PREMIERSHIP REVIEW, STATISTICS,PREDICTIONS

SOCCERSNIPERS BRINGS YOU THIS WEEKENDS PREMIERSHIP MATCHES

I was rather hoping that Southampton's form figures of L-L-L would encourage bookmakers to dangle a carrot here but, like me, they're clearly of the view that this big step down in grade should see them return to winning ways. Ronald Koeman's men were firmly put in their place by Manchester City a couple of weeks ago but were unfortunate not to get something from their subsequent clashes with Arsenal and Manchester United and their experienced coach won't let heads drop. After all, Saints remain fifth in the table having also got their trip to Anfield out of the way, albeit you could argue that such a fixture wouldn't pose too much of a problem at present. Next up it's a trip to Burnley, who have picked up twice as many points as Southampton over the course of the last five games but sit 19th in the table following last week's defeat to fellow relegation candidates QPR. I remain impressed by what Sean Dyche has managed to get from his side, particularly in recent weeks, but they look far too dependent on Danny Ings and I don't believe that he alone can save them from a seemingly inevitable return to the Championship - that's if Southampton don't get their mitts on him in January. At the prices, though, I can't get involved because 4/5 about an away win looks too short. We must remember that Southampton only just scraped a point at Aston Villa before their nightmare run of fixtures began and three away wins from seven doesn't justify odds-on even at Turf Moor. Instead, it's worth looking at the goals betting as Saints have scored just seven times on the road while conceding six, which makes their away defensive record the best in the top flight whereas their scoring equivalent is bottom-half material. No side has scored fewer home goals than Burnley so under 1.5 and under 2.5 are worth considering along with 0-0. Along similar lines a Southampton win to nil is perfectly plausible but not for me. If you are looking into scorer markets, George Boyd has found the net twice this season, both times at home, and came within inches at Loftus Road last weekend. Not afraid to have a go from range, even the odds about him scoring Burnley's first goal merits a second glance even if Ings is by far and away the man most likely. However, on balance I think the visitors should edge this and the most likely method of victory is surely a 1-0 win at 9/2.

Verdict: Burnley 0 Southampton 1

Opta facts:

Southampton are unbeaten in their last four games against Burnley in all competitions (W2 D2).

Saints have lost just one of their last six away games at Turf Moor (W2 D3 L1).

Burnley have conceded a division-high nine headed goals this season, accounting also for a league leading 38% of all goals shipped

Chelsea v Hull (1500)

Chelsea's festive fixture list looked so much a gift that a run of four points from a possible nine has to go down as a mini crisis - if it's anything worse than seven from 12 after this game, we'll have to upgrade it to full-blown. The good news is they're back at home where they've played 12, won 11, drawn one in all competitions this season having averaged well over 2.5 goals per game. They will surely prove much too good for a Hull side without an away win since the opening day of the season and whose last victory of any description came two months and eight games ago against Crystal Palace. Steve Bruce's side have drawn four of these and lost three by just one goal, so there are signs that they're competitive but a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United is probably the best pointer in terms of this game. Their daunting task is made ever so slightly less difficult by the absence of the suspended Cesc Fabregas and it'll be interesting to see if Diego Costa starts for the third time in eight days having played the full 90 minutes against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday. Jose Mourinho praised the Spaniard's work-rate but confirmed that he lacks sharpness as well as confidence and the latter would be a concern for those backing him to score first. Perhaps the returning Eden Hazard, fresh having been given the night off during the week, is a good alternative at twice the price. All seven of his goals this season have been at Stamford Bridge, he's opened the scoring twice in seven home Premier League appearances and did so last time against Spurs. You can back him at 4/1. With Costa's participation let alone confidence in some doubt, I'm drawn towards the Belgian who can cause all sorts of problems for Hull, just as he did when opening the scoring in the reverse fixture last season. Of the various other options, 8/13 about a home win to nil is better value than most 8/13 shots on the coupon. Hull have scored just twice in seven games and John Terry should return for the Blues.

Verdict: Chelsea 3 Hull 0

Opta facts:

Hull City have gone eight Premier League games without a victory (W0 D4 L4).

The Tigers have never won away at Chelsea in any competition (L15 D5 W0).

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 games against Hull City in all competitions (W8 D2), including all six in the Barclays Premier League (W4 D2 L0).

