Midweek Football Preview

More cups!

FA Cup 5th Round

Peterborough vs. Man City

Peterborough beat QPR in the last round and sit bottom of the Championship. They have since drawn one and lost five. Man City beat Fulham 4-1 in the last round and sit top of the Premier League. They have since won four and lost one of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Man City. Anything else and it would be a massive shock. 

Crystal Palace vs. Stoke City

Palace beat Hartlepool 2-0 in the last round and they sit 11th in the Premier League. Palace have since won one, drawn three, and lost one. Stoke beat Wigan 2-0 in the last round and sit 15th in the Championship. Stoke have won one, drawn two, and lost two since. Palace are the better team on paper and are at home so they should win this even if Stoke cause some problems. 

Middlesbrough vs. Tottenham

Middlesbrough beat United on penalties in the last round and sit 8th in the Championship. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Spurs sit 7th in the Premier League and beat Brighton 3-1 in the last round. They have since won two, and lost three of their games. With Tottenham away and the form that they are in this result could go either way. Spurs though are still favourites on paper.

Southampton vs. West Ham

An all Premier League clash as Southampton take on West Ham. Southampton sit 9th in the Premier League and beat Coventry City 2-1 in the last round. The Saints have since won three and drawn one of their games. West Ham sit 5th in the table and beat Kidderminster 1-2 in the last round. The Hammers have since won two and drawn two. Neither team is unbeaten in their last four but Southampton have won one more game. This should be an interesting game between two good teams and the result can go either way.

Liverpool vs. Norwich

The newly crowned Carabao Cup champions take on another cup as they welcome Norwich City in an all Premier League clash. Liverpool beat Cardiff 3-1 in the last round and have since won five and drawn one of their games. Norwich beat Wolves 0-1 in the last round and sit bottom of the table. Norwich have since drawn one and lost three of their games. This should be a straightforward win for Liverpool.

Everton vs. Boreham Wood

Everton beat Brentford 4-1 in the last round and sit 17th in the Premier League as they take on Boreham Wood. Everton have since won one and lost three of their games. Boreham Wood sit 3rd in the National League and beat Bournemouth 0-1 in the last round. They have since won two, drawn one, and lost two. Everton are at home and even though Boreham Wood will give it their all Everton should win this game. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Leicester

Burnley sit 18th in the table as they take on Leicester who sit 13th. A win for Burnley would take them out of the relegation zone and into 15th in the table on goal difference with two games in hand remaining. A win for Leicester won’t mean much movement but it will take them closer to mid table with three games in hand remaining. A big game for both teams Burnley have only lost one of their last five games while Leicester have lost three and drawn two. One game to keep an eye on.

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Valencia take on Bilbao with an aggregate score of 1-1. Betis take on Rayo Vallecano with an aggregate score of 2-1. The Valencia Bilbao game is finely poised and the result can go either way. Betis have a slight advantage but Vallecano are no pushovers and will give it a go. Any team can reach the final. 

Coppa Italia Semi-Final 1st Leg

Milan take on Inter, and Juventus travel to Fiorentina. Two very good games and neither team are clear favourites in their fixture. Milan and Inter are going though a rough patch at the moment while Juventus are inconsistent. Fiorentina are having a decent season. Who will take advantage in the 1st leg?

DFB Pokal Quarter-Final

Union Berlin take on St.Pauli, Hamburger take on Karlsruher, Leipzig travel to Hannover, and Bochum welcome Freiburg. Leipzig are the most high profiel team remaining in the cup. Freiburg are having a very good season though and so are Union Berlin. Anything can happen. 

Coupe De France Semi-Final

Nice take on Versailles, and Monaco travel to Nantes. Nice should beat Versailles and reach the final while Monaco and Nantes will be a more cagey affair. Nice will be favourites though with Monaco and Nantes being at a similar level this season. 

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Midweek Football Review

Races heat up!

Premier League MW 24

Newcastle 3 vs. 1 Everton

This was a massive game at St.James’s Park as Everton travelled to play Newcastle. Everton took the lead in the 36th minute thanks to a Lascelles own goal and had been the better team up till that point. Holgate returned the favour a minute later to bring Newcastle back into the game. Fraser gave Newcastle the lead in the 56th minute and Trippier scored a brilliant goal in the 80th minute to seal the win. Newcastle climb out of the relegation zone and into 17th a point behind Everton with two games in hand and a point above Norwich. Lampard loses his first Premier League game in charge of Everton but they still have three games in hand. 

