Weekend Football Review

Major movenement!

Premier League MW 27

Southampton 2 vs. 0 Norwich

Adams and Romeu scored for Southampton as the Saints ran out comfortable winners against Norwich. Southampton move up to 9th in the table while Norwich remain bottom of the table and five points from safety. 

Leeds 0 vs. 4 Tottenham

Doherty, Kulusevski, and Kane scored in the first half while Son scored in the 2nd as Tottenham bounced back and won comfortably at Leeds. Leeds dropped down to 16th wth the loss and it saw Bielsa sacked as a result of it. Jessy Marsch is lined up to take the helm but Leeds are truly in a relegation battle at the moment. Spurs move up to 7th with the win five poins from top four.

Brentford 0 vs. 2 Newcastle

Dasilva was sent off for Brentford in the 11th minute to give Newcastle a man advantage. Joelinton and Willock then added the goals as the Magpies won comfortably. A silver lining for Brentford and football in general was the comeback of Christian Eriksen. Brentford drop down to 15th and find themselves in a relegation battle while Newcastle jump up to 14th in the table with yet another win.

Crystal Palace 1 vs. 1 Burnley

Schlupp scored in the 9th minute to give Palace the lead but Milivojevic scored an own goal in the 46th minute to bring Burnley back into the game. Neither side could find the winner. Palace remain 11th in the table while Burnley remain 18th, one point from safety. 

Brighton 0 vs 2 Aston Villa

Cash scored in the 17th minute while Watkins scored in the 68th minute as Villa finally got a win after a run of poor results. Brighton drop down to 10th with a third successive loss while Villa move up to 12th with the win. 

Man United 0 vs. 0 Watford

United huffed and puffed but they couldn’t tear down Watford. So many missed chances for the home team and Watford were able to leave with a point. United remain 4th in the table two points above 5th while Watford remain 19th and three points from safety.

Everton 0 vs. 1 Man City

Foden scored in the 82nd minute due to a big mistake from Keane and then Rodri committed the most blatant hand ball you will ever see but no penalty was given as Everton were robbed of a point at home. Everton drop down to 17th in the table a point above the relegation zone while City remain top of the table six points clear of Liverpool who have a game in hand.

West Ham 1 vs. 0 Wolverhampton

Soucek scored in the only goal of the game in the 59th minute as West Ham got all three points in this important game. West Ham move into 5th in the table two points behind United while Wolves drop down to 8th in the table and seven points behind Man United. 

La Liga MW 26

Real Madrid beat Rayo Vallecano 0-1, Atletico beat Celta Vigo 2-0, Villarreal beat Espanyol 5-1, Sevilla beat Betis 2-1, Real Sociedad beat Osasuna 1-0, and Barcelona beat Bilbao 4-0. Real Madrid reman six points clear at the top of the table with Sevilla behind them. Betis are the only team to lose in the top seven as they see their gap to 4th cut down to one point. Barcelona sit 4th with Atletico 5th, and Villarreal 6th in the table. The title race is not over but Real Madrid have regained form in recent weeks. The top four race is also alive and running with five teams vying for two spots. An interesting season in Spain. 

Serie A MW 27

Milan drew with Udinese 1-1, Inter drew with Genoa 0-0, Juventus beat Empoli 2-3, Roma beat Spezia 0-1, Napoli beat Lazio 1-2, and Atalanta are yet to play. Napoli go top of the tabel on goal difference as the Milanese teams continue to drop points. Milan sit 2nd and Inter 3rd. Juventus sit five poins behind Inter in 4th. Atalanta sit 5th and a win would take them to within three points of Juventus. Roma move up to 6th while Lazio sit 7th. A close race at the top while Juventus have a good buffer from 5th at the moment. Anything can happen but it is advantage Napoli for now.

Bundesliga MW 24

Hoffenheim beat Stuttgart 2-1, Leverkusen beat Arminia 3-0, Bayern beat Frankfurt 0-1, Leipzig beat Bochum 0-1, and Dortmund drew with Augsburg 1-1. Bayern go eight points clear at the top of the table as Dortmund drop points. Leverkusen and Leipzig make up the top four. Bayern as I have said are their own worst enemy and this weekend they returned to winning ways and created a bigger gap. Not much to look at in Germany.

Ligue 1 MW 26

Nice drew with Strasbourg 0-0, PSG beat St.Etienne 3-1, Reims beat Monaco 1-2, Marseille drew with Troyes 1-1, and Lille beat Lyon 0-1. PSG go 15 points clear at the top of the table with Marseille, Nice, and Rennes making up the top four. Lille, Monaco, and Lyon sit 8th, 9th and 10th respectively. Ligue 1 just a formality at this point. 

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Weekend Football Preview

Races on all fronts!

