MANCHESTER CITY v BURNLEY: Thursday 1 February 6.30am

It's around this time of the season that Man City kick into overdrive. With Haaland probably back for this clash, Pep only has Akanji on the injury list as they drive towards another treble.

Since being stunned late against Palace, City have been strongest in the latter stages of their games. Comeback wins in the league over Everton and Newcastle preceded a late victory against Spurs in the FA Cup on the weekend.

The title favourites are now 20 without defeat at home in the league, a terrifying prospect for their former captain and now Burnley gaffer Vincent Kompany to face. After decent efforts against Liverpool and Villa, the Clarets were denied a crucial win over fellow strugglers Luton in the final minutes at their latest outing.

Burnley has a fair bit of talent unavailable or in doubt for this one, as if things weren't going to be tough enough already. City to win with a bit in reserve.

Prediction: Manchester City win ($1.10 with bet365*)

TOTTENHAM v BRENTFORD: Thursday 1 February 6.30am

Spurs are now alive in just one competition, so anything but Champions League qualification should be seen as an underachieving season for the club who want to sit at the big boys table but aren't quite there.

Ange has his side playing aggressive football with quick switches of play, clever passing, and plenty of numbers going forward. However, the price that they pay for this razzamatazz is in defence, and just one clean sheet in their last 12 matches has seen Tottenham lose as many as they have won in that period.

Werner coming in adds very little for mine, but the return of James Maddison is a massive fillip. When Son, Sarr, and Bissouma return from international duty, the north Londoners can look forward to a concerted push for the top four.

Brentford's reliance in Ivan Toney, particularly with Wissa and Mbeumo currently unavailable, was there for all to see against Forest a couple of weeks back. Their win ended a run of seven losses from eight games and eased them away from the relegation battle.

Like so many #9s in the modern era, a big part of Toney's game is dropping back to meet the ball midfield, then playing the distribution role. Against Forest, it was a masterclass. He will cause the Spurs back four plenty of headaches.

Spurs have not beaten Brentford in their last four meetings. The betting is pretty lop-sided towards the home team, but I don't see it as a foregone conclusion.

Prediction: Draw ($4.20 with bet365*)

LIVERPOOL v CHELSEA: Thursday 1 February 7.15am

Klopp's abdication has hogged the headlines – it now remains to be seen whether his side find an extra 5% to send him out a winner, or whether they take the dim view of his departure like most fans and drop their bundle. I suspect, at least while the news is fresh, the former will apply. Anfield will be in full voice for this one and the visit of a team not renowned for their intestinal fortitude could see a one-sided affair.

It has been a while since Bournemouth has been properly torn apart like they were in the second-half at home to Liverpool a fortnight ago. Salah's absence mattered little, with Darwin and Jota pitching in with braces. It was some of the finest football Klopp's side has played since their league winning season, and gave City notice that they are in for the fight.

Chelsea comes into this one off three straight league wins, a first for them since October 2022. However, the one-goal victories over Palace and Fulham were achieved by penalties, and a late capitulation at Luton almost blew a three-goal lead.

On a positive note for the Blues, their form against top-five sides this season has been okay, earning draws against Liverpool, Man City, and Arsenal, and controversially beating Spurs 4-1. Cole Palmer has been one of the better signings of the season for any club, a rare achievement for the scattergun approach taken at Stamford Bridge.

Nevertheless, the euphoria of this occasion, and the excellent form of the hosts, points towards a comfortable Liverpool win.

Prediction: Liverpool win ($1.57 with bet365*)

WEST HAM v BOURNEMOUTH: Friday 2 February 6.30am

The big news of the January transfer window has been Kalvin Phillips' loan signing to West Ham.

He is a good acquisition in that he is a quality holding midfielder, further enhancing the classy squad that Moyes has assembled. While that part of the park is ably covered by Soucek and Alvarez, injuries and Cup fixtures dictate that depth is required, so he certainly adds that. The downside is that he doesn't plug a deficiency gap - a striker, a left and right back, and a left-side attacking midfielder. For now, Bowen will be relied upon as a makeshift #9 or false #9, and players that are not of Premier League standard will be called upon when troops thin out.

The Hammers' form reads well but they were poor against Sheffield Utd and Brighton, earning just a point on each occasion. However, with just one loss from their last ten and decent run of fixtures over the six weeks, Europa qualification is still firmly on the cards.

Bournemouth's dream run has been abruptly halted at the hands of Spurs and Liverpool. They were in both matches at half-time but compounded late. The Cherries' form in the past dozen games has been predictable – they get results against sides outside the top-five and can't get near those at the top of the table. All key squad members are fit and well so they should field a strong side at the London Stadium.

The Hammers have won three and drawn two of their last five against Bournemouth. However, they are down on troops for this one with Paqueta, Coufal, Alvarez, Aguerd, Benrahma and Kudus all missing. Hard one to call.

Prediction: Draw ($3.75 with bet365*)

WOLVES v MANCHESTER UTD: Friday 2 February 7.15am

Wolves' impressive season continued last round when they did what no side had managed to do since February 2023 – keep Brighton scoreless at home. That result made it ten points from a possible 12 since Xmas and puts them within touching distance of their rivals in this crucial clash.

Neto is back, Nunes is firing, and other unsung stars such as Lemina, Semedo, and Dawson in the heart of the defence have this side among the toughest to beat in the league at present.

Still burning in their minds will be the injustice at Old Trafford on opening day when VAR launched its calamitous season with a howler that denied Wolves a clear-cut penalty late in the game. Back at Molineux, where they are unbeaten in eight games, revenge might be served cold.

Man Utd look to me like at team out of control. Ten Hag has seemingly lost the dressing room, with dramas involving Ronaldo, then Greenwood, then Sancho, and now Rashford. The home form has been good since the embarrassing loss to Bournemouth, but away from Manchester they have the aura of a midtable side, scoring just once in their travels in the last four fixtures and collecting a solitary point.

Delighted that the bookies have the Red Devils as favourites – I'm not sure what football they have been watching for the last eight weeks to come up with that assessment.

Prediction: Wolves win ($2.75 with bet365*)

SUGGESTED WAGER:

Wolves to win @$2.75 with bet365*

*Odds correct at 3.40pm 30 January 2024.