Midweek Football Preview

League football is back!

Premier League MW 24

Newcastle vs. Everton

Newcastle were very busy during the winter transfer window as they spent nearly a 100 million euros. Trippier, Targett, Burn, Wood, and Bruno all came into the team with Bruno being the most eye catching acquisition from Lyon. A combative midfielder that has a knack to attack as well. Everton were also busy as they brought in Lampard as the manager and got Alli, and van de Beek into the team. Newcastle have two games in hand and sit 19th in the table one point from safety. The Magpies are unbeaten in their last three. Everton sit 16th in the table with three games in hand and haven’t won a game in a long time. A big game with pressure on both teams. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

West Ham vs. Watford

A London derby as Watford travel to West Ham. West Ham sit 5th in the table with no games in hand while Watford sit 18th with two games in hand. West Ham have lost their last two and are looking for a win to stay in the top four race while Watford will love to pull out of the relegation zone at least momentarily. Another big game with high stakes. West Ham beat Watford 1-4 in the reverse fixture. 

Burnley vs. Man United

Burnley are unbeaten in their last two and have four games in hand as they sit 20th in the table three points from safety. United sit 4th in the table with one game in hand and a point above 5th. Another game with both teams having plenty to lose. Burnley will not fear United and will know that they can get a result if they stay strong at the back. United beat Burnley 3-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Norwich vs. Crystal Palace

Norwich have won their last two and have a game in hand as they sit 17th in the table a point above the relegation zone. Palace sit 13th in the table and have only won one of their last five games. Norwich are the team in better form which is a rarity and Palace will want to bounce back. A tough game but Norwich lose more if they can’t get a result. An interesting one to watch. Palace beat Norwich 3-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Tottenham vs. Southampton

7th placed Spurs have three games in hand as they take on 12th placed Southampton who have one game in hand. Conte lost his first game in the league as Spurs manager to Tuchel and Chelsea the last time around. Southampton have only lost one of their last five games. An interesting game for sure but Tottenham can move closer to top four with a win. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Man City vs. Brentford

City sit 9 points clear at the top with no games in hand as they take on Brentford who sit 14th in the table and have lost their last four games. This should be an easy win for Man City as Brentford are in dismal form at the moment. City beat Brentford 0-1 in the reverse fixture. 

Aston Villa vs. Leeds

Villa sit 11th with two games in hand as they take on Leeds who sit 15th with two games in hand as well. No real stakes in this game but it should be an entertaining one for sure. The reverse fixture was postponed. 

Liverpool vs. Leicester

Liverpool sit 2nd in the table and have a game in hand as they cling on to some hope of a title race. Leicester sit 10th in the table with three games in hand but are in dismal form at the moment. Leicester beat Liverpool 1-0 in the reverse fixture. 

Wolverhampton vs. Arsenal

Wolves sit 8th in the table and are in brilliant form with two games in hand. Arsenal sit 6th in the table with two games in hand. Two point separate the two teams so this is a massive game. If Wolves win they go above Arsenal while if Arsenal win they open up a five point gap. One to watch for sure. 

Copa Del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg

Rayo Vallecano take on Real Betis while Bilbao take on Valencia. None of the traditional top three in the Copa Del Rey this season. I would say Betis are favourites to qualify from the first semi-final while Bilbao are the in form team in the 2nd. An interesting couple of fixtures. 

Coppa Italia Quarter-Finals

Inter take on Roma, Milan take on Lazio, Atalanta take on Fiorentina, and Juventus take on Sassuolo. All the four fixtures are tasty ones and it’s safe to say anyone could progress from them. A very interesting set of games. 

Coupe De France Quarter-Finals

Monaco take on Amiens SC, Bergerac Perigord entertain Versailles, Nice take on Marseille, while Nantes welcome Bastia. Some very interesting fixtures and all teams are relatively well matched. Should be some interesting outcomes. 

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Chelsea vs. Plymouth Argyle FA Cup 4th Round Preview

The FA Cup returns to resume football!