Premier League MW 27

Southampton vs. Norwich

10th placed Southampton are unbeaten in their last four as they take on Norwich who sit bottom of the table and five points from safety. Southampton have one game in hand while Norwich also have one game in hand. Norwich are trying to survive in the league but it does look like they will go down once again. Norwich won the reverse fixture 2-1. The result can go either way but Southampton will be favourites.

Leeds vs. Tottenham

15th placed Leeds take on 8th placed Tottenham with both teams under massive pressure. Leeds have one game in hand and sit only three points above the relegation zone while Spurs have two games in hand and sit seven points from top four. Spurs have lost four of their last five while Leeds have done the same. Two teams in need of a win the result could go either way. Spurs won the reverse fixture 2-1. 

Brentford vs. Newcastle

14th placed Brentford take on 17th placed Newcastle with only two points separating the teams. Brentford are one of those clubs which are in a relegation scrap as well with the gap minimal at this point. Brentford have no games in hand while Newcastle have two games in hand. Brentford have lost four of their last five while Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five. Massive pressure on Brentford while Newcastle are in a period of good form. The reverse fixture was a 3-3 draw. 

Crystal Palace vs. Burnley

Palace sit 11th as they take on Burnley who sit 18th in the table. Palace have no games in hand while Burnley have three games in hand. Burnley are in a period of good form having only lost one of their last five while Palace finally managed to win when they beat Watford. No pressure on Palace but Burnley are the ones chasing survival. A big game for the away team. The reverse fixture ended in a 3-3 draw. 

Brighton vs. Aston Villa

9th placed Brighton have lost their last two as they take on Villa who sit 13th and have also lost their last two. Two teams in identical form with Brighton having one game in hand while Villa have two. The result can go either way. Villa won the reverse fixture 2-0.

Man United vs. Watford

Man United sit 4th in the table a point clear of 5th as they take on Watford who sit 19th in the table. Man United have not been playing well but they have faced favourable fixtures and got decent results. This is the final relatively easy game before a run of tough fixtures. Watford have one game in hand and are fighting for survival but United should win this. Watford won the reverse fixture 4-1. 

Everton vs. Man City

16th placed Everton have three games in hand as they take on City who lead the league by three points. Everton and Lampard need to return to winning ways but after City lost last weekend they will face a tough test. With Liverpool not playing this weekend City can create a six point gap even though Liverpool will have a game in hand. A massive game for both teams. City will be favourites. City won the reverse fixture 3-0. 

West Ham vs. Wolverhampton

West Ham sit 6th in the table and have only won one game in their last five as they take on Wolves who sit 7th in the table with a game in hand. Both teams are still fighting for 4th but have no advantage now. Both teams need a win as well. Wolves won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

La Liga MW 26

Real Madrid travel to Rayo Vallecano, Atletico take on Celta Vigo, Villarreal take on Espanyol, Sevilla welcome Real Betis, Real Sociedad welcome Osasuna, and Barcelona take on Bilbao. Real Madrid sit 6 points clear at the top of the table with Sevilla, Betis, and Barcelona making up the top four. Atletico sit 6th in the table. Some massive games this weekend with Real Madrid potentially increasing their gap if results go their way. One to keep an eye on.

Serie A MW 27

Milan take on Udinese, Genoa welcome Inter, Juventus travel to Empoli, Roma travel to Spezia, Lazio take on Napoli, and Atalanta take on Sampdoria. Milan sit 2 points clear of Inter and Napoli while Juventus sit 4th. Atalanta sit 5th in the table. Lazio sit 6th. Roma sit 8th. The title race could take some more turns this weekend with some teams facing tough opposition. 

Bundesliga MW 24

Hoffenheim take on Stuttgart, Leverkusen take on Arminia, Bayern travel to Frankfurt, Leipzig travel to Bochum, and Dortmund travel to Augsburg. Bayern sit six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and all the other teams can do is hope they drop more points. That does not seem likely though and it is more or less a race for the other places. 

Ligue 1 MW 26

Nice travel to Strasbourg, PSG take on St.Etienne, Monaco take on Reims, Marseille travel to Troyes, and Lyon welcome Lille. PSG sit 13 points clear and the title is all but over. Marseille, Nice, and Strasbourg make up the top four. Monaco sit 6th and Lyon sit 8th. Some interesting fixtures in terms of the top four race but other than that not much to fight for. 

Weekend Football Review

The title race is back!

Premier League MW 26

West Ham 1 vs. 1 Newcastle

Dawson scored in the 32nd minute to give West Ham the lead but Willock equalised right before half time to bring Newcastle back into the game. Neither side could find the winner in the 2nd half. West Ham remain 5th in the table four points from top four while Newcastle remain 17th but four points clear of the relegation zone. A good point for Newcastle but not for West Ham. 

Arsenal 2 vs. 1 Brentford

Smith Rowe and Saka scored in the 2nd half to give Arsenal a two goal lead and Brentford got a consolation goal through Norgaard in the 93rd minute as Arsenal sealed all three points. Arsenal remain 6th in the table four points from top four while Brentford remain 14th in the table but risk falling into a relegation race.

