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Paul Merson's Premier League predictions - Round 13

Magic Man thinks Chelsea will be too strong for Sunderland, while Arsenal will be buoyed after Dortmund win

Paul Merson foresees away wins for Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City as well as victories for Liverpool and Manchester United in his latest round of predictions...

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Sunderland v Chelsea - 5:30pm, Sat, Sky Sports 1HD

I think Sunderland will be well out of their depth here. Chelsea are so good at the moment, it’s just phenomenal. Sunderland can play at 100 miles an hour and they’ll just get picked off. Chelsea can mix it at one stage and then they can play football, play with pace or slow the game down. They are the complete team; they don’t have a weak link.

Their time may come later on when there are a few injuries but at the moment, I just can’t see anything but a Chelsea win. I wouldn’t get disheartened if I was Sunderland though. Sometimes you give your all in these games, you may pinch a draw or get a win then great, but if you don’t move on, don’t worry, Chelsea are a top team.

PAUL PREDICTS: 0-3 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)

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Southampton v Man City - 1:30pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1HD

I watched Southampton last week and I was disappointed. Everybody is telling me how great they are. I hadn’t seen them play before and I watched the Villa game and they didn’t look like a second-placed team to me. I said on Soccer Saturday they will finish seventh or eighth and I’m not going to change my mind from Monday’s performance. I didn’t think their attitude was great and I think they thought they just had to turn up and that wasn’t the case.

I think they’ll be better against City, but how do you stop Aguero? I don’t see how you can stop him; he’s up there with the best in world. City are a great team to watch at the moment because if it goes to form, and Chelsea beat Sunderland, they have to win - draws are no good. We know they’re going to finish in the top four but they’ve got to go out every week and try to win.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet odds 14/1)

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Tottenham v Everton - 4pm, Sun, Sky Sports 1HD

Spurs have won two away games when they should have got beat, thanks to the other team having players sent off, and then they got beaten by Stoke, so I think there are really struggling at the moment. I watched them last week and they never looked like scoring.

I wasn’t impressed with Everton last week if I’m being honest either but they won. So I fancy Everton again this week, and that’s not my Arsenal head talking, that’s my football head!

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet odds 22/1)

West Brom v Arsenal 

I fancy Arsenal, I think they’ll go on a roll now after Wednesday's win over Dortmund. Defensively the other night, they were very good. We all know they can score goals. I watched West Brom last week and they got well rinsed at Chelsea and they were well beaten the week before at home to Newcastle.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain increased the advantage to 3-0 after the break
Image: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in good form, says Merse

If they don’t pick up from either of those two performances, they’ll be well beaten again. I fancy Oxlade-Chamberlain to score; he’s getting better and better. So I’m going to go 2-0 Arsenal, and another clean sheet.

PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2 (Sky Bet odds 8/1)

Burnley v Aston Villa

Image: Ings: Targeting third consecutive win

Well, I’m hoping I’m wrong here but I think Burnley will win this game 1-0 but, like I said, I hope I’m wrong. Villa have one shot in a game and that’s it - they can’t keep doing that. If Burnley play like they did in the first 20 minutes against Hull, I think they’ll be hard to beat. When you look at the match, you think that if Burnley are able to get one goal, then that will be enough. Hopefully I’m wrong but I’m going for a home win.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0 (Sky Bet odds 11/2)

Liverpool v Stoke

I think just Liverpool here. Stoke have been better away from home this season than at home which is a surprise. I know Liverpool are all over the place at the moment but I'm going to go with Liverpool here on the strength that they have got to turn the corner sooner rather than later, otherwise I couldn’t see them winning this game to be honest.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 7/1)

Manchester United v Hull

Image: Merson: Still room for improvement at United

I thought Hull were unlucky last week against Spurs. If Gaston Ramirez doesn’t get sent off, they win the game and they definitely don’t lose. If Man United got back on that coach on Saturday and thought that was a good performance at the Emirates, then they better start worrying. That could have been any scoreline in the first 30 minutes so you can’t tell me that was good. I think they’ll struggle again here as they haven’t shown any form to change my mind yet. Saying that, I think they’ll just nick it.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 15/2)

QPR v Leicester

This is a cup final, a six-pointer! I don’t think Leicester have recovered since Burnley scored that last-minute free-kick against them. They beat Man United, but Burnley fought back and if they had won that, there would have been a bit of momentum. Instead they just haven’t recovered. QPR, at home especially, are a different team now with Zamora in there. They have a lot of energy so I’m going for a home win.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 9/1)

Swansea v Crystal Palace

I’m doing this game on Soccer Saturday. I’ve watched Palace a few times this season and Liverpool made them look like the Harlem Globetrotters last week and they're not, believe me! I think Swansea will win this game. Palace shouldn’t get too carried away, they did very well the other day but there’s a long way to go yet and Swansea are a decent team, especially with Bony up front.

Image: Bony could cause Palace defence problems

Swansea gave a good account of themselves last week and Man City and they only lost by the odd goal, they’ve beaten Arsenal at home as well so they're doing well. They're floating around the top part of the table so I can’t see anything other than a home win.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 7/1)

West Ham v Newcastle

I watched West Ham last week at Everton and I thought they were bang unlucky. I thought they were decent. They should have at least got a draw out of the game. They had a lot injuries - Sakho, and Valencia didn’t play and Carroll played up front. Downing was out last week as well and he’ll be back, he’s a big player them.

Mauro Zarate equalised for the Hammers
Image: Could Mauro Zarate and Andy Carroll find themselves on the bench?

Was it a blessing in disguise they lost? Maybe. If they had won that game and Carroll and Nolan played well, what happens this week? Do they play again and then we're back to last season's team? Look what happened last season when the crowd were on their backs and they didn’t win but the team played well, so do you go and put the big boys back in again? I know they’re on a roll Newcastle, but I can’t see anything but a West Ham win this week.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 2-1)

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