Midweek Football Review

Some surprises

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal 0 (0) vs. (0) 2 Liverpool

Arsenal worked so hard to get this game called off and rescheduled. They got their main players back and fielded their strongest XI. They lost to Liverpool without scoring a goal. Jota scored in the 19th minute and in the 77th minute as they cruised to the final. Liverpool will face Chelsea in the final. Arsenal are now knocked out of all competitions and only have the Premier League to focus on. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leicester 2 vs. 3 Tottenham

Daka scored in the 24th minute to give Leicester the lead. Kane equalised for Spurs in the 38th minute. Maddison restored Leicester’s lead in the 76th minute and looked ot be heading for a win. Bergwijn came off the bench to score the equaliser in the 95th minute and get the winner in the 97th minute. Spurs made a brilliant comeback and Leicester again bottled the lead. Leicester remain 10th while Spurs move up to 5th now 11 points clear of Leicester. They are now within eight points of Chelsea with four games in hand. 

Brentford 1 vs. 3 Man United

Brentford dominated Man United for 45 minutes but failed to take their chances. There was only going to be one outcome from there on. Elanga gave United the lead in the 55th minute. Greenwood made it two for United in the 62nd minute and Rashford made it three for United in the 77th minute. Toney got one back for Brentford in the 85th minute. Brentford remain 14th in the table. United remain 7th now only two points from top four with two games in hand. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia drew with Sevilla 1-1. Sevilla play their game in hand and sit 2nd in the table but still four points behind Real Madrid. Valencia sit 9th in the table. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Sociedad beat Atletico 2-0, Real Madrid came from behind to beat Elche in extra time 1-2. Eden Hazard got the winner for them. Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2 to progress as well. Barcelona and Atletico dumped out and Barcelona especially are having one of their worst seasons ever. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio beat Udinese 1-0, Juventus beat Sampdoria 4-1, Inter beat Empoli 3-2, and Roma beat Lecce 3-1. The favorites won their games and progress to the next round to potentially make up some very tasty fixtures. 

DFB Pokal Round of 16

St.Pauli beat Dortmund 2-1, Hannover beat Monchengladbach 3-0, Leipzig beat Hansa 2-0, and Freiburg beat Hoffenheim 1-4. Some big upsets here and the DFB Pokal will be getting a new winner this season. The biggest teams are out and only Leipzig remain among others. Freiburg especially are having a really good season. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille beat Lorient 3-1. Lille play their game in hand and move up to 8th in the table. Only three points behind 4th placed Strasbourg. 

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Midweek Football Preview

A mix of games in hand and cup competitions.

Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg

Arsenal (0) vs. (0) Liverpool

The 1st leg was played last week as Arsenal did well to hold on for a draw after going down to 10 men. Arsenal used a similar loophole to Liverpool to avoid playing during the weekend and will be fresh for this game. Liverpool beat Brentford during the weekend. This should be an interesting game for sure and either team can go through.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Burnley vs. Watford

A relegation battle as 20th placed Burnley take on 17th placed Watford with 3 points seperating the two teams. Burnley have five games in hand going into this game while Watford have three games in hand going into this game. Both teams are in extremely poor form so either team can win this game. The most likely result is a draw. 

Leicester vs. Tottenham

10th placed Leicester have four games in hand as they take on 6th placed Spurs who have four games in hand as well. Both teams did not play during the weekend because of Covid related issues. A win for Leicester would take them to within three points of United while a win for Spurs would take them above Arsenal and a point behind West Ham. Tottenham were abysmal against Chelsea over two legs in the Carabao Cup so there is a need to put in a better performance against Leicester. An interesting game for sure.

Brentford vs. Man United

14th placed Brentford have only won one of their last five games as they take on United who sit 7th and have only lost one of their last five games. This is Brentford’s game in hand while United would have one more after this. United will be favourites but Brentford can get something out of this game especially since they are at home. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Valencia take on Sevilla amongst other teams.

