La Liga

Weekend Football Review

Not a great weekend for Manchester.

Premier League

Wolverhampton 1 vs. 1 Man City

The weekend started with Wolves holding on to draw against City at home in what was a surprising result. Teams outside the top 6 and some teams inside the top 6 usually set up to play against City on the counter but Wolves decided that they would not change their ways and they took the game to City. The game was evenly matched during the first half although City came close to opening the scoreline on a couple of occasions only for Patricio to make some stunning saves. Boly gave Wolves the lead in the 57th minute from what looked like a header but close inspection showed it was handball but since there is no VAR the goal remained. Laporte rocketed in a header of his own in the 69th minute to level the scoreline. Aguero hit the crossbar once more but Wolves held on and became the first team to take points off City this season. Wolves are 14th while City are now 5th.

Arsenal 3 vs. 1 West Ham

A cagey first half saw Arnautovic give West Ham the lead in the 25th minute as he hammered in a shot from outside the box. Monreal equalised in the 30th to restore parity. Arsenal came out the better team in the second half as Lacazette and Torreira were brought on. A Diop own goal in the 70th minute and a Welbeck strike in the 92nd minute sealed a first win and first points for Unai Emery. West Ham now remain the only team without points this season. Arsenal move up to 9th with the win and West Ham remain bottom of the table.

Bournemouth 2 vs. 2 Everton

A stunning game that saw red cards and comebacks as Bournemouth drew at home to Everton. The first half remained level as Richarlison was sent off at the 41st minute for what looked like an attempted head butt. The game blew up in the second half as Walcott gave Everton the lead in the 56th minute and Keane doubled that lead 10 minutes later. Everton seemed to be flying high as Adam Smith was also sent off for Bournemouth in the 61st minute. Bournemouth had other plans in mind as King converted a penalty in the 75th minute and Ake scored via a corner in the 79th minute to earn Bournemouth a point. Bournemouth are now 6th while Everton are 8th.

Huddersfield 0 vs. 0 Cardiff

Huddersfield achieved their first point of the season in what was a cagey affair against Cardiff. Chances were hard to come by in the first half but Huddersfield forced Ethridge to make some good saves in the second. Matters became harder when Hogg was sent off for Huddersfield in the 63rd minute. Huddersfield held on as Cardiff applied the pressure as both teams settled for a draw. Huddersfield are off the mark but remain 19th while Cardiff are 15th.

Southampton 1 vs. 2 Leicester

Southampton started the game as the better teams as they created several chances but failed to capitalise any of them. The second half started off in similar fashion and a brilliant long range strike by Bertrand gave Southampton the lead in the 52nd minute. Gray equalised for Leicester in the 56th minute and Hodjberg was sent off for Southampton in the 77th minute to leave Southampton fighting for the point. Maguire had other plans though and his long range strike in the 92nd minute gave Leicester all three points. Southampton are 17th while Leicester are 7th.

Liverpool 1 vs. 0 Brighton

Salah scored in the 23rd minute as it proved enough to get three points for Liverpool. Liverpool dominated the game but Brighton’s defence stayed strong. Liverpool seemed to have plugged their holes in defence and goal as they remain the only team to not have conceded a goal this season. The win leaves Liverpool top of the table while Brighton are 12th.

Watford 2 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

The game saw an entertaining first half but both sides remained goalless going into the second half. Pereyra opened the scoring as he curled in a brilliant shot to give Watford the lead in the 53rd minute. Holebas doubled the lead in the 71st minute as his attempted cross curled into the top corner. Zaha gave Palace some hope as he got one back in the 78th minute but Watford held on to maintain their 100 percent winning start to the season. Watford are 4th while Palace are 10th.

Fulham 4 vs. 2 Burnley

An amazing game saw 5 goals in the first half as Fulham won their first game and first points of the season. Seri gave Fulham the lead in the 4th minute from a brilliant long range strike but Hendrick equalised in the 10th minute. Mitrovic then scored 2 headers in two minute to add two more to Fulham but Tarkowski scrambled in from close range in the 41st minute to keep the scoreline at 3-2. Fulham maintained the lead in the second half and Schurrle sealed the three points after he scored in the 83rd minute. With their first win Fulham move to 11th while Burnley are 18th.

Man United 0 vs. 3 Tottenham

Tottenham thrashed United at Old Trafford in what was a game of two halves. United dominated the first half while playing good football in what was refreshing from Mourinho but the players and specifically Lukaku missed several chances to give United the lead. For all the domination the teams went into half time level. United did not show up for the second half and Spurs capitalised as Kane opened the scoring in the 50th minute and Moura doubled the lead four minutes later. Moura added his second and sealed the the game in the 84th minute as United succumbed to their second defeat of the season. Some say Rio Ferdinand and the United pundits are re-thinking their predictions for the season as United sit at 13th while Spurs move to 2nd.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico all won their games but Sevilla were held to a goalless draw against Villareal and Valencia lost to Espanyol 2-0. The results mean that Real Madrid lead the table while Barcelona, and Sevilla follow while Atletico sit 9th and Valencia 15th.

Serie A

An entertaining weekend of action in Italy saw plenty of goals from all teams. Juventus won their game against Lazio 2-0 although Ronaldo still seeks his first goal. Napoli came from 2-0 down to beat Milan 3-2, while Inter and Torino drew 2-2 and Roma and Atlanta drew 3-3. Juventus and Napoli sit first and second while Roma sit 5th, Inter are 11th while Milan are 17th.

Bundesliga

Bayern opened the season with a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim while the weekend saw Wolfsburg beat Schalke 2-1, Monchengladbach beat Leverkusen 2-0, and Dortmund came from behind to beat Leipzig 4-1. Dortmund, Bayern, and Frankfurt sit at the top three of the table.

Ligue 1

PSG continued their winning start with a 3-1 win against Angers, Lyon beat Strasbourg 2-0, Bordeaux beat Monaco 2-1, and Marseille drew against Rennes 2-2. PSG sit at the top while Lyon move up to 4th, Monaco are 9th and Marseille are 11th.

Weekend Football Preview

Gameweek 3!!

Premier League

Wolverhampton vs. Man City

Wolves have not had the best of starts to their season although they have played good football and were perhaps unlucky to not get a point or more against Leicester. This game week might not add points to Wolves tally as league leaders and Champions City visit them. City beat Arsenal in their first game and destroyed Huddersfield 6-1 last weekend and with plenty of squad depth it should be another win in the bag for them. The odds of Wolves getting even a point from this game are very low but Wolves have nothing to lose and with that mentality upsets can happen.

