Sportingbet Australia’s EPL preview of the important games this weekend Manchester United v Chelsea – Old Trafford, Arsenal v Woverhampton Wanderers and Everton v West Ham United .

Manchester United v Chelsea – Old Trafford, Saturday 3 April 2010
Chelsea dismissed talk of a crisis at Stamford Bridge in emphatic style last weekend by dismantling Aston Villa 7-1 and the Blues will therefore head into Saturday’s crunch title clash with Manchester United in buoyant mood. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have also benefitted from not having a Champions League tie to distract them, unlike their opponents who travelled to Bayern Munich in midweek, but the extra preparation time is unlikely to be sufficient for any of the club’s walking wounded to make a return to full fitness. As it stands, the West London side will make the trip north without a host of first-team regulars, including Michael Ballack, Ricardo Carvalho, Jose Bosingwa, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien, although one key figure who will force his way back into the starting eleven is leading scorer Didier Drogba who was rested for the rout of Villa. Victory for the Blues would see them complete the double over their main title rivals, reclaiming top spot in the process and with United having won only two of the last twelve meetings between the two sides, recent history definitely favours the visitors.

Big guns Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand both returned to action for United against Bayern in midweek after being rested for last weekend’s win at Bolton, but Rooney picked up an ankle injury in the 2-1 defeat and is regarded as a major doubt for Saturday. On a more positive note for the Red Devils, they have certainly looked far more secure defensively since Ferdinand resumed his centre-back partnership with Nemanja Vidic and Edwin Van der Saar returned in goal and Sir Alex Ferguson could soon have some additional defensive cover at his disposal with John O’Shea said to be close to recovering from his thigh problem. There should also be a place in the run-on side for tireless midfielder Ji-Sung Park who was an unused substitute against Bolton.

After suggesting that Chelsea would find it hard to break Aston Villa down last time out and then seeing them rattle in seven goals, I’m playing it safe this week and predicting that the top two will fight out a tense draw from which the main benefactors will be third-placed Arsenal.

Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea

 
Arsenal v Woverhampton Wanderers – Emirates Stadium, Saturday 3 April 2010 
While keeping one eye on how the Manchester United – Chelsea clash unfolds at Old Trafford, Arsenal must also ensure that they do not underestimate an improving Wolves side who have picked up eight points from their last four games to move five points clear of the drop zone. Indeed the Gunners may be a touch vulnerable following a bruising encounter at Birmingham last weekend and a testing Champions League Quarter Final tie against Barcelona in midweek. At least boss Arsene Wenger can recall centre-back Thomas Vermaelen who is available once again after serving a one-match suspension, although Andrey Arshavin, William Gallas and Cesc Fabregas are all rated as doubtful after picking up injuries in the draw with Barcelona.
Wolves skipper Jody Craddock, meanwhile, has insisted that two more wins would be enough to secure another season in the top flight for the men from the Black Country and as Arsenal are the only top nine side that they will meet between now and the end of the campaign, there is every chance that Mick McCarthy’s side will indeed avoid making an immediate return to the Championship. McCarthy is unlikely to make too many changes from the side that held Everton to a goalless draw last time out, although Stephen Ward and Adlene Guedioura are both pressing for recalls to the starting line-up. Not since 1979 have the Gunners been beaten at home by Wolves and having lost only twice at home all season, it’s hard to make a case for the visitors picking up so much as a point. Wolves should secure the points that they need to survive with relative ease, but they will have to wait until after Saturday.
 
 Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Wolves
 
 Everton v West Ham United – Goodison Park, Sunday 4 April 2010
 Last weekend’s home defeat at the hands of Stoke prompted under-fire West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola to return to his native Sardinia to consider his future at the club. That reverse against the Potters was the Hammers’ sixth on the bounce, a disastrous run of form that has left them level on points with Hull who presently occupy the third relegation place. Speculation is rife that even if Zola is kept on until the end of the season, a new manager will be installed at Upton Park over the summer, with owner David Sullivan said to have Mark Hughes at the top of his managerial wish-list. West Ham’s players were given three days off this week, unusual preparation for a date at Goodsion Park where they have won just once in their last thirteen visits. There could at least be some good news on the injury front for the struggling Londoners, with Danny Gabbidon now fully recovered from a hamstring injury and pressing for a recall to the starting line-up, along with fellow defender Herita Ilunga. Long-term absentees Zavon Hines and Luis Boa Morte, however, are poised to sit out the remainder of the season.
 
