Sky Sports' Paul Merson gives his predictions ahead of the midweek Premier League action on Tuesday and Wednesday, including a bold top four prediction involving north-west rivals...

Aston Villa v West Brom (Tuesday, 7.45pm)

Villa are without a win in the league since December 7
This is a tough one, especially for a Midlands derby, but I’ll go for a draw. West Brom haven’t conceded too many, keeping seven clean sheets in 10 in all competitions, and it’s all down to Tony Pulis. It’s a phenomenal record, he’s different class, a great manager for getting a side out of a rut and stabilising them.
Villa boss Tim Sherwood needs a point, he needs to get going somewhere and can’t afford to lose this one. They’re well and truly in a relegation battle and the remaining games will go to single figures soon. It’s a massive, massive game.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1
Hull v Sunderland (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
Sunderland were beaten 2-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday
Hull have been very good at home recently, and I think they’ll be too strong for Sunderland. The Black Cats could easily go down this season, I watched them against Manchester United and they were good for about 10 minutes, but in the second half they got dominated.
January signing Jermain Defoe is the key for them but they need to get the ball to him. At Old Trafford they were lumping the ball to him in the air - he’s got absolutely no chance if that’s the way they’re using him. They need to get the ball down.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0
Southampton v Crystal Palace (Tuesday, 7.45pm)
Alan Pardew is looking to get one over on another of his old clubs after beating West Ham on Saturday
Saints are struggling at home and Alan Pardew went to St Mary’s earlier in the season to claim the win in the FA Cup. Southampton are running out of luck and look a bit tired, and this plays into Palace’s hands because Saints will have to attack.
Palace will hit them with their pace and I can see this going their way. Pardew has done a great, great job. He’s extinguished any relegation talk very quickly and they can keep building now. He won at another of his old clubs on Saturday and I can see him haunting Saints again.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 
Man City v Leicester (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Manchester City's title hopes took a dent at Liverpool on Sunday
City have to win, but I do like Leicester. Nigel Pearson’s side always give it a go and are capable of scoring goals, they showed this at Anfield earlier in the season and nearly got something at the Emirates.
I expect City to win this, but it won’t be easy. They turn up too confident, thinking: “They’re not as good as us, so naturally we’ll win.” It doesn’t work like that. They’ve struggled at home because of their attitude against these lesser sides. I think Leicester have got every chance of staying up, they’ve just been bang out of luck. I don’t see many of the bottom teams winning bar Hull this week, so they’re still in it.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-2 
Newcastle v Man Utd (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Manchester United bounced back from defeat at Swansea with a win against Sunderland
Manchester United played better the other day against Sunderland, but there’s still something big missing there. It’s another opportunity for Angel di Maria to defy the critics. His confidence is so low, and you feel for someone when you can see it so clearly.
This is the hardest league in the world and his struggles have proved it. He played in a team at Real Madrid who beat everyone, and the opposition often gave up at 2-0 or 3-0, and now he’s come over here and found it tough.
Newcastle are comfortably mid-table, and despite the win against Villa perhaps masking how the Toon fans are feeling, I think they'll get a positive point here.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 
QPR v Arsenal (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Arsenal responded to their defeat by Monaco by seeing off Everton
Arsenal win these games. They bounced back well on Sunday with a professional performance against Everton after a devastating defeat midweek against Monaco. They tend to do this, and I see it continuing again. Their season has been full of small runs met by big defeats.
I think Leicester have more of a chance of staying up than QPR if I’m honest, despite the five-point gap. Their away performances have improved and one or two wins against the teams around them could give them a huge boost.
PAUL PREDICTS: 0-2 
Stoke v Everton (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Peter Crouch scored the only goal as Stoke beat Hull 1-0
Everton are struggling, and I never go against Stoke at home. They’re such a hard team to beat and I thought Everton kept possession well against Arsenal but didn’t have that cutting edge.
They pass it around a bit too much for me under Roberto Martinez this season - it’s got to go forward more, especially with Romelu Lukaku up front. They have the makings of a good team with those players, but hard-to-beat teams are easily able to adapt. I'm not sure Everton have that quality.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0 
Tottenham v Swansea (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Spurs have been tipped to bounce back from their Capital One Cup final defeat by Chelsea
I see Spurs bouncing back here after their defeat against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup final on Sunday. They started off well at Wembley, but I think if they were still playing now they wouldn’t have scored! It just wasn’t their day, especially with two deflected goals. This is a huge game for Spurs - they must get going again straight away if they want to finish in the top four.
But this isn’t a slight on Swansea. Garry Monk has done really well for a young Premier League manager, and if I’m honest, I didn’t expect him to.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 
West Ham v Chelsea (Wenesday, 7.45pm)
Chelsea travel to West Ham after picking up the first major silverware of the season
The crowd are on Sam Allardyce’s back at Upton Park. It’s harsh, but after starting off so well people thought they were going to carry on, but it’s hard. The top teams come to the fore right at the end, and West Ham and Southampton now just seem to be a little bit short.
You could tell after the final at Wembley that Chelsea were buzzing. That’s one of three potential trophies this season and you could see Mourinho’s delight. He’s a winner, and I don’t think they’ll slip again. especially at Upton Park against a wounded West Ham.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 
Liverpool v Burnley (Wenesday, 8pm)
Liverpool are on fine form, seeing off Man City on Sunday
Liverpool are playing as well as anybody at the moment. I like the way Burnley have a go at teams, but I don’t see how anyone will stop Liverpool on their run. I think they’ll get top four ahead of Manchester United.
Brendan Rodgers hasn’t thrown Daniel Sturridge back in because he’s so happy with the way they’re playing, that says it all. He has options now. Not having to rush Sturridge back will please him so much, and the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling will destroy anyone on their day.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1