Arsenal vs. West Ham

This is a must win game for both these London teams although it is only the third game week. Arsenal were dealt two very tough fixtures to begin their season and they lost both although they did show some promise against Chelsea. West Ham were comfortably beaten by Liverpool and no one really expected them to win that game but to lose to Bournemouth might have deflated morale amongst the fans. Emery needs to take some bold decisions as the likes of Torreira and Lacazette need to start from minute one. West Ham under Pellegrini are expected to play good football but with so many signings and a new system it could take time for them to gel. The pressure is perhaps less for the Hammers but they need at least a point and they have the quality to get more plus they have a certain Jack Wilshere who should go into the game wanting to prove Arsenal wrong. Arsenal need the win more than West Ham but both need to add points, it should be a tough game for both sides.

Bournemouth vs. Everton

Bournemouth have made a brilliant start to the season winning two out of two although they face their biggest test yet as a high flying Everton visit. Everton have been rejuvenated by Marcos Silva and are playing decent football while also scoring goals, they drew their first game against Wolves and had to fight against Southampton for the win last weekend. Bournemouth this season have shown that they have goals in them which was something they lacked last season, defensively they are sound and it is perhaps in defence where this game will be won or lost. The team with the better defence will win this game although it should be an entertaining one.

Huddersfield vs. Cardiff

Huddersfield look for their first points of the season as they welcome newbies Cardiff. Huddersfield have shipped in 9 goals in two games having only scored one although in their defence those did come against Chelsea and Man City, still losing by 6 goals is not good enough against any team especially since they did so well defensively at the end of last season. Cardiff got their first point of the season as they held Newcastle to a draw at home and they threatened the Magpies on several occasions during the game. If Huddersfield wanted reprieve from their losses then Cardiff is the perfect game to add some points although Cardiff have nothing to lose and were known for their defence last season in the championship. A low scoring game and Cardiff might nick it.

Southampton vs. Leicester

Southampton were unlucky to not get a point against Everton last weekend as Ings was denied a clear penalty. The Saints search for their first win of the season against Leicester. Leicester beat Wolves last weekend although they did look shaky and got lucky in the goals they scored. This game should be a close one and with Vardy out Southampton could get their first win of the season.

Liverpool vs. Brighton

Liverpool are flying high having won two out of two and not having conceded any goals. The Reds seem to have plugged the holes in defence and with Allison in goal look like real title challengers. Brighton did extremely well against a very poor United side last weekend as they picked up their first win of the season, but because this game is at Anfield it might be a step too far for the Seagulls. Expectations are it will be a comfortable win for Liverpool although I hope Brighton at least get a point.

Watford vs. Crystal Palace

Sunday starts off with another London derby as Crystal Palace visit Watford. Watford are flying high having won their first two games and will be expecting to get another three this weekend. Palace played well against Liverpool last weekend but got unlucky on two specific occasions, although they have more than enough to get a point or more from this game. It should be an entertaining one with Deeney, Pereyra, Gray, Zaha, Benteke, etc on show from both sides.

Fulham vs. Burnley

Fulham have played well over the last two games but still seek their first points of the season as a defensively skilled Burnley visit. With numerous signings and time needed for them to integrate Fulham should be slow to the race but once they start going they should be fun to watch. Burnley lost at home to Watford in what was a shockingly poor defensive performance and will hope to get back to winning ways against Fulham. A close game but I can see Fulham getting their first points of the season.

Man United vs. Tottenham

Monday night brings the game of the weekend as Tottenham visit shaky Man United. United have had a torrid summer and even their opening week win against Leicester was not reassuring and they were dismal against Brighton last weekend. Mourinho needs to fix things fast otherwise it looks like he could face another third season calamity. Tottenham did not sign anyone this window but have kept all their players and are playing some brilliant football. Spurs might be stuck at Wembley till an unknown date as their Stadium does not seem to be nearing completion. On the pitch though this game should be a low scoring one and for all the flak that Mourinho gets he will probably nick three points from Spurs. If Spurs do win expect the crisis talk to amplify in the red half of Manchester.

La Liga

La Liga kicked off last weekend with the regular wins for most of the contenders as Real, Barcelona, and Sevilla all got wins. Valencia and Atletico face each other and only managed a point. This weekend should see a further three points added to all these teams although Sevilla do face Villareal.

Serie A

Serie A kicked off last weekend as well and Juventus, Napoli and Roma all started off with wins. Inter lost, and Milan still need to play their first game. This season Serie A has gone up a notch in star status mainly because of one Cristiano Ronaldo who moved to Turin in the summer. Ronaldo seeks his first goal for Juventus as they come up against Lazio this weekend. Napoli face Milan which sees Ancelotti face his former club. Inter face off against Torino while Roma go up against a tough Atlanta side. An entertaining weekend of football in Italy.

Bundesliga

Bundesliga kicks off this weekend as Bayern face off against Hoffenheim, Bayern are under new management as Niko Kovac leads them this season. Schalke face Wolfsburg, Borussia Monchengladbach face Leverkusen, and Dortmund go up against Leipzig in an entertaining opening weekend.

Ligue 1

Ligue 1 is already in its third game week and the likes of Monaco, Marseille, and Lyon are already playing catchup to league leaders PSG. It should be comfortable wins for all teams involved although Monaco do face Bordeaux this weekend.

Weekend Football Review

The big teams dominate the opening weekend.

2bad1fd9b9a4029858ec4f2c460eecf1 — Photo By – FC Naija

Premier League

Man United 2 vs. 1 Leicester City

The season got off to a flyer after it took only 3 minutes for the first goal to be scored. Amartey handled the ball in the Leicester penalty box and Pogba stepped up to give United the lead. Leicester responded positively and created a couple of chances which De Gea brilliantly saved. United seemed to be happy to defend after scoring early and in the second half they doubled their lead via Luke Shaw who expertly finished at the near post. Vardy scored in the 92nd minute to give Leicester some consolation points. United move to 7th while Leicester are 13th.

Newcastle 1 vs. 2 Tottenham

All three goals in this game came during the first 20 minutes as Vertonghen gave Spurs the lead in the 8th minute after heading the ball into the goal and it having crossed the line by only 9mm. Joselu restored balance in the 11th minute after heading in a Ritchie cross. Dele Alli then gave Spurs the lead with another header in the 18th minute. Newcastle came out the better side in the second half and hit the post twice but Spurs held on and clinched three points. Spurs move to 8th while Newcastle are 14th.

