Premier league preview: ARSENAL
VS CRYSTAL PALACE
10th
place arsenal will be seeking a win at Selhurst park as they face 9th
place crystal palace in the match day 22 of the English premier league on Saturday.
Arsenal’s last win against the eagles was
since January 2018 and the last three matches between both sides have seen double
2-all draws and a 3 – 2 win in favour of palace.
Though crystal palace boast of the fourth
best defensive record after Liverpool, Leicester city and Sheffield united with
just 23 goals conceded in 21 games, the match still seems to be open ended as
both teams have scored 23 goals against each other since 2017.
Arsenal, who are currently facing trying
times will hope to score goals and not concede as much as possible.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are currently on a 2
match winning streak which gives them a lot of confidence going into this game,
we can only hope that this confidence is shown in the score line because at the
end of the day, tactics is one of the major ingredients that determines the
outcome of a game.
On team news, both teams seem to be
interested in signing ranger’s midfielder, glen kamara, which comes as a result
of the facts that bothe team’s need to strengthen their midfield if they are to
make it to the top six before the end of the season.
TOTTENHAM VS
LIVERPOOL
If this is not considered as the biggest
and toughest fixture this weekend, then pulses should be checked.
Liverpool have been on their best form
since the past year and definitely might see Tottenham as another wall to break
down in queat for their feat to equal arsenal’s unbeaten run of the 2003/2004
season.
The current form of the Africa’s best
footballer of the year, Sadio Mane is non to be compared with, coupled with the
fact that the head coach, Jurgen Klopp actually rested some of the senior
players in the FA cup tie against everton, where he fielded mostly youth
players, gives him a clear chance to unleash a fully conditioned senior team
against a not so good Tottenham side.
Tottenham seem to be struggling at the
moment, having a winless three game run, even against teams one would have
expected them to be too good for like Norwich, Southhampton and Middlesbrough.
Liverpool have won their last three
encounters with Tottenham under their former manager, Mauricio Pochettino, and
will look to show their dominance against the the team under Jose Mourinho.
With Christian Eriksen’s uncertain future
at spurs, it is very likely he might not feature in the encounter which might
pull a sigh of relief from the opponents.
MANCHESTER UNITED VS NORWICH
Manchester united who seem to be
inconsistent on the premier league table this season will be slugging it out against
relegation-threatened Norwich city, who are winless in their last five games.
Though, Manchester united beat Norwich in
their earlier encounter this season, they have a bad record when facing smaller
teams as we have seen them lose to teams like Bournemouth and Watford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have to consider
his options very carefully going into this match as Paul Pogba and Scott Mc
Tominay remain on the side line while Harry Maguire has not been confirmed fit
for the match.
Daniel Farke would currently be under
immense pressure and would be giving his all going into this match and would
hope to harp on the red devils current injury predicament.
EVERTON VS BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION
Carlo Ancelotti’s everton side would
welcome Graham Potter’s Brighton who are currently 14th on the table
after fighting the relegation battle for three game weeks.
Ancelotti might see this as an opportunity
to stamp the fact that he is a world class manager after winning two out of his
first four matches with the blues.
To be fair, he lost to top side Liverpool
and Manchester city, which he can take pride in losing to because the goal
margin were very slim.
Now against Brighton, he would look to vent
out all is managerial master class to get a strong win in this match, but
Brighton are no push over. They beat Everton in their earlier encounter in the
season so they feel like they might have a go against the club no matter who
manages it.
Brighton would be looking to field the
likes of Neil Maupay and Jahankbakhsh, even though their stongest full back,
Dan Burn is out with a shoulder injury.
All the major names should feature for the
Toffees even thogh they still have Alex Iwobi and Andre Gomes on the sidelines
due to injuries.
A win for everton will see them go 9th
place from 11th if Crystal Palace and Arsenal fail to win their
respective matches.
LEICESTER CITY VS SOUTHAMPTON
The 9-nil win at the St Mary stadium will
forever linger in the mind of Ralph Hasenhuttl as they face Leicester city at
the king power stadium on Saturday.
Previous records show Leicester always having
the upper hand against the saints and given the form they have been on
currently, it is only logical that we expect a win for them in that match.
But to be logical, the foxes will be
missing their Talisman, Jamie Vardy in the match, hence, we might not be expecting
the magnificent quality of attacking variety which gives Southampton a chance
in the game.
An Unlikely win for Southampton will see
them move up 10th on the table if Everton and Arsenal lose their
respective matches.
CHELSEA VS BURNLEY
Frank Lampard’s Chelsea will be having a
match battle against burnley to their greatest advantage as the have less
worries on their injury list, and now with Ngolo Kante back, one can only spell
doom for any opposition.
Callum Hudson Odoi and Ross Barkley were
used during the Efl cup match against Nottingham forest but are under pressure
to keep their places as in-form Pulisic and kovacic as well as Jorginho were rested
in that encounter.
I5th placed Burnley who are currently
facing a three match losing streak in the premier league would be banking on
the confidence gotten after defeating Peterborough in the EFL cup against a well-rested
Chelsea side.
Chelsea have not been consistent over their
last couple of games and would seek to wipe off the shame as they had a disappointing
draw away to Brighton.
A win for Burnley gives them a possibility of
moving to 11th place.
WOLVES VS NEWCASTLE
Wolverhampton Wanderers who are currently
on that part of the table they ended their last season campaign with will be seeking
a win against Newcastle to end their two game losing streak.
Newcastle as well are not left out as they have lost their last three games and would look to end this gory run.
Their last encounter ended in a one-all
draw which leaves the game open ended.
