Weekend Football Review

Stumbling blocks!

Premier League MW 23

Watford 0 vs. 3 Norwich

Josh Sargent scored his first two goals in the Premier League while Kucka added an own goal in the final minutes of the game as Norwich came out comfortable winners. Dennis was sent off for Watford in the 78th minute. This was a massive game in terms of the relegation battle as Watford drop down to 19th two points from safety with three games in hand. Norwich move out of the relegation zone with the win and sit 17th a point above the relegation zone with one game in hand. It will be interesting to see whether Ranieri survives the break. 

Everton 0 vs. 1 Aston Villa

Buendia scored the only goal of the game right before half time which was a beautiful looping header as Villa got all three points. It was a big win for Gerrard, Coutinho and Digne who was just forced out of the club recently. Everton remain 16th and only four points above the relegation zone with three games in hand. Villa move up to 11th in the table with two games in hand. Everton need to find a manager over the break.

Brentford 1 vs. 2 Wolverhampton

Moutinho scored in the 48th minute to give Wolves the lead but Toney equalised in the 71st minute. Parity was shot lived as Neves restored Wolves lead in the 78th minute. Wolves then held on for the win. Brentford remain 14th in the table with the loss while Wolves remain 8th in the table with two games in hand. Wolves only sit four points away from 4th. 

Leeds 0 vs. 1 Newcastle

A massive win for Newcastle as Shelvery scored the only goal of the game in the 75th minute. Leeds remain 15th in the table with two games in hand while Newcastle move up to 18th in the table a point from safety with two games in hand as well.

Man United 1 vs. 0 West Ham

This game looked like it was heading for a draw but Rashford came off the bench to score the winner in the 93rd minute. There are question marks over whether Cavani who provided the assist was offside or not but the goal was given. Man United leap frog everyone and move into 4th in the table a massive win for them in terms of the top four race. West Ham drop down to 5th a point behind United. United have one game in hand. 

Southampton 1 vs. 1 Man City

Walker-Peters scored in the 7th minute to give Southampton the lead while Laporte equalised for City in the 65th minute. Neither team could find the winner. Southampton remain 12th in the table with the point. City’s winnning run comes to an end but they remain top of the table with a 9 point lead. Southampton have one game in hand. 

Crystal Palace 1 vs. 3 Liverpool

Van Dijk scored in the 8th minute to give Liverpool the lead while Ox scored in the 32nd minute to double that lead. The Ox goal should have been ruled out because he was offside but VAR chose to ignore it. Edouard got Palace back into the game in the 55th minute and the Eagles looked the better side in the 2nd half. Their momentum was halted as Liverpool were given a penalty after Jota ran into Guaita. It was never a penalty but Fabinho stepped up and made it three in the 89th minute. Palace drop down to 13th with the loss while Liverpool move to within 9 points of City with a game in hand. Palace also have a game in hand.

Arsenal 0 vs. 0 Burnley

A massive point for Burnley as Arsenal were held at home and lost pace in the top four race. Arsenal remain 6th in the table two points from 4th with two games in hand. Burnley remain bottom of the table four points from safety with five games in hand. 

Leicester 1 vs. 1 Brighton

Daka scored in the 46th minute while Welbeck equalised for Brighton in the 82nd minute as the two teams shared a point. Leicester remain 10th with three games in hand while Brighton remain 9th with one games in hand. 

La Liga MW 22

Villarreal beat Mallorca 3-0, Celta Vigo drew with Sevilla 2-2, Atletico came from behind to beat Valencia 3-2, Real Madrid drew with Elche 2-2, Real Sociedad drew with Getafe 0-0, Bilbao beat Vallecano 0-1, and Barcelona beat Alaves 0-1. Real Madrid remain four points clear at the top of the table. Sevilla, Real Betis, and Atletico make up the top four. Barcelona sit 5th in the table a point behind Atletico while Real Sociedad sit 6th. Villarreal move up to 7th while Bilbao sit 9th in the table. Big weekend for the teams chasing top four and Real Madrid. Real Madrid have hit the breaks recently and need to pick up momentum to maintain their gap. The rest are doing well to reduce it. 

Serie A MW 23

Inter beat Venezia 2-1, Lazio drew with Atalanta 0-0, Napoli beat Salernitana 4-1, Roma beat Empoli 2-4, and Milan drew with Juventus 0-0. Inter increase their gap at the top to four points with a game in hand. Napoli, Milan and Atalanta make up the top four. Juventus sit 5th a point behind Atalanta. Roma sit 6th four points behind Juventus. Lazio sit 8th in the table. A tight race in Italy this season but Inter are maintaing their gap while other stumble. Roma have picked up some form in recent games and will look to continue it. 

