Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 33

AllScores

Just six gameweeks remain in the Premier League this season, but few appear more consequential than the upcoming round of fixtures.

There are narratives aplenty up and down the Premier League standings, the majority of attention paid to the battle between title hopefuls Manchester City and Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

However, there are also crucial clashes in the race for Premier League survival and qualification for next season’s Champions League, the bulk of the weekend’s games having something significant riding on them.

Here are Sports Illustrated’s predictions for Gameweek 33.

Brentford vs. Fulham
Leeds United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Newcastle United vs. Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Chelsea vs. Manchester United
Aston Villa vs. Sunderland
Everton vs. Liverpool
Nottingham Forest vs. Burnley
Manchester City vs. Arsenal
Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United
Premier League Predictions: Gameweek 33

Brentford vs. Fulham

An enticing west London derby. / Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images.

Date : Saturday, April 18
Time : 12:30 p.m. BST / 7:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 a.m. PT

Gameweek 33 begins with an intriguing west London derby. Brentford make the short trip to Fulham as both sides continue their push for continental qualification—a place in the Europa League or Conference League not beyond the realms of possibility for either team.

Fulham are playing catch-up, however, three points off seventh-placed Brentford, and such is the congested nature of this season’s table, that puts Marco Silva’s men all the way down in 12th. In fact, they could finish as low as 14th come the end of Monday night.

The Cottagers have won just one of their last four Premier League games, but that record is still superior to Brentford. Keith Andrews’s team have drawn their last four on the spin, although they could return to winning ways here.

Prediction: Brentford 2–1 Fulham

Leeds United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Leeds secured a famous win last Monday. / Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Date : Saturday, April 18
Time : 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT

Leeds United’s survival hopes grew on Monday, the Whites celebrating a famous 2–1 victory over historic foes Manchester United at Old Trafford. Noah Okafor’s double means they’re now a nerve-easing six points clear of the drop zone.

At home to last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers this Saturday, Leeds have the perfect chance to pull even further clear of the bottom three, Elland Road certain to be rocking for a critical and very winnable fixture.

Wolves could well be officially relegated come the end of Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United on Monday night, and their lack of motivation will prove a real issue against their scrappy hosts this weekend.

Prediction: Leeds 1–0 Wolves

Newcastle United vs. Bournemouth

Eddie Howe finds himself under huge pressure. / IMAGO/Every Second Medi

Date : Saturday, April 18
Time : 3 p.m. BST / 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT

The pressure continues to pile on Eddie Howe as Newcastle United’s miserable season continues to underwhelm, last weekend’s late defeat at Selhurst Park marking the club’s 14th league loss of the campaign. Former employers Bournemouth could exacerbate Howe’s woes.

Currently 14th in the standings but still somehow involved in the race for European qualification, the Magpies will be desperate to respond to successive league defeats. The 3–3 draw between the teams at St James’ Park in the FA Cup third round suggests the home fans could be in for another goal-fest this weekend.

Unfortunately for Newcastle, they face one of the Premier League’s form sides. Bournemouth’s stunning win at table toppers Arsenal last weekend means they’re unbeaten during their last 12 Premier League matches—although recent news of Andoni Iraola’s departure at the end of the season could rock the boat.

Prediction: Newcastle 2–3 Bournemouth

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Tottenham winless in 14 Premier League games. / ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP/Getty Images

Date : Saturday, April 18
Time : 5:30 p.m. BST / 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT

Former Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi endured a nightmare debut in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout as his new team tumble towards a staggering demotion to the Championship. The 1–0 defeat to Sunderland exposed familiar problems.

The Lilywhites are in the bottom three, two points adrift of safety and in dire need of their first league victory of the calendar year this weekend. No matter how they do it, they simply must get over the line on home turf.

The bad news for Spurs is that Brighton have hit some form. The Seagulls have propelled up the table in recent weeks after five wins from six games, and they could inflict yet another harrowing defeat on Tottenham this Saturday.

Prediction: Tottenham 0–1 Brighton

Chelsea vs. Manchester United

Chaos engulfed the season’s first fixture. / Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside/Getty Images

Date : Saturday, April 18
Time : 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

The race for a top-five finish and subsequent Champions League qualification is heating up nicely and Saturday night’s battle between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge could provide another twist.

Victory for United would see them move a likely insurmountable 10 points clear of the Blues in sixth, while a win for the Blues would take them within just one point of fifth-placed Liverpool prior to Sunday’s Merseyside derby.