 Spirits are considerably higher at Goodison Park where a run of just one defeat in eight league games has seen Everton climb to eighth place and to within five points of arch-rivals Liverpool. In terms of team news for the Toffees, 15-goal top scorer Louis Saha looks to have shrugged off the hamstring strain that troubled him ahead of last week’s draw with Wolves and is expected to start, while former Arsenal man Philippe Senderos will provide an additional defensive option for boss David Moyes after recovering from the knee injury that he picked up in February’s win over Chelsea. Young striker Dan Gosling, however, will face a late test on his knee problem. Tim Cahill has called on his team-mates to be more clinical in front of goal after they drew a disappointing blank at Wolves last time out and they should certainly create plenty of chances against a West Ham side that have shipped some 15 goals in their last six games.
 
The visitors look to be in freefall at the moment and it’s hard to be bullish about their prospects here. Everton to keep up their late surge for a European place with a comfortable win. 

Prediction: Everton 2-0 West Ham

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmEI0X4x2vA

Sportingbet Australia’s EPL preview of the important games this weekend Manchester City vs Liverpool and West Ham and Hull City.

Manchester City v Liverpool – Eastlands, Sunday 21st February 2010

The battle for 4th place and the Champions League berth that goes with it seems destined to go down to the wire with Manchester City, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa all still very much in the frame. City currently hold 4th, but are only a point clear of Liverpool, who in turn are a point above 6th placed Tottenham whose lead over Aston Villa is also just  a single point. A draw at Eastlands would therefore be the ideal result as far as both Spurs and Villa are concerned and that looks a decent bet with four of the last five clashes between City and Liverpool ending with honours even.

City boss Roberto Mancini could not hide his disappointment after his side laboured to a draw at Stoke in midweek, but the Italian could have a fully fit Stephen Ireland, Craig Bellamy and Vincent Kompany at his disposal on Sunday, with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Martin Petrov also likely to be promoted from the bench to the starting eleven. It remains to be seen whether Carlos Tevez will be available after being granted permission to return to his native Argentina for family reasons earlier in the week.

For all the talk of a crisis at Anfield, meanwhile, Liverpool have only lost one of their last eight Premiership games and could have more grounds for optimism this week with reports suggesting that Fernando Torres may be fit enough for a place on the bench at Eastlands. The 25-year-old Spaniard had been expected to be out for up to six weeks after injuring his knee against Reading, but is poised to return to full training on Thursday. Jamie Carragher, however, is regarded as a major doubt as he battles to overcome a groin strain, fellow defender Glen Johnson is still a month away from full fitness and a paperwork delay means that striker Milan Jovanovic will not complete his move from Standard Liege in time to feature.

Both sides had loftier ambitions than securing fourth place back in August, but now such a finish will make or break their respective seasons and possibly determine the futures of both Mancini and Rafael Benitez. A 2-2 draw was the outcome when City travelled to Anfield back in November and a repeat performance on Sunday looks a strong possibility.

Prediction: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool

West Ham United fans may still have their reservations about new owners David Gold and David Sullivan, but at least results have shown a slight improvement since the former Birmingham City duo arrived at Upton Park and the Hammers have climbed to 14th in the table. They are still just one point clear of the drop zone, however and a victory over fellow strugglers Hull City is vital if they are to continue to ease their relegation fears. Boss Gianfranco Zola clearly felt that it was his strikers who had been letting him down as he snapped up no fewer than three new frontmen during the January transfer window in the form of Benni McCarthy, Ilan and Mido. Unfortunately for the Hammers, McCarthy picked up a knee injury in the defeat at Burnley and remains in doubt for Saturday’s game, along with Kieron Dyer, Danny Gabbidon and Guillermo Franco.

Hull also remain just one point above the bottom three after losing to Blackburn last week, but the Tigers received a boost this week with the news that the red card handed to George Boateng in that defeat at Ewood Park had been overturned on appeal. There is also a slight chance that midfielder Jimmy Bullard will feature at Upton Park after two months on the sidelines with a medial ligament problem and if the former Fulham man can recapture the kind of form he showed before picking up his injury, City’s survival prospects will improve considerably. Defensive duo Andy Dawson and Kevin Kilbane are expected to pass late fitness tests, while highly-rated teenager Tom Cairney could be handed another start in midfield.

Upton Park has not been a happy hunting ground for the Tigers who have won there just once in their last twelve visits and as they are yet to record a single win on the road this season, it’s hard to back them here. West Ham are no great shakes either, but might just have enough quality to secure a narrow, vital victory.

Prediction: West Ham United 2-1 Hull City