Premier League Matchday 22 preview and Prediction

Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal: Prediction and Preview

Having suffered from a Christmas and New Year’s hangover, Arsenal will be looking for another response to make ground on Premier League leaders Liverpool and build upon a crushing victory over Crystal Palace when they visit Nottingham Forest for Tuesday’s clash at the City Ground.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta cut a frustrated figure over the festive period as his side were defeated in back-to-back league games with Fulham and West Ham United, plus their FA Cup third-round elimination against Jürgen Klopp’s Reds. However, the north London club responded with a 5-0 demolition of Palace on Matchday 21, leaving the Gunners level with Aston Villa and Manchester City – the latter who have a game in hand – as the trio trailing top-flight leaders Liverpool by five points heading into Matchday 22.

As for Tuesday’s hosts, Forest’s frustration with the Premier League continues to bubble on, with the City Ground club reportedly expecting a points deduction for financial breaches, while they wrote to the Professional Game Match Officials Board Limited (PGMOL) after Ivan Toney’s free-kick equaliser in a 3-2 loss to Brentford on MD 21.

Toney removed the referee’s vanishing foam and shifted the ball sidewards – into what Forest claim was a more advantageous position – before scoring past Matt Turner, levelling after Danilo’s early opener. Ben Mee then put Thomas Frank’s hosts ahead in the second half before Neal Maupay crashed in the winner after Chris Wood had levelled in the 65th minute.

Arsenal have won five of their last six Premier League games against Forest (L1). Arteta’s men are looking to do the double over them in the competition for just the second time (also 1998-99) after winning 2-1 in August thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, with Taiwo Awoniyi’s scoring a late consolation.

However, Forest have won their last three home games against Arsenal in all competitions, winning FA Cup ties in 2018 (4-2) and 2022 (1-0) before a 1-0 victory in this exact fixture last season when Awoniyi scored to confirm Premier League safety for the hosts and hand the title to Manchester City.

Forest have never won four consecutive home games against Arsenal but the troublesome away form of their visitors may open up an opportunity on Tuesday.

Arsenal have struggled on the road, winning just two of their last seven Premier League away games – against Luton Town and Brentford – despite triumphing in their opening three such top-flight fixtures with Crystal Palace, Everton and Bournemouth this campaign.

The north London club are winless in their last three away league games after losing to Aston Villa and Fulham either side of a draw with Liverpool – they’ve not had a longer winless run under Arteta since his first six such games in charge between December 2019 and June 2020 (D4 L2).

Forest are in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle with a reported points deduction looming, but their last two Premier League wins have been against sides that finished in last season’s top four – beating Newcastle United 3-1 and Manchester United 2-1 – despite winning just two of their previous 36 such games in the competition (D8 L26).

PREDICTION: Arsenal to win @ 1.40

Aston Villa vs Newcastle: Prediction and Preview

Aston Villa remain the unlikely challengers for the Premier League title – or at least UEFA Champions League qualification – as they prepare for Tuesday’s clash at Villa Park against out-of-sorts Newcastle United, who were a similar surprise package last season.

Unai Emery has transformed Villa’s fortunes this term, with his side sitting level on points with Arsenal and Manchester City – the latter of whom have a game in hand – and trailing top-flight leaders Liverpool by five points after Matchday 21.

Watkins has been involved in nine goals in his last eight Premier League home appearances, scoring five and assisting four. His next goal will be his 50th in the Premier League, just the third Villa player to reach the milestone after Gabriel Agbonlahor (74) and Dwight Yorke (60), and the England striker will fancy his chances after scoring twice in this fixture last term.

On the topic of last campaign, Newcastle will likely be looking on with regret after seeing Villa enjoy a similar season to the St. James’ Park side in 2022-23, when the Magpies finished fourth in the league table to secure UEFA Champions League football. That impressive campaign appears somewhat of a distant memory for Eddie Howe, whose 10th-place side have lost their last four league games, against Luton Town, Nottingham Forest, Liverpool and Manchester City.

There may be some Newcastle confidence taken from defeating fierce rivals Sunderland and Fulham in the third and fourth rounds of the FA Cup respectively, though their league form remains a concern. Since beating Manchester United at the start of December, with what was their seventh win in 10 Premier League games, no side has taken fewer points than the Magpies’ three (W1 L6).

Emery’s side have made Villa Park a fortress and their record against Newcastle is also very good. They have gone unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games with the Magpies, winning the last four in a row while keeping a clean sheet each time (W4 D2).

Jacob Ramsey was on the scoresheet along with Ollie Watkins (2) as the Villa Park hosts won 3-0 in this exact fixture last season. In fact, you must go all the way back to September 2013 for the last time Villa lost at home to Newcastle – a 2-1 defeat as Hatem Ben Arfa scored one and assisted another.

