Premier League Predictions Week 31 – Gurgler v Gossip

Time for a half-arsed week of Premier League football, so we present our half-arsed Premier League Predictions Week 31.

Every week we offer up our Premier League predictions, along with a mini preview of each match, with a few best bets in an alternative Premier League preview.

We also put our tips up against a competitor, usually not human though, and based on some football stat or general life. This week our tipping opponent is based on the gossip rate of each region in the UK.

It’s a lot like the BBC’s Lawros tips, but better. Arguably.

Premier League Predictions Week 31 – Gurgler v Gossip

TIPS BACKGROUND: It’s Week 31 of the Premier League, and since there’s only five teams in a half-hearted round of football, we have responded with tips based on how much each UK region/city gossips.

We found stats below which has a gossip rate out of 10 people. So to find a winner we say that the town/city that gossips worse will lose, as their fans are likely to gossip more and de-stabilize the team. 

Link to stats here.

PREMIER LEAGUE Predictions Week 31 – Gossip Rates in the UK

Gossip per 10 people in brackets.

BOURNEMOUTH (4.49) to beat Newcastle (5.34)
BURNLEY (4.96) to beat Leicester (5.18)
WEST HAM (4.88) to beat Huddersfield (5.03)
FULHAM (4.88) to beat Liverpool (4.89)
CHELSEA (4.88) to beat Everton (4.89)

GURGLER PREMIER LEAGUE Predictions Week 31

But first our tips. Based on our opinion, research, study and ignorance. (In no particular order)

BOURNEMOUTH to beat Newcastle (3-2)
LEICESTER To beat Burnley (2-1)
WEST HAM to beat Huddersfield (3-0)
LIVERPOOL to beat Fulham( 6-1)
CHELSEA to beat Everton (2-0)

Premier League Predictions Week 31 Mini Match by Match Preview

Here’s a quick run down of every game for Week 31, with a barely interesting stat included for those inclined.

BOURNEMOUTH v NEWCASTLE

Kick Off: Saturday 3:00pm UK
Previous 2018-19 Result: Newcastle 2 Bournemouth 1

Callum Wilson returns, Ryan Fraser is back to his best position, and all of a sudden Bournemouth looked great last weekend, and away from home. Their first win on the road in 9 games. Their home form is more impressive with the Cherries holding the 7th best record at home.. And beating Chelsea 4-0 also  helps the club.

Newcastle on the road has seen just the two victories, but they are now in form at home, so perhaps some of that will rub off onto their road trips. 

We are still waiting for bags and bags of goals from Miguel Almiron, and he will no doubt deliver this weekend. Or soon.

It is amazing to see that these two teams are now next to each other in the table, given how badly Newcastle were struggling earlier in the season, and how Bournemouth looked at times. A Newcastle win will see them swap places.

Barely Interesting Fact: Both sides seem to keep themselves in games at half time with Bournemouth only being behind once at home this season, and Newcastle have only been behind twice at half time on the road despite winning only twice,

BURNLEY v LEICESTER

Kick Off: Saturday 3:00pm UK
Previous 2018-19 Result: Leicester 0 Burnley 0

Burnley have responded to their win over Spurs with three straight losses, dragging themselves right in the mix for relegation. They currently sit 17th and are just two points above the drop. They did quite well against Liverpool last weekend, giving them a real scare in the end. Ashley Barnes has scored five times in the last seven games, and is just one goal away from joining the double figure club.

Talking of goals, Jamie Vardy continues his great post manager sacking goal scoring feats. Having scored six goals in five games after Ranieri’s sacking, he has scored four goals in three games since Claude Puel was moved on. He also has the second strike rate for away goals of the players who have scored 10 or more goals. 63% of Vardy’s goals come on the road – only Lukaku at 66% is higher.

Barely Interesting Fact: Leicester have only failed to score once on the road this season.

WEST  HAM v HUDDERSFIELD

Kick Off: Saturday 3:00pm UK
Previous 2018-19 Result: Huddersfield 1 West Ham 1

West Ham are wonderfully hard to follow form wise, just when you think they are on a run it will swing the other way. Their recent last six form might read 2W 2D 2L, but in amongst that were a great draw at home to Liverpool, and a narrow loss to Manchester City away. Really only last weekend’s loss to Cardiff was a poor result.

The Hammers are unbeaten at home in their last five, their opponents Huddersfield have won once on the road this season, and that was nine games ago.

