New Delhi: Matchday 25 of the Premier League kicks-off tonight and there is a massive bulk of games that will be played in Saturday’s set of fixtures. Leicester City will be welcoming Arsenal at King Power stadium, which will be the first game of the evening, as the relegation threatened side will be looking for a miracle to get the job done against Mikel Arteta’s ruthless Arsenal side. However, one advantage for the Foxes might be the Gunners’ on-going striker problems and Kai Havertz’s injury adding to that misery.
Later on, a set of five games involve West Ham united looking to improve their current situation against Brentford in a London derby, while bottom club Southampton will be welcoming Bournemouth to St. Mary’s. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are also in action against Ipswich Town while the champions Manchester City welcome Newcastle United at Etihad, after their calamatic collapse against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Fulham welcome Nottingham and later on, Everton will travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.
Welcome to the weekend! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/KzQKD456hi
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 14, 2025
Leicester City vs Arsenal (6:00 P.M. ETA)
Arsenal visit struggling Leicester City today as they hope to put pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool. With Liverpool not playing until Sunday when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers, a victory over Leicester at King Power Stadium would put the Gunners within four points of the leaders. Mikel Arteta’s team is still unlikely to win the title, but they will be determined to challenge the Reds to the end. Traveling Arsenal fans may be anxious due to an injury crisis before their trip to the East Midlands, but their opponents’ poor performance should boost spirits.
Under Ruud van Nistelrooy, Leicester is still a disappointment, sitting in 18th place in the standings. They are more likely to return to the Championship after winning just one of their past 10 Premier League matches under the Dutchman, a thrilling victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal’s north London rivals.
Prediction: LEI 1-4 ARS
West Ham vs Brentford (8:30 P.M. ETA)
A London derby where both the sides will be looking to get the job done. Brentford will travel across London to play West Ham United in the Premier League. With only eight points from their 11 away Premier League games this season, Brentford has struggled greatly on the road and has been in inconsistent form over the last few months. However, as Thomas Frank’s team pushes beyond their comfort zone, seven of those points have come in their last five road games.
Graham Potter is optimistic that West Ham can turn things around for the rest of the season, as they have only been slightly better at the London Stadium than they have been away from home. Although the newly hired coach is only looking for his second victory as Irons manager, there have been some encouraging hints since the former Chelsea manager took over.
Prediction: WHU 1-1 BRE
Southampton vs Bournemouth (8:30 P.M. ETA)
This weekend, Bournemouth, who are vying for a spot in the Premier League, will go to Southampton, who are currently at the bottom of the standings. With decisive wins over Nottingham Forest and Newcastle that put them in the top half of the league table, the Cherries have been the talk of the town at the beginning of 2025. But a 2-0 loss to league leaders Liverpool at home dampened their spirits, and they enter Saturday’s match eighth in the standings in a fiercely contested quest for a top-four berth. In the FA Cup last week, these two teams had different outcomes.
Bournemouth defeated Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park to recover from their loss to the Reds, while Southampton was eliminated by Championship promotion contender Burnley at St Mary’s. Although Ivan Juric’s club will inevitably be relegated, a 2-1 victory over Ipswich two weeks ago at least offers them a chance to avoid becoming the worst team in Premier League history. With just nine points from 24 games, they need three more to surpass Derby’s pitiful 11 points from 2007–08.
Prediction: SOU 0-2 BOU
Aston Villa vs Ipswich Town (8:30 P.M. ETA)
When Aston Villa plays Ipswich Town in the West Midlands on Saturday afternoon, they need to gain some Premier League momentum. After finishing in the top four the previous season, Unai Emery’s team has had a mediocre league season thus far. Despite being in eighth place in the standings, the Villans are only six points behind Chelsea, who are struggling in fourth place. Their active winter suggests that they are getting ready to contend on several fronts in the final stretch. They have performed well in the Champions League and are on track to advance to the FA Cup quarterfinals after defeating Tottenham 2-1 last week.
