The English Premier League continues on Saturday with Round 34 on the schedule. Due to the FA Cup Semi Final matches being played over the weekend as well, the Round 34 will feature only 6 games. Here, we have prepared for you the double match analysis for the games between Swansea City and Stoke City at Liberty Stadium and West Ham United and Everton FC at Olympic Stadium in London.
SWANSEA CITY FC vs. STOKE CITY FC
3-Way: 1: Swansea City FC +127; X: +260 Draw; 2: Stoke City FC +293
Spread -0.5: Swansea +125; Stoke -130
Total +2.5: Over +116; Under +104
SWANSEA CITY FC
The Swansea City FC is in a dangerous position in the English Premier League table right now as they rank below the relegation line with 28 points in 33 games. They are two points behind Hull City that ranks 17th (spot that guarantees the survival) and four points in front of the 19th ranked Middlesbrough FC.
The Swans are winless in their last six games as they are 1-1-6 in the last eight match-ups. They are 5-3-8 at home this season and they are 2-1-1 in the last four home matches. Goal difference is 37-68 overall (22-33 at home) and 70% of Swansea City’s matches had over 2.5 goals in total. The tam ranks 17th in the home league table with 18 of 48 possible points earned (67% of total points is earned at home). 75% of their home matches are over 2.5 goals and 50% of their home games are over 3.5 goals in total. Most common result at home is a 1:3 loss (occurred three times).
Fernando Llorente tops the team in scoring with 11 goals while Gylfi Sigurdsson has eight in his account. Sigurdsson is the team’s top assister with 11 while Madou Barrow and Tom Carroll have two assists each. Jack Cork and Kyle Naughton top the passing segment with 1271 and 1183 total passes.
Nathan Dyer (Achilles tendon), Angel Rangel (Metatarsal fracture) and Jack Cork (Ankle) are all major doubts for Saturday game.
STOKE CITY FC
The Stoke City FC ranks in the middle of the English Premier League table with no worries about the survival and no hopes of finishing in the one of the spots that leads to European competitions next season. They are 11th with 39 points in 33 games but they are also in poor form lately, especially on the road where they haven’t won a game in last five games.
The team is 2-1-5 in the last eight games and they are 0-1-3 in the last four road games. The Potters are 3-4-9 on the road this year with 14-28 goal difference (37-48 overall) and they rank 12th in the away league table with 12 of 48 possible points earned. 38% of their road games are over 3.5 goals and 19% of their away matches are over 4.5 goals in total. Most common results on the road are 1:1 draw and 1:0 loss (both occurred three times).
Joe Allen and Marko Arnautovic top the team in scoring with six goals each while Peter Crouch has five. Arnautovic is also team’s leading assister with four while Erik Pieters and Glenn Whelan top the passing segment with 1223 and 1220 total passes.
Stephen Ireland (Broken leg), Ibrahim Afellay (Knee) and Joe Allen (Hamstring) are all major doubts while Jack Butland (Fitness) and Glenn Whelan (Illness) will probably be available to coach Hughes.
Swansea City desperately needs points but I’m not sure that they can pull it off against the unpleasant visitors. My safe bet would be over 2.5 goals in total.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (+115)
WEST HAM UNITED vs. EVERTON FC
3-Way: 1: West Ham United +250; X: +268 Draw; 2: Everton FC +127
Spread +0.5: West Ham -130; Everton +125
Total +2.5: Over -130; Under +127
WEST HAM UNITED
The West Ham United is a very unpredictable team this season. They rank 13th in the English Premier League table with 37 points in 33 games and are pretty much set up when it comes to the survival in the Premier League. They are 1-2-5 in the last eight games and 1-1-2 in the last four home matches.
Overall record at home this season is 6-3-7 with 18-27 goal difference (44-59) and they rank 16th in the home league table with 21 of 48 possible points earned. 50% of Hammers’ home matches are over 2.5 goals while 31% of their home games are over 3.5 goals in total. 21% of their overall matches are over 4.5 goals, and 21% of those matches are over 2.5 goals at half-time. The team has scored more goals on the road than at home (26-18) as most common result at home is a 1:0 win (occurred five times).
Michail Antonio leads the team in scoring this season with nine goals while Andy Carroll and Manuel Lanzini have six each in their accounts. Antonio and Sofiane Feghouli top the team in assists with three each while Mark Noble and Lanzini hold the upper hand in passing segment with 1383 and 1330 total passes.
Angelo Ogbonna (Knee), Pedro Obiang (Ankle), Winston Reid (Groin) and Michail Antonio (Hamstring) are all major doubts for this round while Gokhan Tore (Knee) has unspecified date of return.
EVERTON FC
The Everton FC is in the battle for the European competitions spot next year and they have solid chances of ending the season in at least Europa League spot. The team is also in a good form lately as they are 5-1-2 with losses against the teams that are above them in the English Premier League table (Tottenham and Liverpool).
The Toffees currently rank seventh in the English Premier League, with 57 points in 33 games, 13 points more than West Bromwich that ranks eighth. They have the same number of points as sixth spot Arsenal but they also have two more games played. Overall road record this season is 4-5-7 but they are winless on the road in their last five matches (since January 21st).
Their goal difference on the road is 19-24 (60-37 overall) and they rank ninth in the away league table with 17 of 48 possible points earned (70% of Everton’s points have been earned at home). 50% of their away games are over 2.5 goals and 31% of their road matches are over 3.5 goals in total. Most common result on the road this season is a 1:1 draw (occurred three times).
Romelu Lukaku continues to dominate the English Premier League as he tops the team and the league in goals scored with 24 so far. Ross Barkley is the team’s leading assister with eight assists while Kevim Mirallas and Lukaku have six each. Passing segment belongs to Idrissa Gueye and Ashley Williams who have 1615 and 1444 total passes so far.
Yannick Bolasie (ACL) is out for the season while James McCarthy (Hamstring), Aaron Lennon (Knock), Seamus Coleman (Leg), Ramiro Funes Mori (Knee) and Muamer Besic (Fitness) are all major doubts for Saturday with unspecified dates of return.
It is a very unpredictable game when it comes to the selection of the winner. I would go for at least one goal by both teams as they both have tendencies to score a lot (Everton scored at least one goal in their last eight matches).
MY PICK: Both teams to score YES (-149)
