Week 26
KIN G KAN E
Contents The Weekly Round Up Headlines
What happed this week? We’ll take a look at the main stories of the week and the latest gossip
Results The weeks results and the current Premier League standings
Fantasy Football How did this weeks performance effect your Fantasy Football Team? Have a look at this weeks Team of the Week and see if you got your managerial selections right
The Week Ahead Match Previews We take an in depth look at this week’s Premier League fixtures
Betting Preview Our recommended bets for this weeks games, along with our weekly big odds goalscorer bets and our PLP acca.
Features Player of the Month January’s player of the month has been awarded. No prizes for guessing who won it mind...
Manager of the Month January’s manager of the month has also be awarded. There were some good performances. Who managed to win?
BPL: Sport or Business? This week saw the TV rights purchased for over £5bn! What does this mean for Premier League Clubs?
2014/15 Season
F O B , Z I S U S O B P ) . F I U G P S F Z 1MB Tottenham striker Harry Kane is the most on form forward in the league and has been named Premier League Player of the Month after finding the net five times in four league games last month, but is the young forward’s form temporary or is Kane the next big thing? It would appear this is just the first of many milestones Kane will reach in the coming months with England manager Roy Hodgson effectively confirming the Spurs striker’s inclusion in the national side for the up- coming international games against Lithuania and Italy next month. Hodgson, speaking at a recent press conference said: "Is he worth a place in the squad now? Of course he is," Hodgson also added Kane combines: "everything you're looking for in a centre forward". However, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Kane this season as he didn’t start a league game until mid November as Tottenham manager Mauri- cio Pochettino opted to play Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado ahead of the English striker. Kane scored his first league goal for Spurs after coming off the bench in their 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park. Since then the former Arsenal academy player has gone on to score 12 more league goals in 21 appearances and is now Tottenham’s undisputed first choice striker. Before being given his chance in the league Kane had been consis- tently scoring in the Europa League for Spurs and has managed to score seven goals in seven appearances to help his side to the knock- out round of the competition. The 21-year-old striker also scored three goals and got an assist in the Capital One Cup which helped Spurs secure a place at Wembley against Chelsea in the final. Spurs have enjoyed a run of good form in the league picking up 22 points from their last ten games. In those ten games Kane has notched up 11 goals and has five goals in his last three games in the Premier League. His current goal scoring record has helped Tottenham climb up the table and the London side sit just outside European qualifying places just three points behind Southampton who sit in 4th and they are just 2 points behind fierce rivals Arsenal after narrowly beating them 2-1 in an enthralling tie which saw Kane grab both of Tottenham’s goals.
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He was also the key man in the 5-3, shock victory over Chelsea at the start of the year. The English forward scored two and assisted two of Tottenham’s five goals which announced to the league and fans in no uncertain terms that he is currently one of the hottest strikers in the league and that he intends to keep it that way. Kane certainly didn’t do himself any harm when he followed up his impressive display against the league leaders with another six goals in his following 5 league games. Kane started his career at Arsenal as a child but quickly moved into Tottenham’s academy at a young age. He spent time on loan at Leyton Orient in the 2010/2011 season and managed to score five goals in League One. The forward then had a spell at Millwall on loan in the Championship in the 2011/2012 season and he notched up a credible 7 goals in 22 league games for The Lions. In the 2012/2013 season Kane spent the majority of the year on loan at fellow Premier League club Norwich, but a metatarsal fracture hindered his progress and he only made four appearances for the club. In the latter end of the same season he went on loan to Championship club Leicester and managed to score two goals in his time there. It was in the 2013/2014 season that Harry Kane was given a chance to play at Spurs on a more regular basis, the English marksman scored three Premier League goals for Tottenham that season in 12 appearances, at 20 years old he was al- ready starting to show plenty of promise at White Hart Lane. Kane has massive potential and is almost certain to continue his goal- scoring exploits well into the future. At the tender age of 21, he has al- ready proven to the league he is more than capable of scoring goals and is quickly becoming Spurs key man. For the striker to remain on the path to success he must continue to focus on his Tottenham career and not be distracted by rumours of interest from Spanish giants, Real Madrid. For me, Harry Kane is a talent that the Tottenham must keep hold of if they are to build a team capable of challenging for the title in the coming years.
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Matthew Hartley
2014/15 Â Season
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2014/15 Season
FORMATION: 3-4-3 GK: McGregor DEF: Smalling, Koscielny, Gardos MID: Nasri, Fer, Willian, Ozil ATT: N’doye, Ideye, Kane Alan McGregor – Hull (GK) This was a huge six-pointer at the KC Stadium, and it was Hull who came out 2-0 winners against a desperately poor Aston Villa side. The result sealed manager Paul Lambert’s fate, as he was relieved of his duties from the midlands club. Scottish shot-stopper Alan McGregor had conceded seven goals in his previous three matches, and was without a clean sheet in five, so to remain unbeaten between the sticks for only the fourth time this campaign was a real achievement. Hull face QPR, Sunderland and Leicester in three of their next four games, so the Scot will want to edge closer to his seven clean sheets achieved last season, but impor- tantly, steer Hull well away from the relegation zone. Chris Smalling – Manchester United (DEF) If it wasn’t for a knee injury suffered by Phil Jones inside the first five minutes of the match, Chris Smalling may not have even got on the pitch during United’s 2-1 victory over Leicester. And who would have thought he would go on to be their match winner bagging both goals, and claim the accolade of player of the week with seventeen points. Despite Louis Van Gaal’s policy of playing three centre backs this term, Smalling’s chances have been few and far be- tween. His only credited clean sheet came in November’s 3-0 demolition of Hull, but if Jones remains out for a sizable period of time, the former Fulham man may be given the chance to show his worth. Laurent Koscielny – Arsenal (DEF) The solid French International has started the last seven games for the gunners following injury. His goal against Leicester was his third emirates strike of the season, with the other two coming against Crystal Palace and Stoke respectively. Although Arsenal did concede during this gameweek, Koscielny can be proud of his record of three clean sheets in his last five ap- pearances. He has six clean sheets so far this term, but is a long way off achieving the seven- teen that were recorded last campaign. Koscielny’s presence will be vital in Arsenal’s pursuit of a top four finish. Florin Gardos – Southampton (DEF) Romanian centre back Florin Gardos has shown Southampton boss Ronald Koeman he is a more than able candidate in the heart of the Saints defence by keeping four clean sheets in his last six Premier League games for the club. Better still, in the nine games he has played, Southampton have only conceded two goals. Gardos has clocked up sixteen fantasy points, in- cluding four bonus points in his last two performances. At just £4.8m, his selection can be justi- fied, but Toby Alderweireld’s return to fitness may see Gardos return to the bench. Samir Nasri – Manchester City (MID) Gameweek 25 saw French wizard Samir Nasri score one and make one in Manchester City’s 4-1 thrashing of Stoke at the Britannia Stadium. Surprisingly, this was Nasri’s first goal of the campaign, which is surely not a good enough return for a man of his calibre. This was however his fifth assist to date, but his first since December when city drew 2-2 with Burnley. City remain seven points behind Chelsea in second place, and the likes of Nasri will have to start contributing on a more regular basis if City are to have any chance of closing the gap on Mourinho’s Chelsea. Leroy Fer – QPR (MID) Dutchman Leroy Fer enjoyed a prosperous gameweek by picking up eleven points, which in- Dutchman Leroy Fer enjoyed a prosperous gameweek by picking up eleven points, which in cluded a goal, three bonus points and a point for the clean sheet in the surprise 2-0 win at Sun- derland. QPR had not picked up a single point on their travels, and had lost every previous away game they had played. Fer has been one of very few bright sparks in a lacklustre Rang- ers side this season, scoring four goals, and clocking up four assists. Worryingly, he was stretchered off in the 74th minute of the game with a knee injury, and the R’s will be praying it isn’t anything serious as they look try to preserve their Premier League status.
