Predictions for the 13th round of the Premier League, November 29-30
Brentford vs Burnley
One of the opening matches of the round may not boast a high-profile billing, but it still appears quite intriguing. Brentford ranks as the sixth-best team in the Premier League based on home match results. The "Bees" have only dropped four points at their home stadium, and those were in encounters with giants – Chelsea (1:1) and Man City (0:1). Burnley, on the other hand, has suffered three consecutive defeats and has fallen into the relegation zone. Their away form is particularly poor, with five losses in six games. Therefore, we are not going to argue with the bookmakers regarding the favorite and expect a victory for the hosts.
Match Prediction for Brentford vs Burnley: Brentford to win
Manchester City vs Leeds
Manchester City is having a terrible end to the autumn, having lost two matches in a row. In the last Premier League round, the "Citizens" had an unsuccessful trip to Newcastle (1:2), and during the week, Pep Guardiola's experiment with the lineup in the Champions League game against Bayer (0:2) did not pay off. Even with rotation, a "dry" defeat at the Etihad is embarrassing. City needs to redeem themselves in front of their fans, and the opponent is perfectly suitable for this. Leeds is experiencing one setback after another, so expecting miracles from them in the blue part of Manchester is unrealistic.
Match Prediction for Manchester City vs Leeds: Manchester City to win with a handicap (-1.5)
Sunderland vs Bournemouth
Here comes one of the most intriguing matches of the 12th round! Direct competitors vying for European competition spots will face off. Interestingly, both teams have stopped winning since the beginning of November. If we recall the last round, the "Black Cats" were thoroughly defeated away by Fulham (1:2), while the "Cherries," despite having total game dominance, barely managed to snatch a draw in their home game against West Ham (2:2). Considering that Sunderland has scored in all home matches since the start of the season, and Bournemouth has conceded at least two goals in four consecutive away games, we can expect both teams to score.
Match Prediction for Sunderland vs Bournemouth: both teams to score (yes)
Everton vs Newcastle
Another battle of table competitors. There are only three points separating Everton and Newcastle. The "Toffees" are higher up, having sensationally defeated Man United (1:0) in the last round, playing almost the entire match at Old Trafford with ten men. The "Magpies" also caused a stir, upsetting another Manchester team, coached by a certain bald genius. However, midweek, Eddie Howe's men failed to secure points in their Champions League away game in Marseille (1:2). Away matches have been Newcastle's Achilles' heel this season (only 1 win out of 8). The team looks significantly weaker in front of opposing fans than at home, while Everton is strong on their home turf. Why the hosts are considered underdogs is utterly unclear.
Match Prediction for Everton vs Newcastle: Everton will not lose
Tottenham vs Fulham
Tottenham face their second consecutive London derby. The Spurs faltered in their previous outing, suffering a heavy 1-4 defeat to Arsenal. On Wednesday, they conceded even more, although they put up a fight in Paris, losing 3-5. This raises serious concerns ahead of their clash with an in-form Fulham. The Cottagers looked impressive in the last round, ending Sunderland's unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win. Moreover, Fulham have a strong head-to-head record against Tottenham, with just one loss in their last five encounters. Thus, the visitors have a solid chance of picking up points.
Match Prediction for Tottenham vs Fulham: Fulham will not lose
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Crystal Palace has been unbeaten for three consecutive rounds and deservedly sits in 5th place in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Manchester United has slowed down, not securing a single victory in November, which has caused them to slip to the middle of the table. After a disgraceful home defeat to Everton (0-1), it's hard to imagine Ruben Amorim's protégés pleasantly surprising at Selhurst Park. It's even harder to believe when you see that the "Red Devils" haven't scored a single goal in the last four head-to-head encounters with the "Eagles". Benjamin Šeško is injured, and his replacement Joshua Zirkzee is ineffective on the field, which raises concerns about the visitors' scoring ability.
Match Prediction for Crystal Palace vs Manchester United: Manchester United's individual total under 1.5 goals
West Ham vs Liverpool
Liverpool is dreadful. It seems it can't get any worse. The "Reds" have suffered three heavy defeats in a row, conceding 3+ goals in three consecutive matches for the first time since 1992. It's foolish to deny that the seat under Arne Slot is starting to wobble. A thrashing by Man City can be explained, but losing heavily to Nottingham and PSV is unacceptable. Despite all this, Liverpool travels to West Ham as the clear favorite. Is it justified? We don't think so. The "Hammers" under Nuno Espírito Santo have started to find their game, earning points in three consecutive rounds. Therefore, we expect intrigue, goals on both sides, and the usual high-scoring nature of their head-to-head battles. An over total has been recorded in the last seven meetings, often with a significant margin.
Prediction for West Ham vs Liverpool: total over 2.5 goals
Nottingham Forest vs Brighton
From Nuno Espírito Santo, we move to his former team, which is also on the rise. Nottingham has a streak of three unbeaten matches in the Premier League, which the "Foresters" intend to extend. What other goals could they have after such a victory over Liverpool? Brighton is also good, but they have earned the lion's share of their points at home, whereas they often look much weaker away from home.less convincingly. Therefore, the pragmatic Sean Dyche and his squad, in our opinion, look more preferable.
Match Prediction for Nottingham Forest vs Brighton: Nottingham Forest will not lose
Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton
Rob Edwards' debut at the helm of Wolverhampton was overshadowed by a defeat to Crystal Palace (0:2). It won't get any easier for the young coach, as in the 12th round his team faces an away game at Villa Park. Unai Emery's side has turned around their poor start to the season and found themselves in the top 4 after the last round. The "Lions" are in excellent form – Donyell Malen and Morgan Rogers are tearing it up in attack, and Emi Martinez is reliable between the posts. We believe Aston Villa will defeat the "Wolves" at home for the third consecutive time.
Match Prediction for Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton: Aston Villa to win
Chelsea vs Arsenal
The best is saved for last! The London derby at Stamford Bridge is a true Premier League classic! Adding spice to the encounter is the fact that both teams are in superb form. During the week, they secured impressive victories in the Champions League, and in the Premier League, they are on long unbeaten runs, sitting at the top of the table. It is worth noting that in 3 of the last 4 matches at Stamford Bridge, the opponents have exchanged goals. Considering Chelsea's quality counter-attacking play and the absence of Gabriel in Arsenal's defense, the likelihood of such a scenario in the upcoming match seems quite high.
