Merson's predictions: Man Utd and Liverpool both 'banker wins'

Sky Sports' Paul Merson gives his predictions ahead of an important weekend in the Premier League.

Merse is in great form as ever and here's how the 'Magic Man' sees the 10 games going.

Manchester United v Manchester City

If you had asked me six weeks ago I would have said that City would be the biggest banker you’d ever see in your life but I don’t see that now. Man Utd are favourites. They’ve turned a corner. They are buying in to what the manager wants.

Wayne Rooney is now playing up front. How did we all know his best position is a striker but it takes a manager that has worked for a national team so long? Robin van Persie won’t start. I think he’s surplus to requirements. I’d be shocked if he’s there at the end of the season.

Louis van Gaal has got everybody confident and playing well while City’s confidence must be low, they’ve lost three in a row. You can’t just turn it on, like a tap.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 

 

Man Utd vs Man City

April 12, 2015

QPR v Chelsea

I don’t see anything but a Chelsea win. The atmosphere at Loftus Road will be buzzing, this is QPR’s cup final. The atmosphere affected Chelsea a couple of years ago but QPR will need to play well, well, above their usual level to get anything out of the game. QPR will need go out in a blaze of glory, so they will create chances. Charlie Austin has to take them – he’s had a good season but it wouldn’t surprise me if Loic Remy got the winner against his old club.

PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2 

 

QPR vs Chelsea

April 12, 2015

Burnley v Arsenal

Away win. Arsenal don’t lose these games. The sun will be shining. It’s always the same. Arsenal win their last 10 games of the season and then next year is their year – although it won’t be. They do it every year.

They were great against Liverpool and scored four worldies. When they get it going they are as good as anyone. I can’t see Arsenal slipping up like Manchester City did at Burnley – they are a different animal. Arsenal are quicker on the break and are ruthless in these games. I do think Burnley have a win or two in them somewhere, so I wouldn’t write them off in the relegation fight just yet.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 

 

Burnley vs Arsenal

April 11, 2015

Liverpool v Newcastle

When was the last time Newcastle won a football match? It seems like they have been on 35 points for months and months. They’ve just lost a local derby and then they have to go to Liverpool. If the results go the way I’m expecting, with a City defeat and Liverpool win, then City will be looking over their shoulders at Liverpool.

There will be only four points between them. It’s a big football match for Liverpool – they need to get back on that winning run. They have the potential to win five on the trot.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 

When was the last time Newcastle won a game? It's been too long.

Tottenham v Aston Villa, Saturday

There will be bundles of goals here. Villa love it when teams have a go at them and Spurs will do just that. When teams sit back against Villa, they don’t like it. Tim Sherwood has looked at it and thought ‘we aren’t going to keep too many clean sheets, so we’ll have to score our way out of trouble.’ I played with Tim at Portsmouth and he’s a really good lad. A winner. He reminds me of John Gregory as he gets really involved on the touchline.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2 

Tim Sherwood reminds me of John Gregory

Sunderland v Crystal Palace, Saturday 

Away win. This game will play straight into Palace’s hands. The pressure is on Sunderland. The fans will turn up and think ‘oh, we’ll beat Palace and we’ll be safe’.

It will be a completely different atmosphere to the Newcastle game. If they don’t score early on the fans will get frustrated. Palace will be miles too quick for them on the break with Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie. Plus, Glenn Murray is a very good finisher.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 

Wilfried Zaha has the pace to cause Sunderland problems

Southampton v Hull, Saturday

This is a home banker. I worry for Hull. They are in major trouble. Everyone has caught them up and they’re not winning games. Also they’re run-in isn’t the best, they’ve got to play Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham.

Southampton have to keep playing Graziano Pelle even though he hasn’t scored in 17 games. I’ve gone with him to score. I always find with foreign players when they come over the second half of the season catches up with them.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds: 9/2)

Steve Bruce and Hull are in massive relegation trouble

West Brom v Leicester City

This is my shock of the weekend, away win. If they win this game, they will definitely stay up. I know West Brom had plenty of shots against QPR but letting in four goals at home to them is worrying.