However, a stalemate is in the offing, points regularly shared when these two giants collide. Half of the last 10 meetings have ended in draws and there appears little to separate the sides this time around, neither team in impressive form heading into the clash.

Prediction: Chelsea 1–1 Man Utd

Aston Villa vs. Sunderland

Villa are still on course for Champions League qualification. / Sameer AL-DOUMY/AFP/Getty Images

Date : Sunday, April 19
Time : 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT

Aston Villa return from Europa League action with an awkward encounter. Sunderland are their visitors on Sunday, the Black Cats in resurgent mood after three victories from their last four matches. They have thrust themselves back into the European picture.

Villa should still manage Champions League qualification despite allowing their previously untouchable cushion to be slashed over the past few months, victory this weekend allowing them to take full advantage of guaranteed drop in points for at least one of their rivals at Stamford Bridge.

But with the Villans fatigued after Thursday’s battle with Bologna and Sunderland having generally been involved in low-scoring affairs this season, goals might be at a premium in the West Midlands.

Prediction: Aston Villa 0–0 Sunderland

Everton vs. Liverpool

A first Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson awaits. / Steven Halliwell/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Date : Sunday, April 19
Time : 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT

The first ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium will be staged this Sunday, Everton boasting one of their best opportunities to beat arch rivals Liverpool during recent years.

The Reds are seriously struggling at present and their 2–0 win over Fulham last weekend did little to paper over the glaring cracks. Having been dumped out of the Champions League midweek, confidence will be low within the away dressing room this weekend.

Everton, meanwhile, have won three of their last five Premier League matches and are only five points behind their foes. They have a genuine chance of making the Europa League or Conference League this season, the Toffees having been without continental football since 2017–18.

Of course, there are also bragging rights at stake, Everton fancying their chances of clinching them on a momentous occasion.

Prediction: Everton 2–1 Liverpool

Nottingham Forest vs. Burnley

Forest desperately need victory this weekend. / Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Date : Sunday, April 19
Time : 2 p.m. BST / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT

Nottingham Forest have been edging their way toward safety since Vítor Pereira’s appointment, three draws and a victory from their last four moving them three points clear of the relegation zone. The visit of all but demoted Burnley offers an incredible opportunity to widen that buffer.

The Tricky Trees were one of five Premier League sides in midweek action, taking on Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, and fatigue could come into the equation at the City Ground. However, their visitors are in dreadful form.

The Clarets have lost four of their last five Premier League games as their Championship return looms, and they appear to have also lost the fight which had previously offered them the faintest glimmer of hope.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1–0 Burnley

Manchester City vs. Arsenal

A possible title decider at the Etihad. / Glyn KIRK/AFP/Getty Images

Date : Sunday, April 19
Time : 4:30 p.m. BST / 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT

Manchester City vs. Arsenal will almost certainly prove the biggest match of the Premier League season. It has been billed as a title decider, Arsenal victory moving them within touching distance of the crown, while a Man City triumph puts the ball back in their court.

Despite being six points behind Arsenal—albeit with a game in hand—City are considered favorites for this one. They boast home advantage, were able to rest midweek and landed a major psychological blow on the Gunners by beating them in last month’s Carabao Cup final.

Arsenal’s form also feeds into City’s status as favorites, Mikel Arteta’s men having lost three of their last five games and been entirely unconvincing in the process. Even in qualifying for the Champions League semifinals midweek, they failed to sparkle during a drab goalless draw with Sporting CP.

Realistically, this match could spin in either direction, but form, confidence and experience favors the Cityzens.

Prediction: Man City 2–1 Arsenal

Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United

Crystal Palace have hit a purple patch of form. / Sebastian Frej/Getty Images

Date : Monday, April 20
Time : 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT

West Ham United are another team scrapping for their lives toward the foot of the table, but few of their competitors are in better form. The 4–0 win over Wolves last gameweek was another example of how far this team has come under Nuno Espírito Santo.

The trip to Crystal Palace is daunting, especially given the recent upturn in results for the Eagles, but West Ham have now proved capable of consistently coherent performances.

They are the side with all the motivation for Monday night’s game, Palace also tired from their midweek exploits in the Conference League. While the Hammers might not secure all three points at Selhurst Park, they will gladly take a hard-fought point.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1–1 West Ham United