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Willian – Chelsea (MID) Perhaps statistics aren’t always a true reflection of a player’s contribution to their team, and it would be fair to say that Chelsea’s Brazilian playmaker Willian falls in to this category. However, his last two games has seen a wealthy return, as he layed on an assist in the 2-1 victory at Villa Park, and scored a 90th minute winner in gamweek 25, sealing a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge. Prior to that, you have to go all the way back to 18th October where he last made a telling impact which saw him assist a goal during the 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace. Wil- lian has figured in all but one of Chelsea’s league games to date, which shows how highly Jose Mourinho rates him. Mesut Ozil – Arsenal (MID) A combination of injury and lack of form has seen German international Mesut Ozil struggle this campaign. After missing fourteen games in a row, it seems he has returned to the first team in top form, with three assists and two goals in his last three games. This gameweek saw him make a telling contribution as he as- sisted both of the gunner’s goals that saw them beat Leicester 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium. Arsene Wenger will hope Ozil’s form continues in to the tail end of the season as Arsenal push for Champions League football once more. Dame N’Doye – Hull (ATT) Hull’s last minute acquisition from Lokomotiv Moscow made an instant impact for the club, as he scored one and laid one on in Hull’s crucial 2-0 victory over Aston Villa this gamweek. The Senegalese striker has a decent scoring record at his previous two clubs, and Steve Bruce will be hoping N’Doye has all the credentials to become a real asset, but vitally score the goals that will keep Hull in the Pre- mier League. With home fixtures against fellow strugglers QPR and Sunderland coming up, the striker has a real opportunity to impress further and show he can score goals in this extremely challenging division.
Brown Ideye – West Bromwich Albion (ATT) West Brom’s Nigerian international striker has struggled to make a real impact since he signed from Dynamo Kyiv during the summer of 2014. Brown was on the verge of leaving the baggies in the January transfer window, but the move was blocked as the club missed out on signing West Ham’s Carlton Cole. The striker has shown glimpses that perhaps Tony Pulis was right to keep him at the club, as he scored and made one this gameweek in the 2-0 triumph over Swansea. A week earlier he had scored a vital equaliser that saw Albion come away with a point during a 2-2 draw. If he can forge a productive partnership with Saido Bera- point during a 2-2 draw. If he can forge a productive partnership with Saido Bera hino, the baggies should have enough to drag themselves away from danger. Harry Kane – Tottenham Hotspur (ATT) Harry Kane has been a revelation for Spurs this season, scoring thirteen league goals so far, with six assists. Despite the 3-2 loss to Liverpool this gameweek in what was a scintillating encounter, Kane still managed to chip in with a goal and an assist at Anfield. He is the form striker in the league right now with five goals and an assist in his last three. It is astonishing to think Kane is just 21 years old such is the quality of his performances this campaign. He has shown Roy Hodg- son that he simply can’t be ignored, and it is widely expected he will be handed his first international call up next month. Spurs will hope he keeps up his outstand- his first international call up next month. Spurs will hope he keeps up his outstand ing form as they try and break in to the Champions League positions.
Tom Regan
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2014/15 Season
Ben Horlock
Manager of the Month Ronald Koeman
The Ronald Koeman Swagga
New arrivals and January Revival
You can almost picture it now. Mrs Koeman gleaming with joy as she adds a tad of polish to her husband’s recent Manager of the Month award for January. The smug Dutchman – sitting down with a glass of red – beams proudly as his ever impressive looking bow has another string added to it.
Think about this. Every single Koeman signing has been a like-for-like replacement to the personnel that he lost. Ryan Bertrand for Luke Shaw, Toby Alderweireld for Dejan Lovren, Fraser Forster for Artur Boruc, Dusan Tadic for Adam Lallana and Pelle for Rickie Lambert to name but a few. All of the newbies that have come in have added a new dimension to Southampton and it is hard to argue against any of them being shortlisted for the Barclays Team of the Year.
It isn’t the first time this scene has been created in the Koeman household. Back in September, Ronald Koeman was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month after a series of faultless and impressive dis- plays lifted his side to within a whisker of the Premier League summit. How fitting that the 51-year-old is now the first manager this season to celebrate two awards and has guided his Southampton side to the lofty heights of fourth position. However, what is it that makes the former Netherlands international reek of charm and enthusiasm? Cast your mind back to a certain Tweet from Koeman in late July. A simple picture of Southampton’s training ground with cones carefully assembled and new goals to complement the season ahead. There was one obvi- ous element missing – the players. After what was deemed a summer of upheaval due to player depar- tures – Koeman was coolly making plans behind the scenes and away from the eye of the media to replace each and every player who left. He knew exactly what he was doing. We thought he didn’t.
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However, a very sticky period in December led many neu- trals to believe that the Koeman effect was temporary. De- feats to Manchester United, Arsenal and Burnley damaged their chances of remaining in the Champions League places. Koeman, however simply rejuvenated his troops and prepared them for battle in 2015 – which started with aplomb after a hapless Arsenal collapse at St Mary’s. The trickery and pace of Saido Mane has complemented Southampton’s attacking style and the loan capture of Eljero Elia from Werder Bremen has worked wonders – just ask Newcastle United. The winger was pivotal in the 2-1 victory against the Magpies scoring both goals and publicly displaying his affection to what was his ex-boss Koeman in Holland. Koeman also masterminded a famous Saints win at Old Trafford against his old rival Louis van Gaal. A late Tadic goal meant the points returned to Hampshire in a game that will be remembered as Saints first ever Premier League vic- tory at Old Trafford. The smugness of Koeman was more than evident after the final whistle – even more so when his side had stopped United having a shot on target all game.
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Koeman and the players’ immediate future So what happens now? The UK media love to stir up a hor So what happens now? The UK media love to stir up a hor- nets nest in terms of unsettling players and managers within the Premier League. Even in Koeman’s short tenure he is widely tipped to take over FC Barcelona in the not so distant future. The same is echoed amongst his playing staff – namely Morgan Schneiderlein. The later has been pivotal in Southampton’s continued excel- lent rise up the Premier League and is often linked to the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal. However, the clubs summer stance on not allowing the France international to leave showed a real backbone that the club can hold on to their most prized assets. Nonetheless, the remaining 13 league fixtures will play a major role in deciding whether Southampton will be renowned as a selling club this summer or one who will add some more flair, steel and determination to their ranks for European foot- ball. A last gasp victory over Queens Park Rangers and a gritty 0-0 at home to West Ham have given the Saints four points and two clean sheets in their three games so far in February. The remainder of the month will see Koeman pit his manage- rial guile against Liverpool and West Brom and only a fool would bet against Southampton remaining pointless from those two games respectively. Nonetheless, Mrs Koeman will be highly expectant of adding some more polish to any future awards that Koeman is ex- pected to win – whether that is this season or next. What must be recognised by football lovers from across the land is how well Koeman has done with his side. A mass exodus fol- lowed by a mass influx – never seen before in Premier League history – has proved fruitful as the former Barcelona defender has redesigned what we all believed were to be a relegation threatened side.
