Everton v Sunderland
Key Battle: Steven Pienaar’s skill and intricacy will be intriguingly contrasted with Lee Cattermole’s direct running and physicality.
Player to Watch: Stephane Sessegnon has been one of Sunderland’s best players this year and will be a major danger
Talking Point: Two teams whose second halves of the season have been better than the first.
Prediction: 0-0
Newcastle v Bolton
Key Battle: Bolton need the points but Zat Knight will have a tough job trying to resist the power of Demba Ba
Player to Watch: Cheick Tiote has been one of the best players for Newcastle this season and can control the game
Talking Point: Newcastle are going for the Champions League still whilst Bolton battle against the drop – surely only one result here?
Prediction: 3-0
Tottenham v Norwich
Key Battle: Grant Holt will be a testing opponent for Tottenham’s Younes Kaboul on Monday.
Player to Watch: Scott Parker will need to dominate the midfield for Tottenham against a talented Norwich team.
Talking Point: With the game having more importance for Tottenham can Norwich possibly spoil their party?
Prediction: 3-1
Aston Villa v Stoke
Key Battle: Dean Whitehead will be up against Chris Herd in midfield in a battle of two rather limited teams
Player to Watch: Peter Crouch has been a thorn in the side of many and Villa will have to watch him
Talking Point: Surely a poor match between two poor teams, but Villa are battling relegation and need points
Prediction: 0–0
Fulham v Chelsea
Key Battle: Juan Mata will be up against Dickson Etuhu in the Fulham midfield as he looks to get the space to feed Fernando Torres
Player to Watch: Clint Dempsey is a danger for everyone and he can punish Chelsea if they give him space
Talking Point: Chelsea need the points against their local rivals – will they be able to put Fulham to the sword?
Prediction: 1-1
Blackburn v Liverpool
Key Battle: Yakubu will be hoping to get the goals against Liverpool and Daniel Agger to fire them to safety
Player to Watch: Steven Gerrard will hope to drag his team back into form but Blackburn will be tricky
Talking Point: Blackburn need the points, as do Liverpool…can they get back to form?
Prediction: 1-1
Man City v West Brom
Key Battle: Youssef Mulumbu will be tasked with preventing David Silva finding space to hurt them.
Player to Watch: Carlos Tevez may start and Man City will hope he can help them score goals again.
Talking Point: City badly need the points and West Brom have little to play for now
Prediction: 4-0
Wigan v Man Utd
Key Battle: Mo Diame will be tasked with keeping quiet United’s Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick
Player to Watch: Wayne Rooney has been in fine form and will hope to replicate that again at the DW
Talking Point: Surely only one winner here? Though Wigan have been playing well
Prediction: 0-3
Wolves v Arsenal
Key Battle: Roger Johnson will have to keep quiet Robin van Persie if Wolves are to have a chance of getting anything here
Player to Watch: Tomas Rosicky has been key to Arsenal’s turnaround in fortune – will his form continue?
Talking Point: Arsenal have dropped points to Wolves already this season – surely they won’t make the same mistake twice?
Prediction: 0-2
QPR v Swansea
Key Battle: Joey Barton v Leon Britton could be a major mismatch. Aggression and physicality versus intelligence and calm passing skill
Player to Watch: Nathan Dyer can get in behind the attacking Taye Taiwo and punish Mark Hughes’ side
Talking point: QPR have done well at home against the big teams – can they do the same against the Swans?
Prediction: 1-1
