Technology Partner


Community Partners

High Fives From Magic Mike

Welcome to "High Fives" the personal column of our ace Director of Football "Magic Mike".

Magic Mike's football credentials are first class. Last season he handily beat the Beeb’s expert tipster “Lawro” who never got a look in after Magic took an early lead at the start of the 2008/09 season.

A good number of our players were rescued by Magic’s tips in our Five Lives scheme which automatically gives you his tips, up to five times during the season, should you forget to enter them yourself. Magic Mike's canny inside knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of players and teams, combined with a passion for getting it right, is what you need to make an impact in this game. It also means you're going to have to be at your best to outdo him.

The Management - Score Five

And now, once again, over to Magic Mike...

See what Mike had to say in the olden days - visit his 2008/09 season archives.

previous predictions -

Round 24.... Round 23.... FA Cup 4th Round.... Round 22A.... Round 22.... Round 21

Magic Mike EPL Round 25 predictions

Liverpool vs. Everton at Anfield. Liverpool took the honours in the first Merseyside derby earlier this season with a 2-0 victory. Everton at that time were hit by injuries and Liverpool were in the race for the title. The situation has changed with Liverpool out of the title race, the prize they are now chasing is a 4^th place finish.  Everton have most of their squad back to full fitness and their league form of late has shown improvement as they are unbeaten in their last 9 games in the Premiership. 

Magic predicts: Liverpool 1 - Everton 1

 

Bolton Wanderers vs. Fulham at the Reebok Stadium.  Bolton lost at Anfield but the teams below them only drew or lost and Bolton remained in 17^th place in the table. Improvement in Bolton’s home form in the second half of the season would be enough to keep them up and Owen Coyle will hope that a win at the Reebok Stadium last time out against Burnley was a starting point. Coyle has brought in loan signings of Arsenal’s promising Jack Wiltshire and Manchester City’s Slovakian International Vladimir Weiss that should bring more flair to the side that supporters had been craving and was a probable cause of Gary Megson’s dismissal.

Up until the mid-week matches Fulham have been beaten in their last 5 in the Premier League and Roy Hodgson must be at a loss to understand what has prompted such a downturn. Last week looked short on ideas and Aston Villa ran out comfortable winners at Craven Cottage. Roy Hodgson will be hoping that Bobby Zamora’s return to fitness can inspire the Cottagers.

Magic predicts: Bolton Wanderers 1 - Fulham 0    

 

Burnley vs. West Ham United.  Vital 6 pointers are coming thick and fast for teams at the bottom end of the table. Burnley  manager Brian Laws is still looking for his first point and Burnley are without a Premier League victory in 12. Burnley will be looking to avenge their exciting 5-3 defeat at Upton Park in November. A win would move them out of the relegation zone.

The Hammers have drawn their last 2 games against teams at the bottom and will be looking for another result against Burnley to maintain their position outside the bottom 3. Good news for Gianfranco Zola was the return to the side last week of leading goalscorer Carlton Cole. He came on for the last half hour of the game against Blackburn but couldn’t break the deadlock. With another week of training under his belt, Zola will be hoping he will soon be adding to his 7 goal tally for the season.

Magic predicts: Burnley 1 - West Ham United 1

 

Hull  City vs. Manchester City at the Kingston Communications Stadium. A Jimmy Bullard inspired Hull took a point from Manchester City in November. Bullard might just be ready to return from injury to face Roberto Mancini’s side and Phil Brown will be hoping he will be the inspiration once again and can also save Hull from relegation.

Roberto Mancini’s side cannot afford to drop any points against struggling sides with their rivals for the last Champions League slot all seemingly back to form. Mancini allowed City’s record signing Robinho to move to Santos on loan until the end of the season but the Blues expensively assembled squad should still have too much quality for the Tigers.