West Ham 1 vs. 0 Watford

Bowen scored in the 68th minute of this game as West Ham got all three points against Watford. West Ham move back into 4th with the win a point above Arsenal. Watford drop down to 19th with the loss but have two games in hand as they sit three points from safety.

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Man United

Pogba scored to give the United the lead in the 18th minute and United should have put the game to bed in the 1st half. Rodriguez scored the equaliser for Burnley in the 47th minute after some brilliant work by Weghorst. Burnley ended the game strongly but could not find the winner. Burnley remain bottom of the table with four games in hand and they sit four points from safety. Man United drop down to 6th with the point and have one game in hand and sit a point from top four.

Norwich 1 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Pukki scored in the 1st minute to give Norwich the lead over Palace. Zaha scored the equaliser for Palace in the 60th minute. Neither side could find the winner. Norwich drop down to 18th in the table a point from safety with one game in hand. Palace remain 13th in the table with the point and have one game in hand. 

Tottenham 2 vs. 3 Southampton

Bednarek scored an own goal in the 18th minute to give Spurs the lead. Broja equalised for Southampton in the 23rd minute. Son restored Spurs lead in the 70th minute but Southampton had other plans. Elyounoussi equalised for Southampton in the 80th minute and Adams scored the winner for them in the 82nd minute. A collapse by Spurs and a big come back for Hassenhutl. Spurs remain 7th in the table  three points from 4th with three games in hand. Southampton move up to 10th with the win and have one game in hand. 

Man City 2 vs. 0 Brentford

Mahrez scored a penalty in the 40th minute and De Bruyne made it two in the 69th minute for a routine win for Man City. City remain top of the league with a 9 point gap as they go 13 points clear of 3rd placed Chelsea. Brentford remain 14th in the table but only six points above the relegation zone now. 

Aston Villa 3 vs. 3 Leeds

James scored in the 9th minute to give Leeds the lead. Coutinho equalised for Villa in the 30th minute. Ramsey gave Villa the lead in the 38th minute. Ramsey then made it three for Villa in the 43rd minute. James got one back for Leeds before half time. Llorente equalised for Leeds in the 63rd minute as Konsa was sent off for Villa in the 87th minute. A blockbuster game but points shared in the end. Villa remain 11th in the table with two games in hand. Leeds remain 15th in the table with two games in hand. 

Liverpool 2 vs. 0 Leicester

Jota scored a goal in each half to get a comfortable win for Liverpool over Leicester. Liverpool remain 2nd in the table but go four points clear of Chelsea and stay with in 9 ponts of City with a game in hand. Leicester drop down to 12th in the table with three games in hand. 

Wolverhampton 0 vs. 1 Arsenal

Gabriel scored the only goal of the game in the 25th minute as Arsenal got all three points at Wolves. Martinelli was sent off for Arsenal in the 69th minute as well. Wolves remain 8th in the table with two games in hand while Arsenal move up to 5th in the table a point from 4th with two games in hand. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Real Betis beat Rayo Vallecano 1-2 in the 1st leg of their semi-final while Bilbao and Valencia drew 1-1 in their first leg. Both games are evenly poised but Betis have a slight advantage going into the 2nd leg. Nothing to lose for all four teams. 

Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Inter beat Roma 2-0, Milan thrashed Lazio 4-0 with Giroud scoring another brace, Fiorentina beat Atalanta 2-3, and Juventus beat Sassuolo 2-1. Some big semi-finals are set and it looks to be a very exciting Coppa Italia this year. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Finals 

Monaco beat Amiens 2-0, Versailles beat Bergerac on penalties, Nice thrashed Marseille 4-1, and Nantes beat Bastia 2-0. One would say that Monaco and Nice are the favourites out of the teams that are left but anything can happen with Nice probably being the best out of all the teams. 

Midweek Football Preview

League football is back!

Premier League MW 24

Newcastle vs. Everton

Newcastle were very busy during the winter transfer window as they spent nearly a 100 million euros. Trippier, Targett, Burn, Wood, and Bruno all came into the team with Bruno being the most eye catching acquisition from Lyon. A combative midfielder that has a knack to attack as well. Everton were also busy as they brought in Lampard as the manager and got Alli, and van de Beek into the team. Newcastle have two games in hand and sit 19th in the table one point from safety. The Magpies are unbeaten in their last three. Everton sit 16th in the table with three games in hand and haven’t won a game in a long time. A big game with pressure on both teams. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

West Ham vs. Watford

A London derby as Watford travel to West Ham. West Ham sit 5th in the table with no games in hand while Watford sit 18th with two games in hand. West Ham have lost their last two and are looking for a win to stay in the top four race while Watford will love to pull out of the relegation zone at least momentarily. Another big game with high stakes. West Ham beat Watford 1-4 in the reverse fixture. 

