The Barclays Premier League continues on Saturday with six more matches from the top flight as the picture at the bottom of the table continues to become a little clearer.
The title race is on hold until Sunday with neither of the sides involved in action on Saturday but the bottom four are all playing on Saturday and it is a huge day for all of them.
Early game
The early game gets no bigger for Norwich and Sunderland as they go up against each other at Carrow Road. If Sunderland lose this game I think they can say goodbye to the Premier League. They would be seven points adrift of Norwich with just five games left and it would need a monumental turnaround to overcome that gap.
Norwich can play with slightly more freedom, not least because they are at home, but they can’t really afford to lose either because if they do Sunderland will be a point behind with a game in hand so the stakes are massive here.
If I had to bet I would probably side with Norwich but that isn’t with any confidence at all so I’ll take a watching brief on this one.
3pm matches
There is another huge match in the 3pm games as Newcastle hope to keep their chances of survival up when they host a Swansea side who the Toon will hope are already on the beach. It is now or never for Newcastle but I’ve not yet seen anything to suggest they are about to win so I’ll leave that too.
Elsewhere West Brom will be hoping to move up to 11th in the table when they host Watford and a win there could see them do just that while Man Utd host Aston Villa in a match which surely is a penalty kick for the home side. Villa could already be relegated by the time that match kicks off if Norwich have avoided defeat so their efforts might be even less if that is possible. I can’t trust United to cover a big handicap though.
The other match offers some interest as Southampton head to Goodison Park to take on an Everton side who are very goal shy at home. Only Aston Villa have less points at home than Everton this season and that stat alone is alarming. Everton’s four home wins remain against three strugglers and Chelsea.
Southampton are on the upturn again and although they are not coming out publicly and saying it I’m sure they are keeping an eye on the European slots and a win here could really catapult them right into the mix with a month of the season left.
You can get some decent draw cover on Southampton but the form of Everton at home suggests we might not even need it. I’m on the Saints there.
Late game
The game of the day is saved for last as Chelsea host Man City at the Bridge. Chelsea have shown us recently with just one win in six that they are on their holidays already. City should be buzzing after their midweek heroics and if they’re up for this they should win it but whether they will be up for it after a mentally draining exertion remains to be seen.
There is just a bit too much guesswork involved in this one so I’ll keep my money in my pocket but if City show bright signs early on they could be worth backing in-running.
Tips
Back Southampton (-0.25AH) to beat Everton for a 4/10 stake at 2.15 with Bet365
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