Brighton 0 vs. 3 Burnley

Weghorst and Brownhill scored in the 1st half while Lennon added a 3rd in the 2nd half as Burnley ran out surprise winners at Brighton. Brighton remain 9th in the table while Burnley move into 19th and five points from the relegation zone. Dyche is beginning to get the survival bid rolling for Burnley once again. 

Liverpool 3 vs. 1 Norwich

Norwich took the lead in this game in the 48th minute as Rashica scored to make it 0-1 for the canaries. It only served to wake Liverpool up as Mane, Salah, and Diaz all scored to seal the comeback and win for the home team. Liverpool remain 2nd in the table seven points clear of Chelsea but now only six points behind Man City as the title race gets reignited. 

Southampton 2 vs. 0 Everton

Armstrong and Long scored in the 2nd half for Southampton as they ran out winners against Everton. Southampton remain 10th in the table with the win while Everton remain 16th four points above the relegation zone. A 2nd loss in thre games for Lampard as goes through a rough start at his new club.

Aston Villa 0 vs. 1 Watford

Dennis scored in the 78th minute as Watford got a big win against Villa. Villa remain 12th in the table but now only have one win in their last five as Gerrard’s honeymoon period seems to be over. Watford move into 18th in the table and four points from safety as they try and survive this season.

Man City 2 vs. 3 Tottenham

The game that reignited the title race. Kulusevski gave Spurs the lead in the 4th minute to shock the fans inside the stadium. Gundogan equalised in the 33rd minute and it looked like City would run rampant. Kane though restored Spurs lead in the 59th minute. It looked like Spurs would hold on for a win but fortune struck City as they were awarded a penaly in the 92nd minute. Mahrez converted to equalise for City. Kane had other plans in mind though as he scored the winner in the 95th minute. City remain top of the table but see their lead cut down to six points. Spurs remain 8th in the table seven points from 4th as they get a big win and end their losing run.

Leeds 2 vs. 4 Man United

Maguire and Fernandes scored in the first half to give United a 0-2 lead. In typical United fashion though they conceded two goals in the 53rd and 54th minute to see Leeds come back into the game. Leeds open as they are though lost the game thanks to goals from Fred and Elanga. Leeds remain 15th in the table with the loss while United remain 4th and four points above 5th. It was a big win for United given their upcoming games. 

Wolverhampton 2 vs. 1 Leicester

Neves scored in the 9th minute to give Wolves the lead. Lookman equalised for Leicester before half time but Podence scored the winner for Wolves in the 66th minute. Wolves remain 7th in the table six points off of 4th and in the hunt for European places while Leicester remain 11th and suffer yet another loss with Rodgers going through a very tough period. 

La Liga MW 25

Villarreal beat Granada 1-4, Atletico beat Osasuna 0-3, Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-0, Sevilla drew with Espanyol 1-1, Barcelona beat Valencia 1-4 with Aubameyang scoring a hattrick, Betis beat Mallorca 2-1, and Bilbao beat Sociedad 4-0. No surprises this weekend with Sevilla being the only team who dropped points. Real remain six points clear at the top of the table with Sevilla, Betis, and Barcelona making up the top four. Atletico, Villarreal, Sociedad, and Bilbao make up the teams behind them. An interesting race for sure no slip ups this weekend.

Serie A MW 26

Juventus drew with Torino 1-1, Roma drew with Verona 2-2, Milan drew with Salernitana 2-2, Fiorentina beat Atalanta 1-0, Sassuolo beat Inter 0-2, Lazio drew with Udinese 1-1, and Napoli play on Monday night. Milan remain two points clear at the top of the table with Inter, Napoli and Juventus making up the top four. Napoli can go top on goal difference if they win their game tonight. Atalanta, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Roma make up the teams outside the top four. Mourinho has alot of work to do at Roma. The title race is going well in Italy it will be interesting to see whether Napoli take advantage.

Bundesliga MW 23

Mainz beat Leverkusen 3-2, Hoffenheim beat Wolfsburg 1-2, Koln beat Frankfurt 1-0, Bayern beat Furth 4-1 after conceding first, Dortmund beat Monchengladbach 6-0, and Leipzig beat Hertha Berlin 1-6. Bayern remain six points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with Dormtund, Leverkusen, and Leipzig making up the top four. Hoffenheim sit 5th in the table. The title race still exists in Germany but the teams behind Bayern will hope that the reigning champions slip up a few more times. 

Ligue 1 MW 25

Lille drew with Metz 0-0, Lyon drew with Lens 1-1, Nantes beat PSG 3-1, Nice beat Angers 1-0, Monaco drew with Bordeaux 1-1, and Clermont beat Marseille 0-2. PSG remain 13 points clear at the top as Marseille failed to take advantage. Nice and Strasbourg make up the top four. Rennes, and Monaco sit 5th and 6th with Lyon 8th. PSG are going though a rough patch but the teams around them are equally poor and so no one took advantage. Nice did cut the gap to 14 points from the top but that is a sizeable margin.

