Our Premier League predictions

Check out our game-by-game predictions, analysis and best bets for Saturday's Premier League action.

Troy Deeney: Can find the net for Watford this weekend

There are six games in the Premier League on Saturday December 17, with leaders Chelsea getting proceedings under way with a trip to London rivals Crystal Palace in the lunchtime fixture.

Defending champions Leicester travel to Stoke in one of the four 1500 GMT kick-offs before West Brom host Manchester United at 1730 GMT.

Here, our __football betting expert David John runs the rule over all the matches while on Friday a link to each individual match guide will be added which includes team news, more Opta statistics and manager quotes.

Premier League: Saturday's best bets

2pts Chelsea in the HT/FT betting v Crystal Palace

1pt Viktor Fischer to score anytime v Swansea

1pt Troy Deeney to score anytime v Sunderland

2pts both teams to score in West Brom v Man United

• All kick-off times GMT

Crystal Palace v Chelsea (1230 GMT, Sky Sports 1)

A relentless Chelsea surge has taken them six points clear at the top of the table - they are already guaranteed to be the Christmas number one and could be nine ahead before any of their pursuers have kicked a ball this weekend. Cesc Fabregas has been a bit-part player so far this season under Antonio Conte but got his chance to shine at Sunderland with Eden Hazard out injured and the Spaniard absolutely ran the show and came up with a classy winner to boot in the first half. The ability to chip out a result in these tricky away fixtures in the dead of winter is the hallmark of champions, aided by a couple of sharp saves from the largely redundant Thibaut Courtois when called upon to ensure another maximum return heading back to Stamford Bridge. Many will see the 8/13 available when they head across town to Selhurst Park as a potential Yuletide gift wrapped up in a bow as Alan Pardew's Eagles continue to shoot themselves in the foot despite another committed display against Manchester United in midweek which ultimately proved all for nought. Pardew set his team up to frustrate as they managed to haul themselves level but the latest in a catalogue of lapses towards the end of a game allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to break their hearts. The embattled Pardew feels his side deserve a break but you have to earn everything you get at this level and I don't think the visitors will be in a particularly generous mood as they look to make it five wins from seven recent encounters against this rival. The other two did see Palace come out on top so they do at least have something positive to draw on but the Blues are plainly on another level at the moment and should keep their remarkable winning stretch going. That clinical efficiency can be turned into a bet and I want to get them onside in the HT/FT market at a very reasonable odds-against quote.

Verdict: Crystal Palace 0-2 Chelsea    

Opta facts:

• Crystal Palace have only mustered three goals in seven previous Premier League home games against Chelsea and one of these was a John Terry own goal.
• If Chelsea win this match they will have defeated Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on more occasions than any other team in the Premier League (currently five wins).
• Chelsea have lost just one of their last eight Premier League London derbies (W4 D3 L1), but this defeat came earlier this season at Arsenal (0-3).
• Crystal Palace have won only five points in 10 Premier League London derbies since the start of last season (W1 D2 L7); fewer than any other side from the capital in this period.
• Since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea 1-0 in August 2015, the Eagles have picked up only two points in eight Premier League London derbies (W0 D2 L6).

Middlesbrough v Swansea (1500)

I think Middlesbrough remain a sound unit at the back despite being dismantled by a rampant Liverpool, who tore into them with relish at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday. "When teams like them play at this level, it is difficult," reflected manager Aitor Karanka and they are unlikely to be put under that sort of pressure this weekend against a struggling Swansea side directly below them in the table and residing in the relegation places. The latter were well in with a shout at half-time against West Brom as they attempted to follow up a convincing victory over Sunderland and give the Bob Bradley era some valuable momentum. However, a crazy 15-minute spell saw them capitulate in all-too-familiar fashion to leave the American seething at his side's inability to show any sort of composure when they fall behind. They remain stuck on one away victory for the season as well, one which came on the opening day at Burnley, so surely the hosts will scent blood in the water if they can quickly draw a line under the Liverpool defeat - chalk that one down to experience and move on is my advice. Arsenal loanee Calum Chambers, Ben Gibson and goalkeeper Victor Valdes have been commanding on the whole so far at the back and keeping a clean sheet is quite a tempting wager but I would rather roll the dice a little bit more with a punt on them at the other end of the pitch. Ajax recruit Viktor Fischer is gradually warming to the task in the English top flight and his opportunities in front of goal seemed to have increased quite noticeably in the last few games. He drew a save from Liverpool's Simon Mignolet on one of their rare ventures into the danger area and Fischer looks very close to opening his account. I would fancy him getting another chance or two here against a defence that has shipped 34 goals already so an investment on the Dane in the anytime market could reap dividends.

