Predictions 02 – 04.12.2023
Arsenal vs Wolverhampton Wanderers | Premier League
02/12/2023 15:00
Prediction: 2-0
Arsenal welcomes Wolverhampton to the Emirates Stadium for the 14th round of the Premier League. The home team is riding a wave of success with four consecutive victories, currently topping the table and coming off a crucial 1-0 win against Brentford in the last league outing. On the contrary, Wolves, positioned mid-table, suffered a 3-2 defeat against Fulham and haven’t secured a win in their last four encounters against the Gunners, who are rightfully considered clear favorites.
After the setbacks of the previous season, Arteta’s Arsenal is rekindling the dream of clinching the championship. The competition at the top is intense, with Manchester City just one point behind and Liverpool trailing by two points. Arsenal boasts an impressive record in the league with nine wins, three draws, and only one defeat. At home, they have secured five wins and two draws. Despite a League Cup elimination in the round of 16 by West Ham, Arsenal is determined to make amends in Europe, leading Group B in the Champions League.
Wolves, currently in the twelfth position, have recorded four wins, three draws, and six defeats in the league. Eliminated in the third round of the League Cup by Ipswich Town, they are not part of European competitions this season. With only two defeats in their last six games, Wolves are seeking consistency for a turnaround in the season.
- In the 20 direct clashes between the two teams, Arsenal has secured 14 wins, with 3 draws and 3 victories for Wolves.
- Arsenal, under Arteta, is on a streak of four consecutive victories.
- Wolves have only managed one win in their last four games.
- Hwang Hee-chan is Wolverhampton’s top scorer with 6 goals.
Newcastle United vs Manchester United | Premier League
02/12/2023 20:00
Prediction: 1-0
Newcastle must cope with the disappointment of the Champions League, where the missed victory at the Parc des Princes against Paris Saint-Germain left a bitter taste. The late goal by Mbappé, coming from a penalty widely deemed as non-existent, is likely to have a psychological impact. While facing a high-level opponent could help turn the page, the quality of the opposition may also pose challenges.
Shifting focus to Manchester United, the Red Devils have rebounded in the league, currently sitting in sixth place—a much-improved position compared to three games ago but still falling short of their ambitious goals.
Newcastle will encounter a Manchester United side entering the match on the back of three consecutive league victories. Although the schedule favored this positive streak, securing nine points against Fulham, Luton, and Everton is noteworthy. In the Premier League, Manchester United has won five of their last six games, with the only defeat coming in the derby against a formidable Manchester City side that has been in exceptional form (0-3). Notably, the defeat to their “cousins” is the sole match in the last six where the Red Devils failed to find the back of the net.
Liverpool vs Fulham | Premier League
03/12/2023 14:00
Prediction: 2-1
Liverpool seeks consistency in December after a poor November, winning only half of their six games in all competitions (D2, L1). The month ended with a 4-0 win over LASK, securing Europa League group top spot.
Liverpool hopes to maintain their home form against Fulham, especially after Fulham’s shocking 1-0 triumph at Anfield in March 2021. Since then, Liverpool has lost only twice in 36 home encounters against Fulham.
Fulham has won four of their last five matches at Goodison Park and Anfield. This is an improvement over their previous 55 league visits to Liverpool or Everton, where they only won once.
Liverpool is still a threat despite Fulham’s recent wins at Anfield. Fulham last won in the area against Everton on the opening day of the Premier League. Fulham ended a four-game Premier League winless streak (D1, L3) with a 3-2 win over Wolves.
Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League
03/12/2023 16:30
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City drew 1-1 with Liverpool and lost top spot in the Premier League this week. Pep Guardiola’s team has an eight-game unbeaten record despite pressure.
The draw with Liverpool ended Manchester City’s 15-game home league winning streak, which began with a 4-2 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in January. The win over Tottenham also saw them trail 2-0 at halftime.
Tottenham, who led the league earlier this season, is aiming to recover after a sequence of losses. They can catch Manchester City on points with a win. Several crucial players, like Rodrigo Bentancur, who will have ankle surgery, have been injured, making it harder.
Even after recent losses and injuries, manager Ange Postecoglou looks reluctant to adjust the team’s aggressive style. He called the team’s 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa “as good as it’s been all season.” Before losing to Wolves, Tottenham had won five of their last seven league away games and drawn two.
Barcelona vs Atlético Madrid | La Liga
03/12/2023 20:00
Prediction: 1-0
This is a major matchup for two of the most notable clubs in La Liga, both of which are striving to maintain their position at the top of the league alongside Real Madrid and Girona. It is currently the case that Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have the same number of points; however, Atlético Madrid has a higher goal differential and an additional game in hand. Atlético has showed a tremendous progress this season, as evidenced by their qualification for the Champions League and their current winning run of four games, during which they have scored an astonishing number of goals.
However, Barcelona has suffered with draws, with their most recent one being a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano. They have recently developed a pattern of conceding first in matches, which is cause for concern, particularly when taking into consideration their inconsistent performance versus Atlético when the opponents score first.
Despite the fact that Atlético has not achieved victory at Camp Nou since 2006, the fact that Barcelona is playing its home games at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys this season may help to alleviate the psychological disadvantage that has been a part of their history. It is possible that the visitors will enter this game with confidence, as they have been doing well as of late.
