Premier League Matchweek 33 Preview and Prediction
The Premier League season in 2023-24 is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory.
We have a three-way title race, with defending champions Manchester City the team to beat, and Arsenal and Liverpool pushing them until the end. Meanwhile, almost half the division started the campaign with realistic hopes of European qualification.
Matchday 33 will see six fixtures take place on Saturday, with champions Man City among the teams in action as they play at home against Luton Town. There is further title race interest among the three games on Sunday, with Liverpool hosting Crystal Palace and leaders Arsenal taking on Aston Villa, while a match between Chelsea and Everton on Monday will round off the action.
Ahead of what looks set to be another entertaining group of Premier League fixtures, let’s check out our expert-chosen matches preview and prediction.
Bournemouth vs Manchester United Prediction and Preview
UEFA Champions League qualification appears somewhat of a distant hope for Manchester United as they prepare for their south-coast trip to face Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
That battling draw with Jürgen Klopp’s side extended United’s winless run to three games, though they have been ahead in each of those matches. Despite taking the lead, United lost 4-3 to Chelsea in last-gasp chaos after also conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Brentford.
As for the hosts, Bournemouth are 12th after a five-game undefeated streak came to an end in a 2-1 defeat at Luton Town. Marcus Tavernier opened the scoring at Kenilworth Road but Jordan Clark equalised before Carlton Morris delivered a 90th-minute winner for Rob Edwards’ relegation-threatened hosts.
Indeed, the Cherries have scored just once in the opening 45 minutes in their last nine games, and in none of the last five. Bournemouth’s profligacy has not inspired Ryan Christie, whose 33 shots without scoring are the most for a single player in the Premier League this season – ahead of United’s Antony (31).
In terms of team news for the hosts, Iraola will hope to welcome Tyler Adams, Chris Mepham and Antoine Semenyo back to his lineup. However, Tavernier’s hamstring injury means the Bournemouth midfielder will likely join Luis Sinisterra and Ryan Fredericks as long-term absentees.
United have won four of their six Premier League away games against Bournemouth, losing the other two in December 2015 (2-1 loss) and November 2019 (1-0 defeat).
Ten Hag’s side were, however, shocked in a 3-0 home defeat to Iraola’s men in the reverse meeting at Old Trafford this term, as Dominic Solanke, Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi all scored in Manchester.
After that eye-catching victory in December, Bournemouth are looking to complete their first league double over Man Utd in history – and Iraola will fancy his chances against Ten Hag’s consistent underperformers.
Bournemouth have won each of their last three Premier League home games, against Crystal Palace, Everton and Luton, but they’ve never won four in a row at home in the top flight before.
That dominant home form is in stark contrast to the travels of Man Utd, who have conceded in each of their last eight on the road, shipping 17 goals in total. Ten Hag’s side had previously managed four clean sheets and conceded just two goals in six away games prior.
Further illustrating the chaotic nature of the football under Ten Hag, United have gone behind, then taken the lead, before ultimately failing to win their last two league games against Chelsea and Liverpool. Only West Ham in April 2016 have ever done this in three consecutive games in the competition.
PREDICTION: OVER 2.5 GOALS @1.42
Newcastle vs Tottenham Prediction and Preview
Matchday 32 was positive for Tottenham, who took advantage of draws for Aston Villa and Manchester United to seize control of the race for UEFA Champions League qualification. A 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest took them into the top four, and they still have a game in hand over Villa.
Spurs have the chance to consolidate their position when they open Saturday’s Premier League action, returning to the scene of their most humiliating defeat of recent years.
Spurs were thrashed 6-1 by Newcastle United in their final game under Cristian Stellini last April, finding themselves 5-0 down within 21 minutes as they were torn apart by the Magpies. Only Watford against Manchester City in September 2019 (18th minute) have ever found themselves five goals down earlier in a Premier League match.
Tottenham are a different beast under Ange Postecoglou, but with their next four fixtures pitting them against Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, and a clash with Manchester City still to be rearranged, they face a testing run at the business end of the campaign.
Newcastle were targeting Champions League qualification at the start of the season, but now 13 points back from Spurs in eighth, their sights are set on UEFA Europa League football.
Eddie Howe’s men made it three games unbeaten with last week’s hard-fought win over Fulham, leaving the Magpies within two points of the top six after Bruno Guimarães hit the only goal at Craven Cottage.
Newcastle’s clean sheet was their ninth in the Premier League this season, with only leaders Arsenal (14) keeping more.
However, when the Magpies do concede, the floodgates tend to open; they are averaging 1.7 goals conceded per Premier League game this season, having only averaged 0.9 per match last campaign.
Howe’s side remain a force to be reckoned with in attack, though, particularly at St James’ Park. Along with Saturday’s opponents, they are one of two teams to have scored in all their home Premier League games this season, with their current 16-match scoring streak on Tyneside their longest in the competition since an 18-game run between September 2002 and August 2003.
Alexander Isak, who scored twice in this fixture last season, has played a major role on that front, scoring in each of his last five league games at St James’ (six goals in total). The last Newcastle player to net in more successive home league matches was Alan Shearer, who scored in his first 15 upon joining the club from Blackburn Rovers in 1996-97.
Newcastle’s 6-1 rout of Spurs last April came after they had failed to win this fixture in five straight seasons (one draw, four defeats).
They could now win consecutive home league games against Tottenham for the first time since they reeled off four straight wins against them between April 2006 and December 2008.
Tottenham do tend to find the net when they visit Tyneside, scoring on each of their last 17 Premier League trips to Newcastle. It is their longest scoring run on the road against a specific opponent in their league history.
Having won four of their first six away Premier League games under Postecoglou (two draws), Tottenham have only managed two victories in their last nine, drawing four and losing three.
They have only taken one point from their last two away games, a 1-1 draw with West Ham and a 3-0 defeat to Fulham, though they were 4-0 victors against Aston Villa when they last travelled outside London in early March.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are unbeaten in their last five home league games, though Luton Town (4-4), Bournemouth (2-2) and Everton (1-1) have all earned draws at St James’ during that run.
A late penalty from Dominic Calvert-Lewin pegged Newcastle back on their last home outing, and the Magpies have dropped 13 points from winning positions on their own turf in the Premier League this season. Only Brentford (14) have dropped more.
PREDICTION: AWAY WIN OR DRAW @1.43
* Brentford FC vs Sheffield United: Brentford are only four points clear of the drop zone before their pivotal clash at home to another struggling side in Sheffield United. The Bees are winless in their last nine Premier League matches and have lost their last three league meetings with the Blades, including a 1-0 setback in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
Time is running out for Burnley in their battle against relegation as they face Brighton at Turf Moor.
PREDICTION: HOME TO WIN @1.43
* Manchester City vs Luton Town: HOME AND OVER 2.5 @1.30
* Liverpool FC vs Crystal Palace: OVER 2.5 GOALS @1.38
* Arsenal FC vs Aston Villa: OVER 2.5 GOALS @1.47
