The English Premier League heads into its chaotic festive fixture schedule with a full set of midweek matches as the calendar ticks over into December.
Manchester United burgled a point from the EPL leaders on Sunday as interim boss Michael Carrick sensationally dropped Cristiano Ronaldo to the bench.
Old Trafford is the venue on Thursday night with fifth-placed Arsenal the visitors, perched fifth in the Premier League table and a handy five points ahead of the Red Devils.
The top flight intensity will already be sky high in the north west 24 hours earlier, as Liverpool make the short hop across Stanley Park to face crisis club Everton in the Merseyside Derby.
Ex-Reds boss Rafa Benitez already looks to be clinging to his job at Goodison Park thanks to a nightmare run of form, while opposite number Jurgen Klopp is flashing his Colgate smile off the back of successive 4-0 victories for his title chasers.
Pacesetters Chelsea also play on Wednesday and it’s another reunion as they step out at Vicarage Road to tackle Claudio Ranieri’s Watford, who have all the predictability of a chameleon on a Rubik’s Cube under the affable Italian.
Manchester City, meanwhile, are just a point behind the Blues in second and poised to pounce on any slips.
Pep Guardiola’s men are in Birmingham to play Aston Villa, who have perked up with back-to-back wins under new boss Steven Gerrard.
Tottenham go into Thursday’s all-London tussle with Brentford five places clear of the EPL newcomers.
But the Bees would still go above Antonio Conte’s Spurs if they can pull off their latest upset at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, such is the top half scramble as Christmas approaches.
Two more clubs in the melee are West Ham and Brighton, who clash at the London Stadium on Wednesday with both itching to rediscover their winning touch.
Leicester are at the tail end of the concertina and could use a nudge up the standings when they go to struggling Southampton.
Wolves also have the opportunity to bolster their top six credentials when Burnley visit Molineux, with the Clarets coming into the game off the back of a blank weekend after their home match with Spurs was snowed off.
Two Tuesday night matches kick off the round with the tension ramping up at the wrong end of the table.
Newcastle are increasingly desperate in their hunt for a first win under Saudi rule.
The bottom side host 19th-placed Norwich, who sit three points above the Toon Army after collecting an improbable seven points from nine under new boss Dean Smith.
Leeds are just three points clear of the drop zone themselves and face another tricky test at Elland Road, as Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace make the journey north to Yorkshire.
English Premier League predictions for 30 November – 2 December
Prediction methodology explained: The expected win percentage is based off publicly available odds. For example, if a team’s odds are 2.30, the expected chance of winning is 43%. If the odds are 1.62 the expected chance of winning is 62% and so on. These are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change. Where there is no value listed, the odds were not available at the time of writing.
