MORE MISERY FOR MAGPIES MAN CITY TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS HAMMERS IN DIRE STRAITS BAGGIES ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE BLACK CATS CLAWING BACK FAST SAINTS SHOULD PREVAIL HOT PICKS GOALS GALORE, Latest Sports News - The New Paper
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MORE MISERY FOR MAGPIES MAN CITY TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS HAMMERS IN DIRE STRAITS BAGGIES ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE BLACK CATS CLAWING BACK FAST SAINTS SHOULD PREVAIL HOT PICKS GOALS GALORE

Signings won't save Fulham

After so many slip-ups by Man United the past few months, I promised myself I wouldn't bank on them for the rest of the season.

I have to go back on my word this weekend - not because the Red Devils are a changed team, but because their opponents, Fulham, are just downright abysmal.

Watching them in the FA Cup against Sheffield United in midweek, the Fulham players have lost all desire to play.

Fulham have their new signings - Lewis Holtby and Johnny Heitinga - available, but they won't be able to prevent a defeat at Old Trafford. United have Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie fit and raring to go.

A clear victory for the home team.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: Chelsea - W W W D W (3rd); Newcastle - L L W D L(8th).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 130. Chelsea - Won 52 Drew 34 Lost 44.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: Norwich - D L W D L (15th); City - W W W W L (2nd).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 48. Norwich - Won 6 Drew 16 Lost 26.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: Villa - W L D W L (10th); West Ham - L W L D W (18th).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 91. Aston Villa - Won 32 Drew 28 Lost 31.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: Palace -D L W W L (17th); West Brom - W L D L D (16th).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 38. Crystal Palace - Won 10 Drew 12 Lost 16.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: S'land - L W D W W (14th); Hull - L L L L D (13th).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 7. Sunderland - Won 6 Drew 0 Lost 1.

FORM GUIDE & STANDINGS: Saints - L W D D W (9th); Stoke - D L L L W (11th).

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Played 37. Southampton - Won 18 Drew 9 Lost 10.

Gary Lim (The Expert) Chelsea Chelsea H-H 2-0 (5.50)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) Chelsea Chelsea H-H 2-0 (5.50)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Chelsea Chelsea H-H 2-0 (5.50)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Chelsea Chelsea H-H 2-0 (5.50)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Chelsea Chelsea H-H 3-0 (6.50)

Gary Lim (The Expert) Man City Norwich A-A 1-2 (8.50)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) Man City Norwich A-A 0-1 (9.50)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Man City Norwich A-A 1-2 (8.50)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Man City Man City A-A 0-2 (8.00)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Man City Man City A-A 1-3 (9.50)

Gary Lim (The Expert) Aston Villa West Ham H-H 2-1 (7.50)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) Draw West Ham A-D 1-1 (6.50)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Draw West Ham D-D 1-1 (6.50)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Aston Villa West Ham H-H 2-1 (7.50)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Draw West Ham D-D 1-1 (6.50)

Gary Lim (The Expert) Palace West Brom D-H 1-0 (7.50)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) West Brom West Brom A-A 1-2 (9.00)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Palace West Brom D-H 1-0 (7.50)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Palace West Brom H-H 2-1 (8.00)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Palace West Brom D-H 1-0 (7.50)

Gary Lim (The Expert) Sunderland Hull D-H 1-0 (6.50)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) Hull Hull A-A 0-1 (11.00)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Sunderland Hull D-H 1-0 (6.50)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Sunderland Hull H-H 2-1 (7.50)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Sunderland Hull D-H 1-0 (6.50)

Gary Lim (The Expert) Southampton Southampton H-H 2-0 (7.00)

Ali Kasim (The Gambler) Stoke Stoke A-A 1-2 (11.00)

Catherine Robert (The Chick) Southampton Southampton H-H 2-0 (7.00)

Brian Miller (The Veteran) Southampton Stoke H-H 2-1 (7.00)

Richard Lenton (The Stats Man) Southampton Southampton D-H 2-0 (7.00)

Match: 0305

CHELSEA V NEWCASTLE

Team update: Newcastle have beaten Chelsea in three of their last four meetings. It was 2-0 to Newcastle in the reverse fixture. The Magpies won't have the suspended Remy. Cisse has a fitness test lined up. Chelsea's Torres could return from injury.

Match: 0306

NORWICH V MAN CITY

Team update: Man City have scored 28 goals against Norwich in their last five meetings. It was 7-0 at the Etihad in the reverse fixture. The home team must meet Pellegrini's men without Turner and Bennett. City's Nasri is still a month away from full fitness. Garcia could feature.

Match: 0302

ASTON VILLA V

WEST HAM

Team update: It was 0-0 at Upton Park in the reverse fixture. Villa beat the Hammers at their last two home meetings. West Ham must make do without the suspended Carroll, Cole and Diame. Agbonlahor could play a part for Villa.

Match: 0303

CRYSTAL PALACE V WEST BROM

Team update: It was 2-0 to West Brom in the reverse fixture. Nothing much wrong with Palace. They look hale and hearty. West Brom, however, will be without the injured trio of Sessegnon, Anelka and Olsson.

Match: 0307

SUNDERLAND V HULL

Team update: Sunderland have beaten Hull in four of their last five meetings. The Tigers won the reverse fixture 1-0. Hull's McGregor is suspended, but Chester, Dudgeon and Aluko have been passed fit. Sunderland's Cuellar is ready for action.

Match: 0304

SOUTHAMPTON V STOKE CITY

Team update: They shared the points in their last three meetings, with the score 1-1 in the reverse fixture. Southampton will relish the idea of having Ramirez back. The Potters, however, must wait a while longer for Etherington and Huth.

ODDS: 1.20 | 5.10 | 10.001.63 (-1.5) | 2.05 (+1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

ODDS: 8.30 | 4.80 | 1.251.90 (1.5) | 1.75 (-1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

ODDS: 1.90 | 3.30 | 3.353.20 (-1.5) | 1.27 (+1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

ODDS: 2.25 | 3.05 | 2.804.50 (-1.5) | 1.14 (+1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

ODDS: 2.00 | 3.05 | 3.333.60 (-1.5) | 1.22 (+1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

ODDS: 1.50 | 3.60 | 5.402.45 (-1.5) | 1.45 (+1.5) exact
Tipsters 1x2 1/2 HT/FT score

Cottagers will be blown away

Last weekend, we thought Fulham would put up a fight at The Cottage.

It was total chaos.

The Saints walked all over them and Fulham were left reeling.

Now, they must face Manchester United who had their own egos bashed last week.

How not to feel sorry for the Cottagers?

With Man United in the doldrums and David Moyes in the doghouse, you can bet they will come out fighting tomorrow.

Will Fulham be able to cope? I doubt it. The FA Cup loss in midweek would have sapped their spirit and leave them open to a mauling.

Take United on all fronts.

Take Man United on all fronts

Man United need a solid run of results from now until the end of the season to secure Champions League football.

That means that they can't afford many more slip-ups, such as the 2-1 loss to Stoke last week.

There can't be an easier target than Fulham.

The Cottagers have plunged to the foot of the table after four straight league defeats.

They are playing badly, they have not got any confidence, and they seem to dread every kick-off.

This game at Old Trafford will be one-way traffic, in favour of the defending champions, that is.

United will enjoy this like a Sunday high tea session.

BANKER

GOOD BET

Crystal Palace to beat West Brom

Crystal Palace are grinding out results. A tight defence and a good home record have seen them pull away from the drop zone.

Manager Tony Pulis has guided the Eagles to just one loss in their last six Premiership home fixtures. During this spell, they conceded only four goals - the bulk of it came in the 3-0 defeat by Newcastle - and collected four clean sheets.

Meanwhile, West Brom are getting sucked closer and closer to the relegation zone and it's only a matter of time they end up there if they don't improve drastically.

With only one league win since last November, they will be desperate to get a result at Selhurst Park.

Black Cats won't lose another life

Watch out for the swagger when Sunderland stroll onto the pitch tonight.

Not so long ago, they were in 20th spot and rotting in the dungeon.

Hull, their opponents tonight, were ninth and hobnobbing with the better teams.

Now, the Black Cats are 14th and climbing. They're on a good run while Hull's 13th and are in freefall.

They have collected just one point from their last five matches. Then, there's that score to settle.

In their last meeting, Sunderland had two players sent off and The Tigers won 1-0. I see the Black Cats will have their hackles up.