Bundesliga MW 20

Union Berlin beat Monchengladbach 1-2, Freiburg beat Stuttgart 2-0, Dortmund beat Hoffenheim 2-3, Leverkusen beat Augsburg 5-1, Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 2-0, and Bayern beat Hertha Berlin 1-4. Bayern maintain their six point gap at the top of the table. Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Union Berlin make up the top four. Freiburg sit 5th in the table while Leipzig sit 6th. Bayern are comfortable as usual but the others did well to win their games this weekend. 

Ligue 1 MW 22

Lyon beat St.Etienne 1-0, Brest beat Lille 2-0, Marseille beat Lens 0-2, Montpellier beat Monaco 3-2, and PSG beat Reims 4-0. PSG maintain their 11 point gap at the top of the table. Nice, Marseille, and Strasbourg make up the top four. Monaco sit 7th, Lille sit 10th and Lyon 11th in the table. Ligue is straight forward at the moment but their are some surprise names in the top four places. The usual top teams continue to stumble. 

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Weekend Football Preview

Some massive games before the break!

Premier League MW 23

Watford vs. Norwich

A massive relegation battle as Watford entertain Norwich. Watford sit a point clear of Norwich in 17th with three games in hand. Norwich one game in hand going into this game as well. Norwich finally managed to win a game last weekend while Watford have won none of their last five. It is a massive game for both teams. Watford won the reverse fixture 1-3. 

Everton vs. Aston Villa

16th placed Everton are without a manager as they take on 13th placed Villa who have Coutinho in their ranks now. Villa have two games in hand while Everton have three games in hadn with four points separating the two teams. Villa are in a team in form and Coutinho and Gerrard will get plenty of boos when they turn up at Merseyside. This should be a fun game. Villa won the reverse fixture 3-0. 

Brentford vs. Wolverhampton

14th placed Brentford take on 8th placed Wolves. Brentford have lost their last three games and have no games in hand as they played during the week. They could not finish in the game against United and so did not win. Wolves have won three of their last four games and are finally scoring goals. They have two games in hand as well. It’s a massive game for them as they push for top six. Brentford won the reverse fixture 0-2. 

Leeds vs. Newcastle

15th placed Leeds have two games in hand as they take on 19th placed Newcastle who have two games in hand as well. Newcastle have drawn their last two but are still winless while Leeds have won their last two as they look to build momentum. Every game is a must win game for Newcastle at this stage while Leeds will want to avoid a relegation battle. Leeds currently sit 9 points clear of the relegation zone and a win in this game would further ensure that safety. Newcastle have to win. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Man United vs. West Ham

A massive game in terms of top four. 7th placed United have one game in hand as they take on West Ham who sit 4th in the table and have no games in hand. 2 points separate the two teams and a win for either team would be a big step in the right direction. Both teams have won three of their last five games in the league so it is a balanced affair. United won the reverse fixture 1-2. 

Southampton vs. Man City

12th placed Southampton have one game in hand as they take on league leaders Man City. Southampton have only lost one of their last five games while City have won their last 13 in the league. There should be only one winner in this game and I doubt Southampton will cause City any damage. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw.

Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool

11th placed Palace have one game in hand as they take on 2nd placed Liverpool who also have one game in hand. Liverpool are in slightly dodgy form at the moment having only won two of their last five games. Palace though have only won one of their last five games. Liverpool should win this game but Palace will make it hard for sure. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 3-0. 

Arsenal vs. Burnley

6th placed Arsenal have two games in hand as they take on bottom of the table Burnley who have five games in hand. Arsenal’s sole focus is the league now as they try to get top four. Burnley have not played in a while but are still only three points from safety. Arsenal should win this game but Burnley need to start getting some points on the board. Arsenal won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

Leicester vs. Brighton

10th placed Leicester have three games in hand as they take on 9th placed Brighton who have one game in hand. Four points separate the two teams. Brighton are unbeaten in their last five games having won two while Leicester have been inconsistent winning one game and then losing the other. Based on the current trend Leicester should win this game but the way Brighton played against Chelsea this will be a tough task. An interesting fixture. Brighton won the reverse fixture 2-1. 

La Liga MW 22

Villarreal welcome Mallorca, Celta Vigo travel to Sevilla, Atletico welcome Valencia, Real Madrid play Eche again, Real Sociedad play Getafe, Bilbao travel to Vallecano, and Barcelona travel to Alaves. Real Madrid lead La Liga by four points. Sevilla, Real Betis, and Atletico make up the top four. Real Sociedad sit 5th in the table while Barcelona sit 6th. Villarreal, Valencia, and Bilbao sit 8th, 9th, and 10th respetively. Real Madrid are managing to win their games regardless of the opposition while the rest are failing to be consistent. Some slipping stones this weekend maybe. 