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Atletico travel to Real Sociedad, Real Madrid travel to Elche, and Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao. Bilbao and Real Madrid just played the Supercopa De Espana final in the Middle East which Real Madrid won. Bilbao will be looking to bounce back while Madrid will want to continue the good form. Some interesting games. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Lazio take on Udinese, Juventus take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Empoli, and Roma welcome Lecce. Home games for all these big teams and one woulde expect all of them to progress to the next round. Milan, Fiorentina, and Atalanta are already through.

DFB Pokal Round of 16

Dortmund take on St.Pauli, Monchengladbach travel to Hannover, Leipzig take on Hansa, and Hoffenheim take on Freiburg amongst others. No Bayern in the DFB Pokal so that is a different. Winnable fixtures for most teams with Hoffenheim and Freiburg being the toughest fixture. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lille take on Lorient amongst other games. Lille can go up to 8th in the table with a win in this game.

Weekend Football Review

Some fun results!

Premier League MW 22

Brighton 1 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

This was a close game as expected and it was a draw as well whch was the most likely outcome. Gallagher gave Palace the lead in the 69th minute but Andersen scored an own goal in the 87th minute to give Brighton a point. Palace seem to always drop points in the final few minutes of a game. Brighton remain 9th in the table with two games in hand while Palace move into 11th with one game in hand. 

Norwich 2 vs. 1 Everton

Keane scored an own goal in the 16th minute to give Norwich the lead. Idah then made it two for Norwich two minutes later. Richarlison got one back for Everton in the 60th minute but Norwich held on for a massive win. Norwich move up to 18th with one game in hand and a point form survival. Everton drop down to 16th and sacked Rafa Benitez on Sunday as they look for a new manager now. 

Wolverhampton 3 vs. 1 Southampton

Jimenez scored a penalty in the 37th minute to give Wolves the lead. Coady made it two in the 59th minute. Ward-Prowse scored a brilliant free kick in the 84th minute but Traore scored in the 91st minute to seal the deal for Wolves. Wolves score three goals in a game which is a rarity as they remain 8th in the table with 2 games in hand. They sit a point behind Man United now. Southampton drop down to 12th with one game in hand. 

Newcastle 1 vs. 1 Watford

Saint-Maximin scored in the 49th minute to give Newcastle the lead but Pedro scored in the 87th minute to equalise for Watford. Newcastle sit 19th in the table with two games in hand and two points from safety. Watford remain 17th in the table with three games in hand and a point above the relegation zone. 

Aston Villa 2 vs. 2 Man United

Fernandes scored in the 6th minute to give Man United the lead. Fernandes then scored again in the 67th minute to double United’s lead. It looked like United would cruise to a surprise win but on came Phillipe Coutinho. Ramsey got one back a from Coutinho assist in the 77th minute. Coutinho then equalised for Villa in the 81st minute. A good comeback from Villa sees them move up to 13th in the table. United remain 7th but now within touching distance of Wolves and Brighton, who also have two games in hand. 

West Ham 2 vs. 3 Leeds

Harrison scored in the 10th minute to give Leeds the lead. Bowen equalised for West Ham in the 33rd minute but Harrison restored the lead for Leeds in the 37th minute. Fornals equalised for West Ham in the 52nd minute but Harrison completed his hattrick and won three points for Leeds in the 60th minute. West Ham remain 4th in the table 2 points above Arsenal who have two games in hand. Leeds move up to 15th with the win and have two games in hand. 

Liverpool 3 vs. 0 Brentford

Fabinho, Ox, and Minamino, scored over the course of the game to get a comfortable win against Brentford. Liverpool move into 2nd, 2 points above Chelsea and 11 points behind City with a game in hand. Brentford drop down to 14th with the loss. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

Real Betis beat Sevilla to progess to the next round while Valencia beat Atletico Baleares. 