Bournemouth 2 vs. 0 Cardiff

Ryan Fraser gave Bournemouth the lead in the 24th minute after expertly finishing a Wilson cross. Cardiff had several chances to restore the lead but Begovic made some good saves to keep Bournemouth ahead. Wilson sealed the game in the 91st minute after tapping in a Francis cross. Bournemouth move to 3rd while Cardiff are 17th.

Fulham 0 vs. 2 Crystal Palace

Fulham started the game the better of the two teams as Mitrovic saw two opportunities saved by Hennessey. Schlupp then gave Palace the lead in the 41st minute after banging the ball into the roof of the net. Zaha then dribbled past Fabri in the 79th minute to finish the game for Palace. Crystal Palace are 4th while Fulham are 18th.

Watford 2 vs. 0 Brighton

Pereyra was the star for Watford as he scored in the 35th and 54th minute to seal victory for his team. Watford dominated the game for the large part while Brighton missed a couple of chances to add to their half of the scoreline. Watford are 6th while Brighton are 16th.

Wolverhampton 2 vs. 2 Everton

Richarlison opened the scoring for Everton after tapping in a Keane cross in the 17th minute. The game was fairly even and Jagielka was sent off in the 40th minute after a foul on Jota. Neves scored from the resulting free-kick to restore parity between the teams. Richarlison scored his and Everton’s second in the 67th minute as Everton seemed to be heading for the win even though they were down to ten men. Jimenez though headed in a Neves cross to bring Wolves back level and award both teams a point each. Wolves are 10th while Everton are 9th.

Liverpool 4 vs. 0 West Ham

Liverpool threw down their gauntlet for the title race with a resounding win at home against a good West Ham team. Salah opened the scoring in the 19th minute after tapping in a Robertson cross. Mané then doubled the lead in the added time for Liverpool to go into half time two goals up. Mané then added his second and Liverpool’s third with a deft finish in the 53rd minute. Sturridge seemed to get back to scoring ways after he scored with his first touch in the 88th minute to add Liverpool’s final goal. The win took Liverpool to first while West Ham are 20th.

Southampton 0 vs. 0 Burnley

The weekend’s only goalless game as Mccarthy and Hart pulled off brilliant saves to deny the opposite team from scoring. Burnley dominated until Elyounoussi came on but both teams held on to their point. Southampton are 12th while Burnley are 11th.

Arsenal 0 vs. 2 Man City

The final game of the weekend was a big one as holders Man City played Arsenal in London. Sterling opened the scoring in the 14th minute after curling his effort into the bottom corner. The first half and largely the first hour of the game was dominated by City and Cech pulled off some brilliant saves to keep Arsenal in the game. The introductions of Lacazette and Torreira made a difference for Arsenal but a brilliant counter attack and cross was emphatically finished by Bernardo Silva to double City’s lead and seal the three points. City go to 5th while Arsenal are 15th.

Super Copa

Sevilla 1 vs. 2 Barcelona

Sarabia gave Sevilla an early lead after scoring in the 9th minute but Pique levelled the score in the 42nd minute to send both teams into half time with a goal each. Dembélé scored the winner for Barcelona with a banging finish and silenced any doubts that he was not fit to play for Barcelona. Barcelona go into the new season with a trophy to their name already.

Weekend Football Preview

IT’S BACK!!!!!

Premier League

Manchester United vs. Leicester

Incomings Incomings

Diego Dalot (Porto) Ricardo Pereira (Porto)

Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk) Jonny Evans (West Brom)

Lee Grant (Stoke) James Maddison (Norwich)

Danny Ward (Liverpool)

Rachid Ghezzal (AS Monaco)

Filip Benkovic (Dinamo Zagreb)

Caglar Soyuncu (SC Freiburg)

Pre-Season

W 1 D 3 L 2 W 2 D 2 L 1

The opening game of the season is brought to us from Manchester as last season’s second placed team face off against the 9th place team. United have had a quite pre-season from a transfers point of view as with Dalot being injured and Lee Grant a third choice goalkeeper. Fred is really the only person who improves the squad. Mourinho has not been quiet and made several strange comments about Martial and Pogba and United will be hoping that it does not affect their performances on the pitch. Mourinho has the pressure this season and instead of going into the season level headed it seems like United are going the Chelsea 15/16 way. Leicester have been busy this transfer window and they have improved in all areas of the pitch with some impressive signings. They did let go of Mahrez who moved to city but Ghezzal is an astute replacement. This could be a good season for Leicester and they should be fighting for a top 10 finish at least. As far as the game is concerned then it will depend on which United team show up, we know what to expect from Leicester and they will come out guns blazing United should win but Leicester could cause an upset, never forget Jaime Vardy is raring to.

Newcastle vs. Tottenham

Incomings

Martin Dubravka (Sparta Prague)

Ki Sung-yueng (Swansea)

Kenedy (Chelsea)

Fabian Schar (Deportivo La Coruna)

Yoshinori Muto (Mainz)

Salomon Rondon (West Brom)

Federico Fernandez (Swansea)

Pre-Season

W 1 D 2 L 2 W 4 D 1 L 1

Saturday’s first game comes to us from St.James Park as Newcastle take on Spurs. It’s tenth against third and both teams will want to finish in better positions this year although its harder than ever this season. Newcastle have made several signings although a few of them are more squad signings than real improvements to the starting XI. Kenedy is a good signing and someone who did well last season while Rondon and Muto could do well as strikers. Benitez has not been happy with the business but now that the window is over it is all up to him to drag Newcastle into a top ten finish. Spurs play their first few games away from home as they will finally be moving into the renovated White Hart Lane or as it is known now the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The stadium which looks like a Toilet seat is also the main reason why Tottenham have not been able to buy any players this window and have thereby made a record for themselves as the first team to ever do so. Spurs did manage to keep all their players from last season so thats a win but they have not strengthened their squad. Many expect Spurs to finish in the top four but with a new stadium and other teams strengthening I expect them to finish outside the top four. Newcastle fans will be rapturous and with a large chunk of Tottenham’s squad returning only this week for pre-season I expect Newcastle to get three points.

