Golden Goals Matchday 27: Tottenham to outdo new-look Palace

After a packed midweek of FA Cup action, the Premier League returns. All eyes turn to the top of the table, where Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are putting the pedal to the metal in the race for glory.

Only two points are separating the three of them, making for what should be an enthralling finish to the campaign. Three-way title fights are unusual – the last time the top three teams finished within five points of each other was in 2013-14 when Steven Gerrard's infamous slip against Chelsea arguably cost Liverpool the title and the Citizens went on to lift the trophy.

Can Manchester United throw a spanner in the works by taking some points from their fierce rivals? The Manchester Derby dominates another massive weekend of Premier League action.

Remember: if you can pick the correct six scorelines, you could win up to £2 million. You don't even have to get all six to earn something. If the jackpot isn't won, just get more scores correct than your BetMGM peers to win a share of our £5,000 prizepool.

Onwards now to Matchday 27…

Newcastle vs Wolves

Form (all competitions) Newcastle: WLDWD Wolves: WWWLW

After a chastening defeat to Arsenal last week, Newcastle will look to kickstart their season once more against in-form Wolves, who continue to confound this term.

This fixture lends itself to goals – in 16 of the previous 17 meetings between the two both teams have found the net – and on current goalscoring form you wouldn't back against either keeping that run going here.

Despite indifferent form, the Magpies have found the net in each of their last 11 games in all competitions while Wolves have a fearsome recent away record in the Premier League, winning three of their last four on the road and scoring 10 goals along the way.

A lot of that form is down to the mercurial Pablo Sarabia, who is averaging a goal involvement every 122 minutes in the Premier League this season (three goals and six assists in 1,096 minutes).

Watch out, too, for Hwang Hee-chan – the South Korea international loves to score against the Magpies. Indeed, he has four goals in his last five appearances against Newcastle, the most he has netted against any Premier League team.

While St James' Park used to be a fortress for Eddie Howe's charges, it has become more of a bouncy castle of late. They have now gone winless in four Premier League home games, conceding 12 in that run.

It's all stacking up in favour of an away win to Wolves here – and that's what we're going with.

Prediction: Newcastle 1-2 Wolves

Tottenham vs Crystal Palace

Form (all competitions) Tottenham: LWDWL Crystal Palace: WDLLW

Ready for a mind-blowing statistic? Tottenham have scored in each of their last 37 Premier League games. Only bitter rivals Arsenal have managed a better streak in the competition's history (a 55-game scoring run that spanned three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03).

Despite, or perhaps because of, their free-scoring nature the Lilywhites are leaky at the other end with just one clean sheet in 16 attempts. What's worse is they have conceded at least two goals in five of their previous seven matches.

Their frailty at the back comes as no surprise when you consider their 16 errors (defined here as mistakes leading to a shot on goal) are the most of any team this season. They undoubtedly play with bravery but manager Ange Postecoglou needs to iron out the mistakes at the back if his side are to sustain a top-four tilt through to season’s end.

In the blue corner, the times they are a-changing at Selhurst Park. Club legend Roy Hodgson has been replaced by the highly-rated Austrian coach Oliver Glasner – a man renowned for his meticulous organisational abilities.

Glasner led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League final glory over Rangers in the 2021-22 season and fans will no doubt be excited by his first interview as club manager, where he said: "The philosophy is easy: it's scoring goals.”

He will need to have an immediate impact though; the Eagles have the third-lowest xG in the division while only Everton (28), Burnley (25) and Sheffield United (22) have scored fewer league goals.

Despite the genuine prospect of a new manager bounce, we can't see Tottenham dropping points here. They will concede though.

Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Crystal Palace

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool

Form (all competitions) Nottingham Forest: LLWLW Liverpool: WWWWW

After a last-minute FA Cup exit to Manchester United on Wednesday, all the Nottingham Forest focus is tuned into Premier League survival.

Can they get an unlikely result against the in-form Liverpool? Remarkably, the Reds haven't notched a win in six Premier League meetings at the City Ground, their longest run without registering a win at an away ground in the competition.

Despite that hoodoo, it is difficult to see them coming away with anything other than three points in their current form; they have won seven of their last eight Premier League games, scoring three times in six separate matches during that run.

The return of Mohamed Salah is crucial. The Egyptian is top of the league in goal contributions (goals + assists) per 90 minutes this season. He missed the EFL Cup final and midweek FA Cup win over Southampton due to injury but has a shout of being back in the fold for this one. Despite their success Liverpool do need him, especially now Diogo Jota is out with an injury himself.

Elsewhere in the Reds’ frontline, the form of Luis Diaz gives definite cause for optimism regardless of whether Salah starts against Forest or not – the Colombian has bagged five goal involvements in his last five games (three goals, two assists).

