Weekend Football Review

City’s run comes to an end!

Premier League MW 27

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Arsenal

Aubameyang scored in the 6th minute to give Arsenal the lead. Arsenal were very good during those opening 30 minutes but Burnley equalised in the 39th minute via poor play by Xhaka. Arsenal dominated the 2nd half but Burnley held on for the point. Burnley remain 15th in the table while Arsenal remain 10th in the table. 

Sheffield United 0 vs. 2 Southampton

Ward-Prowse scored in the 1st half while Adams scored in the 2nd as Southampton finally managed to win. Sheffield United remain bottom of the table and 12 points from safety while Southampton remain 14th in the table. 

Aston Villa 0 vs. 0 Wolverhampton

The two teams played out a goalless draw. Villa remain 9th with the point, 2 games in hand. Wolves remain 12th. 

Brighton 1 vs. 2 Leicester

Lallana scored in the 10th minute to give Brighton the lead. Leicester came back in the final 30 minutes as Iheanacho, and Amartey scored. Brighton drop into 17th in the table level on points with 18th placed Fulham. Leicester remain 3rd in the table 3 points ahead of 4th placed Chelsea. Brighton are now very much in a relegation battle. 

West Brom 0 vs. 0 Newcastle

Neither team could break the other down. West Brom remain 19th while Newcastle move one place up into 16th in the table, a point above the relegation zone. 

Liverpool 0 vs. 1 Fulham

Lemina scored in the 45th minute and Fulham put in a solid defensive performance in the 2nd half to deal yet another defeat to Liverpool. Liverpool now make it 6 consecutive defeats at home. The champions sit 8th in the table now 7 points from 4th. Fulham remain 18th in the table but level on points with Brighton above them and a point behind Newcastle who are 16th. 

Man City 0 vs. 2 Man United

Jesus brought down Martial in the box within a minute to give United the lead as Fernandes stepped up and gave United the lead. It was always going to be a tough task for City after that because United do know how to sit back and defend. Shaw then scored in the 50th minute with the usual counter attack. City’s winning run comes to an end as they sit 11 points clear at the top of the table. United remain 2nd 4 points clear of 4th. 

Tottenham 4 vs. 1 Crystal Palace

Bale scored in the 25th minute to give Tottenham the lead but Palace equalised right before half time via Benteke. Bale got one more in the 2nd half and Kane added two more to give Tottenham the win. Tottenham move into 7th in the table 5 points from 4th. Palace remain 13th in the table. 

West Ham 2 vs. 0 Leeds

Lingard and Dawson scored in the 1st half to get a lead for West Ham against the run of play. Leeds created several chances but West Ham held on for the win. West Ham move into 5th in the table 2 points behind Chelsea in 4th with a game in hand. Leeds remain 11th in the table. 

La Liga MW 26

Valencia beat Villarreal 2-1, Elche beat Sevilla 2-1, Barcelona beat Osasuna 0-2, and Real Madrid drew with Atletico 1-1. The big winners this weekend were Barcelona with everyone around them dropping points. Atletico remain 3 points clear at the top while Barcelona, Real, and Sevilla make up the top four. Villarreal are 7th in the table. The race is heating up at the top with Atletico slipping. 

Serie A MW 26

Juventus beat Lazio 3-1, Roma beat Genoa 1-0, Milan beat Verona 0-2, Napoli beat Bologna 3-1, and Inter beat Atalanta 1-0. Inter remain 6 points clear at the top while Milan, Juventus and Roma make up the top four. Atalanta, Napoli and Lazio all make up the top 7. All the top teams manage to win this weekend which means that Inter are still sitting comfortable, as Milan return to some form. 

Bundesliga MW 24

Frankfurt drew with Stuttgart 1-1, Leipzig beat Freiburg 0-3, Hoffenheim beat Wolfsburg 2-1, Leverkusen beat Monchengladbach 0-1, and Bayern beat Dortmund 4-2. Bayern remain 2 points clear at the top of the table after coming from 2-0 down against Dortmund. Leipzig, Wolfsburg, and Frankfurt make up the top four while Leverkusen, and Dortmund sit 5th and 6th. Bayern looked like they would slip but they came back thanks to Lewandowski. The race for the title is 2 horsed at the moment. 

Coupe De France Round of 32

Lyon beat Sochaux 5-2, PSG beat Brest 0-3, Lille beat Ajaccio 1-3, and Monaco beat Nice 0-2 among other games. All the expected teams qualify for the Round of 16. 

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Weekend Football Preview

Can City increase the gap?

Premier League MW 27

Burnley vs. Arsenal

15th placed Burnley have only 1 win in their last 5 but also have only 1 loss in their last 5 as they take on 10th placed Arsenal. This should be a tough game for the Gunners with Burnley a strong defensive side. Burnley could get a point or more out of this game. The reverse fixture was a 0-1 win for Burnley. 

