Gray and Keys EPL predictions - Week 15

Sport360 staff 13:36 05/12/2015
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  • Talking point: Mourinho and Costa.

    Ahead of the weekend’s Premier League football fixtures, Richard Keys and Andy Gray of BeIn Sports take a look at all the action and give their predictions for the weekend ahead.

    With Chelsea hosting Bournemouth as attention focuses on striker Diego Costa’s future and out-of-form Newcastle facing Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in a match-up always associated with high-scoring results, there is plenty to look forward to this weekend.

    Chelsea v Bournemouth

    Andy Gray: Diego Costa is an angry, frustrated, unhappy young man at the moment and it shows, but he is only mirroring what the rest of the team are like.

    They are all struggling for answers. One or two are beginning to find a bit of form, but he is still a way off.

    I think the spat he had with Mourinho in the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv, which everyone saw, was the moment Jose decided he needed to show everyone who is the boss at Chelsea and I think that’s why he left him out for the Spurs game.

    He will bring him back when he thinks the player is ready but Costa, who has only scored three goals this season, needs to raise his game.

    I get the impression that he is not happy at Chelsea and wants to go back to Spain, so I wouldn’t be surprised if come the January transfer window we see some movement at the club on the striker front. 

    If Costa isn’t going to step up to the levels he was at last season then Mourinho will find someone else because neither Radamel Falcao or Loic Remy are good enough.

    If there is a viable option I think Chelsea will get rid of Costa and that might be what the player has been angling for.

    There is the option, of course, that Mourinho might decide to get shot of Falcao or Remy, bring in someone who is scoring goals and keep Costa as back up but would the Spaniard be happy to play second fiddle to another striker? I think not.

    I don’t expect Diego Costa to start against Bournemouth today, even though you would think he might get a few goals in this game. Mourinho would have been pleased by the way his team played against Spurs last week without the striker.

    There were definitely shoots of recovery there so he will probably stick with what he had in that game. Chelsea are a much better side than Bournemouth, who it has to be said did well against Everton last week, and should win this reasonably easily. 2-0.

    Richard Keys: It was from a very good friend of mine on the island of Ibiza earlier in the year that I got information that Costa had been there partying for two days after an early season fixture. 

    When I posted  that information on Twitter I got a lot of Chelsea fans saying ‘who cares? So what, he is only relaxing and enjoying himself’, but my point was, and remains, that this is a player who for two years hasn’t really been fit.

    He’s a party boy and it is that, more than anything else, that I am sure annoys Mourinho.

    He made a fantastic impact when he first came into the Premier League – he blew people away but he has crossed the line too often for me.

    He is more interested in fighting personal battles these days than he is for the team and maybe that’s because he can’t contribute anymore, maybe he is frustrated by that. 

    Whatever, I don’t think he will be at Chelsea for much longer.

    He hit the headlines again this week when he was pictured leaving a London nightclub in the early hours after the club’s Christmas party.

    Why is he getting himself in the papers if it’s not to say ‘I will do what I want to do’?

    I heard in the summer that Mourinho tried to sell him but that John Terry and some of the other players persuaded him otherwise. 

    All this is indicative of everything that’s not right at Chelsea, who appear to be continually fighting in-house battles. 

    As for the game against Bournemouth, I am with Andy in that I am not sure Costa will play.  

    I wouldn’t pick him and I would prefer to see Hazard given another run up top which is where I would like to see him play. Whether Costa plays or not it will make little difference in this game. 2-0.

    Newcastle v Liverpool

    AG: Unless you are a totally blinkered Newcastle fan nobody will be expecting anything but a Liverpool win. Their confidence must be sky high at the moment, particularly after that great result against Southampton in midweek, and Newcastle are all over the shop. 1-3.

    RK: Liverpool’s result against Southampton in the League Cup was stunning and frankly, Newcastle are a circus act. 0-3.

    Stoke v Man City

    AG: A tough one to call. Stoke are decent at home where they don’t lose too many, but City are still the best team in the league and even though they don’t play that well at times, and we saw that against Southampton last week, they manage to get the job done. 1-2.

    RK: Like Andy, I thought City were a bit iffy against Southampton last week and Stoke are more than capable of winning this. 1-0.

    Arsenal v Sunderland

    AG: Arsenal have got injury problems, and if that continues it could cost them at a crucial stage of the title race. Sunderland won’t concede too many under Sam Allardyce but Arsene Wenger’s side will be too strong. 2-0.

    RK: If Arsenal want to win the title I think this is a must-win because having failed twice in a week to take the opportunity to go top they have to get three points. Allardyce would like nothing better than to prove that his style of football is as effective as Wenger’s. Sunderland can get a point. 1-1.

    Man United v West Ham

    AG: West Ham are at a watershed for me. They have lost Diafra Sakho and Dimitri Payet and I think they are struggling a little bit. United don’t look like they have got goals in them but might deliver in this game. 3-1.

    RK: West Ham have hit the wall and the second half of the season will be just as difficult as last season was, particularly, as Andy says, without their best two players. United won’t run riot but they will do enough to win this 1-0.

    Southampton v Aston Villa

    AG: People will look at this and think Southampton will win this easily, but they come into this game on the back of a thumping from Liverpool and their form hasn’t been great. Although Villa lost at home to Watford last week I thought they looked a bit better but they won’t win this. 2-1.

    RK: I don’t see anything in that Aston Villa side. The keeper looks a nervous wreck and I wouldn’t have Micah Richards anywhere near the centre of my defence. I can’t see a goal, or a point for them. 3-0.

    Swansea v Leicester

    AG: This will be the most attractive game of the weekend with both teams playing attacking football. Leicester continue to impress but at home Swansea will be tough to beat. 2-2.

    RK: Right now Leicester are unstoppable and I can’t back against them. 1-2.

    Watford v Norwich

    AG: I wouldn’t be getting up especially to watch this game. Norwich are struggling and Watford are getting the job done and should win what will be a tight game. 1-0.

    RK: Watford were one of my certainties to go down but Quique Sanchez Flores has done a great job. I now think Norwich are more likely to be relegated. 2-0.

    West Brom v Tottenham

    AG: Spurs will be disappointed they didn’t beat Chelsea last week but they are playing well and will be too good for West Brom. 1-2.

    RK: I never think West Brom are necessarily going to win but I can’t see them losing too many. Spurs were disappointing against Chelsea last week and I can’t see them winning this. 1-1.

    Everton v Crystal Palace

    AG: A close game with Palace’s brilliant away form against the growing confidence of Everton who have hit a rich vein of form. 2-1.

    RK: Palace have 10 wins from 14 on the road and although Everton are playing really well at the moment they need to be a bit careful. Palace will score but Everton’s firepower will prevail. 3-2.

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