Paul Merson's predictions: Wins for Spurs, Man Utd and Arsenal
Saturday 25 November 2017 13:50, UK
Paul Merson is back with another round of his Premier League predictions - how will he get on?
Merse got on just fine last week, with seven correct results, and he's hoping to go even better this week with some vital fixtures up and down the Premier League.
Who is the former Arsenal and England playmaker tipping to win? Read on to find out...
West Ham v Leicester (Friday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7pm)
Massive game, and I'm going for Leicester. I think this is a nightmare game for West Ham. Firstly, they're not playing well, and Leicester are a counter-attacking team.
West Ham have to have a go, and I'm not sure about what David Moyes said about the players after the defeat at Watford.
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He criticised some of them for their performances; you say that to the players in the dressing room, don't come out and say it on your first day! The players won't be happy with that, no way.
If I were a player, I'd be thinking: 'Come on, tell us in the dressing room, don't blame us in public.' I know it was the players' fault, but there's a way of doing it. That was poor in my opinion.
PAUL PREDICTED: 1-3. SCORE: 1-1
Southampton v Everton (Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 12.30pm)
Southampton are hard to watch. Nothing happens! You can sort of see what will happen in the game: they'll have a lot of the ball, passing neat and tidy, but I can't imagine Jordan Pickford having to make four saves.
I think David Unsworth will have the job until the end of the season, and sooner or later the Silva deal will be done and it'll happen in the summer.
I think Everton are writing this season off now, as long as they don't go down. If they bring a manager in now, he'll want £50m or £60m in January.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
Huddersfield v Man City (Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 3.30pm)
Huddersfield play a certain way; they squeeze and play a high tempo, but they can't do that against Man City. City will ping it around them and make chances with every attack.
I like David Wagner, I really do. But now watch him, he will have had eight days after a bit of a hiding against Bournemouth. He has had the time to work with his team and set up completely differently to how they would any other day.
That sort of flexibility, I think, really separates great managers. What will he try to do to stifle this Man City team? Don't go and squeeze them, because City will do what Spurs did, when Huddersfield didn't know what day it was.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-4 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
Crystal Palace v Stoke (Saturday 3pm)
I'm going to for Palace in this one. They've been knocking on the door recently, and have been unlucky. I thought Stoke were quite fortunate on Monday, so I'm going 2-1 to Palace. They're dangerous at set plays.
Palace are edging towards some form. I'm not sure they'll stay up, and I think the way Wilfried Zaha is playing, there could be teams in for him in January. It is a one-man team, no doubt about it. If Zaha plays, they've always got a chance.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
Man Utd v Brighton (Saturday 3pm)
Brighton are doing OK, but I just think Man Utd are a different animal with Paul Pogba back, they're a better team. They looked very good for 60 minutes against Newcastle.
I know they lost in Basel, but I just think Pogba gives them that something more. I think they'll have too much power in midfield for Brighton at Old Trafford.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
Newcastle v Watford (Saturday 3pm)
I fancy Watford to win this. I watched Newcastle v Bournemouth the other week at St James', Bournemouth had some really good chances in that game, and I think Watford are a better side than Bournemouth.
I don't really see much up front for Newcastle, and I'm not sure why Rafa Benitez doesn't play Mitrovic more. He's a presence and can put himself about. I think Dwight Gayle maybe needs someone beside him to bully people, and then hit them with his pace.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Swansea v Bournemouth (Saturday 3pm)
You don't want to be playing Bournemouth at the moment. They've improved massively, and they slaughtered Huddersfield, even with 10 men for a lot of the game.
Swansea have got to come out and play, they have to, and I think Bournemouth will pick them off. More pressure on Paul Clement.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
Tottenham v West Brom (Saturday 3pm)
It was a big result for Spurs in Dortmund. If they had lost, people may have been looking at it thinking: 'Have they hit a brick wall?' So fair play to them.
They always seem to do this, lose a big game and then sneak a win somewhere. They didn't turn up against Arsenal, and admittedly Dortmund aren't the team they were, but they'll be feeling great after coming back from a goal down.
They'll be miles too strong for West Brom.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
Liverpool v Chelsea (Saturday 5.30pm)
I was sitting down with Ian Wright the other day, watching the Sevilla v Liverpool game before The Debate, and I said at half-time it would be 3-3. He said: 'No chance!'
I said: 'Wrighty, they play the same way at 3-0 up and 3-0 down!'
They're still all bombing forward at 3-0, they can't defend, and Sevilla had good chances in the first half.
If both teams play to the best of their ability, Chelsea will win. They have better players: better defenders, and there's not much in it attacking-wise. And Liverpool don't have a Cesc Fabregas to properly hurt you.
I have an inkling this will be a draw at Anfield, however, and that does neither side any favours.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Burnley v Arsenal (Sunday 2pm)
Burnley will cause Arsenal problems, but I'm going for a 3-1 away win. Do Arsenal turn up?
Arsenal surely know they're going to be in a battle, and if they know that they'll win. If they think it's a lovely Sunday afternoon stroll in Burnley, there's only one winner, and that's Burnley.
But if Arsenal match their enthusiasm early on, I can see them winning.
These are the type of games where Arsenal prove themselves. Man City go and wipe the floor with these teams, but you just don't know what will happen with Arsenal.
If Arsene Wenger's side don't turn up, they won't grind out a 1-0 win. It's all about consistency with Arsenal, the magic one. The win over Spurs should change the attitude of some of players, you'd like to think so, but you can't find two games that are more chalk and cheese; home to Tottenham and away at Burnley.
The fans were up for it, under pressure to perform, they rub their faces in it. Now it's Burnley, who won't leave anything on that pitch. Spurs did, big players didn't turn up.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
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