After a two week break where most of football including the fans took some time off to rest and relax and freshen their minds after a grueling winter period, the sport is back again. The Fa Cup 4th Round is upon us and Chelsea entertain Plymouth Argyle who sit 7th in Football League One. Plymouth beat Birmingham 0-1 in the last round and have since won one, drawn one and lost two of their games. It’s safe to say Plymouth are relative underdogs going into this game and similar to Chesterfield in the previous round Chelsea are heavy favourites.

Chelsea go into this game having beaten Chesterfield 5-1 in the last round. The club have since won two, drawn one and lost one. This is a good game for Chelsea to get back into the groove of things and another good chance for the academy players to get a run out at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea only play the solitary Premier League game this month against Palace as we will be involved in four different competitions this month. It’s a grueling schedule and a consequence of us being involved on all fronts and doing well. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Bettinelli should be back in goal for this game with a back four of Azpilicueta, Trevoh Chalobah, Andreas Christensen, and Malang Sarr. I expect Lewis Hall and Saul to make up the midfield two with Hudson-Odoi, and Charlie Webster supporting Vale and Havertz up front. To be honest it is anyone guess who Tuchel picks having almost a full squad to select from apart from Silva, Pulisic, James, RLC, and Chilwell. Either way whoever plays Chelsea should have enough talent on the pitch and the bench to get the job done early and expertly. The players should be refreshed from the break and that should relfect on the pitch. 

Starting XI Prediction

Chelsea should get this game done nice and early in the 1st half. I expect a fresh peformance from the team and some of the academy players if given a start should look to impress. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

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. 

Chelsea vs. Tottenham MW 23 Preview

Round four against Spurs and final game before a break.

Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Sunday for MW 23 of the Premier League season. This is the fourth meeting between the two teams this season. The third meeting in the last few weeks. The first two games against Conte and Spurs came in the Carabao Cup semi-final which Chelsea progressed through comfortably. Spurs go into this game sitting 5th in the table with four games in hand. They sit 8 points behind Chelsea and are unbeaten under Conte in the league this season. Leicester have played one game since the 2nd leg which came on Wednesday night. They beat Leicester 2-3 in extra time thanks to two goals from Bergwijn. Some positive momentum going into this game. 

Chelsea go into this game having played two games since the 2nd leg. A 1-0 loss to Manchester City and a 1-1 draw against Brighton. It is safe to say morale is slightly low in the team at the moment. The team looked exhuasted at Brighton and got two days off before returning to training for this game. The reverse fixture was a 0-3 win with Chelsea putting in a brilliant 2nd half display. The cup games were more of a formality although Spurs played better in the 2nd leg. This holds more weight though. A win would increse the gap to 11 points and give Chelsea some breathing space. If Spurs win then they would cut the gap to five points.

Chelsea Team Preview

Chalobah is back in training but probably won’t feature in this game. Kepa will be in goal. I expect a back three of Rudiger, Silva, and Sarr. Azpilicueta should start at right wing back while I would start Lewis Hall at left wing back. Jorginho, and Kovacic should start in midfield because Kante has not played well in the last two games. No one is performing well in attack but I would star Mount, Havertz, and Werner up top. The German’s have barely got a sniff over the last few games and they deserve a chance to impress. There will be plenty of options on the bench at least in attack. It’s a good XI and they should have some freshness back after a few more days of rest.

Tottenham Team Preview

Lloris should be in goal for this game. Davies, Sanchez, and Tanganga should start as the centre backs. Reguilon, and Emerson should start as the wing backs. Hojbjerg, Winks, and Skipp should form the midfield with Kane and Moura up front. Doherty, Gil, Alli, Sessegnon, and Bergwijn should offer options off the bench. Kane has impressed in recent games and will be keen to impress once again.

Starting XI Prediction

This is always a big game no matter how many times the teams play each other. For Chelsea it is a chance to go into the break on a high at Stamford Brdige. The energy levels need to be up the players need to know what they have to do. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

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. 

Brighton vs. Chelsea MW 24 Preview

A tough away trip.

