Premier League picks and previews 2010-11 (Page 35 of 37)

Everton - Birmingham

Everton's last five:
13/02/11     PRL     Bolton Wanderers     2 - 0     Everton
19/02/11     FAC     Chelsea     P 1 - 1 P     Everton
26/02/11     PRL     Everton     2 - 0     Sunderland
01/03/11     FAC     Everton     0 - 1     Reading
05/03/11     PRL     Newcastle United     1 - 2     Everton

Birmingham's last five:
12/02/11     PRL     Birmingham City     1 - 0     Stoke City
15/02/11     PRL     Birmingham City     0 - 2     Newcastle United
19/02/11     FAC     Birmingham City     3 - 0     Sheffield Wedn…
27/02/11     LEC     Arsenal     1 - 2     Birmingham City
05/03/11     PRL     Birmingham City     1 - 3     West Bromwich …

Premier League 19 and 20 March

- Saturday -

Tottenham - West Ham
White Hart Lane
Kick-off: 12.45
This season: West Ham 1 Tottenham 0.
Last season: Tottenham 2 West Ham 0, West Ham 1 Tottenham 2.
Tottenham: 3-2-1
West Ham: 3-2-1
Tottenham (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Gomes, Hutton, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Pienaar, Sandro, Modric, Bale; Van der Vaart; Crouch.
West Ham (Possible, 4-1-4-1): Green; Tomkins, Da Costa, Upson, Bridge; Parker; Piquionne, Hitzlsperger, Noble, Obinna; Cole.
Referee: Mike Dean (Matches 23 R2 Y78).
Tottenham are strong at home and won 2-0 here last season. Spurs should be able to beat the Hammers at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham to win.

Aston Villa - Wolves
Villa Park
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Wolves 1 Aston Villa 2.
Last season: Aston Villa 2 Wolves 2, Wolves 1 Aston Villa 1.
Aston Villa: 2-2-2
Wolves: 2-2-2
Villa (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Friedel; Walker, Cuellar, Baker, Delph; Albrighton, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Downing; A Young, Bent.
Wolves: (Possible, 4-4-1-1): Hennessey; Foley, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Hammill, Milijas, Henry, Jarvis; Ward, Doyle.
Referee: Phil Dowd (Matches 22 R7 Y87).
Aston Villa have been strong against Wolves in recent games and I expect Villa to have a good chance at winning this one at Villa Park.
Aston Villa to win.

Blackburn - Blackpool
Ewood Park
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Blackpool 1 Blackburn 2.
Last season: Not played.
Blackburn: 1-1-4
Blackpool: 1-1-4
Blackburn (Possible, 4-4-2): Robinson; Salgado, Nelsen, Samba, Olsson; Hoilett, Nzonzi, J Jones, Pedersen; Diouf, Roberts.
Blackpool (Possible, 4-3-3): Kingson, Eardley, Cathcart, Evatt, Baptiste; Southern, Adam, Vaughan; Varney, Beattie, Kornilenko.
Referee: Howard Webb (Matches 21 R2 Y67).
Blackburn have been terrible recently, but Blackpool have not been too much stronger. Should be a home win in this one.
Blackburn to win.

Manchester United - Bolton
Old Trafford
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Bolton 2 Manchester United 2.
Last season: Bolton 0 Manchester United 4, Manchester United 2 Bolton 1.
Manchester United: 4-0-2
Bolton: 3-1-2
United (Possible, 4-4-2): Van der Sar; Brown, Evans, Smalling, Evra; Valencia, Obertan, Carrick, Giggs; Rooney, Hernandez.
Bolton (Possible, 4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Cahill, Wheater, Robinson; Elmander, Holden, Muamba, Petrov; K Davies, Sturridge.
Referee: Andre Marriner (Matches 20 R2 Y70).
Manchester United must win this game at home against Bolton in order to stay ahead in the race for the title and they probably will win.
Manchester United to win.

Stoke - Newcastle
Britannia Stadium
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Newcastle 1 Stoke 2.
Last season: Not played.
Stoke: 2-1-3
Newcastle: 1-3-2
Stoke (Possible, 4-4-2): Begovic; Wilson, Shawcross, Huth, Higginbotham; Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Walters, Jones.
Newcastle (Possible, 4-4-2): Harper; S Taylor, Williamson, Coloccini, Jose Enrique; Simpson, Tiote, Nolan, Gutiérrez; Best, Lovenkrands.
Referee: Lee Mason (Matches 16 R3 Y72).
Stoke are very strong at home and they managed to beat the Magpies in their meeting at St James' Park. Stoke should win this one.
Stoke to win.

