There are just six official matchdays in the Premier League left this season, and plenty of teams have games to catch up on over the next few weeks to ensure that by the time we reach matchday 38, every team will play its final game of the season.
Those catch up games start in earnest this week with a total of six games taking place in midweek this week, all of which have a crucial role to play at both the top and bottom of the league table.
At the top we will see Liverpool and Manchester City in action hoping to take a step closer to a potential Premier League title, while the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will be battling it out for the top four.
However, at the bottom end of the table, we have the likes of Newcastle United, Everton and Burnley all desperate to pick up points.
It all adds up to what could be a crucial week for the teams playing and we are going to take a look at how each game stands up and what the best bets are that you can make on the games, with odds and markets provided by bet365 Sport, although any odds shown may change as we head towards kick off for each game.
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Premier League Midweek Fixtures
Tuesday 19th April
- Liverpool v Manchester United (8pm)
There is perhaps no bigger Premier League rivalry, in terms of intensity, than between these two north west giants. Separated by just 30 miles, the two cities share an intense rivalry and while it is Manchester City challenging Liverpool for the major honours at the moment, the Reds have been huge rivals with United for many years.
At the moment, Liverpool have the upper hand between the teams. They won 4-2 at Old Trafford last season and then thumped United 5-0 away from home earlier on this season, with Mo Salah scoring a hat-trick in the latter game, as well as netting in the first. Diogo Jota also scored in both games.
The Reds also come into the game on the back of a superb FA Cup Semifinal win over Manchester City, while United edged to a nervy win over Norwich City, Cristiano Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick to claim the win after Norwich had come back from 2-0 down to be drawing 2-2 at Old Trafford.
It is going to be interesting to see what team Jurgen Klopp picks for this game given the important games the Reds have coming up (they face Everton at the weekend and then the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Villarreal a few days later). Klopp may rest one or two stars for this game, but he cannot play an under-strength team here.
Nor would he want to the way his team is playing at the moment and as a result, I am backing Liverpool to land a key win here and you can get 6/4 on Liverpool to win to nil in this game with bet365, while Diogo Jota to score at any time is a good even money bet.
Wednesday 20th April
- Chelsea v Arsenal (7.45pm)
Arsenal have won three of the last four games against Chelsea, with Chelsea winning the clash between the two earlier this season, when Arsenal were in the middle of making their poorest start ever to a Premier League campaign.
The Gunners have recovered very well since then but somewhat oddly, come into this game on the back of another blip in form that has seen them lose four of their last five games of late. Something which has concerned manager Mikel Arteta.
In contrast, Chelsea’s poor form seems to be behind them after wins over Madrid and Southampton in their most recent games plus they have their FA Cup Semifinal against Crystal Palace to play just three days before this game.
In terms of current form and the strengths of both teams, you would have to go for Chelsea here, with experience likely to count a great deal in this game. Arsenal though badly need a win to keep up the chase for fourth place, so I think this could be a tricky one and I am going for a draw here which is a 5/2 chance with bet365, plus I like the look of Arsenal to lead at half time and the game to be a draw which in the HT/FT market is a 16/1 chance.
- Everton v Leicester City (7.45pm)
This is a huge game for Everton and their manager Frank Lampard. Two wins in their last two home games against Newcastle and Manchester United are what has kept the Toffees out of the drop zone and they must continue their good home form if they are to avoid the drop.
They face a Leicester City side who have been somewhat inconsistent all season long in the Premier League. Brendan Rodgers must be tearing his hair out with that, but he will be delighted with how they performed in Europe in the week when beating PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in Holland to reach the semifinals of the Europa Conference League.
The Foxes don’t enjoy the best of records against Everton either and the teams drew 1-1 when they met earlier in the season at the King Power Stadium, and this is a huge opportunity for the Toffees to put further daylight between them and Burnley.
However, Leicester are not an easy team to beat if they are on their game, but the question is whether they will be fully focused on this match? I do feel that Everton’s need is greater and that the support the home side will get here will be decisive. So I am backing Everton to win at 11/8 and also Richarlison to score at any time in the game which is a 2/1 chance.
- Newcastle United v Crystal Palace (7.45pm)
After snatching a last gasp win at the weekend against Leicester, while Palace were facing Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final at Wembley, Newcastle’s good home form continued and that victory has significantly eased their relegation worries, especially with Burnley only able to secure a point from their game at West Ham.
Newcastle may not be mathematically safe just yet, but one more win would likely do it and I think they can pick that up here against a Palace side that are going to be a little down after their FA Cup semifinal loss to Chelsea.
There’s no doubt that the new signings Eddie Howe has brought in to the team have had a big impact at the club and Howe has also started to get more from other players at the club too and for the first time in a long time, Newcastle fans have some reason to be optimistic for the future.
Palace are another side on the up, but I can’t see them being able to bounce back from their semi-final loss against Chelsea with a win here and as such, I am taking Newcastle to land the win which is an 11/8 shot with bet365. You can also back a 1-0 win for Newcastle at 7/1.
- Manchester City v Brighton (8pm)
After losing the FA Cup semifinal to Liverpool last weekend, Pep Guardiola will be hoping the players he felt needed to rest against the Reds at the weekend, or who were unable to play due to injury should be back for this home game against Brighton.
Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, who was on the bench at Wembley but did not get on, are two players whom City will be hoping can play, but the likes of Ederson, Gundogan, Rodri and Mahrez could also start.
Brighton come into this game having recorded a very useful win over Tottenham and it is worth noting that only Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool have lost fewer games this season than Graham Potter’s Seagulls.
Brighton also have earned a point at Anfield this season so they won’t be pushovers here and while I fully expect City to land the win and head back to the top of the Premier League table, I don’t expect them to have it all their own way. City are 1/5 for the win in the outright market, but I like the City to win and both teams to score bet more, which is a 2/1 shot.
Thursday 21st April
- Burnley v Southampton (7.45pm)
Burnley earned a creditable draw at West Ham but lost Ashley Westwood to a very nasty injury in that game and although that closed the gap on Everton a little, the Lancastrians need three points in order to close the gap on the teams above them.
Southampton ended a poor run of results with a win over Arsenal at the weekend as their inconsistent season continues. The Saints are a very odd team to judge at times, they can be brilliant one week and absolutely awful the next with seemingly no rhyme or reason as to why.
Burnley will have earmarked this game as a must win one but I think that there’s going to be plenty of fan protests about the Sean Dyche sacking and that may well distract the players from the job at hand on the pitch.
So, I am backing Southampton to clinch the win here with the Saints 6/4 at bet365 to land the victory.