Bournemouth vs. Cardiff

Incomings Incomings

David Brooks (Sheffield United) Josh Murphy (Norwich)

Diego Rico (Leganes) Greg Cunningham (Preston)

Jefferson Lerma (Levante) Alex Smithies (QPR)

Bobby Reid (Bristol City)

Victor Camarasa (Real Betis)

Harry Arter (Bournemouth)

Pre-Season

W 3 D 2 L 2 W 3 D 1 L 2

Bournemouth finished 10th last season while Cardiff finished second in the Championship. Bournemouth have made three signings out of which Jefferson Lerma who was signed on deadline day seems to be the one who will have the most impact. Cardiff have made several signings as they try to fight for Premier League survival this season. Bournemouth should be looking to fight for a top 10 finish although with the quality of the teams above them they could be facing a relegation battle but should survive. Cardiff in my opinion will be fighting for survival and nothing more as Neil Warnock plays a very defensive game and does not score many goals. Bournemouth to win their opening game at the weekend.

Fulham vs. Crystal Palace

Incomings Incomings

Jean Michael Seri (Nice) Vicente Guaita (Getafe)

Maxime Le Marchand (Nice) Cheikhou Kouyate (West Ham)

Fabricio Agosto Ramirez (Besiktas) Max Meyer (Schalke)

Andre Schurrle (Dortmund) Jordan Ayew (Swansea)

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle)

Alfie Mawson (Swansea)

Calum Chambers (Arsenal)

Sergio Rico (Sevilla)

Joe Ryan (Bristol City)

Luciano Vietto (Atletico Madrid)

Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Man United)

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Marseille)

Pre-Season

W 2 D 3 L 3 W 6 D 2 L 0

A London Derby on opening day as newly promoted Fulham take on 11th placed Crystal Palace. Fulham had a brilliant season under Slavisa Jokanovic as they scored their way through to play offs into the Premier League. Their owners have backed the manager as they have made several brilliant signings Seri, Schurrle, Mitrovic, Rico, Vietto are just some of the players that really add to this Fulham side. Several of the players did join the club in the latter stages of the transfer window and so it might take a few weeks for us to see them regularly. Fulham should fight for the top 6 and comfortably finish in the top 10. Crystal Palace had a brilliant second half season under Roy Hodgson and Guaita, and Meyer are probably the pick of their signings. Meyer essentially replaces Loftus Cheek who has chosen to stay with Chelsea this season. Their best bit of business was to keep Zaha who was on fire in pre-season and seems to be raring to go. This game should be brilliant and expect to see a few goals either team can win.

Watford vs. Brighton

Incomings Incomings

Ben Wilmot (Stevenage) Leon Balogun (Mainz)

Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona) Joseph Tomlinson (Yeovil)

Marc Navarro (Espanyol) Florin Andone (Deportivo)

Adam Masina (Bologna) Jason Steele (Sunderland)

Ken Sema (Ostersunds) Bernardo Fernandes Da Silva Junior (RB Leipzig)

Ben Foster (West Brom) Hugo Keto (Arsenal)

Domingos Quina (West Ham) David Button (Fulham)

Yves Bissouma (Lille)

Percy Tay (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar)

Anders Dreyer (Esbjerg)

Billy Arce (Independiente Del Valle)

Leo Skiri Ostigard (Molde)

Peter Gwargis (Jonkopings Sodra IF)

Dan Burn (Wigan)

Martin Montoya (Valencia)

Pre-Season

W 3 D 2 L 0 W 3 D 4 L 1

Last season’s 14th place take on 15th place in their season opener. Watford had a mixed season last year but picked up in the latter stages and they have added several quality signings to their squad. Brighton were essentially in a relegation battle last season but managed to finish 15th. They have made a bucket load of signings for this season and I frankly do not know any of them. Both teams have had good pre-seasons although the league is a totally different ball game. This game should be open although I can see Watford starting their season with a win.

Wolverhampton vs. Everton

Incomings Incomings

Benik Afobe (Bournemouth) Richarlison (Watford)

Willy Boly (Porto) Lucas Digne (Barcelona)

Raul Jimenez (Benfica) Joao Virginia (Arsenal)

Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon) Bernard (Shakhtar)

Leo Bonatini (Al-Hilal) Yerry Mina (Barcelona)

Ruben Vinagre (AS Monaco) Andre Gomes (Barcelona)

Paulo Alves (Liverpool)

Joao Moutinho (AS Monaco)

Jonny Castro Otto (Atletico Madrid)

Adama Traore (Middlesbrough)

John Kitolano (Odds Ballklubb)

Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht)

Pre-Season

W 3 D 4 L 1 W 1 D 2 L 4

Last season’s Championship winners go up against 8th place finishers. Wolves under Santos revolutionised the Championship with their football and completely destroyed teams in similar fashion to City. Wolves are now raring to go for the Premier League and with players like Jimenez, Moutinho, Patricio etc added to the likes of Neves, Costa, and Jota Wolves will be challenging for a top 6 finish. Everton sacked Allardyce and appointed Marcos Silva in the the pre-season. After having only bought Richarlison they went into overdrive in the final week and pushed through major deals for Digne, Mina, and Gomes from Barcelona, not to mention Bernard who signed from Shakhtar. Everton will be hoping to push for a top 6 finish and should be guaranteed a finish in the top 10. This game should be an open one and either team can win.

Liverpool vs. West Ham

Incomings Incomings

Fabinho (AS Monaco) Ryan Fredricks (Fulham)

Naby Keita (RB Leipzig) Issa Diop (Toulouse)

Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) Lukasz Fabianksi (Swansea)

Alisson (AS Roma) Jack Wilshere (Arsenal)

Andriy Yarmolenko (Dortmund)

Fabian Balbuena (Corinthians)

Felipe Anderson (Lazio)

Xande Silva (Vitoria)

Lucas Perez (Arsenal)

Carlos Sanchez (Fiorentina)

Pre-Season

W 7 D 1 L 1 W 4 D 2 L 1

Last seasons fourth placed side go up against thirteenth in their first game. Liverpool enjoyed a stellar season last year but slagged off towards the end due to the Champions League final. Liverpool have not really strengthened their squad as all their signings are essentially replacements for departing players. They have though resolved a problem area which is their goalkeeper as they have brought in Alisson who is probably one of the best in the world. Liverpool should be challenging City for the title this season as it is high team that Klopp wins something with this team, no more excuses. West Ham struggled to safety last season and the owners seem to have learnt from it. They went and hired Pellegrini as their coach who has a Premier League title to his name. They then went and bought several top players to redo the squad signings like, Diop, Wilshere, Anderson, Yarmolenko, Sanchez etc. West Ham should be in for an exciting season ahead and should challenge for a top 6 finish. West Ham could cause Liverpool problems although since it is the season opener at Anfield I expect Liverpool to win.

