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. 

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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. 

Chelsea 0 vs. 1 Leicester FA Cup Final Review

Not up to the task.

Chelsea took on Leicester for the FA Cup Final on Saturday evening at Wembley. It was a great occasion with players together in the tunnel, fans in the stadium, chants and a real sense of some normalcy in the air. I personally had goosebumps when I heard the emotion that was coming out from the stands. Tuchel selected the lineup that was expected although Alonso started instead of Chilwell. Reece James started at right centre back as opposed to Azpilicueta who started at wing back. Mount, Ziyech and Werner started up front. Rodgers went with a 3 at the back as well with Evans returning to the side. Other than that it was as expected from the Foxes. 

The first 45 minutes were pretty even with Chelsea edging it in terms of possession and actual creation in the opposition half. There were 3-4 times where we were able to find space behind the Leicester midfield but Werner either shot wide or our final ball was not the best. Vardy and Iheanacho found no real joy in the game because Reece James was tracking Vardy and Rudiger was tracking Iheanacho. In terms of the defence we were very solid but still wasteful up front. Kante was sublime as usual while Jorginho seemed to be feeling the pace of the game. The 1st half ended 0-0 and it seemed like the 2nd half would be the one where fireworks were set off.

Leicester began the 2nd half well and started pinning Chelsea in our own half. There were several corners which were handled well by the defence. The goal came in the 63rd minute after a pass from the back by Silva hit Perez on the leg which then hit him on the arm. The deflection found Tielemans who drove past Jorginho, and Jorginho instead of pressing Tielemans let him have space to take a shot. The shot was brilliant and the screamer found the top right corner. Kepa was at full stretch now of course everyone started saying Mendy would have saved that because he is taller etc and maybe that’s true. Mendy wasn’t on the pitch though and Kepa tried his best and was not able to save it. Tuchel then sent on Pulisic followed by Chilwell and Havertz. Chilwell made an instant impact and his header drew a fine save from Schmeichel who managed to push it onto the post. Mount then had a brilliant volley saved by Schmeichel as well. It was all Chelsea vs Leicester’s defence as Tuchel sent on Giroud and Hudson-Odoi. Silva then played a brilliant pass which found Chilwell and he made a run and after some deflections the ball was in the net. Chelsea had equalised and there was pandemonium. These days football is robbed off those moments though as VAR which was missing for the Perez handball turned up for Chilwell. Chilwell was deemed offside as VAR found some nail of his body ahead of Soyuncu. Leicester held on for the final moments and they were crowned FA Cup winners. 

Chelsea Team Review

Goalkeeper

Kepa did pretty well throughout the game. The Spaniards distribution was good and he was pretty commanding in the box. Kepa also seems to have improved in coming off the line. The goal really wasn’t his fault and yes he’s the cup keeper so he started. Would Mendy have saved that, it’s something we will never know. 

Defenders

The defence was actually the best part of the Chelsea team yesterday. The back 3 of Reece James, Silva, and Rudiger handled Vardy and Iheanacho brilliantly and Reece James especially did a number on Vardy. It was a smart tactical decision by Tuchel. Azpilicueta and Alonso weren’t the fastest of wing backs though and Castagne especially found joy down Alonso’s side. Alonso can get the clutch goal but Chilwell probably should have started this game because he made an instant impact when he came on. Tuchel got this wrong yesterday. Chilwell hit the post and was unfairly judged offside. Better days will come for all. 

Midfielders

Kante did a brilliant job throughout the game. Kante didn’t get forward as much as he does but it was a good match between him and Ndidi. Jorginho I would say was most at fault for the goal as he allowed Tielemans the space to take a shot. If Jorginho had put some pressure on him he might have not taken his chance from distance. That’s two poor decisions from Jorginho in two crucial games. Mount was his ever pressing self and he had some good moments. Better days will come for him. 

Forwards

Ziyech did not have the best of games and there was no intensity from him in the 1st half. Werner got into some great positions in the 1st half but his shot was either wide or his final pass was lacking. The best moments in the 1st 45 came through him though. Hudson-Odoi came on in the 2nd half for Chelsea as a wing back and he provided some creativity for the final 10-15 minutes. Havertz had also came on but he found it hard to get into the game. Giroud came on but there was little time for him to make an impact. A lacklustre performance from our forwards to say the least. 

