On a busy Saturday of Premier League fixtures, Manchester City look well set to extend their lead at the top of the table while it looks grim for those sides at the bottom.
Chelsea v Bolton
It has been a difficult week for Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. A disappointing FA Cup draw at home to Birmingham was followed up by a convincing 3-1 defeat by Napoli in the Champions League.
To make things worse the Portuguese is also rumoured to be battling a dressing room revolt. A win at all costs is need against Owne Coyle’s Wanderers.
AVB may gain some solace from the fact Chelsea have not lost to Bolton since 2003 and the Trotters go into the game on the back of consecutive defeats to Wigan and Norwich.
Four of Wanderers’ six wins have been away from home this season but Chelsea will have too much for them at the Bridge, even with their own wretched form.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Bolton @ 7/1
Newcastle v Wolves
What a disastrous fortnight it has been for Wolves. A humiliating 5-1 home defeat to bitter rivals West Brom led to the dismissal of Mick McCarthy. But a string of managers have turned down the chance to take the job, meaning assistant boss Terry Connor has been put in charge until the end of the season.
A run of 14 points from 22 games leaves them third from bottom in the table and they face a Newcastle side who have lost just twice at home all season. They also welcome back key duo Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.
With Chelsea and Arsenal struggling for form the Magpies are eyeing an unlikely spot in the top four so don’t look beyond them in this encounter.
Prediction: Newcastle 2-0 Wolves @ 6/1
QPR v Fulham
After bringing in six new players in the January transfer window new QPR manager Mark Hughes was hoping for an immediate response from his struggling side. However, consecutive defeats to fellow strugglers Wolves and Blackburn means they have now won just once in 13 games and only sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference.
He will no doubt receive a frosty welcome from the Fulham fans after he walked out on the club after just 11 months in the job last summer. With five of their last eight matches against the current top six Hughes knows his side have to get a result from this game if they are to stand a chance of staying up.
Martin Jol’s Fulham have the worst away record in the division, meaning this is the time for the Hoops to grab a vital victory.
Prediction QPR 2-1 Fulham @ 17/2
West Brom v Sunderland
West Brom fans have been on cloud nine for the past fortnight after their 5-1 thrashing of Wolves at Molineux. Now they will be hoping they can transfer that form to the Hawthorns, where they have lost the last three and notched just eight goals all campaign.
They host a Sunderland side who are equally confident. Martin O’Neill has had the Midas touch at the Stadium Of Light, inspiring them to pick up 16 points from their last eight Premier League games to shoot up into the top 10.
O’Neill will be keen for his side to maintain that momentum, especially with an FA Cup quarter-final on the horizon, sothe Black Cats could claw the Baggies back down to earth with a bump.
Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Sunderland @ 10/1
Wigan v Aston Villa
Despite being favourites for relegation and propping up the rest of the division, Roberto Martinez’s Wigan are showing tremendous spirit to keep their survival hopes alive. Four defeats in a row in January looked to have condemned the Latics to the Championship, but a home draw with Everton and a vital win at Bolton means they are just two points from safety.
They will be eyeing another win against an Aston Villa side that are in danger of being sucked into the relegation dogfight. They may be seven points clear of the bottom five but with games against Wigan and 17th-placed Blackburn to come their run-in may suddenly become more uncomfortable.
However, they have lost just once in six away from home while Wigan are winless at the DW since August, meaning there could be a welcome victory for Alex McLeish’s men.
Prediction: Wigan 1-2 Aston Villa @ 10/1
Man City v Blackburn
Even the most optimistic of Blackburn fans are doubting their side’s chances against Manchester City on Saturday evening. Roberto Mancini’s table-toppers are unbeaten in 22 matches at the Etihad and are the only club in Europe’s six major leagues to still have a 100% home league record.
However, people were making similarly gloomy predictions when Steve Kean’s men went to Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve. But their shock 3-2 win over the champions gave them real hope in the battle against the drop.
That said, with the return of Yaya Toure bolstering City’s midfield and the tantalising prospect of going five points clear of United in front of them, there will be no result other than a home win.
Prediction: Man City 3-0 Blackburn @ 6/1
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West Brom (Evens in the match betting) head to Ipswich in great heart after a 4-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park – following a performance manager Roberto Di Matteo described as ‘incredible’ – and should end the Championship’s final hope of lifting the Carling Cup (Ipswich 5/2 to win, 12/5 the draw) – providing the weather holds up.