Burnley vs. Man United

Burnley are unbeaten in their last two and have four games in hand as they sit 20th in the table three points from safety. United sit 4th in the table with one game in hand and a point above 5th. Another game with both teams having plenty to lose. Burnley will not fear United and will know that they can get a result if they stay strong at the back. United beat Burnley 3-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Norwich vs. Crystal Palace

Norwich have won their last two and have a game in hand as they sit 17th in the table a point above the relegation zone. Palace sit 13th in the table and have only won one of their last five games. Norwich are the team in better form which is a rarity and Palace will want to bounce back. A tough game but Norwich lose more if they can’t get a result. An interesting one to watch. Palace beat Norwich 3-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Tottenham vs. Southampton

7th placed Spurs have three games in hand as they take on 12th placed Southampton who have one game in hand. Conte lost his first game in the league as Spurs manager to Tuchel and Chelsea the last time around. Southampton have only lost one of their last five games. An interesting game for sure but Tottenham can move closer to top four with a win. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Man City vs. Brentford

City sit 9 points clear at the top with no games in hand as they take on Brentford who sit 14th in the table and have lost their last four games. This should be an easy win for Man City as Brentford are in dismal form at the moment. City beat Brentford 0-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Aston Villa vs. Leeds

Villa sit 11th with two games in hand as they take on Leeds who sit 15th with two games in hand as well. No real stakes in this game but it should be an entertaining one for sure. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

Liverpool vs. Leicester

Liverpool sit 2nd in the table and have a game in hand as they cling on to some hope of a title race. Leicester sit 10th in the table with three games in hand but are in dismal form at the moment. Leicester beat Liverpool 1-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal

Wolves sit 8th in the table and are in brilliant form with two games in hand. Arsenal sit 6th in the table with two games in hand. Two point separate the two teams so this is a massive game. If Wolves win they go above Arsenal while if Arsenal win they open up a five point gap. One to watch for sure. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Rayo Vallecano take on Real Betis while Bilbao take on Valencia. None of the traditional top three in the Copa Del Rey this season. I would say Betis are favourites to qualify from the first semi-final while Bilbao are the in form team in the 2nd. An interesting couple of fixtures. 

Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Inter take on Roma, Milan take on Lazio, Atalanta take on Fiorentina, and Juventus take on Sassuolo. All the four fixtures are tasty ones and it’s safe to say anyone could progress from them. A very interesting set of games. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Finals

Monaco take on Amiens SC, Bergerac Perigord entertain Versailles, Nice take on Marseille, while Nantes welcome Bastia. Some very interesting fixtures and all teams are relatively well matched. Should be some interesting outcomes. 

Midweek Football Review

Some surprises

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal 0 (0) vs. (0) 2 Liverpool

Arsenal worked so hard to get this game called off and rescheduled. They got their main players back and fielded their strongest XI. They lost to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Jota scored in the 19th minute and in the 77th minute as they cruised to the final. Liverpool will face Chelsea in the final. Arsenal are now knocked out of all competitions and only have the Premier League to focus on. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leicester 2 vs. 3 Tottenham

Daka scored in the 24th minute to give Leicester the lead. Kane equalised for Spurs in the 38th minute. Maddison restored Leicester’s lead in the 76th minute and looked ot be heading for a win. Bergwijn came off the bench to score the equaliser in the 95th minute and get the winner in the 97th minute. Spurs made a brilliant comeback and Leicester again bottled the lead. Leicester remain 10th while Spurs move up to 5th now 11 points clear of Leicester. They are now within eight points of Chelsea with four games in hand. 