Serie A MW 23

Inter welcome Venezia, Lazio play Atalanta, Napoli entertain Salernitana, Roma travel to Empoli, and Milan play Juventus. Some big games this weekedn particularly that last one. Inter lead the league by two points with Milan, Napoli, and Atalanta making up the top four. Juventus sit 5th a point outside the top four. Roma sit 7th and Lazio sit 8th. Somg gaps could be reduced or opened up this weekend as Serie A continues to be on tight race. 

Bundesliga MW 20

Monchengladbach take on Union Berlin, Freiburg welcome Stuttgart, Dortmund travel to Hoffenheim, Leverkusen welcome Augsburg, Wolfsburg travel to Leipzig, and Bayern travel to Hertha Berlin. Bayern sit 6 points clear and will be looking to extend that lead. Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Hoffenheim make up the top four. Freiburg sit 6th while Leizpig sit 7th in the table. Again as in every week all the other teams can do is try and win their games and hope Bayern slip. 

Ligue 1 MW 22

Lyon take on St.Etienne, Lille travel to Brest, Marseille travel to Lens, Monaco travel to Montpellier, and PSG play Reims. PSG sit 11 points clear at the top of the league and the title at this stage is a foregone conclusion. Nice, Marseille, and Strasbourg make up the top four but the other teams are right behind them as that race heats up. 

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.

Weekend Football Preview

Big weekend of league football!

Premier League MW 22

Brighton vs. Crystal Palace

Brighton sit 9th with 2 games in hand as they take on Palace who sit 12th who have one game in hand. Both teams have only won two of their last five games and have had similar seasons. Two good attacking teams but both inconsistent. An interesting game to kick off the weekend. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw.

Norwich vs. Everton

Bottom of the table Norwich take on Everton looking to break this losing streak they are on. Everton sit 15th in the table with three games in hand and they have only one win in their last five games. A massive game for both teams as they both desperately need a win. Everton won the reverse fixture 2-0. 

Wolverhampton vs. Southampton

Wolves sit 8th with 2 games in hand as they take on Southampton who sit 11th with 1 game in hand. Both are in good form but Southampton have been inconsistent. Wolves are very solid defensively but have to improve in front of goal. This should be a close game. Wolves won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

Newcastle vs. Watford

A big game at the bottom of the table. 2 point separate the two teams and a loss for either would be a big result. If Newcastle lose then the gap to safety might broaden while if Watford lose they get dropped right into the relegation race. A massive game. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw.

Aston Villa vs. Man United

14th placed Villa have lost their last two and have 2 games in hand as they take on 7th placed United who also have 2 games in hadn and lost their last game in the league. Villa were knocked out of the FA Cup by United on Monday and will look to take revenge. Coutinho, and Digne have come into the team and will be available to Gerrard. United have their own turmoil behind the scenes and will not want to lose ground on the top four. Villa won the reverse fixture 0-1 under Dean Smith and will be looking to do the double. 

West Ham vs. Leeds

West Ham jumped into 4th having played their game in hand and now take on 16th placed Leeds who are in poor form recently. Leeds managed to win their last Premier League game but have still not been their best this season. West Ham should win this game. West Ham won the reverse fixture 1-2.

Liverpool vs. Brentford

Liverpool have dropped points in their last three and stuttered to a draw against Arsenal midweek as they take on Brentford who sit 13th and have been inconsistent this season. Brentford lost to Southampton 4-1 midweek. Liverpool look blunt in attack without Salah but they should have enough to beat Brentford at Anfield. Brentford have nothing to lose and they could pull something off. The reverse fixture was a 3-3 draw. 

Tottenham vs. Arsenal

The big North London Derby which finally has some stakes this season as 6th placed Spurs with three games in hand takes on 5th placed Arsenal who have one game in hand. Tottenham are unbeaten under Conte but were extremely poor against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. Arsenal lost to Man City but did well to get a draw with 10 men. Arsenal won the reverse fixture 3-1. This is a big game for both teams. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Sevilla play Real Betis while Valencia travel to Atletico Baleares. The rest of the teams play their games midweek. 

Serie A MW 22

Lazio travel to Salernitana, Juventus take on Udinese, Roma take on Cagliari, Atalanta take on Inter, Milan travel to Spezia, and Napoli travel to Bologna. Inter sit a point clear of Milan at the top of the table. Napoli and Atalanta make up the top four while Juventus sit 5th and are playing catchup. Roma are looking to win a game while Lazio sit 8th. The race in Italy is very interesting and the race for top four is equally nail biting. 

Bundesliga MW 19

Dortmund take on Freiburg, Bayern travel to Koln, Hoffenheim take on Union Berlin, Wolfsburg welcome Hertha Berlin, Leipzig travel to Stuttgart, Leverkusen travel to Monchengladbach, and Frankfurt take on Augsburg. Bayern sit 6 points clear at the top of the table with Dortmund, Hoffenheim and Freiburg making up the top four. Leverkusen sit 5th, Frankfurt sit 8th, Leipzig sit 9th, and Monchengladbach sit 12th. Bayern stumbled last week so the other teams will be hoping they stumble again. The rest need to win their games. 