It’s a matter of when not if Huddersfield will go down, and they have shown some fight recently, hopefully allowing Bournemouth a rare away win last weekend will not be the turning point where Huddersfield give up a little a become late season fodder.

Barely Interesting Fact: West Ham haven’t conceded a goal against Huddersfield at home since 1971. OK, so it is only four games ago but still, barely interesting.

FULHAM v LIVERPOOL

Kick Off: Sunday 2:15pm UK
Previous 2018-19 Result: Liverpool 2 Fulham 0

Liverpool are coming into the match on the back of completing a clean sweep of English teams progressing in the Champions League, and after beating a team of Bayern’s stature 3-1 away, you worry for Fulham. It could be any old score.

New Fulham manager Scott Parker hasn’t stopped the losses, but nor was he probably expected to with their run. They as doomed as Huddersfield, and have Manchester City, Watford and Everton to play in the next three weeks.

You get the feeling that Mo Salah is playing well without getting the goals, and a Fulham defence might just be the kind of game to get going again.

Barely Interesting Fact: Fulham did the double over Liverpool in 2011/12.

EVERTON v CHELSEA

Kick Off: Sunday 4:30pm UK
Previous 2018-19 Result: Chelsea 0 Everton 0

The paltry offerings of Premier League Week 31 finishes off with what should be a decent game with Chelsea looking to keep alive in the race for fourth place. They are currently in the worst place of all the contenders , sixth and four points from third placed Spurs, but they do have a game in hand and beating Everton would draw them level with fourth placed Arsenal.

It looks like the Sarri sacking rumours have been taken over with the Eden Hazard to Real Madrid rumours, as what happens at this time most years. Chelsea are still alive in the Europa League, so do get a second chance for the Champions League next season.

Everton have been decent recently with an away win at Cardiff and home draw to Liverpool happening before their recent clash at Newcastle, where they led 2-0 but couldn’t hold on. As easy to pick as a nose with a broken finger, it is best left up to the imagination what the result here would be.

Barely Interesting Fact: Chelsea’s record at Goodison Park isn’t as great as you’d think, just three wins at Everton in 10 Premier League matches. And the last two games have been 0-0 against Everton.

Premier League Predictions Week 31 Stats and Stuff

Here’s a quick bits and pieces of the various stats we found.

LAST 6 FORM v SEASON POINTS PER GAME

GOALS SCORED HOME / AWAY (More than 10 Goals Scored)

THE RUN HOME

2018-2019 Premier League Tipping Competition Results

THE GURGLER

2018-2019 Tipping Results – 155/299 – 52% – (17 Correct Scores)

Last Week Tipping Results –  4/10

Best – 7/10 Week 1, 3, 4, 7, 15, 25

OPPOSITION

2018-2019 Results – 138/299 – 46%

Week 1 – 6/10 – Week 1 Form from last 5 seasons
Week 2 – 5/10 – Change in Market Value after Transfer Window
Week 3 – 4/10 – Red Cards from last 5 seasons
Week 4 – 7/10 – Form v Post Sir Alex Man Utd
Week 5 – 5/10 – Post International Break Form
Week 6 – 3/10 – Avoiding Russian Spies
Week 7 – 4/10 – Brexit
Week 8 – 6/10 – v Jose Mourinho
Week 9 – 4/10 – Sacked Managers / Tenure
Week 10 – 4/10 – Fighting Managers
Week 11 – 7/10 – v Leicester City
Week 12 – 4/10 – US Mid Term Elections
Week 13 – 6/10 – Claudio Ranieri
Week 14 – 5/10 – Own Goals
Week 15 – 5/10 – Midweek Form (Last 5 Seasons)
Week 16 – 2/10 – Hate
Week 17 – 4/10 – Dangerous Nickname
Week 18 – 5/10 – Christmas Shopping
Week 19 – 4/10 – Boxing Day Form
Week 20 – 7/10 – 2018 Form
Week 21 – 1/10 – New Year’s Eve
Week 22 – 7/10 – January Form
Week 23 – 3/10 – Traffic
Week 24 – 2/10 – Post FA Cup 3rd / 4th Round Form
Week 25 – 4/10 – Happiness
Week 26 – 6/10 – Valentine’s Days
Week 27 – 6/10 – Divorce
Week 28 – 5/10 – Sack Race
Week 29 – 8/10 – Wages
Week 30 – 5/10 – Recycling