Brentford 1 vs. 3 Man United

Brentford dominated Man United for 45 minutes but failed to take their chances. There was only going to be one outcome from there on. Elanga gave United the lead in the 55th minute. Greenwood made it two for United in the 62nd minute and Rashford made it three for United in the 77th minute. Toney got one back for Brentford in the 85th minute. Brentford remain 14th in the table. United remain 7th now only two points from top four with two games in hand. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia drew with Sevilla 1-1. Sevilla play their game in hand and sit 2nd in the table but still four points behind Real Madrid. Valencia sit 9th in the table. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Sociedad beat Atletico 2-0, Real Madrid came from behind to beat Elche in extra time 1-2. Eden Hazard got the winner for them. Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2 to progress as well. Barcelona and Atletico dumped out and Barcelona especially are having one of their worst seasons ever. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio beat Udinese 1-0, Juventus beat Sampdoria 4-1, Inter beat Empoli 3-2, and Roma beat Lecce 3-1. The favorites won their games and progress to the next round to potentially make up some very tasty fixtures. 

DFB Pokal Round of 16

St.Pauli beat Dortmund 2-1, Hannover beat Monchengladbach 3-0, Leipzig beat Hansa 2-0, and Freiburg beat Hoffenheim 1-4. Some big upsets here and the DFB Pokal will be getting a new winner this season. The biggest teams are out and only Leipzig remain among others. Freiburg especially are having a really good season. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille beat Lorient 3-1. Lille play their game in hand and move up to 8th in the table. Only three points behind 4th placed Strasbourg. 

Midweek Football Preview

A mix of games in hand and cup competitions.

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal (0) vs. (0) Liverpool

The 1st leg was played last week as Arsenal did well to hold on for a draw after going down to 10 men. Arsenal used a similar loophole to Liverpool to avoid playing during the weekend and will be fresh for this game. Liverpool beat Brentford during the weekend. This should be an interesting game for sure and either team can go through.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Watford

A relegation battle as 20th placed Burnley take on 17th placed Watford with 3 points seperating the two teams. Burnley have five games in hand going into this game while Watford have three games in hand going into this game. Both teams are in extremely poor form so either team can win this game. The most likely result is a draw. 

Leicester vs. Tottenham

10th placed Leicester have four games in hand as they take on 6th placed Spurs who have four games in hand as well. Both teams did not play during the weekend because of Covid related issues. A win for Leicester would take them to within three points of United while a win for Spurs would take them above Arsenal and a point behind West Ham. Tottenham were abysmal against Chelsea over two legs in the Carabao Cup so there is a need to put in a better performance against Leicester. An interesting game for sure.

Brentford vs. Man United

14th placed Brentford have only won one of their last five games as they take on United who sit 7th and have only lost one of their last five games. This is Brentford’s game in hand while United would have one more after this. United will be favourites but Brentford can get something out of this game especially since they are at home. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia take on Sevilla amongst other teams.

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Atletico travel to Real Sociedad, Real Madrid travel to Elche, and Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao and Real Madrid just played the Supercopa De Espana final in the Middle East which Real Madrid won. Bilbao will be looking to bounce back while Madrid will want to continue the good form. Some interesting games. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio take on Udinese, Juventus take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Empoli, and Roma welcome Lecce. Home games for all these big teams and one woulde expect all of them to progress to the next round. Milan, Fiorentina, and Atalanta are already through.

DFB Pokal Round of 16

Dortmund take on St.Pauli, Monchengladbach travel to Hannover, Leipzig take on Hansa, and Hoffenheim take on Freiburg amongst others. No Bayern in the DFB Pokal so that is a different. Winnable fixtures for most teams with Hoffenheim and Freiburg being the toughest fixture. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille take on Lorient amongst other games. Lille can go up to 8th in the table with a win in this game.

Midweek Football Review

Some big results!

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg

Liverpool 0 vs. 0 Arsenal

The first leg of this Carabao Cup semi-final was a drab affair after Oliver sent off Xhaka for what was not a red card offense. Arsenal had started the game well but post the red card it was attack against defence. Arsenal had key players missing as well while Liverpool showed without Salah there isn’t much to fear. The 2nd leg is setup to be a tasty affair though and the Emirates will be up for it.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Southampton 4 vs. 1 Brentford

Bednarek scored in the 5th minute to give Southampton the lead. Janelt equalised for Brentford in the 23rd minute but Southampton replied back. Fernandez scored an own goal in the 37th minute and Broja added a 3rd in the 49th minute. Adams scored the 4th in the 70th minute. Southampton move up to 11th in the table and have a game in hand while Brentford drop down to 13th with a game in hand.