Crystal Palace v Stoke (1500)

A fascinating game in many respects as it challenges Stoke to do what they've failed to so far this season - win back-to-back matches. They've done it before and they'll do it again but there's no denying that Stoke have struggled to match an underdog win with a similar performance when their sights have been lowered. For evidence, note that they won at Manchester City before somehow losing at home to Leicester and this isn't the only such example. Those expecting them to reproduce their first-half fireworks of a week ago - the like of which would surely see Palace struggle - may be in for a shock. Stoke are aware of this - Asmir Begovic has made a point of it and Mark Hughes will know what he has to say - but that alone isn't enough and until they've gone and done it I will adopt a sceptical approach despite their 3-2 victory over Arsenal. Palace, meanwhile, are just about playing well enough to capitalise on any such hangover especially if their mobile attacking unit can click into gear against a close-to-immobile defensive unit. Therein lies the problem, because Palace have not been scoring frequently - their sole goal since they managed three against Liverpool came from the penalty spot while before that it was a Wes Brown own goal which enabled them to get one on the board against Sunderland. Only three of their seven home games have seen fewer than three scored but each has been against bottom-half opposition, and a repeat of last year's 1-0 Palace win in the equivalent fixture is perfectly possible. That said, the player I want to keep a close eye on is Bojan Krkic, who found the net with a delightful finish against the Gunners to take his Stoke tally to two having also scored at Tottenham. The former Barcelona striker is really starting to demonstrate what he's capable of and at around the 3/1 mark is strongly considered to score at any time. So too is Jonathan Walters as he's now scored in four of his last seven Premier League appearances and may be better suited to this particularly test than Krkic, but that concern around Stoke's overall performance level is enough to put me off both.

Verdict: Crystal Palace 1 Stoke 1

Opta facts:

Crystal Palace have won just one of their last nine Premier League matches (W1 D3 L5).

Jonathan Walters has scored four goals from just six shots on target in the Barclays Premier League this season.

Walters has either scored or assisted six goals in his last seven Premier League games for the Potters (four goals, two assists).

Leicester v Manchester City (1500)

If Manchester City's victory over Bayern Munich gave them a much required shot in the arm, their midweek exploits will surely provide a further boost as they set about chasing down Chelsea at the top of the table. Without Sergio Aguero and the suspended Yaya Toure, City did terrifically well to beat Roma and advance to the last 16 of the Champions League and it was a performance which proved - to them as much as us - that while Aguero of course can't return soon enough, for now City will cope without him. That they play bottom-half sides all the way through until January confirms that if they were going to lose their Argentine star, now is the best time. In a perverse way, now might also be the best time for Leicester to host the champions. Pressure is mounting on Nigel Pearson with his side winless in 10 since they saw off Manchester United in that remarkable eight-goal thriller back in September but on this occasion, even their most hopeful of followers will acknowledge that anything but defeat is a bonus. The fact that they did see off United and were competitive for a time against Liverpool a couple of weeks ago also hints that Leicester might be able to raise their game which they'll need to do in order to avoid a ninth defeat in 11. Truth be told I can't see beyond a Manchester City win and will be somewhat surprised if they go off at 2/5, especially if Vincent Kompany returns to the line-up as expected. A below-strength team beat Leicester 3-1 in the League Cup here last season and whoever gets the nod - changes are possible at this time of year particularly given Wednesday's exertions - will surely get the job done. With Yaya Toure having missed the trip to Italy through suspension, 6/4 about him finding the net seems a perfectly fair price. He's scored in three of his last four Premier League games and following a very difficult summer now seems to be getting back to the standards we've come to expect. Given that he's twice opened the scoring of late and takes penalties you should also consider backing him to score first, but such is City's strength in this market we'll take the safer route.

Verdict: Leicester 1 Manchester City 3

Opta facts:

Only one of the last nine meetings between Leicester and Man City in all competitions has ended in a home win (HW1 D3 AW5).

Manchester City have lost none of their last eight visits to Leicester City in all competitions (W4 D4).

Yaya Toure has now scored in three of his last four Premier League appearances for Man City – this after scoring just one goal in his previous 11.

Sunderland v West Ham (1500)

High-flying West Ham make the long trip north to Sunderland with their sights set on third place, which is where they'll end the weekend if they win and Manchester United then fail to on Sunday. At 22/1 for a top-four finish, bookmakers aren't expecting the Hammers' run to last but it took them well in to February to reach 27 points last season and their progress has been quite remarkable. Sunderland finished one place and two points behind the Sam Allardyce's side last term but the momentum they built towards the end of the campaign has just about gone, with the loss of Fabio Borini in particular hitting them hard. Gus Poyet's men have drawn with Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton of late but they've won just once at home all season and need to start turning hard work into three points. Speaking of draws, their tally of nine from 16 games is three more than Burnley and Everton, who are second in the stalemates table with six, and that immediately draws the eye to the 23/10 quoted about another one here. West Ham have shared the spoils on three occasions, all of which gave been against sides of Sunderland's ilk, and there has been at least one draw between these sides in each of the last two seasons. That goal problem Sunderland have is relevant because five of their nine draws have been 0-0, and West Ham will be hard to keep out having found the net 26 times in 16 games - more than Arsenal, Manchester United...everyone bar City and Chelsea, in fact. But on balance, the Black Cats have shown how difficult they are to beat so my token vote here would be for the spoils to be shared, especially with Mark Noble absent for the visitors. All things considered though I'm happy to search elsewhere for value as we find out whether West Ham are up to winning four Premier League games in a row.

Verdict: Sunderland 0 West Ham 0

Opta facts:

Adam Johnson has netted in two of his three Premier League appearances for Sunderland against West Ham.

Kevin Nolan has scored six Barclays Premier League goals against Sunderland; only against Aston Villa (7) has he netted more often.

