It’s the final weekend of what has been another memorable Premier League season. All 20 clubs are in action, with a few things still to be settled in the greatest league in the world. Can Chelsea pip Liverpool to the fourth and final UEFA Champions League place? Can Swansea City pull off a survival miracle? Who will finish in the top half?
The EFL Championship play-offs also get underway this weekend as the likes of Derby County, Fulham, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa do battle for a place in the Premier League. That’s a very high class quartet with bags of experience and we should be in for some cracking games.
With several exciting fixtures to look forward to over the course of the weekend, get ready for what promises to be a brilliant few days of football in the Premier League and the Championship play-offs.
- Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion – Liverpool to Win -2 (11/8 at Betfair)
- Newcastle United v Chelsea – Chelsea to Win 2-0 (15/2 at BetVictor)
- Southampton v Manchester City – Draw & BTTS (5/1 at Betfred)
- Swansea City v Stoke City – Swansea City Win (10/11 at Bet365)
- Derby County v Fulham – Fulham to Win 2-1 (9/1 at BetVictor)
- Middlesbrough v Aston Villa – Draw (2/1 at Coral)
Premier League
The battle for the top four in the Premier League has been intriguing all season long. It seemed like it was done and dusted a month ago but a wobble from Liverpool has given Chelsea at least a slither of hope.
After a hard-fought 1-0 win over Newcastle United in midweek, Tottenham Hotspur booked their place in next season’s Champions League. It’s now a straight shootout between Liverpool and Chelsea for the final place. Jurgen Klopp’s men hold a two-point advantage and have a far better goal difference, meaning a point for the Reds would virtually assure them of their spot. At the other end of the table, Huddersfield Town secured survival with a crucial point of their own at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, leaving Swansea with an enormous mountain to climb on the final day.
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion – 13th May
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool welcome Chris Hughton’s Brighton & Hove Albion to Anfield on Sunday. A point will be enough for the Reds to guarantee Champions League football for next term.
Liverpool have been in patchy form of late, with last weekend’s 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge leaving the door open for the Blues. Thankfully for the Reds, Huddersfield did Klopp and his side a favour by drawing at Chelsea in midweek.
Brighton have enjoyed their first season in the Premier League but we can see it ending in a defeat on Sunday. The visitors will be in buoyant mood having secured their survival but it’s now their opponents who are the side with something to play for. Take a punt on Liverpool to win -2 at 11/8 with Betfair.
Liverpool to Win -2 – 11/8 at Betfair
Newcastle United v Chelsea – 13th May
Chelsea need to win at St James’ Park and hope that Brighton beat Liverpool at Anfield to finish in the top four. Unfortunately for Antonio Conte and his side, that seems very unlikely.
The Blues have a had a real go in recent weeks, winning four and drawing two of their last six, but it looks as though they are going to come up short. As for Newcastle, they will be hoping to finish off in the top half which would be a successful campaign for them.
Chelsea may need a miracle, but we can see them picking up all three points at St James’ on Sunday. The 2-0 away win is nicely priced at 15/2 with BetVictor.
Chelsea to Win 2-0 – 15/2 at BetVictor
Southampton v Manchester City – 13th May
Southampton welcome champions Manchester City to St Mary’s knowing that a point will guarantee their safety. In truth, the Saints need to lose very heavily, and Swansea need to win big for anything to change in the bottom three. A nine-goal swing is required but the Saints will be focussed on earning at least a point to remove the need for goal difference equations.
Mark Hughes’ Southampton have all but sealed survival after picking up seven points from their last three games. As for Man City, since securing the title, Pep Guardiola’s boys have won three and drawn one of their past four.
Both teams will fancy their chances in this one, but we can see the pair playing out an entertaining draw at St Mary’s. The draw and both teams to score is available at 5/1 with Betfred.
Draw & Both Teams to Score – 5/1 at Betfred
Swansea City v Stoke City – 13th May
Carlos Carvalhal’s Swansea and Paul Lambert’s Stoke City meet at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. There’s a strong possibility that this will be an EFL Championship fixture next season.
Despite looking pretty safe in early March, Swansea have lost five and drawn three of their last eight in the league to drop into the relegation zone. The Swans are three points behind Southampton with a far inferior goal difference going into the final weekend. As said, they need a miracle really and they don’t have the firepower to create one.
Stoke have had a miserable campaign, and we fancy them to fall to a 20th league defeat on Sunday. Back Swansea to prevail (10/11 at Bet365) but still go down.
Swansea City Win – 10/11 at Bet365
Championship Play-offs
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Cardiff City have already booked their place in next season’s Premier League, but who will join them as 2018 Championship play-off winners? Fulham, who pushed Cardiff all the way for second spot, are the bookies’ favourites to win the play-offs. There’s hardly anything to split Villa and Boro, while Derby are the outsiders.
Derby County v Fulham – 11th May
After missing out on automatic promotion on the final day, Slavisa Jokanovic’s Fulham must dust themselves down and get ready for the play-offs. On Friday night, Gary Rowett’s Derby await at Pride Park for the first leg.
Derby ended their regular season on a high, winning two and drawing one of their last three games to sneak into the play-offs. At one stage it seemed like they might miss out so momentum could favour them. As for the Cottagers, last Sunday’s 3-1 reverse at Birmingham City was their first loss since losing at the Stadium of Light in December.
Like all play-off games, we’re expecting this one to be a very tense and nervy affair. However, Fulham’s qualities should shine through in the end. They are the much better side and we think class will prevail over morale and home advantage. We like the look of the 2-1 away win, which you can get at very nice odds of 9/1 with BetVictor.
Fulham to Win 2-1 – 9/1 at BetVictor
Middlesbrough v Aston Villa – 12th May
On Saturday evening, Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough and Steve Bruce’s Aston Villa go head-to-head at the Riverside Stadium in the second play-off semi-final first leg. The hosts head in as favourites for what is sure to be a very close contest.
Since arriving on the scene in Teesside, Pulis has done a cracking job at Boro. The club enter the play-offs having won four of their last six. Villa ultimately ran out of steam in the hunt for automatic promotion, but the Villans will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with in the play-offs.
Only one goal was scored in the two Championship meetings between the pair this term, and this could be another tight match on Saturday. Back the draw at 2/1 (Coral), with 0-0 and 1-1 both good correct score options when two well organised sides do battle.
Draw – 2/1 at Coral