AI HEATING UP AS EPL SEASON WINDS DOWN
There are officially two weeks left in the Premier League season, but those two weeks will play out differently for a variety of clubs up and down the Premiership table. EPL scheduling rules require that everyone play the final match of the season in week 38 at the same time on the same day. That means that make-up games from postponements for Euro play and all cup ties have to be settled prior to next Sunday’s final contests. For some clubs, they’ll play only one match between now and then, but teams such as Arsenal and Southampton may find themselves with three matches to play across a span of just eight days.
Unanimous A. I. convened its UNU EPL Swarms on Thursday to take a look at the set of matches running from Friday through Monday, 11 in all. After Tottenham stumbled in the Spurs-iest of ways in a road loss to West Ham last week, Chelsea needs only a single win to clinch the league title. Liverpool, Man United, Man. City, and Arsenal are all involved in a furious fight to grasp a top four position, even so. At the bottom of the table, Sunderland and Middlesbrough are headed down, with relegation confirmed. That leaves Hull City, Swansea City, and Crystal Palace in a mad, desperate fight to avoid the third relegation spot. With all of that on the line, here’s how the swarm predicted things would go in week 37.
At the top of the table, you can see that the UNU Swarm expects Chelsea to put paid to the championship chase with a win on the road against West Brom on Saturday. If they should take the result, that may take much of the motivation out of Tottenham when they host Man United on Sunday. Except that this match will be the final one played at old White Hart Lane, one of England’s oldest and most storied stadiums, which is getting an emotional send-off over the weekend. Even if they’ve nothing to play for, it’s hard to imagine the Spurs won’t play like lions against a desperate United side.
The bottom of the table is full of intrigue as well. Last week Sunderland did their best to drag Hull City into the Sky Bet Championship League pit of despair with them. This week the Black Cats can get their claws into another side trying to avoid their fate, when Swansea City comes calling. A Swansea win and a Hull loss would settle the relegation question. For Hull’s part, they’re playing a must-win game at Crystal Palace. Lose, and Hull are in desperate shape. Should Hull win, however, the final week of the season will be a Hunger Games scramble for salvation between three clubs, with only two allowed to survive.
Every week during the EPL season, Unanimous A.I. will be conducting swarms to pick the outcomes of games. If you’d like to either join a swarm or just get the predictions weekly, feel free to drop us a line below.