Newcastle have not completed a Premier League double over Villa since that same 2013-14 season but have the chance here after winning 5-1 in the first game of 2023-24 at St. James’ Park. Alexander Isak scored twice in the opening-day demolition, with Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson also netting as Moussa Diaby’s 11th-minute equaliser was rendered meaningless.

Newcastle’s hopes of a rare double over Villa appear slim given they have lost each of their last four Premier League games – against Manchester City, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Luton Town – conceding at least three goals in each defeat apart from the Hatters loss.

That run is the Magpies’ longest league losing streak since January 2021 (run of five), while not since December 1965 have they conceded three or more goals in four straight league fixtures – an unwanted record that Howe will desperately hope to avoid.

A turgid spell for Newcastle will likely not improve at Villa Park, however, where Villa have won 16 of their last 17 Premier League home games (D1), since going down 4-2 against Arsenal last February.

PREDICTION: Aston Villa to win or draw @ 1.26

Liverpool vs Chelsea: Prediction and Preview

Sunday was an emotional day as Liverpool played their first game since it was announced that Jürgen Klopp will leave the club at the end of the season, with the German receiving a tremendous reception at Anfield before his side overcame Norwich City 5-2 in the FA Cup fourth round. Klopp has called for Liverpool to “squeeze everything” out of his final months at the helm, and Wednesday’s clash with Chelsea represents a chance for the Reds to maintain their momentum at the Premier League summit.

Klopp’s current win rate of 60.8% is the highest of any Liverpool manager to have overseen 100 or more games, while he is the only Reds boss to win the top flight, European Cup/UEFA Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup. However, the German will be desperate to cap his reign with a second league title, and Liverpool enter Matchday 22 five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, albeit having played a game more

Liverpool received a treble boost on Sunday as Dominik Szoboszlai, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson returned after spells on the sidelines, all appearing from the bench. Klopp is also confident of having midfielder Alexis Mac Allister available after he missed the Norwich win with a slight knock, though the outgoing Liverpool boss remains without Thiago Alcântara, Kostas Tsimikas and Stefan Bajcetic, while Wataru Endo is still at the AFC Asian Cup with Japan.

While Liverpool have done a good job of leading from the front lately, Klopp’s side have shown incredible fight in the face of adversity this season, winning 19 points from losing positions – more than any other Premier League team and a tally they have only bettered in three previous campaigns (22 in 2008-09, 20 in 1993-94 and 20 in 2021-22). Meanwhile, only Aston Villa (three) have dropped fewer points from winning positions than Chelsea in 2023-24 (four, level with Liverpool).

Mauricio Pochettino’s men will also face Liverpool in the EFL Cup final next month after overcoming Middlesbrough in last week’s semi-finals. They followed up a resounding 6-1 win over Michael Carrick’s side by being held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Friday.

In the Premier League, Chelsea finally seem to have discovered some consistency, winning their last three games – as many wins as they managed in their previous 10 (two draws, five defeats). Another victory at Anfield would make Pochettino the first Blues boss to win four straight league games since Thomas Tuchel led them to five victories in a row between January and March 2022.

As for Chelsea’s team news ahead of kick-off, Palmer could be joined by Christopher Nkunku in the visitors’ attack, with the Frenchman back in training after battling a groin injury. Goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, right-back Malo Gusto and midfielder Roméo Lavia are also closing in on returns, but they remain without Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella, while Nicolas Jackson is still away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nobody should be particularly surprised if these two are tough to separate in this Premier League clash on Wednesday, with each of the last seven meetings between them in all competitions finishing level.

It is the longest run of consecutive draws between two top-flight clubs in English football history, and four of the last five have finished goalless (including penalty shootout wins for Liverpool in the 2022 EFL and FA Cup finals). Neutrals will be hoping for more goalmouth action this time around.

We did get a goal at each end when the teams met on Matchday 1 at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea debutant Axel Disasi cancelling out Luis Díaz’s opener.

While Liverpool have only lost one of their last 11 Premier League games against Chelsea (four wins, six draws), they are also winless in their last six versus the Blues (five draws, one defeat). Anfield victories have been a rare occurrence for Chelsea, though, with the Blues only winning two of their last 11 Premier League away games against Liverpool (six draws, three losses) – those triumphs came on successive visits in April 2019 and July 2020.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 22 Premier League games at Anfield since suffering a 2-1 defeat against Leeds United in October 2022. Only Aston Villa (28) have bettered their return of 26 top-flight points won on home soil in 2023-24.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have lost half of their 10 away league games under Pochettino, with four of those defeats coming in their last five games (against Newcastle, Manchester United, Everton and Wolves).

Chelsea do tend to fare well against the Premier League’s best, winning more games against teams starting the day top of the table than any other club in the competition’s history (18). However, they are winless in their last four such games against Liverpool (one draw, three defeats) since beating them 2-0 at Anfield under José Mourinho in April 2014, a game that featured Steven Gerrard’s infamous slip and handed Man City the initiative in the title race.

PREDICTION: Liverpool to win @1.58