The Steifmaster WEEK 8 EPL Predictions

The Barclays English Premier League, arguably the world’s most competitive league, resumes this weekend after a two-week international break.

Most of the Premier League stars were in action in the World Cup qualifiers as they tried, some with success and others in failure, to secure a slot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. And while the likes of Steven Gerrard, Juan Mata, Robin Van Persie and Edin Dzeko ensured their national teams will be heading to the fabled home of Samba, others like Tottenham’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, Manchester United duo Javier Hernandez Chicarito and Luis Nani as well as Newcastle’s French stars led by Johan Cabaye will have to wait for the playoffs. The draw for the two-legged playoffs will be conducted in Zurich on October 21. Until then, let’s get back to that one thing that we all missed, the EPL.

 Newcastle 0 4 Liverpool

If you are a Liverpool fanatic, then you know that besides the Merseyside derby against Everton and the rivalry with Manchester United, Liverpool versus Newcastle United is normally one match to look forward to. And there’s a good reason to that. On April 3^rd 1996, the two clubs clashed in a high stakes match at Anfield, one that was decided by a stunning Stan Collymore strike in stoppage time that gave the then Roy Evans’ Liverpool a 4-3 win and left Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan sulking across the advertising hoardings in what is considered as the best Premier League game ever.

 The two teams clash again at St. James’ Park in the early Saturday kickoff. High flying Liverpool have had a close to perfect start to the season with only one loss and a draw blighting their almost 100% start. The return of Luis Suarez has added a frightening attacking verve to the Reds’ frontline and with Daniel Sturridge his striking partner, Liverpool are on song. Brendan Rodgers is currently testing a playing style of three defenders with the fullbacks playing as wingbacks with great success.

With Glen Johnson and Ally Cissokho returning from injury and Daniel Agger, Kolo Toure, Martin Skytel, Jose Enrique and Mamadou Sakho all available for selection, Rodgers has a selection headache at his hands. Never mind midfielder Joe Allen is returning from injury and Lucas Leiva from suspension. With so many good players available and with such a fine start to the season, I don’t see the Magpies picking their 41^st win over Liverpool but rather the Merseysiders picking their 68^th. Liverpool won the corresponding fixture 6-0 last season with Sturridge finding the back of the net twice and I expect the Englishman to put his name on the scoresheet again as they give Alan Pardew’s Newcastle a 4-0 thumping, or more.

Arsenal 2 1 Norwich City

The Gunners could and will find themselves dropping to second position by the time they host Chris Hughton’s Norwich at the Emirates. And that is because should Liverpool avoid defeat at Newcastle in the early kickoff, the Reds will take hold of the top spot until Arsenal get a result against 3^rd from bottom Norwich. Arsene Wenger will finally have an opportunity to play together Mesut Ozil and Santi Carzola who is making a return after a lengthy injury lay-off. Both players are fit but Carzola lacks match fitness which may see Jack Wilshere start instead and the Spaniard join the action much later.

This should be a straightforward win for Arsenal who last lost to the Canaries at the Emirates in 1992. The Gunners perhaps needed the distraction of the international break to regroup after drawing 1-1 against West Brom in their most previous match. They won this corresponding fixture 3-1 in April this year and I expect a repeat of the same scoreline, especially given that Arsenal have kept only one clean sheet thus far.

Manchester United 2 2 Southampton

Chester-born referee Mike Jones will be in charge of this fixture between 4^th placed Manchester United and 9^th-placed Southampton. Oh, wait, it’s 4^th placed Southampton against 9^th-placed Manchester United.

Things couldn’t have been worse for David Moyes’ United than facing the Saints, one of of the in-form teams in the Premier League, and the 3^rd meanest defence in European leagues thus far. The Red Devils labored to a 2-1 win over Sunderland a fortnight ago, teenage sensation Adnan Januzaj netting a jaw dropping brace to salvage United’s face.

I am still not convinced that Moyes is the right man for the United job. He simply doesn’t inspire confidence, not at Old Trafford and more so away. Thanks for nodding to that point. Having said that, I expect the well-drilled Southampton side, led by our very own midfield engine extraordinaire Victor Wanyama, to run the reigning champions rugged. It doesn’t make for a good read, if you are a Saints fan or sympathizer (like me), that they have collected only one point in 14 visits to Old Trafford. But remember that little fact about West Brom having not beaten United for 27 years? Hey Saints, Wanyama, Mauricio Pochettino, I give you at least another point at Old Trafford. You’ll thank me later.

Chelsea 3 0 Cardiff City

You have to go back to 20^th September 1961 for the last top-flight meeting between these two clubs, a match that the Welsh outfit won 3-2. The most recent clash between the two was in the FA Cup in 2010 with Chelsea winning 4-1 at Stamford Bridge. Jose Mourinho’s Blues have won all their three home games this season, and are yet to taste defeat at home in 11 matches. Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds, however, have collected only one victory away from home, a 2-1 win over Fulham in September. This won’t be a spectacular match and I don’t expect Cardiff to pull an upset akin to their 3-2 win over Manchester City earlier in the season.

Chelsea are yet to click into gear and are currently playing the most boring football among the top seven in the Premier League. They are the only team, alongside Stoke City, who are yet to score a league goal through an out and out striker. However, they should, and will, easily take the three points with Oscar and Lampard both on the score sheet as they mark Petr Cech’s 300^th League appearance for the Blues with a comfortable victory.

West Ham 0 2 Manchester City

The English media is awash with praises of three talents in the Premier League right now; Tottenham’s Andros Townsend, Manchester United’s Adnan Januzaj and West Ham’s Ravel Morisson. The latter got tongues wagging with his fine display in West Ham’s 3-0 defeat of Tottenham a fortnight ago. His all-round fine display was capped by a superb individual goal that all but killed Spurs’ unlikely surge to get something out of the game.

The 20-year-old Welsh Under-21 linchpin will have yet another opportunity to prove himself when the Hammers host Manuel Pellegrini’s City at Upton Park in the late kick off. The last meeting between the Londoners and the Eastlands outfit ended in a 2-1 win for City, Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure netting with Andy Carroll scoring the consolation for the Hammers. City’s record away from home is anything but impressive having lost 2 of their 3 away trips. However, they are unbeaten against West Ham in the last 7 matches and being the Premier League’s top scorers, they’ll be looking to extend that run, something am sure they will achieve with Aguero and Negredo both finding the back of the net.

Collated Predictions

Everton 4 0 Hull City

Stoke City 1 2 West Brom

Swansea City 1 1 Sunderland

Aston Villa 2 1 Tottenham

And That’s thesteifmastertake!!