Ligue 1 MW 21

PSG take on Brest, Monaco take on Clermont, Lyon travel to Troyes, while Lille travel to Marseille. PSG sit 11 points clear at the top of the table and the rest are just in for the ride. 

Weekend Football Review

Some upsets in the FA Cup!

FA Cup 3rd Round

Swindon 1 vs. 4 Man City

Silva and Jesus scored in the 1st half to give City a comfortable lead. Gundogan added a 3rd in the 59th minute via free kick. McKirdy got one back for Swindon in the 78th minute but Palmer made it four in the 82nd minute to seal the win for City. City progress to the next round while Swindon are knocked out. 

Burnley 1 vs. 2 Huddersfield

Rodriguez scored for Burnley in the 28th minute but Koroma equalised in the 78th minute for Huddersfield. Pearson then scored the winner for the away team in the 86th minute to seal a big win. Burnley are knocked out and can now focus on survival while Huddersfield progress to the next round. 

Millwall 1 vs. 2 Crystal Palace

Afobe scored in the 17th minute to give Millwall the lead. Olise equalied for Palace in the 46th minute and Mateta gave the Eagles a lead in the 58th minute. Palace managed to see out the rest of the game for a win. Palace progress to the next round while Millwall are dumped out. 

Newcastle 0 vs. 1 Cambridge United

The richest club in the world Newcastle were dumped out by Cambridge United as Ironside scored the winner for the away team in the 56th minute. Newacastle tried hard but could not find the goals. Newcastle can now focus on survival while Cambridge United’s FA Cup journey continues. 

West Brom 1 vs. 2 Brighton

Robinson scored in the 47th minute to give West Brom the lead. Kipre was sent off for the home team in the 69th minute and Brighton mounted a comeback in the final 10 minutes. Moder equalised for the Seagulls in the 81st minute and Maupay won the game in the 98th minute to seal the win in extra time. Brighton progress while West Brom are sent packing.

Leicester 4 vs. 1 Watford

Tielemans scored for Leicester in the 7th minute via a penalty. Maddison made it two for Leicester in the 25th minute. Pedro got one back for Watford in the 27th minute but goals from Albrighton and Barnes in the 2nd half made Leicester comfortable winners. The holders progress to the next round while Watford can now focus on the league.

Port Vale 1 vs. 4 Brentford

Forss scored in the 26th minute to give Brentford the lead. Mbeumo got a second in the 65th minute. Harratt got one back for Port Vale in the 69th minute but Mbeumo added two more goals to complete the win for Brentford and get a hattrick. Brentford move along while Port Vale are knocked out. 

Hull City 2 vs. 3 Everton

Smith scored in the 1st minute to give Hull City the lead. Gray equalised for Everton in the 21st minute and Gomes gave Everton the lead in the 31st minute. Longman equalised for Hull in the 71st minute and the game was sent into extra time. Townsend scored a screamer in the 99th minute to seal the win for Everton. Everton progress to the next round while Hull are knocked out.

Swansea 2 vs. 3 Southampton

Redmond scored in the 8th minute to give Southampton the lead. Valery was sent off for the Saints in the 29th minute. Piroe equalised for Swansea in the 77th minute to send the game to extra time. Bednarek scored an own goal in th 94th minute to give Swansea the lead but Elyounoussi equalised for the Saints a minute later. Long then scored the winner in the 102nd minute. Swansea fought hard but are knocked out while Southampton progress.

Charlton 0 vs. 1 Norwich

Rashica scored in the 79th minute to give Norwich the win as their fans got something to celebrate about. Norwich progress to the next round while Charlton are knocked out.

Wolverhampton 3 vs. 0 Sheffield 

Podence scored in the 14th minute to give Wolves the lead and Semedo added a 2nd in the 72nd minute. Podence then sealed the win in the 80th minute to continue a good season for the Wolves. Sheffield United are knocked out.

West Ham 2 vs. 0 Leeds

West Ham’s brilliant season continued as goals from Lanzini and Bowen saw them through against Leeds who’s poor season continues to go on. Leeds can now focus on survival while West Ham are still in three competitions this season.

Tottenham 3 vs. 1 Morecambe

O’Connor scored in the 33rd minute to give Morecambe a surprise lead. The Shrimps tried to hold on for the win but Winks equalised for Spurs in the 74th minute. Lucas grabbed the winner in the 85th minute, and Harry Kane got a third in the 88th minute. Tottenham go through to the next round while Morecambe are knocked out.

