The English Premier League hurtles headlong into the festive period with a full round of midweek action spread between Tuesday and Thursday.
Liverpool have roared to a nine-point lead at the top of the EPL table and have made themselves red hot favourites to lift the trophy for the first time since 2020.
Arne Slot’s side have won four on the bounce ahead of their Wednesday night trip to St James’ Park, to tackle a Newcastle team scratching around for any sort of consistency.
There’s plenty more to go at on Wednesday, too, not least the famous top flight tussle between Arsenal and Manchester United.
The pair meet at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners clinging on to Liverpool’s coattails in the title race, while the Red Devils pocketed their first three points under new coach Ruben Amorim last weekend.
No one predicted the collapse of reigning champions Manchester City in recent weeks, with Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Anfield making it an unprecedented four in a row and leaving them a thoroughly unfamiliar fifth place in the Premier League standings.
Pep Guardiola’s charges have a tricky test to stop the rot, too, as Nottingham Forest head to the Etihad Stadium just a point and a place below their all-conquering hosts.
Chelsea have taken advantage of City’s crumbling empire, with the Blues clambering up to third ahead of their trip to Southampton.
The west London club are firmly in the hunt for Uefa Champions League qualification at the very least, while their St Mary’s Stadium hosts are already looking doomed to an immediate return to the Championship having collected just five points so far this season.
Relegation fear also stalks Everton and Wolves ahead of their Goodison Park clash.
The Toffees are just two points above their visitors, who occupy the last drop berth, having been thumped 4-0 by Manchester United on Sunday.
Aston Villa are also in the midst of a rotten run of form, with a home game against Brentford their latest bid to return to winning ways.
But it’ll be a tough ask against the Bees, who are on an impressive run and leapfrogged the Villans into the top half of the EPL table at the weekend.
Tottenham are seeking a top six charge this December, as they play in one of a pair of Thursday night fixtures at Bournemouth.
Ange Postecoglou’s inconsistent Spurs know there’s no time like the present either, as they attempt to haul themselves above a congested middle of the EPL ladder, starting at the Vitality Stadium.
Firmly on course for a happy Christmas are Brighton, who come into the midweek round of action fourth in the pile.
They welcome a Fulham side to the Amex Stadium that should be no pushovers, despite picking up just a point from their last two outings.
A couple of Tuesday games kick things off, meanwhile, as Ruud van Nistelrooy takes charge of Leicester for the first time when they host West Ham.
Things need to change sharpish for the Dutchman at the King Power Stadium, with the Foxes beaten for the third time in succession last weekend and booed off the pitch by their own travelling fans.
Underdogs Ipswich are lurking just below them in the relegation zone, ahead of their six-pointer with Crystal Palace.
Neither team have set pulses racing this term but both know a three-point haul from the Portman Road tie will provide a handy cushion in the fight for survival to come.
All latest EPL Predictions
Ipswich Town v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Ipswich Town to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Ipswich Town / Ipswich Town to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Leicester City v West Ham United
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Result prediction | Wolverhampton Wanderers to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Wolverhampton Wanderers / Wolverhampton Wanderers to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Larsen(Wolverhampton Wanderers) Matheus Cunha(Wolverhampton Wanderers) |
Manchester City v Nottingham Forest
| Result prediction | Nottingham Forest to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Nottingham Forest to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Wood(Nottingham Forest) |
Newcastle United v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Liverpool to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | A. Isak(Newcastle United) Mohamed Salah(Liverpool) |
Southampton v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Chelsea to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Chelsea / Chelsea to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Palmer(Chelsea) N. Jackson(Chelsea) |
Arsenal v Manchester United
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Arsenal / Arsenal to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | B. Saka(Arsenal) Bruno Fernandes(Manchester United) M. Rashford(Manchester United) |
Aston Villa v Brentford
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / Brentford to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Y. Wissa(Brentford) K. Schade(Brentford) |
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | H. Wilson(Fulham) |
AFC Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur
| Result prediction | AFC Bournemouth to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | AFC Bournemouth / AFC Bournemouth to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Kluivert(AFC Bournemouth) Evanilson(AFC Bournemouth) J. Maddison(Tottenham Hotspur) D. Solanke(Tottenham Hotspur) B. Johnson(Tottenham Hotspur) |
Everton v Liverpool
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Liverpool / Liverpool to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Liverpool |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Mohamed Salah(Liverpool) |
Aston Villa v Southampton
| Result prediction | Aston Villa to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Aston Villa / Aston Villa to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Brentford v Newcastle United
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / Brentford to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Y. Wissa(Brentford) K. Schade(Brentford) A. Isak(Newcastle United) |
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
| Result prediction | Crystal Palace to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Crystal Palace to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Manchester United v Nottingham Forest
| Result prediction | Manchester United to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester United / Manchester United to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Bruno Fernandes(Manchester United) M. Rashford(Manchester United) C. Wood(Nottingham Forest) |