SATURDAY

B’Mouth  2-1     Newcastle      2.45pm

Almost every pundit out there believes the Cherries will be relegated. For a side that three seasons ago was playing in the third tier of English football but earned successive promotions to end up in top flight, nothing will be disappointed. Yet the Cherries will not want to go down without a fight. To do that, they must beef up their defensive woes and stop conceding at will. As struggling Magpies visit Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth should get all three points or start planning for life in Championship.

West Ham  3-3  EVERTON            5pm

The Hammers are certified giant killers of the season but every after a sumptuous win over the giants, they lose their very next game. Can they pick up the pieces after going down to Watford and win this game? The Toffees crashed Sunderland for six, but away to West Ham, this could be a draw.

Man UTD  2-1  West Brom         5pm

Manchester United ended their home drought in midweek with a late goal. Now they will hope that skipper Wayne Rooney gets his confidence back. The bonus is that the Red Devils will be testing their philosophy against a side I have in my relegation notebook. This should be a mandatory home win.

STOKE  2-1 CHELSEA     4.30pm

Suspended Jose Mourinho could finally smile. He won a game, albeit unconvincingly. He dropped Eden Hazard at last. The Belgian could continue on the bench today, but Stoke are not an easy side. They play with their sweat and shins. Chelsea return to face the side that bundled them out of Capital One Cup. Was the midweek confidence for real or just some bubble gum?

Sunday

Villa    0-3 MAN CITY     3.30pm

Manchester City are good opening their opponent with pace both on the wings and directly. Aston Villa are good opening their defensive lines. The result squares down to one thing: another defeat. It will be a massive shock for Remi Garde, a massive gamble of a manager tasked to turn Villa’s season around after Tim Sherwood’s sacking, to upset Manchester City.

ARSENAL            0-0    Spurs        6.00pm

Arsene Wenger took his full strength side to Munich from where they returned on crutches. Usually, this North-London derby outcome would be one: Arsenal win, but Tottenham Hotspur have proved this season that they are not going to be taken for a ride.

SERIE A

ROMA   2-1          LAZIO   3.30pm

The fiercest rivalry in Italy, the Rome derby it is. Roma host Lazio at the stadium the two share in a game that could see Roma go top of the table. Lazio are out to win their first over their rivals in three years, but have lost three of their last four games. Roma to win.

OTHER FIXTURES

SUNDERLAND    0-3          S’THAMPTON

NORWICH            0-2          SWANSEA

LEICESTER         3-1          WATFORD

Liverpool         4-2          Palace

jacobs.seaman@newtimes.co.rw