Manager

Tuchel made a brilliant decision to play Reece as a centre back it worked brilliantly. Starting Kepa I get but then why not have Tammy in the squad for the game. This double standard seems to be annoying some. I think there’s more than meets the eye over there. Starting Alonso on the face of it seemed good but the impact that Chilwell had off the bench showed that starting Alonso was the wrong decision. The subs also came a bit too late for them. Over the last two games Tuchel hasn’t had the best team selections. 

So, we lose the FA Cup final. It was a close game that was defined by fine margins but the quality of that margin wasn’t that great. There are still 3 games to go for Chelsea this season. Next up is Leicester in the league at Stamford Bridge with fans back. Chelsea have to bounce back that’s the only way. What’s done is done, it is what the players do over the next 3 games that will define them this season. If they want fuel to burn their fire then they should watch Amartey disgracing our club crest. Take that to return to winning ways. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

Chelsea vs. Leicester FA Cup Final Preview

Final time!

Chelsea take on Leicester for the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday evening. Leicester have had a good run in the FA Cup starting with a win over Stoke followed by wins over Brentford, Brighton, Man United, and Southampton. Leicester have been really good once again this season and find themselves 3rd in the table as well. They have two tough games left in the league as well as this final to contend with. Brendan Rodgers has done a good job to create a solid team which is consistently challenging at the top end of the table. 

Chelsea go into this game having lost to Arsenal during the week. It was a poor performance and a loss of our own making which put us right back into the race for top four. For now though the team need to focus on this final and a different competition. Chelsea beat Morecambe in the 1st game followed by wins over Luton, Barnsley, Sheffield United, and Man City. Was it the toughest run? No. The semi-final was very tough and we did well to show our quality on the night. Changing managers over the competition was not the easiest thing to handle either. Pre-match Tuchel said he was still hungover after the performance against Arsenal and that he was angry that the result wasn’t 3 points for the Blues. Tuchel also said that the players wanted to react and bounce back and that is what Chelsea will have to do. The fact is that Chelsea have 4 finals beginning with this game and every game has a reward if we win it. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Chelsea will have a fully fit squad for the game Tuchel announced. Kepa will remain in goal as well since he’s played every single game in the competition. Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger should start as the back 3. Reece James and Chilwell should be the wing backs with Kante, and Jorginho in midfield. Mount, Ziyech and Werner should start up front. This has been our tried and tested lineup in the big games although I wouldn’t be surprised if one of Havertz or Pulisic start instead of Ziyech. We also do have a game against Leicester next week that we need to keep in mind which is also a massive game for the top four race. This is a strong team though and one that has beaten the best over the last few months. Chelsea will have to be wary of the pace that Leicester have and of course the midfield battle will be big. 

Leicester Team Preview

Leicester and Rodgers have settled on a formation over recent games. Schmeichel in goal with Soyuncu and Fofana as the centre backs. Evans could make a recovery for the final but I doubt he starts. Pereira should come back in but play at left back with Castagne at right back. Ndidi, and Tielemans are the midfield threat while Perez, and Albrighton start on the wings. Up front Vardy and Iheanacho start and while Vardy has been struggling for goals his pace is always a threat and Iheanacho has been on fire over the last month or two. Plenty of threat from the wings and full back areas a dominant midfield and two lethal finishers up front. Maddison is a threat from the bench while some key players like Justin and Barnes are out injured. It’s a good team and can ready for the final. 

Starting XI Prediction

FA Cup Final, fans in the stadium after a long time, and a new home kit on display for Chelsea. We got here last season and we messed up against Arsenal. A lot of the players would have learned from that and hopefully they can channel that disappointment along with the frustration of the Arsenal league game to put in a great performance. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

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. 

Weekend Football Review

Title races and top four races!

Premier League MW 33

Arsenal 0 vs. 1 Everton

Leno conceded a bizarre own goal in the 76th minute to give Everton the three points. Arsenal drop down to 10th with the loss now 12 points from the top four. Everton move up to 8th in the table as they look to seal a place in Europe. 

Liverpool 1 vs. 1 Newcastle

Salah scored in the 3rd minute and it looked like it would be a big win for the home team but Newcastle stayed strong. Liverpool missed a ton of chances to win the game and Newcastle took advantage in the final minutes. Newcastle had the ball in the net in the 93rd minute but it was disallowed because the ball hit Wilson’s arm. Liverpool thought they had sealed the win but Willock grabbed the equaliser with the final kick of the game. Liverpool move up to 6th with a point 4 points from 4th. Newcastle drop into 16th but now 9 points clear of the relegation zone. 

