Matchweek 22 of the Premier League Season is here, and we once again try and take down the $50,000 prize by playing Premier League Pick Em’ on the NBC Sports Predictor App. NBC Sports Predictor is a sports app that gives you a chance to win huge cash prizes by simply making predictions on the games. This article is a guide to help you think about each match. This week we navigate through Matchday 22 of 38.
Newcastle vs. West Ham (Saturday, 12:30 pm ET)
Newcastle have had a great start to the season and continue to impress. They are third on the table and boast one of the defenses in the Premier League. There have been arguments of regression set for Newcastle, especially in this match, after having played a midweek cup fixture. They will also be without the services of Bruno Guimarães, as he will be out serving a suspension. While it makes sense to some, I still believe Newcastle are on the right path. They play great defense and score more than they concede.
West Ham has to travel to St. James Park to take on a tough Newcastle side. West Ham’s season has not started the way they had hoped, and at the halfway point, they are not anywhere they expected. They struggle to get forward and create quality looks in the final third. At first, I thought this would be a stalemate and possibly end nil-nil, but after much consideration, I think Newcastle has a chance to win and keep a clean sheet.
Prediction: Newcastle 1, West Ham 0
This is the match you need to watch this weekend. It’s not the marquee match, but it certainly will entertain. Nottingham Forest are quietly on a four-match unbeaten streak. They are constantly improving their structure and have improved defensively. They take on a Leeds side who started the season off strong but have started to fall down the table. They press hard, but they are a bit chaotic in their movement. They score but often fail defensively. As a result, they have gone five straight without a win. This match could be a shootout, but both know how important any result is. This match probably ends in a draw.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1, Leeds 1
Tottenham vs. Manchester City (Sunday, 11:30 am ET)
This might be the match everyone has circled on their calendars as the match to watch. Not I. This match has a very good chance of being dry and ends very low scoring. If using last match’s six-goal explosion as the reference, I’d say think again. The match was a stalemate until the end of the first half. I expect Antonio Conte will have his men sit nine or ten behind the ball and break when they have the opportunity to do so.
Manchester City have had their share of struggle this season. There has been a lack of creativity, and the pace of their movement has been too slow. Maybe we have become accustomed to this team’s dominance throughout the years. They are still one of the best teams in the world, but their attack has settled some. City will likely win this match, but I’m not expecting fireworks this time around.
Prediction: Tottenham 0, Manchester City 1
