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

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

Down to the line!

Premier League (Games in hand)

Man United 1 vs. 2 Leicester

Thomas scored a worldie in the 10th minute to give Leicester the lead. Greenwood equalised in the 15th minute for United but Soyuncu got the winner for Leicester in the 66th minute. United’s B team wasn’t able to beat Leicester as the Foxes rose back to 3rd 4 points within United. United still had the game in hand against Liverpool that they would play with a full strength XI bar Maguire. 

Southampton 3 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Benteke scroed in the 2nd minute to give Palace the lead but Southampton rose to the occasion. Ings got the equaliser in the 19th minute and scored another in the 2nd half along with Adams to get the win for the Saints. Southampton end a losing streak and move up to 14th in the table while Palace remain 13th now only a point ahead of Southampton. 

Aston Villa 0 vs. 0 Everton

Neither team could beat the other over 90 minute as they both settled for a clean sheet. Villa remain 11th in the table while Everton remain 8th 8 points from top four with 3 games to play. 

Man United 2 vs. 4 Liverpool

Fernandes scored in the 10th minute to give United the lead but Liverpool rose to win the game. Jota scored in the 34th minute to equalise. Firmino got the led for Liverpool right before half time. Firmino made it 3 in the 47th minute. Rashford got one back for United in the 68th minute but Salah sealed the win for Liverpool in the 90th minute. United suffer a 2nd loss in a row this time with their A team as they remain 2nd but with no games in hand and 4 points ahead of Leicester. Big win for Liverpool as they have a game in hand and go within 4 of 4th placed Chelsea. Top four race is on. 

La Liga MW 36

Barcelona drew with Levante 3-3, Sevilla beat Valencia 1-0, Atletico beat Real Sociedad 2-1, and Real Madrid beat Granada 1-4. Atletico remain 2 points clear at the top of the table with Real Madrid behind them. Barcelona fall 2 points behind Real and 4 behind Atletico. Sevilla go within 2 of Barcelona. The race for La Liga is very much still on with 2 games to go and it looks like Barcelona might be stumbling. 

Serie A MW 36

Napoli beat Udinese 5-1, Atalanta beat Benevento 2-0, Milan thrashed Torino 0-7, Inter beat Roma 3-1, Lazio beat Parma 1-0, and Juventus beat Sassuolo 1-3. Wins for all teams involved in the top four race. Inter sit 13 points clear. Atalanta sit 2nd with 75 points while Milan are level with them in 3rd. Napoli sit 2 points behind Milan in 4th while Juventus sit a point behind Lazio in 5th. Lazio are now out of the top four race and I don’t think they can make 5th either. 4 teams fighting it our for top four with 4 games to go. 

DFB Pokal Final

Dortmund have really found form over the last month or so as they thrashed Leipzig 1-4 in the final to win a trophy this season. Sancho got two and Haaland got two in a comfortable win. Leipzig are heading for a quiet end to the season but Dortmund can be proud of winning a trophy although top four is still very much on for them. 

Coupe De France Semi-Finals

Montpellier and PSG drew 2-2 and PSG went through on penalties 5-6 while Monaco fell behind against Rumilly early in their game but fought back to beat them 1-5. PSG vs. Monaco will be the Coupe de France final and one has to say at the moment Monaco look like the in form team. Going to be a fun final to watch. 

Midweek Football Preview

So many games!

Premier League (Games in hand)

Man United vs. Leicester

Man United secured a top four place this season during the weekend but it was only part 1 of a gruelling 3 game week. United take on Leicester who sit 4th now 5 points ahead of West Ham and 7 behind Manchester United. A win in this game would take Leicester back into 3rd until Chelsea play, while reducing the gap to 2nd to 4 points. United would still have a game in hand though. For United it is an opportunity to try and secure 2nd but for Leicester it’s a big game for their top four hopes. United need to rotate so their could be a chance for the Foxes that they face a weaker United team. The reverse fixture was a 2-2 draw. 

Southampton vs. Crystal Palace

16th placed Southampton have not won in 4 games as they take on Palace who sit 13th and finally got a win this weekend. A win would secure Southampton their safety for the season while a loss would make matters a bit tricky. Palace are already safe and are only looking to finish as high as possible at this stage. The reverse fixture was a 1-0 win for Palace. 