Sheffield United vs. Southampton

Bottom of the table Sheffield United finally got a win as they take on 14th placed Southampton who haven’t won a game in a very long time and have lost 4 of their last 5. On current form Sheffield United should look at this game as winnable. Southampton have plummeted in recent weeks and if they might want to bounce back sometime soon. Southampton won the reverse fixture 3-0. 

Aston Villa vs. Wolverhampton

9th placed Villa take on 12th placed Wolves with both teams looking to bounce back from losses. Overall Wolves are in better form over their last 5 games but Villa have been solid this season. It’s a must win game for Villa if they have European ambitions. Villa won the reverse fixture 0-1. 

Brighton vs. Leicester

16th placed Brighton have only 1 win in their last 5 as they take on 3rd placed Leicester who have dropped points in their last 2. Leicester have a good opportunity to go 2nd this weekend if United drop points. If the foxes drop points they could find themselves drop into 4th if Chelsea win. Brighton will just want to stay above the relegation zone. Leicester won the reverse fixture 0-0. 

West Brom vs. Newcastle

19th placed West Brom take on 17th placed Newcastle as West Brom look to cut the gap to the top. A win would make it 6 points and put Newcastle under even more pressure. A win for Newcastle would make the gap 12 points and create a buffer from 19th at least. A big game at the bottom. Newcastle won the reverse fixture 2-1. 

Liverpool vs. Fulham

7th placed Liverpool have 1 win in 5 and just created history by losing their last 5 games at Anfield in a row for the first time ever. Can Fulham make it 6 with Scott Parker and co looking to go out of the relegation zone. Fulham are in good form, and it will be an interesting game for sure. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

Man City vs. Man United

A big Manchester derby between 1st and 2nd. The gap is 14 points. City can make it 17 points with a win while United can make it 11 with a win. The caveat is that United usually draw 0-0 with the top 6 teams. Ole will be hoping that he gets lucky once again and returns from the brink with a win against City but City will want to put any doubts out of the way of who the Champions elect are. The reverse fixture was a 0-0 draw, but I expect City to win this. 

Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace

A London derby as 8th placed Tottenham take on 13th placed Palace. Spurs have won their last 2 and looked decent while Palace are also on a good run of form albeit having only won 1 of their last 5. Tottenham should win this but Palace drew will make it tough and could get something. The reverse fixture was a 1-1 draw. 

West Ham vs. Leeds

6th placed West Ham take on 11th placed Leeds with both teams looking to bounce back from losses. West Ham are in solid form overall and should get the win but it depends on what Leeds side turn up. It should be an interesting game to watch. West Ham won the reverse fixture 1-2. 

La Liga MW 26

Villarreal travel to Valencia, Sevilla travel to Elche, Barcelona travel to Osasuna, and Real Madrid play local rivals Atletico in a massive game at the top. Atletico sit 5 points clear at the top with a game in hand. A win would take them 8 clear of Real Madrid while a loss would cut the gap down to 2. A big big game in terms of the title race in Spain. 

Serie A MW 26

Juventus take on Lazio, Roma welcome Genoa, Milan travel to Verona, Napoli play Bologna, and Inter entertain Atalanta. Milan will want to return to winning ways this weekend with Inter playing Atalanta but Inter are in top form and could extend their gap at the top. For now Inter are riding comfortable at the top but Atalanta could make the race interesting once again. Juventus face a tricky game against Lazio. Roma should beat Genoa. 

Bundesliga MW 24

Frankfurt take on Stuttgart, Leipzig travel to Freiburg, Hoffenheim take on Wolfsburg, Monchengladbach take on Leverkusen, and Bayern welcome Dortmund. Massive games at the top of the table with the gap only 2 points. Any team can win their fixture this weekend and the weekend could end with a new leader at the top. 

Coupe De France

Lyon take on Sochaux, PSG travel to Brest, Lille travel to Ajaccio, Monaco take on Nice. Just some of the Round of 32 fixtures in France.  

 

Midweek Football Review

Away wins galore!

Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg

Lazio 1 vs. 4 Bayern Munich

Lewandowski, Musiala, Sane, and an own goal from Acerbi gave Bayern a good 4 goal lead. Lazio got one back via Correa but that was it. Bayern are through and the 2nd leg should just be a formality. 

Atalanta 0 vs. 1 Real Madrid

Freuler got a red card for Atalanta in the 17th minute and that gave Real Madrid the advantage. Real Madrid though have a depleted squad and finally managed to get a goal in the 87th minute via Mendy. A big goal for the away team but still a tough 2nd leg to come. 