Weekend Football Preview

Some big games this weekend!

Premier League MW 26

West Ham vs. Newcastle

West Ham sit 5th in the table with no games in hand as they take on Newcastle who sit 17th in the table with two games in hand. Newcastle have won their last three games in a row and are unbeaten in their last five. West Ham have only won two of their last five games. West Ham are at a risk of losing ground in the top four race and Newcastle are in good form at the moment. It’s an interesting game for sure. West Ham won the reverse fixture 2-4. 

Arsenal vs. Brentford

A London Derby as 6th placed Arsenal have three games in hand and sit four points behind United who sit 4th. Brentford sit 14th in the table with no games in hand and ended their losing streak last weekend with a draw. Arsenal should win this game but Brentford need to start winning if they want to not get dragged into a relegation battle. Brentford won the reverse fixture 2-0. 

Brighton vs. Burnley

9th placed Brighton have one game in hand as they take on Burnley who sit bottom of the league and have four games in hand. Burnley sit seven points from safety and lost last weekend. Brighton only have one win in their last five games but also only one loss. An interesting game both teams will want to win it. Brighton won the reverse fixture 1-2. 

Liverpool vs. Norwich

Liverpool sit 2nd in the table having won their last four, with one game in hand and sitting 9 points behind Man City. Norwich sit 18th in the table with one game in hand and four points from safety. This should be a straight forward win for Liverpool. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 0-3. 

Southampton vs. Everton

Southampton sit 10th in the table with one game in hand with one loss in their last five games. Everton sit 16th in the table with three games in hand and finally ended their losing streak as Lampard got his first win last weekend. It’s a big game for Everton in terms of the relegation race while Southampton will want to try and get into Europe. An exciting game expected. Everton beat Southampton 3-1 in the reverse fixture.

Aston Villa vs. Watford

12th placed Villa only have one win in their last five games and have two games in hand as they take on Watford who sit 19th in the table with no wins and two games in hand. Villa need to win this game as Gerrad goes through a slight slump while the pressure is on Watford in every game. Watford beat Villa 3-2 in the reverse fixture. 

Man City vs. Tottenham

City sit 9 points clear at the top with no games in hand having won four of their last five as they take on Spurs who sit 8th with three games in hand and having lost their last three. I would love to say that Spurs could make this game interesting and City could drop points but there is very litte chance of that happening. City should win this game and Conte will have lost four in a row. If Spurs get something out of this game it would be a great point or three for them. Spurs won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

Leeds vs. Man United

Leeds sit 15th in the table and have not won any of their last three games having two games in hand. United sit 4th with no games in hand and are unbeaten in their last five. This should be a straight forward win for United as they usually beat Leeds. United won the reverse fixture 5-1. 

Wolverhampton vs. Leicester

Wolves sit 7th in the table with two games in hand and have lost only one of their last five games. Leicester sit 11th in the table with three games in hand but only have one win in their last five games. Two teams on the opposite sides of the form spectrum. In current form Wolves should win this game and the pressure is on Leicester to perform. Leicester won the reverse fixture 1-0. 

La Liga MW 25

Villarreal travel to Granada, Atletico travel to Osasuna, Real Madrid take on Alaves, Sevilla travel to Espanyol, Barceloan travel to Valencia, Betis take on Mallorca, and Real Sociedad travel to Bilbao. Real Madrid sit four points clear at the top of the table with Sevilla, Betis and Barcelona making up the top four. Atletico, Sociedad, Villarreal, make up the teams behind them. The race is heating up and Real Madrid are going through a slump in form at the moment. It will be interesting to see if their are more slip ups. 

Serie A MW 26

Juventus take on Torino in a derby, Roma take on Verona, Milan travel to Salernitana, Atalanta travel to Fiorentina, Inter take on Sassuolo, Lazio travel to Udinese, and Napoli travel to Cagliari. Milan sit at the top a point clear of Inter but Inter have a game in hand. Napoli and Juventus make up the top four. A
Atalanta, Lazio, and Roma make up the teams behind them. Another very close and interesting race, and it’s a weekend where there could be some slip ups. 

Bundesliga MW 23

Leverkusen travel to Mainz, Wolfsburg take on Hoffenheim, Frankfurt travel to Koln, Bayern take on Furth, Dortmund take on Monchengladbach, and Leipzig travel to Hertha Berlin. Bayern sit six points clear at the top of the table with Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Leipzig making up the top four. Bayern and Dortmund are going though a slump in form at the moment but Bayern should still remain clear in this race. 

Ligue 1 MW 25

Lille take on Metz, Lyon travel to Lens, PSG travel to Nantes, Nice take on Angers, Monaco travel to Bordeaux, and Marseille take on Clermont. PSG sit 13 points clear with Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg making up the top four. Monaco, and Lyon are playing catch up. The title race is over in this league but the rest are trying to get into the Champions League places. 