Liverpool 4 vs. 1 Shrewsbury

Udoh gave Shrewsbury a surprise lead at Anfield in the 27th minute but Liverpool were always going to come back. Gordon equalised for Liverpool in the 34th minute, while Fabinho gave them the lead in the 44th minute via a penalty. Firmino added a 3rd in the 78th minute while Fabinho got a 2nd in the 93rd minute. Comfortable win overall but Liverpool were given a scare.

Nottingham 1 vs. 0 Arsenal

Arsenal were knocked out by Nottingham Forest with Lewis Grabban scoring the winner in the 83rd minute. Arsenal still have the Carabao Cup semi-final to play but apart from that their only goal will be top four. Nottingham Forest progress to the next round.

Man United 1 vs. 0 Aston Villa

McTominay scored in the 8th minute and that was enough for United. The Red Devils didn’t play well and Villa had two goals ruled out by VAR but no goals means that they were knocked out and United go through. 

La Liga MW 20

Real Sociedad beat Celta Vigo 1-0, Barcelona drew with Granada 1-1, Real Madrid beat Valencia 4-1, Sevilla beat Getafe 1-0, and Villarreal drew with Atletico 2-2. Real Madrid have a game in hand and sit five points clear at the top of the table. Sevilla, Betis, and Atletico make up the top four. Real Sociedad are level on points with Atletico in 5th while Barcelona are 6th but only a point behind Atletico. Villarreal sit 8th in the table while Valencia are 10th. Real Madrid continue to have the advantage while others stumble.

Serie A MW 21

Milan beat Venezia 0-3, Atalanta beat Udinese 2-6, Napoli beat Sampdoria 1-0, Juventus beat Roma 3-4, and Inter beat Lazio 2-1. The Juventus Roma game was insane as Roma had a 3-1 lead going into the 70th minute but somehow lost the game by the 90th minute. Inter remain in the lead with a game in hand as they sit a point clear of Milan. Napoli, and Atalanta make up the top four. Juventus sit 5th, while Roma are 6th now 6 points behind Juventus. Lazio sit 8th. Pressure piling on Mourinho at the moment especially after another collapse. Milan and Inter still lead the league with consistent results.

Bundesliga MW 18

Monchengladbach beat Bayern 1-2, Leipzig beat Mainz 4-1, Leverkusen drew with Union Berlin 2-2, Dormtund beat Frankfurt 2-3, and Bochum beat Wolfsburg 1-0. Bayern remain 6 points clear at the top of the table while Dortmund, Hoffenheim, and Freiburg make up the top four. Leverkusen sit 5th in the table, while Frankfurt, and Leipzig sit 8th and 9th repsectively. Monchengladbach sit 12th in the table. Bayern go through a rare stumble but it will be interesting to see whether they bounce back or if it’s a lingering problem. All the rest can do is try and get results. 

Ligue 1 MW 20

Marseille beat Bordeaux 0-1, Monaco drew with Nantes 0-0, and Lyon drew with PSG 0-0. PSG remain top of the table by 11 points with Nice, Marseille, and Rennes making up the top four. Monaco sit 7th while Lille and Lyon sit 10th and 11th respectively. PSG are looking likely to win it but it’s more by default rather than actually playing top quality football. 

Weekend Football Preview

FA Cup is back!

FA Cup 3rd Round

Swindon vs. Man City

Man City travel to Swindon who sit 5th in League Two. City have a heavy load of Covid cases to deal with but can’t get the games postponed because the FA Cup doesn’t allow it. City should win this game regardless but Swindon will feel they have a chance if they face a weaker Man City team.

Burnley vs. Huddersfield

Burnley welcome Huddersfield to Turf Moor with the Terriers sitting 6th in the Championship. Huddersfield have had a good season so far and this should be an interesting game. Levi Colwill should play this game as well and so it’s one to watch for Chelsea fans. 

Millwall vs. Crystal Palace

Millwall sit 11th in the Championship as they welcome fellow London club Palace for a London Derby. Palace have been playing well this season but London Derby’s are great and in the FA Cup anything can happen. 

Newcastle vs. Cambridge United

Newcastle are fighting for survival in the Premier League and have just bought Trippier as the first signing of the Saudi Era. Cambridge visit them for this round with them sitting 16th in League One. Newcastle should win this game. 

West Brom vs. Brighton

West Brom are playing well and sit 4th in the Championship as they take on Brighton who sit 9th in the Premier League. This should be a fun and interesting game with both teams in form, either team can go through. 

Leicester vs. Watford

The FA Cup holders Leicester begin their journey with a visit by Watford who sit 17th in the Premier League. Leicester have been inconsistent this season and Watford will want to bring some hope to their fans amid a poor run of form. Watford have a good chance for an upset but Leicester are favourites. 

Port Vale vs. Brentford

Port Vale sit 6th in League Two as they welcome Brentford who are doing well in the Premier League this season. Brentford will be favourites for this game while Port Vale have nothing to lose. 