Aston Villa vs. Everton

11th placed Villa lost during the weekend while Everton sit in 8th and can go up till 7th if they win this game. Everton are for sure the in form team and they got a crucial win against West Ham during the weekend. These two teams only played the reverse fixture a week ago as Villa were 1-2 winners on the day. A big game for Everton and their chance at a top 7 finish, and a big game for Villa and their top 10 bid.

Man United vs. Liverpool

By the time this game is played United could either be 16 points clear of Liverpool or Liverpool could cut the gap to 10 points. That doesn’t really matter for the away team though. They sit 6th in the table and a win for them would take them up to 5th and within 3, 4 or 6 points of top four depending on results that precede them. Either way it’s a must win game for Liverpool. The two teams will hope that they can play the game after the first one was cancelled due to fan protests and there are rumours that more are planned for the day. United’s incentive will be to further damage Liverpool’s chances at getting Champions League football. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw. 

La Liga MW 36

Barcelona travel to Levante, Sevilla take on Valencia, Atletico take on Real Sociedad, and Real Madrid travel to Granada. Atletico remain 2 points clear at the top with 3 games to go. Real and Barcelona are level on points but Real is ahead on goal difference while Sevilla sit 4 points behind Barcelona. It’s all to play for every single team as the race heats up in Spain. La Liga remains the only trophy for 3 of these teams while Barcelona won the Copa Del Rey as well. An interesting week with some egg shell fixtures.

Serie A MW 36

Napoli take on Udinese, Atalanta take on Benevento, Milan travel to Torino, Inter play Roma, Lazio take on Parma, and Juventus travel to Sassuolo. Serie A champions Inter are looking to extend their margin of victory at the top. Atalanta sit 2nd with 72 points 3 clear of 5th placed Juventus. Milan are 3rd level on points with Atalanta while Napoli sit 2 points behind Milan and a point ahead of Juventus. Lazio sit 6th 5 points behind Juventus. Roma are 7th. The race for top four is the big race in Italy and at the moment Atalanta, Milan, and Napoli are in the driving seat. This is a must win game for Juventus while wins for Atalanta, and Milan would all but secure top four for them. 

DFB Pokal Final

Leipzig take on Dortmund for the DFB Pokal final with Dortmund in flying form. Dortmund beat Leipzig 3-2 in the Bundesliga during the weekend and will be looking to make it 2 wins in quick succession. Leipzig will want to win and Nagelsmann will want to go to Bayern having won a trophy. A big game for both teams. 

Coupe De France Semi-Finals

Montpellier take on PSG while Monaco travel to 4th tier side Rumilly Vallieres. PSG are looking dodgy at the moment so either team can reach the final from that fixture. Monaco should reach the final regardless of how good Rumilly have been up till now. 

Midweek Football Review

Football wins for now!

Premier League (Games in hand)

Tottenham 2 vs. 1 Southampton

It was 28 year old Ryan Mason’s first game as interim coach of Tottenham but it didn’t get off to the best start. Ings scored in the 30th minute to give Southampton the lead. Spurs came out in the 2nd half with some tactics and Bale equalised in the 60th minute. Son then scored the winner in the 90th minute from the penalty spot. Tottenham move into 6th with one more game played over the rest while Southampton remain 14th in the table. 

Aston Villa 1 vs. 2 Man City

McGinn scored in the 1st minute to give Villa the lead but Foden and Rodri scored before half time to give City the lead. Stones was sent off in the 44th minute to give Villa some hope but Cash was sent off in the 57th minute and neither team could add to the scoreline in the 2nd half. Villa remain 11th in the table while City go 11 points clear at the top having played a game more. 

Leicester 3 vs. 0 West Brom

Vardy, Evans, and Iheanacho scored in the 1st half to give Leicester a comfortable lead and West Brom had no reply as their survival hopes take another hit. Leicester go 4 points clear of 4th and remain 7 behind United. West Brom remain 19th in the table 9 points from safety. 

La Liga MW 31

Sevilla beat Levante 0-1, Alaves beat Villarreal 2-1, Real Madrid beat Cadiz 0-3, Atletico beat Huesca 2-0, and Barcelona beat Getafe 5-2. Atletico remain 3 points clear at the top of the table while Madrid are right behind them in 2nd. Barcelona sit 2 points behind Madrid but with a game in hand. Sevilla have a lock on 4th sitting 17 points clear of 5th. The title race continues between the top 3 but with Real Madrid and Barcelona still in the Super League they really are the villians of football at the moment. 

