by Stephen Oladehinde
Last week Premier League matches significantly changed the league standings, particularly for clubs vying for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle all dropped vital points in the race for Champions League football, with only Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa securing a win.
The league winners lost to Chelsea 3-1, but the loss did not have any impact on their UCL ticket after securing an automatic spot by winning the league title.
Arsenal, who have maintained their second position, lost 2-1 to Bournemouth at the Emirates, with Man City now three points behind and close to overtaking the Gunners.
Newcastle and Nottingham Forest drew their games against Brighton and Crystal Palace, with Aston Villa, who are just two points behind, breathing down their neck.
Ahead of this weekend’s games, we take a look at some top betting tips and potential predictions for the upcoming matches.
Fulham vs Everton
Everton’s form has dropped drastically, evident in their previous Premier League match that ended in a 2-2 draw against Ipswich Town.
The Toffees have struggled against Fulham in previous years, but they have since improved. In their subsequent 10 league visits to Craven Cottage, Everton have only been defeated twice.
Fulham have an unbeaten streak of six Premier League matches against Everton, a significant improvement from their previous record, where they avoided defeat in only six of 20 encounters with the Toffees.
It’s going to be a tough test for Everton, who are currently not in top form, and claiming all three points is not guaranteed against the Cottagers.
Prediction: 1-1
Bournemouth vs Aston Villa
Bournemouth are currently brimming with confidence after going to the Emirates Stadium to defeat Arsenal last weekend.
They face another difficult task against Aston Villa, who are aiming for next season’s Champions League ticket.
Aston Villa, who defeated Fulham 1-0 last weekend, are currently unbeaten against Bournemouth in their last four Premier League encounters.
Bournemouth have demonstrated strong performance against higher-ranked Premier League teams this season, securing seven wins in 13 matches, and they are currently on a five-game unbeaten streak.
Having secured a victory at Arsenal in their most recent match, the Cherries aim to achieve consecutive league wins for the first time since January, but it is not going to be an easy task against a determined Villa side.
Prediction: 2-2
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Nottingham Forest vs Leicester
Nottingham Forest will be looking to get back to winning ways against relegated Leicester City after their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
However, they have found the King Power Stadium a difficult ground to play on. They aim to achieve their first league double against Leicester since the 1994-95 season.
Nottingham Forest’s recent Premier League form has been poor, with only one win in their last five matches.
They also face the possibility of a third consecutive home league defeat at the City Ground, a streak they last experienced in December 2023.
Leicester City, on the other hand, are aiming for back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since October, following their 2-0 victory over Southampton.
Despite this, their away form is concerning, as they haven’t won in six away games, conceding 14 goals and scoring only two in that period.
This tie should be easy for Forest, who are also in the race to secure a ticket for next season’s Champions League.
Prediction: 2-0
Newcastle vs Chelsea
Chelsea head into this game on the back of a comfortable 3-1 win over Premier League title winners Liverpool last weekend.
They will be taking that confidence into their clash against Newcastle, with both teams vying for a Champions League spot.
Chelsea boast a strong record against Newcastle in the Premier League, securing 31 victories against the Magpies.
However, under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have secured victories in both of their most recent Premier League home matches against Chelsea.
Overall, they have won seven of their last 11 home league encounters with Chelsea, highlighting a strong home record in this fixture.
Newcastle have already beaten Chelsea 2-0 at St James’ Park this season in the EFL Cup but might not find it easy this time against the Blues.
Prediction: 1-1
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Despite being a high-profile Premier League fixture this weekend, the anticipation for the Liverpool versus Arsenal match is somewhat subdued, given Liverpool have already secured the title.
Arsenal are currently a wounded lion at this stage after their 2-1 home loss against Bournemouth last time out; the same goes for Liverpool, who lost 3-1 to Chelsea.
Liverpool have nothing to fight for again this season after winning the Premier League title, but that does not mean they would not want to hold on to their pride and avoid a defeat.
Both teams met in the first leg of last year at the Emirates Stadium, with Liverpool escaping with a 2-2 draw following a late equaliser.
Arsenal hope for a positive outcome when they visit Anfield. It will be a crucial game as they aim to prevent Manchester City from surpassing them in the league standings.
Prediction: 2-2
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