Weekend Football Review

No one wants 4th!

Premier League MW 25

Man United 1 vs. 1 Southampton

Sancho scored in the 21st minute of the game to give United the lead. In typical Unitd fashion though they conceded in the 48th minute to a Che Adams goal. Southampton were the better team in the 2nd half but could not find the winner. United move up to 5th in the table with the point while Southampton remain 10th in the table. 

Watford 0 vs. 2 Brighton

Maupay scored in the 44th minute to give Brighton the lead and Webster scored in the 83rd minute to double that lead. Watford remain 19th in the table six points from safety while Brighton remain 9th in the table. 

Brentford 0 vs. 0 Crystal Palace

Neither team could find the winner in this game as they shared the points. Brentford end a run of losses to remain 14th in the table while Palace remain 13th in the table. 

Everton 3 vs. 0 Leeds

Coleman and Keane scored in the 1st half while Gordon scored in the 78th minute to give Everton an important win against Leeds at home. Lampard’s first league win as Everton manager sees them remain 16th but five points clear of the relegation zone. Leeds remain 15th in the table with the loss. 

Norwich 0 vs. 4 Man City

Sterling scored a hattrick of goals while Foden added the 4th as City cruised to a comfortable win over Norwich. Norwich remain 18th in the table four points from safety while City maintain their nine point lead at the top of the table. 

Tottenham 0 vs. 2 Wolverhampton

Jimenez, and Dendoncker scored in the first half for Wolves and it was enough to see them get a big win against Spurs. This is the the third successive loss for Spurs and Conte was livid and it seemed in shock at full time. Spurs drop down to 8th with the loss. Wolves move into 7th with the win as they chase those European places. 

Newcastle 1 vs. 0 Aston Villa

A free kick by Trippier in the 35th minute was enough to see Newcastle get three more massive points in the race for survival. Newcastle remain 17th but now four points clear of the relegation zone while Villa drop down to 12th with the loss. 

Burnley 0 vs. 1 Liverpool

Fabinho scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute as Liverpool got a tough win at Burnley. Liverpool remain 2nd in the table nine points behind City but now seven points clear of Chelsea. Burnley remain bottom of the table seven points from safety. 

Leicester 2 vs. 2 West Ham

Bowen scored in the 10th minute to give West Ham the lead. Tielemans equalised for Leicester via a penalty in the 45th minute. Pereira gave Leicester the lead in the 57th minute. It looked like Leicester would get a massive win but Dawson scored from a corner via his arm and VAR failed to catch that as West Ham managed to steal a point. Leicester move up one place into 11th while West Ham remain 4th in the table. 

La Liga MW 24

Sevilla beat Elche 2-0, Villarreal drew 0-0 with Real Madrid, Atletico beat Getafe 4-3 in a crazy game, Real Sociedad beat Granada 2-0, and Barcelona drew with Espanyol 2-2. Real Madrid see their lead at the top cut down to four points while Sevilla, Betis, and Barcelona make up the top four. Atletico are level on points with Barcelona in 5th while Real Sociedad sit 6th and a point behind Atletico. Villarreal sit 7th. The title race and the race for top four are truly on in Spain. It is looking like a very exciting season at the moment. 

Serie A MW 25

Lazio beat Bologna 3-0, Napoli drew with Inter 1-1, Milan beat Sampdoria 1-0, Roma drew with Sassuolo 2-2, and Juventus drew with Atalanta 1-1. Milan move to the top of the table a point clear of Inter. Napoli and Juventus make up the top four. Atalanta, Lazio, and Roma make up the rest of the lineup. It was a big weekend for Milan for Lazio especially as they fight for the title and top four repsectively. 

Bundesliga MW 22

Leipzig beat Koln 3-1, Bochum stunned Bayern by winning 4-2, Wolfsburg beat Frankfurt 0-2, Leverkusen beat Stuttgart 4-2, and Dortmund beat Union Berlin 0-3. Bayern see their lead at the top of the table cut down to six points. Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Leipzig make up the top four. Hoffenheim sit 5th in the table. Bayern slip up at the moment but a lot needs to happen to actually create a title race here. The good thing is that the teams behind them won. 

Ligue 1 MW 24

PSG beat Rennes 1-0, Lille beat Montpellier 0-1, Lyon beat Nice 2-0, Monaco drew with Lorient 0-0, and Marseille beat Metz 1-2. PSG remain 13 points clear at the top of the table with Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg make up the top four. Monaco sit 6th in the table while Lyon sit 7th in the table. Lille sit 10th in the table. Ligue 1 continues to be a foregone conclusion but the top four race does seem interesting. 

Weekend Football Preview

The games keep rolling on!