Serie A MW 32

Sassuolo beat Milan 1-2, Inter drew with Spezia 1-1, Juventus beat Parma 3-1, Roma drew with Atalanta 1-1, and Napoli beat Lazio 5-2. Inter are 10 points clear at the top of Serie A with Milan still in 2nd place. Atalanta remain 3rd a point behind Milan, while Juventus are 4th level on points with Atalanta. Napoli are 5th 2 points behind Juventus while Lazio and Roma come in at 6th and 7th. The race for the top 4 is on in Italy as Inter still remain at a distance. 

Bundesliga MW 30

Leipzig lost to Koln 2-1, Bayern beat Leverkusen 2-0, Frankfurt beat Augsburg 2-0, Dortmund beat Union Berlin 2-0, Hoffenheim beat Monchengladbach 3-2, and Wolfsburg beat Stuttgart 1-3. Bayern go 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table, with Leipzig 2nd. Wolfsburg, and Frankfurt sit 3rd and 4th while Dortmund are 5th 4 points behind Frankfurt. Leverkusen, and Monchengladbach sit 6th and 7th. That should be the title race done and dusted in the Bundesliga for yet another year. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Final

Rumilly beat Toulouse 2-0, Monpellier beat Canet 1-2, PSG beat Angers 5-0, and Monaco beat Lyon 0-2. PSG and Monaco are the top teams in the competition while Rumilly are the small team making it big. Montpellier are the dark horse. 

Midweek Football Preview

Football kicks on amongst all the chaos!

I will do a separate article on the European Super League and my feelings towards it.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Tottenham vs. Southampton

Tottenham sit 7th, 5 points from the top four. Jose Mourinho is no longer their manager as he was sacked on Monday. Southampton sit 14th having lost their last game and losing in the FA Cup to Leicester. On paper Tottenham could now have a bounce of some sorts while Southampton will want to return to winning ways. Spurs won the reverse fixture 2-5.

Aston Villa vs. Man City

11th placed Villa have 1 win in their last 5 as they take on City who lost in the semi final of the FA Cup and sit 8 points clear at the top of the table. City won the reverse fixture 2-0. Villa are fighting for football with City being one of the clubs involved in the Super League plan. 

Leicester vs. West Brom

3rd placed Leicester have secured a place in the FA Cup final as they sit 3rd and take on 19th placed West Brom. Leicester should win this game and are flying the banner for the Premier League after what the top 6 clubs have done. 

La Liga MW 31

Sevilla travel to Levante, Villarreal travel to Alaves, Real Madrid travel to Cadiz, Atletico take on Huesca, and Barcelona take on Getafe. Atletico went 3 points clear of Real Madrid who are 2nd while Barcelona played in the Copa Del Rey final and so did not play during the weekend. These 3 clubs are also involved in this Super League fiasco and there is massive backlash at the moment. 

Serie A MW 32

Milan take on Sassuolo, Inter travel to Spezia, Juventus take on Parma, Roma take on Atalanta, and Napoli take on Lazio. Inter are 9 points clear at the top of Serie A while Milan are right behind them. Atalanta sit 3rd two points clear of Juventus who are 4th. Napoli, Lazio, and Roma make up the top 7. Inter, Milan, and Juventus are involved in the Super League plan and are also under pressure at the moment. 

Bundesliga MW 30

Leipzig travel to Koln, Bayern take on Leverkusen, Frankfurt take on Augsburg, Dortmund take on Union Berlin, Monchengladbach travel to Hoffenheim, and Wolfsburg travel to Stuttgart. Bayern are 7 points clear of Leipzig at the top of the table as they look to secure another Bundesliga title. Dortmund are 4 points from the top four at the moment. The Bundesliga is one of the leagues which rejected the Super League plan and can hold their head up high especially Bayern, and Dortmund who were approached. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Final

Toulouse travel to Rumilly, Monpellier play Canet, PSG take on Angers, and Lyon take on Monaco. Some interesting fixtures as these teams chase the Coupe de France. PSG have also rejected any Super League involvement and can hold their head up high for this situation. 

Weekend Football Review

City’s run comes to an end!

