As our dreams simply line up to fade & die without so much as a whimper:PL games for 24 - 26 January.
Posted: 23 Jan 2026, 05:55
Saturday, 24 January 2026 12:30
West Ham United v Sunderland
Venue: The London Stadium
League Positions: 18 v 7
Current Forms: 28 v 30
Do we really need this game? At the London Stadium? Abandon hope (from last week), all who enter here. Sunderland are spluttering a bit and will be looking to get back to winning ways. A game against West Ham is just what the doctor ordered. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Nope, it's just Sullivan sporting an Aldi budget miner's lamp bringing the manager gifts he can't use...again. I'm tempted to be brave and go for a draw, but sadly:
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 14:00
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Venue: Selhurst Park
League Positions: 13 v 6
Current Forms: 4 v 25
Chelsea scraped a win in Europe, which will buoy them coming into this game. Palace seem all over the place, both on & off the pitch and I think Chelsea will (just) have enough to see them off:
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 14:00
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Venue: St James' Park
League Positions: 9 v 3
Current Forms: 23 v 21
The Toon Army thumped PSV earlier, and Villa also won by a less impressive scoreline, albeit away from home, as they find themselves again this weekend. The Villains really need the 3 points to help cement a CL spot next year. Newcastle also desperately need points on the table. A feisty:
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur
Venue: Turf Moor
League Positions: 19 v 14
Current Forms: 20 v 3
After the Lillywhites took out the Germans this week, what better way to ease themselves back into the bread & butter monotony of the Premier League than a trip to Burnley? And I didn't even say "Let's be frank!"........Damn! Damn! Blast & Blinkey-flip. I vow of silence on those words I held for 6 days. Might as well sing it from the rafters now.
Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la
. However, what happens to the table if we lose and Burnley win doesn't bear thinking about. Don't believe that they will win, however, but neither will the mighty, mighty spurs:
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion
Venue: Craven Cottage
League Positions: 11 v 12
Current Forms: 24 v 27
This has so much got "Draw" written all over it, I can't be arsed with adding any more.
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Venue: The Etihad Stadium
League Positions: 2 v 20
Current Forms: 24 v 27
This should will be a fore-gone conclusion, even though Wolves managed 6 goals in their recent FA Cup game. City scored 10 (but got thoroughly rinsed by Manchester United last weekend). Notwithstanding all that twaddle, I really can't see Wolves doing much more than keeping the score reasonably respectable as they play for their pride.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 16:30
Arsenal v Manchester United
Venue: Emirates Stadium
League Positions: 1 v 5
Current Forms: 31 v 21
I think we need Arsenal to lose this one, if only to keep the top of the table (a bit) more interesting. Manchester United will be buzzin' after their last outing, but Arsenal's European away win will not have done them much harm. Current form and home advantage suggests an Arsenal victory, but I'm not so sure:
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 17:30
A. F. C. Bournemouth v Liverpool
Venue: Dean Court
League Positions: 15 v 4
Current Forms: 15 v 23
Looking at the stats, you'd put your house on Liverpool coming away with the spoils here. Might have to be your kid's Wendy House though as Liverpool are still blowing hot and cold, despite the fawning claims in the media. Bournemouth, though, still don't yet seem to enjoying a Cherry mo-jo.
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 25 January 2026 14:00
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
League Positions: 8 v 17
Current Forms: 28 v 14
That result in Europe won't have done Forest's self-belief any favours. Brentford seem to be bubbling along nicely on their way to cementing an upper-mid-table finish.
Prediction: Home Win
Monday, 26 January 2026 20:00
Everton v Leeds United
Venue: The Hill Dickinson Stadium
League Positions: 10 v 16
Current Forms: 21 v 30
Leeds have the better current form but Everton have league position and home advantage to their, err, advantage. Is it too soon to ask that nice Mr. Moyes to do us another favour? Suspect such a request will fall on deaf ears, anyway.
Prediction: Draw
Your very own, personal, copy & paste fixture list, brought to you at no expense whatsoever:
West Ham United v Sunderland -
Crystal Palace v Chelsea -
Newcastle United v Aston Villa -
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur -
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion -
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers -
Arsenal v Manchester United -
A. F. C. Bournemouth v Liverpool -
Brentford v Nottingham Forest -
Everton v Leeds United -
My acca...don't snigger, Pearson.