Sheffield United 1 vs. 0 Brighton

McGoldrick scored in the 19th minute for Sheffield United which was enough to get them the 3 points. The Blades are already relegated but they manage to get a win. Brighton drop into 17th with the loss and sit 7 points from the relegation zone. 

Wolverhampton 0 vs. 4 Burnley

Wood scored a hattrick in the 1st half and Westwood got a goal late in the game via a Wood assist as Burnley got a big win against Wolves. Wolves remain 12th with the loss while Burnley move into 14th 9 points from the relegation zone. 

Leeds 0 vs. 0 Man United

All the hype but a goalless draw. Leeds move into 9th with the point though while United remain 10 points behind City and 5 ahead of Leicester. 

Aston Villa 2 vs. 2 West Brom

El Ghazi got Villa the lead in the 9th minute via a penalty. Pereira then scored a penalty in the 23rd minute to equalise for West Brom. Mings scored an own goal in the 47th minute to give West Brom the lead. Davis equalised for Villa in the 92nd minute to manage a point. Villa remain 11th in the table while West Brom remain 19th and 9 points from safety. 

Leicester 2 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Zaha gave Palace the lead in the 12th minute but goals from Castagne and Iheanacho in the 2nd half meant that Leicester came back to get a big win in their race for top four. Leicester remain 3rd 7 points from 5th while Palace remain 13th with the loss. 

Carabao Cup Final 

Man City 1 vs. 0 Tottenham

Laporte scored the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute to get City their 4th Carabao Cup in a row. Tottenham never really turned up and it was funny how they sacked Mourinho 6 days from a cup final that would get them a trophy a reason they got Mourinho in the first place. Tottenham manage to screw with themselves again. City get 1 of the 3 trophies available to them, the league is almost sorted so that should make it a double for them. 

La Liga MW 32

Real Madrid drew with Betis 0-0, Barcelona beat Villarreal 1-2, Sevilla beat Granada 2-1, and Bilbao beat Atletico 2-1. Atletico remain 2 points clear at the top of the table with Real Madrid behind them. Barcelona are level on points with Madrid with a game in hand which if they win would send them to the top of the table. Sevilla sit 4th a point behind Barcelona. It’s a 4 horse race in Spain right now with Barcelona and Madrid the favourites. Atletico are not in great form while Sevilla are involved as well. Interesting games ahead. 

Serie A MW 33

Inter beat Verona 1-0, Juventus drew with Fiorentina 1-1, Cagliari beat Roma 3-2, Atalanta beat Bologna 5-0, Napoli beat Torino 0-2, and Lazio beat Milan 3-0. Inter are now 11 points clear of 2nd placed Atalanta as the title nears Milan. Napoli move into 3rd 2 points behind Atalanta while Juventus sit 4th on goal difference. Milan move out of the top four and into 5th but level on points with Napoli and Juventus as their poor form punishes them. Lazio and Roma complete the top 7. The top four race is fiery in Italy at the moment with Milan the latest team to slip down and suffer a flat tire. It’s anyones race. 

Bundesliga MW 31

Mainz beat Bayern 2-1, Dortmund beat Wolfsburg 0-2, Leverkusen beat Frankfurt 3-1, and Leipzig beat Stuttgart 2-0. Bayern fail to seal the title this weekend but remain 7 points clear at the top of the table. Bayern have 3 games to go and can seal it next weekend. Leipzig sit 2nd and are 7 points clear of 3rd. Wolfsburg and Frankfurt remain 3rd and 4th and a point separates the two teams while Dortmund remain 5th but now only 2 points behind Wolfsburg as they chase top four. Leverkusen have an outside chance at top four while Monchengladbach stand no chance. Nagelsmann has already decided to join Bayern next season and it’s almost a done deal as the title remain a when and not if this season. The race for the top four is interesting though with all eyes on Dortmund. 

Ligue 1 MW 34

PSG beat Metz 1-3, Monaco beat Angers 0-1, and Lille came back from 2-0 down to beat Lyon 2-3. Lille remain a point clear at the top of the table with 4 games to go. PSG remain 2nd while Monaco are 3rd a point behind PSG. Lyon are 4th and now 4 points behind Monaco as they lose an edge in the race. Probably the most exciting race in Europe along with La Liga at the moment. 

Weekend Football Preview

Lets refocus ourselves on the football!

Premier League MW 33

Arsenal vs. Everton

9th vs. 8th with 3 points separating the two teams. At the moment these two teams are looking bound for 7th which would get them into the 3rd tier of European football. Everton will want to beat Arsenal because of the Super League fiasco while Arsenal will want to get back to winning ways on the pitch to change the narrative. It’s going to be a tough game but I can see Everton winning. Everton beat Arsenal 2-1 in the reverse fixture.