Southampton vs. Burnley

Incomings Incomings

Stuart Armstrong (Celtic) Vinnie Steels (York City)

Mohamed Elyounoussi (Basel) Ben Gibson (Middlesbrough)

Angus Gunn (Man City) Joe Hart (Man City)

Jannik Vestergaard (Borussia Monchengladbach) Matej Vydra (Derby)

Danny Ings (Liverpool)

Pre-Season

W 3 D 1 L 2 W 4 D 3 L 3

Southampton scraped to survival as they finished 17th while Burnley finished 7th and got a Europa League spot. Southampton have not had a great transfer window and with the quality of the sides in this season’s Premier League I see them fighting for survival again. Burnley did extremely well last season and have made some decent signings. For Burnley getting a top 10 finish should be key and it will not be easy with the quality that is in the Premier League this season. Burnley should win this game but only just.

Arsenal vs. Man City

Incomings Incomings

Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus) Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)

Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen) Claudio Gomes (PSG)

Sokratis (Dortmund) Philippe Sandler (PEC Zwolle)

Lucas Torreira (Sampdoria) Daniel Arzani (Melbourne City)

Matteo Guendouzi (Lorient)

Pre-Season

W 3 D 2 L 0 W 3 D 0 L 1

6th vs 1st closes out the opening weekend as City take on Arsenal in London. Wenger finally left Arsenal at the end of last season and he was replaced by Unai Emery. Emery went around quick with his transfer business as they strengthened their team especially in defence, mid field and goal. Leno is a good goalkeeper while Torreira should add some bite to their midfield. Arsenal struggled last season and this season their main aim should be to finish in the top four. City were champions and many expect them to be champions this season as well, some fans are already discussing the battle for second as no one thinks City will finish lower. City have strengthened with Mahrez but all other signings are for their youth team. City might be champions again this season although in recent seasons the defending champions have always done poorly in their next season so lets see what happens. Arsenal should hope to win their opening game of the Emery era at the Emirates while City will hope to plant their flag early in their fight to retain the title. Arsenal might just nick this although if their defence does not show up then City will win it.

Super Copa

Sevilla vs. Barcelona

Sevilla take on Barcelona in the Super Copa Espanga. Barcelona have made several squad signings and should win this game. Although Sevilla always cause problems and at times upset the big teams. An interesting game but Barcelona to win.

Weekend Football Review

A league full of surprises!

Premier League

Brighton 1 vs. 0 Man United

Pascal Gross scored in the 57th minute to give Brighton all three points against Man United and secure their place in the Premier League. De Gea made several decent saves during the game from Brighton but United were not able to impose themselves and failed to equalise. United have now lost away to all three promoted sides for the first time ever. The three points take Brighton to 14th while United remain 2nd.

Stoke City 1 vs. 2 Crystal Palace

Stoke City became the first team to be relegated from the Premier League this season as they failed to hold on to a lead against Palace. Shaqiri scored a wonderful free kick to give the potters the lead before half time but two second half goals from McArthur and Van Aanholt were the final nail in the coffin for Stoke. Palace move to 11th while Stoke are now bottom of the table.

Bournemouth 1 vs. 0 Swansea

After failing to capitalise on chances they created in the first half Swansea lost to Bournemouth after a brilliant finish from Ryan Fraser in the first half. Bournemouth had several chances in the second half to double the lead but Fabianski made some brilliant saves. The win leaves Bournemouth 12th while Swansea move into the relegation zone based on goal difference.

Leicester 0 vs. 2 West Ham

Leicester continued their poor form in recent weeks with a loss to West Ham at home. A first half goal from Mario and a second half goal from Arnautovic meant that West Ham took all three points at the King Power. West Ham pull farther away from the relegation zone but are still not mathematically safe while Leicester are 9th.

Watford 2 vs. 1 Newcastle

Watford confirmed their place in the Premier League for next season with a win against Newcastle. Two first half goals from Pereyra, and Gray gave Watford the lead going into half time. Watford could have had a few more but Dubravka made some brilliant saves to deny them. Newcastle nicked one back in the second half via Perez but failed to equalise. The win means that Watford sit 13th while Newcastle remain 10th but both teams have 41 points.

West Brom 1 vs. 0 Tottenham

West Brom do not know when to give up and that is great for us Chelsea fans! Jake Livermore somehow nudged the ball into the net after a scramble in the second minute of stoppage time to give West Brom all three points. Foster had made some brilliant saves in the first half and West Brom turned the volume up in the second. The win means that West Brom are now 19th in the table but would need Swansea and Southampton to lose their midweek games to take the relegation battle to the final day. Tottenham remain 4th.

Everton 1 vs. 1 Southampton

Tom Davies rescued a point for Everton in the last minute of extra time as Southampton suffered a setback in their journey for Premier League safety. After a cagey first half Redmond gave Southampton the lead in the 56th minute but a shot by Davies which was deflected off Hoedt meant that Southampton would leave with only a point. Everton remain 8th while Southampton are out of the relegation zone but only on goal difference.

Man City 0 vs. 0 Huddersfield

Huddersfield became the first team to stop Man City from scoring at the Etihad this season. In what was a day of celebration for City as they lifted the title many thought that they would accompany that with some more record breaking but Huddersfield were more than up for the task. The draw leaves Huddersfield 16th and 3 points clear of the relegation zone.

Arsenal 5 vs. 0 Burnley

In what was Arsene Wenger’s last game at the Emirates Arsenal won in stylish fashion by demolishing Burnley. Aubameyang scored two goals and Lacazette, Kolasinac, and Iwobi added the rest to complete a comprehensive win. Arsenal have been great at home this season but it is their away form that they need to rectify. The three points sealed a 6th place finish for Arsenal and a place in the Europa League group stage for next season. Mérci Arsene.

La Liga

Barcelona 2 vs. 2 Real Madrid

In what was a Clasico more to do with pride rather than any actual stakes Barcelona managed to continue their unbeaten run with a draw against Real. Suarez scored in the 10th minute but Ronaldo equalised 4 minutes later. Sergi Roberto was sent off before half time but Messi still managed to give Barcelona the lead in the 52nd minute. Bale rescued a point for Los Blancos in the 72nd minute. Real and Barcelona had several chances throughout the game to extend their lead but the end result was fair based on what was on display. Barcelona can now concentrate on ending the season unbeaten while Real turn their eyes to the Champions League final.

Weekend Football Preview

Big game week before the finale!