Monchengladbach 0 vs. 2 Man City

Silva scored in the 1st half and Jesus scored in the 2nd to give City a comfortable 2 goal lead for the 2nd leg. City should win this but 2 goals is a tricky gap and they might need to score a couple more. 

Europa League Round of 32 2nd Leg

Tottenham 4 (8) vs. (1) 0 Wolfsberger

Alli got a goal in the 10th minute while Vinicius added 2 and Bale also got one in the 2nd half. Tottenham march into the Round of 16 without breaking a sweat and maybe Mourinho might want to use some of these fringe players in his Premier League XI. 

Arsenal 3 (4) vs. (3) 2 Benfica

Aubameyang scored in the 21st minute to give Arsenal the lead, but Goncalves equalised right before the 2nd half for Benfica. Silva then gave Benfica the lead in the 61st minute after some horrendous play from Ceballos. Tierney equalised for Arsenal in the 67th minute but they still needed to score and Aubameyang got the winner in the 87th minute. Arsenal move into the next round while Benfica go out fighting. 

Leicester 0 (0) vs. (2) 2 Slavia Praha

Provod and Sima got goals in the 2nd half to give Praha a big win and send them into the next round of the Europa League. Leicester are dumped out without scoring but can now focus on a top four place and their FA Cup journey.

AC Milan 1 (3) vs. (3) 1 Red Star Belgrade

Kessie scored a penalty in the 9th minute to give Milan the lead while Nabouhane equalised for Belgrade in the 24th minute. Gobeljic got a red card for Belgrade in the 70th minute but Milan were able to manage the game. Milan go into the next round but are still going through a rough patch.

Man United 0 (4) vs. (0) 0 Real Sociedad

No goals in this game as United had already done the damage in the 1st leg to seal progression to the next round. Sociedad missed a penalty early in the 1st half but didn’t score goals.

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leeds 3 vs. 0 Southampton

Bamford, Dallas, and Raphinha scored in the 2nd half to give Leeds a big win against Southampton. Southampton return to losing ways while, Leeds return to winning ways and move into 10th in the table. 

La Liga (Games in hand) 

Messi scored 2, and Alba got another as Barcelona beat Elche comfortably. Barcelona go within 2 points of Real Madrid and within 5 of Atletico. Atletico’s poor form in recent games has opened up the title race in Spain. 

 

Midweek Football Preview

More European football!

Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg

Lazio vs. Bayern Munich

Lazio sit 5th in Serie A and have won 9, drawn 2 and lost 4 of their games since the group stage. Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga and have won 10, drawn 2, and lost 3 of their games since the group stage. Form wise not much separates the two sides since the group stage although on paper Bayern are the reigning champions and have the better squad. It will be a tricky fixture but Bayern should go through over two legs. 

Atalanta vs. Real Madrid

Atalanta sit 4th in Serie A and have won 11, drawn 6, and lost 1 while Real Madrid sit 2nd in La Liga and have won 10, drawn 2 and lost 3. Real Madrid haven’t been up to their best this season but still find themselves in the race for trophies. Atalanta have played well in recent weeks and are have already beaten Real Madrid before. This should be an exciting game and one can expect goals for sure. On any other day Real Madrid should go through over 2 legs but Atalanta are no push overs. 

Monchengladbach vs. Man City

Monchengladbach sit 8th in the Bundesliga and have won 6, drawn 5, and lost 3 in since the group stage. City sit top of the Premier League and have won 18, and drawn 2 since the group stage. There’s no real reason to analyse this game City are steam rolling any and everything in their path and they should win this. 

Europa League Round of 32 2nd Leg

Tottenham (4) vs. (1) Wolfsberger

This fixture was all but done in the 1st leg and while Tottenham might not be great domestically they have been doing well in the Europa League. Just a formality for Mourinho and company while Wolfsberger can fight for some pride. 

Arsenal (1) vs. (1) Benfica

Arsenal have the away goal but Benfica drew the game. Arsenal aren’t in great form at the moment and could find themselves out of the Europa League if Benfica score more than one goal. It’s a tough game for both teams. 

Leicester (0) vs. (0) Slavia Praha

Leicester failed to get an away goal against Praha and they will now need to keep a clean sheet and score to not complicate matters. Slavia only need to score a goal to force Leicester to score 2. Leicester should go through but its not a given.

AC Milan (2) vs. (2) Red Star Belgrade

Milan have not been in great form in recent weeks and now find themselves 4 points behind in Serie A as well. Red Star did well to draw the first game while Milan do have 2 away goals. Milan have some room to breathe but they need to score and maintain a clean sheet if possible to go through. I expect Milan to reach the next round but it’s a tricky game. 