Serie A MW 22

Lazio beat Salernitana 0-3, Juventus beat Udinese 2-0, Roma beat Cagliari 1-0, and Atalanta drew with Inter 0-0. Inter remain 2 points above Milan but both them and Napoli play on Monday and can make up ground on Inter. Atalanta remains 4th while Juventus and Roma remain 5th and 6th. Lazio sit 7th in the table. The title race continues to go through twist and turns in Italy while Mourinho finally ends a winless run of three games. 

Bundesliga MW 19

Dortmund beat Freiburg 5-1, Bayern beat Koln 0-4, Union Berlin beat Hoffenheim 2-1, Wolfsburg drew with Hertha Berlin 0-0, Leipzig beat Stuttgart 0-2, Leverkusen beat Monchengladbach 1-2, Frankfurt drew with Augsburg 1-1. Bayern remain 6 points clear at the top of the table with Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Hoffenheim making up the top four. Leipzig sit 7th, while Monchengladbach sit 12th. Bayern will probably win the league but at the moment there is still some sort of title race going on in Germany. 

Ligue 1 MW 21

PSG beat Brest 2-0, Monaco beat Clermont 4-0, Lyon beat Troyes 0-1, while Lille drew with Marseille 1-1. PSG go 11 points clear at the top of the table while Nice, Marseille, and Rennes make up the top four. Monaco move up to 5th in the table a point behind Rennes. Lille sit 10th in the table while Lyon are 11th. The title is a foregone conclusion at this point but Monaco are looking good at the moment. The likes of Lille and Lyon continue to struggle.

 

Weekend Football Preview

Big weekend of league football!

Premier League MW 22

Brighton vs. Crystal Palace

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

Norwich vs. Everton

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

Wolverhampton vs. Southampton

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

Newcastle vs. Watford

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

Aston Villa vs. Man United

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

West Ham vs. Leeds

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

Liverpool vs. Brentford

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

Tottenham vs. Arsenal

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

Copa Del Rey Round of 16

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

Serie A MW 22

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

Bundesliga MW 19

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

Ligue 1 MW 21

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

Weekend Football Review

Some upsets in the FA Cup!

FA Cup 3rd Round

Swindon 1 vs. 4 Man City

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

Burnley 1 vs. 2 Huddersfield

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

Millwall 1 vs. 2 Crystal Palace

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

Newcastle 0 vs. 1 Cambridge United

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

West Brom 1 vs. 2 Brighton

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

Leicester 4 vs. 1 Watford

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

Port Vale 1 vs. 4 Brentford

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

Hull City 2 vs. 3 Everton

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

Swansea 2 vs. 3 Southampton

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

Charlton 0 vs. 1 Norwich

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

Wolverhampton 3 vs. 0 Sheffield 

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

West Ham 2 vs. 0 Leeds

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

Tottenham 3 vs. 1 Morecambe

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

Liverpool 4 vs. 1 Shrewsbury

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

Nottingham 1 vs. 0 Arsenal

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

Man United 1 vs. 0 Aston Villa

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

La Liga MW 20

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

Serie A MW 21

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

Bundesliga MW 18

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

Ligue 1 MW 20

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

Weekend Football Preview

FA Cup is back!

FA Cup 3rd Round

Swindon vs. Man City

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

Burnley vs. Huddersfield

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

Millwall vs. Crystal Palace

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

Newcastle vs. Cambridge United

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

West Brom vs. Brighton

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

Leicester vs. Watford

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

Port Vale vs. Brentford

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

Hull City vs. Everton

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

Swansea vs. Southampton

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

Charlton vs. Norwich

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

Wolverhampton vs. Sheffield

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

West Ham vs. Leeds

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

Tottenham vs. Morecambe

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

Liverpool vs. Shrewsbury

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

Nottingham vs. Arsenal

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

Man United vs. Aston Villa

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

La Liga MW 20

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

Serie A MW 21

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

Bundesliga MW 18

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

Ligue 1 MW 20

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

Midweek Football Review

Carabao not taken lightly.

Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals

Arsenal 5 vs. 1 Sunderland

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

Liverpool 3 (5) vs. (4) 3 Leicester

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

Tottenham 2 vs. 1 West Ham

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

La Liga (Games in hand)

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

Serie A MW 19

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

Ligue 1 MW 19

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

Midweek Football Preview

Carabao Cup returns!

Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals

Arsenal vs. Sunderland

Arsenal sit 4th in the Premier League and beat Leeds in the last round of the Carabao Cup. They have since won 6, and lost three of their games. Sunderland beat QPR on penalties in the last round and have since won 4, drawn 3, and lost 5 of their games. Sunderland currently sit 3rd in League One. Based on current form Arsenal should win this game especially since they are at home. 

Liverpool vs. Leicester

Liverpool beat Preston in the last round 0-2. Liverpool have since won 9, and drawn 2 of their games, and sit 2nd in the Premier League. Leicester beat Brighton on penalties in the last round and have since won 3, drawn 3, and lost 4 as they sit 9th in the table. Brendan Rodgers returns to Anfield once again and Leicester are the FA Cup holders. Based on current form Liverpool should win this game but Leicester always stand a chance. 

Tottenham vs. West Ham

Tottenham beat Burnley 0-1 in the last round and have since won 4, drawn 2 and lost 2 of their games as they sit 7th in the Premier League. West Ham beat Man City on penalties in the last round and have since won 4, drawn 3, and lost 4. It’s a London Derby and both teams are in similar form going into this game. Tottenham are on an upward trajectory though while West Ham seem to be going through poor form. Either team can win.

La Liga (Games in hand)

Villarreal take on Alaves, and Sevilla take on Barcelona midweek as these teams play their games in hand. It’s a good chance for Sevilla to cut the gap to Real Madrid while Barcelona can cut the gap to the top four. 

Serie A MW 19

Juventus take on Cagliari, Atalanta travel to Genoa, Lazio travel to Venezia, Roma take on Sampdoria, Inter take on Torino, Milan take on Empoli, and Napoli take on Spezia. We approach the halfway point of the season in Italy and all these teams play games where they should win. This is a stumbling block of a weekend and it will be interesting to see which teams avoid the hurdles and which trip up.

Ligue 1 MW 19

Marseille take on Reims, PSG travel to Lorient, Lille travel to Bordeaux, Lyon take on Metz, and Monaco take on Rennes. PSG sit 13 points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and this should be another chance for these teams to increase the lead. If PSG stumble then the other teams need to win to cut the gap. 

Weekend Football Review

Neck and neck!

Premier League MW 16

Brentford 2 vs. 1 Watford

Dennis scored in the 24th minute to give Watford the lead. Brentford kept fighting on and Jansson equalised for Brentford in the 84th minute. Mbeumo got the winner in the 96th minute via a penalty. Brentford climb up to 10th in the table with the win while Watford make it 4 successive losses and remain 17th in the table. 

Man City 1 vs. 0 Wolverhampton

Jimenez was sent off for immature behaviour right before half time and Moutinho was misjudged for handball when it his armpit as City got a penalty in the 66th minute. Sterling stepped forward and converted it to give City a win. City remain top of the table with the win while Wolves drop down to 9th with another unlucky loss. 

Liverpool 1 vs. 0 Aston Villa

Gerrard visited Anfield for the first time as a manager and was given a warm welcome before the game began. Villa fought hard for much of the game and similar to City Liverpool got a penalty in the 67th minute and Salah converted to get a win. This was more of a penalty than the City one. Liverpool remain 2nd in the table while Villa drop down to 13th. Not bad for Gerrard with the only two losses having come against City and Liverpool, and being unlucky for sure.

Arsenal 3 vs. 0 Southampton

Lacazette and Odegaard scored in the 1st half to give Arsenal the lead while Gabriel scored in the 2nd half to rap up a comfortable win for Southampton. Arsenal move up to 6th with the win while Southampton remain 16th in the table and winless. 

