Saturday 21 January 2017 17:47, UK
Paul Merson is back to predict the next round of Premier League games, including Arsenal v Burnley, Chelsea v Hull and Manchester City v Tottenham.
It's a Nissan Super Sunday triple header this weekend with Southampton hosting Leicester, Arsenal taking on Burnley and league leaders Chelsea facing Hull, with all three games live on Sky Sports.
Elsewhere, Manchester City take on Tottenham on Saturday in a crucial clash, so read on to see what Soccer Saturday pundit Merson is tipping...
On paper it's an easy game for Chelsea. Like Liverpool and Arsenal I expect a comfortable afternoon for the Blues and that's why it puts so much pressure on Man City's clash with Tottenham. City have to win because I expect Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea to get all three points. If City don't win and all the teams around them do, they'll be cut adrift. Whatever happens, it'll be three points at Stamford Bridge for Antonio Conte's side.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
Just like the Liverpool game, the only thing that can beat Arsenal is their concentration wandering. If Arsene Wenger's side think they can just turn up and win this game there might be a shock. If they go into the game fully focused there is only one winner, and that's Arsenal. Burnley are a completely different animal at Turf Moor but away from home I can't see them troubling the Gunners.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
There's no doubt in my mind that Southampton will have one eye on next week's EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Liverpool. They are 90 minutes away from a cup final at Wembley and they can't help but have an eye on Jurgen Klopp's men. This will be an entertaining game though because I can't see either side sitting back. I'm still going to go for Southampton in this one because I've been very disappointed in Leicester.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
It's a big weekend. If you look at a few of the top teams you'd like to say they've got easy games and they cannot afford to slip up. This is one of them. The only thing that can beat Liverpool here is complacency. We've just seen what Arsenal did to Swansea, who despite losing 4-0 did okay. I just can't see anything other than a very comfortable home win.
PAUL PREDICTED: 3-0
This is a game where both teams have really hit a brick wall. Bournemouth were another side that got knocked out of the FA Cup and it just continues. However, Watford have also been disappointing in recent weeks and I'm backing Eddie Howe's side to bounce back from defeat at Hull to claim a comfortable win.
PAUL PREDICTED: 3-0
Everton thrashed Man City 4-0 but then the week before they went out of the FA Cup at home to Leicester. When you watched Leicester at home to Chelsea you had to wonder how they've beaten anybody. Everton are like a bag of Revels, you just don't know what you're going to get. One minute they are brilliant then the next they are shooting themselves in the foot. Despite Palace's recent problems, Selhurst Park is a difficult place to go, so I'm going for a 1-1 draw.
PAUL PREDICTED: 1-1
For 70 minutes against Palace, West Ham weren't very good. Then they got the first goal and the confidence flooded back into Slaven Bilic's side. However, Boro are very tight at home and don't let in a lot of goals. They are very hard to beat in front of their own fans.
PAUL PREDICTED: 1-0
Stoke had a good result last week but the week before they were losing at home to Wolves in the FA Cup. I have been very surprised with their inconsistency. Manchester United will be very disappointed with the draw against Liverpool. It was a poor penalty to give away at any level of football. I don't like going against Stoke at home but United are still unbeaten and flying along.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
West Brom have gone a little bit off the boil in recent weeks. They went out of the FA Cup which was a disappointing result and then Tottenham absolutely rinsed them last week. It could have been any score and that's not like West Brom. Sunderland, after their disappointing result last week, need a win. They didn't really get going against Stoke and look like a side in trouble.
PAUL PREDICTED: 2-0
Everybody is telling me Tottenham can win the league but if Man City beat them then they are level on points with Mauricio Pochettino's side. It's a must-win game for City. If Pep Guardiola can get a win I think his side are back to being top four material. If they lose though I think they can wave goodbye to the top four. Defeat would knock the stuffing out of them and I don't think these players are up for a top four battle. It's a big, big football match for City. For me, it's cometh the hour cometh the man. Pep's got to put a side out that will produce and win this match and I'm backing him to do it.
PAUL PREDICTED: 2-1
