All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match Preview

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Mauricio Pochettino returns to St Mary’s with Southampton vs Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday from St Mary’s Stadium. Spurs will hope a win can move them into the Champions League places.

Last week’s 4-0 mauling of Everton will have boosted Spurs’ morale ahead of this one, with the North London club sitting three points behind Liverpool and Chelsea in fifth. After Liverpool’s impressive display against Manchester City, they moved level on points with Antonio Conte’s men, which has further intensified the race for Champions League football. With Manchester United only three points ahead of third and fourth, this has now become a four-way battle between the Premier League’s biggest hitters. With Arsenal now eight points adrift of fourth, it appears that any three of those four teams will join City in Europe’s elite competition next season.

Son has been in great form for Spurs, scoring and providing assists Photo Credit: skysports.com

Son Heung-Min caught the eye against Everton after his man of the match performance. The South Korean grabbed a goal and an assist on his way to scoring for the fifth consecutive home game as Spurs took apart Sam Allardyce’s side. Having been a bit part player in the last two years, Son has shown his best form this campaign, with his pace and willingness to stretch defences a real asset to Spurs. With players like Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and Dele Alli who all want the ball to feet, having someone to run in behind is vital. Son has provided that this season and with eight goals and four assists to his name, he is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Ward-Prowse scored a brace in the draw against Watford last weekend Photo Credit: skysports.com

After being controversially denied victory by a stoppage-time equaliser last week against Watford, Southampton are without a win in ten league games. An impressive first-half display against the Hornets should have seen Mauricio Pellegrino’s side take all three points and they would have but for Abdoulaye Doucoure’s late ‘handball’ goal. Southampton put in a much better performance last week and topped that off with two first-half strikes, something the Saints hadn’t done all season. With the pressure building on Pellegrino, it’s important they produce a similar display against a much better Spurs side. With Southampton just one point and place above the drop zone, they need to turn St Mary’s into a fortress, starting on Sunday.

Spurs have won nine of their last 11 meetings with Southampton, including four of their last five visits to St Mary’s. Having racked up 11 goals in their last three meetings against the Saints, including five in the reverse fixture back in December, Spurs love playing against Pochettino’s former club.

Kevin Friend is the referee for Sunday’s fixture and an average booking points total of just 25. In his 12 Premier League games this season he has issued just 30 yellow cards and is yet to show a red card.

Despite their improved performance last week, I think Spurs will run out winners on Sunday. Pochettino’s men are in good form, whilst the same can’t be said for the hosts and thus I think they will prove too strong for them.

 

Prediction: Southampton 1-3 Tottenham

 

Suggested Tips

(SKYBET)

KANE TO SCORE A BRACE – 3/1

SON TO SCORE FIRST AND SPURS TO WIN 2-0 – 22/1

CORRECT SCORE – 3-1 SPURS – 12/1

LONG AND ALLI TO BOTH SCORE – 9/1

BTTS AND SPURS TO WIN – 9/4

(BET365)

ALTERNATIVE TOTAL GOALS – OVER 3.5 GOALS – (link no longer available)

DOUBLE CHANCE – SOUTHAMPTON OR DRAW – (link no longer available)

FIRST GOALSCORER – HEUNG-MIN SON – (link no longer available)

ANYTIME GOALSCORER – JAMES WARD PROWSE – (link no longer available)

Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City – Match Preview

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Jos Luhukay will be hoping for his first league win as the Owls boss with Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City from Hillsborough this Saturday evening in the Skybet Championship.

After drawing 0-0 in the Steel City derby, Luhukay grabbed his first win against Carlisle in the FA Cup third round replay. A 2-0-win saw Wednesday progress into the fourth-round where they will face Reading. Luhukay will be happy with two goals and another clean sheet in his first two matches. Long-term absentees such as Barry Bannan, Keiran Lee and Fernando Forestieri still missing, the Owls have looked to the loan market for reinforcements. With a new manager in charge and an injury-hit squad, January was always going to be a difficult month for Wednesday to bolster their squad. They have, however, agreed a deal for Heracles midfielder Joey Pelupessy.

Joao has started the last three games as a centre forwad but has failed to score in those games Photo Credit: skysports.com

The new 3-5-2 system that Luhukay has installed seems to be having a desired effect. Despite being under heavy pressure at times against Sheffield United last week, the Owls defended resolutely throughout. When the likes of Gary Hooper, Bannan, Forestieri and co return, I think this system will suit the Owls. The last two results will have given the squad a massive shot in the arm ahead of another tough test, and I think this could help them end their five-game winless run at home.

After four defeats on the bounce, Neil Warnock’s side responded with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Sunderland at the weekend. They then followed that up with a 4-1 win in their own FA Cup replay as they saw off Mansfield Town in midweek. Warnock will be desperate to compound Wednesday’s misery, as the former Blades boss looks to take his current side back into the automatic promotion places. With Cardiff just two points behind Derby, who occupy second place, a win could take them above the Rams, depending on their result on Friday night. There’s no doubting Warnock has built a solid team in Wales, with plenty of Championship experience and quality throughout the team. I do wonder whether they have the firepower to take them out the division, and their recent poor run of form has only strengthened those doubts.

