Things are so bad at Manchester United now, they have to rely on Alexis Sanchez. Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY.

Arsenal pitched an unexpected shutout, Manchester United was forced to play with ten and a half players for most of their match with Liverpool (more on that below), and as a result my winning streak ended over the weekend. Manchester City’s Carabao Cup triumph kept the weekend from being a significant loss, but each passing week that isn’t a winning week makes the quest of escaping the hole we’re in here that much harder.

Fortunately, there are great storylines and more opportunities to profit in this midweek series of matches. Onto this week’s winners:

CHELSEA v. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

In an ordinary week, Tottenham Hotspur’s loss to Burnley over the weekend would have been the lead story going into this derby. The normally reserved and in-control Mauricio Pochettino was so aggravated by the officiating of that match that the Premier League has taken the unusual step of reassigning an official away from Chelsea/Spurs. The loss was pretty devastating for Spurs, who biffed a chance to pull within three points of Liverpool and two points of Manchester City at the top of the table.

But this was no ordinary week, because Chelsea managed to make themselves the lead story on every soccer show even in a week where they didn’t play a Premier League match. You’ll see a lot of strange things in soccer, but it’s rare that you’ll see anything as bizarre as a player refusing to leave the pitch when the manager tries to substitute him out.

I wasn’t even aware that a player had the right to stay on once his number was put on the substitute board, but Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa is apparently the exception that proves the rule. Maurizio Sarri has been under significant fire for weeks as it is — this display of insubordination from Kepa may be one of the last signs that Sarri can’t survive in this job. Probably the funniest bit of the whole story was Kepa’s sorry performance in the penalty shootout after refusing to come off:

https://twitter.com/Clinton_Vice_B/status/1099985992252121088

As for the pick here, there is no way to put any faith in either of these sides. Chelsea is 6/5 to win and Tottenham is 21/10 to win. That’s a Chelsea line, which is fairly surprising considering the open mutiny going on at Stamford Bridge and the likelihood that Sarri won’t survive February in his job. The safe play is to figure that both of these sides are going to play conservatively because both of them are wounded prey.

Since losing 6-0 to Manchester City on February 10, Chelsea has played four matches in all competitions and conceded only three goals — including shutting out City for 120 minutes in the Carabao Cup. Spurs hasn’t been prolific lately, either, and they are apt to be looking ahead to the North London Derby with Arsenal on Saturday. Spurs supporters don’t much care for Chelsea…but they hate Arsenal. So the pick here is under 2.5 goals at 21/20.

CRYSTAL PALACE v. MANCHESTER UNITED

In recent weeks, I have talked at length about the amazing job Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done pulling Manchester United out of mid-table irrelevance and into the Champions League places. The results are indisputable. And for all the great wins that went into this run, the fact that Solskjaer squeezed out a goalless draw with league-leading Liverpool over the weekend after using all three of his substitutions in the first half (and having Marcus Rashford stuck out there limping for the second half) may have been the most impressive piece of managing he produced to date.

But everything ends. Look at the list in that Sky Sports tweet. These aren’t inconsequential players who are presently either doubtful or out for this Crystal Palace match — it’s half the starting XI. Solskjaer has performed minor miracles with what looked to be an aimless group on his arrival. But even he can’t be expected to win a road match three days after staving off Liverpool with so many of his key players either compromised or unavailable. Crystal Palace has won four and drawn two in their last six matches in all competitions. The Palace is hot and United is there to be taken, so take Palace to win at 21/10.

ARSENAL v. BOURNEMOUTH

There isn’t much to say about either one of these clubs that you don’t already know. Arsenal is still in the hunt for a Champions League place — right now, it’s theirs — and Bournemouth is in its usual safe place mid-table. Arsenal is really good at home, with eleven wins, two draws and one loss in fourteen Premier League matches at the Emirates. Bournemouth is horrible on the road, having lost eight consecutive league matches as the away side. And like United, Bournemouth have key men missing for this match.

I got cute last week and picked Arsenal to win with the match going over 2.5 goals, and it burned me. This isn’t a fun pick, but it’s awfully safe: Take Arsenal to win at 4/9.

Best of luck in the mid-week matches.

WEEK 27 RESULTS

Arsenal to win AND over 2.5 goals against Southampton: LOSS

Manchester United to win, draw no bet, against Liverpool: PUSH

Manchester City to win against Chelsea at 4/7: WIN

WEEK 27 TOTAL: -$43

TOTAL TO DATE: -$1522