This year started with a blast with the surprising loss of Manchester United in the FA Cup last weekend.

With every Premier League player wishing to shine in order to secure his appearance in South Africa World Cup, We sure have some interesting months ahead of us.

These is my take on some of the matches of this next English Premier League Match Day.

 

Soccer - English Premier League - Match day 21

Arsenal - Everton

Emirates Stadium Saturday 09 January, 15h00

Louis Saha's 10 Premier League goals have now moved Everton towards safety and David Moyes will now be looking for a top half finish. On the other hand, Arsenal have dropped three points at the Emirates this season and they're not likely to give up any more points without putting up a good fight.

The Gunners looked good on last week's 4-1 victory over Portsmouth, and this will undoubtedly give them a boost in moral this weekend.

 

My Betting advice

Even though Everton players should be in good moral, I don't think they can outplay the Gunners, and sadly in their home territory of all places... I'll have to bet in favor of Arsenal, and I might add that they'll probably manage to secure a solid victory.

Arsenal vs Everton head to head stats:

Last 5 Arsenal matches:

03.01 FA CUP West Ham-Arsenal West Ham vs Arsenal goals 1:2 (1:0)

30.12 ENG PREM Portsmouth-Arsenal Portsmouth vs Arsenal goals 1:4 (0:2)

27.12 ENG PREM Arsenal-Aston Villa Arsenal vs Aston Villa goals 3:0 (0:0)

19.12 ENG PREM Arsenal-Hull Arsenal vs Hull goals 3:0 (1:0)

16.12 ENG PREM Burnley-Arsenal Burnley vs Arsenal goals 1:1 (1:1)

 

Last 5 Everton matches:

02.01 FA CUP Everton - Carlisle Everton vs Carlisle goals 3:1 (1:1)

28.12 ENG PREM Everton - Burnley Everton vs Burnley goals 2:0 (0:0)

26.12 ENG PREM Sunderland - Everton Sunderland vs Everton goals 1:1 (1:0)

20.12 ENG PREM Everton - Birmingham Everton vs Birmingham goals 1:1 (1:1)

17.12 EL I Everton - Bate Borisov Everton vs Bate Borisov goals 0:1 (0:0)

 

Last 5 Arsenal home matches:

27.12 ENG PREM Arsenal-Aston Villa Arsenal vs Aston Villa goals 3:0 (0:0)

19.12 ENG PREM Arsenal-Hull Arsenal vs Hull goals 3:0 (1:0)

05.12 ENG PREM Arsenal-Stoke Arsenal vs Stoke goals 2:0 (1:0)

29.11 ENG PREM Arsenal-Chelsea Arsenal vs Chelsea goals 0:3 (0:2)

24.11 CL H Arsenal-Standard Arsenal vs Standard goals 2:0 (2:0)

 

Last 5 Everton away matches:

26.12 ENG PREM Sunderland - Everton Sunderland vs Everton goals 1:1 (1:0)

12.12 ENG PREM Chelsea - Everton Chelsea vs Everton goals 3:3 (2:2)

02.12 EL I AEK - Everton AEK vs Everton goals 0:1 (0:1)

25.11 ENG PREM Hull - Everton Hull vs Everton goals 3:2 (3:0)

21.11 ENG PREM Man Utd - Everton Man Utd vs Everton goals 3:0 (1:0)

 

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Soccer - English Premier League - Match day 21

Fulham - Portsmouth

Craven Cottage Saturday 09 January, 15h00

Four points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League, Portsmouth need to gain some serious ground on their fellow strugglers. On the other hand, Fulham may be hampered by the loss of striker Bobby Zamora. If we add to that critic loss the fact that the boys from Craven Cottage haven't won a match since their heroic victory over Manchester United in December 19, we can guess that their spirits aren't in an all- high right now.

All these facts combined will definitely play in favor of Portsmouth. Even though Avram Grant wasn't able to rescue them from the danger zone yet, he will most likely try to put extra pressure on his players to go for the jugular from minute one.

My Betting advice

Fulham players are in poor spirits after so many losses, and even though they do have quality to match Pompey players, I have some serious doubts that they'll manage to keep the three points. Portsmouth are unlikely to miss the opportunity to gain at least a point or even pull a victory out of nowhere, thus I expect a draw or possibly a Portsmouth victory.

