Keys and Gray: Premier League predictions – Week 36

Sport360 staff 07:43 30/04/2016
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  • Touching distance: Leicester City.

    Leicester City will wrap up the most extraordinary Premier League title in history at Old Trafford on Sunday if they beat Manchester United but will Louis van Gaal’s boys spoil the party?

    Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who front beIN Sports’ EPL coverage, discuss this and the other games this weekend.

    MANCHESTER UNITED VS LEICESTER CITY

    Andy Gray: It would be a nice ending to the Leicester fairytale if they won the title at the Theatre of Dreams but I don’t think that is going to happen and Claudio Ranieri will have to wait and see what happens on Monday night when Chelsea take on Spurs.

    I think Manchester United will beat Leicester and the reason I say that is that they have a game in hand on Manchester City and Arsenal and are only five points behind them and those two still have to play each other.

    Van Gaal knows that if he can somehow get his players to win their last four games, and their remaining fixtures are all winnable, and get 71 points on the board he would knock the loser of that clash, out of the top four.

    I never imagined City or Arsenal would miss out on a Champions League place this season, but I now have a sneaky suspicion that United will catch one of them, and I say that without being a great lover of what Van Gaal has done at Old Trafford and the way he plays his football.

    All this means the United players will be super-motivated for this game against Leicester, as much as they were for the FA Cup semifinal last weekend.

    Leicester will want to put this title to bed at Old Trafford but even if that doesn’t happen they might still wrap it up on Monday if Chelsea beat Spurs. I hope that doesn’t happen because I like to see titles won on the pitch not because another team lost.

    Gunning for fourth: Manchester United.

    Gunning for fourth: Manchester United.

    I don’t suppose Ranieri will care how they win it, and I do think they will get over the line, but I expect United to put the brakes on their celebrations. 1-0.

    Richard Keys: I don’t agree with Andy. I am absolutely convinced that Leicester will complete the greatest football story of all time at Old Trafford which will be fitting, because no ground has seen more title success in the Premier League era than Old Trafford and it would underline an extraordinary balance of power shift this season.

    Leicester can enjoy the trophy presentation at home next weekend. As we stand, Leicester are better than Manchester United and they have answered every question about whether they could go the distance without hesitation and in some style.

    They had no Jamie Vardy last week against Swansea but they went on to record their biggest win of the season.

    I understand what Andy is saying in that United need the points but I am not convinced they can halt the Leicester charge. I just don’t think they are good enough.

    If Leicester do win the title on Sunday, Claudio Ranieri will be a legend, and quite rightly so, but an enormous amount of credit for what has happened this season has to go to the previous Leicester manager Nigel Pearson and current head of recruitment Steve Walsh who must now be one of the most sought after talent scouts in the world after seeing the potential in Vardy when nobody else wanted to take the risk and snapping up Riyad Mahrez, who has just been named Player of the Year.

    Ranieri has made an impact because for the first time in his career he could walk into a club and work with what Pearson left and he has to be given credit for the way he has done that; the Italian has built a remarkable spirit at the club.

    The medical staff should also be praised for keeping the team at full strength for most of the season. I believe this will be a one-off title win but they won’t worry about that for the moment and I think they will beat United to kick off an amazing party. 1-3.

    CHELSEA VS TOTTENHAM

    AG: Can Chelsea derail Spurs and hand Leicester the title? No.

    After the huge disappointment against West Brom last Monday, I think Tottenham will lick their wounds, pick themselves up and respond. It should be a fabulous game but they will have too much movement and pace for Chelsea. 1-2.

    RK: Chelsea supporters will be desperate to see Spurs beaten at Stamford Bridge but they are going to be disappointed. Spurs didn’t play that badly against West Brom and they will want to prove they haven’t hit the wall and if they can’t win the title they will want to make sure they finish above Arsenal. 1-2.

    SOUTHAMPTON VS MANCHESTER CITY

    AG: City were good against a pathetic Stoke last week but they will be focused on the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real on Wednesday. Having said that, I expect Manuel Pellegrini to put a strong side out with a top four finish in mind. However, Southampton are a good side and I can’t see them losing this. 1-1.

    RK: City will be totally distracted by the Champions League and Southampton, who have had a good end to the season, will make the most of that. 2-0.

    ARSENAL VS NORWICH

    AG: Norwich are swilling around the plughole but not quite going down the gurgler. Arsenal, as I have already said, will know Manchester United are right on their tail and need to win this. They have too much quality for Norwich. 2-0.

    RK: Arsenal are like a slow punctured tyre – deflating week by week but Norwich aren’t quite good enough to take advantage. 1-0.

    NEWCASTLE VS CRYSTAL PALACE

    AG: Newcastle will have the bit between their teeth after their recent performances and I expect them to beat Palace 2-0 but I still think they will be relegated.

    RK: I am with Andy on this. Palace will be thinking about the FA Cup final despite Alan Pardew’s efforts this week to pretend differently. Newcastle have got some belief back. 2-1.

    EVERTON VS BOURNEMOUTH

    AG: If Bournemouth beat Everton they will go above them and what would that say about where Everton are? I don’t say this with any conviction but I have to think Everton can beat Bournemouth at home. 2-1.

    RK: As far as I am concerned it is already all over for Martinez. There will be more demonstrations on Saturday and it would be in everybody’s interests if Bournemouth beat Everton and the clearout starts sooner rather than later. 1-2.

    STOKE VS SUNDERLAND

    AG: Stoke can’t keep leaking the number of goals that have been put past them in the past few weeks. Mark Hughes will demand a response from his players after the thumpings they have taken. However, Sunderland are fighting for their lives and I reckon they will win this. 0-1.

    RK: Stoke have been dreadful and Sunderland have been playing well enough to deserve a break and I am sure it will come here. 0-1.

    WEST BROM VS WEST HAM

    AG: West Ham have had 10 days off so their players will be fresh which will give them the edge. 1-3.

    RK: West Ham are starting to tire and Dimitri Payet has not been as influential as he was earlier in the season. West Brom can frustrate the Hammers. 1-1.

    SWANSEA VS LIVERPOOL

    AG: Liverpool will play a weakened side with one eye on the second leg of their Europa League semi-final so I am going for Swansea to win this 1-0.

    RK: Swansea are sorted now, and I think Chris Coleman might be in line for that job next season, and although Liverpool might have their minds elsewhere Jurgen Klopp won’t want to lose this. 2-2.

    WATFORD VS ASTON VILLA

    AG: There is still a lot of speculation about whether Quique Sanchez Flores will still be at Watford next season so this is a good game for Watford to have because everyone will expect them to win. They are home and they are better than Villa. 2-0.

    RK: I have to admire Eric Black for being honest when he spoke about the toxic atmosphere at Aston Villa and players not wanting to be there. The whole place is a mess. Nobody really cares about this game but Watford will win it. 2-0.

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