Paul Merson's predictions for Tottenham vs Arsenal, West Ham vs Liverpool and other Premier League GW35 fixtures

Paul Merson
Paul Merson's predictions for Tottenham vs Arsenal, West Ham vs Liverpool and other Premier League GW35 fixtures

The Premier League title race is down to two teams now after Liverpool's damaging 2-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park in midweek. You look at the league table and with goal difference coming into the picture as well, it just looks impossible for Liverpool at the moment.

Manchester City showed once again that they always perform when the pressure is on with a 4-0 win against Brighton, while Arsenal brushed Chelsea aside 5-0 to continue their title challenge.

With the Gunners set to take on Tottenham Hotspur in one of the most important North London derbies of the modern era, which one of these two sides will come out on top?


West Ham United vs Liverpool

Everton FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Everton FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Liverpool will not want their season to fizzle away, but even if they win this game, they won't go top. Things can change so quickly in the Premier League, so they'll just have to keep winning and see what happens.

West Ham have completely gone off the rails in recent weeks and the result of this game will depend on which Liverpool side turns up. As bad as they were against Everton, they were undone by two set pieces and missed loads of chances, which is unlikely to be the case here.

Arne Slot looks like the man they've turned to to succeed Jurgen Klopp and I have to say it's an interesting one. It's all about timing and reports suggest Xabi Alonso was Liverpool's #1 target for the job. However, if the same position had become available last summer, I doubt Alonso would have even been in contention. This is like replacing a Sir Alex Ferguson or an Arsene Wenger, so it's a hard act to follow. I wish Slot all the best and hope he does well.

If Liverpool get in excess of £100m for Mohamed Salah from Saudi, I can't see them turning it down. If he does, Diogo Jota would be their best finisher and he's massively injury-prone, so the new manager will have a handful of big decisions to make when he joins the club.

Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool


Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Luton Town

Wolverhampton Wanderers v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers v AFC Bournemouth - Premier League

Wolves have had five defeats and two draws in their last seven games. They've had a lot of injuries, but that is a dismal run of form. Luton Town were absolutely shocking against Brentford and got ripped to shreds. I watched that game and you can make a case for them not to win another football match this season, that's how bad they were.

Wolves are desperately out of form, but this is the game they can look at to return to winning ways.

Prediction: Wolves 2-1 Luton Town


Fulham vs Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace v West Ham United - Premier League
Crystal Palace v West Ham United - Premier League

As I said last week, Palace's front three is the best in the bottom half of the Premier League standings - they are flying at the moment! Jean-Philippe Mateta is the most improved footballer in England this season, while Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise are complete and utter mavericks who can win any football match on their own!

Both teams will want to go out and play attacking football, so this game could have a handful of goals.

Prediction: Fulham 2-2 Crystal Palace


Newcastle United vs Sheffield United

Crystal Palace v Newcastle United - Premier League
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United - Premier League

Sheffield United have conceded four goals in each of their last two games and got well beaten by Manchester United despite putting up a fight. Newcastle were on the wrong end of a beating by Palace the other day, but they are a good team at home and should get all three points against the basement dwellers.

Prediction: Newcastle United 4-0 Sheffield United


Manchester United vs Burnley

Manchester United v Sheffield United - Premier League
Manchester United v Sheffield United - Premier League

I don't like predicting Manchester United as they are a bag of revels. Burnley will cause them major problems and will definitely score a goal, but they aren't tight enough defensively to get a result at Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford is really struggling and I think this is the first time in his career where the chips are completely against him. He can so easily ask for a transfer, but I think he will play through it and try to get his confidence back.

Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Burnley


Everton vs Brentford

Fulham FC v Everton FC - Premier League
Fulham FC v Everton FC - Premier League

I have all the respect in the world for Everton. They got absolutely pummeled 6-0 by Chelsea the other day but responded with successive 2-0 wins against Nottingham Forest and arch-rivals Liverpool. Hats off to Sean Dyche, his players and the coaching staff for showing up when it mattered most - they are well and truly safe now.

Brentford have turned a corner and are unbeaten in their last five games, so this should be an interesting contest.

Prediction: Everton 1-1 Brentford


Aston Villa vs Chelsea

Sheffield United v Chelsea FC - Premier League
Sheffield United v Chelsea FC - Premier League

I don't see anything but an Aston Villa win and three points here will take them a major step closer to UEFA Champions League football next season. Chelsea were hammered in midweek by Arsenal and I just can't see them putting up a fight even if Cole Palmer returns to the team.

Prediction: Aston Villa 3-1 Chelsea


Bournemouth vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Burnley FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Burnley FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League

I think we get a bit carried away with Brighton - they are not the same team they were last season. Roberto de Zerbi's side haven't won any of their last five Premier League games and got absolutely destroyed by a Manchester City side without Erling Haaland at the Amex Stadium.

I'm going for a 2-0 Bournemouth win and Dominic Solanke to get closer to the Premier League Golden Boot with a goal or two. There are so many surprise names in the top goalscorers charts this season and I genuinely think Solanke can put himself into the thick of it if he scores a couple here.

Prediction: Bournemouth 2-0 Brighton


Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal FC - Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal FC - Premier League

Tottenham have been superb at home this season but if you look at their last ten results - they've faced nine bottom half teams! Manchester City were the only top-half team they faced in that period and they lost that game, so I can't see them getting anything out of this one.

Arsenal are just a better football team, so I'm very bullish on this one. I'll be shocked if the Gunners don't win this one as Spurs can't beat Arsenal at their own game. When Arsenal lost to Aston Villa, they changed their team around by moving Kai Havertz into a midfield role to accommodate Gabriel Jesus, a move which ultimately backfired. In recent weeks, they've gone back to Havertz up front with Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in midfield - that is the team they must retain for the rest of the season!

Prediction: Tottenham 1-3 Arsenal


Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City

Manchester City v Chelsea - Emirates FA Cup Semi Final
Manchester City v Chelsea - Emirates FA Cup Semi Final

The pressure will be on Manchester City if Arsenal win again, but Pep Guardiola and his side are. better team when the pressure is on and they need to produce. There is no team like them in world football - they absolutely blew Brighton away 4-0 without Erling Haaland in what was supposed to be a trick game in the Premier League title race.

Forest are alright at home but they haven't got a result against a top-six side this season, so I can't see anything but a Manchester City win here. Kevin de Bruyne's goal against Brighton was a thing of beauty and here's a stat for you - it was his first-ever headed goal in the Premier League and what a beauty it was!

It's hard to say if Manchester City are a better team without Haaland as he scores bags of goals, but they dominate games a lot more without him, if that makes sense.

With just four games left for the 2023-24 campaign to conclude, I can't see Man City losing another game - I think they will be crowned champions once again.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 0-3 Manchester City

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