Hull City vs. Everton

Hull City sit 19th in the Championship as they take on Everton who are also struggling in the Premier League. This is a good chance for Benitez to get a win and get some momentum but Hull will have nothing to lose in this game. 

Swansea vs. Southampton

Swansea sit 17th in the Championship and are struggling as they take on Southampton who are inconsistent this season but doing well. Southampton should win this game and progress to the next round but Swansea have nothing to lose. 

Charlton vs. Norwich

Charlton sit 13th in League One as they take on Norwich who sit bottom of the Premier League. Norwich are struggling at the moment and need some sort of positive result to end the poor momentum. This could be that result but Charlton can give it their all in this game.

Wolverhampton vs. Sheffield

Sheffield United sit 13th in the Championship as they travel to play Wolves who are doing well in the Premier League this season. Wolves should win this game it’s just a matter of can they score the goals in 90 minutes. 

West Ham vs. Leeds

An all Premier League game as West Ham take on Leeds. West Ham have fallen off pace recently but are still doing well as Leeds ended a poor run last weekend. West Ham will be favourites but Leeds will go into this game fighting as usual. 

Tottenham vs. Morecambe

Tottenham welcome Morecambe who are 19th in League One. The FA Cup is Spurs only realistic chance of a trophy this season so this is a big game for them. Given their performance against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup they need to turn up and show their fans that they are fighting. Morecambe can give it their all. 

Liverpool vs. Shrewsbury

Liverpool have also apparently had Covid cases and were able to postpone their game against Arsenal but they won’t be able to weasel out of this game. They should have enough talent to beat Shrewsbury who sit 14th in League One. 

Nottingham vs. Arsenal

Nottingham Forest sit 9th in the Championship as they welcome Arsenal who are in good form recently but lost to City in their last game. This should be an interesting tie given that Forest are at home but Arsenal will be favourites for sure. This is Arsenal’s only realistic chance for success this season other than the Carabao Cup.

Man United vs. Aston Villa

United are embroiled in turmoil at the moment with rumours about player mutinies and squad disharmony along with the poor football on the pitch. Rangnick seems to have no control at the moment and the players have no respect. Villa have Gerrard back in the dugout and have played well overall but haven’t found a result against the bigger teams. This might be the game for Gerrard and co and it would be a brilliant result, I think Villa could cause an upset here.

La Liga MW 20

Real Sociedad take on Celta Vigo, Barcelona travel to Granada, Real Madrid take on Valencia, Sevilla welcome Getafe, and Atletico travel to Villarreal. Real Madrid did not start 2022 with a win so they will want to bounce back this weekend while the rest are playing catch up. The title race is open with almost all the teams behind Real Madrid having a game in hand as well. The problem is that no team bar Real Madrid has been consistent in Spain. Some interesting fixtures for sure this weekend. 

Serie A MW 21

Milan travel to Venezia, Atalanta travel to Udinese, Napoli take on Sampdoria, Roma play Juventus, and Inter welcome Lazio. Another good chance this weekend for Milan to move back into the top spot. Inter and Atalanta were not involved during the week so if their games go ahead they will be raring to go. Roma lost to Milan during the week and face another tough test against Juventus with both teams not playing particularly well. Another interesting weekend of Italian football.

Bundesliga MW 18

The Bundesliga is back this weekend following their winter break. Bayern welcome Monchengladbach, Leipzig entertain Mainz, Leverkusen take on Union Berlin, Dortmund travel to Frankfurt, and Wolfsburg travel to Bochum. Bayern sit 9 points clear of Dortmund with Freiburg, and Leverkusen making up the top four. Frankfurt sit 6th in the table, and Leipzig sit 10th in the table. Bayern have already probably won the league at this stage because usually they steamroll teams in the 2nd half of the season. All the other teams can do is try and finish in the top four and hope that Bayern stumble at some point.

Ligue 1 MW 20

Marseille travel to Bordeaux, Monaco travel to Nantes, and Lyon play PSG. PSG sit 13 points clear at the top of the table with Nice, Marseille, and Rennes making up the top four. Monaco sit 6th, Lille sit 8th, and Lyon sit 13th. Similar to the Bundesliga, Ligue 1 is a foregone conclusion and all the other teams are trying to do is finish in the European places. 

Weekend Football Review

City go 10 points clear!

Premier League MW 21

Arsenal 1 vs. 2 Man City

Arsenal were brilliant in the 1st half against Man City but only took the lead in the 31st minute thanks to Saka. Mahrez equalised in the 2nd half thanks to a soft penalty and Gabriel was sent off for Arsenal in the 59th minute. Odegaard was also denied a penalty in the 1st half. It looked like the game was heading for a draw but Rodri scored the winner in the 93rd minute to seal yet another win for Man City. Arsenal remain 4th in the table now only a point above 5th but with a game in hand. City sit 10 points clear at the top of the table and are looking set for another title. 

