Goal.com

The Reds and Spurs are expected to make it to the FA Cup final, the league leaders should get back to winning ways at Old Trafford but City may drop points again at Carrow Road

Another weekend, another round of Premier League fixtures, and we have crucial games at the top, the bottom, the middle and at Wembley as the last four battle it out for a spot in the FA Cup final. Excited? You should be!

First up is a cracker of a fixture as Liverpool take on Everton at Wembley in the first of the cup semi-finals. The Reds have already beaten their neighbours twice this season, but you know what they say about form-books and derbies, right? Anyway the Toffees will be hoping to put an end to Liverpool's dreams of a cup double with victory on Saturday lunchtime.

Away from Wembley there is plenty of Premier League action with another early kick-off as Manchester City travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich. After the midweek shenanigans, the title race is most definitely on, but City's recent travel sickness, coupled with the Canaries' win over Tottenham last weekend, means this looks to be a tricky tie for Roberto Mancini's men.

Meanwhile there are three 'traditional' 15:00 Saturday kick-offs all affecting teams down the bottom of the table. Wolves, who are six points adrift, travel to Sunderland, Blackburn will be hoping to capitalise on Swansea City's recent dip in form while QPR and West Brom battle it out at the Hawthorns.

Sunday brings more excitement with Manchester United taking on Aston Villa at Old Trafford. Should City win on Saturday the league leaders could start the game with just a mere two-point lead, but after being shocked last time out against Wigan they should not lack for motivation.

Back at Wembley, it is an all-London affair with Tottenham taking on Chelsea on Sunday evening. The Blues have moaned long and hard about the kick-off time, with good reason, one might say, with Barcelona on the horizon but you can guarantee that they'd forget all about that for a while if they can dump Spurs out of the competition.

The final fixture of the weekend is an intriguing one as in-form Arsenal take on, well, in-form Wigan. The Latics were worthy winners against Manchester United in midweek and unfortunate, shall we say, to lose to Chelsea, so the Gunners will need to be on top of their game if they are to continue their late-season surge.

Here is how Goal.com’s experts see this weekend’s ties panning out ...

Liverpool

2-1

Everton

WAYNE VEYSEY SAYS...

All eyes will be on Kenny Dalglish for a Wembley humdinger that has taken on even greater significance for Liverpool following the day of the long knives on Thursday.
 
Dalglish was given a vote of confidence by chairman Tom Werner following Damien Comolli's sacking but will be under even greater scrutiny as he attempts to take the Merseysiders to a second cup final of the season.
 
Cup success has not masked dreadful league form in 2012 and owers Fenway Sports Group will expect their faith in the Scot to be repaid with improved results in the final four weeks of the season.
 

17/2	Wayne Veysey's predicted 2-1 win for Liverpool is 17/2 with PaddyPower

Liverpool handed out a 3-0 drubbing to Everton at Anfield at month ago but David Moyes' team have been outstanding since that setback and will provide stern opposition on what should be a grand occasion.

Norwich City

2-1

Manchester City

JAKE WATSON SAYS...

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is adamant that his side are now out of the title race. Whilst that may be true, it is also worth mentioning that this could just be some more mind games that are so often implemented in title races.

Regardless of Mancini’s comments, his side have been very inconsistent in recent weeks, especially away from home, and face a well-drilled and talented Norwich City side this weekend knowing that a slip would surely seal their fate as runners-up.

Paul Lambert has pieced together a highly-motivated side who will relish the opportunity of taking on the league’s big spenders and will be in front of the customary sell-out at Carrow Road that will surely bring out that extra per cent of effort when needed.

18/1	Jake Watson's predicted 2-1 win for Norwich City is 18/1 with Bet365

Despite mathematically still being in the title race, Man City will undoubtedly be deflated by their inability to produce towards the back end of the season whereas Norwich will be desperate to build on their win over Tottenham and add another giant-killing to their impressive campaign back in the Premier League.

Sunderland

3-0

Wolves

ROB STEWART SAYS...

The fat lady might not be singing yet but she is, as they say, certainly clearing her throat as Wolves head to the Stadium of Light.

The Molineux side have been in freefall of late and it is surely now a matter of when, rather than if, they are relegated from the Premier League.

There will be a fair degree of empathy among Sunderland fans because they saw their team crash out of the Premier League in the 2002-03 season following a change of manager.

Peter Reid made way for Howard Wilkinson who then stepped aside for Mick McCarthy but the club was heading inexorably towards the Championship, as Wolves have been since McCarthy was sacked and Terry Connor took over.