Manchester City @ Home to Wolverhampton Wanderers 2/11)
Liverpool (Away @ A. F. C. Bournemouth 20/23)
Sunderland (Away @ West Ham United 15/8)
Brentford (@ Home to Nottingham Forest 19/20)
Total stake: £11.00
Potential returns: £62.69
West Ham United v Sunderland
Venue: The London Stadium
League Positions: 18 v 7
Current Forms: 28 v 30
Do we really need this game? At the London Stadium? Abandon hope (from last week), all who enter here. Sunderland are spluttering a bit and will be looking to get back to winning ways. A game against West Ham is just what the doctor ordered. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Nope, it's just Sullivan sporting an Aldi budget miner's lamp bringing the manager gifts he can't use...again. I'm tempted to be brave and go for a draw, but sadly:
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 14:00
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Venue: Selhurst Park
League Positions: 13 v 6
Current Forms: 4 v 25
Chelsea scraped a win in Europe, which will buoy them coming into this game. Palace seem all over the place, both on & off the pitch and I think Chelsea will (just) have enough to see them off:
Prediction: Away Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 14:00
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
Venue: St James' Park
League Positions: 9 v 3
Current Forms: 23 v 21
The Toon Army thumped PSV earlier, and Villa also won by a less impressive scoreline, albeit away from home, as they find themselves again this weekend. The Villains really need the 3 points to help cement a CL spot next year. Newcastle also desperately need points on the table. A feisty:
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur
Venue: Turf Moor
League Positions: 19 v 14
Current Forms: 20 v 3
After the Lillywhites took out the Germans this week, what better way to ease themselves back into the bread & butter monotony of the Premier League than a trip to Burnley? And I didn't even say "Let's be frank!"........Damn! Damn! Blast & Blinkey-flip. I vow of silence on those words I held for 6 days. Might as well sing it from the rafters now.
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion
Venue: Craven Cottage
League Positions: 11 v 12
Current Forms: 24 v 27
This has so much got "Draw" written all over it, I can't be arsed with adding any more.
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 15:00
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Venue: The Etihad Stadium
League Positions: 2 v 20
Current Forms: 24 v 27
This should will be a fore-gone conclusion, even though Wolves managed 6 goals in their recent FA Cup game. City scored 10 (but got thoroughly rinsed by Manchester United last weekend). Notwithstanding all that twaddle, I really can't see Wolves doing much more than keeping the score reasonably respectable as they play for their pride.
Prediction: Home Win
Saturday, 24 January 2026 16:30
Arsenal v Manchester United
Venue: Emirates Stadium
League Positions: 1 v 5
Current Forms: 31 v 21
I think we need Arsenal to lose this one, if only to keep the top of the table (a bit) more interesting. Manchester United will be buzzin' after their last outing, but Arsenal's European away win will not have done them much harm. Current form and home advantage suggests an Arsenal victory, but I'm not so sure:
Prediction: Draw
Saturday, 24 January 2026 17:30
A. F. C. Bournemouth v Liverpool
Venue: Dean Court
League Positions: 15 v 4
Current Forms: 15 v 23
Looking at the stats, you'd put your house on Liverpool coming away with the spoils here. Might have to be your kid's Wendy House though as Liverpool are still blowing hot and cold, despite the fawning claims in the media. Bournemouth, though, still don't yet seem to enjoying a Cherry mo-jo.
Prediction: Away Win
Sunday, 25 January 2026 14:00
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
Venue: Brentford Community Stadium
League Positions: 8 v 17
Current Forms: 28 v 14
That result in Europe won't have done Forest's self-belief any favours. Brentford seem to be bubbling along nicely on their way to cementing an upper-mid-table finish.
Prediction: Home Win
Monday, 26 January 2026 20:00
Everton v Leeds United
Venue: The Hill Dickinson Stadium
League Positions: 10 v 16
Current Forms: 21 v 30
Leeds have the better current form but Everton have league position and home advantage to their, err, advantage. Is it too soon to ask that nice Mr. Moyes to do us another favour? Suspect such a request will fall on deaf ears, anyway.
Prediction: Draw
Your very own, personal, copy & paste fixture list, brought to you at no expense whatsoever:
West Ham United v Sunderland -
Crystal Palace v Chelsea -
Newcastle United v Aston Villa -
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur -
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion -
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers -
Arsenal v Manchester United -
A. F. C. Bournemouth v Liverpool -
Brentford v Nottingham Forest -
Everton v Leeds United -
My acca...don't snigger, Pearson.
Manchester City @ Home to Wolverhampton Wanderers 2/11)
Liverpool (Away @ A. F. C. Bournemouth 20/23)
Sunderland (Away @ West Ham United 15/8)
Brentford (@ Home to Nottingham Forest 19/20)
Total stake: £11.00
Potential returns: £62.69