This week's TIPSTARS Tournament consists of 2 FA Cup, 10 Championship, and 1 Ligue 1 matches. Picks for the week:
This Week's Match Predictions:
✧ Fulham vs Crystal Palace: 1-1
A Draw, but Palace advances on penalties. Fulham's recent penalty triumph over Manchester United is overshadowed by criticism of their set-piece dependency (45% of goals). Palace, buoyed by their February 2-0 win at Craven Cottage, may exploit Fulham's vulnerable left flank. Eberechi Eze's big-game prowess and Palace's set-piece threat could force extra time. The psychological edge from their recent victory, combined with Fulham's defensive frailties, tips the scales in Palace's favour for a shootout win.
✧ Hull City vs Luton: 1-0
Hull City wins. Despite Luton's higher league position, their recent poor away form gives Hull an edge. Hull's home advantage and Luton's struggles on the road could be the deciding factors. Luton's Elijah Adebayo will need to be at his best to break down Hull's defense, but Hull's determination to climb away from the relegation zone might prove too much for the visitors. Hull's home form has also been formidable—unbeaten in three.
✧ Watford vs Plymouth:3-0
Watford wins. Watford sits comfortable mid-table, while Plymouth ranks at 24th. I'm expecting a comfortable win for Watford. Their superior league position, squad depth, and added home advantage definitely point the odds in favour of Watford. Plymouth, meanwhile, faces relegation threat and defensive frailties, further lowering their morale.
✧ Burnley vs Bristol City: 2-0
Burnley wins. At the time of writing, Burnley stands confidently in the top 3. Meanwhile, Bristol City has displayed inconsistency in recent games, facing off with Burnley's home strength and form. A straightforward win is expected with Burnley's pressure for promotion.
✧ Cardiff vs Sheffield Wednesday: 1-2
Sheffield Wednesday wins. Many are debating Sheffield Wednesday’s away form. Likewise, I seeing them capable of upsetting Cardiff, who have been faltering in their recent games—2 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses in the last 6 matches. Comparing Wednesday’s resilience to Cardiff’s home struggles, I'm predicting a narrow away win.
✧ Leeds vs Swansea: 3-0
Leeds wins. This should come easy with Leeds leading at the top of the table currently. Expecting this match to be rather one-sided with Leeds proving their dominance time and again this season, determined to secure that promotion. Meanwhile, Swansea's mid-table is decent but pales in comparison.
✧ Middlesbrough vs Oxford United: 2-0
Middlesbrough wins. It seems like this is a common theme this week, but I'm expecting another comfortable win here for the hosts at Riverside. Apart from home advantage, Middlesbrough will also be pushing for playoffs, while Oxford United struggles as a newly promoted side facing inconsistencies and defensive issues—3 losses in the last 5 matches. Middlesbrough will take the win here.
✧ Norwich vs West Brom:1-2
West Brom wins. The evidence leans toward West Brom winning, given their unbeaten run in the last 5 matches, 2 wins and 3 draws, and their position in the playoff spots, fighting for promotion. Meanwhile, Norwich's home advantage could keep the game competitive, but their recent form has been inconsistent, with 1 win and 2 losses in the last 5 matches. This hints at a lack of momentum for a win this weekend. I think West Brom's motivation and tactical setup will give them an upper hand.
✧ Portsmouth vs Blackburn:1-2
Blackburn wins. Blackburn currently stands at 9th, while Portsmouth stands at 17th, giving them an edge based on overall performance. Blackburn has shown to struggle with recent inconsistency—4 losses and 1 draw in the last 5 matches. Portsmouth, with comparable form, has had 2 wins and 3 losses in the last 5 matches. This suggests a competitive encounter. Blackburn will enter this game with added pressure since this will be crucial for their push for a playoff spot. On the other hand, Portsmouth enters with home advantage. I'm guessing this will level out in a tight win for Blackburn.
✧ Stoke City vs QPR:1-1
A Draw. Both teams are likely to play cautiously, with Stoke aiming to avoid defeat and QPR looking to secure a point away from home. The match is expected to be tightly contested, with both sides having opportunities but ultimately settling for a draw. Stoke City’s home form has been inconsistent, with 1 win and 1 draw in their last 2 home matches, but the pressure to perform in front of their own fans could lead them to play more defensively, aiming for at least a point. Similarly, QPR has seen a streak of away losses in recent games. I'm expecting a stalemate for this match.
✧ Sunderland vs Millwall: 2-1
Sunderland wins. Sunderland sits at 4th place and is in the playoff spots, pushing for promotion, but showing a strong yet inconsistent recent form. Meanwhile, Millwall sits mid-table at 11th with a mixed away form. Given Sunderland’s home advantage and their need for points for promotion, evidence points towards a victory for Sunderland.
✧ Brighton vs Nottingham Forest: 1-2
Nottingham Forest wins. Nottingham Forest's superior league standing and recent momentum suggest they can secure a narrow victory away at Brighton. Their wins this season also include notable victories while on the road. Despite Brighton's home advantage, Forest's attacking prowess and historical head-to-head success, including a 7-0 win earlier, lean toward a Forest win. I expect the match to be close with both teams likely to score, but ultimately tipping towards Forest.
✧ Monaco vs Nice:2-1
Monaco wins. Looking forward to this exciting match between Monaco, currently sitting at 3rd, and Nice, currently sitting at 4th. At the point of writing, both teams have raked up 47 points, making this a closely contested match. Interestingly, their head-to-head record shows several draws, suggesting the match could be even tighter than expected. Monaco, playing at home, is expected to dominate possession and create more scoring opportunities. OGC Nice has shown resilience, especially away, but their recent draws indicate they might struggle to break down Monaco’s defence. With both teams vying for Champions League spots, this high-quality game is anticipated to be intense.
Thoughts on these predictions?