Sports Blog 15/04/2016: Match Preview – Premier League, Saturday 16th to Sunday 17th April 2016

With a month of the Premier League season left things are beginning to get tense at the top AND bottom of the table.

First up is arguably one of the weekend’s biggest games, a potential 6 pointer between Norwich and Sunderland at 12.45pm on BT Sport 1. With only 4 points separating each side, but with the Black Cats holding onto what could be a crucial game in hand, Saturday’s game will play a huge part in deciding who stays and who goes this season. Wins against West Brom and Newcastle had seen the Canaries climb out of the relegation zone, only for a loss against Crystal Palace last weekend to put place them back in dangerous territory.



Up until last Sunday Sunderland were actually unbeaten in 4 games, a string of draws helping them edge just ahead of bitter rivals (both derby-wise and relegation-wise) Newcastle. Yet a loss against Leicester kept Sunderland on shaky ground, desperate for a win this Saturday to close the gap on Norwich. Frustratingly for Big Sam our traders fancy a vital home win for the Canaries, offering a Norwich/Sunderland Goal Supremacy spread of 0.15-0.35 with a Total Goals spread of 2.35-2.55.

Moving to Saturday afternoon, what once would have been one of the league’s prestige fixtures now has a slightly different tone, as Chelsea host Manchester City at 5.30pm on Sky Sports 1. All good things must come to an end, something Gus Hiddink’s side learnt last weekend; a 15 game unbeaten streak came to a close in Wales, a 1-0 loss to Swansea conjuring memories of the Blues’ disastrous start to the season. The defending champions are now pretty much counting down time until Antonio Conte takes over next season, the volatile Italian having to settle for a purely domestic 2016/17 season.



Whilst City’s showing in the league isn’t quite as bad as Chelsea’s, an in doubt 4th place finish is still nothing to write home about. However, and it’s a pretty damn huge however, the Manchester club do find themselves in their first ever Champions League semi-final (against Real Madrid no less) after beating PSG 3-2 on aggregate. Yet City will need to put that out of their minds if they are to finish in the top 4, needing a win to stave off their United rivals. Whether they can do so, however, is unclear, Spreadex offering a choice Chelsea/Man City Goal Supremacy spread of -0.1-0.1 with a Total Goals spread of 2.65-2.85.

Turning to Sunday and things begin to hot up at the top of the table, with the astonishing Leicester taking on West Ham at 1.30pm on Sky Sports 1. In some kind of footballing miracle Leicester still haven’t slipped up, with 5 games to go and a 7 point lead to protect. Their performances since the start of March haven’t been that convincing, 4 consecutive 1-0 wins sandwiched between a 2-2 draw against West Brom and a 2-0 victory over Sunderland. Yet at this point it doesn’t matter. They are doing what champions need to do to win the title and, with the extra boost of Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante comprising half of the PFA Player of the Year shortlist, Leicester will be looking to keep that unbeaten run up this weekend.



They face a tricky task in taking on West Ham, however. Despite their FA Cup loss to Man United during the week the Hammers remain, after Leicester, one of the most surprising sides of the season, Slaven Bilic and Dmitri Payet (also on the PFA shortlist) likely leading the club to a place in Europe next season. Whilst they would settle for the Europa League West Ham still have a slender chance of making the Champions League, something that would become far less likely with a loss to Leicester. Yet the Foxes are effectively champions elect at this point, our Spreadex traders offering a Leicester/West Ham Goal Supremacy spread of 0.5-0.7 with a Total Goals spread of 2.55-2.75.

Capping off the weekend is one of the lesser London derbies, as Arsenal host Crystal Palace at 4pm on Sky Sports 1. A thrilling 3-3 draw against West Ham last season effectively ended Arsenal’s distant title hopes, leaving them once again with the excitement of Champions League qualification as their main goal. Even that might be tricky if they slip up anymore, with only 2 points separating them and 4th place City.



Not that they should have too many problems against Crystal Palace. Following up last weekend’s win over Norwich (their first league victory of 2016) with a dismal 0-0 draw against Everton Palace remain in miserable form. Yet they still somehow find themselves with an FA Cup semi-final against Watford on the cards next weekend, something Alan Pardew might keep in mind when picking his side ahead of Sunday’s clash. Regardless our traders heavily fancy a home win, offering an Arsenal/Crystal Palace Goal Supremacy spread of 1.5-1.7 alongside a Total Goals spread of 3-3.2.

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