Fansided

5 bold Premier League predictions: Arsenal finally lose

By Peter Johnstone

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 2, 2018. - Arsenal won the game 4-2. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates on the pitch after the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 2, 2018. - Arsenal won the game 4-2. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) /
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It’s time for matchweek 17 of the Premier League. There are plenty of exciting games to watch. Here are five bold predictions for all the action.

Matchweek 17 of the Premier League is almost here and there are plenty of exciting matches to look forward to. Liverpool and Manchester United face off in what could be a thrilling encounter at Anfield. Tottenham host Burnley in a top vs. bottom match while Cardiff go to Watford looking to get their first away win.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton host Arsenal, with Unai Emery’s side not having lost in the Premier League since the second week of the season. Marco Silva’s Everton travel to the Etihad to face Manchester City in what should be an exciting encounter full of goals. Here are five bold predictions for all the action.

mohamed salah
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: (THE SUNOUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his third and Liverpool’s fourth goal during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Liverpool FC at Vitality Stadium on December 8, 2018 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) /

5. Liverpool demolish Manchester United at Anfield

Liverpool host Manchester United in what is undeniably the biggest game of the weekend. Normally this game would be a clash between two of the best sides in the league, but this year it’s a matchup between a front-runner and an under-performer.

Liverpool are lighting up the league and their fantastic form sees them going into matchweek 17 unbeaten. Not only is it their best start in club history but they are now the outright leader in the league after Manchester City lost out at Chelsea last weekend.

The Reds were questionable at points last season but this time around it’s very hard to go against them. They’ve brushed aside away matches against the likes of Watford and Bournemouth — places where Manchester United and Arsenal have scraped wins — while not conceding.

They have the third best attack in the league (behind Arsenal and City) but the best defense having only conceded six goals in their opening 16 matches. They’re also beginning to look more and more like the side that blew teams away last season.

All of the above is very bad news for Manchester United fans, who’ve seen their side slump from a team that finished second last season to one that may struggle to even get in the top four in 2018-19.

Liverpool and Manchester United is not a derby but it has the intensity of one and in some ways it has more fire about it because of these teams being two of the best in English soccer history. A win won’t change much in terms of league placing for either side but it would mean a lot more for United than it would for Liverpool.

Jose Mourinho’s side have constantly been criticized this season for lackluster performances but a win in a match like this would give the Portuguese manager some breathing space. Going forward if Mourinho is to keep his job this season, he’s going to have to win much bigger games than this.

The Red Devils look great some games and horrible in others. Defensively they’re poor and going forward they’ve lacked inspiration. That suggests that Liverpool have a great opportunity to beat Manchester United by more than a couple of goals this weekend.

That’s exactly what will happen on Sunday with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and James Milner all finding the net and United struggling to produce anything at the other end.

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