Man United (4) vs. (0) Real Sociedad

United have 4 away goals and bar a collapse from them in this 2nd leg they should go through. Real Sociedad could do the impossible especially with United having such a tired starting XI, and Chelsea during the weekend. United to go through but Real Sociedad to put up a fight. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Leeds vs. Southampton

12th placed Leeds take on 13th placed Southampton with Southampton finally having drawn a game after 6 successive losses. Leeds have lost their last 2 games. An interesting game with two teams trying to enter the top 10, and the result could go either way, both teams need the win. 

La Liga (Games in hand)

Barcelona play Elche in the league and need to win to keep within touching distance of 2nd placed Real Madrid. Elche are in the relegation zone and this should be a win for Barcelona. 

Midweek Football Review

Some surprise results!

Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg

RB Leipzig 0 vs. 2 Liverpool

Salah and Mane scored in the 2nd half to return Liverpool to winning ways against a well drilled Leipzig side. 2 away goals is a good advantage to take into the home leg at Anfield and Leipzig have it all to do. 

Barcelona 1 vs. 4 Paris Saint Germain

Messi scored a penalty in the 27th minute but that was it for Barcelona. Mbappe equalised for PSG 5 minutes later and PSG won the game in the 2nd half. 2 more goals from Mbappe to complete a hattrick and Kean added the 4th. It’s a big win for PSG and should be more than enough to take them into the Quarter’s even with the 2nd leg still to play. Barcelona have come back in past seasons but this Barca team is no where near as good as those teams. 

Sevilla 2 vs. 3 Dortmund

Suso scored in the 7th minute to give Sevilla the lead, but Dahoud equalised for Dortmund in the 19th minute. Haaland then gave Dortmund the lead in the 27th minute and made it 3 in the 43rd minute. Luuk de Jong got one back for Sevilla in the 84th minute but Dortmund held on for the win. All to play for in the 2nd leg with both teams still in it. 

FC Porto 2 vs. 1 Juventus

Taremi scored for Porto in the 2nd minute and Marega scored for Porto in the 46th minute. 2 early goals in each half gave Porto a 2-0 lead. Chiesa got one back for Juventus in the 82nd minute but they have it all to do in the 2nd leg. 

Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg

Real Sociedad 0 vs. 4 Man United

United dominated the opening minutes of the game and while they had several good chances Sociedad held on. The opening goal came in the 27th minute as the Sociedad defenders and goalkeepers collided into each other and Fernandes passed a loose ball into an empty net. Lucky but in the lead. The rest of the 1st half saw Sociedad get back into the game but they couldn’t get the goal. Fernandes then made it 2 in the 57th minute and as Sociedad opened up and chased the game United added 2 more on the counter with Rashford and James. United are into the Round of 16 even with the 2nd leg still to play. 

Wolfsberger 1 vs. 4 Tottenham

Son, Bale, and Moura all scored in the 1st half to give Tottenham a comfortable lead. Liendl got one back for Wolfsberger in the 55th minute but Vinicius made it 4 in the 88th minute. Tottenham are also into the next round and can rest players for the 2nd leg. 

Slavia Praha 0 vs. 0 Leicester

No goals in this game as Leicester could not get an away goal advantage. All to play for in the 2nd leg and pressure on Leicester to keep a clean sheet. 

Red Star 2 vs. 2 AC Milan

After several tries and disallowed goals Milan finally got the lead through an own goal by Pankov in the 42nd minute. Kanga equalised for Red Star in the 52nd minute via a penalty but Theo Hernandez put Milan ahead once again in the 61st minute. Rodic was sent off for Red Star in the 77th minute but Red Star managed to equalise in the 93rd minute via Pavkov. Milan have 2 away goals but not the win and they need to finish it in the 2nd leg. 

Benfica 1 vs. 1 Arsenal

Pizzi scored a penalty in the 55th minute for Benfica and Saka equalised for Arsenal in the 57th minute. Aubameyang could have won the game for Arsenal but he missed those chances and the game ended in a draw. It’s a finely poised game and it could go either way. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Everton 1 vs. 3 Man City

Foden scored in the 32nd minute to give City the lead but Richarlison equalised for Everton in the 37th minute. Mahrez and Silva then scored in the 2nd half to win the game for City. City go 10 points clear at the top of the table and now level on games with the rest of the teams around them. Everton have one more game in hand but remain 7th in the table. 

Burnley 1 vs. 1 Fulham

Ola Aina got Fulham the lead in the 49th minute as Fulham once again dominated the game but Barnes equalised for Burnley 3 minutes later. The points are shared with Burnley moving into 15th while Fulham remain 18th 6 points from safety. 

La Liga (Game in hand)

Atletico drew with Levante 1-1 as they couldn’t manage a win away from home. Atletico go 6 points clear at the top of the table and still have one game in hand over some of the other teams. 

Midweek Football Preview

Champions League is back!!!

