Sunday 1 January predictions: Premier League and Ligue 1 games are also played on New Year’s Day: Tottenham are on the pitch. Chelsea and PSG
As is tradition on New Year’s Eve, there are two matches in the Premier League: Tottenham-Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest-Chelsea. Antonio Conte’s Spurs have had a good home performance so far this season, with 6 wins, 2 losses and no defeats in the Premier League.
Aston Villa, who have sacked Steven Gerrard and are targeting Unai Emery as their replacement, will instead look to improve on their current poor away record in the league, as they have picked up just 5 points, losing five out of their eight matches.
Chelsea broke their run of three consecutive pre-World Cup defeats by beating Bournemouth 2-0 on the bounce. The Blues now look for continuity as they take on the unassailable Nottingham Forest, who are in the relegation zone but are unbeaten in their last four home games in which they have scored.
Ligue 1 predictions: PSG on the pitch
This Sunday’s big match, however, is played in France, where there is a top-of-the-table clash between PSG and Lens, seven points behind but still second in the Ligue 1 table. The last time the two teams faced each other in Ligue 1 they drew 1-1.
Lens have been infallible at home so far, with eight wins from eight Ligue 1 matches, scoring 18 goals and conceding six. The Giallorossi will try to extend the streak of 13 home games without defeat that began in March 2022 against Clermont. Psg have yet to lose on the road in this league, with seven wins and one draw.
Among Sunday’s other challenges, home wins were within reach for Monaco and Lyon against Brest and Clermont.
Predictions: the Seer’s Choice
- Tottenham win or draw and at least two goals overall in Tottenham-Aston Villa, Premier League, 3pm
Winners
- Tottenham (in Tottenham-Aston Villa, Premier League, 3pm)
- Chelsea (in Nottingham Forest v Chelsea, Premier League, 5.30pm)
Monaco (in Monaco-Brest, Ligue 1, 3pm)
Lyon (in Lyon-Clermont, Ligue 1, 5pm)
Matches of at least three goals in total
- Peterborough-Wycombe, League One, 4pm
- Tottenham-Aston Villa, Premier League, 3pm
- Lyon-Clermont, Ligue 1, 5pm
The matches with at least one goal per team
- Blackpool-Sunderland, Championship, 4pm
- Lens-PSG, Ligue 1, 8:45pm
The “sensational”
Maccabi Haifa winning and at least one goal per team (in Maccabi Haifa-Hapoel Beer Sheva, Israeli Premier League, 7.30pm)