1. Defoe to score and Sunderland to beat Stoke City (6/1)
SUNDERLAND RECOVERED FROM a demoralising hammering at the hands of relegation rivals Burnley, with a confidence-boosting 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool on the last Premier League matchday.
And manager David Moyes will be hopeful of snatching all three points at home on Saturday against a Stoke City side that has stagnated this season.
An earlier than expected exit in the FA Cup against Wolves has left the home supporters at the Bet365 stadium frustrated with a season that’s under threat of petering out.
If striker Jermain Defoe could notch his 12th goal of the season, and his fourth in four games, the pressure on Mark Hughes will only intensify.
2. Crystal Palace to win away at West Ham (9/4)
The appointment of Sam Allardyce has yet to rejuvenate Crystal Palace, and anything other than three points on Saturday could see the Eagles drop into the relegation zone this weekend.
The former England manager’s first four games has yielded two draws and two defeats, including a disappointing 0-0 against his old club Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup.
But this weekend, Allardyce will be more than happy to get one over his former employers, West Ham, who go into Saturday’s game after suffering three defeats on the bounce, including a thrashing by Manchester City last Friday in the cup.
The leaky Hammers defense could offer an opportunity for Palace to pounce, especially on the counter-attack. Slaven Bilic’s side have failed to embrace their new home, the London Stadium, and Palace will no doubt be aiming to pile the misery on their city rivals, who could be without the wantaway Dimitri Payet.
3. Chelsea to win (-1) at Leicester (15/8)
The last two winners of the Premier League meet in Saturday’s evening kick-off in rather contrasting situations.
Although Leicester are closer to Bournemouth in ninth place (four points behind) than they are Sunderland in 18th (six points ahead), the 15th-placed Foxes cannot afford to be complacent with the Champions League knockout stages on the horizon.
Antonio Conte’s side though will want to ensure failure to make Premier League history with a 14th successive victory was just a minor blip on their way to the title. A win will provide another vital three points ahead of the trip to title rivals Liverpool at the end of the month.
4. Man City to beat Everton and BTTS (12/5)
Last week, Manchester City demonstrated the swagger many expected after the appointment of Pep Guardiola, albeit against a poor West Ham side in the FA Cup.
Everton at Goodison Park is sure to provide more of a test to Guardiola’s men, despite manager Ronald Koeman acknowledging significant investment is required in his squad after losing to Leicester in the cup.
Having said that, City’s attacking prowess, rather than their defensive capabilities, should help them to all three points against the Toffees.
5. Ibrahimovic to score in Man United’s win over Liverpool (10/3)
Manchester United host their bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday, aiming for their 10th consecutive win, and are currently on their best run since an 11-game winning streak eight years ago.
Impressive performances have converted into important wins for Jose Mourinho’s side in recent weeks, and United will be aiming to be a whole lot more adventurous than they were when they parked the bus in the dour scoreless draw in October.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has sat out the last two cup games, has been instrumental United’s good form with 10 goals in 10 games. And would love to add his tally against Liverpool.
