English Premier League Preview: Week of November 14th

With the annoyance of yet another international break done with, fans of the English Premier League can look forward to a resumption of action once more this weekend.

With several important and intriguing matchups this week at both ends of the table, here are our predictions for this upcoming round of fixtures in the world’s greatest league. 

Arsenal vs. Norwich City

Just weeks ago, Arsenal seemed to be a team in crisis, with a combination of injuries, the departure of key players and poor on-field play consigning the Gunners to one of their worst starts to a season in recent memory—and seemingly putting longtime manager Arsene Wenger on the hot seat.

To the credit of the men from North London however, the ship has seemingly been righted, with their recent streak of four consecutive league victories lifting Arsenal to seventh on the table. With a fairly easy schedule to round out the calendar year, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Wenger’s charges assert themselves as serious contenders for yet another top four finish.

The expectations are a little less weighty for newly-promoted Norwich City, who would be satisfied simply with avoiding relegation and extending their most recent spell in the Premiership. The Canaries, despite their largely anonymous squad, look to have a genuine chance to stay up, as they sit in the top 10, and have played some entertaining football.

Arsenal, however, are finding a rich vein of attacking form and with Dutch talisman and team captain Robin Van Persie seemingly scoring for fun, look for the visitors to be too strong on Saturday and come away with three points.

Prediction: Arsenal 2 – 0 Norwich City

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Everton

Just one point separates these two bottom-half teams, who will meet at Goodison Park in a tie that could have crucial relegation implications.

After a torrid September and October, Wolves breathed some life back into their season with a recent win over Wigan, while Everton slumped to their fifth defeat in their last six league fixtures as they succumbed to Newcastle before the international break.

Still, while the form guide for the Liverpool side doesn’t look pretty, it masks the fact that they have more often than not played well and have been competitive in all their fixtures. Mick McCarthy’s side are similarly scrapped and doggy, and will no doubt give Everton a run for their money, but expect the home advantage to be enough to give the Merseysiders a much-needed win.

Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 – 1 Everton

Newcastle United vs. Manchester City

The last two undefeated teams in the Premier League could not differ more in their background.

City’s dominant start to the season—which has seen them go five points clear at the top—might be impressive, but perhaps not unexpected after the millions of UAE royal family member Sheikh Mansour succeeded in assembling one of the most talented and star-studded lineups in European football.

Newcastle, on the other hand, are this season’s surprise package, as many expected the Northerners to struggle after having sold such influential players as Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, and Joey Barton.

Instead, the likes of Argentinian international Jonas Gutierrez, Frenchman Yohan Cabaye and forward Demba Ba (who has eight league goals after arriving on a free transfer) have stepped in to take United to third on the table.

Still, they will travel to the Etihad as understandable underdogs to a City side that could probably field two teams capable of competing for the Premiership.

A selection struggle for manager Roberto Mancini could come when deciding which starters he may opt to rest and keep fresh ahead of a crucial Champions League fixture the following Tuesday in Napoli, which could decide whether City advance to that competition’s knockout stages.

Still, expect the Mancunians to have too much quality for the visitors, and to hand the Premiership’s Cinderella team their first blemish of the campaign.

Prediction: Manchester City 3 – 1 Newcastle United

Queens Park Rangers vs. Stoke City

Stoke went into the break with a sour taste in their mouth after experiencing a five-goal drubbing at the hands of table bottom feeders Bolton, a result which raised questions about the ability of Tony Pulis and his charges to balance the demands of both league and Europa League competition.

It doesn’t get much easier for them this week, as they welcome a QPR side bristling with quiet confidence after they gave league leaders Manchester City a scare in their last outing.

While Stoke’s Britannia Stadium has developed a reputation as a tough place to play in recent years, the Potters did concede three goals in their last game there against Newcastle, a fact that should provide encouragement to the visitors.

Still, City’s desperation to stop a losing streak of three straight in the league should see them employ their trademark physicality to stifle any attacking verve from the Rangers.

Prediction: Stoke City 1 – 1 QPR

Fulham vs. Sunderland

These two teams have a combined four league wins between them this season, a poor run of form that has put both clubs under pressure.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce in particular will be looking for a turnaround in form which, if not forthcoming, might very well see him shown the door before year’s end.

While both squads have the unmistakable look of teams who will be fighting to stay up right through spring, the Cottagers did show signs of attacking life in a loss against Tottenham in their last fixture, where only a few last ditch defensive efforts denied Fulham what would have been a deserved victory.

Expect the visitors to have just enough to edge the hosts, and increase the calls for Bruce’s head.