Liverpool vs. Newcastle

7th placed Liverpool play yet another home game as they take on 15th placed Newcastle who are in a patch of good form at the moment. For all these teams that were not part of the big 6 there is still a narrative to win these games to fly the flag of trust and solidarity. Liverpool similar to Arsenal will want to return to winning ways so they can try to get top four. There could be a surprise result in this game. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw.

Sheffield United vs. Brighton

20th placed Sheffield United are relegated and have nothing to lose now as they take on 16th placed Brighton who got a point against Chelsea during the week. Brighton should win this game as they look to stay away from the relegation zone. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Wolverhampton vs. Burnley

12th placed Wolves are in good form as they take on Burnley who sit 6 points above the relegation zone and are under threat. Two defensive teams but Wolves are in better form at the moment. Sean Dyche has to get his Dyche on to save his team. Burnley won the reverse fixture 2-1. 

Leeds vs. Man United

10th placed Leeds are in great form and are unbeaten in their last 5 as they take on United who are also on a 5 game winning run. Leeds beat City, drew with Liverpool and I would actually bank on them to get something out of this game as well. Two historic rivals and United are due a defeat after just about winning each game they play in. United won the reverse fixture 6-2 and Leeds will want to set that record straight. 

Aston Villa vs. West Brom

11th placed Villa are in poor form as they welcome 19th placed West Brom who are actually in better form. West Brom are looking to survive but have to continue winning games to stand any realistic chance. West Brom could cause an upset. Villa beat West Brom 0-3 in the reverse fixture. 

Leicester vs. Crystal Palace

3rd placed Leicester are looking to maintain their course for a top four finish as they take on Palace who sit 13th with 1 win in their last 5. This could be a tricky game for Leicester but they should have enough to beat Palace. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Carabao Cup Final

Man City vs. Tottenham

Carbao Cup holders Man City look to win their customary pre title trophy as they take on Tottenham who are looking to win their first trophy in more than 10 years. Mourinho would have been ideal in this situation but he’s gone and no one really expects Spurs to win with Ryan Mason in charge. This should be a City win but since Spurs have no pressure maybe they could cause an upset. A loss in this would end City’s hopes of a treble. 

La Liga MW 32

Real Madrid take on Real Betis, Barcelona travel to Villarreal, Sevilla take on Granada, and Atletico travel to Bilbao. Atletico are really flying the flag of football in Spain with Real Madrid and Barcelona still involved in their broken Super League. Atletico left that party and will now want to win the title against these two teams. Sevilla are only a point behind Barcelona and have an outside chance at the title. An interesting race for sure. 

Serie A MW 33

Inter take on Verona, Juventus travel to Fiorentina, Roma travel to Cagliari, Atalanta welcome Bologna, Napoli travel to Torino, and Milan travel to Lazio. The race for the top four heats up in Italy and there are several tricky games for the teams involved. Some face a possible egg shell while in the case of Milan Lazio are a genuine good team. Inter have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table. A weekend to keep an eye on in. 

Bundesliga MW 31

Bayern travel to Mainz, Dortmund take on Wolfsburg in a big game, Leverkusen take on Frankfurt in another top game, Leipzig take on Stuttgart, and Monchengladbach take on Arminia. Bayern sit 10 points clear and a win in this game would seal the title for them. Leipzig are looking to seal 2nd while the rest are in a race for the top four. Some big games in Germany this weekend. 

Ligue 1 MW 34

PSG travel to Metz, Monaco travel to Angers, and Lyon take on Lille. With 4 games to go only a point separates Lille from PSG at the top. Only 3 points separate Lille from Lyon in 4th as the title race is well and truly on. This could be a big weekend for Monaco, and PSG while if Lyon lose then that would probably end any realistic title hopes for them. If Lille win this could be a big 3 points for them. All to play for in France. 

Weekend Football Review

Europe vs. the Super Clubs.

FA Cup Semi-Finals

Leicester 1 vs. 0 Southampton

Iheanacho scored in the 55th minute as it was the only goal of the game and secured a place for Leicester in the FA Cup final after 60+ years. It’s a big step for Rodgers and his team and with the current situation in football they will face off against the greedy Chelsea. 

