Premier League matchweek 19: Staff picks and predictions
By Staff
The FanSided soccer staff make their predictions for the weekend’s Premier League games, including Arsenal vs. Liverpool at the Emirates.
The Premier League returns this Friday for matchweek 19, the halfway mark of the season. Manchester City are cruising at the top of the table, but the race for the remainder of the top four spots is getting very interesting.
Two of the teams battling for a Champions League place face off on Friday, as Liverpool travel to the Emirates to play Arsenal. The Reds won the reverse fixture back in August, thrashing the Gunners 4-0.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have had less success against the league’s elite since then, however, losing big to Manchester City and Tottenham and drawing with Manchester United and Chelsea. They’re in a good run of form, however, and haven’t lost in two months.
Arsenal, currently fifth in the table, a point behind Liverpool, are coming off consecutive 1-0 home wins, against Newcastle in the league and West Ham in the League Cup on Tuesday. Arsene Wenger rotated his squad for the cup match, but the Reds may benefit from their extra rest.
The other standout fixtures of matchweek 19 see Everton, rejuvenated since the arrival of Sam Allardyce, host Chelsea at Goodison Park; Burnley look to hold onto sixth place against seventh-place Tottenham; and Manchester United travel to Leicester.
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FanSided’s soccer staff will be competing in a weekly picks league all season. The rules are simple: three points for a correct score, one for a correct result and none for an incorrect result. Here are the picks for matchweek 19:
There’s not much confidence among our writers about the game at the Emirates. Two think Klopp’s side will do the double against Arsenal, one thinks the Gunners will exact revenge and five are sitting on the fence. Here’s how the predictions table stands heading into the weekend’s matches:
