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Match Preview : Sunderland vs Watford

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After a good run of form, Sunderland have lost back-to-back Premier League games and foot the table once more. They are currently four points behind 17th-placed Middlesbrough and need a win here to improve their chances of pulling away from the bottom three.

Watford have now won only two of their last six Premier League matches and have failed to win in four on the road.

They secured a win at Sunderland in this fixture last season, though had lost their three previous league visits to the Stadium of Light.

Both teams will look to return to winning ways in what could be a cagey affair that may result in a draw. Place your bet on Naijabet.com

Team News

Sunderland – David Moyes is once more without Paddy McNair, Lee Cattermole, Lynden Gooch, Jack Rodwell and Duncan Watmore here.

Match Preview : Middlesbrough vs Swansea

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Middlesbrough are usually hard to break down but they lost 3-0 to Liverpool in midweek, which was only the second time one of their matches has been decided by more than a one-goal margin.

Swansea were thrashed 3-1 by West Brom in midweek as their woes continue. Bob Bradley continues to change the team and a lack of continuity in team selection is surely hindering them in their objective of moving out of the bottom three.

The bottom three are locked in for Christmas so even if Swansea win here they cannot overtake Boro, unless there is an incredible swing in goal difference.

Team News

Middlesbrough – Gaston Ramirez has missed each of Middlesbrough’s last two matches and may not recover from injury in time to face Swansea at home on Saturday. Naijabet.com

George Friend is back in training but hasn’t featured in each of their last five matches and may not feature until after Christmas.

Match Preview : Crystal Palace vs Chelsea

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Crystal Palace have now lost four of their last five home league matches and it doesn’t get any easier as they welcome Chelsea on Saturday. The Eagles are only three points above the bottom three and have lost three of their last four at home to Chelsea.

Chelsea have won 10 league games in a row and have already secured more victories this season than they managed in the whole of last season. They are the team to beat in the Premier League and it’s hard to see where they will next drop points. Naijabet.com

They have only managed 1-0 wins in each of their last two matches, which may be a concern for Antonio Conte, but the run shouldn’t stop here.

Team News

Crystal Palace – Jason Puncheon missed Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Manchester United on Wednesday through suspension and should return to the side here. His return may see Alan Pardew revert to his more usual XI.James Tomkins, Bakary Sako, Pape Soaure, Connor Wickham, Jonathan Benteke and Steve Mandanda are all long-term absentees, while Loic Remy lacks match fitness.

Match Preview : Crystal Palace vs Manchester United

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Manchester United secured back-to-back wins in all competitions for the first time since September when they beat Tottenham 1-0 on Sunday. With other results going in their favour, they are now only six points adrift of fourth place ahead of the midweek fixtures.

Crystal Palace are unbeaten in two matches after their 3-3 draw with Hull on Saturday but are still a long way from securing their Premier League safety. Naijabet.com

Their defending has been abysmal this season and they are only three points above the bottom three. Their last seven league games have seen a staggering five goals a game!

Alan Pardew is potentially now on a defining run in his tenure as Palace boss with matches against United, Chelsea and Arsenal to come in their next four matches. The Eagles have the chance to get some revenge here following their FA Cup final defeat to United in May.

Match Preview : Sunderland vs Chelsea

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Chelsea have won nine league games in a row during a single season for the first time since Jose Mourinho’s first stint as manager at Stamford Bridge.

They were perhaps fortunate to come away with a 1-0 win over West Brom at the weekend but they are still three points clear at the top of the league nonetheless.

Sunderland looked to be on the right track before being thrashed 3-0 away to relegation rivals Swansea on Saturday. David Moyes’ side have still won three of their last five league games but that wasn’t an ideal result ahead of a tough run of fixtures. Naijabet.com

The Black Cats have won each of their last two at home and Moyes will be hoping to draw confidence from the fact they return to home soil for this midweek fixture.

Sunderland are unbeaten in their last two league games against Chelsea but aren’t expected to get anything from this fixture.

Match Preview : Middlesbrough vs Liverpool

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Middlesbrough continue to prove a hard side to break down without proving too much of a threat themselves. Aitor Karanka’s side have only lost by more than a one-goal margin on one occasion all season.

However, they have scored the fewest goals in the Premier League this season (13) and Karanka will need to change that for Boro to boost their chances of survival.

Liverpool only managed to a somewhat surprising 2-2 draw with West Ham at the weekend and are now six points behind league leaders Chelsea. Their vulnerability at the back continues to undermine progress and Jurgen Klopp will need to address that. Place your bet on Naijabet.com

This is the first league meeting between the sides since 2009 when Boro triumphed 2-0 on home soil. In fact, Liverpool have a poor recent record at the Riverside Stadium.

They haven’t won any of the last six matches and have failed to score in five of them! They were different times to this free scoring Liverpool side and it would take a monumental effort from Boro to keep Liverpool out for only the third time this season.

Match Preview : Bournemouth vs Leicester

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A 3-2 loss at Burnley on Saturday means Bournemouth have won just two of their last seven Premier League fixtures. However, they are still six points above the bottom three, so are in no immediate danger of being dragged into the relegation battle.

Leicester’s 4-2 win over Manchester City was their first Premier League victory since mid-October and Claudio Ranieri will look to build on the three points gained to pull away from the relegation zone. Naijabet.com

The Foxes, though, have one of the worst away records in the league, having taken just one point from seven away games this term.

Bournemouth have been strong at home this season and could worsen Leicester’s away woes here.

Team News

Bournemouth – Eddie Howe is without Lewis Cook, Andrew Surman and Junior Stanislas through injury.

Match Preview : Everton vs Arsenal

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Everton’s 3-2 loss at Watford means the Toffees have won just one of their last 10 Premier League fixtures. After a strong start to the season, Koeman’s side are now down in ninth and face an uphill task to return to winning ways against Arsenal.

The Gunners have won their last three league meetings with Everton and are unbeaten away from home in the Premier League this term. Wenger’s team have lost just twice in all competitions this term and will be confident of inflicting further damage upon an underwhelming Toffees outfit.

It may be close, but Arsenal have the means to come away from Goodison Park with all three points. Place your bet on Naijabet.com

Team News

Everton – Arouna Kone will be assessed closer to kick off, but Ronald Koeman is without Muhamed Besic, Matthew Pennington and Yannick Bolasie through injury.

Koeman could make a couple of changes to his XI here.

La Liga Match Preview : Villarreal vs Atletico Madrid

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Villarreal have won just one of their last five La Liga matches, as Fran Escriba’s men go through a little bit of a rough patch of form.

Their confidence should be boosted by progressing to the next stage of the Europa League, however, as a delightful chip on Thursday from Manu Trigueros sealed the Yellow Submarine’s qualification from the group stage.

Atletico have lost two of their last three away trips in La Liga and whimpered their way to a disappointing 1-0 defeat in Bavaria during the week against Bayern.

Team News

Villarreal – Samu Castillejo is sidelined with a hamstring problem, which will see Jonathan Dos Santos and Denis Cheryshev battle it out to start on the right-hand side. Naijabet.com

Mateo Musacchio also tweaked his hamstring on Thursday in the EuropaLeague and may not be risked as a result.

PL Match Preview : Liverpool vs West Ham

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Liverpool were pegged back from 3-1 up to lose 4-3 at Bournemouth last week and Jurgen Klopp will demand a much-improved performance from his players on Sunday. The return of Joel Matip in defence is a huge boost for the Reds.

A 5-1 thumping at the hands of Arsenal last weekend means West Ham have failed to win their last five league games as pressure mounts on Slaven Bilic. They did, however, secure a 3-0 win in this fixture last season and Bilic would love nothing more than a repeat of the victory.

That is unlikely to happen, though, with Liverpool overwhelming favourites to secure the win. Naijabet.com

Team News

Liverpool – Georginio Wijnaldum could come in for Emre Can, with the latter carrying a minor knock and may not be risked.

Joe Gomez and Sheyi Ojo are both available to Jurgen Klopp, though are unlikely to start.