Champions League Round of 16 1st Leg

RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool

Leipzig finished 2nd in their group and find themselves 2nd in the Bundesliga as they take on Liverpool who finished 1st in their group and find themselves 4th in the Premier League. Leipzig have won 9, drawn 2, and lost 2 of their games since the group stage finished. Liverpool have won 5, drawn 4, and lost 6 in the same period. In terms of form there is one team that is clearly ahead and that is Leipzig. Liverpool are struggling for a multitude of reasons but a big team should be able to get through them. Naglesmann vs. Klopp, I think Nagelsmann will win this win. 

Barcelona vs. Paris Saint Germain

Barcelona finished 2nd in their group and are 3rd in La Liga as they take on PSG who topped their group under Tuchel and sit now under Poch sit 2nd in Ligue 1. Barcelona have won 14, drawn 2, and lost 2 since then, while PSG have won 10, drawn 2, and lost 2. Two teams in similar form and similar positions in their season at the moment. PSG are under new management with Poch in charge and it will be his first taste of Champions League football as the French teams manager. Barcelona for all their struggles are still playing well mainly due to Messi, so this should be an interesting game. The result could go either way. 

Sevilla vs. Dortmund

Sevilla finished 2nd in their group and sit 4th in La Liga as they take on Dortmund who topped their group and sit 6th in the Bundesliga. Sevilla have won 15, drawn 2, and lost 1 since then while Dortmund have won 6, drawn 2, and lost 5. Dortmund are finding it tough at the moment and this season they have generally been lacklustre. Sevilla have continued on from under Lopetegui and looked a settled side but Dortmund still have top quality players to hurt any team. Sevilla should win but it will be tricky. 

FC Porto vs. Juventus

Porto finished 2nd in their group and sit 2nd in the Primera Liga while Juventus topped their group and sit 4th in Serie A. Porto have won 11, drawn 5, and lost 1 while Juventus have won 12, drawn 2, and lost 3. Porto seem to be doing well, and Juventus have not been great in the league but have been doing fine in the cups. Juventus should win this game but it will be tricky for them. 

Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg

Real Sociedad vs. Man United

When this fixture came out Sociedad were flying high, and United were struggling. United then went on a great run but have come back to struggling while Sociedad are struggling at the moment. Sociedad finished 2nd in their group and sit 5th in La Liga while United finished 3rd in their group (which meant dropping into Europa), and sit 2nd in the Premier League. Sociedad have won 4, drawn 4, and lost 6, while United have won 11, drawn 6, and lost 2. United regardless of the last 5 games are in way better form and should progress over the two legs but the away trip will be tricky. 

Wolfsberger vs. Tottenham

Wolfsberger finished 2nd in their group and sit 6th in the Austrian Bundesliga as they take on Tottenham who finished 3rd in their Champions League group and sit 9th in the Premier League. Wolfsberger have won 7, drawn 2, and lost 2 while Tottenham have won 7, drawn 3, and lost 7. For all of Tottenham’s problems in recent weeks I think the Europa League will be a good break for them and they should win this over the 2 legs. 

Slavia Praha vs. Leicester

Praha finished 2nd in their group and sit 1st in the Czech league as they take on Leicester who sit 3rd in the Premier League and topped their group. Praha have won 9, and drawn 1, while Leicester have won 10, drawn 4, and lost 2. Two teams in top form in their respective leagues and it will be a tough game for either team. 

Red Star vs. AC Milan

Red Star finished 2nd in their group and sit top of the Serbian League as they take on Milan who topped their group and sit 2nd in Serie A. Red Star have won 8 and drawn 1 while Milan have won 8, drawn 2, and lost 4. Milan aren’t in great form over the last 2-3 weeks while Red Star have been flying high albeit in a weaker league. It will be a tricky game but Milan should go through over two legs. 

Benfica vs. Arsenal

Benfica finished 2nd in their group and sit 4th in the Primera Liga while Arsenal topped their group and sit 10th in the Premier League. Benfica have won 9, drawn 5, and lost 3 while Arsenal have won 7, drawn 3, and lost 6. Arsenal have been inconsistent while Benfica haven’t been at their best but based on form this season Benfica should be the better team over two legs. Arsenal looked good against Leeds though so anything could happen. 

Premier League (Games in hand)

Everton vs. Man City

Everton sit 7th and lost to Fulham as they take on City who are flying high and sit top of the league. A win for City could take them 10 points clear at the top of the table while Everton could go level on points with Liverpool with one game still in hand after this game. City should win this if Everton play like they did against Fulham. 

Burnley vs. Fulham

16th vs. 18th with both teams coming off wins during the weekend. Fulham have looked good in recent weeks and finally managed a win while Burnley have been solid at the back. It should be a very interesting game, Burnley could pull away from the relegation zone with a win while Fulham could go within 4 points of safety if they win this game. 