Chelsea travel to Brighton to play Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex on Tuesday night. Chelsea are playing this game because, during MW 24 the Blues will be in Abu Dabhi playing in the Club World Cup. Brighton sit 9th in the Premier League with 6 wins 10 draws and 4 losses. They have 2 games in hand going into this game. The Seagulls are unbeaten in their last four but their season has been riddled with draws and inconsistency. The reverse fixture was played just before the New Year which Brighton managed draw in the final moments of the game. Graham Potter has built a tough team and every game against them is tough. 

Chelsea go into this game with no games in hand having just played on Saturday. This was supposed to be a week off until the World Cup’s schedule was announced. Still the question needs to be asked as to why this game could not be played on Wednesday. Tuchel and co sit 3rd in the Premier League after the loss to City at the weekend. We sit 6 points clear of 4th placed West Ham and 2 points behind Liverpool. With only one win in our last five fixtures there is a big room for improvement. The draw in the reverse fixture was a game in which Chelsea failed to finish chances and conceded via a header in the final moments of the game. A win in this game would take Chelsea above Liverpool and within 10 points of City with City yet to play and Liverpool having 2 games in hand. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Tuchel said pre match that there are no new injuries but no one is back form injury either. Kepa should start in goal with a back three of Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger. I expect Sarr to play as the left wing back to deal with Cucurella, while I expect Hudson-Odoi to start as the right wing back to somehow manage to deal with Lamptey. Jorginho, and Kovacic should start in the midfield two. Saul could start but both him and Jorginho would offer little pace in the midfield. Up front I expect a front three of Mount, Werner, and Havertz. I do have a sneaky feeling that Lukaku could start in place of one of the Germans but apart from that I don’t see Ziyech or Pulisic starting this game. Could Lewis Hall be involved? Maybe. Either way it is a strong team but a tired one for sure. 

Brighton Team Preview

I expect Brighton to stick with their three at the back that worked against Chelsea in the reverse fixture. Potter is flexible with his formations though so we could see a change. Sanchez should start in goal with a back three of Webster, Burn, and Veltman. Cucurella, and Lamptey should start as the wing backs with a midfield of Bissouma, and Lallana. Trossard, Mac Allister, and Maupay should start up front. The likes of Moder, and Gross are also back while Welbeck and Alzate are available on the bench. Bissouma was not invovled in the last game so someone could drop in for him. Brighton are a good team with plenty of pace and have a solid defensive record. 

Starting XI Prediction

Brighton are a good team and will give Chelsea problems especially with the likes of Cucurella, and Lamptey. Chelsea’s attack needs to turn up for this game and we have to be clinical in front of goal. It’s time to build some positive momentum once again. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

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.

Manchester City vs. Chelsea MW 22 Preview

The top 2 go head to head.

Chelsea travel to the Etihad Stadium to play league leaders Manchester City on Saturday. City sit 10 points clear at the top of the table and both teams have no games in hand. City have just steamed ahead over Christmas with a bit of fortune with regards to Covid and injuries they have increase the gap. City have won their last 11 games in the league and just look unbeatable at the moment. Liverpool have lost two games and Chelsea have lost 2 games but the draws mean that the gap has just increased over time. 

Chelsea go into this game having drawn four of the last five games in the league. That in itself has seen us drop 8 points which is basically the gap to City. The draw against Liverpool and the 3 performances against Spurs and Chesterfield were good in turns of resting players and gaining some momentum. Chelsea do go into this game better off than they were 2 weeks ago. The reverse fixture saw City win 0-1 thanks to a dodgy goal by Jesus but overall City were the better team. Tuchel said pre match that Chelsea were defensive and didn’t set up right in that game and he takes responsbility for it and has learned from it. Overall Tuchel has played Pep four times and come out the winner three times. There is something to fight for in this game. Tuchel and team will be hungry to set the record straight after that game at Stamford Bridge. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Chelsea will be without Reece James and Chilwell as usual. Chalobah is still with injury as well while Christensen has also been ruled out through Covid. Kepa should start in goal but the defence is where it get’s interesting. I expect Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger start in the back three but Sarr could start if Tuchel decides to switch it to a back four. Kante and Kovacic should start in midfield with Alonso, and Pulisic as the wing backs. Mount, Werner, and Havertz should start up front. We could see Ziyech start ahead of Mount though because he looked like he was struggling against Spurs. We could also see Lukaku and Havertz start with Werner dropped but the Germans are more mobile. There are some interesitng tweakes available for Tuchel along with playing Hudson-Odoi as a wing back. 

