Liverpool ought to thrash Newcastle, proper? Not so quick
Membership soccer is again! Nick Miller will get you prepared for all of the Premier League motion with a new-look weekend preview.
Soar to: Unlikely sport to observe | Group that wants luck | Fantasy suggestions | This can occur | Man to observe | Key stats | Daring / reckless predictions
THE WEEKEND’S BIG QUESTIONS
Will Newcastle pull one other efficiency out of the bag towards Liverpool?
Newcastle United have a case for being the strangest crew within the Premier League. They seem to be a fairly uninspiring bunch, for probably the most half, however have nonetheless pulled off two of probably the most spectacular outcomes of 2019, being the final crew to beat Manchester Metropolis and, after all, claiming an unlikely victory towards Tottenham a couple of weeks in the past .
Each of these wins have been due to stable, cussed and possibly even boring defensive shows that however labored, irritating their superior opponents and nicking the essential aim. So will they be capable of pull off one thing related towards Liverpool this weekend? You would not assume so dealing with Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah (assuming they move to one another) however then once more, you would not have anticipated them to do it within the different two video games both.
Liverpool could possibly be confronted with a troublesome outdated job on Saturday however ought to prevail.
Liverpool are dominant at dwelling below Jurgen Klopp however surprisingly, Newcastle have thrived towards the Premier League’s prime groups in 2019-20. Getty
Can Tottenham get themselves out of their funk?
Instinctively wanting on the fixture checklist, you may assume Spurs vs. Crystal Palace at house is simply the sport to assist them recover from no matter funk they seem like in. However then you definately do not forget that remarkably, solely Liverpool and Metropolis have gathered extra factors than Roy Hodgson’s aspect because the begin of February. Not fairly so simple, then.
“Now, for certain, it was so necessary to be refocused,” Mauricio Pochettino stated on Thursday, revealing that he had an hour-long assembly along with his squad after they returned from the worldwide break. “It was excellent to speak at this time for practically one hour and refocus once more on our goal.”
There was at all times a gnawing sensation that Pochettino was utilizing the uncertainty of the switch window as a smokescreen to deflect consideration from deeper issues at Tottenham, however we’ll quickly discover out whether or not that is true or not. In the event that they lose to Palace, he can now not use the excuse that his gamers are distracted by occasions elsewhere.
Will Sanchez Flores make a distinction vs. Arsenal?
The dismissal of Javi Gracia by Watford wasn’t that stunning: what was extra of a shock was the reappointment of Quique Sanchez Flores. But there’s some logic to it: Flores’ energy in his earlier spell in cost was holding their defence tight and the Hornets have not stored a clear sheet since February.
It is unreasonable to count on an excessive amount of this weekend: he is been again for under every week and plenty of of his squad may have been on worldwide obligation. But when he needs a direct take a look at of his capability to make things better on the again, it should come within the form of Arsenal with a possible entrance three of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe. These three may nicely be rubbing their palms in glee.
THE GAME YOU’RE NOT PLANNING TO WATCH … BUT SHOULD
In case you’ve acquired room in your DVR or in your busy schedule for one match this weekend away from the title race, we have you coated.
Sheffield United vs. Southampton
You would make an honest argument that this weekend’s tussle at Bramall Lane sees the 2 most fascinating managers within the Premier League face one another.
Chris Wilder and Ralph Hassenhuttl have had huge impacts on their respective golf equipment: Wilder has taken Sheffield United from perpetual League One frustration to the Premier League, whereas Southampton resemble a viable top-flight crew after the husk of nothingness they’d change into with Mark Hughes in cost. The 2 males have totally different kinds, however this might make for an interesting conflict. We reckon the hosts will edge it.
A TEAM THAT NEEDS A BIT OF LUCK
Luck is all the pieces in sports activities. Get acquainted with ESPN’s Luck Index as we select the crew most determined for luck amid a tough run. Listed below are the large takeaways from the 2019 version as defined by Gab Marcotti.
Manchester United: Maybe we have been fooled slightly by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s assertion that Manchester United are doing all the correct issues and it’ll all click on quickly, however they’ve arguably been barely unfortunate to not have greater than 5 factors to indicate for his or her efforts. They’re underperforming their xG price, and solely 4 groups have taken extra photographs thus far.
Do they want luck or simply to enhance their ending? Positively the latter, however a splash of the previous would assist out, too.
FANTASY TIPS
Kieran Darcy has some suggestions for the weekend motion. Learn his full preview and set your crew line-up!