West Brom - Arsenal
The Hawthorns
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Arsenal 2 West Brom 3.
Last season: Not played.
West Brom: 1-4-1
Arsenal: 4-2-0
WBA (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Carson; Reid, Olsson, Méïté, Shorey; Mulumbu, Scharner, Brunt, Morrison, Thomas; Odemwingie.
Arsenal (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Almunia; Sagna, Koscielny, Squillaci, Clichy; Wilshere, Denilson; Arshavin, Diaby, Nasri; Van Persie.
Referee Stuart Attwell (Matches 10 R2 Y38).
West Brom have failed to impress me recently while Arsenal will be desperate to bounce back from their recent exits from both the Champions League and the FA Cup.
Arsenal to win.

Wigan - Birmingham
DW Stadium
Kick-off: 15.00
This season: Birmingham 0 Wigan 0.
Last season: Birmingham 1 Wigan 0, Wigan 2 Birmingham 3.
Wigan: 1-2-3
Birmingham: 2-1-3
Wigan (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Al Habsi; Lopez, Caldwell, Alcaraz, Figueroa; Watson, Diame; Moses, McCarthy, Cleverley; Rodallega.
Birmingham (Possible, 4-4-2): Foster; Parnaby, Jiranek, Davies, Murphy; Larsson, Ferguson, Mutch, Beausejour; Phillips, Jerome.
Referee: Lee Probert (Matches 18 R5 Y44).
Birmingham have been better than Wigan recently, but I expect a close game between these two, but it should be entertaining.
More than 2.5 goals.

Everton - Fulham
Goodison Park
Kick-off: 17.30
This season: Fulham 0 Everton 0.
Last season: Everton 2 Fulham 1, Fulham 2 Everton 1.
Everton: 3-1-2
Fulham: 2-3-1
Everton (Possible, 4-4-2): Howard; Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Osman, Rodwell, Neville, Arteta; Beckford, Saha.
Fulham (Possible, 4-4-2): Schwarzer; Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido; Duff, Etuhu, Murphy, Dempsey, Dembele, A Johnson.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Matches 12 R2 Y43).
Everton are very strong at home at Goodison Park and I believe they will be able to beat Fulham in this one.
Everton to win.

- Sunday -

Sunderland - Liverpool
Stadium Of Light
Kick-off: 13.30
This season: Liverpool 2 Sunderland 2.
Last season: Liverpool 3 Sunderland 0, Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0.
Sunderland: 0-2-4
Liverpool: 4-1-1
Sunderland (Possible, 4-1-4-1): Mignolet; Ferdinand, Mensah, Bramble, Bardsley; Muntari; Sessegnon, Henderson, Richardson, Malbranque; Gyan.
Liverpool (4-4-2): Reina; Johnson, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Carragher; Meireles, Poulse, Lucas, Maxi; Suarez, Kuyt.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Matches 13 R2 Y37).
Liverpool have impressed recently and I expect them to have a good chance at beating a team that are struggling.
Liverpool to win.

Chelsea - Manchester City
Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 16.00
This season: Manchester City 1 Chelsea 0.
Last season: Chelsea 2 Manchester City 4, Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1.
Chelsea: 4-1-1
Manchester City: 2-2-2
Chelsea (Possible, 4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Anelka, Torres, Malouda.
City (4-2-3-1): Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov; De Jong, Barry; Tévez, Y Toure, Silva; Dzeko.
Referee Chris Foy (Matches 21 R1 Y47).
Chelsea have been very strong recently, but they have struggled in their recent meetings with Manchester City. Could be a close one.
Less than 2.5 goals.

Here is the BBC's Mark Lawrenson's predictions for the Premier League fixtures this weekend:

Premier League 19 and 20 March

Tottenham - West Ham
Prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa - Wolves
Prediction: 2-0

Blackburn - Blackpool
Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United - Bolton
Prediction: 2-0

Stoke - Newcastle
Prediction: 2-1

West Brom - Arsenal
Prediction: 1-1

Wigan - Birmingham
Prediction: 0-0

Everton - Fulham
Prediction: 2-1

Sunderland - Liverpool
Prediction: 2-1

Chelsea - Manchester City
Prediction: 1-1

Aston Villa - Wolves

Aston Villa

Suspended: Clark (two matches)
Injured: Collins & L Young (both calf), Dunne (shoulder)

Wolves

Doubtful: Guedioura (fitness)
Injured: Edwards & Zubar (both back), Hunt (calf)

Facts from the BBC:

Villa are unbeaten in their last 17 league and cup matches against Wolves (W13, D4) since a 3-1 home defeat on 10 March 1980.

Wolves have conceded in each of their last 11 league visits to Villa Park since 1963.

Gerard Houllier's first league game in charge of Villa was a 2-1 victory at Wolves in September. Villa have only won five of their subsequent 23 league matches.

These two clubs met on the opening day of the inaugural Football League season in 1888. That game ended 1-1 at Molineux.