Watford 0 vs. 1 Tottenham

Another game with a late winner as Watford looked like they were heading for a massive point but Sanchez scored a header in the 96th minute to give Spurs the 3 points. Watford remain 17th in the table 2 points above the relegation zone while Tottenham move into 6th in the table with three games in hand and 2 points behind Arsenal. Conte has got Spurs chugging along.

Crystal Palace 2 vs. 3 West Ham

Antonio scored in the 22nd minute to give West Ham the lead. Lanzini scored 3 minutes later to make it 2 for the Hammers while he scored a penalty before half time to make it 0-3. Palace got two goals in the final 10 minutes thanks to Edouard and Olise to give the Eagles some hope but West Ham held on for the win. Palace played well but the first half was poor and that cost them. Palace remain 11th in the table while West Ham remain 5th in the table with a game in hand and behind Arsenal by a point.

Brentford 2 vs. 1 Aston Villa

Ings scored in the 16th minute to give Villa the lead but Wissa equalised for Brentford in the 42nd minute. Roerslev got the winner for Brentford in the 83rd minute. Brentford move up to 12th with the win while Villa drop down to 13th with the loss with Gerrard having some work to do. 

Leeds 3 vs. 1 Burnley

Harrison scored in the 39th minute to give Leeds the lead, but Cornet equalised for Burnley in the 54th minute. Dallas regained the lead for Leeds in the 77th minute and Dan James sealed the win for Leeds in the 92nd minute. Leeds remain 16th in the table but 8 points clear of the relegation zone now while Burnley remain 18th with four games in hand and 2 points from safety. 

Everton 2 vs. 3 Brighton

Mac Allister scored for Brighton in the 3rd minute and Burn made it two for Brighton in the 21st minute. Gordon got one back for Everton in the 53rd minute but Mac Allister got a third for Brighton in the 71st minute. Gordon got one back for Everton in the 76th minute but Brighton had done enough for three points. Everton remain 15th but it looks like the club are behind Benitez while Brighton move up to 9th in the table with 2 games in hand. 

Man United 0 vs. 1 Wolverhampton

United were 2nd best for the entire game and De Gea saved them once again for much of the 90 minutes. Wolves kept trying to get the goal and Moutinho finally managed to get the lead in the 82nd minute. Wolves finally get a big win at Old Trafford and one that deserves their recent form while United have no bounce under Rangnick. United drop down to 7th in the table while Wolves remain 8th 3 points behind United with both teams having 2 games in hand.

La Liga MW 19

Espanyol beat Valencia 1-2, Getafe beat Real Madrid 1-0, Atletico beat Vallecano 2-0, Sociedad drew with Alaves 1-1, Barcelona beat Mallorca 0-1, Villarreal beat Levante 5-0, and Sevilla beat Cadiz 0-1. Real Madrid drop points but remain 5 points clear at the top of the table. Sevilla, Real Betis, and Atletico make up the top four. Barcelona remain 5th in the table while Real Sociedad sit 7th, Valencia sit 9th and Villarreal sit 8th in the table. Advantage still Real Madrid but the others gain ground and some have games in hand. An interesting race ahead. 

Weekend Football Preview

Happy New Year to all! 2022 is upon us and with that more football!

Premier League MW 21

Arsenal vs. Man City

We kick things off in the New Year with Arsenal welcoming Man City to the Emirates. Arsenal sit 4th in the table with 1 game in hand and 4 points clear of 5th. City sit 8 points clear at the top of the table and everyone will be hoping Arsenal can cause un upset here. Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four games but have not done well against big six opposition this season. The reverse fixture was a 5-0 win for Man City. 

Watford vs. Tottenham

A London Derby for Watford as they welcome Tottenham to their stadium. West Ham ended Watford’s New Year with a loss and another top team from London visits them in the first game of 2022. Watford sit 17th in the table with 3 games in hand while Spurs sit 7th in the table with 3 games in hand and are yet to lose under Conte in the Premier League. This should be a win for Spurs. The reverse fixture was a 1-0 win for Spurs. 

Crystal Palace vs. West Ham

Another London Derby to begin the year as high flying Palace take on West Ham who are looking to continue the positive momentum from the midweek game. Palace sit 11th in the Premier League with 1 game in hand while West Ham sit 5th in the table with 1 game in hand as well. Palace are inconsistent at the moment but always give a good fight while West Ham have also been through poor form recently. The reverse fixture was a 2-2 draw.

Brentford vs. Aston Villa

14th placed Brentford take on 12th placed Villa with both teams going through inconsistent form. Villa haven’t played any games in a week so they should be fresher than Brentford who’s squad is barebones at the moment. Both teams also have 2 games in hand. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw.