Premier League MW 32

Everton 2 vs. 2 Tottenham

Kane scored in the 27th minute to give Spurs the lead while Everton equalised through Sigurdsson in the 31st minute. Sigurdsson gave Everton the lead in the 62nd minute and Kane equalised for Spurs in the 68th minute. It would be Mourinho’s last game in charge of Spurs as he was sacked on Monday. Everton remain 8th and Tottenham remain 7th. 

Newcastle 3 vs. 2 West Ham

Dawson was sent off for West Ham in the 36th minute and Diop scored an own goal to give Newcastle the lead in the 36th minute. Joelinton scored the 2nd for Newcastle in the 41st minute. Diop then got one back for West Ham in the 73rd minute and Lingard equalised for the Hammers in the 80th minute. Willock then scored the winner for Newcastle in the 82nd minute. Newcastle jump up to 15th in the table 8 points clear of relegation with a game in hand. West Ham remain 4th but could drop down. 

Wolverhampton 1 vs. 0 Sheffield United

Jose scored in the 60th minute which is his first game in English football as Wolves made it 2 wins in a row. Wolves remain 12th in the table while Sheffield United are now officially relegated from the Premier League and will be playing Championship football next season. 

Arsenal 1 vs. 1 Fulham

Maja scored in the 59th minute to give Fulham the lead but yet again they lost that lead in the final minutes of the game as Nketiah equalised right before full time. Arsenal remain 9th in the table while Fulham remain 18th and 6 points from safety. Late goals are really becoming a problem for Fulham and Scott Parker.

Man United 3 vs. 1 Burnley

Greenwood scored in the 48th minute and Tarkowski equalised for Burnley in the 50th minute. Greenwood grabbed the winner in the 84th minute and Cavani made it 3 in extra time. United win another game yet again as they remain 2nd 8 points behind City and 12 points clear of 5th in the table. Burnley drop into 17th in the table 6 points above the relegation zone. 

Leeds 1 vs. 1 Liverpool

This was the first game played after the Super League news broke out and Liverpool along with the top 6 are being portrayed as the greedy 6 and rightly so. Leeds are part of those teams that are fighting for football as it is. Liverpool got the lead in the 31st minute via Mane, while Llorente equalised for Leeds in the 87th minute. Leeds remain 10th in the table while Liverpool miss a chance to go 4th as they remain 6th in the table. 

La Liga MW 33

Sevilla beat Real Sociedad 1-2, Atletico beat Eibar 5-0, Villarreal beat Levante 1-5, and Real Madrid drew with Getafe 0-0. Atletico go 3 points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table while Sevilla and Villarreal remain 4th and 5th in the table with a point separating them. An interesting race in La Liga but with the top 3 part of the Super League Sevilla are the true leaders in Spain at the moment. 

Copa Del Rey Final

Barcelona beat Bilbao 0-4 with Messi lighting the show up as they won their first trophy of the season. Bilbao were no match and lost their 2nd Copa Del Rey final in as many weeks. Barcelona are part of the Super League gang though and this victory has left a poor taste now. 

Serie A MW 31

Milan beat Genoa 2-1, Atalanta beat Juventus 1-0, Lazio beat Benevento 5-3, Torino beat Roma 3-1, and Inter drew with Napoli 1-1. Inter sit 9 points clear at the top at the moment with Milan behind them. Atalanta are two points behind them in 3rd while Juventus are 4th in the table. Napoli, Lazio, and Roma make up the top 7. Atalanta are the true leaders in Serie A right now as Milan Inter and Juventus side with the Super League gang. 

Bundesliga MW 29

Leipzig drew with Hoffenheim 0-0, Bayern beat Wolfsburg 2-3, Monchengladbach beat Frankfurt 4-0, Leverkusen beat Koln 3-0, and Dortmund beat Werder Bremen 4-1. Bayern go 7 points clear at the top of the table while Leipzig, Wolfsburg, and Frankfurt make up the top four. Dortmund are now only 4 points behind 4th while Leverkusen and Monchengladbach sit 6th and 7th. Bayern and Dortmund rejected the Super League invite and can hold their heads up high along with German football. 

Ligue 1 MW 33

Lille drew with Montpellier 1-1, PSG beat St.Etienne 3-2, Monaco beat Bordeaux 0-3, and Lyon beat Nantes 1-2. Lille see their lead at the top get cut down to 1 point with PSG right behind them. Monaco and Lyon make up the top four with each team  a point behind each other as the title race reaches its climax. PSG rejected the invitation to join the Super League and so France and Ligue 1 can continue along with what has been an interesting season for them. 

