There are four games coming up this Wednesday and there is one key fixture as far as Europe is concerned with Sheffield United and Wolves going head to head at Bramall Lane at 18:00.
After looking like they might surrender their shot at the big time with back-to-back 3-0 defeats on the back of a goalless draw with strugglers Aston Villa straight after lockdown ended, Chris Wilder’s men have reignited their hopes of a European finish with an impressive win over Tottenham before digging out a point at Burnley.
Things don’t get any easier for the Blades with sixth-placed Wolves the visitors with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men just as desperate for the points after seeing their winning return come to an end in a 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal last time out.
Wolves are three points behind fifth-placed Manchester United, while the Blades are four points and three places off the Midlanders and there is plenty riding on this encounter.
United have made Bramall Lane a tough place to go but Wolves actually enjoy a better record on the road with seven wins and just three defeats, and they can add another at 23/20*, in what may be a low-scoring contest, to keep those top-four hopes alive.
Home is Where the City Heart is
Manchester City’s last two games have encapsulated their campaign as a whole, at times unplayable in dismantling champions Liverpool 4-0 at the Etihad but then guilty of a host missed chances as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at Southampton last time out.
Newcastle have arguably done their job for this season, guaranteeing their survival for next – and now they can just enjoy the run-in.
The Magpies are unbeaten in six games in the Premier League to more than pass the 40-point mark, but they were dumped out of the FA Cup at the end of last month, going down 2-0 to Wednesday’s opponents.
In truth, City should have won by more, even if Dwight Gayle missed a sitter, but they are back at home where they have enjoyed seven wins out of the last eight and have been scoring for fun – Liverpool can testify to that.
Many variants of a Man City win are arguably prohibitive but a home with both teams to score is worth considering at 6/4, given that Newcastle have scored on their last three trips to the Etihad, while the reverse league fixture finished 2-2.
Low-Scoring Affair for Claret and Blues
West Ham host Burnley at 18:00 looking for that one more victory that could just about secure their Premier League survival.
The problem is that the Clarets are still holding designs on a European finish and will be no pushovers, as recent results have shown.
Since being trounced 5-0 at the Etihad, Burnley are unbeaten in three games, beating Watford and Crystal Palace 1-0 before a 1-1 draw at home by Sheffield United last time out.
There was good news for Sean Dyche with Chris Wood returning to the squad for that match against the Blades, tempered by a hamstring injury picked up by Ben Mee.
It’s difficult to know what to make of the Hammers given their impressive win over Chelsea, as they looked very ordinary in three defeats without scoring prior to that, while defensively they struggled at Newcastle on Sunday.
I’d rather be on the 3/1 for Burnley than odds-on for a home win but under 2.5 goals looks worth a play at 10/13, given five of the last six Burnley games have been exactly that.
Reds Too Hot for Brighton to Handle
The final game of the evening takes place at the Amex at 20:15 with very little riding on it. Brighton have arguably done what they needed to do in surviving the drop, having pulled nine points clear of the relegation zone, while Liverpool have secured the title.
If its shackles off and anything goes then there is only one winner, which is reflected in the betting, but Liverpool to be winning at half-time and full-time at 6/5 is a viable option, with the Reds having done precisely that in six of the last seven meetings between the two.
*All odds correct at time of writing.