La Liga (Game in hand)

Atletico play another of their games in hand as they travel to Levante. Atletico can go 8 points clear at the top of the table with a win and they should win this game. 

 

Midweek Football Review

Liverpool’s Anfield dominance comes to an end.

Premier League (Games in hand)

West Ham 2 vs. 1 West Brom

Bowen scored right before half time to give West Ham the lead, but Pereira West Brom back into this game in the 51st minute. Antonio then scored the winner in the 66th minute to seal three points for West Ham. West Ham move into 7th 2 points behind 4th placed Liverpool while West Brom remain 19th 6 points from safety. 

Man City 2 vs. 0 Aston Villa

After a very close game Bernardo Silva, and Gundogan got goals late on to take the points for City and continue their run of form. City were fortunate due to VAR though with some weird rules coming into play but they got the points. City remain 2nd in the table with 38 points and a game in hand 2 points behind United. Villa drop into 11th but have 3 games in hand over the teams around them. 

Fulham 1 vs. 2 Man United

Lookman scored in the 5th minute to give Fulham the lead and Fulham created several more chances with RLC dominating play but they couldn’t finish those chances off. Cavani then equalised in the 21st minute and Pogba scored a brilliant winner in the 65th minute as United yet again managed to get a win by a goal coming back form a losing position. Fulham remain 18th 5 points behind Brighton with a game in hand. United remain top of the table by 2 points but City have a game in hand. 

Liverpool 0 vs. 1 Burnley

Liverpool entered the game having not scored in their last 3 and Burnley looked to frustrate and manage a point. Ashley Barnes scored a penalty in the 83rd minute and Dyche and co managed to hold on for 3 massive points. Liverpool’s unbeaten run comes to an end as they fall well short of Chelsea’s 86 game record. Liverpool have now gone 4 games without a goal in the league and haven’t scored this year. Liverpool remain 4th and 6 points from the top with several tough games coming up. Burnley move up to 16th 7 points clear of the relegation zone, with a game in hand. 

FA Cup 3rd Round

Southampton 2 vs. 0 Shrewsbury

N’Lundulu scored in the 1st half while Ward-Prowse got a goal before full time as Southampton won comfortably against Shrewsbury to reach the next round of the FA Cup. 

La Liga MW 19

Sevilla beat Alaves 1-2, Villarreal drew with Granada 2-2, Valencia drew with Osasuna 1-1, and Atletico came back to beat Eibar 1-2. Atletico go 7 points clear at the top with a game in hand over some. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Villarreal make up the top four while Sevilla are 5th level on points with Villarreal, with a game in hand. Atletico driving forward at the moment with no one there to stop them. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 32

Real Sociedad beat Cordoba 0-2, Alcoyano beat Real Madrid 2-1 in a shocking result with Zidane under even more pressure now. Barcelona beat Cornella 0-2 but had to fight hard. Real Madrid dumped out but the rest are all around for the next round. 

Serie A (Games in hand)

Atalanta drew with Udinese 1-1 in their game in hand. Atalanta go level on points with Juventus with Juventus still having a game in hand. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Spezia beat Roma 2-4 in a surprise win, and Lazio beat Parma 2-1. Bar Roma this sets up an entertaining Quarter-Final round. 

Bundesliga MW 17

Monchengladbach beat Werder Bremen 1-0, Leverkusen beat Dortmund 2-1, Bayern beat Augsburg 0-1, Leipzig beat Union Berlin 1-0. Bayern stay 4 points clear at the top of the table with Leipzig behind them. Leverkusen sit 3rd while Dortmund sit 4th in the table. Monchengladbach sit 7th in the table. Bayern still dominating proceedings but the teams around them are still within touching distance. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Lens beat Marseille 0-1 with Marseille’s good start at the beginning of the season having left them in recent games. Marseille still have a game in hand. 

Midweek Football Preview

Halfway point!

Premier League (Games in hand)

West Ham vs. West Brom

9th placed West Ham take on 19th placed West Brom with both teams having won at the weekend. West Ham are in good form having not lost their last 4 while West Brom are fighting to get out of the relegation zone. It will be a tough test for both teams and it should be a close game. 

Man City vs. Aston Villa

City sit 2nd in the table and can go top with a win as they take on Villa who sit 10th having played 3 games less than anyone else. Villa have had a good rest going into this game having not played a Premier League game for some time but City are in top form and look likely to continue that. It should be an entertaining game with both teams playing some good football this season. The result could go either way. 

Fulham vs. Man United

Fulham’s unbeaten run of draws came to an end during the weekend as they were narrowly beaten by Chelsea. United took on Liverpool and what resulted was a goalless draw in a game that lacked the entertainment it should have delivered. United can remain top with a win albeit having played a game more than City while Fulham can get within a point of safety if they manage to get their first win in quite a while. Fulham have been doing well against the top teams and with RLC back it will be interesting to see whether they can manage a point or more. 