West Ham 2 vs. 0 Norwich

Bowen scored a goal in either half to seal a win against Norwich. West Ham having played their game in hand move into 4th and 2 points clear of Arsenal. Norwich remain bottom of the table and have a game in hand but sit 3 points from safety. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Atalanta beat Venezia 2-0, Fiorentina beat Napoli 2-5, and Milan beat Genoa 3-1. Napoli stumble and are knocked out of the cup while Atalanta and Milan progress. The other games will be played next week. 

Midweek Football Preview

Carabao Cup games in hand!

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg

Liverpool vs. Arsenal

This is the 2nd leg of this fixture but is essentially the first leg because the first leg was called off last week due to covid cases in the Liverpool squad. Liverpool have since beat Shrewsbury in the FA Cup while Arsenal were knocked out by Nottingham Forest. Arsenal will be going into this game looking to bounce back and with this competition being their only chance at a trophy there is a lot at stake. Liverpool will trust themselves over two legs but covid cases might give Arsenal the upper hand. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Southampton vs. Brentford

14th placed Southampton have 2 games in hand as they take on Brentford who have 2 games in hand as well and sit 12th in the table. Both teams are playing one of their games in hand and 2 points separate the teams. Two teams that like attacking and playing progressive football, this should be a fun game.

West Ham vs. Norwich

West Ham sit 5th in the table with a game in hand as they take on Norwich who sit bottom of the table and have 2 games in hand. If West Ham then they go above Arsenal and into 4th while if Norwich win they can go level on points with Watford who sit 17th. It’s a big game for both teams but West Ham are the team in form and will be favourites. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Atalanta take on Venezia, Napoli take on Fiorentina, Milan take on Genoa, Lazio take on Udinese, Juventus take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Empoli, and Roma take on Lecce. The Round of 16 in the Coppa Italia and all the top teams have games which they should win. If the teams that should go through progress then the final few stages of the competition could be very exciting. 

Midweek Football Review

Trophies and the top 7 race!

Premier League MW 37

Man United 1 vs. 1 Fulham

Cavani scored in the a brilliant long range chip in the 15th minute to give United the lead but he was clearly offside because De Gea passed the ball. VAR chose not to check and the goal stood. Fulham equalised in the 76th minute and were largely the better team over the 90. United continue to tail off during this latter stage of the season as they remain 2nd 12 points behind Man City and 4 ahead of Chelsea thereby guaranteeing a 2nd place finish this season. Fulham are relegated but they put in a great performance and not for the first time left a stadium thinking they should have got all 3 points. 

Southampton 0 vs. 2 Leeds

Bamford and Roberts scored late in the 2nd half to seal the win for Leeds as they beat a Southampton in their final home game of the season. Southampton remain 14th in the table while Leeds remain 10th in the table and are now guaranteed a top 10 finish for the season. 

Brighton 3 vs. 2 Man City

Gundogan scored in the 2nd minute to give City the lead but Cancelo was sent off for City in the 10th minute. Foden scored a brilliant goal in the 48th minute to double City’s lead but Brighton mounted a comeback. Trossard, Webster, and Burn scored to complete a comeback win for the Seagulls in their final home game of the season. The fans would have enjoyed the game for sure. Brighton move up to 16th with the win while City see their winning margin cut down to 12 points. 

Everton 1 vs. 0 Wolverhampton

Richarlison scored in the 48th minute and it was enough to get Everton the three points in their final home game of the season. Everton remain 8th and can still finish as high as 6th on the final day as they chase a place in Europe. Wolves remain 12th in the table with the loss.

Newcastle 1 vs. 0 Sheffield United

Willock scored right before half time to give Newcastle the lead and continue his brilliant run of form. The goal would be enough to get 3 points and give a good send off to the Newcastle fans at home for this season. Newcastle move up to 15th with the win while Sheffield United remain rock bottom. 

Tottenham 1 vs. 2 Aston Villa

Bergwijn scored in the 8th minute to give Tottenham the lead. Reguilon then equalised for Villa with an amazing own goal in the 20th minute. Watkins then gave Villa the lead in the 39th minute. Villa had 20 shots in the game and they could have scored many more if their finishing was better and Lloris wasn’t in goal. Tottenham can’t win their final home game of the season and sadly for them it could have been Kane’s final home game as a Spurs player. Tottenham sit 7th at the moment but they can still finish in 6th and get a place in the Europa League. Villa remain 11th but can not move higher or lower as their position is set. 