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2014/15 Season
Football league..? Or billion pound business..? After Sky and BT sport have paid £5.136bn for live premier league rights for 2016-17, the question of whether the Bar- clays Premier League is a football league or a business looms larger than ever. The breakdown of the bidding means Sky is paying an aver- age of £10.8m for each of the 126 Premier League games it will broadcast each season from 2016-17 until 2018-19, and BT will pay around £7.6m for each of its 42 matches.
What does this mean for Premier League Clubs?
A football league or a business?
Well essentially it is fantastic news. This incredible sum of money, means the club that finishes bottom of the Premier League in the 2016-17 season, will pocket £99m.
In conclusion, I think it is hard to deny that the Premier League has become anything but a business. It is nothing short of a global pow- erhouse.
The champions will earn more than £150m in prize money and that is before additional fees are paid to clubs who stage more TV matches than others.
The Premier League is one of the great British success stories. It will always be a target for scorn and criticism and that is under- standable if only because of the unimaginable sums of money in- volved and because it makes the very richest even richer.
So what does this mean for the viewers? If the Premier League clubs, players and agents are the big win- ners, the one potential loser is the viewer. These huge sums of money must be covered and over the course of the next two or three years it would be a surprise if the price of TV packages do not rise to cover some of these costs. The audiences on Sky and BT are huge. Almost 2 million tuned in for the Merseyside derby on Monday. The money this generates for these companies cannot be underestimated.
In the past, this has resulted in money being spent on better players, bigger transfer fees and higher wages. That is likely to happen again, at least to some extent, and may even help Eng- land's best clubs bridge the gap to the elite clubs in the Champi- ons League.
It also means that all 20 Premier League clubs could break into A business or not, the saving grace from this TV deal, is the hope it the top 30 richest clubs in the world - currently they all occupy a will also be of benefit to those fans at the grounds and we may fi- place in the top 40. Burnley are richer than Ajax. nally see a cap, or a decrease in ticket prices. What about fans at the ground?
Will the money make its way down to grassroots football and the football league? This issue is one of the most emotive. The Premier League was very quick to say it will invest £168m in "facilities and good causes" and build 152 artificial, all-weather 3G pitches. It will also point to the huge tax revenue from players' wages and argue that more than a sixth of its overall income is distributed beyond the 20 clubs. All of those contributions should also be seen against the back- drop of Premier League clubs paying agents £115m between Oc- tober 2013 and September 2014. But the reality for Football League clubs and below is that only around 5% of the Premier League's income filters down to grass- roots.
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But from a commercial point of view, from the standpoint of how much income tax the players involved pay to the state, this outstrips almost any other sports league on the planet. Only the NFL gener- ates more income.
In recent years, ticket prices have continued to rise at a rate that outstrips inflation. This TV deal seems to be a genuine opportu- nity to pass some of this huge wealth onto the fans and freeze ticket prices, or better still, decrease them. Have we reached the peak? It would seem not. As astonishing as that sounds, the Premier League remains an incredibly attractive proposition, not only in this country but across the globe. It is also worth remembering that now that the domestic rights auction has been settled, attention will turn to the global TV companies. That will be another record number and more good news for the clubs. Financial experts no longer attempt to pre- dict when the Premier League bubble will burst.
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Iain McCulley
2014/15 Season
p 4 o t s ’ r e g n e W s I time up?
Could this be Arsene’s first season outside of the Top 4? There are very few things in life that are certain, except for death, taxes, and Ar- senal securing the fourth place spot in the Premier League. But this season, making the top four is getting tighter each week. As it stands in the table, Arse- nal have just missed the fourth place by a single point. And a single point sepa- rates Manchester United and Southampton in third and fourth place. With the competition getting harder for the much coveted top four, could this be the first time Arsene Wenger’s side don’t make the cut? Missing out on Champions League football would be a massive blow for Arsenal. Like with Manchester United for this season, they will lose an incredible amount of revenue. Given the fact that Arsenal currently have the most expensive match day tickets, and season tickets in the league, fans rightfully expect value for money. If Arsenal cannot secure a top four place at the end of the season, it would not be a surprise of some decided not to pay £2,000 for their season ticket in the 2015/16 season. Despite securing the FA Cup last year, Wenger has faced immense criticism throughout this season. Arsenal fans have called for their manager to be sacked on an almost weekly basis. The lowest point saw Arsene Wenger being booed and heckled as he boarded a train out of Stoke. Losing 3-2 to Stoke away is not the most ideal result, but it is not enough to completely wipe all the good work Arsene has done. After securing their first piece of silverware in nine years last May - beating Hull City to win the FA Cup - Arsenal look like they have a real chance of retaining it. After beating Middlesborough 2-0, both goals courtesy of Olivier Giroud, Arsenal are now quarter finalists. In the summer, Arsene Wenger secured the signing of Alexis Sanchez, who soon became their most valuable player. The Chilean has racked up an impres- sive twelve goals and seven assists in the Premier League alone thus far in his debut season. Where would Arsenal be without Alexis? He is easily one of the best signings of the summer, throughout the league. He works hard in every single game, and any team would be more than happy to have him. Signing Sanchez is some of the best business Arsene Wenger has done in recent years.
Although Wenger has not managed to win the Premier League title since the in- credible Invincibles side of 2004, he has been a consistently good manger. When he doesn’t spend big money on a world class players, it’s an issue. When he does, it’s still an issue. Wenger cannot seem to win regardless. But the side he is building and working with at present is a formidable side. It is important to get behind your manager, even when times get tough. The Premier League managerial merry-go-round becomes farcical, and Arsenal cannot afford to join the ride. Back Wenger, and if Arsenal do not make the cut in the top four, give him one more season to turn it around. If he cannot do it again, then look elsewhere. The favourite to replace Arsene Wenger is thought to be Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp. Klopp himself has an incredible challenge ahead of him, as Dortmund have gone from coming second last season to dropping to the relegation zone. Klopp needs to find a way of keeping his best players, and keeping his team in the Bundesliga. Arsenal’s next six games will give their side every opportunity to close the gap, and even move back into the top four. The Gunners travel to Selhurst Park before the end of the month, and start March with a home clash with Everton. Arguably, their toughest fixture will be playing Liverpool at home - which is not until the 4th of April. If Arsene Wenger fields strong sides for the next few weeks, with attacking players, there is no reason why his side cannot take the maximum points from their next few fixtures. With their current form, Arsenal could easily take a top four spot. In January, Ar With their current form, Arsenal could easily take a top four spot. In January, Ar- senal beat an in form Manchester City at the Etihad, ending their 12 game un- beaten run. Arsenal have also been one of the strongest sides in the FA Cup. The team has plenty of potential, and cannot be written off at this stage in the season.
Laura Hammill
But it is not just Alexis who is finding his form at present - Santi Cazorla has been impressive in all competitions, and Mesut Ozil is beginning to look more like the player he was at Real Madrid.
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2014/15 Season
Have city missed yaya?