Take them on the 1X2.

Pool can end Gunners' jinx

Liverpool have a poor record against Arsenal at home - no wins in their last six league encounters at Anfield.

To be fair, the Liverpool teams over the past six seasons didn't have the superb Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge partnership leading the line.

Arsenal might be leading the Premiership table, but they will be without Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott.

I thought the Gunners didn't really impress in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

Liverpool spluttered when they drew 1-1 at West Brom last week, but if they play just 80 per cent of how they did in the 4-0 rout of Everton, they will win this one.

LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL

Liverpool have failed to win any of their last six home games against Arsenal in the EPL.

Arsenal are the only side this season to prevent either Luis Suarez or Daniel Sturridge from scoring when the pair have played in tandem but, in a clash between two very attack-minded sides, we may well see plenty of goals.

l Prediction: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2

CHELSEA v NEWCASTLE

Newcastle may have won three of their last four Premier League games against Chelsea, but the Magpies have lost four of their six matches since beating Stoke 5-1 on Boxing Day.

Chelsea are unbeaten in 72 EPL home games under Jose Mourinho and they will surely maintain that run against a team in apparent free-fall.

l Prediction: Chelsea 3 Newcastle 0

CRYSTAL PALACE v WEST BROM

Palace have managed only three goals in their last six EPL games, so don't expect a goal-fest.

The Baggies have kept just a solitary clean sheet in their last 14 matches. One goal could well be enough for manager Tony Pulis to add to his haul of 16 points from 12 games.

l Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 
West Brom 0


ASTON VILLA v WEST HAM

Only Fulham (10) have picked up fewer points at home than Aston Villa (11) this season and Paul Lambert's men may have to settle for a share of the spoils against a Hammers side whose team spirit looks set to drag them to safety.

l Prediction: Aston Villa 1 West Ham 1

NORWICH v MAN CITY

The last six EPL meetings between the two sides have produced no less than 37 goals, with City netting 27 of them.

In the absence of Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure (15), Edin Dzeko (17) and Alvaro Negredo (23) will look to add to their goal tallies.

l Prediction: Norwich 1 Man City 3

SOUTHAMPTON v STOKE

Southampton have won seven and lost just one of their 12 matches against bottom-half opposition.

The return of goalkeeper Artur Boruc from injury has been crucial. Stoke have drawn a blank in six of their last eight on the road, and they'll struggle.

l Prediction: Southampton 2 Stoke 0

SUNDERLAND v HULL

Sunderland have won six of their previous seven encounters against Hull and their recent excellent form - three wins on the bounce and just two defeats in 14 matches - suggests it'll be an unhappy return to the Stadium of Light for Steve Bruce. 
Prediction: Sunderland 1 Hull 0

SWANSEA v CARDIFF

The previous 13 meetings between these two bitter Welsh rivals have ended in draws or a one-goal winning margin, so expect this to be yet another tight affair.

Swansea have won just one of their last 10 in the league but, away from home, Cardiff have garnered just two points from the last 27 available.

l Prediction: Swansea 1 Cardiff 1


TOTTENHAM v EVERTON

Everton have failed to beat any of the top-six sides away from home, and a succession of injuries sees them a little short in key areas.

Spurs are much more of an attacking threat under Tim Sherwood and they may well maintain their average of two goals per game.

l Prediction: Tottenham 2 Everton 1

MAN UNITED v FULHAM

It's difficult to back the champions with much confidence these days. However, Fulham have been so poor this season it's almost inconceivable to think that they can win at Old Trafford.

United have won their previous 11 meetings with the Cottagers at the Theatre of Dreams. Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals in his last seven games against Fulham and could be the standout player again.

l Prediction: Man United 2 Fulham 0

* Catch Richard Lenton on SingTel Football 360 on Saturdays and Sundays on mio 102, and on Game On - a brand new show exclusive to the mio GO App.

THE STATS MAN

RICHARD LENTON

Strike card hits

508

THE EXPERT

GARY

LIM

Strike card hits

572

THE CHICK

CATHERINE ROBERT

Strike card hits

518

THE GAMBLER

ALI

KASIM

Strike card hits

538

THE VETERAN

BRIAN

MILLER

Strike card hits

615

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