Liverpool vs. Burnley

Liverpool sit 4th winless in their last 4 and not having scored a goal for 3 games as they take on Burnley who sit 17th and are looking to bounce back after a couple of losses. Liverpool’s home record stayed intact against United and it should continue to do so against Burnley. Burnley will favour themselves in this game though with Liverpool’s scoring struggles and would fancy themselves to get a point or more. A close game for sure. 

FA Cup 3rd Round

Southampton vs. Shrewsbury

This game was postponed due to Covid but they can replay it this week. Southampton should be able to beat Shrewsbury without any issues.

La Liga MW 19

Sevilla travel to Alaves, Villarreal take on Granada, Valencia travel to Osasuna, and Atletico take on Eibar. Atletico play one of their games in hand as they look to gain more ground at the top of the table while others will be busy with cup action. 

Copa Del Rey Round of 32

Real Sociedad travel to Cordoba, Real Madrid travel to Alcoyano, and Barcelona travel to Cornella. Barcelona just lost a Supercopa final to Bilbao in which Messi was sent off while these teams play Copa del Rey action against teams that they should be winning against. 

Serie A (Games in hand)

Atalanta take on Udinese as they play their game in hand. Udinese are struggling this season but Atalanta are still firing on all fronts albeit not as consistent. 

Coppa Italia Round of 16

Roma take on Spezia, and Lazio take on Parma in the remaining fixtures of this round. Roma and Lazio should go through as they are two teams in good form. The next round already consists of the best teams in Italy and these two would complete the set. 

Bundesliga MW 17

Monchengladbach take on Werder Bremen, Dortmund take on Leverkusen, Bayern travel to Augsburg, and Leipzig take on Union Berlin. Bayern sit 4 points clear at the moment and it looks like they could extend that lead this week with the teams around them playing some tricky fixtures. It’s going to be an interesting week. 

Ligue 1 (Games in hand)

Marseille take on Lens as they play one of their games in hand. A win for Marseille would take them to within a point of 5th places Rennes. 

Midweek Football Review

Some surprise results!

Champions League Round of 16 Leg 1

Napoli 1 vs. 1 Barcelona

Mertens scored a brilliant goal in the 30th minute while Griezmann equalised for Barcelona in the 57th minute. Vidal was sent off for Barcelona in the 89th minute. Barcelona do well to get a crucial away goal but as usual their qualification will rely on Messi showing up for the 2nd leg. All Napoli need to do is score a goal or more to make the tie interesting. Barcelona are capable of losing while Napoli have the quality up front to cause problems. 

Olympique Lyonnais 1 vs. 0 Juventus

Tousart scored the solitary goal in the 31st minute as Lyon got a big win at home against Juventus. Juventus failed to get a shot on target and the players, fans and Sarri were all left frustrated. Juventus should still comeback in the 2nd leg and reach the next round because Ronaldo were savour this moment. Lyon have a chance but Juventus are too good of a side not to get through. 

Real Madrid 1 vs. 2 Man City

A big big win for Man City and a scary prospect for Uefa as City beat Real at the Bernabeu to give Zidane his first defeat in the knockout stages while becoming only the 3rd English team to win at the Bernabeu. Isco scored in the 60th minute to give Real the lead but Jesus scored in the 78th minute to equalise. De Bruyne scored the winning penalty in the 83rd minute to give Pep and the fans a positive result. Uefa will be praying that Real get a comeback in Manchester because if the team that is banned from future Uefa competitions beats one of the favourites then its bad press. City in the driving seat but Real still in it. 

Europa League Round of 32 Leg 2

Some surprising dropouts at this stage of the Europa League as the winners head into the Round of 16. United beat Brugge 5-0 after Deli was sent off for Brugge in the opening half hour which then led to the goals, Ole and co win the tie 6-1 on aggregate to reach the next round. Inter beat Ludogorets 2-1 to win 4-1 on aggregate to reach the next round. Sevilla drew with Cluj 0-0 but go through on away goals as they drew the first leg 1-1. Shakhtar came back to draw with Benfica 3-3 and win the tie 4-5 on aggregate to reach the next round. Ajax beat Getafe 2-1 but Getafe edged the Dutch Champions out on aggregate as they won the tie 2-3. Leverkusen beat Porto 1-3 and so booked a place in the next round with an aggregate of 2-5. Arsenal the surprise dropouts as they lost to Olympiacos 1-2 in extra time to lose the tie on away goals with an aggregate of 2-2. Espanyol beat Wolves 3-2 but Wolves went through to the next round with an aggregate of 3-6. Roma drew with Gent 1-1 and went through on with an aggregate of 1-2. The Round of 16 is set up to be an interesting one with several other teams also making the cut, the tie should be interesting with several dynamics at play while Arteta and co will be watching from their homes as their season is basically at an end. 

