Matchday 17 of the Premier League showcased its electrifying moments, with top teams like Liverpool and Arsenal displaying exactly why they are among the best. Liverpool, as usual, were on cloud nine with their exhilarating performances on Matchday 17. They amazed their fans by scoring six goals against Tottenham, where Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah scored two goals each for the team. Tottenham, on the other hand, also gave their decent deliverance against Liverpool and scored about three goals. The match kept the crowd engaged till the last minute, and the teams are expected to deliver a similar performance in the forthcoming matches. The Gunners, after a couple of weeks, turned their game to be more exciting. They delivered about five goals over Crystal Palace, where Gabriel Jesus scored two goals and Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, and Declan Rice scored one goal each. There lies a great hope for the Arsenal’s to end this season on a high note, as they are just three points behind the second-placed Chelsea team in the middle of this season. Newcastle United, having eighth position in the 2024-25 Premier League standings, were seen delivering four goals each in their last two weeks’ game. In the very recent matchup, Alexander Isak surprised the fans with three goals. Adding to this, Bournemouth and Wolves also displayed a good game on both ends of the field.
With all these exciting moments, Matchday 17 has also spotlighted many disappointing areas, where highly expected teams like Chelsea left their crowd disappointed without scoring goals. The teams that had their battles on their home ground had their pressure mode ON. But unfortunately, most of the teams failed to unveil their dominance in their hometown. Brentford, Everton, Manchester United, Fulham, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town are the teams which ended their games without goals on their home ground on Matchday 17. Particularly, teams like Brentford, which has won seven of their eight home games, were left with high expectations for Matchday 17. But they got kicked off by the away team, Nottm Forest, where Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga had goals for their team. While many fans had hoped to kick off their Christmas celebration with victories from their favourite teams, Matchday 17 didn’t deliver the festive cheer for most. However, there remains a strong belief among the supporters that their teams will turn things around before the New Year festivities begin.
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Manchester City vs Everton FC
Everton team will play against Manchester City on December 26, 2024, at Etihad Stadium on the Matchday 17 of the Premier League.
Standings:
- Manchester City – 7th position with 27 points.
- Everton – 15th position with 16 points.
The Manchester City team will be entering this game without a win in their last three 2024-25 Premier League games. The very last match of Man City ended with a 2-1 loss against Aston Villa, where Phil Foden scored the lone goal for the team. In that game, Man City made the utmost effort to cross the goal line, where about 12 shots found their way to failure. However, Manchester City is highly expected to take turns in this game, rewinding their victory path after three weeks. This game over the Everton team is placed on the home grounds of Manchester City, hoping to make good fortunes in front of their home crowd. In the previous matchup with Everton, Erling Haaland scored two goals against Everton. So, this is not going to be a tricky part for the City stars to portray a similar game on Matchday 18.
The Everton team, on the other end, heads this game with a scoreless draw over Chelsea. It doesn’t remain enjoyable for Everton fans to see the team ending the last two games without scores. Out of these disappointments, there arose a great ray of hope among the Everton fans, as the team stopped the great teams from scoring goals. The Arsenals and the Chelsea men felt the difficulties in making their ball pass the goal line. This clearly shows that the Everton team has a decent defensive unit. It is the offensive side where Sean Dyche’s men need to be more attentive. For this matchup, Everton is anticipated to maintain a familiar defensive strategy. However, given Manchester City’s consistent scoring record against them in previous encounters, City is likely to net at least two or three goals, leaving Everton with a scoreless finish.
Newcastle United vs. Aston Villa
Aston Villa and Newcastle teams will go head-to-head on Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 EPL games on December 26 at St. James’ Park.
Standings:
- Newcastle United – 8th position with 26 points
- Aston Villa – 6th position with 28 points
This game is expected to create many heart-pounding moments till the end since both teams are closely competitive and stand apart by just two points in the table. The Newcastle teams enter this matchup with a splendid 0-4 win over Ipswich Town. Alexander Isak was the one who made furious actions and delivered about three goals for Newcastle in that game. Jacob Murphy, as always, displayed his part in the game with one goal. The defensive end was equally good as the offensive side for Newcastle, making Kieran McKenna’s men end up scoreless. This game, being a home game for Newcastle, is anticipated to end on a positive note.