Premier League MW 25

Man United vs. Southampton

6th placed United have one game in hand and sit a point from top four. United are unbeaten in their last four but have only won two of those games. Southampton sit 10th in the table with one game in hand and have only lost one of their last five games. This should be an interesting early kick off and Southampton are coming off of an impressive win at Spurs. The result could go either way but there is pressure on United. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Watford vs. Brighton

19th placed Watford have two games in hand and sit three points from safety as they take on Brighton who sit 9th in the table and have two games in hand as well. Watford are winless in recent games while Brighton have drawn four of their last five games. More pressure on Watford in this game but Brighton fans will want to win as well. Brighton beat Watford 2-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Brentford vs. Crystal Palace

Another London Derby as Brentford take on Palace. Brentford sit 14th in the table and have lost their last six in a row. Palace sit 13th in the table and have only one win in their last five games. Palace have one game in hand. If Palace win then Brentford will find themselves right in the middle of a relegation race. We could see the debut of Christian Eriksen as well for Brentford. A high stakes game for the home team. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw. 

Everton vs. Leeds

16th placed Everton have three games in hand as they take on Leeds who sit 15th in the table with two games in hand and four points above Everton. Everton have lost their last four while Leeds have two wins in their last five games. The pressure is already on Lampard after that loss to Newcastle and this would be a massive three points in their race for survival. A big game for the home team. The reverse fixture was a 2-2 draw.

Norwich vs. Man City

Norwich sit 18th in the table with one game in hand and a point from safety. They take on City who sit 9 points clear at the top of the table. City should win this game comfortably even though Norwich are unbeaten in their last three. City won 5-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Tottenham vs. Wolverhampton

7th placed Spurs sit 6 points from 4th as and have three games in hand as they take on Wolves who sit 8th two points behind Spurs with two games in hand. Spurs have lost their last two while Wolves lost to Arsenal. A big game for both teams in terms of the race for top four. Spurs won the reverse fixture 0-1.

Newcastle vs. Aston Villa

Newcastle sit 17th in the table and are unbeaten in their last four with two games in hand as they take on Villa who sit 11th and are unbeaten in their last three wth two games in hand as well. Newcastle got a big win against Everton and will face a similar if not tougher task against Villa. Another big game for the home team. Villa won the reverse fixture 2-0. 

Burnley vs. Liverpool

Bottom of the table Burnley have drawn their last three games and have four games in hand as they take on Liverpool who sit 2nd with a game in hand. Liverpool should win this game comfortably. Liverpool won the reverse fixture 2-0. 

Leicester vs. West Ham

Leicester sit 12th and have three games in hand having won only one of their last five games. Their is plenty of pressure on Rodgers at the moment to start winning games. West Ham sit 4th and have won three of their last five games. It’s a big game for both teams. West Ham won the reverse fixture 4-1. 

La Liga MW 24

Sevilla take on Elche, Villarreal welcome Real Madrid, Atletico take on Getafe, Real Sociedad take on Granada, and Barcelona travel to Espanyol. Real Madrid sit six points clear at the top of the table while Sevilla, Betis, and Barcelona make up the top four. Atletico sit 5th in the table, Villarreal sit 6th and Real Sociedad sit 7th in the table. Real Madrid are leading the race in Spain at the moment but the teams around them are doing well to keep up. 

Serie A MW 25

Lazio take on Bologna, Napoli take on Inter, Milan take on Sampdoria, Roma travel to Sassuolo, and Juventus travel to Atalanta. Inter sit a point clear of Napoli and Milan while Juventus sit 4th. Atalanta, Lazio, and Roma all follow the rest. The closest race in Europe at the moment and an entertaining one. Another big game with Napoli taking on Inter and maybe Milan can take advantage. A very interesting weekend.

Bundesliga MW 22

Leipzig take on Koln, Bayern travel to Bochum, Frankfurt take on Wolfsburg, Leverkusen take on Stuttgart, and Dortmund travel to Union Berlin. Bayern sit 9 points clear at the top of the table with Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Union Berlin making up the top four. Leipzig sit 7th in the table. Bayern are running away with the title once again and no one looks likely of catching them.

Ligue 1 MW 24

PSG take on Rennes, Lille travel to Montpellier, Lyon welcome Nice, Monaco take on Lorient, and Marseille travel to Metz. PSG sit 13 points clear at the top of the table and are heading towards regaining their title. Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg make up the top four. Monaco sit 6th in the table. The top four race is interesting but the rest is a foregone conclusion. 

Weekend Football Review

Some major upsets!

FA Cup 4th Round 

Man United 1 (7) vs. (8) 1 Middlesbrough

Sancho scored in the 25th minute to give United the lead but Crooks equalised for Middlesbrough in the 64th minute. Neither team could find the winner as the game eventually headed into penalties. Both teams managed to score all their penalties until Elanga missed his which sent United out of the FA Cup. Middlesbrough continue on to the next round while United realistically can only look to a top four finish this season.