Last week, Ipswich easily defeated Frank Lampard’s Coventry to advance to the FA Cup fifth round, but they have now dropped four straight Premier League games. Ipswich had a respectable start to the season, but now it appears that they have little chance of surviving. The Tractor Boys could use a win at Villa Park this weekend to put a halt to the trend after earning a 2-2 draw with their next opponents at Portman Road back in September. Kieran McKenna’s team is three points outside of safety in 19th place.
Prediction: AVL 2-1 IPS
Manchester City vs Newcastle United (8:30 P.M. ETA)
Following yet another setback, Manchester City will play Newcastle at the Etihad in a match that could significantly impact the Premier League’s top-four chase. The Cityzens appeared to be headed toward a 2-1 lead going into Tuesday night’s second leg of their Champions League play-off matchup with Real Madrid, but they somehow gave up two goals in the final moments of the match, leaving them with a mountain to climb in Madrid.
This season, City fans have been accustomed to such surrenders, and their precipitous drop in 2024–2025 means they are now aiming for a Champions League spot rather than a fifth consecutive league title. Despite being fifth in the standings, Pep Guardiola’s team is tied with their next opponents in terms of points. Saturday is a crucial match for both clubs because Chelsea leads by two points but has struggled in the new year.
Newcastle had appeared to be struggling in the league, but two consecutive victories in domestic cup competitions have lifted their morale. They have advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup and secured their spot in the Carabao Cup final. Having the week off before Saturday’s match will help the Magpies, but the away team still faces a difficult assignment. Since 2000, they have failed to defeat Man City on the road in the Premier League.
Prediction: MCI 2-2 NEW
Fulham vs Nottingham Forest (8:30 P.M. ETA)
This weekend, Fulham plays Nottingham Forest at Craven Cottage, a matchup between two European contenders. Forest is well-positioned to guarantee Champions League play for the upcoming campaign, while the Cottagers are in a position to contend for a possible Conference League berth. They defeated Brighton 7-0 a week after losing 5-0 at Bournemouth, indicating that this club isn’t going anywhere, and the falloff that many predicted hasn’t yet materialized.
With 14 games left, Forest is in third place in the standings and could be looking up given Arsenal’s injury problems at the top. Chelsea is four points behind in fourth place, while the Gunners are three points ahead in second. Many clubs are vying for a berth in the top four. Fulham isn’t setting high goals, but a run of successful outcomes might push them into the mix. Bournemouth is in seventh place, four points ahead of Marco Silva’s team, who are in ninth place. Chelsea’s lead is only seven points. The hosts on Saturday defeated Forest 1-0 at the City Ground in September, making them one of the few clubs to defeat Forest this season.
Prediction: FUL 1-3 NFO
Crystal Palace vs Everton (11:00 P.M. ETA)
When Crystal Palace hosts Everton at Selhurst Park on Saturday, two of the Premier League’s top teams square off. The Eagles are continuing their comeback under Oliver Glasner, having won five of their previous six games across all competitions. After a lackluster start to the season, the south London team is presently improving and has moved up to 12th place in the Premier League standings.
Both Everton forward Beto and Jean-Philippe Mateta have played a significant role in Palace’s dramatic rise up the standings in recent weeks. In his last two Premier League games, the striker has scored three goals, including the first goal in Wednesday’s wild Merseyside derby tie with Liverpool. Everton are now unbeaten in all four of their league games, including triumphs over Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City and a draw against Liverpool, thanks James Tarkowski’s last minute equaliser. The Toffees are now ten points above the relegation zone thanks to David Moyes’ return to the dugout.
Prediction: CRY 1-3 EVE
Where to watch the Premier League?
As Premier League Matchday 25 begins, viewers can watch or stream every moment of the action. The Star Sports network will broadcast the events, and Disney+ Hotstar will stream the games live for those who would rather. However, only one out of the game from the 8:30 P.M slot will be broadcasted on Star Sports.
The Premier League action is back after a week-long break due to FA Cup ties and Champions League. Matchday 25 is here and we have some exciting fixtures tonight. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