Aston Villa, in contrast, enters this game with a 2-1 win over Manchester City, where John Durán and Morgan Rogers both scored one goal each. It was a great move by Unai Emery’s men, who displayed nice moves against one of the most demanding clubs. This, in turn, would be an excellent catalyst for the team to be more curious about this match over Newcastle. Aston Villa has been on a strong run lately, securing four victories in their last five matches. However, they must focus intently on this game, as their performance in away matches has been inconsistent. This bodes well for Newcastle United, who have enjoyed significant success in their home games this season.
Nottingham Forest vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur will go against Nottm Forest on December 26, 2024, at City Ground, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England, for the 2024-25 Premier League Matchday 18.
Standings:
- Nottingham Forest – 4th position with 31 points
- Tottenham Hotspur – 11th position with 23 points
Tottenham Hotspur enters this game with a decent 3-6 loss against Liverpool. In that game, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke all shot one goal each. Despite Liverpool’s massive hitting, the Spurs contributed generously to their offensive end. However, the team’s defense was rather lacklustre, allowing the relentless Liverpool to seize the victory.
Nottingham Forest defeated Brentford 2-0 in their previous game, with goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga. The team is performing well, having secured a favourable position in the 2024-25 Premier League standings. If they continue to play at this level, they are likely to become strong contenders for European qualification. For this game, Nottingham Forest is expected to take the advantageous side since they have displayed a dominant face in their home games. However, the Spurs are nothing less for displaying great moves. This game is anticipated to be won by the Forest side with two or more goals over the Hotspurs.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace and Bournemouth teams will enter the Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Premier League games on December 26, 2024, at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth.
Standings:
- Bournemouth – 5th position with 28 points
- Crystal Palace – 16th position with 16 points.
The Crystal Palace side is having a dull season with just three wins in their 17 matchups played this season. In their prior game, Crystal Palace ended with a disappointing 1-5 loss against Arsenal, where Ismaila Sarr scored the lone goal for Crystal’s team. The Eagles made only one clean sheet possible in their last ten matchups. The Crystal team need to look to their struggling defensive end if they tend to express winning tactics over the Bournemouths.
In contrast, the Bournemouth team is in a decent position in the EPL Standings. Their most recent game ended with a fair 0-3 win over Manchester United. Dean Huijsen, Justin Kluivert, and Antoine Semenyo scored goals for their side. The Cherries are entering this game without a defeat in their last four battles, stimulating them to display a similar performance in this game.
Additionally, securing a win against a formidable team like Manchester United has undoubtedly boosted their confidence, empowering them to approach this game with the same strategy and ultimately aim for another victory.
Chelsea vs Fulham
Chelsea and Fulham teams meet each other on December 26, 2024, at Stamford Bridge for the Matchday 18 of the EPL matchups.
Standings:
- Chelsea – 2nd position with 35 points
- Fulham – 9th position with 25 points.
Chelsea entered Matchday 17, riding high on the momentum of five consecutive victories, setting high expectations for the game. However, despite their efforts, they were held to a 0-0 draw against Everton, leaving fans disappointed. Chelsea made a drastic move in their prior game, which led them to go behind Liverpool in the standings. However, the Chelsea side is highly expected to turn things around in this game. Being a home team, Chelsea is anticipated to make strong defensive moves in this clash over Fulham.
Fulham team, on the other end, enters this battle with a scoreless draw over Southampton. The last three battles of the Fulham side have all ended with a draw. They have been maintaining decent statistics from the start of this season. In this game over Chelsea, the Fulham side is expected to show a solid offensive performance in this game while also needing to tighten up their defence. These two teams faced off in the first month of the year, with Chelsea winning by a single goal. A similar outcome is anticipated in this match, with Chelsea likely to score one or two goals against Fulham.
Southampton FC vs West Ham United
West Ham United will visit Southampton for the Matchday 17 of the 2024-25 Premier League games. This matchup is scheduled to take place on December 26, 2024, at St. Mary’s Stadium.