In a Premier League season riddled with inconsistent performances, even the limitless bank account of Man- chester City hasn’t kept them out of that trend. Before their much-needed victory over Stoke City last Wednes- day, City had been on a run of five games without a win in all competitions. They were dumped out of the FA Cup by Middlesbrough, and have fallen seven points behind leaders Chelsea in the league table. This drop in form for City coincided with the departure of Yaya Toure to the African Cup of Nations. Toure’s Ivory Coast would go on to win the entire competition, mean- ing he was absent from club action for the maximum possible duration. The last time game he played was the FA Cup Third Round victory over Sheffield Wednes- day, City’s thirteenth straight game without defeat. This has led to claims that City’s struggles are utterly depen- dent on Toure’s enforced absence from the starting line-up. Of course, it is undeniable that Toure has been one of the greatest signings in City’s history. Even in games where he has played poorly, his pace, power and long- range shooting means he can turn a game in the blink of an eye. His presence is a massive boost for both fans and his fellow players, as no matter how badly things are going, Toure is a rare breed of player that can score from thirty yards or sprint from one end of the pitch to the other to rescue his team.
City with Toure (Premier League) Games (starts) – 17 Winning Percentage – 76% Goals per Game – 2.12 City without Toure (Premier League) Games – 8 Winning Percentage – 25% Goals per Game – 1.88
However, is the absence of one player during this period the root of City’s poor form throughout 2015? Toure was a big loss, but there are many other factors at work here. Firstly, a prevalent issue has been the club’s lack of pro- ficiency in front of goal. This has plagued City all season, as they have scored seventeen fewer goals than this time last season. Whilst they are still the second highest goalscorers in the Premier League, it is still a significant drop from last season.
Manuel Pellegrini recently was forced to confront this assertion personally in the media, and stated that City do not depend on Toure to get results. Whilst obviously valuing him as a significant player at the club, Pellegrini was adamant that his side can and do win games with- out him. Not as many though as these statistics demon- strate, as City win approximately a third the amount of games that Toure does not start in compared to those in which he does.
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But, it is not so much the amount of goals they have scored, but where the goals have come from that has been an issue. Fourteen of their fifty-one goals have been scored by Sergio Aguero, their reliance on him as strong as ever. In recent matches, following a spell out with injury, his struggle to regain form has seen City’s exploits in the final third greatly diminish. David Silva has carried a great burden in this period, as fellow strikers Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic have not stepped up with goals this campaign. And with newest signing Wilfried Bony also at the African Cup of Nations, he has been unable to make an impact. Their recent victory over Stoke demonstrated that the team can find form when necessary, despite being heavily outplayed for most of the first half. This was down to a lack of confidence over past results, and not being able to contend with the size and strategy of the Potters in the early going. But, the manner in which they came back and secured a comfortable victory in the end displayed that they can win without Toure, especially when Aguero is back on the scoresheet. In the end, a player of Yaya Toure’s ability and presence will inevitably help City in the back end of this season. However, the points distance built in his absence will be incredibly diffi- cult to bridge, as Chelsea steam towards the title. Toure’s time in Africa undoubtedly gave City one less option during this time, especially in the big games against Arsenal and Chelsea. Nevertheless, in a team full of multi-million pound superstars, to suggest without Toure City can’t win is a stretch too far. Quite simply, few Manchester City players have lived up to their reputations and price tags this campaign, including Toure. And that inconsistency overall will be what costs them in the final points tally.
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Betting  Tips
Chelsea rn Blackbu ity Bristol C Derby in All to w 4.69/1 20 00
This seasons profit: + ÂŁ87.60
Arsenal Man Cit y Swindon Middles borough All to w in 4.23/1 20 00
Chelsea Arsenal Blackburn Man City Bristol City Swindon Derby Middlesborough
All to win 28.79/1
10 00
Costa Aguero Cazorla All to score first 172/1 2 00
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Sunderland vs West Bromich Albion You couldn’t ask for a closer match at the Stadium of Light. Two points separate these sides with West Brom sitting above Sunderland at the moment. Both teams currently having a poor inconsistent run of form and the only team that are likely to change that is West Brom. The Baggies are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel under Tony Pulis. The West Brom manager has only been the ‘gaffer’ for just over a month and has managed to secure eight points out of fifteen for the Baggies. Most recent league win was a 2-0 win over a tough Swansea side at home. The likes of Berahino and Ideye, who got a goal each against Swansea, will be the pair to look out for if you are in a Sunderland shirt. The West Brom side that comfortably beat Swansea had plenty experience. Joleon Lescott, Ben Foster and Darren Fletcher to name a few. As things stand, there are no injury concerns for the Baggies to announce but, that can easily be changed. It is very clear that the arrival of Tony Pulis has inspired the players to gel together and perform as a team. FA Cup Quarter Finals has a place with W.B.A name on it after a fantastic display against the over achieving arch rivals West Ham. A demolition 4-0 win at home helped see them sail through to the final eight of the com- petition. Although they have dropped points in the league it has been against tough op- ponents, the only loss was to Tottenham and shared points with West Ham, Everton and Hull in the league. If you looked at Sunderland’s form in the last five games you would think they have no chance to beat West Brom but, they have faced Man City, Liverpool, Spurs, Swansea, Q.P.R and Burnley. Not exactly the easiest set of fixtures for the Black Cats. Looking at the Sunderland squad in their last outing against Q.P.R you would think they should avoid relegation comfortably. Pantilimon, Defoe, Wickham, John O’Shea and Adam Johnson. Players who have played for Man City, Spurs and Man Utd, you couldn’t ask for more experience than that and they are still one of the most inconsistent teams in the Premiership today. Same as W.B.A, Sunderland have no major injury concerns to report at the moment. No excuses for either team in the follow up to this match. The Black Cats boss Gus Poyet has been around long enough now and his personality and character is now familiar with everyone. Unexpected interviews and his sarcastic nature will most likely be in jeopardy if he doesn’t start getting more points on the table.
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2014/15 Season
Last time these sides met was at the Hawthorns and we all witnessed an exciting 2-2 draw. Berahino got a double for West Brom and Cattermole and Larsson got a goal each for Sunderland. Larsson scored an 85th equaliser to rescue a point. West Brom did dominate most of the possession and ended having more attempts on goal and I think it will be the same this time round. The arrival of Tony Pulis is what will make West Brom victorious in this fixture. The Black Cats will struggle against Berahino and Ideye as they lack the pace in the back four. West Brom will have a few scares in the match with Adam Johnson and Defoe in the attacking force. Johnson has the skill and the pace to turn any defender inside out and Defoe on his day can score goals for fun.
● Prediction - 1-0 West Brom ● Player To Watch W.B.A - Berahino ● Player To Watch Sunderland - Adam Johnson
Scott Mcleod
www.premierleaguepreview.co.uk
2014/15 Season
CREDITS Editor Arun Gray
Aston Villa vs Stoke Kris Bramwell
A new era begins. Paul Lambert’s sacking has given Tim Sherwood a chance at the top job at Villa Park with his task being to secure the club’s Premier League status. The first of “thirteen cup finals,” a phrase first coined by Lambert and reiterated by Fabien Delph last week begins with a midlands derby at home to Stoke. In the lead up to this match Villa took another step to- wards an actual cup final with victory over Leicester in Sherwood’s first game in charge. Goalkeeper Shay Given praised his former Blackburn team-mate’s “positive” attitude and both he and caretaker boss Scott Marshall cred- ited the new manager with playing a part in the cup victory, the game being 0-0 before Sherwood’s half-time team talk: “He was there and gave some good information to the group, said Marshall. “There's a football knowledge there that comes with experience, a life- time in the game.” During his time at Spurs, Sherwood said he felt like a “supply teacher” such was the uncertainty surrounding his position. Having signed a contract until the summer of 2018 Sherwood will have no such feelings here, Aston Villa have got what they hope will be both their short and long term solution. Chief Executive Tom Fox said: "We are determined to build a football operation with a long-term vision and a commitment to youth development. "We strongly believe Tim has the qualities to get the best out of our current squad and help us build and develop for the future.” Youth may be the way forward for Villa but in the immediate future the new manager has to re-energise an attack that has only scored 12 league goals all season. Goals win football matches and wins bring all-important points, but unlike his time at Spurs, he won’t know his new club inside out and this may restrict the impact he has on his new squad of players.
