EPL Round 18 – Previews

Leicester City vs Crystal Palace

Leicester City open up the Premier League weekend with a home game against Crystal Palace. Manager Claude Puel is turning the heat on the teams above them, as Leicester City have been rising up the table in recent weeks. Crystal Palace will be motivated coming into the game after winning the recent match against Watford. Yet, Roy Hodgson knows that his team are not the best when it comes to travelling and getting away results. This is a huge bonus element for Leicester who are aiming for a fifth consecutive win. The start made by Palace against Watford will have to be avoided at all cost for a positive away result.

Brighton vs Burnley

Brighton may be at home for this game, but they are up against a Burnley outfit that has been creating a lot of raised eyebrows over the last few weeks. After managing to overcome Arsenal into the sixth place, manager Sean Dyche will know that his Burnley team can make up a major impact in the current campaign. Brighton may have lost the recent game against Spurs, but the team came in with a much improved performance. The lack of goals from both teams is likely to cause a draw. There is a higher probability that this match will be dull game with a limited number of goals.

Stoke City vs West Ham

Mark Hughes’ future is now in major doubt with the team once again going through a poor result, although the manager himself will be relatively pleased with the response shown by his players in the midweek match against Burnley. Our game against West Ham is of greater significance with the hammers in and around them in the table. A loss in this game will not only put West Ham closer to Stoke City, but may also put Stoke into relegation battle. David Moyes is finally starting to get some positive results. The win over Chelsea and a draw with Arsenal is a confirmation of the same.

Watford vs Huddersfield Town

The late collapse against Crystal Palace is unlike Watford and Marco Silva was not pleased with the result in the latest league match. The inability of the team to convert the chances is proving catastrophic in certain matches, and they are up against a Huddersfield outfit that has struggled for goals and results. Huddersfield make too many mistakes and it was the reason for their downfall against Chelsea. They are unlikely to make much of an impact in the away game against Watford, who are looking to make a return to winning ways. The absence of Tom Cleverley is a blow for Silva.

Everton vs Swansea City

Sam Allardyce is now starting to work his magic at Goodison Park with the club getting a string of positive results that have lifted them away from the drop zone. Allardyce will continue with the same tactics and style of football that has paid dividends over the last few weeks. Swansea may have suffered a heavy defeat in the midweek against Manchester City, but the team will not be up against opposition like City every week. Swansea will go into the game looking to score goals as this decisive factor has let down the team so far this season. The goals from Wayne Rooney have been a positive for Everton.