10/1	Rob Stewart's predicted 3-0 win for Sunderland is 10/1 with PaddyPower

Both clubs will be smarting following hammerings this week, Sunderland at Everton and Wolves at home to Arsenal, but the Black Cats have had longer to regroup and in Martin O’Neill they have a manager who the players dare not upset.

Swansea City

1-1

Blackburn Rovers

CHRIS DAVIE SAYS...

Victories for both QPR and Wigan Athletic earlier in the week have not helped Blackburn Rovers' task of survival as Steve Kean's side sit three points adrift of safety.

In comparison, Swansea City have gathered 39 points so far and look unlikely to be sucked into a relegation scrap, despite having lost their last four matches in a row.

Swansea's latest defeat came at QPR on Wednesday, where their majority share of possession was let down by a toothless attack as Mark Hughes' side secured a 3-0 win and escaped the drop-zone.

11/2	Chris Davie's predicted 1-1 draw between Swansea City and Blackburn is 11/2 with Bet365

Since Blackburn, too, are heading into this fixture off the back of four straight defeats, so this should be a close contest. Kean's men showed resilience in pegging Liverpool back but defensive fragility was apparent throughout. Swansea's easy-on-the-eye style may draw the plaudits but failure to convert chances as well as naivety at the back will hinder any further progress of Brendan Rodgers' side this term.

West Brom

2-0

QPR

ALEX FISHER SAYS...

These two are coming into this game on the back of very different midweek results; the Baggies were hammered at Manchester City whilst QPR secured a crucial victory over Swansea City.

Despite winning their last three homes games confidence is unlikely to be too high for Rangers given they have not won away from home since mid-November, and they cannot afford to relax with Bolton only two points behind them. West Brom have only won four out of their last 10 and have only come out on top in five games at home this season, so they will be eager to get themselves into the top half of the table with a strong finish.

9/1	Alex Fisher's predicted 2-0 win for West Brom is 9/1 with PaddyPower

I am expecting to see a close encounter and a lot depends on which Albion team shows up, however, QPR’s away form is so poor that I cannot see them winning.

Manchester United

3-0

Aston Villa

MARK FORDHAM SAYS...

Everyone to a man thought that the Premier League title was done and dusted for another season when Manchester City lost to Arsenal last Sunday.

How foolish we all were - this is the Premier League, where absolutely anything can happen and does on a regular basis.

Wigan Athletic have thrown this thing back open and will have stunned Sir Alex Ferguson’s men.

Though the rule has long since been written that the team playing United after a loss should be scared.

6/1	Mark Fordham's predicted 3-0 win for Manchester United is 6/1 with Bet365

I don’t think there is any way that Sir Alex Ferguson will let his team get away with the sort of shoddy performance which they came up with on Wednesday night and Aston Villa should be worried.

Worried they are, too, as they sit perilously close to the dro- zone after a poor run of form and the teams below them are finding form at just the right time. Home banker for me.

Tottenham

2-1 (aet)

Chelsea

 
GREG STOBART SAYS...

A big London derby at Wembley between two fierce rivals - this could be quite an occasion as the sun sets on Sunday evening.

It is a tough one to call and I am looking forward to seeing how each team sets about the game, with Tottenham on a dreadful run of one league win from eight matches and Chelsea preparing for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

That clash with Barcelona on Wednesday will surely influence Roberto Di Matteo’s team selection and be on the minds of some of his players on Sunday.

17/2	Greg Stobart's predicted extra-time win for Tottenham is 17/2 with PaddyPower

Tottenham will want this more and I fancy them to produce a performance more in keeping with their form in the first two-thirds of the season, making full use of the wide Wembley pitch with their flying wingers.

Spurs were the better team in the goalless draw at Stamford Bridge last month and I fancy to them nick this one in extra-time, just as they did the League Cup final in 2008.

Arsenal

2-2

Wigan Athletic

STEPHEN DARWIN SAYS...

It is getting towards the end of the season now and, though Arsenal will want to secure Champions League football for next season as soon as possible, I can see them dropping points against the in-form Wigan.

Roberto Martinez's side have had a daunting run in the past few games, taking in Stamford Bridge and a visit from league leaders Manchester United, but have produced some fine performances, and arguably should have taken more than the three points they received from both games.

They thoroughly out-performed both Sir Alex Ferguson's and Roberto Di Matteo's sides, but saw themselves on the end of poor refereeing decisions in west London resulting in a harsh defeat.

6/1	Stephen Darwin's predicted 2-2 draw is 20/1 with Bet365

If they can produce the same form they have displayed in the past two games, they could very well take a point home from the Emirates.