 

Weekend Football Preview

League races heat up with a sprinkle of the FA Cup!

FA Cup Semi-Final

Leicester vs. Southampton

Leicester beat Man United 3-1 in the last round to book a place at Wembley while Southampton dispatched Bournemouth 0-3. Since then Leicester have lost both their games in the league while Southampton have won 1 and lost 1. Leicester are looking to bounce back and with the team getting dragged into a top four race, reaching a final would be a boost to morale. Southampton have had an inconsistent season and have nothing to lose going into this game. An interesting one but I think Leicester will go through. 

Premier League MW 32

Everton vs. Tottenham

8th vs. 7th a point separating the two teams. Everton and Spurs have fallen away from the top four race in recent weeks but aren’t totally out of the race for Europe yet. It’s an interesting game and one would think the loser of this one will have to say goodbye to the top 5. Ancelotti for Mourinho is a battle between two legendary managers as well. Everton haven’t won in four though while Spurs have dropped points in their last two. Both teams need a win. Everton won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

Newcastle vs. West Ham

Newcastle sit 17th and finally managed to win last weekend as they take on West Ham who sit 4th in the table and are looking to move into 3rd. West Ham are in great form and I can only see the Hammers winning this game. Newcastle would need to be very good to beat this West Ham team at the moment. Newcastle won the reverse fixture 0-2. 

Wolverhampton vs. Sheffield United

Wolves sit 12th and ended a winless run last weekend as they take on Sheffield United who sit bottom and have lost their last four. It’s a game of no real consequence but Wolves really should be beating this Sheffield United side. If Sheffield United lose this game it would confirm their relegation this season. Wolves won the reverse fixture 0-2. 

Arsenal vs. Fulham

London derby time as Arsenal take on Fulham. Arsenal sit 9th in the table as they look to secure a top 10 finish while Fulham sit 18th 6 points from safety. Fulham have lost their last 4 while Arsenal aren’t in great form either. Fulham need to return to winning ways soon if they want to stand any chance of staying in the Premier League and beating Arsenal would be that first step. Arsenal won the reverse fixture 0-3. 

Man United vs. Burnley

2nd placed United are flying high as they take on 16th placed Burnley have 1 win in their last 5 games. United have been far from convincing in their games though and you always feel there is a chance for an upset. Burnley will be solid but I don’t think an upset is on the cards. United won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

Leeds vs. Liverpool

Leeds have won their last 3 including a big win against City last weekend as they sit 10th and take on Liverpool who sit 6th. The top four is now Klopp’s sole focus this season but Leeds will give them a good fight in this game. Liverpool seem to score goals away from home though and while this might be a high scoring game Liverpool should win. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 4-3. 

La Liga MW 33

Real Sociedad take on Sevilla, Atletico welcome Eibar, Villarreal travel to Levante and Real Madrid travel to Getafe. With Barcelona preoccupied with the Copa Del Rey final this is a good opportunity for the Madrid teams to gain distance on Messi and co. Atletico are looking shaky while Madrid are playing with confidence. The top four race is done and dusted but the title race continues. 

Copa Del Rey Final

Bilbao take on Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final. Bilbao have made a habit on reaching finals and winning them in recent seasons while Barcelona have had a great 2021 and are looking to continue that with a trophy. With the title race still on for Barcelona this could be an added boost of morale for them. A tough final though. 

Serie A MW 31

Milan welcome Genoa, Juventus travel to Atalanta, Lazio take on Benevento, Roma travel to Torino, and Inter travel to Napoli. Inter are firmly in the driving seat as the rest look to secure top four. It’s a big weekend in terms of the places below Inter and Milan could gain an advantage if they win their game. 

Bundesliga MW 29

Leipzig take on Hoffenheim, Bayern travel to Wolfsburg, Monchengladbach take on Frankfurt, Leverkusen take on Koln, and Dortmund welcome Werder Bremen. Bayern sit 5 points clear at the top of the table and having been knocked out of the Champions League their sole focus now is the title. They face a tough game against Wolfsburg though and Leipzig will be ready to pounce. Dortmund meanwhile are looking to secure a top four finish but are 7 points adrift at the moment. An interesting weekend in Germany. 

Ligue 1 MW 33

Lille welcome Montpellier, PSG welcome St.Etienne, Monaco travel to Bordeaux, and Lyon travel to Nantes. Perhaps the most entertaining title race along with La Liga this season as Lille are ahead in this four horse race. With no head to head game this weekend it will be interesting to see whether any team slips up in this race for the title.