Norwich 0 vs. 1 Man United

Penalty Saturday ended with a win for United via a penalty by Ronaldo in the 75th minute. Norwich played well and were the better team and deserved a draw but the penalty helped United through. Rangnick has plenty of work to do as United move up to 5th a point behind West Ham while Norwich remain bottom of the table 3 points from safety. 

Burnley 0 vs. 0 West Ham

This game ended in a draw but West Ham dominated much of the game. Burnley also had quiet a few good chances to win it at the end as well. Burnley remain 18th in the table 2 points from safety while West Ham remain 4th but now only 1 point above 5th. 

Leicester 4 vs. 0 Newcastle

Tielemans scored 2 goals, one in each half while Daka and Maddison added the rest in a comfortable win for Leicester. Newcastle dominated possession but the defence was poor and they conceded goals too easily. Leicester move up to 8th in the table with the win while Newcastle remain 19th in the table 3 points from safety. 

Crystal Palace 3 vs. 1 Everton

Gallagher scored in the 41st minute to give Palace the lead with a brilliant finish. Tomkins added a 2nd in the 62nd minute via a corner. Rondon got one back for Everton in the 70th minute to give the game a nervy ending, but Gallagher scored a brilliant long distance goal in the 93rd minute to seal 3 points for the Eagles. Palace move up to 12th in the table with the win while Everton drop down to 14th with pressure back on Benitez. 

La Liga MW 17

Valencia beat Elche 2-1, Sevilla beat Bilbao 0-1, Villarreal beat Rayo Vallecano 2-0, Barcelona drew with Osasuna 2-2, Real Betis beat Sociedad 4-0, and Real Madrid beat Atletico 2-0 in the derby with Courtois in magnificent form. Real Madrid remain 8 points clear at the top but Sevilla have a game in hand. Betis sit 3rd in the table while Atletico sit 4th in the table. Sociedad drop down to 5th while Valencia sit 7th and Barcelona sit 8th. On a weekend where everyone won Barcelona once again dropped points with the draw. Xavi is finding it tough to work miracles with this squad while Ancelotti has 10 wins in a row now. 

Serie A MW 17

Juventus drew with Venezia 1-1, Milan drew with Udinese 1-1, Atalanta beat Verona 1-2, Sassuolo beat Lazio 2-1, Empoli beat Napoli 0-1, and Inter beat Cagliari 4-0. Everyone drops points except Inter and Atalanta. Roma are yet to play. Inter go 1 point clear at the top of the table while Milan Atalanta and Napoli make up the top four. Juventus sit 6th in the table Roma sit 8th and Lazio sit 9th. It’s quite entertaining in Italy at the moment and Napoli are in a bit of poor form after their amazing start.

Bundesliga MW 15

Dortmund drew with Bochum 1-1, Bayern beat Mainz 2-1, Hoffenheim beat Freiburg 1-2, Leipzig beat Monchengladbach 4-1, and Frankfurt beat Leverkusen 5-2. Bayern go 6 points clear at the top of the table as they continue to pull away while Dortmund, Leverkusen, and Hoffenheim make up the top four. Leipzig climb up to 7th in the table. Bayern are climbing away as usual while other teams begin to drop points and show no consistency.

Ligue 1 MW 18

Lille drew with Lyon 0-0, Nice beat Rennes 1-2, Marseille beat Strasbourg 0-2, and PSG beat Monaco 2-0. PSG go 13 points clear at top of the table with Marseille, Rennes, and Nice making up the top four. Monaco sit 8th in the table Lille and Lyon sit 11th and 13th. Ligue 1 is a shambles at the moment and the race for top four also seems to be a slow one. 

Weekend Football Preview

Another big weekend!

Premier League MW 16

Brentford vs. Watford

Brentford sit 13th in the table with one win in their last five games while Watford sit 17th and have one win in their last five as well but the other results are four losses. This should be a high tempo and fun game to watch and it’s a London Derby so it adds some added spice. 