Gabby Agbonlahor and Charles Gill will be hoping to return having failed to make the squad against Leicester because of a tight hamstring and tight groin respectively. Defender Philippe Senderos and striker Libor Kozak are also struggling. Stoke City meanwhile have conceded eight goals in their last two matches following 4-1 defeats to Blackburn and Man City. With Villa being a team that struggle in front of goal they can take heart from the fact that Mark Hughes side have kept just one clean sheet so far in 2015, a run spanning 9 games in all competitions. The Potters have a long injury list. Defenders Ryan Shawcross, Marc Muniesa, Erik Pieters and Marc Wilson accompany midfielder Stephen Ireland and forwards Peter Odemwingie, Jonathan Walter and long term absentee on the treatment table. Reacting to the cup exit Hughes told the club’s website: “The FA Cup is gone for another year unfortunately but we have to come together next week and make sure we keep pushing forward in the league. We have got a lot to play for to finish high in the league which we will." The next few matches look pretty favourable for Stoke with home matches against Hull, Everton and Palace set to follow this trip to strug- gling Villa. Points are certainly for the taking as they look to put their recent results behind them. When the two sides clashed back in August on the opening day of the season Andreas Weimann scored to the only goal to ensure Villa’s cam- paign started with a win. How that game must seem like so long ago now for those connected with the club and most of all Paul Lambert. But much like the start of a new campaign everyone at Villa Park has the chance to start a fresh. And what does the new manager think of his side’s chances of staying up? “We’ll be fine,” he told Sky Sports. Let’s hope after such a statement that Villa’s thirteen cup finals do not prove unlucky for him. Sherwood’s opener is this Saturday and it won’t be dull.
Sherwood’s five months spell in charge at White Hart Lane did not give him experience of a relegation battle but that is exactly what he has walked into here. The only way is up at Villa Park though. The club are bottom of the form table having taken just one point from their last six matches, that’s three points fewer than relegation rivals Leicester, Sun- derland and QPR. With Sherwood in the dugout for the first time against Stoke and the players having a point to prove to their new boss, what kind of first eleven can we expect for this one?
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Contributors Thom Soutter Kris Bramwell Jonthan Morris Rob Howard Chris Lincoln Philip McClennan Dimitri Kondonis Jay Mullen Scott Mcleod Miguel Vasconcelos Sam Taylor Yemi Abiade David Drake Nathan Cornick Duncan Almond Matthew Brown Benjamin Allwright Dominic Booth Iain McCulley Laura Hamill Callum Wiggins Arif Ahmed Danial Kennedy Ben Horlock Tom Regan Matthew Hartley
2014/15 Season
Chelsea vs Burnley In the previous Premier League outing Everton threw ten men behind the ball to deal with the Chelsea onslaught. Burnley showed against Man United that they can play around big teams and exploit weaknesses however the physical- Jose Mourinho will see this as an opportunity for his side to extend their lead at the ity of Chelsea’s defence may force them into their shell to hang onto a point. Chelsea have come up against this quite a few times throughout the season top of the table ahead of rivals Manchester City and a chance to rest key players though and have already shown they are fully capable of prying defences apart between Champions League games against PSG. Burnley manager Sean Dyche however will be looking to build on some impressive recent performances from his and seeing out a solid 1-0 win. They have an abundance of quality up front. side to try and steal something on their visit to Stamford Bridge. As mentioned before though this is a busy time for Chelsea. PSG will be no easy task in the Champions League and the Capitol One Cup final against Tot- Chelsea have been collecting points in the manner of champions these last few tenham is fast approaching. They wouldn’t be blamed for easing up a bit in this weeks. Their three points at home against Everton in their last Premier League outing were hard fought and required a late goal from Willian to break the dealock. one but Mourinho is experienced enough to know how to do so without slipping up. Wins over Villa and Liverpool and a tight point against title rivals City have put Chelsea in good form. They are seeing games through, unlike the teams around Burnley on the other hand cannot allow their current difficult run of fixtures to them. The Blues defence has been quite excellent this season however Mourinho ruin their season. They sit at ninetieth in the table right now and too many will be most pleased to see star striker Diego Costa returning to the squad, al- though it may lead to more avoided questions about player discipline in the media. losses in a row could demoralise the players and ruin the one thing they have over other sides, immense team spirit and determination. Where Burnley finish The away side find themselves peering at the end of the table in what is becoming the season relies a lot on how the teams around them fare. QPR and Aston Villa may receive a boost of confidence from their incoming new managers and a very interesting relegation battle. Teams around Burnley are sacking their man- Burnley cannot allow their relegation rivals to head out of sight as the season agers left and right yet The Clarets seem to be sticking by their man Sean Dyche, comes to a close. and why not because he certainly has the players on his side. Despite a run of poor results including losses to Crystal Palace and Sunderland and letting a two goal lead in the draw at West Brom go, Burnley have managed to string together Jonathan Morris some impressive performances as of late, such as the one against Manchester United. Much of this of course is down to striker Danny Ings. Ings is the talk of much debate as of late with his contract up in the summer, yet Dyche doesn’t have to worry about his centrepiece player not pulling his weight. Ings seems deter- mined to keep Burnley up, and his performances along with the likes of fellow goal scorer Ashley Barnes may just help them. League leaders Chelsea host Burnley this weekend as the run of difficult fix- tures continues for the Premier League strugglers.
The sides met on the opening day of the season in a 3-1 victory that went the way of The Blues however Burnley showed determination and a willingness to compete that hasn’t wavered as the season has progressed. Mourninho may see this as an opportunity to rest players however with a potential treble still on and Manchester City still in contention he may not want to take his chances on a side desperate for any points they can get. That being said Chelsea seem to have the ability to cruise through games for periods and win without being completely dominant. Their squad depth is fantastic, especially compared to a team such as Burnley.
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2014/15 Season
Palace vs Arsenal As we roll towards the 26th game week of this Barclays Premier League season the race for places is beginning to hot up and this London derby throws up one of the more intriguing fixtures of the weekend.
Arsenal, over recent years, can sometimes struggle with a visit to a hostile, intimi Arsenal, over recent years, can sometimes struggle with a visit to a hostile, intimi- dating ground of a team that they are expected to beat and this trip to Selhurst Park will be no different. Palace, enjoying life under Alan Pardew, have a fanatical set of supporters, who will be right behind the team from the first whistle and it will certainly be no walk in the park for Wenger’s men. If the Frenchman needed any reminder of the task at hand he need look no further than two of the Gunners big- gest challengers for a Champions League spot, Liverpool and Tottenham, who both came unstuck when facing Palace in their own backyard.
