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December festivities start with a host of exciting Premier League fixtures on matchday 14. England's top 20 teams will do their best to start a demanding month in style by getting maximum points on the board.
The Merseyside derby and Arsenal’s trip to Manchester United are the two biggest events in the Premier League this week. However, that is hardly the extent of it.
Below, we will take a look at the top matches of Premier League gameweek 14 and predict how they might pan out.
Here are our top five predictions for Premier League GW 14:
#5 Manchester City to put pressure on Chelsea with a win over Aston Villa
On matchday 13 of the Premier League, Manchester City nicked a hard-fought win over West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side dominated possession and had considerably more shots on target, but the scoreline did not aptly reflect their superiority in the game.
Fortunately for the Sky Blues, Premier League leaders Chelsea dropped two points against Manchester United, allowing City to close the gap at the summit.
Manchester City will be making the trip to Birmingham for their midweek Premier League matchday 14 clash with Aston Villa. 13th-placed Villa are currently on a two-game winning run in the Premier League but have tasted seven defeats in the English top-flight this season.
Manchester City are expected to make some changes to their starting XI on Wednesday, but even a “weaker” City side should brush Villa aside comfortably.
We predict the Citizens will bag a comfortable win and keep the pressure on Thomas Tuchel’s side.
#4 Chelsea to bounce back with a win against Watford
Chelsea welcomed a recovering Manchester United side to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, hoping to bag their third consecutive win. However, thanks to Manchester United’s discipline, the Blues had to settle for a 1-1 draw in a high-profile Premier League clash in west London.
On matchday 14 of the English Premier League, Chelsea will welcome Watford to the Bridge, determined not to let Manchester City bridge the one-point gap.
Watford were handed a 4-2 defeat by Leicester City on matchday 13, which has left them dangerously close to the relegation zone. They desperately need a win to steer clear of the relegation scare, but it is unlikely to come against Chelsea.
We expect Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku to take the match by the scruff of its neck and make a tangible impact on proceedings.
We believe a convincing win is on the cards for the Champions League holders in GW 14 of the English Premier League.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo to take a more active role against Arsenal
It is official! Ralf Rangnick will manage an English Premier League side for the first time in his career. The German will take charge of Manchester United for the remainder of the season and then serve as a consultant for a further two years.
Rangnick is known for his aggressive football and generally demands a lot out of his players. Cristiano Ronaldo, who will turn 37 in a couple of months, has naturally come under the spotlight in the aftermath of Rangnick’s appointment.
We aren’t sure whether Rangnick will take charge of Manchester United from GW 14 itself, but we are still expecting Ronaldo to buckle up. Against Arsenal we could see a new-look Ronaldo actively contributing to Manchester United’s build-up.
The Portuguese has faced Arsenal 15 times in his career and currently boasts a tally of six goals and two assists. Don't be surprised if Ronaldo adds a couple to his tally on Premier League matchday 14.
#2 Liverpool to bag three points in the Merseyside derby
The rivalry between Liverpool and Everton is like no other in the Premier League. The two Merseyside clubs have genuine animosity between them, which usually translates to high-octane encounters on the pitch.
As you would expect, Liverpool have dominated the rivalry, winning 78 of 197 derbies played to date. Everton have won 52 while the remaining 67 matches have ended without a victor.
Everton have surprisingly had the upper hand in the last three Merseyside derbies. Their last meeting, in February 2021, ended 2-0 in favor of Everton. The previous two encounters ended in stalemates.
It is clear that Liverpool have their work cut out for them in Premier League GW 14, and we are backing them to get the job done.
14th-placed Everton, who have lost five of their last six Premier League matches, could make Liverpool work for the points at Goodison Park. But the spoils are likely to go Jurgen Klopp’s in-form side.
#1 Arsenal to make Manchester United work at Old Trafford
Manchester United and Arsenal are currently the two most unpredictable teams in the Premier League. Both have the quality to play spectacular football, but can also end up enduring patches of mediocrity.
After two encouraging results against Villarreal and Chelsea, Manchester United will back themselves to three points against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Thursday. The optimism of Rangnick’s appointment should also encourage them to put on a show for their fans.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will take heart from their recent trips to the red part of Manchester. The Gunners have not tasted defeat in their last three away games at United and could walk away with another positive result.
Thursday’s encounter is unlikely to be straightforward for the hosts, and we cannot wait to see what the two teams throw at one another.
