By Robert Wheeler
- League leaders Arsenal are up against Man United
- Relegation dogfight as West Ham faces Everton
- Chelsea plays Liverpool in a mid-table clash
UK – After the drama in the Manchester and North London derbies last weekend, the Premier League sees more old rivals face off in Matchweek 21.
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Arsenal vs Manchester United, Sunday January 22, kick-off 16:30
Both sides were victorious in their respective derby matches last weekend. They are two teams who are back to their best and this fixture feels like an Arsenal against Manchester United game of old, where Roy Keane and Patrick Viera would battle it out in midfield.
The Gunners are five points clear of Manchester City at the moment, so they need to capitalise on their title rivals dropping points recently. The victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend was a massive morale boost and a victory over United would make them clear favourites to win the league.
Mikel Arteta‘s side may have missed out on the signing of Mykhailo Mudryk. However, they should not be too disheartened given the form of their current forwards, particularly Martin Odegaard, who scored a great goal against Spurs, which was his eighth of the season.
United also have a forward with eight goals in Marcus Rashford. The striker was instrumental in the win over City and if they were to beat Arsenal as well, then they could too make a claim for the title. However, the midweek 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace was a slip-up for Eric ten Hag‘s side.
Score prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
West Ham vs Everton, Saturday January 21, kick-off 15:00
West Ham United and Everton are at the joint bottom of the division, both sides lost six-pointers last weekend against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton respectively. They both have a chance to claw their way out of the bottom three again this week but this match is sure to be a tense affair.
Frank Lampard and David Moyes both face their former clubs in desperate need of a victory. Most of the Everton fans’ protests of late have been directed at the board rather than at their manager.
West Ham is reportedly already considering a successor for Moyes and could sack the Scotsman if they are defeated by the Toffees. The Hammers have been boosted this week by the signing of Danny Ings from Aston Villa, but can his goals keep Moyes in his job?
A match at the bottom of the table such as this is often nervous and cagey, Both sides will need a hero who could provide the match-winner. However, you have to scroll down quite far on goalscoring charts to find a player from Everton or West Ham; Demarai Gray and Said Benrahma are joint 56th with three goals each.
Score prediction: West Ham 1-0 Everton
Liverpool vs Chelsea, Saturday January 21, kick-off 12:30
Not many would have expected this game to be a mid-table clash at the start of the season. However, this is where they are due to how poor they have been by their standards this season.
Chelsea has had their fair share of injuries this season, but the club are working hard in the transfer window and have already brought in Mudryk from under Arsenal’s nose.
Graham Potter‘s side got the job done against Crystal Palace last week with a 1-0 win. Liverpool had a nightmare as they were defeated by Brighton 3-0. Jurgen Klopp described the game as the worst of his career. The Reds did manage a 1-0 win over Wolves in the FA Cup in midweek, thanks to a wonder goal from Harvey Elliot.
Questions are being raised as to whether Klopp’s time is up. At his previous two jobs with Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, Klopp spent seven years at each, he has now surpassed this at Liverpool. He is a legend at Liverpool for what he has won for the club but if results do not improve, you cannot see him lasting much longer at the club.
Score prediction: Liverpool 0-1 Chelsea
Last Matchweek’s predictions vs actual results:
| Rob’s prediction | Actual result |
| Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City | Manchester United 2-1 Manchester City |
| Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal | Tottenham 0-2 Arsenal |
| Everton 1-2 Southampton | Everton 1-2 Southampton |
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