The first midweek Premier League round is here, and as ever our weekly preview and Premier League Predictions Week 15 are right here waiting.
Each week our preview includes just enough quick and barely interesting stats to help you decide a winner. Plus an alternative tipping method based on some obscure football stat or something even less relevant.
This week we use each team’s previous midweek results from the past 10 seasons to decide a winner.
After the tips enjoy our full Premier League Predictions Week 15 and preview, with more stats and graphs than you’ll ever need.
Premier League Predictions Week 15 2019-20 v Midweek Form
Average Points per Game listed.
Tipping Background
We took 10 seasons of midweek results from the Premier League and Championship, and have worked out the average points for each teams across all those matches.
The higher average points for midweek Premier League fixtures, the more likely they will win. So that team gets the tip.
For the record we are including including Tuesday to Thursday games, and have also excluded those games that were played around holidays like Boxing Day and New Year’s.
2019-20 Premier League Predictions Week 15 – GAME BY GAME PREVIEW
Here’s our match by match review and our own Premier League Predictions Week 15. With loads of stats as below. But keep in mind the following…
All stats are based on the last 10 years of league fixtures.
The barely interesting fact is just that, barely interesting. But takes in all competitions.
CRYSTAL PALACE v BOURNEMOUTH
TUESDAY 7:30PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
An in form, scoring Zaha always makes life that little bit better, and now that Crystal Palace have got their hard run of playing all of the top four out of the way, they can enjoy some easier games.
They started their easier run well with a solid win at Burnley on the weekend. Bournemouth were swept up in the new Mourinho bandwaon at Spurs.
Plenty of goals in this fixture recently, the last four games have seen 15 goals, including a typical last day of the season 5-3 win to Crystal Palace.
Final Say:
Crystal Palace 3 Bournemouth 1
Barely Interesting Stat:
The away side has won both of the only two Tuesday fixtures between these sides.
BURNLEY v MANCHESTER CITY
TUESDAY 8:15PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
Two sides coming into the games off disappointing weekend results, and fair to say that both sides got what they deserved. Man City haven’t looked great of late, just one win in four matches in all competitions.
Like their slightly underwhelming record against Newcastle in Newcastle, Man City’s recent record at Burnley isn’t great either. Since Burnley returned for the 14-15 season, the results at Burnley are Man City 1-0, Draw 1-1, Man City 2-1, and Burnley 1-0. Man City’s record against Burnley is a much different prospect.
Burnley have lost three of their last six home games. Crystal Palace were the second team this season (after Liverpool) to keep Burnley scoreless at home.
Final Say:
Burnley 0 Man City 2
Barely Interesting Stat:
The last League match between these sides on a Tuesday saw a Championship clash end up in a 6-0 away win for Manchester City in 1999. That was the third division. Two seasons later Man City returned to the Premier League.
LEICESTER v WATFORD
WEDNESDAY 7:30PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
Leicester <Sunday result>. Watford were competitive but came away from their clash at Southampton with nothing, a side who were going terribly at home.. Watford haven’t made the most of a handful of easy fixtures, with just one win in three in that run.
Now they have given Quique Sanchez Flores the arse after less than a dozen games, and are looking for their third manager of the season. It is hard to see anyone getting a new manager bounce out of this team given the front runner is Chris Hughton. Good manager who will tighten things up if given the job. but not the most inspiring.
These two sides have played each other as much in the Championship as the Premier League over the past ten seasons. Two decades ago they were playing each other in League One.
Brendan Rodgers, a former Watford manager, was unable to beat the Hornets is a clash early into his Leicester reign last season. One wonders about the talk of taking over at Arsenal will distract, but these teams are going in such opposite directions anything other than a Leicester win looks highly unlikely.
WATCH – why not read until the read and check out the infamous Championship semi final playoff video.
Final Say:
Leicester 6 Watford 0
Barely Interesting Stat:
In five Premier League clashes at Leicester, Leicester have won all five by the total of 12-1.
Over half of Jamie Vardy’s goals come after the 60th minute this season.
A third manager in a season is not a Watford record – they went through four in 14-15. Including sacking Jokanovic after he secured promotion from the Championship.
WOLVES v WEST HAM
WEDNESDAY 7:30PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
A clash of the bottom of the table, if it were sorted alphabetically that is.
West Ham come into the game with a recent win, the first in six games. It was just their second win away from home this season.
Wolves are currently sixth, but only four points away from West Ham in 13th. And that’s with an unbeaten run of nine games. A loss here gets West Ham within 1 point.
Wolves won both these games last season. on their way to an impressive seventh that should have gone to West Ham based on spend.
Final Say:
Wolves 2 West Ham 0
Barely Interesting Stat:
Wolves have won the only two midweek games between these sides.in the Premier League era. The last midweek West Ham v Wolves came in 1982.
MANCHESTER UTD v SPURS
WEDNESDAY 7:30pm
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
One of the big games on offer for the neutral this week, and one wonders if a certain ex Spurs manager will be in charge of Man Utd for their return clash, based on recent results.
Man Utd aren’t going that well this year, but their home record isn’t too bad. Just the one loss at home to Crystal Palace, but they are the only team to take points off Liverpool this season, and have beaten Leicester. They have conceded as many goals at home as Liverpool, Sheffield Utd and Spurs.
Talking of Spurs, they have found a renewed energy under Jose Mourinho, but despite his reputation for stingyness in defence, Spurs haven’t kept a clean sheet under him, and have conceded two goals in each game against West Ham, Olympiakos and Bournemouth. Based on the season so far, both teams scoring looks a real possibility here. That and the three clean sheets between these sides in 28 matches this season.