Premier League MW 27

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Arsenal

Aubameyang scored in the 6th minute to give Arsenal the lead. Arsenal were very good during those opening 30 minutes but Burnley equalised in the 39th minute via poor play by Xhaka. Arsenal dominated the 2nd half but Burnley held on for the point. Burnley remain 15th in the table while Arsenal remain 10th in the table. 

Sheffield United 0 vs. 2 Southampton

Ward-Prowse scored in the 1st half while Adams scored in the 2nd as Southampton finally managed to win. Sheffield United remain bottom of the table and 12 points from safety while Southampton remain 14th in the table. 

Aston Villa 0 vs. 0 Wolverhampton

The two teams played out a goalless draw. Villa remain 9th with the point, 2 games in hand. Wolves remain 12th. 

Brighton 1 vs. 2 Leicester

Lallana scored in the 10th minute to give Brighton the lead. Leicester came back in the final 30 minutes as Iheanacho, and Amartey scored. Brighton drop into 17th in the table level on points with 18th placed Fulham. Leicester remain 3rd in the table 3 points ahead of 4th placed Chelsea. Brighton are now very much in a relegation battle. 

West Brom 0 vs. 0 Newcastle

Neither team could break the other down. West Brom remain 19th while Newcastle move one place up into 16th in the table, a point above the relegation zone. 

Liverpool 0 vs. 1 Fulham

Lemina scored in the 45th minute and Fulham put in a solid defensive performance in the 2nd half to deal yet another defeat to Liverpool. Liverpool now make it 6 consecutive defeats at home. The champions sit 8th in the table now 7 points from 4th. Fulham remain 18th in the table but level on points with Brighton above them and a point behind Newcastle who are 16th. 

Man City 0 vs. 2 Man United

Jesus brought down Martial in the box within a minute to give United the lead as Fernandes stepped up and gave United the lead. It was always going to be a tough task for City after that because United do know how to sit back and defend. Shaw then scored in the 50th minute with the usual counter attack. City’s winning run comes to an end as they sit 11 points clear at the top of the table. United remain 2nd 4 points clear of 4th. 

Tottenham 4 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Bale scored in the 25th minute to give Tottenham the lead but Palace equalised right before half time via Benteke. Bale got one more in the 2nd half and Kane added two more to give Tottenham the win. Tottenham move into 7th in the table 5 points from 4th. Palace remain 13th in the table. 

West Ham 2 vs. 0 Leeds

Lingard and Dawson scored in the 1st half to get a lead for West Ham against the run of play. Leeds created several chances but West Ham held on for the win. West Ham move into 5th in the table 2 points behind Chelsea in 4th with a game in hand. Leeds remain 11th in the table. 

La Liga MW 26

Valencia beat Villarreal 2-1, Elche beat Sevilla 2-1, Barcelona beat Osasuna 0-2, and Real Madrid drew with Atletico 1-1. The big winners this weekend were Barcelona with everyone around them dropping points. Atletico remain 3 points clear at the top while Barcelona, Real, and Sevilla make up the top four. Villarreal are 7th in the table. The race is heating up at the top with Atletico slipping. 

Serie A MW 26

Juventus beat Lazio 3-1, Roma beat Genoa 1-0, Milan beat Verona 0-2, Napoli beat Bologna 3-1, and Inter beat Atalanta 1-0. Inter remain 6 points clear at the top while Milan, Juventus and Roma make up the top four. Atalanta, Napoli and Lazio all make up the top 7. All the top teams manage to win this weekend which means that Inter are still sitting comfortable, as Milan return to some form. 

Bundesliga MW 24

Frankfurt drew with Stuttgart 1-1, Leipzig beat Freiburg 0-3, Hoffenheim beat Wolfsburg 2-1, Leverkusen beat Monchengladbach 0-1, and Bayern beat Dortmund 4-2. Bayern remain 2 points clear at the top of the table after coming from 2-0 down against Dortmund. Leipzig, Wolfsburg, and Frankfurt make up the top four while Leverkusen, and Dortmund sit 5th and 6th. Bayern looked like they would slip but they came back thanks to Lewandowski. The race for the title is 2 horsed at the moment. 

Coupe De France Round of 32

Lyon beat Sochaux 5-2, PSG beat Brest 0-3, Lille beat Ajaccio 1-3, and Monaco beat Nice 0-2 among other games. All the expected teams qualify for the Round of 16.