Man City Team Preview

City go into this game having had a weeks worth of rest. Pep said they had fresh covid cases but did not disclose names. We can base our predicitons off of who was avaiable against Swindon. Ederson might be out with Covid so Steffen could start in goal. Walker and Cancelo should start as the full backs. Laporte and Dias should start as the centre backs. Gundogan, Rodi, and De Bruyne should make up the midfield while Silva and Palmer should start either side of Jesus. City didn’t have the strongest bench against Swindon, Mahrez, Grealish, and Sterling were all missing With players back and more missing this is the safest prediciton to make. A strong starting XI regardless, and one that is churning out results. 

Starting XI Prediction

It’s for sure a massive game given recent games. If City win then Chelsea would be well and truly out of the title race. If Chelsea win then the gap is cut to seven points with still some to go around. I expect Chelsea to give it their all and if we do it is more than possible to get a result at the Etihad. COME ON CHELSEA!!!

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. 

Tottenham (0) vs. (2) Chelsea Carabao Cup Semi-Final 2nd Leg Preview

Big game at Spurs!

Chelsea travel to North London to play the 2nd leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham. Chelsea have a 2 goal advantage going into the game but there is no away goal advantage. Spurs go into this game having beaten Morecambe during the weekend and will have to score a minimum of 2 goals without reply to take the game to extra time. Spurs in the first leg were extremely poor for much of the game so there is alot of room for improvement in this 2nd leg.

Chelsea go into this game with the 2 goal advantage and having beaten Chesterfield 5-1 in the FA Cup. Tuchel pre-match said that the advantage doesn’t exist and the players need to treat this as a one off game. A tough team at a tough stadium with an amazing coach. Chelsea can expect tougher opposition with Spurs at home and Spurs will have to come out fighting in this game. The first leg was straight forward but Chelsea could have easily scored a few more and finished this tie off. 

Chelsea Team Preview

Kepa should return to goal after the rest during the weekend. I expect a back three of Azpilicueta, Silva, and Rudiger. Pulisic, and Alonso should start as the wing backs with a midfield of Jorginho, and Kovacic. Mount, Ziyech, and Lukaku should start up front for Chelsea. Plenty of these players were rested during the weekend and should be fresh for this game. The likes of Werner, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz, Saul, and Kante should be available off the bench. Chelsea did switch between a 3 at the back and 4 in the first leg and I expect the same here. Pulisic, and Ziyech can then move up with Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger, and Alonso as the back four. Lewis Hall is also still with the squad after his brilliant performance against Chesterfield. I doubt he will start as a left wing back in this game. It’s a good lineup and one that has players in some sort of good form.

Tottenham Team Preview

Tottenham will not have Son available for this game as he has been ruled out for the month. Conte was able to rest key players during the weekend but the likes of Moura and Kane did eventually come on to get the win for Conte. Lloris should start in goal with a back three of Tanganga, Sanchez, and Davies. Emerson, and Reguilon should start as the wing backs with Skipp, and Hodjberg making up the midfield two. Moura, Gil, and Kane should start up front for Spurs. I doubt there is a gung ho form of Conte but maybe Alli could start in one of the midfield positions if they want to attack more or Winks. 

Starting XI Prediction

Tottenham failed to bring the fire in the 1st leg and Chelsea dominated the game. The 2nd leg should see Tottenham come out fighting because they are at home and the crowd will demand it. Cheslea will treat this game as a one off and will know the job is not done until the whistle has blown to end the game. COME ON CHELSEA!!!