All articles by: Jools Jordan-Probert

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool – Match Preview

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Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool – Match Preview – Wembley hosts the match of the weekend, as Spurs look to end a five-year drought against a Liverpool side who desperately need to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

Whilst faring well against their respective title rivals, or the ‘big 6’, Spurs have to look as far back as 2012 for the last time they enjoyed victory over The Reds – a feat perhaps made even more difficult with the current inconsistency being endured at their new temporary home, Wembley.

A battling 1-0 win over Bournemouth at England’s home of football in their last league fixture quelled some of the nerves, but a Liverpool team fresh from scoring seven goals away in the Champions League will unquestionably prove to be a sterner test.

Pochettino’s side will come into the game with more confidence too after returning from successful European exploits of their own – with a well-earned 1-1 draw against double Champions League victors Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, despite a change in personnel and tactics. This result proves that Spurs are a top team and can mix it with the biggest, highlighting their huge progression in recent years.

Kane is yet to score at Wembley for Spurs Photo Credit: skysports.com

With the two Manchester clubs’ barnstorming starts to the season, Spurs are almost the forgotten team. With a 2nd and 3rd (although many know it should have also been 2nd) place finish in the last two campaigns, write them off at your own peril though – they are only three points away from Manchester United and five from City, it could be The Lilywhites who find themselves perched at the top in the blink of an eye, especially in such an unpredictable division.

Liverpool have won just one of their last five in the league and before Tuesday night’s win in Slovenia just one of their last eight in all competitions. The last league fixture was a turgid 0-0 draw against long-term enemy Manchester United, which once again highlighted the lack of clinical edge in the team’s attacking play; a feature which has hindered Liverpool most of the season – other draws against Burnley, Spartak and Sevilla spring to mind.

Whilst the building blocks were there for all to see under Klopp for Liverpool last season by securing 4th place and Champions League football, the side have failed to kick on, currently languishing in 8th position on 13 points from eight games, some nine points off Manchester City at the top and some pressure could be mounting on the popular German manager.

Coutinho can make it five consecutive away goals if he finds the net against Spurs Photo Credit: skysports.com

A win against a major rival like Tottenham could dispel any such pressure and set The Reds on the path of challenging at the peak of the table again; with other results going their way Klopp’s men could climb as high as fourth into the Champions League places – showing how tight the league is. When a fully fluid and firing Liverpool are a force to be reckoned with, it’s just a case of finding that force regularly.

An intriguing and quality-filled game of football is to be expected with two managers trying to impose their style of play on the game and dominate the opposition.
It may be a case of who can take their chances – or a piece of magic from a respective talisman Harry Kane or Phillipe Coutinho – the latter of whom is searching for his fifth consecutive away goal for Liverpool. Could he be the match winner?

 

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Chelsea vs Watford – Match Preview

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Chelsea vs Watford – Match Preview – Chelsea are looking to put a stop to their tailspin but face a difficult challenge to do so against the Premier League’s surprise package of the season, Watford.

After the immensely shocking 2-1 defeat to previously goalless and pointless Crystal Palace on the weekend, blowing a two-goal lead at home in the Champions League to Roma and needing Eden Hazard to equalise to earn a 3-3 draw was another blight on what has been a challenging start to the campaign for Antonio Conte’s team.

Despite winning the title relatively comfortably last year, rumblings of unhappiness were persistent throughout the summer and beyond – with Conte allegedly displeased with the club’s lack of transfer activity, or inability to secure the desired names.

Hazard looks to be finding his form again after a brace against Roma Photo Credit: skysports.com

Chelsea already find themselves nine points off the pace, both Manchester clubs have stormed ahead of the pack with Pep Guardiola’s City leading the way with 22 points after eight games. The Blues are in 5th, two points and one place outside of the Champions League places – the last of which is occupied by this week’s opponents Watford.