Premier League

Brighton vs. Man United

A game that of no real importance other than strengthening each teams position in the league. Brighton’s last home game of the season could also be their most important as 3 points against United could all but guarantee them safety with the remaining two games taking them to Man City and Liverpool respectively. A win for United would take them 8 clear of Liverpool and guarantee them the title of second best.

Stoke City vs. Crystal Palace

Stoke did well to get a point against Liverpool last week but anything other than a win against Palace would mean that they will most likely be relegated this season. Palace thrashed Leicester by 5 goals and will be keen to continue their good form. If Palace win then they would reach the 40 point mark of safety and condemn Stoke to the Championship.

Bournemouth vs. Swansea

Swansea and Bournemouth lost last weekend but out of the two teams Swansea are the team that need the three points so that they can push for safety. A win would take Swansea to 15th while a loss could see them drop to 18th depending on results elsewhere. Bournemouth are stuck at 38 points and while they are largely safe for the season a win against Swansea would remove any doubts.

Leicester vs. West Ham

Leicester have had a poor run of games recently and Puel is under pressure to win the last few games of the season. West Ham’s loss to Man City means that they are in danger of being dragged back into the relegation zone and a win is necessary for them to push higher up the table. It is a matter of pride for Leicester while West Ham battle for their safety.

Watford vs. Newcastle

A mid table battle between teams who are guaranteed safety. Its a fixture that does not have any consequence other than trying to end the season in good form. Losses last week for both teams will mean that they will be pushing to bounce back with wins.

West Brom vs. Tottenham

West Brom in all likelihood are going to be relegated though based on their recent run of form they do not deserve to be. A win for West Brom could take them into 19th and thats not as bad as finishing last in the table. A win for Tottenham could move them into 3rd while a loss for them would make the race for the top four very interesting. Let’s hope West Brom can continue their good form.

Everton vs. Southampton

Everton have hit some good form in recent weeks and will look to continue that form in their final home game of the season. Southampton won emphatically last weekend to keep their survival hopes alive and three points against Everton and Swansea in their next games would reduce the tension before their final game of the season against Man City. It should be a tough game as relegation teams usually put up the most fight.

Man City vs. Huddersfield

Man City will continue their journey to break records against an out of form Huddersfield side. With their loss last weekend Huddersfield now find themselves 16th with Chelsea, and Arsenal their next two fixtures. A loss seems on the cards and Huddersfield could slip further down the table.

Arsenal vs. Burnley

Arsenal were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday giving Wenger a trophy less farewell. Arsenal will now look to finish the season in the best possible way and for them that means not finishing below Burnley. Burnley have not won in their last three and so will look to take advantage of glum Arsenal side. The most important factor about this game is that it is Wenger’s last game at home and so the occasion will be one of celebration although the Atletico result might have soured some fans tastes. In all likelihood Wenger will probably get all three points in his final home game, anything less would be cruel.

La Liga

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

An El Clasico without any real implications. One team has won La Liga while the other is in the champions league final for a possible 3rd trophy. A heated affair that never disappoints, the fixture in Madrid was won by Barcelona 3-0 and so Real will hope to balance the books. Ronaldo and Messi will be on show and it will be another star studded game.

Weekend Football Review

City can bottle it too!

Premier League MW 33

Everton 0 vs. 0 Liverpool

With Salah out and several players rested for the upcoming Champions League game Liverpool still fielded a decent team. Everton fielded a strong lineup but were denied by Karius who made a few good saves. The draw means that Liverpool are tied with Spurs and only ahead on goal difference with Spurs having a game in hand. Everton are 9th and are safe for the season.

Bournemouth 2 vs. 2 Crystal Palace

Bournemouth for the second week in a row managed to gain a point in the final minute of the game. A second half free kick by Milivojević gave Palace the lead. Mousset equalised in the 65th. Zaha then gave Palace the lead again with a good finish in the 75th minute. Finally in the 89th minute King was able to fumble the ball into the net via a cross. Crystal Palace’s defence has let them down over the past few weeks and that has caused them to drop important points. Palace sit 3 points above the relegation zone while Bournemouth edge closer to 40 points and safety.

Brighton 1 vs. 1 Huddersfield

Lossl scored an own goal to give Brighton the lead midway through the second half. Mounie was able to score in the 32nd minute for Huddersfield to get back in the game. A red card to Pröpper in the second half was not enough to give an advantage to Huddersfield and both teams finished with a point. Brighton continue to edge towards safety while Huddersfield sit 16th.

Leicester 1 vs. 2 Newcastle

Goals by Shelvey and Pérez in each half were enough to gain all 3 points for Newcastle while Leicester did manage to get one back via Vardy late on. Newcastle have begun to gain momentum and now sit 10th, 2 points of 40 points. Leicester are still 8th but now 6 points off Burnley in 7th.

Stoke City 1 vs. 2 Tottenham

Tottenham fielded a strong lineup and continued their winning streak after Eriksen gave them the lead in the second half. Diouf was able to equalise a few minutes later and while the first half was a stalemate the second half was entertaining. Eriksen finished well to get 3 points for Tottenham in the 63rd minute. Spurs 3 points take them to 10 ahead of Chelsea in 5th and tied with Liverpool in 3rd. Stoke stay 19th 4 points off safety.

Watford 1 vs. 2 Burnley

A stale first half performance by both teams led to a lively second half. 2 goals in 3 minutes by Vokes and Cork were enough to give Burnley the win after Pereyra had given Watford the lead in the 63rd minute. Watford are 12th with 37 points while Burnley remain 7th with 49 points.

West Brom 1 vs. 1 Swansea

Goals came in the second half when Rodriguez scored to give West Brom the lead. Tammy Abraham was able to equalise for Swansea in the 75th minute. West Brom remain bottom of the table having ended their losing streak. Swansea are 16th.

Man City 2 vs. 3 Man United

This game was up their with Liverpool vs City as the best game of the season. Man city needed 3 points to confirm them as champions for the season and there was no better way than to beat your city rivals. A blitz by City in the first half gave them a 2 goal advantage after Kompany and Gündogan had scored. Sterling could have easily scored two more goals to give City a 4 goal advantage at the break but it was not to be. To say United were poor in the first half would be an under statement, during halftime Mourinho apparently asked the players whether they wanted to be clowns while City went on to win the title. The answer was clearly no as two goals in two minutes by Pogba brought United back into the game, and a 69th minute finish by Smalling ensured the three points and remarkable come back for United.

Two defeats in two for City and a second leg against a rested Liverpool side to come. City deserve to be champions this season but the debate on whether they are the greatest ever Premier League side has taken a major hit in the last week. With this win United and Mourinho have set a marker for next season and have shown proved that United have not lost their touch.