 

Midweek Football Preview

Champions League time!

Champions League Round of 16 Leg 1

Napoli vs. Barcelona

Napoli take on Barcelona in this tie as the two teams slightly struggle in their own ways this season. Napoli have won 8 games since MD 6 while losing 5, Barcelona on the other hand have won 8, lost 3 and drawn 3. Napoli had a good group stage finishing 2nd but also being the only team unbeaten and defeating Liverpool as well. Their qualification though was down to Ancelotti who has since moved on to Everton and the home side are now being coached by Gattuso. Barcelona have also made changes this season as they appointed Setien as their manager who struggled at first but has since put together some decent wins albeit relying on Messi as usual. Barcelona currently lead La Liga by 2 points after 4 successive wins while Napoli find themselves 6th in Serie A. It should be an interesting game one I expect to be open, Barcelon’s qualification as per usual will depend on whether Messi shows up over the two legs. Keep an eye out for the likes of Mertens and Insigne while Koulibaly is out for the home team, Barcelona have Messi and Griezmann to call upon but Suarez is a long term absentee alongside Demebele. 

Olympique Lyonnais vs. Juventus

Sarri continues his Champions League journey as his Juventus team take on Lyon in France for the 1st leg. Lyon have won 10, drawn 3, and lost 3 since their last Champions League game while Juventus have won 10, drawn 1, and lost 3 in that time. Lyon just about made into the round of 16 while Juventus went unbeaten in their group. Since the new year Lyon find themselves 7th in Ligue 1 while Juventus are 1 point clear at the top of Serie A. Lyon have missed Depay since his injury but have the likes of Dembele, Aouar and others providing the numbers up top. Juventus have struggled to click at times under Sarri this season but Ronaldo has been in fine form this year having scored in 11 successive Serie A matches. Lyon might be a slight test for Juventus but over the two legs I fully expect Ronaldo and co to reach the quarter-finals. 

Real Madrid vs. Man City

Pep returns to Madrid but this time with City as he takes on Zidane in what should be a mouth watering clash. Real Madrid have won 9, drawn 4, and lost 2 while City have won 12, drawn 1, and lost 3 since MD 6. Real Madrid started the year brightly but have tailed off in recent weeks dropping down to 2nd in La Liga while City have been inconsistent throughout the season and that is why they are currently 19 points behind Liverpool although they have 3 wins in their last 5 games. For Real Madrid the big miss will be Eden Hazard who once again fractured his right ankle after coming back from the same injury just a week ago. Hazard has been missing throughout the season due to injuries and so while his quality is a miss Real Madrid have played without him throughout. Zidane has the usual players in Benzema, Isco, Modric Casemiro etc to rely upon while new players in Vinicius, and Valverde also pose sufficient threat. City have no such injuries to deal with although Laporte might be a doubt for this game, while we know the threat that Aguero, Mahrez, De Bruyne etc pose up front. This should be a blockbuster fixture with plenty of goals. Real Madrid will want to continue their journey in the tournament this season while Pep and team will treat it like their last tournament because of the ban they have received for 2 seasons, it might be their last chance for some time. 

Europa League Round of 32 Leg 2

Man United welcome Brugge for leg 2 with the score drawn at 1-1. United should reach the next round as they have a stronger squad and put in decent performances during the weekend as well. Brugge are not a bad team though and all they need is an away goal to make things interesting. Inter welcome Ludogorets to Milan with the score 2-0 in favour of Conte and team. This should be a straight forward win for Inter and the round of 16 awaits them. Sevilla welcome Cluj with the score at 1-1 and the Spaniards with their away goal should get the job done at home to reach the round of 16. Salzburg welcome Frankfurt after being thrashed 4-1 in Germany and Frankfurt should be heading to the round of 16 unless they implode in Austria. Benfica welcome Shakhter with the away side in front with a 1-2 lead. It’s all to play for these two teams but an away goal by Shakhtar would make it interesting for Benfica. Ajax take on Getafe with Getafe 0-2 in front after a home win in the first leg. Getafe need to get an away goal and that would mean that Ajax need to get 4 while the home side cannot conceded and have to score 3 at least. Porto take on Leverkusen with the Germans in a 1-2 lead but similar to the Benfica game this one is quite open. Arsenal welcome Olympiakos having scored a goal in Greece to bring home to London and a clean sheet and a couple more by the Gunners would do the trick. Wolves beat Espanyol 4-0 and an away goal by Nuno’s side would be the final nail in their progression to the round of 16. Roma travel to Gent with a 0-1 lead and an away goal is of utmost importance for the Italians if they want to reach the next round.