Rooney has the same effect on United. Psychologically, the rest of the team get a big lift when he plays.
Prediction: 2-2
Match preview
Birmingham v Hull
I thought Birmingham were a bit unlucky to lose 5-1 against Manchester City last time out. The penalty (for Scott Dann's foul on Emmanual Adebayor) was a bit harsh. If they'd got to half-time at 0-0, it might have been interesting.
Hull are doomed. I don't there's any coming back from a 4-1 defeat against Burnley. It's very difficult to rely on your players for the next game after that. There's something fundamentally wrong there.
New boss Iain Dowie has tried to get them organised and no doubt attempted to work on shapes and formations in training, but they really let down themselves defensively against their fellow strugglers.
Prediction: 2-1
Match preview
Blackburn v Everton
Blackburn's home record is very impressive. They haven't lost at Ewood Park since Spurs went there in December.
Everton, meanwhile, have drawn their last three matches and developed a nasty habit of giving away leads, as they have done against Villa, West Ham and Birmingham in recent weeks.
Blackburn are only playing for their league position, but when each place is worth about £500,000, that's actually quite an incentive.
Prediction: 1-1
Match preview
Fulham v Wolves
Wolves' goalless draw with Stoke last time out wasn't a classic but it was another point for Mick McCarthy's side, who will be safe from relegation now.
I'll go for Fulham in this game, though. Roy Hodgson has made the Londoners very difficult to beat. Even when they have a bad day - and those generally come away from home - they don't concede too many.
Prediction: 2-1
Match preview
Stoke v Bolton
If you didn't think Wolves v Stoke was a spectacle, you're probably not going to enjoy this game much. I'll be interested to see the stats for this game, in terms of balls into the box, headers away, challenges made etc.
Bolton were unlucky at Chelsea, in that they didn't get the rub of the green, but Stoke are targeting a top-half finish for the first time in 29 years. I think they'll get the win here.
Prediction: 2-1
Match preview
Sunderland v Burnley
It was a top win for Burnley at Hull last week and completely unexpected. They'd lost 6-1 at home to Manchester City in their previous game and managed one point away all season.
However, I'm afraid I can't see lightning striking twice. Sunderland are very comfortable and, like Blackburn, are looking to finish has high as they can up the league.
If a team have a really good finish to the season, they might move up three or four places, which is worth about £2m. If I was the chairman or chief executive of a Premier League club, I'd make sure the players had it written into their contracts that they split part of that money.
Prediction: 2-0
Match preview
Tottenham v Chelsea (1730 BST)
Tottenham's performance in their 2-1 win over Arsenal was a great way to respond to their FA Cup semi-final defeat to Portsmouth.
Can they do it again and beat Chelsea? I'm going to have to say 'no'. The problem for Spurs is that there is a doubt over Ledley King being able to play another game quite so quickly after the last one.
I just think Chelsea have got too much pace, power and nous. Not only that, but they've had an extra day's rest, while boss Carlo Ancelotti can bring Florent Malouda, Joe Cole and Deco back into his starting line-up if he wants to.
Chelsea are now four points clear of Manchester United, but they looked a bit tense during their 1-0 win over Bolton. The closer you get to the finish line, the more tense it gets.
Prediction: 0-2
Match preview
SUNDAY
Wigan v Arsenal (1330 BST)
I think Arsene Wenger will play Robin van Persie from the start - and, as I've said already, the best players have a big effect on the rest of the team. The Dutchman will be like a dog with a new bone, keen to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup.
This is a tough one for Wigan, but then it was always going to be a hard season for them. If you keep on selling your best players, it will catch up with you eventually.
Not only that, but manager Roberto Martinez hasn't managed in the Premier League before. But they'll be OK because Burnley and Hull will go down. They will also be stronger for the experience.
Prediction: 0-3
Portsmouth v Aston Villa (1600 BST)
Portsmouth's goalless draw against Wigan in midweek was a really good result. I don't think many would have been surprised to pick up the paper the next morning to find the Latics had won 4-0.
What did Pompey have to play for? They'd just beaten Spurs in the FA semi-finals and already knew they were relegated.
However, I think it will be a case of after the Lord Mayor's show this weekend. Villa are quick and very strong on the counter-attack, and I'm not sure Pompey will be able to deal with that.
Prediction: 0-2
Match preview
MONDAY
Liverpool v West Ham (2000 BST)
West Ham got a very good point against Everton the last time they were on Merseyside and they won last week against Sunderland.
Liverpool will probably be without Fernando Torres, but their home form is generally good.
I don't think this is a game West Ham would have expected to get anything out of, but I think they're safe now, especially as they have a couple of winnable games to come.
Prediction: 2-0
Mark Lawrenson was speaking to BBC Sport's Caroline Cheese |