United equipped to trouble Liverpool

Hull City new signing Dame N’Doye and Ciaran Clark of Aston Villa compete for the ball during their Premier League clash last month. Photo by AFP

Liverpool 1 Man United 1

I wasn’t satisfied by Liverpool’s fortuitous 1-0 victory over Swansea. Hence, I am one of only a handful of pundits who are going against the tide by tipping Man Utd to leave Anfield with a point. The Red Devils thrive under pressure and are benefitting from the absence of off-form heavyweights Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao and Angel di Maria. Michael Carrick will be key.
Hull City 0 Chelsea 2

Fatigue has been a factor in Chelsea’s stuttering start to 2015. I can thus see an upturn in the champions elects’ form now that they are going to play one game per week for the rest of the season. Hull City are a low scoring team highly dependent on Dame N’doye. Chelsea will emerge tops with something to spare.

Southampton 2 Burnley 0
No team is better organised defensively than Ronald Koeman’s Saints. The manner in which they withstood Chelsea’s barrage last weekend suggests they could yet have a say in the race for Champions League places. Fraser Forster, Sadio Mane and Tobias Albertine will be crucial to their fortunes.

QPR 2 Everton 2
Queens Park Rangers’ loss of the previously respectable home form has rubber-stamped their relegation from the Premier League. They fought manfully against Arsenal and Spurs but fell short, so they will feel Everton’s visit will provide them with a chance to put some points on board. I anticipate a high scoring game with strikers Charlie Austin and Romelu Lukaku thriving.

Stoke 1 Palace 1
The Premiership’s two most physical teams face off when Alan Pardew takes his on-form Crystal Palace side to the Britannia Stadium. Stoke are usually impregnable at their home fortress but I have been impressed by the high energy self application of the Londoners. Wilfred Zaha, Victor Moses, Mame Biram Diouf and Yannick Bolassie will provide the creative spark.

Man City 3 West Brom 1
Four victories in their last 10 Premier League encounters has piled the pressure on Chilean tactician Manuel Pellegrini. The visit of Tony Pulis’ plucky West Brom side provides the champions a chance to put behind their wretched start to the year. The Brummies African brigade: Victor Anichebe, Saido Berahino and Brown Ideye will try and fail to gatecrash the party.

West Ham 2 Sunderland 0
Gustavo Poyet is probably a good coach. Unfortunately, he is yet to master the art of management. By the time he was dismissed, he was a belligerent loner, having lost the confidence of fans, players and the board due to his incessant squabbling. I rate veteran tactician Dick Advocaat, but he will not have time to influence this fixture.

Spurs 3 Leicester 1
Leicester City’s visit provided Spurs with a perfect chance to bounce back from their 0-3 whitewash by a rampant Manchester United last weekend. The Foxes opportunity to stave off the relegation monster was passed up when they failed to get the better of 10-man Hull City last weekend. Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Nacer Chadli will punish the visitors.

Aston Villa 2 Swansea 1
Aston Villa have surprised themselves by the oomph with which they are disposing of opponents. Christian Benteke, Gabriel Agbolanhor, Scot Sinclair and Charles Nzogbia have all responded to coach Tim Sherwood’s legendary motivational skills. Swansea were a tad unlucky to lose at home to Kop and will rue their missed chance.

Newcastle 1 Arsenal 2
Arsenal are on the roll. The Gunners are the most on form team in the division after posting five straight victories. Although the Champions League trip to Monaco was demanding, I think Arsenal still have something left in the tank. The 4-1-4-1 formation Arsene Wenger has adopted has released the team’s creative energy. Fabricio Coloccini’s absence gives them more advantage.