Magic predicts: Hull City 1 - Manchester City 3

 

Manchester United vs. Portsmouth at Old Trafford. United are 4 points adrift of Chelsea and at this stage of the season they cannot afford to drop points against lowly clubs. In their last home outing against a similarly struggling Hull, Wayne Rooney outlined the gulf in class with a 4 goal salvo and on current form he will give the Pompey defence a torrid time.

Pompey lost one of their key players in Younes Kaboul who returned to Tottenham last week but they were able to secure Jamie O’Hara’s return to them until the end of the season. Although the transfer embargo has been lifted, the club still looks to be in turmoil. That’s not what you need when you have to face the Champions

Magic Predicts: Manchester United 3 - Portsmouth 0 banker

 

Stoke City vs. Blackburn Rovers at the Britannia Stadium. Both sides are inching to mid -table safety and barring a disastrous sequence of results both team should be looking forward to a 2010/11 campaign in the Premier League. Stoke still have interest in the FA Cup and their thoughts may be more focused on an FA cup 5^th round meeting against Manchester City.

Blackburn have taken 7 points out of the last 3 games, results that have seen them move up to 10^th in the table. With no involvement in the Cups, Blackburn will now just focus on their league position and the first priority will be to accumulate the 38points or so that should guarantee safety this season. It should be a close game.

Magic predicts: Stoke City 0 - Blackburn Rovers 0

 

Sunderland vs. Wigan Athletic at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland are still without a win in 10 games after a dour mid-week goal-less draw against Stoke.  Benjani Mwaruwari has been signed in the transfer window from Manchester City to provide competition for places upfront and he well may make his debut as Sunderland look to end a depressing sequence.

Wigan crashed out of the FA Cup with a surprise home defeat to Sven Goran Eriksson’s Notts County. Roberto Martinez’s men now face the remainder of the season to battle against relegation. Promising youngster, Victor Moses, has been signed from Crystal Palace in the transfer window as well as Shakhtar Donesk’s Bolivian international Marcelo Moreno on loan until the end of the season.

A 6 pointer.

Magic predicts: Sunderland 1 - Wigan Athletic 0

 

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa at White Hart Lane. A 6 pointer at the top of the table with the fourth and final Champions League spot for next season at stake. Spurs are currently in 4^th spot but just 1 point ahead of Aston Villa who lie in 7^th. A win for Spurs would see then consolidate 4^th spot, a defeat could see them swap places with Villa. Harry Redknapp has done some wheeling and dealing in the transfer window with Robbie Keane out with a move to Celtic and Eidur Gudjohnsen in from Barcelona.

Aston Villa were outplayed by Spurs at Villa Park in November but managed to salvage a point. Villa broke a 4 game Premier League scoring drought last week when Gabriel Agbonlahor also ended a barren patch with the 2 goals that sank Fulham.  Villa will be looking for more of the same this Saturday.

Magic predicts: Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Aston Villa 1

 

Birmingham City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Andrew Stadium. Birmingham’s fine league run came to an end at Chelsea and Birmingham nearly suffered a second straight defeat against Spurs last Saturday until Liam Ridgewell popped up with a last minute equalizer to rescue a point.  Birmingham took the honours in the first meeting of these sides in November when Lee Bowyer silenced Molineux.  Wolves will be looking for revenge and a much need victory to lift spirits after a disappointing exit in the FA Cup with the home defeat to Crystal Palace in mid-week. Wolves remain just outside the drop zone in 17^th place. A win would be a massive boost to their survival chances.

Magic predicts: Birmingham City 1 - Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

 

Round 25 is concluded with the top of the table clash between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were too powerful for Arsenal in the first meeting between the two in November when a convincing 3-0 victory sem to have put paid to the Gunners title chances for this season. Arsene Wenger’s men have however fought back from that disappointing result and with some great performances in December and January had fought their way back into title contention but this was tempered last week with a disappointing result to Champions, Manchester United. Arsenal surely need to get a result today to remain as serious title challengers? A defeat would leave them trailing Chelsea by 9 points and with just 13 games remaining, it would leave Arsenal another mountain to climb.

Magic predicts: Chelsea 2 - Arsenal 1