Verdict: Middlesbrough 2-0 Swansea    

Opta facts:

• This will be the first top-flight meeting between these two clubs since May 1982.
• Swansea have won each of their last three competitive meetings with Middlesbrough, all by a one goal margin (1-0, 4-3, 1-0).
• The Swans have lost four of their last five away games against newly promoted sides in the Premier League, with a solitary victory coming at Burnley on the opening day of the season.
• Swansea City have conceded 15 goals in five Premier League away matches under Bob Bradley - an average of three per game.
• Bob Bradley has won eight points in his first nine Premier League games as Swansea City manager - six fewer than Francesco Guidolin in his first nine (14).
• This is Swansea's lowest points tally after 16 games of a Premier League season (12) - two points fewer than at this stage last season.
• The Swans have conceded 34 league goals this season - 10 more than they have after 16 games in any previous Premier League season (24 in 2015-16 after 16 games).

Stoke v Leicester (1500)

I liked the chances of Stoke last time out at home to Southampton but didn't factor into the equation volatile Austrian Marko Anautovic getting a straight red card after 23 minutes for a high challenge on Sofiane Boufal. Whether he deserved it or not is open to interpretation but it was backs to the wall for the Potters from that point as they defended their goal manfully and kept the swarming hordes of Saints out for the remainder of the game to earn a valuable point. Mark Hughes does not plan to appeal so the classy Arnautovic will be out for the next three games and his menacing presence along the front line would have been a huge asset against the reeling Premier League champions. The latter can't win a road game for toffee in the top flight at the moment and their inability to prevail away from the King Power now stretches back to April. They weren't particularly effective in the latest setback as they allowed a sprightly Bournemouth to dominate at the Vitality Stadium and even a late thrust in an attempt to grab a point saw Leonardo Ulloa's chance well saved by Artur Boruc and then scrambled clear as time ran out. Manager Claudio Ranieri has called for yet more focus and concentration from his players but perhaps we will just have to accept at the moment it is not happening for them. If they can deliver a reasonable percentage though of the rampant display they put up to sweep past Manchester City last weekend which saw them 3-0 up in 20 minutes then the 2/1 about them bringing this wretched record to an end at the bet365 Stadium could tempt in some punters. The hosts are clearly a pretty resilient bunch however and should be a match at the moment for the Foxes working on the assumption they can keep a full complement of players on the playing surface for the duration.

Verdict: Stoke 1-1 Leicester  

Opta facts: 

• Stoke are yet to win a Premier League home game versus Leicester (W0 D1 L1) - the only side they have faced more than once at home in the competition but not won against.
• Leicester have only conceded three goals in their last five league meetings with Stoke City.
• Jamie Vardy scored in both Premier League meetings with Stoke City last season.
• Jamie Vardy has scored just one goal in his last nine Premier League appearances away from home (v Liverpool in September).
• Bojan has scored the first goal of the game in both of his last two Premier League appearances against Leicester City.
• Leicester City have conceded in each of their last 10 Premier League away games - their worst run since April 2002 (also 10). They last conceded in 11 successive away PL games in October 2001 (17 away games in a row).

Sunderland v Watford (1500)

The Black Cats were a late acrobatic Thibaut Courtois save away from ending Chelsea's winning run on Wednesday night as another pretty stout effort from David Moyes' basement dwellers went unrewarded. This was much more like it after a below-par display at Swansea and the Scot will no doubt be pretty desperate to get three points on the board here with back-to-back away games coming up over Christmas and then the visit of Liverpool. The Hornets are keeping their heads above water as they trade wins and losses, so following that line of form suggests they are on course for another victory here. They obviously didn't have the quality to go toe-to-toe for extended periods with Manchester City but I wonder whether boss Walter Mazzarri could have been a little bit more adventurous at the Etihad against a side that very much remains a work in progress at the back. Captain Troy Deeney was left on the bench with the reason probably being split between his lack of goals lately and a bid to avoid him picking up a fifth yellow card and ruling him out here in what is, in all due respect. a far more winnable fixture. The admirable Deeney is stuck on 99 goals for his club and trying to get across the threshold to three figures might just be starting to play on his mind a little more than it should. He flung himself goal-bound on a couple of occasions against Everton but could not get the vital touch but I fancy his wait will finally come to an end here. Strike partner Odion Ighalo is struggling just as badly while the impressive Roberto Pereyra suffered what looks like a bad knee injury in Manchester so that should open the way for a refreshed Deeney to get back to business up front. He scored in the 2-2 draw with Sunderland at Vicarage Lane in May for those who like that sort of stat and rates an anytime goalscorer bet here.

Verdict: Sunderland 1-1 Watford

Opta facts:   

• Sunderland have only failed to score in three of their previous 36 league meetings with Watford, but one of these came at the Stadium of Light last season (0-1).
• Watford have lost four of their five league trips to the Stadium of Light (W1 D0 L4).
• Jermain Defoe has scored against 35 different teams in the Premier League, but is yet to score against Watford in the competition (three apps, no goals).
• Watford mustered 33 shots over their two Premier League meetings with Sunderland last season, more than they did against any other side.
• Sunderland are the only side yet to score a goal from outside the box in the Premier League this season.
• The Black Cats have conceded a league-high 10 goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League matches this season.