Arsenal 3 vs. 2 Southampton

Many thought that this would be a walk in the park for Arsenal but Southampton were the team to score first after Long gave them the lead in the 17th minute. A good finish by Aubameyang and deflected shot by Welbeck gave Arsenal the advantage going into half time. Southampton managed to equalise in the 73rd minute via Charlie Austin, but after Welbeck had failed to convert a very a good chance he managed to redeem himself by getting Arsenal all 3 points in the 81st minute. Red cards were given to Elneny and Stephens for altercations of the ball. Arsenal remain 6th although just 3 points off Chelsea while Southampton are still in the relegation zone at 17th.

Rest of Europe

Real Madrid 1 vs. 1 Atletico Madrid

Goals in the second half by Ronaldo and Griezmann earned both teams a point in what was a game that was dominated by Real. A draw means that Real drop down to 4th, 4 points off Atletico in 2nd, while Atletico are 11 points off Barcelona who might have sealed the La Liga title this week.

Weekend Football Preview

It’s Derby Weekend!

Premier League MW 33

Everton vs. Liverpool

The game weeks starts with a trip to Merseyside, Everton are 9th in the table while Liverpool sit 3rd, two points of Manchester United. Everton lost to City at home in the preview game due to what was a very poor first half. Liverpool have a good week after struggling to beat Crystal Palace, and then demolishing Manchester City in the Champions League. Derbies are always a fiery affair, and while Salah might be rested for the game on current form Liverpool should be able to get a win at Everton.

Bournemouth vs. Crystal Palace

Bournemouth sit in 10th a chance to go to 9th with a victory, while 3 points for Palace could move them from 17th to 14th. Crystal Palace might have lost 4 out of their last 5 games but since all of those losses came against the top 6 it can be separated. Their performances in those fixtures were encouraging and on numerous occasions they were unlucky not to come away with a point. Bournemouth did well to gain a point at Watford last weekend, but I think Crystal Palace’s recent performances have shown that they could get all 3 points.

Brighton vs. Huddersfield

Having suffered losses in the last game week both team will want to respond by getting all 3 points. Brighton have been strong at home this season and so might edge it out in this fixture while Huddersfield need to win to gain some distance from the relegation zone.

Leicester vs. Newcastle

Having moved out of the relegation zone in recent weeks a win for Newcastle could see them move to 10th, while Leicester will be trying to continue their battle for 7th with Burnley. Leicester and Newcastle have been in good form and so this should be an interesting clash, the key for Newcastle would be to keep Vardy and Mahrez quite but that is easier said than done.

Stoke City vs. Tottenham

Stoke City sit 19th in the league and time for them to escape the relegation zone is running out at each game week passes. Injuries to important players has no helped their endeavour and the run of losses seams like it will continue. Tottenham are in seventh heaven after beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 28 years and will be confident going into the fixture. Kane did make a substitute appearance against Chelsea and will want to start against a poor Stoke side as he tries to catch Salah in the golden boot race. Playing at Stoke is tough for even the best teams and Stoke might need to tap into that energy to get something away from Tottenham.

Watford vs. Burnley

Burnley have put in fine performances in recent week to hold 7th place while Watford could move to 9th with a win. Watford have been inconsistent and relatively poor lately and that is why Burnley should be able to take all three points.

West Brom vs. Swansea

Swansea suffered an away loss to Manchester United last weekend and West Brom continued their losing streak at home. After a poor first half at Old Trafford, Swansea did rally in the second and put in a performance that has become a showcase of Carvalhal’s management. In all probability Swansea will continue to poor the misery on the West Brom and should take all three points.

Man City vs. Man United

A perfect way to end an entertaining Saturday of Premier League fixtures. Needing 3 points to win the title City could ask for no better opponents than their local rivals United. Celebrations of unseen proportions would follow a City win at home and Mourinho and United will do whatever it takes to make sure that does not happen. A crushing loss to Liverpool in the Champions League could either buoy City for this game or could create doubts over their capability, the first is more of a possibility. Liverpool have given Mourinho the perfect blueprint to beat City although Mourinho like many other managers is not know to change his tactics too often. Either way this should be a mouthwatering tie, City fans will want to implement the ultimate humiliation while United fans will not want to suffer it.

Arsenal vs. Southampton

Southampton will most likely suffer their second loss in London after losing to West Ham last week. Arsenal put in a great first half performance against CSKA Moskva in the Europa League and will want to carry on their form. Rotations are expected as Aubameyang will probably replace Lacazette up top along with a few other changes. Southampton sit 18th and are most likely to stay their for this game week.

Rest Of Europe

Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid

The third major derby of the weekend comes from Madrid as third placed Real entertain second placed Atletico. Real and Atletico both won their games in the champions league and europa league respectively while there is no doubt that Real’s was the more impressive of the two. Ronaldo and Real are back to their best this year while Atletico have been rejuvenated with Diego Costa back in the team. A win for Real would take them to within a point of Atletico while a win for Atletico would see them extend the gap to 7 points. Similar to last weeks London Derby the major difference between this game and that would be that Real unlike Chelsea are in top form and should be able to get three points in what will be a close game.

Weekend Football Review

An interesting weekend fo results in the Premier League and across Europe.

Premier League MW 32

Crystal Palace 1 vs. 2 Liverpool

Crystal Palace had a good first half in which they restricted Liverpool to the odd chance, and managed to get a goal through a Luka Milivojevic penalty when Zaha had been brought down by Karius. The second half was played with a higher tempo and Sadio Mané scored via a James Milner corner in the 49th minute to get Liverpool back in the game. Though like I mentioned in the preview as long as Liverpool had Salah on the pitch they would be able to get 3 points and his goal came in the 84th minute through a Robertson cross and a composed finish in the penalty box. Crystal Palace have played well in the last few fixtures and have not deserved the results they have been dealt, that is why they should avoid relegation this season. Liverpool go 13 points clear of 5th place Chelsea and can concentrate on the champions league fixture against City.

Brighton 0 vs. 2 Leicester

Brighton lost only their 3rd home game of the season in what was very close game between the two sides. Brighton had the chance to take the lead in the 77th minute via a penalty when Izquierdo was fouled by Ndidi in the box. Murray missed the penalty and Iborra managed to give Leicester the lead in the 83rd minute following a Chilwell cross. Ndidi was send off for Leicester in the 87th minute due to a second yellow but, Leicester sealed the win in the 96th minute via a Vardy goal. Brighton dropped to 13th while Leicester maintained their position at 8th.