Southampton vs. Newcastle

13th placed Southampton take on 19th placed Newcastle with Southampton in good form and Newcastle looking to continue on from that good game against United. Both teams have one game in hand. The reverse fixture was a 2-2 draw.

Leeds vs. Burnley

Leeds sit 16th in the table and have lost their 3 games and have 2 games in hand having not played recently as they take on Burnley who sit 18th in the table with 4 games in hand but just lost to United during the week. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw.

Everton vs. Brighton

15th placed Everton have three games in hand as they take on 10th placed Brighton who have two games in hand and cheated their way to a point against Chelsea during the week. The reverse fixture was a 0-2 win for Everton.

Man United vs. Wolverhampton

6th placed United take on 8th placed Wolves with both teams having 2 games in hand. United haven’t been great recently but are still unbeaten under Rangnick while Wolves have done well against the top teams but have rarely come out winners. Wolves also didn’t play during the week. The reverse fixture was a 0-1 for United.

La Liga MW 19

Valencia play Espanyol, Real Madrid travel to Getafe, Atletico play Vallecano, Sociedad travel to Alaves, Barcelona travel to Mallorca, Villarreal entertain Levante, and Sevilla travel to Cadiz. Most of the teams having winnable games as La Liga returns after it’s winter break. Squads have had positive covid tests so players will of course be missing. Real Madrid lead La Liga by 8 points with a game in hand while Sevilla, Real Betis, and Rayo Vallecano make up the top four. Atletico sit 5th in the table a point behind 4th while Barcelona sit 7th in the table 2 points behind 4th. Real Sociedad are sandwiched in the middle of the two. Villarreal sit 9th in the table. Real Madrid in cruise control at the moment and people will have to work to catch up with them.

Midweek Football Review

Carabao not taken lightly.

Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals

Arsenal 5 vs. 1 Sunderland

Nketiah scored in the 17th minute to give Arsenal the lead. Pepe made it two in the 27th minute, but Broadhead got one back for Sunderland in the 31st minute. Nketiah scored two more in the 2nd half to complete his hattrick and Patino added the fifth off the bench to take Arsenal into the semi-finals. A good win for Arsenal in what was an expected result.

Liverpool 3 (5) vs. (4) 3 Leicester

Liverpool heavily rotated their lineup to take on Leicester who fielded a pretty strong XI. Vardy scored two in the first 15 minutes to give Leicester a 0-2 lead, but Ox got one back for Liverpool in the 19th minute. Maddison made it three for Leicester in the 33rd minute as it looked like Leicester had a good lead. Klopp called on the bench in the 2nd half as Jota scored in the 68th minute to make it 2-3. Leicester were so close to getting the win but Minamino scored in the 95th minute to take the game to penalties. Liverpool won the game on penalties and move along to the semi-finals. Leicester bow out as they bottle another game.

Tottenham 2 vs. 1 West Ham

Bergwijn scored for Tottenham in the 29th minute to give Spurs the lead but Bowen equalised for West Ham in the 32nd minute. Moura restored Spurs lead in the 34th and Conte and co held on to that lead for the rest of the game. Tottenham move onto the semi-finals while West Ham are knocked out. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Villarreal beat Alaves 5-2, Sevilla drew with Barcelona 1-1, Granada beat Atletico 2-1, and Real Madrid beat Bilbao 1-2. Real Madrid sit 8 points clear at the top of the table, while Sevilla sit 2nd followed by Betis and Vallecano. Atletico drop down to 5th in the table and have lost 4 games in a row now for the first time under Simeone. Barcelona remain 7th in the table. Real Madrid have played a game more than anyone else but are firmly in control of the title race at the moment.

Serie A MW 19

Juventus beat Cagliari 2-0, Atalanta drew with Genoa 0-0, Lazio beat Venezia 1-3, Roma drew with Sampdoria 1-1, Inter beat Torino 1-0, Milan beat Empoli 2-4, and Spezia beat Napoli 0-1. Inter sit 4 points clear of Milan who move up to 2nd in the table. Napoli are now 3 points behind Milan while Atalanta make up the top four. Juventus move up to 5th in the table while Roma drop down to 6th in the table. Lazio sit 8th in the table. Inter in control for now but not by a big margin as Milan bounce back in this round. Napoli did well to regain control but a shock loss to Spezia will not be welcome. An interesting race all around.

Ligue 1 MW 19

Marseille drew with Reims 1-1, PSG drew with Lorient 1-1, Lille beat Bordeaux 2-3, Lyon drew with Metz 1-1, and Monaco beat Rennes 2-1. PSG remain 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with Nice, Marseille and Rennes make up the top four. Monaco move up to 6th in the table, while Lille sit 8th in the table. Lyon sit 13th in the table. PSG are on their way to another title and Messi has just scored 1 goal in Ligue 1. Not the most entertaining of leagues in Europe.