Kid’minster 1 vs. 2 West Ham

Penny scored in the 19th minute to give Kidderminster the lead against West Ham. The home team were so close to a famous win but Rice scored the equaliser in the 91st minute. The home team were then close to reaching penalties but Bowen found the winner in the 121st minute. West Ham proceed to the next round but Kidderminster really made them work for it. 

Man City 4 vs. 1 Fulham

Carvalho gave Fulham the surprise lead in the 4th minute but it only served to wake City up. Gundogan eqalised for City two minutes later and Stones gave them the lead in the 13th minute. Mahrez added two goals in the 2nd half to seal the win for Man City. City progress to the next round while Fulham will now concentrate on getting back into the Premier League. 

Wolverhampton 0 vs. 1 Norwich

McLean scored the only goal of the game right before half time as Norwich held on for a win against Wolves. Wolves will now focus on finishing as high as possible in the league while Norwich continue on to the next round. 

Everton 4 vs. 1 Brentford

Life for Lampard as Everton manager got off to a great start as Everton got a big win against Brentford. Mina gave Everton the lead in the 31st minute and Richarlison doubled it in the 48th minute. Toney got one back for Brentford in the 54th minute via  a penalty but Holgate and Townsend added two more in the 2nd half to seal the comfortable win. 

Southampton 2 vs. 1 Coventry

Gyokeres scored in the 22nd minute to give Coventry the lead but Armstrong equalised for Southampton in the 63rd minute with a brilliant strike. Walker-Peters scored the winner for Southampton in the 112th minute. Southampton survive a shock to progress to the next round while Coventry are sent out. 

Crystal Palace 2 vs. 0 Hartlepool

Guehi scored in the 4th minute to give Palace the lead while Olise doubled the lead in the 22nd minute. Hartlepool could not score any goals as Palace cruised into the next round. 

Tottenham 3 vs. 1 Brighton

Kane scored in the 13th minute to give Spurs the lead while March scored an own goal in the 24th minute to double that lead. Bissouma got one back for Brighton in the 63rd minute but Kane added a third three minutes later to seal the win for Spurs. Spurs progress to the next round while Brighton are sent back home. 

Liverpool 3 vs. 1 Cardiff

Jota scored in the 53rd minute to give Liverpool the lead while Minamino made it two for Liverpool in the 68th minute. Elliot made it three in the 76th minute while Cardiff got a consolation goal in the 80th minute via Colwill. 

Nottingham Forest 4 vs. 1 Leicester

Zinckernagel, Johnson, and Worrall scored in the 1st half to give Nottingham Forest a blistering 3-0 lead. Iheanacho got one back for Leicester in the 40th minute. Spence got a 4th for Forest in the 61st minute to seal the win for the home team. Forest on a roll as they progress to the next round while the holders Leicester are sent home packing. 

La Liga MW 23

Sevilla drew against Osasuna 0-0, Real Sociedad drew with Valencia 0-0, Barcelona got a big win against Atletico 4-2, Villarreal beat Real Betis 0-2, and Madrid beat Granada 1-0. Real Madrid increase their gap at the top to six points. Sevilla, Real Betis, and Barceona make up the top four as Atletico drop down to 5th. Villarreal move up to 6th while Real Sociedad sit 7th. A good weekend for Real Madrid while Barcelona get a massive win and move into the top four. Worrying times for Atletico as they will need to find form. 

Serie A MW 24

Roma drew 0-0 with Genoa, Milan came from behind to beat Inter for what was a big win, Giroud with two goals. Lazio beat Fiorentina 0-3, Cagliari beat Atalanta 1-2, Napoli beat Venezia 0-2, and Juventus beat Verona 2-0. Inter see their lead at the top cut down to one point. Napoli, Milan and Juventus make up the top four. Atalanta, Lazio, and Roma sit 5th, 6th, and 7th respectively. A big weekend for Milan and Napoli as they get back into the title race while Juventus also get a good win with Vlahovic scoring. 

Bundesliga MW 21

Frankfurt beat Stuttgart 2-3, Bayern beat Leipzig 3-2, and Leverkusen thrashed Dortmund 2-5. Bayern increase their gap at the top to 9 points as they begin to pull away once again. Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Union Berlin make up the top four. Leipzig sit 7th in the table. Bundesliga looks like a foregone conclusion once again as Bayern should roll on and win.

Ligue 1 MW 23

Marseille beat Angers 5-2, Monaco beat Lyon 2-0, Clermont beat Nice 0-1, and PSG thrashed Lille 1-5. PSG sit 13 points clear at the top with Marseille, Nice and Strasbourg making up the top four. Monaco sit 6th while Lyon sit 8th. Lille sit 11th in the table. Similar to the Bundesliga Ligue 1 is a foregone conclusion. 

Weekend Football Preview

Back after the winter break with the FA Cup!