West Ham v Hull (1500)

This is unlikely to be very representative of the "beautiful" game with two teams in dire need of some consistency and more importantly some points by all means necessary. The Hammers continue to play games with a great deal of trepidation at the London Stadium as they constantly look like the sky is going to fall in on them. Manager Slaven Bilic referred to a "mental cramp" that his team are experiencing after they just about held on for a 1-0 victory over Burnley as the visitors very much played their way into contention in the second half. If one of Sam Vokes, Andre Gray or Michael Keane had been able to convert for the visitors then it would have been fascinating to see how West Ham would have reacted and this ridiculous hesitancy might not pass until they hand out a good thumping to someone in front of their own fans. Step forward Hull City, who arrive on the back of six straight away defeats and were brushed aside 3-0 in the capital by Tottenham in midweek. They did have a some fleeting moments of hope as former Spurs midfielder Jake Livermore popped up in a couple of promising situations that could have made things interesting but it is back to the drawing board in a bid to add to just one victory away from the KCOM Stadium. That record in part means the layers have priced up West Ham at just 4/6, which looks a very risky proposition indeed at the moment with Mike Phelan sure to try and expose all the current frailties experienced by the hosts. An inability to take full advantage is Hull's own downfall so this does not appeal as a great betting medium all things considered - a prediction is needed so I would narrowly opt for yet another nervy home victory.

Verdict: West Ham 1-0 Hull  

Opta fact:

• West Ham have won six successive league games at home against Hull City, not losing to the Tigers in home league meeting since January 1990.
• Hull City have seen a player sent off in three of their last six Premier League meetings with West Ham United (Mendy, Fagan & McGregor).
• West Ham's last six Premier League goals against Hull have all come in the second half of games.
• Dimitri Payet has created 56 goalscoring chances in the Premier League so far this season; 12 more than any other player.
• West Ham United have dropped a league-high 12 points from winning positions this season.
• Hull City have conceded the first goal of the game on 13 occasions this season in the Premier League; more often than any other team.
• The Tigers are on a run of six successive away defeats in the Premier League and they have failed to score in the last four of these.

West Brom v Manchester United (1730, BT Sport 1)

The additional quality Manchester United were able to call upon got them across the line at Crystal Palace and the burgeoning partnership between Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic could well be one of the Premier League highlights for the new year. Both were on target at Selhurst Park and the way Jose Mourinho's side rallied to nose ahead late on after Palace drew level at least saved us all from another whinge by the Portuguese about how well his team played without getting what they deserved from the game. Casting an analytical eye over proceedings, they were perhaps a bit fortunate with Marcos Rojo still on the pitch after another two-footed attempt to win the ball while there was a big suspicion of offside surrounding Pogba's opening goal. Another decent test awaits them in the midlands at The Hawthorns against seventh-placed West Brom, who have won four and drawn one of their last six games with the only reverse hardly a disgrace with them carried out on their shields at Chelsea. Striker Saloman Rondon might have required a few sighters in the first half against Swansea but he made amends with a splendid headed hat-trick after the break as he took full advantage of some pinpont centres from Chris Brunt. The latter has added some real quality since his return from a bad injury and all of sudden the Baggies pose a genuine threat in the final third with Nacer Chadli and Matt Phillips also at the top of their game. I have real optimism both teams should be able to find the back of the net in current mood and it could be worth betting accordingly. It might be wildly optimistic to expect a repeat of the 5-5 stalemate the pair shared on the final day of the 2012/13 season but I did expect this to be chalked up at odds-on so a bit of even money cries out to be snapped up.

Verdict: West Brom 2-2 Manchester United 

Opta facts: 

• WBA have won three of their last six league meetings with Man Utd (W3 D1 L2) - this after previously going 18 league games without a win against them (D3 L15).
• Man Utd have suffered only one defeat in their last 12 league trips to West Brom (W9 D2 L1), but this defeat came in their last trip there in March (0-1).
• Wayne Rooney has scored seven goals and assisted four more in his last nine Premier League appearances against West Bromwich Albion.
• Rooney needs one more goal away from home in the Premier League to become the all-time top goalscorer in Premier League away games. He's currently on 87 alongside Alan Shearer.
• Salomon Rondon has scored 16 goals in the Premier League since the start of last season - 11 more than any other Baggies player (James Morrison on five).
• West Bromwich Albion have scored a joint league-high nine headed goals this season (the most alongside Crystal Palace).
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic's nine goals have won Manchester United eight points this season. No other United player has seen their goals win the side more than two points.

Posted at 1500 GMT on 15/12/16.