Add in the fact the Tricky Trees have conceded 18 goals in their nine Premier League games under Nuno Espirito Santo this season and it's hard to see how they keep out this rampant and well-oiled Liverpool machine that seems determined to see off Jurgen Klopp's final season at the club in style.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-4 Liverpool

Brentford vs Chelsea

Form (all competitions) Brentford: LLLWL Chelsea: WLDWW

It’s been a week since Chelsea were coined “blue billion-pound bottle jobs” by Gary Neville and the sting probably hasn’t worn off.

Everything looked set for Mauricio Pochettino to grab his first trophy in English football and his inaugural piece of silverware as Chelsea manager but the Blues just could not overcome a Liverpool side that slightly resembled their under-19s by the time the final whistle blew at Wembley.

Chelsea became the first English side to lose six straight major domestic cup finals in the process – can they get back on track against Brentford? Recent history doesn’t suggest so; they have not beaten the Bees in their last four attempts, losing three of them and only scoring a single goal.

Fundamentally, the Blues’ inconsistency in front of goal continues to cost them. Indeed, Chelsea have registered almost six goals fewer than expected which is the second-worst in the Premier League.

Their fortunes in the goalscoring department have taken a further hit with another injury-enforced Christopher Nkunku absence. The Frenchman has only featured in seven games since joining in the summer but has impressed in his limited appearances; he holds the second-highest xG per 90 minutes in the Chelsea team, sitting only behind Nicolas Jackson.

Brentford haven’t had such struggles at the top end of the pitch with both Ivan Toney and Neal Maupay pitching in with goals in recent weeks. The pair have combined for eight of them across the last six games for Thomas Frank’s side.

Defensively is another matter. The Bees have conceded 15 goals in the last six league matches, the fifth-worst tally of anyone in the Premier League.

They also tend to ship more goals at home as well. Brentford have the third-most goals conceded on their patch this campaign with 27 – only Burnley and Sheffield United have let in more in front of their home crowd.

These two are in desperate need of a win. Chelsea would like to right the wrongs of their EFL Cup disaster last weekend while Brentford need the three points to ease any relegation worries. Unfortunately for both this one has draw written all over it.

Prediction: Brentford 1-1 Chelsea

Everton vs West Ham

Form (all competitions) Everton: DDLDD West Ham: WLLLD

There will be a jovial feeling surrounding both of these clubs given how the last week has gone. Everton leapfrogged Brentford and Nottingham Forest after their impressive point at Brighton and their 10-point deduction being reduced to six.

As for West Ham, they ended a dismal eight-game winless stretch when they mauled Brentford 4-2 at the London Stadium on Matchday 26.

That was a victory for which Jarrod Bowen was well and truly the catalyst. The English winger netted the first hat-trick of his senior career and lifted his goal tally to 14 for the season – level with both Dominic Solanke and Ollie Watkins for third-most – earning himself a spot in the team of the week in the process.

While Bowen will rightly grab the headlines, the importance of Lucas Paqueta’s return should not go unmentioned. The Brazilian is an integral piece of the West Ham jigsaw and the results without him display just that.

The Hammers have played seven games without Paqueta this campaign – they have failed to win a single game and they average only 0.7 goals per 90 minutes. In comparison, they’ve won 11 of the 19 league games he has featured and average almost a full goal extra.

Any creative player from West Ham will have to be at their best to unlock an astute Everton defence. The Toffees tend to cut any attacking threat at the source, leading the league in both tackles and interceptions combined this season.

Plus, Sean Dyche’s side hold the fourth-best defensive record in the Premier League with only 34 conceded – only Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City boast more stubborn defences.

It will be tough for West Ham to break Everton’s robust backline but they have the attacking talent to do it. This one is difficult to call but a narrow away win for the travelling team is a sensible shout.

Prediction: Everton 1-2 West Ham

Fulham vs Brighton

Form (all competitions) Fulham: WLWDD Brighton: LDWLW

No team turned more heads last weekend than Fulham. The Cottagers waltzed into Old Trafford to face Manchester United without an away win since the first game of the campaign and managed to run out 2-1 victors.

It was a result that nobody saw coming, apart from maybe the most pessimistic of United fans. Either way it was an extremely impressive one for Fulham, who are putting together a nice run of results in recent weeks with just one defeat in five.

Defeat in general has become a rarity at Craven Cottage this season. They have amassed 22 of their 32 points when playing at home this campaign, which is level with both West Ham and Manchester United, both of whom occupy spots in the top eight of the Premier League.

Brighton enter this fixture in need of a win on their travels. They have picked up a sole victory in their last eight attempts away from the Amex with their only triumph coming against Sheffield United, who only three teams have failed to beat all season.

The Seagulls don’t have the best record against this weekend’s opponents either; they have failed to beat Fulham since they returned to the Premier League, losing three and drawing four in the seven meetings.

That unwanted record will not change this weekend but this is Brighton we’re talking about – they could just as easily win by five as lose by five. As it is, this one will end all square in an entertaining affair.

Prediction: Fulham 2-2 Brighton

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