Premier League Picks: The North London Derby

There’s another big weekend of Premier League action ahead of us as multiple teams seemingly do their best to avoid taking the lead in the title race.

Let’s call a spade a spade. Chelsea FC were justifiable title favorites coming into this season, but then had an unprecedented meltdown.

Smart money would have been on Manchester City cruising to the title or even Arsenal finally making good on a decade-long run of disappointments.

Instead we sit here at the beginning of March and Manchester City and Arsenal are making a dog’s breakfast of their season while Tottenham and Leicester look like the best teams in the country. Go figure.

More chelsea fc: Chelsea FC Predicted XI To Face Stoke: Youth Experiment Continues

Tottenham vs. Arsenal

Lifeless, dejected and not up for the fight. I’ll take Arsenal for 200 Alex.

Supporters of Arsenal football club must feel like they live in the twilight zone, where teams around them get better, worse, evolve and devolve, while they stay exactly the same. Take the video below:

We could play this exact same video, with these exact same sentiments every year for the past decade and it would not be out of context, it would be spot on.

Arsenal are what they are, and what they are is not equipped to win.

What makes this even more troublesome for Gunners fans is that in only a couple of seasons Mauricio Pochettino has turned Spurs into a tough, hard nosed, gritty team, the kind that England requires of its Champions – the type of team Arsenal never have been, or will be, under Arsene Wenger.

Pick: Tottenham (+140)

Manchester City vs. Aston Villa

As uninspired as Man City can look at times, for their opponents this weekend, Aston Villa, the writing is on the wall; they will be relegated.

They’ll go to the Etihad this weekend, try for about 10-15 minutes and as soon as City score they’ll fold like an accordion.

City should win this one going away.

Pick: Manchester City -2 goals (Even)

Everton vs. West Ham

Both of these teams will have a proper go, but ultimately I think a stalemate will result. West Ham are a better away team than Everton are at home, but 3 of the last 4 matches in this fixture have ended in 1-1 draws.

If you’re giving me over three to one odds on that outcome here, I have to take it.

Pick: Draw (+320)

Bundesliga Special: Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich

May 25, 2013; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Bayern Munich player Mario Mandzukic (9) celebrates after scoring a goal against Borussia Dortmund during the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Groothuis/Witters Sport via USA TODAY Sports /

aka Der Klassiker

The problem with being Bayern Munich is that after Christmas every year, other than your Champions League games, what games actually matter for you?

The answer is this one.

Borussia Dortmund are only 5 points behind Bayern in the table, and frankly one can attribute the Bavarian’s home loss midweek to Mainz to fact that they were looking ahead to the weekend.

But when Bayern are up for a game, you can expect a great performance. Just ask Juventus, who Bayern almost played off the pitch in Turin.

Yes, they squandered a two goal lead to Juve in that game, and yes they are hurting on the back line.

But an angry, motivated Bayern Munich is one I would not want to run into at this point of the season.

Pick: Bayern Munich (+130)

Last column: 0-3-1 (-3.85 units)

2016 record: 7-9-1 (-2.3 units)

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