Palace, on the other hand, now have the sole target of Premier League sur- vival after exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Liverpool. This will suit Pardew, who must believe that his side are only a few results away from putting too much distance between themselves and the bottom 3. Palace’s next home game after this one is against QPR and something tells me that will be far more vital to their season than this clash.
Another clash worth keeping your eyes on will be in the technical area. As Arsene Wenger and Alan Pardew have previous when an over zealous Pardew celebration caused a bit of pushing between the pair in a London derby between West Ham and the Gunners. Tensions between the duo have calmed in recent seasons but with either manager never too far away from a managerial spat, this match has the potential to be fiery from the outset.
This game takes on a larger significance due to Arsenal submitting to local rivals Spurs and England bound Harry Kane in their last league outing. Just when it seemed that Arsenal had finally found a holding midfield player in Francis Coque- lin, the familiar defensive frailties resurfaced and more points were dropped. Arsenal cannot afford to drop anymore at this stage in what looks like becoming one of the most keenly contested races for the 3rd and 4th Champions League spots in recent years, with them, Spurs, United, Liverpool and Southampton all in the race.
One area where Palace will look to get some joy on the afternoon may be down the flanks, as for a relegation threatened side, the eagles do have play- ers in wide positions that can hurt any opposition. The impressive Yannick Bo- lasie, the revitalised Wilfred Zaha and a now consistent Jason Puncheon may fancy their chances in the full back areas where Arsenal haven’t been too solid all season with Debuchy injured and left back rotated between Gibbs and Monreal.
On paper this match looks like a contest between two of the league’s form sides, with both teams occupying top 7 places when considering results over the last few weeks. However, delving into the results in a bit more detail reveals that Palace have won only 1 of their last 6 games at home (admittedly some before Pardew was appointed), whilst Arsenal have won just 2 of their last 6 away matches, albeit one of them that superb result at the Etihad.
The reverse fixture in the summer yielded a 2-1 win for Arsenal, with a last minute Ramsey goal stealing the points against a Palace side who were still reeling from the shock department of Tony Pulis just a couple of days prior. Come the final whistle on Saturday, Arsenal will once again have known that they have been in a game, however I predict the outcome may entirely mirror that opening day of the season. Palace 1 v 2 Arsenal
Arsenal resume Champions League action immediately after this fixture so Wenger may look to use the heavily weighted squad at his disposal. When Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshire return, the Arsenal boss will have an embarrassment of riches in the midfield and attacking department, with the likes of Oxlade-Cham- berlain, Rosicky, Walcott, Ozil, Welbeck, Sanchez, Giroud and Carzola all com- peting for starting berths. With the Gunners favourites to dispatch Monaco in Europe and seemingly favourites for the FA Cup, Wenger will need to rotate his squad to maximise results in the coming weeks.
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2014/15 Season
Swansea vs Man Utd These two sides head into this game at the Liberty Stadium on the back of contrasting fortunes. Swansea City have recorded just one win in their previous seven Premier League fixtures, although that was an impressive 1-0 victory at high-flying Southampton three weeks ago. They lost their last match against Tony Pulis' resurgent West Bromwich Albion 2-0 and will go into this weekend as underdogs. Manchester United, on the other hand, have won three out of their last four games and are unbeaten since the 1-0 home defeat to Southampton at the start of January. In the seven previous Premier League meetings with Swansea, United have came out on top on five of those occasions - although the Welsh side will point out their famous victory at Old Trafford in the FA Cup last season. Toothless Swans The sale of Wilfried Bony and consequently the lack of goals has been the main issue of late for Swan- The sale of Wilfried Bony and consequently the lack of goals has been the main issue of late for Swan sea. It has been eleven Premier League games since Garry Monk's men scored twice in a match and the departure of their top goalscorer, who fired nine goals in 19 domestic fixtures, is clearly a major factor. With no replacement bought, hope will fall on the shoulders of Bafetimbi Gomis to provide the firepower up front. Gomis will be aided this weekend by the return of Sigurdsson, who has completed his suspension after received a red card during the FA Cup defeat at Blackburn Rovers. The Icelander has scored four times and provided eight assists this season and is a key reason for Swansea sitting in an impressive ninth po- sition in the table. Garry Monk will need his new signings to carry on their good form if they are to achieve a positive result against Manchester United. Jack Cork and Kyle Naughton were brought in during the January transfer window and have made an instant impact, the latter providing an assist on his debut. Swansea are only eight points behind the 42 they achieved last season but are in danger of dropping out of the top half of the league. Their defence has been solid but unless they rediscover their attacking prowess and knack for turning healthy possession into goals, they will take nothing from a United side that are finding a way to win games.
Evaluating Manchester United is a question of perspective at the moment. Are they a team sat in third place, recovering from a poor season last year despite not finding their best form. Or are they the team described as 'miserable' by Paul Scholes that are only one win better off than this stage last season. The answer, I suppose, is both. The story is similar when looking at United’s away form. Louis Van Gaal’s men are unbeaten in their last seven away matches, stretching back to a 1-0 defeat to champions Manchester City on November 2nd. However, they’ve only won two of those seven games, and were less than two minutes from defeat at West Ham last weekend. Van Gaal appears to have settled on playing with a back four for the time being with the wing-backs not appearing in Premier League action since the first half of the QPR match over a month ago. With criti- cism of United’s defence subsiding, questions over their attacking potency and style of play have reared their heads. United were poor last time out in the league against Burnley, requiring a Chris Smalling brace and some poor finishing from their opponents to beat a side in the bottom three, but they continue to pick up points and that is a useful habit. Michael Carrick will continue to be a big miss for the Red Devils as the midfield man is the one player capable, and willing, to play the ball forward at the earliest opportunity. Wayne Rooney will continue to be used in that role, much to the frustration of England boss Roy Hodgson. Without that penetration United have been left with no choice but to hit high and hopeful balls towards their Afro-headed target man, Marouane Fellaini - as Sam Allardyce was keen to point out. Despite criticism of this tactic, and the vehement denial that came with it, don’t expect Van Gaal to shy away from attacking Swansea in this way if they need a goal late on. Prediction: Swansea City 1-1 Manchester United Expect a cautious affair with chances few and far between
Return of the 'clinical United' The Red Devils will be looking for revenge as Swansea greeted Louis van Gaal's first competitive game as Manchester United manager with a 2-1 defeat for the Dutchman, courtesy of goals from Ki Sung- yueng and Gylfi Sigurdsson. However, United have come a long way since an injury-ravaged August and have climbed into the Cham- pions League places.
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Grant Yardley
2014/15 Season
#HCFCQPRFC
Arif Ahmed Hull City welcome fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers to the KC Sta- dium on Saturday in another relegation six pointer. Both teams have been languishing near the foot of the table and a victory for either team will propel them further up the table and into the safety of mid table.
Ramsey will head to Humberside with his side ravaged with injuries. He will not be able to call on Leroy Fer who injured his medial ligament in his left knee in the win against Sunderland which has ruled him out for up to 10 weeks.
The Tigers, who finished 16th last campaign in their first season back in the Premier League, have been suffering from a bout of second season syn- drome as they have struggled to meet the expectation placed on their shoul- ders after getting to the F.A Cup final in May.
