Dan’s EPL Predictions – Can Arsenal get back to winning ways at Aston Villa?

It feels strange to write off Arsenal’s title chances when our destiny is still in our own hands.

Joint points at the top of the table, if we were to win our game in hand we would be three points clear of Man City.

Yet in the last three games the pressure has clearly got to us.

Forget the results but the performances have been echoes of last season when we went missing when it really mattered.

Calling me names by the way doesn’t change the reality in front of you.

There is nothing in our last 4 fixtures to suggest we can maintain our challenge.

If we can survive the next two tricky away trips, 4 out of our next 5 fixtures will be at the Emiraittes.

Of course the only way to rebuild confidence is to get that win………

Villa 1-0 Arsenal
This is what Gary Neville meant when he said this title race can quickly get away from Arsenal and how we could yet end up behind City by a large margain.

It’s why Wednesday was such a blow mentally. A win would have put us six points clear with a game In hand, now we have to go to Villa Park under must win conditions. Trips to the King Power, City Ground, St James, Anfield, etc, will also be with the notion that even a draw is not good enough.

There’s zero evidence in the last two weeks to prove we can cope with that.

Brentford 3-1 Palace
Brentford are the in form team in the country.

The nature of their equaliser against us overshadowed how well they played.

They play good football but also have a physical presence .

Brighton 1-0 Fulham
Brighton can play well without having that added quality in the final third.

Fulham are made of sterner stuff away from home compared to previous seasons.

A moment of magic can decide a tight encounter.

Chelsea 2-0 Saints
Chelsea are playing like a group of individuals relying on a solo moment of brilliance rather then having a plan.

If they could hand pick any opposition to come at the Bridge it would be the Saints.

You knew after last weekend it was the end for Nathan Jones. There is such a thing in how you lose a game.

If you can’t beat Wolves with 10 men when your winning, then that’s the moment your players lose the remaining confidence they had.

Everton 3-0 Leeds
Leed’s shortlist for a new boss seems to be managers with zero knowledge of English Football.

The irony being is they face a team who might prove to then why it’s best to hire someone who knows all about this division.

While some got slightly carried away with the notion that Everton were suddenly going to rock up at Anfield and play free flowing football, the Sean Dyche affect does mean Goodison will now be an intimidating place for visitors.

Relegation could be decided by Everton’s more agrresive recruitment process.

Forest 0-1 City
Remember when Pep was harsh towards his players after they beat Spurs 4-2? How he dismissed their title chances?

How he acted like we were on a level his side just couldn’t compete with?

He knew what he was doing with every word. He can now address his players as League leaders while reminding them that they havn’t been at their best all season.

There are even some who suggested that Haaland has made them worse!

That’s the most outrageous statement I have heard this campaign.

Any other point this season I would call this a banana skin for the Champions. Yet having done the hard work in midweek I can’t see them allowing themselves to lose focus at the weekend.

Either way they will be motivated by the score line at Villa Park

Wolves 1-0 Cherries
A draw with Newcastle gives the Cherries a platform to build on.
Play like that every week and they have a chance.

Yet they have this habit of playing well but finding a way not to win. That will continue here.

Newcastle 1-0 Liverpool
A massive week for Newcastle. A chance to go 12 points clear of Liverpool before a cup final at Wembley.

It shows how the direction of these two clubs have changed, that it’s the first time in years that the Toon would be the favourites to win this fixture.

Man United 2-2 Leicester
Like us, Man United’s progress is apparent .
Like us though they are not ready to substain a title challenge .
They have a silly result in them.
A suddenly free scoring Foxes can get a result and will be a headache for us the following weekend

Spurs 3-1 West Ham
One of the hardest teams to predict are Spurs as we don’t know which will show up. One week they are beating the Champions , the next they are conceding 4 at the King Power.

Attack should be too much for West Ham’s defence though.

Conte’s health issue add to the reasons why you can see him moving back to Italy full time very soon.

LAST WEEK’S TABLE

Sid 161
Terrah 159
IGL 156
SJ 156
GB 155
JRA 155
J gunner 153
Matthew 152
Die hard 149
HH 149
Prince 148
MTG 145
Phenom 145
Rob 49- 145
I 144
Anti virus 143
Toney 143
Dendrite 142
Zeek 142
Longbenark 140
Gundown 137
Loose cannon 136
Onyango 135
Misgana 134
Ackshay 133
Stephanie 133
Dan kit 130
Gotanidea 128
Labass 128
Yayo 127
Sue P 126
Okobino 124
Taiwo 4321& 124
Me 124
Goonersia 123
Angelo 123
Tom 123
Kenya 001-120
Splendid 118
Dotash 115
TN Arsenal 114
Sagie 113
K Tyson 110
Drayton 108
Oluseyi 20- 108
Admin 107
Edu 107
Kuhepson 104
Dunchurado 104
Khadii 102
Ayan 101
E blaze 98
J gunz 94
Famochi 88
Chuck 86
NOAS 81
M wokoma 80
Baron 74
J Bauer 74
Uzil Ozil 72
J Moati 72
O Achiel 69
J legend 66
M leashim 65
Walidomy 65
JOA 57
Quincy 54
Adeybayo 50
Ba thea 45
Elsammy 45
Big slim 40
BME12- 37
Riveriosantos 33
Flash G 32
Olushorlar 29
Ruler system 28
Samson A 27
Arsha 23
Illiterate 23
Ruler System 20
Gogo
Adiva 19
Kobin 19
My name is Lehman 18
Lucia 18
Rusty 17
Zeus 16
OGHENE 16
Gibson Power 15
Bob 123 – 15
Easyguy 15
Dannie 15
Ishmael 14
Lima 13
K hristov 12
Adajim 11
Atangana 11
Koktafo 10
Stone 9
Lancydatguy 9
Royal Challenger 8
Mr Fox 8
M powson 8
Top 4 never again 8
St Joachim 8
S malah 7
Jeremy 7
True Gunner 7
Joebaba 6
Akota 6
Mide 6
VZ 6
Azeez omerah cole 6
Sws 6
Altaseb A – 5
Zig 5
Mide 5
Josiah 5
Kenneth 5
Kyambadde Sam 4
Anti Kev 4
Akuta George 4
Wenger ball 4
Emperor Augustus 4
Samuel Akinsola Adenosin 3
Classy Gunner 3
E Franklyn 3