Standings:
- Southampton FC – 20th position with 6 points
- West Ham United – 14th position with 20 points
Southampton has been displaying its worst game tactics since the start of the season. On Matchday 17, they played Fulham to a goalless draw, avoiding a loss and maintaining their recent unbeaten streak. Southampton team have made just one victory this season, showcasing their weaker moves on either side of the field.
The West Ham United, on the contrary, ended the last game with a 1-1 tie against Brighton, in which Mohammed Kudus scored one goal. West Ham is also oscillating with low scores in the EPL standings. Still, they look to have a slightly better offensive squad than their opponents for this battle. Hence, this game is anticipated to end with a scoreless draw or West Ham winning the game with a single goal.
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC vs Manchester United
On December 26, 2024, Manchester United will go head-to-head against Wolverhampton for the Matchday 28 of the Premier League. This game is scheduled to take place at Molineux Stadium.
Standings:
- Wolverhampton – 18th position with 12 points
- Manchester United – 13th position with 22 points
Manchester United hasn’t been the formidable force it was in previous seasons, where they used to dominate their opponents with bold and fearless play. They’ve managed to secure victories in just six out of the 17 games they’ve played this season. The prior matchup of the United team ended with a 0-3 loss against Bournemouth. This home loss has increased the pressure among their fans, who are looking for the team to maintain consistency. However, the Red Devils need to fix with the new manager Rúben Amorim to end this game with a decent score.
The Wolves, currently struggling with a string of poor performances, must step up their game to finish the season with a respectable standing. Since their home games have been too poor this season, Wolves are not believed to make a happy note for this game. So, this game might either end in favour of Manchester United or be scoreless.
Liverpool vs Leicester City
Liverpool team will battle against Leicester City on Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Premier League season on December 26, 2024, at Anfield.
Standings:
- Liverpool – 1st position with 39 points
- Leicester City – 17th position with 14 points
The Liverpool team is having a great season, holding the first position with high scores. They made drastic moves in the previous 3-6 win over Tottenham, during which the Liverpool side displayed massive offensive moves. Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah netted two goals each, while Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister scored one goal each. Arend Martijn continues to guide his men with powerful moves. In the previous game between Liverpool and Leicester City, Liverpool took the victory home with a 3-1 score. This game, however, is expected to have a similar ending, with Liverpool netting more than two goals.
Leicester City is not displaying decent games this season, with just three victories in their line. They ended the previous game with a dull 0-3 loss against Wolves, extending their losing streak. Also, it remains very disappointing to see the Leicester side ending their last two battles without scoring. They are anticipated to struggle a bit in this game against the Liverpool side.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Brentford FC
Brentford and Brighton teams will play against each other on December 27, 2024, at Falmer Stadium for the EPL Matchups.
Standings:
- Brighton – 10th position with 25 points
- Brentford – 12th position with 23 points
Both Brighton and Brentford teams are having mediocre seasons. They both enter this battle without a victory in their respective prior matchups. Brighton scored the fewest goals over West Ham, whereas Brentford failed to score one in the last match. Additionally, the recent matchup between Brighton and Brentford ended in a goalless draw. Hence, this game is also likely to end with similar attributes, as both teams have shown no signs of improvement in their recent games.
Arsenal FC vs Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town will battle against Arsenal side on the Matchday 18 of the 2024-25 Premier League Showdown on December 28, 2024.
Standings:
- Arsenal FC – 3rd position with 33 points
- Ipswich Town – 19th position with 12 points
The Arsenal side is having a great season, where they are only two points behind the second-place Chelsea team. The Arsenal team had a tremendous 1-5 win in their previous matchup over Crystal Palace. The offensive unit slayed the performance, where Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Declan Rice all netted one goal each. The defensive side, on the other hand, also gave their utmost support to the team. They are expected to end the season in the first three if the team continues to display similar performances.
On the other hand, Ipswich Town is working hard to improve its position at the table. However, they have only two wins out of the 17 games they have played. In their last match against Newcastle, Ipswich lost 0-4. Also, Arsenal won the head-to-head matchup with Ipswich. Ipswich, being in a struggling phase, needs much improvisation to win against a strong team like Arsenal.