Fulham vs Portsmouth head to head stats:

Last 5 Fulham matches:

05.01 ENG PREM Stoke-Fulham Stoke vs Fulham goals 3:2 (3:0)

02.01 FA CUP Fulham-Swindon Fulham vs Swindon goals 1:0 (1:0)

28.12 ENG PREM Chelsea-Fulham Chelsea vs Fulham goals 2:1 (0:1)

26.12 ENG PREM Fulham-Tottenham Fulham vs Tottenham goals 0:0 (0:0)

19.12 ENG PREM Fulham-Man Utd Fulham vs Man Utd goals 3:0 (1:0)

 

Last 5 Portsmouth matches:

02.01 FA CUP Portsmouth - Coventry Portsmouth vs Coventry goals 1:1 (1:1)

30.12 ENG PREM Portsmouth - Arsenal Portsmouth vs Arsenal goals 1:4 (0:2)

26.12 ENG PREM West Ham - Portsmouth West Ham vs Portsmouth goals 2:0 (1:0)

19.12 ENG PREM Portsmouth - Liverpool Portsmouth vs Liverpool goals 2:0 (1:0)

16.12 ENG PREM Chelsea - Portsmouth Chelsea vs Portsmouth goals 2:1 (1:0)

 

Last 5 Fulham home matches:

02.01 FA CUP Fulham-Swindon Fulham vs Swindon goals 1:0 (1:0)

26.12 ENG PREM Fulham-Tottenham Fulham vs Tottenham goals 0:0 (0:0)

19.12 ENG PREM Fulham-Man Utd Fulham vs Man Utd goals 3:0 (1:0)

06.12 ENG PREM Fulham-Sunderland Fulham vs Sunderland goals 1:0 (1:0)

03.12 EL E Fulham-CSKA Sofia Fulham vs CSKA Sofia goals 1:0 (1:0)

 

Last 5 Portsmouth away matches:

26.12 ENG PREM West Ham - Portsmouth West Ham vs Portsmouth goals 2:0 (1:0)

16.12 ENG PREM Chelsea - Portsmouth Chelsea vs Portsmouth goals 2:1 (1:0)

12.12 ENG PREM Sunderland - Portsmouth Sunderland vs Portsmouth goals 1:1 (1:0)

22.11 ENG PREM Stoke - Portsmouth Stoke vs Portsmouth goals 1:0 (0:0)

07.11 ENG PREM Blackburn - Portsmouth Blackburn vs Portsmouth goals 3:1 (0:1)

 

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Soccer - English Premier League - Match day 21

Birmingham - Manchester United

St Andrews Stadium Saturday 09 January, 17h30

Birmingham will be hopeful of extending their 11 game unbeaten run against Manchester United, who have lost four times away from home this season.

United won the reverse fixture 1-0 in August.

Sir Alex Ferguson must be hoping that his boys will manage to get over their huge disappointment after the FA Cup loss to Leeds last Saturday. This certainly wasn't the way the Scot wished to begin 2010.

My Betting advice

Manchester have a clear quality superiority over Birmingham, but they're in a much worst shape spirit wise. The match could go either way. I expect a very interesting game and I'll go with Manchester.

Birmingham vs Man Utd head to head stats:

Last 5 Birmingham matches:

02.01 FA CUP Nott. Forest-Birmingham Nott. Forest vs Birmingham goals 0:0 (0:0)

28.12 ENG PREM Stoke-Birmingham Stoke vs Birmingham goals 0:1 (0:0)

26.12 ENG PREM Birmingham-Chelsea Birmingham vs Chelsea goals 0:0 (0:0)

20.12 ENG PREM Everton-Birmingham Everton vs Birmingham goals 1:1 (1:1)

15.12 ENG PREM Birmingham-Blackburn Birmingham vs Blackburn goals 2:1 (1:0)

 

Last 5 Man Utd matches:

03.01 FA CUP Man Utd - Leeds Man Utd vs Leeds goals 0:1 (0:1)

30.12 ENG PREM Man Utd - Wigan Man Utd vs Wigan goals 5:0 (3:0)

27.12 ENG PREM Hull - Man Utd Hull vs Man Utd goals 1:3 (0:1)

19.12 ENG PREM Fulham - Man Utd Fulham vs Man Utd goals 3:0 (1:0)

15.12 ENG PREM Man Utd - Wolves Man Utd vs Wolves goals 3:0 (2:0)

 

Last 5 Birmingham home matches:

26.12 ENG PREM Birmingham-Chelsea Birmingham vs Chelsea goals 0:0 (0:0)

15.12 ENG PREM Birmingham-Blackburn Birmingham vs Blackburn goals 2:1 (1:0)

12.12 ENG PREM Birmingham-West Ham Birmingham vs West Ham goals 1:0 (0:0)

21.11 ENG PREM Birmingham-Fulham Birmingham vs Fulham goals 1:0 (1:0)

01.11 ENG PREM Birmingham-Man. City Birmingham vs Man. City goals 0:0 (0:0)

 

Last 5 Man Utd away matches:

27.12 ENG PREM Hull - Man Utd Hull vs Man Utd goals 1:3 (0:1)

19.12 ENG PREM Fulham - Man Utd Fulham vs Man Utd goals 3:0 (1:0)

08.12 CL B Wolfsburg - Man Utd Wolfsburg vs Man Utd goals 1:3 (0:1)

05.12 ENG PREM West Ham - Man Utd West Ham vs Man Utd goals 0:4 (0:1)

28.11 ENG PREM Portsmouth - Man Utd Portsmouth vs Man Utd goals 1:4 (1:1)

 

 

 

Good Luck and hope you'll have a Great 2010!