Should-have: Sergio Aguero (Tier 1 ahead): Aguero has scored in every of Man Metropolis’s first 4 video games and has a league-leading six objectives in complete. He faces a Norwich aspect that has already conceded 10, probably the most within the league.
Price contemplating: Mohamed Salah (Tier 1 midfielder): Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne are additionally out there in his tier and are averaging extra factors per sport — Sterling has 5 objectives, and De Bruyne leads the league in assists (5) and probabilities created (16) — however Salah’s observe document makes him the higher play at dwelling towards Newcastle.
Keep away from in any respect prices: Teemu Pukki (Tier 2 ahead): Pukki scored 5 objectives in his first three video games and has the best factors per sport common in his tier, however he is coming off a scoreless outing towards West Ham and now faces Man Metropolis.
ONE THING THAT WILL DEFINITELY HAPPEN
Objectives, objectives, objectives at Carrow Street: In case you’re hungry for objectives this season, Norwich are the crew to observe. Their 4 fixtures have seen 16 go in, second-most within the Premier League thus far, and fortunately sufficient the one crew above them are on the town on Saturday as Manchester Metropolis come to city. Hopefully we have not jinxed this right into a Zero-Zero, however count on to see them fly in at Carrow Street this weekend.
MAN TO WATCH
Christian Eriksen: Pochettino insisted this week that Eriksen has at all times been completely satisfied at Tottenham, regardless of spending many of the summer season making an attempt to get out of the membership and in all probability spending the season working down his contract so he can go away free of charge subsequent summer season.
Nevertheless, with the damage to Giovani Lo Celso that means the creator almost definitely to displace him is now not an element, the onus shall be again on the Dane and the Dane alone to offer Tottenham’s inventive spark towards Crystal Palace.
Christian Eriksen had hoped to be enjoying in La Liga somewhat than the Premier League this season. James Williamson – AMA/Getty Pictures
STATS OF THE WEEKEND
Info offered by ESPN Stats & Info Group
– Liverpool may set a membership document for profitable streaks in the event that they beat Newcastle this weekend. Their 12-game run is tied with an analogous effort from April to October in 1990. In the meantime, their ongoing 42-game unbeaten run (32 wins, 10 attracts) is second solely to Chelsea’s 86-game streak (2004-08) within the Premier League period.
– Manchester United are 1-Four-Four of their previous 9 Premier League video games. In the event that they lose or draw vs. Leicester this weekend, it could give the storied membership their fewest factors in a 10-game league span (seven or eight) of the previous 12 seasons. But an excellent signal is perhaps their type vs. the Foxes: United have a 17-game dwelling unbeaten run (13 wins, 4 attracts) in all competitions relationship again to Jan. 21, 1998.
– Do not guess towards Palace. They’re averaging 2.08 factors per away sport within the league relationship again to Dec. 22, 2018. Solely Man Metropolis (2.54) and Liverpool (2.18) have extra over the identical span. Equally, Harry Kane has averaged Zero.25 objectives per sport towards Palace over the previous 5 seasons. It is his second-worst return towards any membership over that span: he averages Zero.17 objectives per sport towards Newcastle, who beat Spurs 1-Zero again in August.
– Will CONCACAF’s massive rivals thrive at Molineux on Saturday? Raul Jimenez (Wolves) and Christian Pulisic (U.S.) may change into simply the second Mexico-U.S. tandem to attain in a single match within the Premier League since El Tri worldwide Guillermo Franco and American nice Clint Dempsey did it in Fulham’s Three-2 win over West Ham on Might 2, 2010.
– Everton love enjoying on Sundays: they’re unbeaten within the league in 2019 with 5 wins and two attracts when enjoying on the second day of the weekend.
OUR BOLD/RECKLESS PREDICTIONS
Liverpool Four-1 Newcastle: One other simple dwelling win for Jurgen Klopp
Manchester United 2-2 Leicester: Extra bother for the hosts
Brighton 2-1 Burnley: Massive dwelling win for relegation battlers
Sheffield United 1-Zero Southampton: Wilder prevails in must-see skirmish
Tottenham 2-1 Crystal Palace: Pochettino and co again on observe
Wolves 2-Three Chelsea: Defining victory for Frank Lampard?
Norwich 1-5 Manchester Metropolis: Look away, Canary followers
Bournemouth 1-2 Everton: Liverpool’s second crew retains profitable
Watford Zero-2 Arsenal: The Gunners are totally different this 12 months
Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham: Jack Grealish to make the distinction?