: n/a
Key Players: Luis Nani (Man Utd, above), Wesley Hoolahan (Norwich)
Form: Man Utd could only manage a 1-1 draw at Stoke and thus lost their 100% record this season. Norwich surged into the top half of the table with a 2-1 victory at home over Sunderland
Odds: Man Utd 2/11 Draw 7/1 Norwich 18/1
Prediction: Man Utd 6-1 Norwich
Vijay Murali says: Man Utd 3-0 Norwich
Sunderland vs. West Bromwich Albion
5 of 10Date: Saturday 1 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: Sunderland 2-3 West Brom
Key Players: John O'Shea (Sunderland), Peter Odemwingie (West Brom)
Form: Sunderland again disappointed in their defeat away to Norwich and lack guile and nerve, while West Brom's 0-0 draw against Fulham did not improve their position in the league table and they remain firmly entrenched in the bottom three places
Odds: Sunderland 13/10 Draw 12/5 West Brom 12/5
Prediction: Sunderland 1-0 West Brom
Vijay Murali says: Sunderland 1-2 West Brom
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Newcastle United
6 of 10Date: Saurday 1 October 2011, 15:00 BST
Last season: Wolves 1-1 Newcastle
Key Players: Matt Jarvis (Wolves), Demba Ba (Newcastle, above)
Form: Wolves lost 2-1 at Liverpool and dropped to 12th place, but a Demba Ba hat-trick secured a 3-1 win for the Magpies, who continue their fine start to the 2011-12 campaign
Odds: Wolves 6/4 Draw 12/5 Newcastle 21/10
Prediction: Wolves 2-1 Newcastle
Vijay Murali says: Wolves 2-1 Newcastle
Bolton Wanderers vs. Chelsea
7 of 10Date: Sunday 2 October, 13:30 BST
Last season: Bolton 0-4 Chelsea
Key Players: Fabrice Muamba (Bolton), John Terry (Chelsea, above)
Form: Bolton were second best to a wobbly Arsenal team and lost 3-0 at The Emirates. However, Chelsea were too strong for Swansea and ran out 4-1 winners despite Fernando Torres's dismissal for a mistimed lunge
Odds: Bolton 6/1 Draw 17/5 Chelsea 4/7
Prediction: Bolton 2-2 Chelsea
Vijay Murali says: Bolton 1-2 Chelsea
Fulham vs. Queens Park Rangers
8 of 10Date: Sunday 2 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: n/a
Key Players: Andy Johnson (Fulham, above), Joey Barton (QPR)
Form: Fulham again struggles upfront and managed just a 0-0 draw against West Brom and remain the only team yet to win a match this season in the league. QPR secured a last-gasp point at home to Aston Villa thanks to a fortunate own goal by Richard Dunne
Odds: Fulham Evens Draw 13/5 QPR 3/1
Prediction: Fulham 1-0 QPR
Vijay Murali says: Fulham 2-1 QPR
Swansea City vs. Stoke City
9 of 10Date: Sunday 2 October, 15:00 BST
Last season: n/a
Key Players: Peter Crouch (Stoke, above), Michel Vorm (Swansea)
Form: Peter Crouch followed up his header to secure a draw last weekend at home to Man Utd with another goal last night against Besiktas in the Europa League. Swansea could not live with Andre Villas-Boas's and succumbed 4-1 to the Londoners
Odds: Swansea 9/5 Draw 23/10 Stoke 15/8
Prediction: Swansea 2-1 Stoke
Vijay Murali says: Swansea 0-1 Stoke
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal
10 of 10Date: Saturday 17 September, 12:45 BST
Last season: Blackburn 1-2 Arsenal
Key Players: Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham), Robin Van Persie (Arsenal)
Form: Spurs scored several goals in a dominant first-half display at Wigan but ending up winning 2-1. Arsenal won 3-0 to relieve the fans' concerns slightly
Odds: Tottenham 6/5 Draw 5/2 Arsenal 5/2
Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Arsenal
Vijay Murali says: Tottenham 2-3 Arsenal
