Arsenal celebrate a goal during last weekend's 3-0 win at Brighton. Reuters
Arsenal celebrate a goal during last weekend's 3-0 win at Brighton. Reuters
Arsenal celebrate a goal during last weekend's 3-0 win at Brighton. Reuters
Arsenal celebrate a goal during last weekend's 3-0 win at Brighton. Reuters

Premier League predictions: City, Liverpool and Arsenal to win as title race intensifies


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It promises to be another consequential weekend of Premier League action as the 2023/24 season hurtles towards its conclusion.

The three-way title battle continues with Arsenal set for the trickiest assignment of the contenders. Mikel Arteta's side were held 2-2 at home by Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek and now host top-four aspirants Aston Villa in the late game on Sunday.

Title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool seemingly have things a little bit easier, with Pep Guardiola's side hosting Luton Town and Jurgen Klopp's Reds welcoming Crystal Palace to Anfield.

Most of the relegation battlers are in action on Saturday but Everton – deducted a further two points by the Premier League for a second PSR breach – travel to Stamford Bridge to face Mauricio Pochettino's dysfunctional Chelsea on Monday night.

See below for predictions for every Premier League game this weekend.

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur, Saturday 3:30pm UAE

Newcastle stretched their unbeaten run to three matches with a gritty 1-0 win at Fulham last weekend. The Magpies are still a strong proposition on home soil and are unbeaten in five at St James' Park.

Tottenham are also unbeaten in three although they had to ride their luck as they beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at home last Sunday. Ange Postecoglou's side aren't the best travellers, however, and some may have bad memories of this fixture having been hammered 6-1 on Tyneside last season.

Spurs are unlikely to suffer another such humiliation and look good for a point given Newcastle's lengthy list of injuries.

Prediction: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1.

Brentford v Sheffield United, Saturday 6pm

Brentford remain on the fringes of the relegation battle after their winless run extended to nine when they battled to a draw at Aston Villa last weekend.

Like the Bees, Sheffield United looked set for three points last time out but ultimately had to settle for a draw with Chelsea.

The Blades have been more competitive in recent weeks but relegation appears a formality. Brentford will have targeted this fixture as must-win as they look to ease their own fears.

Prediction: Brentford 2 Sheffield United 1.

Burnley v Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday 6pm

After going unbeaten for four league games, Burnley were poor as they were beaten by Everton at Goodison Park.

The Clarets' improved form had been cause for optimism, but Vincent Kompany's team remain on course for relegation back to the Championship.

Brighton, meanwhile, have been mediocre in recent months and have fallen to 10th place in the table. They are due a decent performance and it might just come here against a Burnley side who will leave gaps.

Prediction: Burnley 1 Brighton 2.

Manchester City v Luton Town, Saturday 6pm

Manchester City were impressive as they came from behind to beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last Saturday, before playing out a pulsating 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in midweek.

Pep Guardiola's side remain a point behind league leaders Arsenal and second-placed Liverpool but a win here would crank up the pressure.

Luton, meanwhile, secured a massive win at home to Bournemouth last weekend but will surely be overpowered at the Etihad Stadium.

Prediction: Manchester City 4 Luton Town 1.

Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saturday 6pm

Forest have been showing signs of life and grabbed a big three points against Fulham before giving a decent account of themselves in losing to Spurs.

They remain deep in trouble though and will need to make the most of their home games - starting on Saturday.

Wolves are now without a win in four after a controversial home defeat to West Ham. Forest have some attacking firepower and could edge to a big win here.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2 Wolves 1.

AFC Bournemouth v Manchester United, Saturday 8:30pm

Bournemouth were beaten late in the game at Luton last weekend and will be happy to be back at home where they are typically much stronger.

The Cherries will be delighted to sit clear of relegation trouble and will view this as a bit of a free hit against a vulnerable United side who always allow the opposition chances.

Erik ten Hag's team look set for a disappointing sixth-placed finish, with a spot in the Europa League or Conference League most likely. They have quality in attack but are far too open when they lose possession and at times have a questionable work ethic.

Prediction: Bournemouth 2 Man United 2.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace, Sunday 5pm

Liverpool were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta in the Europa League in midweek. The Serie A side are a quality outfit but to see Klopp's side thrashed at Anfield is still quite jarring. With that result following the draw at Old Trafford last weekend, the Reds could do with a win to get things back on track. Step forward Crystal Palace.

Palace have little to play for, with new coach Oliver Glasner using the remainder of the season to bed his ideas in, including a switch to a 4-3-3. They played well in defeat against Manchester City last time out but it's hard to envisage anything other than a home victory here.

Prediction: Liverpool 2 Crystal Palace 0.

West Ham United v Fulham, Sunday 5pm

West Ham's top scorer Jarrod Bowen looks likely to miss this game as well as their Europa League second leg tie with Bayer Leverkusen. The Hammers were beaten 2-0 by the Bundesliga leaders at the BayArena in midweek.

Fulham looked to be finding some form before they fell to lacklustre defeats against Nottingham Forest and then Newcastle last weekend.

Neither side has been particularly convincing in the Premier League of late, and while West Ham fans will be expecting victory, they might have to settle for a point.

Prediction: West Ham 1 Fulham 1.

Arsenal v Aston Villa, Sunday 7:30pm

Some costly individual errors crept into Arsenal's game in their 2-2 Champions League draw with Bayern Munich which hurt a Gunners team that has looked especially well-drilled in the second half of the campaign.

This looks a tricky test with former boss Unai Emery returning to the Emirates Stadium. Aston Villa beat them at Villa Park before Christmas, but then again, it has been Villa's away form that has held them back at times.

The visitors always look like scoring but they have had some defensive issues of late, conceding three against Brentford last weekend. Arsenal should be able to grind out an important win.

Prediction: Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 1.

Chelsea v Everton, Monday 11pm

Everton are a tough watch. The Toffees have very little creativity in midfield and their wingers are too busy playing full-back to provide any decent service to starved frontman Dominic Calvert-Lewin. That said, they do defend well, with Jarrad Branthwaite emerging as their outstanding player this term. That, along with their prowess at set-pieces, should give them a chance of taking something against a Chelsea team that would be absolutely lost without the outstanding Cole Palmer.

Prediction: Chelsea 1 Everton 1.

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Fight Night

FIGHT NIGHT

Four title fights:

Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event  
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title

Six undercard bouts:

Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio

FINAL RESULT

Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)

Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2

Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

If you go

Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.

Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com

A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Fourth-round clashes for British players

- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)

- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

 

 

Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:

  • Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
  • Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
  • Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic

Power: 169bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh54,500

On sale: now

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana

Stars: 3

'Gold'

Director:Anthony Hayes

Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes

Rating:3/5

Ultra processed foods

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

The%20specs
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Updated: April 12, 2024, 10:53 PM`