Crystal Palace 1 vs. 3 Arsenal

Pepe scored in the 35th minute to give Arsenal the lead while Benteke equalised in the 62nd minute for Palace. Martinelli and Pepe scored in extra time to seal the win for Arsenal though. Palace can’t win in their final home game of the season although the occasion for them will always be remembered as Roy Hodgson’s final home game as a manager, Palace remain 13th. Arsenal remain 9th and can only finish as high as 7th which means that the Conference League is their only avenue of European football for next season. I’m guessing Arsenal will want to avoid that.

Burnley 0 vs. 3 Liverpool

Firmino, Phillips, and Chamberlain all scored to give Liverpool a comfortable win against Burnley. Burnley drop down to 17th with the loss in their final home game of the season. Burnley had several chances but their finishing and Alisson kept them from converting them. Liverpool move into 4th on goal difference as they go level on points with Leicester who drop down into 5th. Their fate is now in their own hands. 

West Brom 1 vs. 3 West Ham

Pereira scored in the 27th minute to give West Brom the lead. Soucek equalised right before half time while Ogbonna, and Antonio scored in the final 10 minutes to give West Ham a big win. West Brom are relegated and Sam Allardyce announced that he won’t be their manager next season. West Ham move into 6th now 3 points clear of Spurs as they look to secure a Europa League place on the final day. 

Coppa Italia Final

Juventus beat Atalanta 1-2 in the Coppa Italia final to win a 2nd trophy of the season. Atalanta will feel dejected to lose at the final hurdle. Juventus are still chasing Champions League football though while Atalanta are almost certain to have it for next season. Silver linings. 

Coupe De France Final

Icardi and Mbappe scored as PSG beat Monaco 0-2 in the Coupe de France final to get Pochettino his 2nd trophy at the club this season and his 2nd trophy in his career. Monaco who have done so well recently just fell short. Job not done for PSG though as they chase Lille in the league and look to complete a treble for the season. 

Midweek Football Preview

The prelude to the finale!

Premier League MW 37

Man United vs. Fulham

United have secured Champions League football for next season although they could still drop down into 3rd. This makes this game a must win for them. They take on Fulham who are relegated and sit 18th in the table having lost their last 3. United themselves have lost their last two. With fans back at Old Trafford for the 1st time since the pandemic began United should win this game. The whole anti glazer protests and fans in the stadium chanting against the ownership could give Fulham a slight chance to get something out of the game. United won the reverse fixture 1-2. 

Southampton vs. Leeds

14th placed Southampton have won their last two and can finish as high as 12th as they take on Leeds who sit 10th also having won their last two. Leeds can finish as high as 8th but their main goal will be to secure a top 10 finish with a win in this game. Leeds won the reverse fixture 3-0. The Saints will be boosted by having fans in the stadium once again.

Brighton vs. Man City

City travel to Brighton in a bit of a nothing game. City can extend their gap at the top not that it matters other than momentum while Brighton can finish as high as 13th still so they have some incentive as they sit 17th right now. Brighton will have fans back in the stadium and they will want to give them something to cheer about in their final home game. City won the reverse fixture 1-0.

Everton vs. Wolverhampton

8th placed Everton can still get 6th but this is a must win game for them. Wolves sit 12th and can only finish as high as 11th so this is a game of no real consequence although they can drop as low as 16th so that is incentive for them. Everton’s home form has been shocking so Wolves will have some hope but fans will be back to cheer the home team on. Everton won the reverse fixture 1-2. 

Newcastle vs. Sheffield United

16th placed Newcastle can finish as high as 12th as they take on Sheffield United who will want to build on their win against Everton if only for moral purposes. Newcastle will have fans back in the stadium as well. Sheffield United won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

Tottenham vs. Aston Villa

Tottenham can go within two of 2 of the top four if results go their way as they take on Villa who face a must win game if they want to stand any chance of finishing in the top 10. Spurs will have fans in the stadium and can still finish as low as 9th so there is plenty on the line for the home team. Spurs won the reverse fixture 0-2.

Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal

London derby time for these two teams and Selhurst Park will be roaring to give several of their players and Roy Hodgson a send off in their final home game, and probably for several of them their final Palace home game. Palace sit 13th and can finish as high as 11th as they take on Arsenal who sit 9th and can still finish as high as 6th. Arsenal can even drop into 11th though so there is plenty on the line for the Gunners. A big game for both teams. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw.