It’s a great time to play West Brom. They’ve been dragged back into the relegation fight. This is a game that Leicester must-win and that plays into their hands. They will always create chances and I fancy Jeff Schlupp to get on the scoresheet, he’s got great pace.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 

Leicester City have the ability to go on a winning run

West Ham v Stoke City

I don’t like going against Stoke, they are hard to beat. I think they will finish higher in the table than West Ham, they are very consistent. If Stoke were where West Ham were four months ago I think they would be much higher in the league than where they are now. Both teams are exactly where they should be in the league. You forget with West Ham they only came up two years ago, Sam Allardyce has done a great job.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1

Leicester City have the ability to go on a winning run

Swansea v Everton, Saturday

I think these teams are half-decent now. Both of them are picking up and I don’t see much between these two. It was only a matter of time until Everton turned their form around. They’re a good team and their class is shining through. I like Bafétimbi Gomis for Swansea, I don’t think he’ll do it consistently, like Wilfred Bony but when he’s hot, he’s hot.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1

When he's hot, Bafetibis Gomis is hot.

Ed Chamberlin: Manchester United are favourites to beat City on bumper weekend of sport

A sporting feast. The top five in the Premier League all live on Sky Sports this weekend, and I will be at Old Trafford for the Manchester derby.

The Masters comes from Augusta, and add the Grand National to the mix and you have the best sporting weekend of the year. 

The Sky Bet trading room must be bracing itself for the biggest turnover weekend of the year too. Bring it on.

At Augusta I'm still recovering from defeat to Kirsty Gallacher in Sky Sports'Masters Challenge, which you may have seen on Sky Sports News HQ or theSky Sports website.

I will get my revenge on Gallacher at golf's sixth major: the Well Child Ed Chamberlin Classic at Burhill on June 1.

Neville is still smarting after finishing a foot further from the pin than me, while Carragher needs his golf ball retrieved from Rae's Creek.

Watch as Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Ed Chamberlin compete in the Sky Sports Augusta Challenge

In the real thing Dustin Johnson will be carrying my money at 16/1 with Sky Bet, and my banker bet is Matt Kuchar to finish in the top 10. There is nothing more exciting in sport than having your fancy still in the mix on the final day at Augusta. Let's hope Dustin can do that.

Not far behind is having your runner still travelling well as they cross the Melling Road for the second time at Aintree.

Court By Surprise at 50/1 and Cause Of Causes at 16/1 are my main Grand National fancies. More on that in my 'Pinstickers' Guide to the Grand National'.

 

Man Utd vs Man City

April 12, 2015

It's a sensational weekend of sport. Mind you, Easter weekend wasn't bad either. What a thrill it was to be at the Stadium of Light for the Wear-Tyne derby.

I'm not sure I've ever heard noise like it. I've certainly never experienced a half-time before where no home fan left their seat as the celebration of Jermain Defoe's incredible goal went on and on. Thierry Henry was amazed.

It was a weekend full of sensational goals and Defoe's strike was right up there and voted by many on Sky Sports News HQ as the best of the lot. Watching it back, Martin Tyler's commentary of the goal matched the brilliance of the strike.

United are currently on fine form, and are above their bitter rivals in the league table

My main focus is Old Trafford on Super Sunday and two brilliant Premier League games. First up it's QPR against Chelsea followed by the 169th Manchester derby.

What a fascinating fixture this is with the timing of it absolutely intriguing, after Manchester United went above City in the Premier League table for the first time since November 2013 at the weekend. United are one point ahead with seven games remaining, and go into a derby above City for the first time since April 2013.

Sky Bet have Manchester United favourites at 6/4, Manchester City at 9/5 and the draw a 9/4 chance.

 

Liverpool vs Newcastle

April 13, 2015

A month or so you would have thought those prices were utter madness. However, Sky Bet having United favourites is not surprising seeing as they have all the momentum. They have won five straight Premier League games and have started to look like Manchester United again, especially at Old Trafford where they have already won a Premier League-high 40 home points. They won only 30 points at home all last season.

Man City have lost three straight away League games, culminating in defeat on Monday Night Football at Selhurst Park.

City won this fixture 3-0 at Old Trafford last season

City's big guns aren't firing. Sergio Aguero has failed to score in his last six appearances, which almost classifies as a crisis for a striker of his quality and it is his joint worst non-scoring run in his time at the Etihad.

As the boys explained on Monday Night Football, Vincent Kompany is going through a bad spell, while Yaya Toure was immense in the final 15 minutes on Monday night at Crystal Palace. City will need him firing on all cylinders for 90 minutes at Old Trafford.

What better way to snap out of a rut than against your big rivals in the derby and it is a fixture the blue side have dominated of late. They won 1-0 in November to make it four straight wins and secure their longest winning sequence against United since 1970.

