Sunday's Premier League predictions including West Ham vs. Liverpool

Leicester vs. Man City (Sunday, 2.30pm)

Hitting low ebb after low ebb, Premier League champions-in-crisis Manchester City endeavour to close 2024 with an increasingly rare win away to Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola's troops could only nick a point off of Everton on Boxing Day, while the Foxes threatened to spring a surprise against Liverpool before losing 3-1 to the league leaders.

We say: Leicester City 1-2 Manchester City

Leicester's attacking success against Liverpool may have been fleeting, but Van Nistelrooy's men did enough to suggest that they can prolong Man City's defensive misery and end their scoreless streak versus the champions at the King Power.

The Foxes remain far too easy to penetrate at the back, though, and even though Man City could hardly be in a worse moment, we have faith in the holders to end 2024 as they mean to start 2025.

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Crystal Palace vs. Southampton (Sunday, 3.00pm)

Southampton will go in search of just their second Premier League victory of the 2024-25 campaign when they head to Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon to tackle Crystal Palace.

The visitors, who are rock bottom of the Premier League table, will enter the clash off the back of a 1-0 home defeat to West Ham United, while 16th-placed Palace drew 0-0 at Bournemouth on Boxing Day.

We say: Crystal Palace 2-1 Southampton

Southampton are capable of making this a tricky match for Palace, and we are backing the Saints to give their fans a goal to cheer against a Palace outfit that have struggled at home this season.

That said, the Eagles have so much quality in the final third of the field, and off the back of a positive result at Bournemouth, we are backing the home side to navigate their way to all three points in this contest.

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Everton vs. Nott'm Forest (Sunday, 3.00pm)

Following a hard-fought point at the home of the faltering champions earlier in the week, Everton will continue their festive schedule with the visit of Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest.

The Toffees managed to snatch a point off Manchester City at the Etihad on Boxing Day, whilst the Tricky Trees conquered the Lilywhites of Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground.

We say: Everton 1-1 Nottingham Forest

After holding members of the traditional top six to draws in each of their last three matches, Everton will be quietly confident of earning a positive result against high-flying Nottingham Forest.

It would only be natural for the Tricky Trees to run out of the steam slightly following a marvellous four-game winning spell, although the visitors should still have enough threat to claim a point at Goodison Park.

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Fulham vs. Bournemouth (Sunday, 3.00pm)

Two teams enjoying excellent campaigns will lock horns for an intriguing Premier League contest on Sunday afternoon, with Fulham welcoming Bournemouth to Craven Cottage.

Fulham are currently eighth in the Premier League table, just six points behind fourth-placed Nottingham Forest, while Bournemouth occupy sixth spot, with the Cherries picking up 29 points from their opening 18 matches of the campaign.

We say: Fulham 1-1 Bournemouth

This is a really tough match to call, with both sides enjoying excellent campaigns; it would not be a shock to see a victory either way, but we just have a feeling that a tight game will end with the points being shared.

Three of the last six league games between the two sides have ended in a draw, and we are predicting another stalemate here.

> Who will replace Kluivert? How Bournemouth could line up against Fulham

> Will Smith Rowe be available? How Fulham could line up against Bournemouth

Spurs vs. Wolves (Sunday, 3.00pm)

Two of the Premier League's bottom-half battlers collide in their final match of 2024 on Sunday, as an off-colour Tottenham Hotspur welcome a reborn Wolverhampton Wanderers to their North London base.

The Lilywhites' Boxing Day scrap with Nottingham Forest ended in a dismal 1-0 defeat, a couple of hours before Vitor Pereira's Wolves rejoiced in conquering Manchester United by two goals to nil.

We say: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

It takes a brave soul to confidently predict which version of Tottenham's attack is going to show up - the chaotic or clueless one - but Postecoglou's men can be expected to struggle against a Wolves side who should not afford them much space in the final third.

Pereira's men could be forgiven for playing for a point in North London, and such is the visitors' level of confidence right now that they can surely match anything that an inconsistent Spurs throw at them, while also capitalising on their hosts' depleted defence.

> Will Hwang start after Man Utd goal? Predicted Wolves XI against Spurs

> A 37-year-old centre-back pairing? Predicted Spurs XI against Wolves

> The defensive crisis worsens: Spurs injury list for Wolves clash

West Ham vs. Liverpool (Sunday, 5.15pm)

Aiming to hit the 45-point mark before the end of the calendar year, relentless Premier League leaders Liverpool head to West Ham United on Sunday evening for their final match of 2024.

Both teams came up trumps in their Boxing Day battles, as the Reds fought back to sink Leicester City 3-1 after the Irons subjected Ivan Juric to a 1-0 beating on his Southampton managerial debut.

We say: West Ham United 1-3 Liverpool

West Ham's midfield crisis may force Lopetegui into fielding more attack-minded players than he would have liked, which will certainly benefit the Irons' hopes of prolonging Liverpool's defensive misery and extending their stellar scoring sequence.

However, the newly-decimated Irons are at risk of being ruthlessly exposed by the league leaders, who can refresh their frontline with well-rested big-hitters such as Jota and Diaz and will surely end the year on a victorious note.

> Szoboszlai suspended, Darwin dropped: Predicted Liverpool XI against West Ham

> A crisis in midfield: Predicted West Ham XI against Liverpool

> Midfielder on the naughty step: Liverpool injury, suspension list for West Ham

Written by

Matt Law