The Hammers have failed to score in four of their last six Premier League games against Sunderland.

West Brom v Aston Villa (1500)

Aston Villa are surely a bet here and in terms of straightforward value on the coupon, there may be none better than the 5/2 quoted about an away win. In the most simplistic terms, Paul Lambert's side are in better form and have among their ranks the best player on offer here - Christian Benteke. Villa have gained vital wins at Crystal Palace and against Leicester last time and the return to full fitness of their Belgian striker has been instrumental in this turnaround. Villa have now won three away games this season, all 1-0, and this demonstrates when they're at their most effective. Benteke scored in this fixture the season before last and converted a penalty in the reverse at Villa Park last season, a game Villa won, and West Brom's Chris Brunt has this week told the press how Benteke destroyed his side in that day. As for West Brom, they're winless in five and have big problems in attack. Since Victor Anichebe and Saido Berahino combined for a goal each against Crystal Palace in October, only one goal has been scored by a West Brom player - and that was centre-back Craig Dawson. They again lacked cohesion in attack at Hull last weekend and unless there's a big improvement from at least one of their limited attacking options, it's hard to see where goals are coming from. This opens up opportunities in markets such as first West Brom goalscorer where their defenders along with the likes of Brunt and Graham Dorrans are to be considered, but let's just focus on the value offered about an away win. We've written about Villa's eye-catching away exploits on these pages many times before and while this midlands derby may provide a slightly different set of circumstances, at the odds they have to get the vote. Those who agree that their succession of 1-0 wins on the road are not a coincidence might also want to have a small bet on another at 15/2.

Verdict: West Brom 0 Aston Villa 1

Opta facts:

Joleon Lescott has scored five Barclays Premier League goals against Aston Villa, making them by far his most favoured opponent in the top flight.

Four of the last five Premier League games between Villa and The Baggies have ended as draws with the other match being a Villa victory (4-3).

Overall in 16 Premier League meetings with their local rivals, Aston Villa have won six and lost just two times.

Arsenal v Newcastle (1730)

Arsenal host Newcastle in Saturday night's live game and they'll be happy to be at home again following a long and tiring week. The Gunners came out firing to win 4-1 at Galatasaray on Tuesday but Arsene Wenger would've happily swapped that victory for one at Stoke last Saturday, where his side put in a pathetic first-half display to hand their hosts what would prove to be an unassailable advantage. It'll comfort Wenger, then, that while seven Premier League trips to the Britannia show just one measly win they're bidding for six in a row over Newcastle. Alan Pardew's side have been fantastic over the last 10 weeks and deserved the three points they secured in stopping what had looked a relentless Chelsea charge last Saturday. That win came at a price, however, with Moussa Sissoko picking up another booking which means he incurs a one-match suspension. For evidence of how big a loss he could be, Pardew need only look at the Chelsea side his men managed to conquer, one which didn't feature the outstanding Nemaja Matic. Sissoko's is a different role but he was superb last week, chips in with goals and has quickly become one of his manager's most influential and reliable performers. In addition, captain Fabricio Coloccini is considered doubtful while young Jak Alnwick will be in goal unless another option arrives courtesy of an emergency loan. Alnwick did well last week and may have been forced to deal with more balls into the box over the final 15 minutes as he will in 90 at the Emirates, but will he be able to command a defence which will be pulled one way and then the other by the returning Alexis Sanchez? Certainly, the team news makes better reading for backers of the home side particularly if Laurent Koscielny - whose absence was so obvious last Saturday - makes his return. The French centre back combines well with Per Mertesacker and is very much the key man in a defensive unit which again includes former Newcastle full-back Mathieu Debuchy, who made his return from injury during the midweek Champions League tie. All this does is helps to justify 4/9 quotes about Arsenal and while not a price to set the pulse racing, I would expect them to oblige. Should they be so much bigger than Chelsea, who are 1/6 to win at home? I'm not sure, albeit it may be the Blues who are marginally the wrong price. I digress but if you're willing to let your accumulator run into Prime Time, I don't expect Arsenal to disappoint you on this occasion. For the purposes of this preview, however, I'm drawn to the 2/1 about Aaron Ramsey finding the net. The Welsh midfielder produces the goal of his life on Turkey and I'm intrigued to see whether his double triggers the type of scoring run which marked him out as one of the stars of last season. Ramsey does tend to score in snatches - he found the net in the first two games of this season and scored in four in a row last term - so having also contributed at Stoke last weekend he looks value to strike again. Wenger seemed very confident that his precautionary withdrawal on Tuesday would prove exactly that and he can take advantage of Newcastle's missing spine.

Verdict: Arsenal 3 Newcastle 0

Opta facts:

Olivier Giroud has netted four goals in four Premier League appearances against the Magpies.

Newcastle United have won just one of the last 14 Barclays Premier League matches against

Arsenal (W1 D5 L8) including losing the last five on the bounce.

Arsenal haven't scored in the first half of any of their last six Premier League matches. The earliest of their last 10 goals was a 60th minute strike.