The Masters - Live

April 12, 2015

Like Sunderland last weekend in the Wear-Tyne derby, City have never won five successive league games against their neighbours. Man City have won six of last seven meetings - scoring 19 and conceding six - and that's after winning only five of the first 28 Premier League meetings.

So City have dominated recent history. United are bang in form with all the momentum. Add to that their proximity in the table and all the usual ingredients of a Manchester derby and we are set for a special day. We start on Super Sunday on Sky Sports 1 at 12.30pm. 

Then it will be in to the car to head down to London for Newcastle v Liverpool on Monday Night Football with the final round of The Masters on Sky Go. A proper sporting day. Come on Dustin!

Chamberlin is backing Dustin Johnson to be crowned Masters champion

Barcelona defender Dani Alves set to leave club at end of season, says agent

Dani Alves: Set to leave Barcelona at end of season

Dani Alves is set to leave Barcelona after rejecting an offer to extend his contract beyond the end of the season, his agent confirmed on Thursday.

Dinorah Santana said the Catalan giants had offered the 31-year-old right-back a deal that could stretch from one year to three should he play in over 60 per cent of his side's games each season.

However, Alves has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United among a host of other top European clubs and Santana said he had better offers on the table from other clubs.

 

Sevilla vs Barcelona

April 11, 2015

"He would accept three years, but the condition that a player plays 60 percent of the games every year for me is not a three-year deal, but a one year," said Santana.

"Dani has a concrete offer on the table for a three-year deal plus the option for an extra year with a better wage than he has here and a signing on fee.

"Barca at the moment have told me that they will not match those figures and we understand that."

The Brazilian has made over 300 appearances and won 16 trophies at the Camp Nou since joining from Sevilla in 2008.

His absence would cause the Spanish club major problems for next season as they are banned for registering new players until January 2016 due to a FIFA sanction for irregularities in the signing of minors.

Steven Gerrard refusing to get carried away about potential FA Cup fairytale

No dressing room talk about FA Cup final at Liverpool

Steven Gerrard has not been discussing a potential fairytale FA Cup final send-off with his Liverpool team-mates, according to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Gerrard turns 35 on the day of the Wembley showpiece on May 30, which could be his final Liverpool appearance before heading off to Major League Soccer for a new career with the LA Galaxy.

 

Liverpool vs Newcastle

April 13, 2015

Liverpool edged closer to the final by booking a semi-final against Aston Villa next weekend with a 1-0 win over Blackburn, but Mignolet insists it is not a topic of discussion inside the dressing room.

"Nobody is talking about it. Stevie is the first one to acknowledge that," said Mignolet.

"He is the first one to acknowledge that we can't have any extra pressure on the team.

"He won't let us think in a different way. We just want to focus on Villa and the games before that.

"Before we speak about the final, we have got to get through the semi-final and the only thing we can keep in mind now is how to get past Villa. Then we will see what comes. Villa will be tough."

Nobody is talking about it. Stevie is the first one to acknowledge that. He is the first one to acknowledge that we can't have any extra pressure on the team. He won't let us think in a different way. We just want to focus on Villa and the games before that.

Simon Mignolet

Defeats against fellow Champions League hopefuls Manchester United and Arsenal has seen Liverpool’s top four charge falter but Mignolet insists Monday's visit of Newcastle is uppermost in the squad’s thoughts.

"We are pleased to get to the semi-final. Once it is semi-final time we will make sure we are ready but everything comes step-by-step and Newcastle is next," he said.

"We are pleased with what we did against Blackburn but the next focus is the league. After the Arsenal and Manchester United games we didn't have much time to think about getting back to positive ways.

"Blackburn was a massive game and we needed to respond. It wasn't easy after the disappointment at Arsenal but the lads picked themselves up and we managed to get the result that everyone wanted.

"There is still a lot to play for. The only thing that we can do is take every game as it comes.

"When you are at Liverpool, you know you have to win every single game. After the results against Arsenal and Manchester United, we knew there was going to be criticism. You have to accept that.

"The only thing you can do is respond and we did that."

Sergio Aguero insists Manchester City can still win the Premier League

Sergio Aguero: The striker insists Manchester City are still in the title race.

Sergio Aguero remains adamant Manchester City are still in the title race and is determined to keep the pressure on Chelsea by winning Sunday's derby against United.

City have fallen nine points behind Jose Mourinho's men, having played a game more, after a disappointing run of form which culminated in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Monday.