FA Cup 4th Round

Man United vs. Middlesbrough

United kick off proceedings on Friday night as they welcome Middlesbrough who sit 7th in the Championship. Middlesbrough beat Mansfield Town 2-3 in the last round and have since won two and lost one. United beat Villa 1-0 in the last round andd have since won two and drawn one. United’s turmoil behind the scenes has continued over the break but on the pitch they should beat Middlesbrough. Middlesbrough have nothing to lose.

Kid’minster vs. West Ham

Kidderminster sit 3rd in the National League as they welcome West Ham who are flying in the Premier League. Kidderminster beat Reading 2-1 in the last round have since won five drawn one and lost one. West Ham beat Leeds 2-0 in the last round have since won one and lost two of their games. On paper West Ham should win this game comfortably but Kidderminster are at home and they always stand a chance.

Man City vs. Fulham

The Championship leaders Fulham travel to the Premier League leaders Manchester City for this game. Fulham beat Bristol 0-1 in the last round and have since won four and drawn one. City beat Swindon 1-4 in the last round have since won one and drawn one. City will ofcourse be favourites but Fulham could pull off an upset in this game.

Wolverhampton vs. Norwich

An all Premier League tie as Norwich travel to Wolves. Wolves beat Sheffield United 3-0 in the last round and have won both their games since. Norwich beat Charlton 0-1 in the last round and have since lost one and won two of their games. Wolves should win this game because they have been in brilliant form but Norwich will look to cause an upset.

Everton vs. Brentford

Everton have been busy over the break as they appointed Frank Lampard to be their new manager. It’s another all Premier League fixture and it should be an exciting one. Everton beat Hull City 2-3 in the last round and have since lost both their games. Brentford beat Port Vale 1-4 and have since lost all four of their games. Goodison Park will be a vibrant place and Lampard will want to kick his tenure off with a win. 

Southampton vs. Coventry

Coventry sit 10th in the Championship and beat Derby 1-0 in the last round. They have since won two and lost two. Southampton beat Swansea 2-3 in the last round have won one drawn one and lost one of their games. This should be an interesting game that could go either way. 

Crystal Palace vs. Hartlepool

Hartlepool sit 16th in League Two as they travel to Premier League Crystal Palace. Hartlepool beat Blackpool 2-1 in the last round and have since won one drawn drawn three and lost one. Palace beat Millwall 1-2 in the last round and have since drawn one and lost one. Palace should win this game comfortably.

Tottenham vs. Brighton

Probably the toughest fixture of the lot as Tottenham welcome Brighton in an all Premier League fixture. Spurs beat Morecambe 3-1 in the last round and have since lost two of their games and won one. Brighton beat West Brom 1-2, and have drawn their last three. This is going to be an interesting game. This is Spurs only chance at a trophy this season so they have to take this seriously. 

Liverpool vs. Cardiff City

Cardiff sit 20th in the Championship but beat Preston in the last round 2-1. They have since won two and lost two. Liverpool beat Shrewsbury 4-1 in the last round and have since won three and drawn one. Liverpool should win this game comfortably. 

Nottingham Forest vs. Leicester

Forest sit 8th in the Championship and beat Arsenal 1-0 in the last round. They have since won three and lost one. Leicester beat Watford 4-1 and have since lost one and drawn one. Forest could cause an upset in this game it will be interesting to keep an eye on it. 

La Liga MW 23

Sevilla travel to Osasuna, Real Sociedad travel to Valencia, Barcelona take on Atletico in the biggest game, Real Betis take on Villarreal, and Real Madrid entertain Granada. Real sit four points clear at the top of the table with Sevilla, Betis, and Atletico making up the top four. Barcelona sit 5th in the table and Sociedad sit 6th in the table. If Atletico beat Barcelona they can open up a four point gap while if Barcelona win they move in to top four. An interesting weekend for sure. 

Serie A MW 24

Roma take on Genoa, Inter take on Milan in a massive derby, Lazio travel to Fiorentina, Atalanta take on Cagliari, Napoli travel to Venezia, and Juventus take on Verona. Inter sit four points clear of Napoli and Milan while Atalanta sit 4th. Juventus sit 5th while Roma sit 6th in the table. The derby is a massive game and could see the lead increase to seven points or decrease to one point. Juventus also have Vlahovic up front now which should give them a boost as well. Big weekend ahead. 

Bundesliga MW 21

Frankfurt travel to Stuttgart, Bayern take on Leipzig, and Dortmund take on Leverkusen. Bayern sit six points clear at the top of the table while Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Union Berlin make up the top four. Leipzig sit 6th in the table. An interesting weekend ahead the other teams will be hoping Leipzig can cause some sort of upset. 

Ligue 1 MW 23

Marseille take on Angers, Monaco take on Lyon, Nice take on Clermont, and Lille welcome PSG. PSG sit 11 points clear at the top of the table, with Nice, Marseille and Strasbourg making up the top four. Lyon sit 7th and Monaco sit 8th in the table. Mostly a given that PSG will win the league at this point. 

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. 

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.