Predictions 2015-2016 (Round 38) FINAL PREDICTIONS With Magic Numbers, Relegation, and Other Stuff

This is the final prediction post of the season.  I can predict both the mid-week games and the final games because the results of the mid-week games will not change the predictions for the final weekend—except for the score in the Man U-Bournemouth game.

This past week I picked six games out of ten correctly with one correct score for 90 points.  Lawrenson picked three out of ten correctly with two correct scores for 90 points.   Merson picked five out of ten correctly with one correct score for a total of 80 points.

My current total for the season is 175 out of 366 with for 2620 points.  Lawrenson has picked 183 out of 366 for 2850 points. Merson has picked 165 out of 356 for a total of 2500 points

Lawrenson’s and Merson’s mid-week predictions can be found here and here if I remember to add the information once it becomes available.  Same goes for their weekend predictions here and here.

PREDICTIONS

My system’s picking rules can be found here. (The uneven number of games played does not affect anything this week.) Based upon those rules here are my predictions for the final round of games:

West Ham-Man U            1-1

Norwich-Watford            1-1

Sunderland-Everton       1-1

Liverpool-Chelsea            2-1

Arsenal-Aston Villa          1-0

Chelsea-Leicester            1-2

Everton-Norwich             2-1

Man U-Cherries            2-1 (1-0 if Man U keeps a clean sheet in its mid-week game)

Newcastle-Tottenham  1-2

Southampton-Palace     2-1

Stoke-West Ham              1-1

Swansea-Man City          1-2

Watford-Sunderland      2-1

West Brom-Liverpool     1-2

RELEGATION AVOIDANCE

It now takes 38 points to guarantee relegation avoidance. Sunderland can end it all by winning one of their two remaining games.

We can still finish as low as 8^th or as high as 5^th place.   If we tie with Manchester United we would beat them on goal difference.  Ties with Liverpool and West Ham are more problematic.

MAGIC NUMBERS

Normally I provide an imbedded link to where I explain magic numbers but the embedding isn't working so you can find it here:

http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2016/02/magic-numbers-and-relegation-safety.html

 (Note that magic numbers don’t actually go negative because once they hit zero, you have clinched finishing ahead of the other club.  I am just making them go negative to keep track of just how far back some clubs are.) 

Leicester City                     24

Tottenham                         14

Arsenal                                 12

Manchester City                 9

Manchester United           10

West Ham                             6

Liverpool                               5

Watford                               -9

Stoke City                            -8

Everton                               -9

Chelsea                                -5

Crystal Palace                    -14

West Brom                         -12

Bournemouth                   -14

Swansea City                     -10

Norwich City                      -21

Newcastle                           -22

Sunderland                         -18

Aston Villa                           -33