Dan’s EPL Predictions – Arsenal to destroy this awful Chelsea side?

Probably one of the hardest predictions to write so soon after our annual humiliation at the Etihad.

I still can’t get over, given what was at stake, the lack of fight and motivation we showed on Wednesday.

Liverpool, Man United and Chelsea will all improve in the summer so who knows when we will be in this kind of position again?

We let the opportunity pass us by.

Man City are two points behind us with two games in hand meaning the Champions can now afford to lose one of their final 7 fixtures and still finish above us.

Given they are unbeaten in their last 17 games, the odds are in their favour.

Gary Neville warned they would put a winning sequence together in April and that this time of the year their best players would step up.

The pundit also predicted that very quickly our challenge could fade and suddenly we could find the gap between us and them 10 points.

Some Gooners might owe him an apology.

Palace 1-1 West Ham

Palace need a couple more points to secure survival, West Ham probably one more win?

Before their midweek defeats both were probably playing as confident as they have all season.

Both would take a draw.

Brentford 1-2 N Forest

Midweek was their first win in 7 (and everyone beats Chelsea) so Brentford are the kind of team you want to face at this stage of the season.

They have either ran out of steam or are on the beach, or both.

Forest simply needs the points more and will benefit from this being an open game.

Any result for the visitors put massive pressure on the Monday night fixture.

Brighton 2-2 Wolves

There was an FA Cup Final hangover for Brighton on Tuesday.

One of their games in hand is on Thursday against Man United.

It would be a shame after all their hard work if they ran out of steam now.

On 37 points now though, Wolves are very close to being able to play without pressure

Bournemouth 1-2 Leeds

I’m curious how the Cherries approach this?

Leeds will (and have to) go all-out attack.

Gary O’Neil likes to set up his side to be tough to break down, but with the visitor’s tendency to concede chances will be tempted to be positive, and get the win that would surely ensure survival?

Fulham 0-3 Man City

So, we now need favours elsewhere.

City’s next four Prem fixtures are against 3 in the bottom 6 and one in mid-table so it’s not likely.

‘Squeaky bum time’ separates the good from the great players. The great deliver in the big moments.

Haaland, De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva, etc, not just handle the pressure, they embrace it with smiles on their faces.

Our only hope now is the Champions get complacent. Pep Guardiola is so obsessed with attention to detail I just can’t see that happening.

With us not playing till Tuesday this is going to be a long weekend……

Newcastle 4-0 Saints

Newcastle have scored 10 goals in their last 2 games and now face the bottom side knowing Champions League qualification is all but ensured.

Unlike Arsenal, their players have saved their best form for the run in.

They have individuals who can express themselves but equally they all know their jobs and are tactically disciplined.

Even if Man City do slip up, I just can’t see us winning at Saint James’ Park next weekend.

Man United 2-2 Villa

With Liverpool playing Spurs afterwards, it’s crucial both sides get a result.

I’m still ensure which United show up?

When they are good, they are good, when they are bad, they are bad.

Liverpool 3-1 Spurs

In terms of banter some Gooners have been arrogant this season so will now have to take their medicine.

Banter aside though, I don’t know how with a straight face a Spurs fan can say anything about us.

Their players had to hand out refunds due to how embarrassing they were last weekend, they still don’t seem capable of hiring a full-time manager, a draw on Thursday ended outside hopes of a top 4 finish, and a loss on Sunday sees them struggling to even be in the Europa League.

You can no longer rely on them showing up and having the stomach to handle the Anfield atmosphere.

Leicester 1-0 Everton

First time in this relegation scrap I have worried about Everton, because I have always had faith in Sean Dyche.

What will worry their manager the most is they are starting to concede goals too easily again, something it seemed they had fixed.

That’s a problem, given you can’t rely on them to score goals, so no longer can they rely on grinding out 1-0 wins.

This will be like a cup final atmosphere and with 4 points in their last two matches, Dean Smith has got a reaction out of the Foxes.

Leicester has more obvious match winners.

Arsenal 4-0 Chelsea

As I feared, mentally this title race was too big a step for one of the youngest squads in the division.

The next test of our character will be to not feel sorry for ourselves and let the campaign drift.

Arteta needs to identify those who have gone missing recently and make changes.

Our manager seems to play the exact same line up and system and expect a different outcome each time.

Based on Lampard losing all his games since his return to the Bridge and Chelsea still not on 40 points (both stats hard to fathom) they should be ideal opponents.

Yet our London rivals do have individual quality who could take advantage of any nerves, the earlier we break the deadlock the more straightforward, as I think the Emirates crowd will get behind the team.

This Derby would have been harder if our championship destiny was still in our own hands, as Chelsea would be desperate to be the side to cost us. Now they have zero motivation which strangely helps us.

A City win on Sunday means the pressure is off, which means we will show up.

This only becomes tough if Fulham produce an upset.

All a bit sad really.

Dan Smith

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Matthew 212
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Rob 49- 207
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I 194
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