Man City vs. Wolverhampton

League leaders City are looking to maintain their momentum as 8th placed Wolves come to town. Wolves have been playing well but have only won one of their last five games so there is pressure. The problem with Wolves is that they just can’t seem to finish the chances they create. City do come into this game with a loss during the week but this is the Premier League. This should be a good game to watch and Wolves are capable of getting something out of the game but Man City are the favourites as usual. 

Liverpool vs. Aston Villa

Another great game this weekend as Gerrard visits Liverpool for the first time with his Villa team. Liverpool sit 2nd and are looking to continue their winning streak against Villa who sit 10th in the table having won 3 of Gerrard’s 4 games. The only loss came to Man City but they did fight hard in that game. Liverpool did struggle to beat Wolves and that should give Villa hope and they did thrash Liverpool last year but Liverpool like they showed against Wolves will be favourites to pull through. Hopefully Gerrard can cause an upset at Anfield. 

Arsenal vs. Southampton

7th placed Arsenal have now lost their last two games as they take on 16th placed Southampton who have won only one of their last five games but have drawn their last two. Southampton need a win and they know that Arsenal are in a slight dip of form but Arsenal need to bounce back before the narrative turns toxic again. An interesting game for sure. 

Norwich vs. Man United

Bottom of the table Norwich lost last weekend but had been doing well before that. Man United sit 6th in the table and are 3 games unbeaten as they look to make it a 3rd successive win this season. Norwich are playing better against Dean Smith and they can cause Man United some problems. United rested a lot of players during the week against Young boys and they will be favourites. 

Burnley vs. West Ham

18th placed Burnley have been doing well but lost last weekend while West Ham beat Chelsea last weekend and sit 4th in the table. West Ham are in brilliant form at the moment but were slightly fortunate to beat Chelsea. Burnley are hard to beat at the moment and could cause West Ham problems with their defensive crisis. Burnley could get something out of this game. 

Leicester vs. Newcastle

Leicester sit 11th and have only won one of their last five games as they take on Newcastle who sit 19th and finally got their first win last weekend. Two teams that need to get the wins, its another interesting game, slight pressure on Brendan Rodgers maybe.

Crystal Palace vs. Everton

14th placed Palace have lost their last three and again by very fine margins as they take on Everton who sit 12th in the table and finally managed to win against Arsenal. Both teams need a win and there will be more pressure on Benitez to continue the win. Palace have been playing good football and it will be interesting for sure. 

La Liga MW 17

Valencia take on Elche, Sevilla travel to Bilbao, Villarreal take on Rayo Vallecano, Barcelona travel to Osasuna, Real Sociedad travel to Real Betis, and Real Madrid take on Atletico Madrid. The big game this weekend is the Madrid Derby as Atletico try to play catch up with their local rivals. Barcelona having dropped down to the Europa League along with more losses has caused the optimism around Xavi to vanish. Another big weekend of Spanish football but Real Madrid are in cruise control at the moment.

Serie A MW 17

Juventus travel to Venezia, Milan travel to Udinese, Atalanta travel to Verona, Lazio travel to Sassuolo, Napoli take on Empoli, Inter take on Cagliari, and Roma take on Spezia. Straight forward games this weekend in Italy and it’s a week of these big teams slipping against weaker teams. Everyone will be favourites to get a win but if anyone slips it would create a gap for sure.

Bundesliga MW 15

Dortmund travel to Bochum, Bayern take on Mainz, Hoffenheim travel to Freiburg, Leipzig take on Monchengladbach, and Leverkusen travel to Frankfurt. Similar to Italy there are some easy fixtures in Germany this weekend. Bayern are looking to turn on the after burners and pull away having beaten Dortmund last weekend. The other teams need Bayern to falter and need to pick up form.

Ligue 1 MW 18

Lille take on Lyon, Rennes take on Nice, Marseille travel to Strasbourg, and PSG take on Monaco. It’s a big weekend in France with some massive games but the sad thing is that PSG sit 11 points clear at the moment. If Monaco can beat PSG then it can cut the gap to 8 and make things a bit more interesting but other than that there’s not much at stake other than the top four race.