Sleeper Pick'em predictions for Matchday 18

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While sitting on the sofa with family and friends, exhausted from Christmas Day’s food and fun, why not take a few minutes to guess the Boxing Day action? Eight matches take place that day, with another couple on Friday.

Let’s look ahead to this via Sleeper’s free Pick’em predictor. As a weekly contest, it’s never too late to sign up for a game that only takes up a few minutes of your time but offers monthly and seasonal prizes in each pool.

Fantasy weekend preparations usually involve looking at imminent fixtures, so it’s useful to start guessing how Matchday 18 will unfold.

If you see yourself as a bit of a top-flight Nostradamus, it’d be a good idea to join our Scout league on Sleeper, with the app available on Apple and Android devices.

REGULAR SLEEPER PICK’EM PRIZES

In Sleeper Pick’em, you predict wins and draws for the upcoming matches, earning a point for every correct guess.

Not only is there a football shirt of choice to be won each month but the overall season-long winner will gain £7,500 worth of prizes!

It costs nothing, takes just a few minutes and is sociable – connecting you in a chat with fellow pool competitors.

NEW: WEEKLY POOL REPORTS

An additional feature has been added to these chats: a weekly round-up. Left as a message called ‘Pick’em Report’, it highlights your pool’s best and worst performers of the previous Matchday.

There is also a look at its biggest risers and fallers in this chase for prizes.

MATCHDAY 18 PICK’EM

We think there could be a slight upset in the opening encounter, tipping Manchester City to win only their second match from 13.

Then, in the 15:00 kick-offs, Chelsea can sneak past West London rivals Fulham and Nottingham Forest will temporarily overtake Arsenal in third-place by beating the eternally erratic Tottenham Hotspur.

Meanwhile, recent top-four invaders Newcastle United and Aston Villa meet at St James’ Park. The Magpies won equivalent meetings 5-1 and 4-0 over the latest couple of campaigns but this time it’ll be a lot closer. A score draw, in fact, just like Bournemouth v Crystal Palace.

At St Mary’s Stadium, new Southampton manager Ivan Juric takes charge for the first time. Yet we tip Jarrod Bowen‘s West Ham United to find a way past his ‘death metal football.’

This will put Manchester United in a stunningly-low 14th position but they’ll rectify this by picking up three important points in a heavily Portuguese clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Elsewhere, Liverpool should comfortably overcome leaky Leicester City, before a Bukayo Saka-less Arsenal defeat Ipswich Town the next night.

We also foresee an entertaining draw between Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford. This would be good news for Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa and Kaoru Mitoma.

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