Hoilett has impressed for Cardiff City this season providing goals and assists Photo Credit: skysports.com

Wednesday haven’t lost in their last six meetings with the Bluebirds, and only a stoppage-time equaliser prevented them taking all three points at the Cardiff City stadium in the reverse fixture. Roger East has been appointed as the man in the middle for this fixture and has the averaged the second highest number of yellow cards this season. Despite only refereeing three Championship matches this campaign, East has the third highest average booking points at 51.7. This is considerably higher than those below him, with the fourth highest at 47.9.

People may think this is a strange call, but I’m going for a home win in this one. A change in manager seems to have rejuvenated this depleted Wednesday squad and I think they’ll secure their first win.

 

Prediction: Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 Cardiff City

 

Suggested Tips

(SKYBET)

CORRECT SCORE: SHEFF WED TO WIN 2-1 – 9/1

RHODES TO SCORE FIRST AND WEDNESDAY TO WIN – 10/3

ZOHORE AND JOAO TO BOTH SCORE – 8/1

BTTS AND CARDIFF TO WIN – 9/2

BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE AND OVER 2.5 GOALS- 13/8. BTTS AND OVER 2.5 GOALS – 13/8

HOILETT TO SCORE FIRST AND DRAW 1-1 – 33/1

(BET365)

EXACT TOTAL GOALS – 3- (link no longer available)

FIRST GOALSCORER – JUNIOR HOILETT- (link no longer available)

HALF TIME/ FULL TIME – DRAW/SHEFF WED- (link no longer available)

Manchester City vs Newcastle Utd – Match Preview

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Manchester City vs Newcastle Utd in the Premier League this Saturday evening from the Etihad as City look to restore normal order after their defeat to Liverpool last week.

After finally surrendering their unbeaten Premier League record, Pep Guardiola will want his side to return to winning ways. Despite their defeat at Anfield, most of the recent talk has been about City’s pursuit of Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean forward now looks set to join City neighbours Manchester United after City refused to match the Red Devils offer for the Arsenal forward. Without Sanchez, City have Aguero as their only fit senior striker. Gabriel Jesus is expected back in the next month, which means they will probably wait until the summer before bolstering their striking options.

Aguero has been below average in the last few games and needs to get back to his best Photo Credit: skysports.com

Sunday’s defeat came as a shock to most, with City surrendering the game within a frantic nine-minute spell. What struck me most during the game was the lack of leadership on the field for City. Without both Vincent Kompany and David Silva, there was nobody to get hold of the players around them and calm them down. If City could have managed to regain some composure after Mane’s goal, they may have come away with something from the game. It was just an off day for the Citizens, with a number of players failing to meet the standards they’ve set for themselves this season. It happens, the most important thing is how they react.

Despite just one defeat from their last five league games, Newcastle sit just three points above the drop zone. Whilst nobody will be expecting Rafa Benitez’s men to get anything from the Etihad, it’s important they put in a good performance. They currently sit in 15th, three points above the relegation zone, but also three points from tenth, underlining how tight this year’s battle to beat the drop is. With fixtures against relegation rivals to come, it’s vital the Toon carry as much momentum as possible going into those fixtures. Yes, it won’t be games against teams of City’s calibre that will decide their fate, but they could still prove influential at the end of the season.

Joselu grabbed a goal against Swansea in the last fixture Photo Credit: skysports.com

City have lost just one of their 22 meetings with Newcastle and haven’t lost at home in the league against them since 2000. In their last four fixtures at the Etihad, City have racked up 19 goals, including a 6-1 win in October 2015. Despite only refereeing eight Premier League matches this season, Paul Tierney is the man in the middle for Saturday tea-time game. Tierney has averaged just 2.8 yellow cards this season and is yet to send anyone off. Only Tierney and Chris Kavanagh have refereed eight matches this season, whilst every other official has managed nine or more games.

Despite last week’s defeat, I think City will get back to winning ways here. They have a particularly strong record against Newcastle at home, and I think Benitez will have his mind firmly fixed on more important fixtures to come.

 

Prediction: Manchester City 4-1 Newcastle United

 

Suggested Tips

(SKYBET)

CORRECT SCORE – CITY TO WIN 4-1- 12/1

AGUERO TO SCORE A BRACE- 13/8

STERLING TO SCORE AND CITY TO WIN 3-0- 17/1

BTTS AND CITY TO WIN- 5/4

CITY TO WIN BY THREE OR MORE GOALS- 10/11

SANE AND DE BRUYNE TO BOTH SCORE- 4/1

BET365

EXACT TOTAL GOALS – 5 GOALS- (link no longer available)

TO SCORE AT ANYTIME- JAMAAL LASCELLES- (link no longer available) 

FIRST GOALSCORER – RAHEEM STERLING- (link no longer available)