The FA Cup semi-finals highlight a weekend with a shortened list of league fixtures as England’s top two clubs go head to head for a spot in the tournament’s finals. Click or swipe through for FA Cup and Premier League predictions for the weekend.
FA Cup semi-finals
Chelsea 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2: Saturday, 8.15pm
Why? The momentum is with Tottenham at present, having won their past seven games to close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the league to four points. This is the FA Cup semi-finals, but Tottenham are not just winning, they are winning well, and Chelsea have begun to dip at exactly the wrong time. With Harry Kane back fit, and Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min all on form, Tottenham appear set for their first FA Cup final since 1991.
Manchester City 3 Arsenal 1: Sunday, 6pm
Why? The sides drew 2-2 earlier this month, but City should have won then, and it is hard to believe Pep Guardiola's men will not fail to get the job done a second time. City's 3-0 win at Southampton was a return to form and they look so much better with captain Vincent Kompany back in defence and marshalling the backline. Sergio Aguero has been on target in his past five league games, something that should worry beleaguered Arsene Wenger.
Premier League
Bournemouth 2 Middlesbrough 1: Saturday, 6pm
Why? It has been a rough past couple of weeks for Bournemouth, having been well beaten by Chelsea and Tottenham. But the reason Edie Howe's men are staying up is they largely been good at picking up points at home against teams around them. Joshua King and Benik Afobe will fancy their chances of adding to their respective goal tallies against a Middlesbrough side who are all but relegated, having not won since December 17, picking up just six points from their past 14 games.
Hull City 1 Watford 1, Saturday: 6pm
Why? The reason that Hull are in a position to stay up is thanks to their excellent home form, having won all five league games at the KCOM Stadium since Marco Silva took over in January. But the pressure is on, and Watford have picked up with three wins from their past four games, admittedly all at home, but Walter Mazzarri's men have a knack, like Bournemouth, of picking up points against teams at the bottom.
Swansea City 2 Stoke City 1: Saturday, 6pm
Why? Swansea are really beginning to run out of time, with only five games of the season left, to save themselves, and they have picked a bad time to lose five of their past six games. They had the chances against Watford last Saturday to have at least earned a point, and Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente, as the side's match-winners, must step up against a Stoke side who are already safe in mid-table.
West Ham United 0 Everton 3: Saturday, 6pm
Why? West Ham have done enough to secure survival under Slaven Bilic after an inconsistent season, but they will not have enough to handle an in-form Everton, who have scored 16 goals in their past six league games. Romelu Lukaku has netted six of those and he again be the main goalscoring threat to a side who have only kept one clean sheet in their past 12 games.
Burnley 0 Manchester United 2: Sunday, 5.15pm
Why? Last week's impressive win over Chelsea has opened the door for United to have a real tilt at getting in the top four, and it is hard to see them slipping up at Burnley. While Mourinho may rotate his side again, any mixture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rashford and Ander Herrera should be too much for Burnley.
Liverpool 2 Crystal Palace 2: Sunday, 7.30pm
Why? Liverpool may have won their past two games, but they did not convince against either Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion. Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino have been integral to their challenge to remain in the top four. Palace have won five of their past seven, and with Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend both playing well on the flanks, they have the capacity to dent Liverpool's progress.
gcaygill@thenational.ae
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