Experienced defender Richard Dunne has been ruled out for the rest of the season after he picked up a knee injury just seven minutes into their defeat to Southampton a fortnight ago. Nedum Onuoha also picked up an injury in the last minute defeat to the Saints. Onuoha will be out for the rest of the month with a hamstring problem.
Steve Bruce will be hoping to add to their solitary win in 2015 which saw Paul Lambert lose his job after Hull won 2-0 in their last fixture. That win was also just the third win at home for Hull City in what has been a difficult season. Deadline Day signing Dame N’Doye has hit the ground running after scoring and assisting on his full debut for the Tigers since his £3 million move from Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow. The fans will be hoping N’Doye and Nikica Jelavic can develop their promising partnership to fire them into another season in the top flight. With former Manchester United assistant Mike Phelan added to the coaching staff the players will benefit from the wealth of experience he has picked up under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson. Phelan will help instil a never say die attitude that will see them fight till the very last whistle. He will also bring a winning mentality to the squad that the players need to have especially with them dangling around the relegation zone. Standing in the way of Hull City is a QPR side that knows all about battling against the odds to win. Be it securing Premier League safety or winning pro- motion into England’s Premier Division. The R’s will be lead by Chris Ramsey who has been given the managerial role until the end of the season after Harry Redknapp resigned at the begin- ning of the month citing health problems.
The biggest blow for Ramsey is that top goal scorer Charlie Austin won’t be fit for this game after bruising a bone in his foot which was also suf- fered in the defeat to Southampton. His presence at the top of the pitch will be sorely missed especially with him having scored 13 goals so far this season. Saturday’s game will be only the second time these two teams will meet in the Premier League. The first fixture between the two was on the opening day of the season where Hull left Loftus Road with all three points after James Chester’s goal was enough to separate the two sides. Before the opening day the last meeting took place in 2010-11 when both teams where in the Championship. Both games that season ended in draws as QPR secured automatic promotion by winning the league. To find the last time QPR beat Hull City in their own back yard you have you go all the way back to September 1991 where the R’s won the 1st leg of a League Cup fixture 3-0. With both sides having everything to play for expect an open, end to end game as a draw wouldn’t do either side any good with Aston Villa and Burnley hot on their heels as the race for survival heats up.
Ramsey has impressed the hierarchy at Rangers as they have shown faith in his ability to save them from relegation after the likes of Tim Sherwood and Michael Laudrop were linked with taking over the position vacated by Red- knapp. Ending QPR’s dreadful away record of 11 games without a win against Sun- derland has given Ramsey the license to implement his ideas till until May even with many claiming his inexperience will be a key factor in the R’s going down.
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2014/15 Season
Man City vs Newcastle Current Premier League champions Manchester City will be hoping to continue their mission to catch up with the Premier League front runners Chelsea when they host Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium in the evening kick-off on Saturday.
In terms of head-to-head statistics Manchester City very much have the upper-hand not losing to the Tyneside club since 2005, that statistic stood until the current campaign when Newcastle pulled off a shock 2-0 win at the Etihad in the Capital One Cup in October.
Manuel Pelligrini’s side started their title defence in the best possible way with a 2-0 win over their weekend opponents on the opening day and a 3-1 win over one of the bright sparks of last season Liverpool in their first two games. However a shock home defeat to Stoke City started a run of four games without a win which included an opening Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
One player that Carver’s side will have to keep an major eye on will be striker Sergio Aguero, the Ar One player that Carver’s side will have to keep an major eye on will be striker Sergio Aguero, the Ar- gentine had an excellent start to the season scoring 14 league goals in the first 15 games and lit the league on fire with his great skill and finishing skills which won the hearts of many fans. He was very much missed when he got injured in the victory over Everton in December, it took some time for him to get back into the swing of things after his five game absence but got back onto the score sheet with a brace against Stoke. Another player that has been sorely missed by city is Yaya Toure, there was and still is many rumours around the Ivorian’s future and it could be argued that he hasn’t per- was and still is many rumours around the Ivorian’s future and it could be argued that he hasn’t per formed anything close to what he showed last season. However his importance shone through when he was absent due to African Cup of Nations, before that City hadn’t won a game without Toure since April and in the four games that he was absent they failed to win with one defeat and three draws and will be glad he is once again available for selection.
Form was very indifferent from that point which came to a head with a 2-2 draw with a strug Form was very indifferent from that point which came to a head with a 2-2 draw with a strug- gling QPR. After their stalemate saw an incredible run of nine games unbeaten. Towards the back end of the 2014 City had a wobble of form with their only winning one match in the last six before their 4-1 win at Stoke in midweek and this form has left them seven points by Jose Mourinho’s side. It doesn’t get any easier for the Manchester side with Liverpool to come up in the league and the crucial Champions League tie against Spanish giants Barcelona in the next six matches. It has been another season full of drama on Tyneside, things looked positive at the beginning of the season for Newcastle fans with eight new signings being brought in to St James’ Park with highly rated players such as;; Jack Colback, Siem De Jong, Emmanuel Riviere and £12million recruit Remy Cabella all arriving. Despite these players coming in Alan Pardew’s side couldn’t have got off to a worse start failing to win in their first seven games which left them close to the bottom of the table and had fans not for the first time calling for Pardew’s head.
One key player for Newcastle which at the beginning of the season is Jack Colback, there was uproar in the North-East when Colback swapped Red and White for Black and White and has shown what Sunderland what they are missing as the despite a poor start to the season has become a main staple in the midfield and this impressive form has earn him a place in Roy Hodgson’s England squad. Score prediction: Manchester City 2 – 0 Newcastle United
Their first three points of the season eventually came with a 1-0 victory over Leicester in mid Their first three points of the season eventually came with a 1-0 victory over Leicester in mid- October, that win started off a spectacular run which saw them only lose one match in eight including big wins over;; Tottenham, Liverpool and even ending Chelsea’s unbeaten run. The festive period saw the end of Pardew era as he left for Crystal Palace and the beginning of a new life under John Carver. It began rocky under Carver but things have evened out recently with a win and two draws in the last three. Carver will have a tough job proving he can take the St James’ hot seat on a permanent basis with the upcoming fixtures with;; Manchester United, Everton, Arsenal and a trip to the Stadium of Light all coming up in the next five games.