Burnley vs. Liverpool

Burnley sit 15th in the table and not in great form, they can finish as high as 12th though with 2 games to go. Liverpool sit 5th and can enter the top four if results go their way but this is a must win game if the teams ahead of them win as well. Liverpool can also drop down as a low as 7th if they drop poins. Fans will be back in the stadium for Burnley and based on the current trend they are due a win in this game. Anything can happen. Burnley won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

West Brom vs. West Ham

West Brom entertain their fans for the final home game of the season as West Ham visit. West Ham sit 7th in the table still capable of finishing in the top four but also capable of dropping down to 9th if they lose their games. It’s a big game for the Hammers and West Brom will be angry after they were robbed of points against Liverpool. West Ham won the reverse fixture 2-1. 

Coppa Italia Final

Atalanta take on Juventus for the final of the Coppa Italia this season. With the top four all but sealed for Atalanta and Juventus still fighting to get in the trophy is some respite for both of the teams. Atalanta will want to build on their recent form in the last few seasons with a trophy to show for it while Pirlo and Juventus will want to get a trophy to get something out of a poor season for them. The game should be a close and entertaining one. 

Coupe De France Final

Monaco take on PSG in a big final in France this week. Two teams that are still fighting for the title and Champions League football. The trophy can be a good prize to add to their cabinet regardless of whether they win Ligue 1. PSG already have a trophy this season and it’s been a while since Monaco have won one. Monaco for me are the in form team and I think they could just about edge PSG but PSG have some the likes of Neymar and Mbappe. Another exciting final. 

Midweek Football Review

Some big results!

FA Cup 5th Round

Burnley 0 vs. 2 Bournemouth

Surridge scored in the 1st half while Stanislas scored an 86th minute penalty to send Bournemouth into the quarter’s of the FA Cup. Bournemouth have had a turbulent few weeks but this victory will be welcome respite for them. Burnley get knocked out of the cup and can now focus on survival for this season. 

Man United 1 vs. 0 West Ham

What was the most boring game of the round saw United finally win it in the 97th minute of extra time as McTominay popped up to score the winner, United continue on to the next round while West Ham and Moyes can now focus on getting a place in the top 7.

Swansea 1 vs. 3 Man City

City made achieved a record by winning their 15th game in a row in all comps as Walker, Sterling, and Jesus scored to give City 3 goals. Whittaker got one back for Swansea in the 77th minute but it was just consolation. Swansea will now focus on promotion to the Premier League while City are still in all four competitions. 

Leicester 1 vs. 0 Brighton

Iheanacho scored in the 94th minute to seal a win for Leicester and avoid extra time for the Foxes. Brighton played well but just fell short at the end. Leicester move onto the quarter’s while Brighton will now focus on avoiding the relegation zone. 

Sheffield United 1 vs. 0 Bristol City

Mawson was sent off in the 65th minute for Bristol City, and Sharp stepped up and converted a penalty in the 66th minute as Sheffield United edged into the quarter finals. 

Everton 5 vs. 4 Tottenham

A mad game of football as Everton won a thriller in extra time against Tottenham. Spurs got the lead in the 3rd minute via Sanchez. Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, and Sigurdsson scored during the rest of the half to give Everton a 3-1 lead, Lamela got one back for Spurs right before the half ended. Sanchez then equalised for Spurs in the 57th minute but Richarlison regained the lead for Everton in the 68th minute. Kane then equalised once again for Spurs in the 83rd minute which sent the game to extra time. Bernard scored the winner in the 97th minute to take Everton to the quarters. Spurs still have the Carabao Cup, Europa League and top four qualification to worry about. 

Wolverhampton 0 vs. 2 Southampton

Ings and Armstrong scored in the 2nd half to seal a win for Southampton and take them to the next round of the FA Cup. Southampton have been on a very poor run and this will be a welcome win for them. Wolves are dumped out and will now focus on a top 10 finish. 

La Liga (Game in hand)

Real Madrid beat Getafe 2-0 in La Liga to move to within 5 points of leaders Atletico. Atletico still have 2 games in hand over their city rivals. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Sevilla took a good lead over Barcelona as they beat them 2-0 while Bilbao and Levante drew 1-1 in their leg. Barcelona need to pull of a comeback in the next fixture while it’s all to fight for in the Bilbao Levante game. 

Coppa Italia Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Juventus and Inter drew 0-0 which sent Juventus through to the final after their first leg win. Atalanta beat Napoli 3-1 to seal their place in the final. Juventus might not be doing that well in the league but they are still on course to win a trophy while Atalanta are no pushovers.