Aguero famously scored a 94th minute winner to wrest the title from United's grasp in 2012 after overhauling an eight-point deficit and he is not giving up hope that City can perform another miraculous comeback this season.

"Of course we can still win it," the City striker told Sky Sports News HQ.

"In football, anything can happen - as soon as you think something is certain, then everything changes, we have seen it so many times before and we'll see it again.

"We only focus on ourselves, try to win every game we play and keep pressure on Chelsea."

 

Man Utd vs Man City

April 12, 2015

After failing to sparkle for much of the season, United appear to have finally found their best form under Louis van Gaal and Aguero is wary of the threat they pose.

"They are a team with a lot of great individual players, who can form an incredible unit when they work well together,” Aguero said. “But this season that has not always been the case.

"Some matches they don't seem to play at the maximum, with the attacking qualities that they have in the team.

“But then in other games, they have really shown that those qualities, so they are a bit unpredictable.

“We know we will have to be at our very best to beat them - there's no doubt about that."

United’s resurgence has come in conjunction with Wayne Rooney being moved up front into a lone striker role at the expense of high-profile summer signing Radamel Falcao.

The Colombian has struggled to meet the large expectations which accompanied him to Old Trafford but, despite scoring just four goals, Aguero remains a huge fan of his South American counterpart.

"They have a number of very talented strikers,” Aguero said. “The one who in his career has been the most predatory is Falcao.

"He isn't having an easy time this season, but I really admire his commitment and his class and qualities are permanent.

"He is probably one of the most naturally-gifted strikers in football at the moment."

Cristiano Ronaldo four ahead of Lionel Messi in Pichichi race after five-goal haul against Granada

Cristiano Ronaldo: Scored first five-goal haul for Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo scored five goals for the first time for Real Madrid - and moves ahead of Lionel Messi in the La Liga goalscoring race.

The World Player of the Year was in imperious form as he bagged a first-half hat-trick on the way to scoring five goals in Real's 9-1 demolition of lowly Granada.

It turned out to be a record-breaking afternoon of sorts for Ronaldo who will now have individual accolades firmly in his sight, in addition to team honours, come the end of the season.

Real Madrid smashed Granada 9-1 at the Bernabeu on Sunday with Ronaldo scoring five, it's Real's biggest win since September 1967.

Ronaldo scored five goals for the first time since his then-world record transfer from Manchester United to the Bernabeu in 2009.

The Portuguese star's hat-trick came in eight first-half minutes - the quickest treble during his six years at the club.

Having scored four in Real's 5-1 victory over Elche in September, Ronaldo's five-goal haul on Sunday saw him score four goals or more on more than one occasion in the same season for the first time.

And, perhaps crucially for the Portugese international, Sunday's glut moved him to 36 league goals this season - four  ahead of rival Lionel Messi - until Barcelona's trip to Celta Vigo at least - in the race for the 'Pichichi' top goalscorer prize. 

Cristiano Ronaldo moved to the top of the goalscoring charts when he netted an incredible five goals in Real Madrid’s 9-1 demolition of Granada

Ronaldo has now scored 300 goals in 287 games for Real Madrid; only Alfredo Di Stefano with 308 goals in 396 games and Raul Gonzalez with 323 in 741 have more goals in club history.

Revista de la Liga guest and former Spain international Marcelino was full of praise for Ronaldo’s ruthless display but warned he expects long-term sparring partner Messi to respond on Sunday night.

“Ronaldo is always hungry to score goals,” he said. “We were saying at half time, he smells blood and wants another one.

“He detected that today was a good day to add a few more goals for him in the race with Lionel Messi, and he’s put five on his record which is great for him.

Pachichi standings - 05/04/2015

• Ronaldo, Real Madrid, 36 goals
 
• Messi, Barcelona, 32 goals
• Neymar, Barcelona, 17 goals
 
• Bacca, Sevilla, 16 goals
• Bueno, Rayo, 16 goals
 
• Benzema, Real Madrid, 15 goals

“Generally when one gets a lot of the goals the other one responds, so let’s see what Messi can do. From the outside we may think they are not interested in the race for the Pachichi, and that they want to win the title, but it’s quite obvious that there is a reaction.

“When one scores a few goals the other one puts in a few more goals for themselves. It could have been Ronaldo 10-1 Granada today.

“He had a few chances and its significant how much he tries. He could have saved his legs for the next game, but he was kept on the pitch and he added to his numbers.”