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Danial Kennedy
2014/15 Season
Spurs vs Hammers Rob Howard
Harry Kane will be looking to continue his magnificent season and fire Spurs to victory in the London derby against West Ham. He continues to be the man that everyone is talking about in the Premier League right now, but it is impossible to ignore Harry Kane. It’s been a breakthrough year for the striker who has been scoring goals for fun, and is set for his first call up to the England squad. Its 23 goals in total for Kane in all competitions, more than any other Premier League striker. And manager Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping Kane can maintain his fabulous form as the fixtures begin to arrive thick and fast for Spurs. After already being knocked out of the FA Cup, they’ve had a short break since the unfortunate defeat at Anfield. But before Sunday’s derby clash against West Ham, Spurs face a tricky test against Italian side Fiorentina in the Europa League on Thursday evening. Pochettino could make a few changes to the side for the game against Fiorentina, but he has fielded some strong line-ups in Europe so far this season. And I would expect him to do so again on Thursday considering the quality of the opposition and the fact that Spurs are at home and will be looking to get a lead to take with them to Florence in the second leg in a few weeks’ time. So it will be interesting to see what team Pochettino selects on Sunday against West Ham following the clash with Fiorentina. West Ham head to White Hart Lane following their 4-0 FA Cup humiliation at West Brom on Saturday and Big Sam will be expecting to see a reaction from his players. Allardyce blamed tiredness and injuries for the defeat which left the Hammers supporters less than happy. The Hammers have overachieved in the Premier League so far this season and have been one of the surprise packages, currently sitting in 8th, six points off the top four. But their feeble display against West Brom angered the fans who were dreaming of a potential trip to Wemb- ley. Their form in the league has dipped slightly as their injury list continues to grow, Andy Carroll is expected to miss the rest of the season with a knee injury picked up in the draw at Southamp- ton. The Hammers have only won one of their last five league games and haven’t won away from home since the beginning of December. They have also failed to score in three of their last five away trips, but may be boosted by the fact that Spurs have only kept one clean sheet in their last five home games. With Carroll out injured, the onus will be on Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia to get the goals for West Ham. Sakho has been a revelation since arriving as an unknown quantity from French side Metz and is West Ham’s top scorer so far this season with ten goals in all competitions. Valencia arrived after impressing for Ecuador in the World Cup in Brazil and has only shown glimpses of his quality, scoring just three league goals so far, although he has often been used in a wide role by Big Sam this season. Spurs come into the game in good form in the league despite the recent defeat away at Liver Spurs come into the game in good form in the league despite the recent defeat away at Liver- pool where they played their part in a fantastic Premier League contest. And despite a couple of early season home defeats, Spurs have been fantastic at White Hart Lane, winning four of their last five games and are unbeaten at home since the end of October. The reverse fixture between the two sides came back in August on the opening day of the Pre- mier League season when Eric Dier scored in the 90th minute of his Spurs debut to snatch the three points. Spurs have enjoyed plenty of comebacks this season, winning five games from losing positions. 2-1 has been a frequent outcome in their fixtures, seven of Spurs’ 13 league wins have ended with that scoreline. A win against West Ham could put Spurs back into the top four depending on other results, but an away win would see the Hammers close the gap to Spurs to just two points in the table. And with the added factor of it being a London derby, it should be a feisty affair with local bragging rights at stake. Prediction Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 West Ham
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2014/15 Season
Everton vs Leiciester Philip McClennan The Goodison Park encounter between Everton and Leicester City will feature two sides that are struggling with both form and confidence of late. After a solid start to the season, Everton have begun to stumble, managing only 2 wins and 9 points from their last 10 matches. Many thought Roberto Martinez’ men would challenge for the top 4 this year, but Everton find them- selves in 12th position in the Premier League table. They fell to a late Willian goal at Stamford Bridge in a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea last time out, after a brave performance against a side that are many people’s favourites to claim the title this season.
The return of Atsu, and also Fullback Leighton Baines from injury are just what Everton need to get their season back on track, however their opponents Leicester City will also be looking to kick-start their season when they visit Goodison Park. Unlucky Foxes Leicester City come into this fixture bottom of the Premier League and, despite several good performances, manager Nigel Pearson knows it is results that matter now. New boy Andrej Kramaric has begun to find the net recently and he and Leonardo Ulloa will hope to strike up a lethal partnership and score the goals that will keep The Foxes in English football’s top tier.
There were recent reports in the media that Pearson had been sacked The Foxes haven’t faired much better recently. Nigel Pearson’s men sit bottom by the board following a clash with Crystal Palace player James McAr- thur in their recent 1-0 loss at the King Power stadium, and even of the Premier League after a run of just 2 wins and 7 points in their last 10 Leicester City legend Gary Lineker was outspoken in his criticism of league games. Leicester City come off the back of consecutive 2-1 defeats Pearson. The reports proved to be false however and the manager against Arsenal in the League and Aston Villa in the F.A. Cup but can take heart from the form of Andrej Kramaric. The new signing found the net in both still finds himself in the job, but even Pearson concedes all the talk of games, scoring his first goals for the club since his £9 million move from Rijeka. his team being “unlucky” in games will not save him from the axe if the club doesn’t start moving up the league table. Lacklustre Stars Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who’s team narrowly beat The Everton’s recent form has not been helped by a dip in performances from two Foxes 2-1 at The Emirates recently, thinks Pearson is the right man to of their key players. Kevin Mirallas, who has stated he wishes to play Champi- lead Leicester City forward. “Nigel Pearson has done a great job at ons League football, has been lacklustre of late. Also, Romelu Lukaku, who Leicester. I’m surprised this team are bottom of the league. If they can made the move from Chelsea for a club record of £28 million, has appeared un- keep calm and believing in what they are doing, I think they will get interested in some games and following the defeat to Chelsea last time out, the out.” Belgian International stated his desire to play for “a top club” again. Both men thought Everton would be challenging for a top 4 position in the Premier Goodison Park is a notorious difficult place to visit, however Leicester League this season but that has not materialised and it is something Roberto City need to start winning sooner rather than later and with Everton Martinez will need to address quickly as it appears to have disheartened his not firing on all cylinders at present, Pearson’s men could very well star players. fancy their chances of nicking a result. Still, if Everton play to their full potential, it could be another case of “unlucky Leicester” at the end of It is not all doom and gloom for The Toffees however as Everton welcome back play. Christian Atsu from the African Cup of Nations. Atsu, who helped Ghana reach the final of the competition, had an excellent African Cup, being named both the Player of the Tournament and also achieving the Goal of the Tournament. Prediction: Everton 2 Leicester City 0 Roberto Martinez will be hoping the return of Atsu can breath new life into his side. “I think now, with the games that he has had, the signs are very positive that he can come in, compete for his place and help the team,” said Martinez. “Christian is a very important player for us to have at this stage of the season.”
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2014/15 Season
A huge clash in the race for the top 4 and Champions’ League Liverpool aren’t the only side in good form, however. Southamp- football see’s Southampton host Liverpool;; and their star ton are currently sitting pretty;; 4 points ahead of their rivals for players from last season. this week. Dutch legend, Ronald Koeman was awarded with the Barclays Manager of the Month award for January after the The start of the season seemed somewhat ironic, with Liverpool’s Saints impressed despite a lot of talk that they will drop off... summer business bringing in underperforming players from the Ironically similarly to Liverpool last season! Saints, leaving them below the Southerners in the league table. This may still be the case but the race for the top 4 is now well The Saints don’t seem to be missing the likes of Lallana, Lam- and truly back on. bert and Lovren. Having said that, niether do Liverpool! Only Lallana is a regular at Merseyside and that’s rarely for the full 90 With Daniel Sturridge back from injury, Mario Ballotelli starting to minutes. show at least a glipse of interest in the beautiful game, Emre Can’s impressive form in his new found position, and a playing Graziano Pelle looks a solid striker and Southampton are play- system that seems to suit all of Liverpool’s young stars;; the Reds ing good football. Can they keep it up? Only time will tell. But are in frightening form boasting an increasingly impressive un- one thing is for sure;; this fixture will be a great game for the beaten league run. neutrals and one that the likes of Wenger and Pochetino will be keeping their eyes on. Although many fans seemed to be writing off Brendan Rodgers when the going got tough around Christmas time, he seems to be Prediction: 3-1 Liverpool delivering on his promise that things will turn around in due course.
Arun Gray
Rumours say Raheem Sterling has been offered an “unbelievable offer” to extend his contract, soon after Philip Coutinho signed his future at Anfield.
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