Whilst undoubtedly still a good side capable of beating anyone, as proven by the wonderful 2-1 victory in Madrid against Atletico in the Champions League, the standard has elevated in the Premier League yet again and greater consistency is imperative to challenge for the title, starting with a win here against Marco Silva’s Watford.

Richarlison will be a threat to the Chelsea defence Photo Credit: skysports.com

The Hornets have rightfully earned many plaudits so far this season, a dramatic last-gasp 2-1 win over Arsenal, via an injury-time Tom Cleverley goal, last time out embodies the never-say-die attitude Silva has instilled throughout the team.

Once again the club and the Pozzos have utilised their vast scouting network to recruit well, Richarlison in particular looking like an excellent acquisition.

Though many would expect Chelsea to return to winning ways, Watford have an exceptional away record to date, with only Spurs and City bettering the three wins and a draw secured by Silva’s side at this stage.

Additionally, the only side to claim all three points against Watford in the league this year are the all-conquering Manchester City.

It is fair to say that their current 4th place is well above expectations, but in a well-oiled team under a very good manager, Leicester City proved that the impossible is possible. Either way, you can be sure The Hornets will be finishing above their 17th position from last year.

Chelsea will still be massive favourites, however, having not suffered defeat against Watford in the last 12 meetings between the teams. Last season, we were treated to an enthralling 4-3 in this fixture. Let’s hope for more of the same.

 

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Everton vs Lyon – Europa League Preview

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Everton vs Lyon – Europa League Preview – As the pressure mounts on Ronald Koeman; Everton face a crunch match in the Europa League against Lyon at Goodison Park as both sides search for their first win of the competition.

Despite spending upwards of £140m in the summer; abject performances and poor results have intensified the speculation surrounding Ronald Koeman’s job – the Dutchman is odds on to be the next Premier League manager sacked.

After a strong campaign last time in which Everton finished as the ‘best of the rest’ in 7th place in the Premier League, Everton successfully navigated the somewhat tricky Europa League qualifiers to secure European football for the 2017/18 season.

Can Rooney help turn Everton’s fortunes around Photo Credit: skysports.com

This season has, however, gone nothing like the plan. The Toffees have only won two of their opening eight matches in the league and are performing vastly below expectations, consequently finding themselves in 16th – just two points away from the relegation zone. In fact, it took an injury-time penalty from Wayne Rooney in Everton’s last match against Brighton to snatch just a point and avoid a fifth defeat of the league campaign to date.

Things have not been any better in Europe either, Koeman’s side left Italy outplayed and embarrassed in a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta in their opening Europa League match. That was before the even more shocking 2-2 home draw against Apollon Limassol – where the Cypriot Cup winners went down to ten men and scored a late equaliser.

These poor results leave Everton bottom of Group E and in desperate need of a result against arguably the strongest side in the group, Olympique Lyonnais.

Lyon finished 3rd in Ligue 1 last season, the best possible finish with both PSG and title-winning Monaco blasting away opposition left, right and centre.  Les Gones have had an indifferent beginning to the season, drawing half of their league games and both of their previous Europa League matches 1-1 – before an excellent 3-2 victory over Monaco changed the landscape of their start. With only one defeat in all competitions, a win over a rival has injected much more optimism and positivity into Bruno Genesio’s side.

Both teams have good teams on paper and were two sides strongly fancied for a deep run into the competition. Even at this early stage a defeat for either side could cause difficulty in getting out of the group and with both teams currently outside of their respective league’s European places, this competition could be their only route back into it.

Fekir is back to his best for Lyon Photo Credit: skysports.com

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Koeman needs to silence the critics with a win here, but will still be without long-term absentees Seamus Coleman, Ramiro Funes Mori, James McCarthy, Ross Barkley, Yannick Bolasie and Aaron Lennon to attempt to do so.

After missing the start of the season, Nabil Fekir is back to the peak of his powers and will be Lyon’s main attacking threat – fresh after scoring a dramatic injury-time winner against Monaco last time out.

 

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