Hull City dropping to Championship

It has been that sort of season for Steve Bruce’s Hull City. In the wake of the Tigers’s defeat to Tottenham last Saturday, Bruce was the first to highlight his lamentable record since leaving his glory days at Old Trafford behind. That has to change this weekend. Without finding that elusive victory against Man Utd tomorrow, Bruce and City will be relegated. PHOTO BY AFP

What you need to know:

Match Forecast. This weekend belongs to home teams. I haven’t called a single away win.

Stoke 2 Liverpool 1
This weekend belongs to home teams. I haven’t called a single away win. Stoke City’s strong head to head record against Liverpool in home matches and the distraction caused by Raheem Sterling’s protracted transfer negotiations have forced me to call another home victory. I didn’t like the look of Liverpool’s back three as they were ran ragged by Palace’s flying wingers.

Chelsea 1 Sunderland 0
Coach Dick Advocaat has heeded his wife’s advise and decided to call it quits after today’s game. Last April, Sunderland ended Jose Mourinho’s long unbeaten home record and held Chelsea 0-0 in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Monday’s 0-3 reverse at the Hawthorns will be added motivation for a side in holiday mood.

C. Palace 1 Swansea 1
Swansea and Palace are two of the most lethal counter-attacking sides. It is the principal reason Palace have the fifth best away record and worst home record. Lethal counter-attacking Swansea pair Bafetimbi Gomis and Gylfi Sigurdsson will be involved in the shoot-out with Palace flying wingers Wilfred Zaha and Yannick Bolassie.

Hull City 1 Man United 1
To stave off relegation, Hull City find themselves with the onerous task of having to beat record champions Manchester United and hope Newcastle are beaten. This is asking too much from a team that hasn’t operated at full throttle all season. Steve Bruce’s Tigers showed good fighting spirit away to Spurs but I can’t see them dislodging the relaxed Red Devils.

Man City 3 Southampton 2
Former champions Man City have so far scored more goals than title holders Chelsea. The Sky Blues also move the ball better, with their approach play more imaginative and dexterious. Unfortunately, they can’t defend. Ronald Koeman’s instructions to Sadio Mane and Graziano Pelle will be to run at hesitant central defenders Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis.

Newcastle 2 West Ham 1
The English Premier League’s most off-form teams clash at St James Park with the hosts desperate for victory. News doing the rounds is that Sam Allardyce will be relieved of his duties on the team bus soon after this humdinger. I find that rude. The feeling of despondency will rub off a West Ham side that played their best football before December.

Leicester 3 QPR 1
Credit to QPR’s hierarchy for handing Chris Ramsey the job on a permanent basis. His task of rebuilding QPR starts now. Veterans Shawn Wright Phillips, Rio Ferdinand, Clint Hill, Richard Dunne and Bobby Zamora as well as imports Mauro Zarate, Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas must leave to allow young, hungrier players to compete.

Everton 2 Tottenham 1
I don’t like the way Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs are approaching games. The ambitious Londoners have registered just one victory out of their last six matches and were unconvincing in the 2-0 win over Hull City. Romelu Lukaku has showed a striker’s appetite for goals in the last few weeks and I think he will prove the difference.

Arsenal 2 West Brom 1
It is a measure of Arsenal’s ambitions that Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out a summer bid for Raheem Sterling. The Gunners have had a second half of the season to remember with 14 victories in 19 matches and I reckon they can overcome Tony Pulis’ stubborn Brummies. Theo Walcott could be handed his first start of the season.

Aston Villa 1 Burnley 0
Tim Sherwood’s Villains took a battering at St Mary’s Stadium in last weekend’s early kick off. It is easy to envisage him asking the FA Cup finalists to come out all guns blazing in order to wipe that defeat out of their system. Villa will win with the correct line up. Christian Benteke plays best with Gabriel Agbonlahor along him.