David Moyes takes charge of his first West Ham game while Arsenal host Man Utd and Man City take on Everton on New Year's Day
Wednesday 1 January 2020 16:43, UK
Charlie Nicholas is back with another round of predictions as the Premier League teams play their first games of 2020.
Chelsea still have a decent amount of quality. They walked away from Arsenal chuffed to bits as they never really played well, apart from upping it for the last 20 minutes. Frank Lampard changed it and they pushed and pushed. They are getting good results - even when they played well at Manchester City and lost, the signs were promising.
The way Brighton are performing at home is impressive. We saw a bit of a slip up against Sheffield United, but they went back to basics against Bournemouth and were worthy winners. Brighton will go after it, while Chelsea's youngsters will be tired - they had to put a massive shift in at Arsenal to get the win. Brighton are very good at home, so I cannot separate them.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
I am finding it incredibly tough to work out Burnley. Aston Villa are easy to work out, but what is going on with Burnley? Where are the full-backs? What is their midfield? They are making clumsy mistakes at the back, while giving cheap goals away.
Aston Villa do not have enough. Jack Grealish was saying they will not go down - other than him, who will find something? John McGinn is out for the foreseeable, but Anwar El Ghazi, Jota and Trezeguet have all gone quiet, while Wesley and Jonathan Kodjia don't have enough.
You can see why there are no goals in the team. Conor Hourihane will like replacing McGinn in that role and he does have a goal in him, but they need to find a solution and get the defence sorted. Wesley is OK with his link-up play but is never in those danger areas. For that reason, I have to fancy Burnley. They have to get the full-backs higher up and get the service into the front three. I am expecting Aston Villa to stay in the bottom three.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (15/1 with Sky Bet)
Leicester have such a confidence and authority on the ball against these teams and Newcastle probably deserved something from their match against Everton. Miguel Almiron had two chances in front of the goal that he sliced high, although he was unlucky in hitting the post. There was enough in Newcastle to say there was more of a threat going forward.
Leicester try to pick teams off in games like this. Jonjo Shelvey must get on the ball and dictate these games. Andy Carroll and Joelinton were a handful, but Steve Bruce didn't play them as a pair - Almiron's speed behind them with the flying wing-backs made them look dangerous. Leicester will have too much when they are on the ball and can be dangerous from all areas.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
Super 6: Leicester back in business?
Charlie has opted for a 2-1 Leicester win, with a further 35.2 per cent of Super 6 players hoping for this exact scoreline. With a heap of changes to be made once more by Brendan Rodgers, what score will take your fancy? Play here for free.
Southampton have always had issues at home, although they did get a draw at the weekend against Crystal Palace. Tottenham are still unstable and Jose Mourinho will look at the defence, whether it is Danny Rose in particular or the club that is the issue, as Jan Vertonghen is at left-back and is struggling. Toby Alderweireld has signed a new deal but is struggling, while Serge Aurier makes too many mistakes.
This must give hope for Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond, but whether Southampton can get enough service to them through midfield, I am unsure. Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura have a lot on the counter-attack, but Southampton's confidence must be high and they may play more in line, which means there will be more goals in this one. Mourinho still needs time to fix things.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-2 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
Super 6: Nerves of steel from Tottenham?
A staggering 44.1 per cent of Super 6 players have predicted a 2-1 Tottenham win at St Mary's, but what will you predict with £250k up for grabs? Play for free here.
This is another good game. Watching Wolves on Sunday - other than Man City - they are the best team that has gone to Anfield and taken Liverpool on. They were hard-done-by with the VAR nonsense and there is no doubt they are a cracking side.
Watford have had a massive lift, but they are closing the gap. It was a convincing win at the weekend and you can see all of the players have got a lift from Nigel Pearson. The defence looks more solid, while Nuno Espirito Santo may need to freshen it up a little bit.
Wolves have a massive FA Cup tie coming up, but Watford are definitely on the up too. Wolves are only five points behind Chelsea, and they will continue to impress here.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (17/2 with Sky Bet)
Super 6: Wolves to bounce back?
Despite Watford's impressive start to life under Nigel Pearson, 49 per cent of Super 6 players are expecting Wolves to come away from Vicarage Road with all three points. Who will you side with, as £250k is there for the taking?
Everton are showing some good signs for Carlo Ancelotti. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has found a goalscoring reputation. It was so attack-minded with Theo Walcott and Richarlison alongside Calvert-Lewin, with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies in behind them.
The defence is not the best so they have to be on the front foot, but good luck with that at Manchester City, with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero in attack. Man City are in the mood to get back to second and get the belief back that they can close the gap a little. Ancelotti will change his style to accommodate the game, but this will be a convincing Man City win.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-0 (9/1 with Sky Bet)
It is another good game for Norwich, with another opportunity to earn more points. Crystal Palace are well-drilled and could have won at Southampton. Norwich are vulnerable at the back and vulnerable to the counter-attack, but Onel Hernandez looked lively against Tottenham, and the midfield looked dangerous. I am edging towards Norwich here, and they may start to close the gap to the teams outside the relegation zone.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-2 (28/1 with Sky Bet)
We discussed on Soccer Saturday some time ago about how many points Manuel Pellegrini needed over the festive period, but it never really mattered. I expected them to get something against Leicester with the changes they made, but I am delighted that David Moyes is back in the game.
For what reason he got 18 months I don't know? Is it money, or does he need to prove he can still do it at this level? West Ham fans are not happy, but Moyes needed West Ham to survive when he took over for the first time, first and foremost, and he succeeded in doing that. It is about survival again, they are not going away from the position they are in and will be dragged further into this.
Eddie Howe admitted that it is toughest time he has had since becoming Bournemouth manager. The West Ham players will be lifted. Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Michail Antonio will be looking at Moyes, he will put his arm around them and say that they are better than their position suggests. If he can get something out of Sebastien Haller, Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson, then they have a very promising squad. I am going for West Ham to put Bournemouth in some bother.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
I cannot give up on them, but Arsenal can't buy a win at the moment, although it does seem more promising. There is more fight in there, no confidence, but there is a shape and a tendency to go and try to squeeze the ball. Chelsea are good at keeping it, but they have not quite got the balance of attack right. Mesut Ozil is playing better, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still scoring goals and Bukayo Saka has been class at left-back despite being an attacker. You cannot plan for the Bernd Leno howler, but the defence was better but still vulnerable, as were the midfield protectors.
Man Utd are getting good results, while the counter-attack is so dangerous at the Emirates. I am going to stick with Arsenal, as they can get at the full-backs and defence. It seems more pleasant to watch but the table looks awful for Arsenal.
They need a win and it is not about closing the gap to the top four as that is fantasy for them this year. Mikel Arteta started with a draw and a harsh defeat so it is time for them to get a win. Man Utd will be very dangerous on the counter-attack, but Reiss Nelson has been decent, and Arteta could give Nicolas Pepe a start. He may just be ready to come and do something.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-2 (25/1 with Sky Bet)
Sheffield United tasted their first away defeat of the campaign at Man City. Liverpool know how to get the job done at the moment and Anfield is the place to be. We always mention the front three but the full-backs are such a threat when they get forward and put in some of their deliveries. The signs are promising all over the park, even through midfield and with the rotation. Sheffield United are only a small group and will have tired legs. The high-press takes a lot out of them and it will be more Liverpool ruthlessness here.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)
