Dan’s EPL Predictions – Can Arsenal go top after Brentford derby game?

t’s a big week for Arsenal.

If we win Saturday, we go top of the League for the first time since Xmas and will stay there for three weeks if Liverpool and Man City then draw with each other. Equally we could fall further behind in the title race and be knocked out of Europe ……

Man United 2-0 Everton

I recommend all readers go and watch Overlap’s latest episode on YouTube. A very honest Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explains that while manager of Man United he had players who asked not to be captain and preferred not to take part in pre / post-match interviews.

I’m not sure if that highlights the lack of leadership at Old Trafford or showcases the absentee in characters that exist in today’s era.

You can never be sure which version of United shows up but even if it’s a poor one I can’t imagine Everton being clinical enough to take advantage.

Cherries 3-0 Sheffield United

Monday was the 7th time Sheffield United conceded 5 or more this season. As good as we were the Blades were so poor, for our third goal they were literally throwing our players onto the floor to try and stop us.

Chris Wilder is now hinting of bringing in youth till the end of the campaign to prepare them for the Championship.

That’s a gamble when you don’t have enough senior players of quality to lead by example.

Bournemouth are not used to being expected to win in the Prem by a big margin. Get an early goal and they will be here.

Palace 2-1 Luton

Two clubs who are the masters of conceding late goals, which as Glasner pointed out can’t be a coincidence.

A new style has already been evident under the fresh regime and there seems to be a suggestion that they feel the squad they have inherited are not fit enough. The longer their new manager has with them on the training pitch (he will have three weeks after this) the better Palace will be.

With their game in hand in midweek, this is Luton’s final chance to drag the Eagles into a relegation scrap.

Another game where the Hatters play well but concede late.

Wolves 1-3 Fulham

Just a sign last weekend that Wolves’ injury hit squad is being stretched. The home side might have one eye on the FA Cup next week. They are beating a Championship side away from going to Wembley.

Fulham just feels fresher right now.

Arsenal 3-1 Brentford

The Gunners have scored 21 goals in their last 4 Prem fixtures. The danger of that is complacency and taking the opposition lightly. As long as our attitude is correct, in the next week we should be in a healthy position domestically and in Europe.

As well as we are playing, we can’t afford to blink before Liverpool and/or Man City and I still doubt if we have the mentality where we believe we can get a result at the Etihad.

Credit to Thomas Frank for questioning those fans who booed his team last weekend at half time for losing to Chelsea. He’s got every right to point out how far Brentford has come and observe the craziness of supporters turning their backs on the team for trailing one of the richest clubs in the world while being 15th in the topflight. They were in League 2 as recently as 2009.

The Bees have the attacking players to hurt us but defensively they have been woeful this season, too easy to make chances against.

The biggest obstacle is us.
Villa 2-2 Spurs

A huge game in the race for 4th. Either Villa goes 8 points ahead of Spurs or the visitors find themselves just two points behind their opponents (although 5th might still be enough for the Champions League).

The Spurs’ insistence on playing so high suits Villa. If Unai Emery’s teams win possession, they have the pace to get in easily.

Spurs can get a result because they have had a whole week to prepare.

Ajax is a tough tie for the Europa League Conference

Brighton 0-2 Notts Forest

Steve Reid has been fined for misconduct, while the club in general have been charged for failing to ensure their players and staff acted appropriately. Nothing though has been said about their owner running onto the pitch to confront the official. More should be made about this.

They might be getting sanctions for their errors off the pitch so they should empathise that mistakes happen.

I’m equally not sure that Paul Tierney deserved to be banned from working this weekend just because of one bad decision when wrong calls happen every game.

Forest argues in stoppage time against Liverpool they should have had possession instead of a drop ball which meant they had to defend one last attack. Yet it’s worth pointing out that was over a minute before they conceded. Liverpool scored because Forest couldn’t deal with a corner and failed the couple of times they had to clear the ball.

Brighton gets odd results after playing in Europe and it’s a short turn around after conceding 4 in Rome.

West Ham 2-1 Burnley

Like Brighton, West Ham’s small squad struggle to juggle Europe with domestic football but that’s worth it if it means advancing in the Europa League.

Even if that trend continues the Hammers will have too much quality.

Burnley played really well against Bournemouth but lacked quality in the final third. I wrote that too many times this season.

Liverpool 3-1 Man City

Anyone else’s heart dropped last Saturday in the final seconds at the City Ground?

When a team wins like that you start to worry their name is on the trophy.

Where Arsenal didn’t have the mentality to cope with the pressure of the run-in last season, you sense Jurgen Klopp has created an environment where Liverpool can ride off the emotion.

An example will be this Sunday where Anfield will be so intimidating it will be like a cup final and dictate the result.

Even Pep Guardiola has struggled to deal with this atmosphere before

Chelsea 2-2 Newcastle

Don’t know which version of either shows up so I’ll go for a draw.

That might lead to more chants for Jose to return.

Dan Smith

Top 24 qualify for euros.

Drayton 197
GB 193
Prince 192
Baron 190
Matthew 189
J gunner 188
JRA 188
Terrah 187
Gunsmoke 186
Did 183
Stephanie 182
Dendrite 181
Ackshay 175
Me 174
Tom 173
Sue P 172
Goonersia 169
Okobino 169
IGL 167
MTG 166
NOAS 162
Williamrick 161
Antivirus 159
Big slim 159

Top 24 Qualify for Euros
Sagie 158
Indian gunner 157
Edu 150
Kenya 001- 150
Zeek – 150
J legend 146
Yayo 144
O Achiel 144
J gunz 141
I 138
Taiwo 4321- 135
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Splendid 129
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Diehard 109
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Prince layote 94
Oladimeji A 94
Walidomy 85
Angelo 88
Admin 83
Dan kit 73
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Amir 67
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Jimmy B 37
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SWS 31
Longbenark 26
Uzi Ozil 23
Illiterate 23
QB 19
Jimeigo T 17
Chuck 16
M leashim 16
Peter 15
Koktafo 14
Gunner 4 lyfe 14
Wale A 14
Loose cannon 13
Oslogunner 11
Flash G 11
Caxbury Dan 11
Shola 10
Kb Rano 10
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Freddy 9
Samchidy 8
Gio Bag 7
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Olaraj propertie / partners 5
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Gordan 5
TGOTA 5
Sheggz 5
Jose the Gooner 5
Abraham P 5
Frank N 5
JBG5 3
E Augustus 2
Adele Benjamin 1