One can only imagine that Jose can’t wait to get a win at Old Trafford.
Final Say:
Manchester Utd 2 Spurs 2
Barely Interesting Stat:
Man Utd have not won a midweek game against Spurs since 2002.
CHELSEA v ASTON VILLA
WEDNESDAY 7:30pm
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
A shock loss at home for Chelsea on the weekend proves two things – Chelsea are not quite as good at home than away, and that West Ham re the most wildly unpredictable football club in the Premier League. And was FPL favourite Tammy Abraham really the difference?
Chelsea actually have the second best away record this season, but home form is 9th.
Chelsea have beaten Aston Villa by a combined 11-1 in the past four meetings between these sides. They haven’t met for a while after Aston Villa’s longer than expected stint in the Championship.
Aston Villa have yet to take a point in games against a side that were in the top six when they played them.
Villa have scored two more goals away as Chelsea have at home this season (11 v 9), and that is despite Aston Villa just winning one match, and scoring four points on the road this season. Their only win was the 5-1 drubbing at Norwich.
Chelsea do have the recent history of success in these midweek fixtures v Aston Villa.
Final Say:
Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 1
Barely Interesting Stat:
Chelsea beat Aston Villa 8-0 in the League in 2012-13. A season later they managed to beat Chelsea at Villa Park.That was their last win.
Chelsea and Norwich are the only teams yet to score a point after falling behind in the Premier League this season.
The draw at Old Trafford was Aston Villa’s first point there for ten seasons.
SOUTHAMPTON v NORWICH
WEDNESDAY 7:30pm
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
Suddenly, things look up for these two sides. Southampton should have beaten Arsenal away, and they have found their winning form at home. For one games at least against Watford.
Norwich too, have a 2-2 draw to celebrate against Arsenal and a win at Everton in the last two weeks. And our favourite Teemu Pukki is back among the goals. Good times.
Sadly, at least one team’s momentum away from the bottom three will be slowed after this midweek clash. It looks like Norwich might be the ones missing out as Southampton are 3/4 at home to Norwich, the other result being a draw. Draws are also common in this fixture based on the midweek figures above.
Both sides have just two clean sheets each this season, so there should be a few goals at least. Hopefully at least one for Pukki.
Final Say:
Southampton 1 Norwich 2
Barely Interesting Stat:
The away side hasn’t won this match for a decade, when they faced off in the third division. That season Norwich were promoted, despite being the side that lost the clash a decade ago. Southampton’s promotion from the third tier came a year later.
Norwich may be back in decent form, but they have never been prolific at winning consecutive games. Going back to their five seasons this century in the Premier League, they have never put more than three wins together. And have only doubled up seven times. in the 13-14 season they didn’t even do that.
LIVERPOOL v EVERTON
WEDNESDAY 8:15PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
It must be a while since these teams were so far apart on the ladder heading into the Merseyside derby. Liverpool are comfortably leading the Premier League and seemingly on their way to a first league title since the Premier League was the old Division One. Everton are hanging just two points above the relegation zone, but can probably be thankful the two teams directly below them play each other.
Everton last beat Liverpool in 2010, but you need to go back another 11 years for their last win at Liverpool.
But Everton haven’t made the most of their easier run of fixtures. Just the one point against the big six clubs so far in two matches, with a lot more harder fixtures to come. Their manager Marco Silva, may even be gone before this article is published. Fair to say if it is good enough for Arsenal and Watford, it is for Everton. Perhaps they’re waiting fr the harder fixtures to pass before making a chance.
Everything leans towards a Liverpool win. Midweek fixtures are all Liverpool, as December is, almost.
Final Say:
Liverpool 2 Everton 1
Barely Interesting Stat:
Everton have one more clean sheet than Liverpool this season.
Alisson is the fifth Liverpool goalkeeper to be red carded. Pepe Reina leads the way with 2, and one each for David James, Westerveld and Doni.
SHEFFIELD UTD v NEWCASTLE
THURSDAY 7:30PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
A pair of draws for these two last time out, Newcastle continue to be a real nuisance for Manchester City, and Sheffield Utd continue to impress.
Sheffield Utd are now unbeaten in seven games, although five of those games and the last three have been draws. Still, seventh is very solid sailing at this point in the season, and their 19 points is already halfway to survival.
Newcastle have won twice on the road this season – both against London clubs – but their record against other areas is not so good. And they weren’t great at Aston Villa in their previous away game. And despite their success in some away games, Newcastle have conceded the most amount of away goals.
Final Say:
Sheffield Utd 1 Newcastle 0
Barely Interesting Stat:
These teams have only crossed paths twice in the Premier League, the most recent season of 2006-07 the away teams won both games, and the other season in 1993/94 the home side won both.
ARSENAL v BRIGHTON
THURSDAY 8:15PM
H2H STATS – Last 10 Seasons
THOUGHTS
A new manager, but no new result for Arsenal, who if they don’t beat Brighton here will be looking for a new excuse.
Brighton have a decent record in the Premier League against Arsenal in their two seasons so far. Two draws last season, followed a win and a loss over Arsenal the season before. And they have kept more clean sheets than Arsenal this year.
But Brighton haven’t won on the road this season since their opening day win, and five losses out of six isn’t great form leading into the big match.
Arsenal, despite all their manager hating, are one of only three teams to still be unbeaten at home. A few too many draws though.
Final Say:
Arsenal 1 Brighton 1
Barely Interesting Stat:
Brighton have never lost a midweek League fixture against Arsenal.
