Tuesday 27 December’s predictions: Premier League, Championship, Turkish Super Lig and other leagues are on the line
After the traditional Boxing Day, there are two Premier League games on the schedule today. Chelsea’s new manager Graham Potter, in charge since last September in place of the exonerated Tuchel, was in all likelihood looking forward to the autumn World Cup break more than any other coach in the English top flight.
The Londoners ended the first part of the season with three defeats in a row (Brighton, Arsenal and Newcastle), which become four if we also consider the one suffered in the third round of the League Cup against Manchester City. A negative series interrupted only by the success against Dinamo Zagreb on the last day of the Champions League group stage, which came after qualification had already been acquired.
The standings say that the Blues are currently eighth, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham (who, however, have one more game). On the negative side, Chelsea’s goalscoring average is far below what should be the standard for a team aiming to win the title: Chelsea have barely scored 17 goals in 14 games. Victory, therefore, is a must against newly promoted Bournemouth, who – despite the eve’s predictions that they were almost a goner – are currently fourteenth and boast a three-length margin over the third-last.
Premier League and other leagues predictions
Ten Hag’s Manchester United, another coach who has not lived up to the fans’ expectations so far, is also on the pitch. Manchester United, despite an up and down path and a couple of defeats too many, have not lost in the league since last October and are still in the running for fourth place. However, the former Ajax coach is grappling with some not inconsiderable formation problems, especially in defence. Portugal’s Dalot has returned injured from Qatar, Harry Maguire is not at his best and the two World Cup finalists, Argentina’s Lisandro Martinez and France’s Varane, are still ‘on holiday’.
Luckily for him, today’s opponent is not one of the most complicated: against the Nottingham Forest of the former Lingard, the three points should still come.
Predictions: the Seer’s Choice
- Basaksehir win or draw and at least two goals overall in Basaksehir-Antalyaspor, Super Lig, 3pm
Winners
- Fenerbahce (in Fenerbahce-Hatayspor, Super Lig, 6pm)
- Chelsea (in Chelsea-Bournemouth, Premier League, 6.30pm)
- Manchester United (in Manchester United-Nottingham Forrest, Premier League, 9pm)
The matches with at least three goals in total
- S.Truidense-Zulte-Waregem, Jupiler League, 20:00
- Fenerbahce-Hatayspor, Super Lig, 6pm
- Manchester United-Nottingham Forrest, Premier League, 21:00
The matches with at least one goal per team
- Chelsea-Bournemouth, Premier League, 6.30pm
The sensational
- A tie (in Reading-Swansea, Championship, 6.15pm)
