We can all agree that Project Restart has become a success and it carries on the way it is! There are 10 matches to be played across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with many loopholes yet to be closed.
The Champions League and the relegation battle keeps getting unpredictable and fascinating as we are half-way through to reaching the end of the 2019-20 campaign. This mid-week war can possibly turn out to be a massive one to give the world some sort of a hint of the conclusion of the season so join us in the chat below, hit each other with your opinion and let’s just predict what we can witness in the following fixtures:
[Palace, Chelsea, Norwich and Watford should all give us confirmed lineups before the Fantrax deadline, so be here in the countdown hour for last-minute tinkering.]
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Tuesday 7 July
Palace have been struggling, and their 3-0 loss to Leicester was their third in a row, placing the Eagles 15 points clear from the relegation spot but still not mathematically safe. They lack any lethal attribute when going forward as they have failed to score in their previous three fixtures.
Chelsea are regaining momentum, cementing their fourth position after their win against relegation threatened Watford. Frank Lampard’s men have weapons to put the ball in the back of the net and keep pressure on those below them.
Key facts:
· Chelsea have won their last 4 matches against Crystal Palace in all competitions
· There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Crystal Palace’s last 6 home games
· Crystal Palace have lost their last 3 matches
Prediction: 0 – 2
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This has to be a must-win match for Nigel Pearson’s side who are just seven points above last-place Norwich. Watford have a chance to grab three points from a team that has lost four straight since the restart.
Key facts:
· Norwich have failed to score in 8 of their last 9 matches
· Watford have lost their last 3 matches
· Watford have scored at least 2 goals in their last 3 matches against Norwich in all competitions
Prediction: 1 – 0
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Arsenal should be full of confidence after defeating Wolves 2-0 on Saturday, but the same could be said about third-place Leicester who finally rediscovered their winning ways against Crystal Palace, grabbing their first three points since the restart. The Gunners are six points adrift of the top five, putting them in a hopeful situation for a European qualification spot. But with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea putting pressure on them, the Foxes need to continue earning points to secure their own Champions League football.
Key facts:
· Arsenal have won their last 9 home matches against Leicester in all competitions
· Arsenal have scored at least 2 goals in 8 of their last 9 home matches against Leicester in all competitions
· Leicester have failed to win their last 5 away matches
Prediction: 2 – 1
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Wednesday 8 July
Manchester City thrashed Liverpool and then lost to Southampton, which just describes their season in a nutshell. This was the first time Pep Guradiola has lost 3 successive away league matches in his whole managerial career.
Newcastle meet the Citizens again like they did ten days ago in the FA Cup quarter-finals, but this time not much is at stake for either of them.
Key facts:
· Man City have won 10 of their last 11 home matches against Newcastle in all competitions
· Man City have won 7 of their last 8 home matches
· Newcastle are undefeated in their last 6 matches
Prediction: 3 – 0
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This match will probably decide which of these clubs plays Champions League football next season. Wolves come from defeats by Arsenal and Sheffield, seeming to have lost pace since the restart. Nuno Santo’s side sit on sixth position with 52 points while Chris Wilder’s team are eight, four points away from their opponents. A must-win for both the teams will conclude their pace for the remainder of the season.
Key facts:
· Wolves have won their last 3 away matches
· Sheffield Utd have seen under 2.5 goals in 5 of their last 6 matches against Wolves in all competitions
· There have been under 2.5 goals scored in Wolves’ last 5 games
Prediction: 1 – 1
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Burnley deserves credit for performing very well since the restart, with their unbeaten lead reaching to three matches after their 1-1 draw against Sheffield. However, their captain Ben Mee may not be available for this match, which can be bad news for them.
Meanwhile, West Ham are four clear from the bottom three and three points would be massive for them to stay clear in the safe zone.
Key facts:
· West Ham have conceded at least 2 goals in 9 of their last 11 matches
· Burnley are undefeated in 10 of their last 11 matches
· Burnley have scored at least 2 goals in their last 4 matches against West Ham in all competitions
Prediction: 0 – 0
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Brighton vs Liverpool
The only motivation left for the already-champions of England is to set records over the remaining five fixtures. Brighton picked up three massive points against Norwich on Saturday, which could push their hunger to achieve anything when they welcome the Reds.
Key facts:
· Liverpool have won their last 7 matches against Brighton in all competitions
· Liverpool have failed to score in their last 3 away matches
· Liverpool have been winning at both half time and full time in 6 of their last 7 matches against Brighton in all competitions
Prediction: 0 – 2
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Thursday 7 July
Both teams have been struggling since before the restart. If the Cherries have a chance to escape the relegation zone, this is the match to do so against a listless Jose Mourinho side that has already lost position to play in Europe next season, falling to tenth in the table, 12 points adrift of the coveted fifth spot.
Key facts:
· Bournemouth have lost five in their previous six league matches
· Tottenham have won five out of six matches against Bournemouth in the league
Prediction: 2 – 1
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Everton vs Southampton
Southampton defeated Manchester City, which should automatically grant them confidence to face Everton who sit eleventh. With just a point difference between the two teams, either could claim the top half of the table, but will either be motivated? Perhaps transfer and contract talk will tell.
Key facts:
· Southampton have lost three times and thrice won in previous six matches
· Southampton have defeated Everton thrice in all competition in their previous six meetings
Prediction: 1 – 0
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Aston Villa vs Manchester United
The team most in-form in England has to be Manchester United, undefeated since the restart. Bruno Fernandes hasn’t tasted defeat in a Red jersey yet. His pairing with Paul Pogba seems to be working just fine, with the trio of Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford just clicking with goals. The Red Devils are in serious contention for a Champions League spot with five games left. While, Aston Villa are just a point away from getting out of the relegation zone who haven’t won since the restart yet.
Key facts:
· The Villans have lost thrice and drawn thrice in their previous six fixtures.
· Manchester United have won four times, drawn twice in their previous six matches
· Manchester United haven’t lost a single match against Aston Villa in their previous six meetings
Prediction: 1 — 3
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[All stats sourced from Opta and WhoScored]
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What are your predictions for the fixtures? Any specific match you’re looking forward to watching? What are your fantasy strategies for this week? Any non-popular player you hope to get points from? And who is being displaced or added? Please let us know in the comments below!
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