Man United 2 vs. 0 Swansea

Lukaku got is his 100th goal in the premier league in the 5th minute to give United the lead, and Sanchez added to the lead in the 20th minute to score is second goal for United. United dominated the first half and their star man was Jesse Lingard who has been in good form this season. Swansea fought back in the second half and De Gea (as he does so often) had to make two brilliant saves to deny Tammy Abraham. Swansea will be encouraged by their second half performance and should survive relegation. United stay second and can look forward to a certain Manchester Derby on Saturday.

Newcastle 1 vs. 0 Huddersfield

Ayoze Pérez got the winner for Newcastle in the 80th minute via Kennedy pass in what was a tightly contested fixture. Newcastle dominated the first half while Huddersfield had some chances in the second. Newcastle managed to keep their lead and now move to 12th while Huddersfield drop down to 16th.

Watford 2 vs. 2 Bournemouth

A close fixture between 11th and 10th, Femenía gave Watford the lead in the 13th minute while King equalised via a penalty in the 43rd minute when Holebas had handled the ball in the box. Pereyra scored for Watford in the 49th minute to restore the lead but Jermaine Defoe earned a point for bournemouth in the 92nd minute with a poachers finish.

West Brom 1 vs 2 Burnley

West Brom continued their dismal form by suffering a club record 8th successive loss. Barnes got Burnley the lead in the 22nd minute which was extended in the 73rd minute by Chris Wood. West Brom did have a better second half getting a goal back via Rondón in the 83rd minute. The goal had no real effect other than costing me a clean sheet in my Fantasy team. Burnley remain 7th 2 points off Arsenal while West Brom remain at the bottom.

West Ham 3 vs. 0 Southampton

Southampton looked to have gained some confidence from reaching the semi’s of the FA Cup but 2 weeks seems to have been enough for them to lose it. West Ham looked like they were in a downward spiral but Mário got them the lead in the 13th minute and Arnautovic got followed up by getting a brace in the first half to finish off a positive response by West Ham. West Ham moved to 14th 5 points off relegation while Southampton remain there.

Everton 1 vs. 3 Man City

Three first half goals from Sané, Jesus, and Sterling were enough to give City a win at Goodison Park. Bolasie managed to get Everton a consolation goal in the second half but thats pretty much it. City have a Champions League quarter final against Liverpool to look forward to while a win at home against United on Saturday would be an amazing way to seal the title.

Arsenal 3 vs. 0 Stoke City

Stoke City could not capitalise on what was a poor first half performance from Arsenal at the Emirates. Aubameyang gave Arsenal a lead through a penalty at the 75th minute and added to his tally in the 86th minute. Lacazette came off the bench to score a penalty in the 89th minute one which should give him some much needed confidence. Back to Back wins for Arsenal since November take them to within 5 points off Chelsea in 5th. Stoke remain in the relegation zone.

Rest of Europe

Bayern Munich 6 vs. 0 Dortmund

Two goals from Lewandowski along with goals from Rodriguez, Müller, and Ribéry destroyed dortmund in the first half. Lewandowski managed to complete his hattrick in the second half in what was a resounding win for Bayern Munich showcasing why they are 17 points clear of Schalke in 2nd.

Sevilla 2 vs. 2 Barcelona

Vázquez and Muriel scored in the first and second half respectively to give Sevilla what looked like a comfortable lead against an underperforming Barca team. Barca though had a certain Lionel Messi on the bench who provided an assist for Suárez in the 88th minute and then scored himself in the 89th minute to gain a point for the Blaugrana. Barcelona still lead La Liga with a 9 point gap.

Juventus 3 vs 1 AC Milan

Dybala got Juventus the lead in the 8th minute while ex Juve defender Bonucci levelled for Milan in the 28th minute. A late push by Juventus saw Cuadrado and Khedira seal the victory, and as Napoli had earlier drawn to Sassuolo the lead at the top has been extended to 4 points.

Weekend Football Preview

Premier League MW 32

Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool

Liverpool are third in the table going into the gameweek, a win at Crystal Palace would take them to second and 10 points clear of 5th place Chelsea. Crystal Palace are in the midst of a relegation battle and while their start to the season was awful, under Roy Hodgson they have managed to regain some form. Playing at Selhurst Park is always tough but a certain Mo Salah should be enough to take 3 points for Liverpool.

Brighton vs. Leicester

Brighton were early relegation contenders though they sit 14th while Leicester are 8th. A win for Brighton would see them move to 10th, while a win for Leicester would move them to 7th and a potential Europa League place. Brighton have played well at home this season although a resurgent Vardy and Mahrez could cause them problems.

Man United vs. Swansea

United have had their fair share of problems recently both on and off the pitch. Swansea have been a different team under new manager Carlos Carvalhal. A win for United is on the cards but Swansea will make them work for it.

Newcastle vs. Huddersfield

Two teams very much in the battle for relegation. Newcastle have been in good form recently and should be able to get 3 points from the fixture.

Watford vs. Bournemouth

A fixture of no real importance although Watford fans will be seeking a response from the players after losing 5-0 to Liverpool.

West Brom vs. Burnley

WestBrom are most definetly going to be relgated come the end of the season and Burnley have been steadily progressing under Sean Dyche. Burnley should win to strenghen their claim for a place in the Europa Leaue next season.

West Ham vs. Southampton

Both teams desperately need a win if they are to avoid relegation. The environment at West Ham is toxic and with Southampton having appointed Mark Hughes along with having progressed to the FA Cup semi’s momentum should be on their side.

Everton vs. Man City

Hard to see anything but a win for Man City. Everton might make them fight for the 3 points with Tosun having picked up some form in recent weeks. A win for Man City would set them up to beat Man United to become Champions next week.

Arsenal vs. Stoke City

Stoke have been poor and Arsenal having nothing to fight for in the premier league can afford to rest players for their Europa League quarter final against CSKA Moscow.

Rest Of Europe

Bayern Munich vs. Dortmund

Bayern Munich have once again ran away with the Bundesliga sitting 17 points clear of second placed Schalke. Though this fixture does not disappoint and if Dortmund were to win they would move to second.

Sevilla vs. Barcelona

A close game that Barcelona should win to move 14 points clear of second placed Atletico.

Juventus vs. AC Milan

Juventus have not been able to run away with league this season mainly due to an amazing Napoli side managed by Maurizio Sarri. Milan have turned up under the management of former player Genaro Gattuso and could cause Juventus problems. This should be an interesting fixture.