Prediction: Sunderland 0 – 1 Fulham

Bolton Wanderers vs. West Bromwich Albion

Yet another matchup of relegation-threatened teams on offer this Saturday.

With only one loss in their last five league games, Roy Hodgson’s Albion, who were at one point bottom of the table, have seemingly found some consistency in their play, clawing themselves a few points clear of the relegation zone.

Still, they have struggled to find a route to goal, illustrated in a season total of nine goals that is third lowest in the league.

Bolton’s poor start to the season led to some vociferous calls for the head of manager Owen Coyle, but their thrashing of Stoke last round has sparked some hope amongst their fans that a turnaround in the club’s fortunes is on its way.

If Wanderers can rediscover that sort of attacking form again on the weekend, another resounding victory could be on its way…but don’t count on it.

Prediction: West Bromwich 0- 0 Bolton Wanderers

Blackburn Rovers vs. Wigan Athletic

The worst team in the league points-wise hosts the second worst side in what might very well be a Championship fixture this time next year.

Both clubs have exactly one league win to their credit this season, and prospects for the near future don’t look much better.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, who was courted by several other Premier League clubs after staving off relegation last season, could soon be out of a job...although, in fairness to him, he has been given a decidedly untalented squad to work with.

His counterpart on Saturday has it even worse: in Blackburn’s most recent league fixture against Chelsea, fans took the trouble of renting a plane to carry a sign demanding the firing of manager Steve Kean. He may not be the only in the Rovers organization to leave town soon, as rumors swirl that Blackburn owners and Indian chicken packaging company Venky’s might sell the team only a year after buying it to (whom else?) rich Qataris.

On the field, this promises to be something of a bore; the fact that both teams have a tendency to concede lots of goals is cancelled out by the fact that neither seem capable of scoring any.

Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1 – 2 Blackburn Rovers

Manchester United vs. Swansea City

United are in something of an unfamiliar position; for the first time in some while, their “noisy neighbors” across town are attracting more attention than they are.

Perhaps of even more urgent worry is the drop of quality in their play: the form that saw United make a blistering, free-scoring start to the league season has disappeared, replaced by a choppier, scrappier style.

It would seem that a game against Premiership new boys would be a perfect place to recapture some of that form but, as Liverpool can attest, Swansea are far from pushovers. The first Welsh team to ever play in the Premier League, the Jacks have done their fans proud in playing an attractive brand of pass-oriented, high possession football that has been good enough to propel them to 10th spot in the table.

Still, the gap in quality between the two sides is too gaping, and it would be something of a minor miracle if Swansea manage to maintain their unbeaten home record at the weekend.  

Prediction: Manchester United 3 – 0 Swansea City

Liverpool vs. Chelsea

Although they do sit sixth in the table, Liverpool have yet to experience the full renaissance that their fans expected under the guidance of “King” Kenny Dalglish.

Instead, doubts still linger over the wisdom of many of the Reds' moves during the transfer market, as many of the new arrivals have yet to fully justify their price tags. Disappointing results such as the draw at Anfield against Swansea have only served to further pile on the pressure, but Dalglish and his charges could silence some of the doubters with a win in London on Sunday.

Certainly, if there was ever a time to play Chelsea, it is now; the team is in a funk of form, having followed up losses to QPR and Arsenal with a highly-unconvincing 1-0 win over Blackburn in their last game before the international break.

With the Manchester teams breaking ever further away in the league table, the Blues certainly need a victory over a fellow top-four contender to restore some confidence and self belief. Chelsea’s defense has shown definite signs of weakness and fragility in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen if Liverpool, who seem to channel most of their attacks through Luis Suarez, can produce enough chances to take advantage of it.

Prediction: Chelsea 2 – 1 Liverpool

Aston Villa vs. Tottenham

Level on points with Chelsea (with a game in hand) Tottenham, under the radar for much of the season, are genuine chances to grab a top-four spot and return to the Champions League for the second time in three seasons.

With summer transfer window signing and England international Scott Parker a revelation in midfield, Manchester City loanee Emanuel Adebayor a solid performer up front, and winger Gareth Bale continuing his good form from last season, the Spurs are humming along, unbeaten in their last eight league fixtures after opening the year with a pair of heavy losses to the two Manchester sides.

Aston Villa are flattering to deceive at eighth place in the table; Alex McLeish’s managerial move over from fierce rivals Birmingham City over the summer hasn’t exactly produced a drastic change in Villa’s fortunes, and the Midlands side are more likely to be fighting to stay clear of the relegation fray than they are to be competing for any spots in Europe.

Certainly it's difficult to see them being able to get anything out of their trip to London on Monday night.

Prediction: Tottenham 3 – 1 Aston Villa