This week’s UEFA Champions League saw the worst performance by English sides for years, with none of England’s top four able to win their games. Manchester City were the worst, losing miserably at home to the Russian side CSKA. Liverpool fielded an under strength side at Santiago Bernabeu against the Champions of Europe, Real Madrid, and were beaten as expected. Arsenal let go of a 3 goal to nothing lead to draw their game against the Belgian side Anderlecht and Chelsea too, could only muster a draw in their game, but that shouldn’t matter as they are through to the next round. So, here we go again, Round 11 of the English Premier League. How do the sides stack up? Read our previews and predictions of all the ten matches to be played this Saturday and Sunday to find out more.
Liverpool v Chelsea
The BIG one! Liverpool v Chelsea has always been a classic encounter. Although the two teams are not bitter rivals, such as Liverpool and Manchester United or Chelsea and Arsenal, the matches between the two are always hard fought affairs with a plenty of goals to delight the supporters. Last season, it was Jose Mourinho, who put paid to Liverpool’s hopes of winning the English Premier League, for the first time in decades, when he managed to get an under strength Chelsea side beat a Liverpool team that has Luis Suarez in it. Suarez was in tears at the end of that match. Suarez is now long gone, but his absence has been the reason Liverpool are placed only seventh in the league standings. Mario Balotelli hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype, Daniel Sturridge is still out with an injury, Raheem Sterling looks exhausted and Steven Gerrard looks old. Chelsea on the other hand have looked lethal and effective, and have a squad of players who are already playing like champions. It seems only to be a matter of time before Chelsea are crowned winners of this season’s EPL and it looks unlikely that Mourinho would return disappointed from Anfield. We expect an easy win for Chelsea, and it’s a shame because more would have been expected from Brendan Rodgers’ side at the start of the season.
Our Prediction: Liverpool 0 Chelsea 2
Manchester United v Crystal Palace
Manchester United fought really hard in the local Derby against Manchester City and would be bitterly disappointed to lose. They did lose to a Sergio Ageuro goal, but the quality shown by Louis Van Gaal’s men throughout the match would gladden the hearts of Manchester United supporters worldwide. For this match against Crystal Palace, one would expect Man Utd to win given the array of attacking talent at their disposal, but defensively, Van Gaal’s team is in a mess. Rojo, the Argentinean defender is out with a serious injury. Also out because of injuries, are Jones, Evans and Rafael, the right back. Smalling has, of course, been suspended after his ridiculous challenge in the match against Mac City. So, this offers Crystal Palace a window of an opportunity. Do they have the capability to take advantage of it? Remains to be seen. But their best player, central midfielder Mile Jedinak, is suspended for this clash.
Our Prediction: Manchester United 2 Crystal Palace 1
Southampton v Leicester City
What an extraordinary season for the little club from the south of England?! Southampton are currently placed second in the league standings, sandwiched between Chelsea at the top and Manchester City at no. 3. And this, despite losing their widely heralded manager Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last season, losing several important players such as Luke Shaw. Most experts said that Southampton would struggle to do well this season, and but manager Ronald Koeman has silenced at the doubters. Southampton are probably having the best run in the English Premier League’s history for what we consider a “small” club. And this run is set to continue against Leicester City. We don’t see any result other than another easy Southampton victory and goals from the brilliant Italian, Graziano Pelle.
Our Prediction: Southampton 3 Leicester 1
West Ham v Aston Villa
If Southampton have been brilliant, Sam Allardyce’ (“Big Sam”) West Ham United are not far behind. Indeed, with three wins in their last four matches, West Ham are fifth in the table, level on points with Arsenal, who are fourth. It was surprising to see them only draw their last match against Stoke City, but Big Sam’s winning run is set to continue against Aston Villa, who have been miserable after a bright start to the season. Villa have yet to score a goal since October and will be without Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph, so their chances of scoring are slim.
Our Prediction: West Ham 2 Aston Villa 0
Burnley v Hull City
This match is a nightmare for the organizers of the English Premier League, as very few people are likely to be interested in a clash between two sides who look completely out of place in the world’s most exciting football league competition. Burnley, of course, are the worst team in the EPL this season by far, having got only four points from ten matches, and yet to win a single game. Even a single win for Burnley would be an equivalent of a top side winning the whole championship and they have 28 more matches left to get their first win. Will it come against Hull City, who are only slightly better than them? Well, let’s put it this way. If Burnley don’t beat Hull City this weekend, at home, they are never going to get a win this season. And history will be created if Burnley remain winless throughout the season as no other club in history of the EPL has ever suffered such a sad fate.
Our Prediction: Burnley 1 Hull City 2
QPR v Man City
Manchester City have performed very poorly this season, despite standing third in the league standings. Given the strength of the squad that Manuel Pellegrini has, he should get a lot more out of his team, the current champions of the English Premier League. But already, Manchester City’s season looks close to be over, as they are virtually out of the UEFA Champions League after an abject display against CSKA Moscow, and in the EPL, their biggest rivals Chelsea look practically unbeatable. Pellegrini would expect his world class players to do the business against Harry Redknapp’s QPR though, and this should be an easy win for them.
Our Prediction: QPR 1 Man City 3
Sunderland v Everton
This is a match between two highly talented young managers – Roberto Martinez and Gus Poyet , and it’s fair to say that both have not lived up to expectations this season. Martinez’s Everton should have been much higher than where they are right now, and Sunderland are barely above the relegation zone. Sunderland won their last match, to get out of a rut they had got themselves into, a series of losses that began after the 8-0 defeat against Southampton. But Everton have a great attack with veteran Samuel Eto’o, who has won everything in club football and Romelu Lukaku, the star Belgian center forward leading the attack, ably assisted by the talented young Englishman, Ross Barkley. Leighton Baines has been good too. Easy win for Everton, we think.
Our Prediction: Sunderland 0 Everton 2
Tottenham v Stoke City
Tottenham have been the most inconsistent side this season and it’s hard to predict any match that they are a part of. We have seen spectacular football from Mauricio Pochettino’s men one week, only to see them throw the towel in the next week, and there seems to be no remedy to this inconstancy. But Spurs would be devastated not to get a win against Stoke City at home. Manager Mark Hughes has made Stoke into a solid side without being really good, but they have been more than adequate away from home, and we expect them to get a draw from this match.
Our Prediction: Tottenham 2 Stoke City 2
West Brom v Newcastle
Newcastle’s Alan Pardew would have been staring down the barrel just three weeks ago, but three straight wins over Leicester, Tottenham and Liverpool has seen his team climb from last to twelfth, in just three weeks. Can he make four wins in a row and complete what has been a spectacular comeback? Won’t be easy as West Brom are also undefeated in their last three having scored in each of their last six matches. Since both teams are in such a great good form, we expect a mouth watering clash this Sunday. Expect goals, lots of them!
Our Prediction: West Brom 2 Newcastle 2
Swansea v Arsenal
Swansea City have had a strange little season, having spectacularly started off with a win over Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United, to win 3 consecutive games, to be on a high, and then to win nothing for a couple of months, coming back to earth. Their decline has been arrested somewhat with a much needed win in their last match against Leicester City, which leaves them a respectable sixth in the league table – which is unbelievable given how poor they have been for the last two months. Equally unbelievable is that Arsenal are only 2 points ahead of Swansea and 2 spots higher in the league table. Which means a win for Swansea could see them overtaking Arsenal and get into the top four! This is what makes the EPL so exciting and so much fun. Any result is possible in this match, though, but we predict a surprise result.
Our Prediction: Swansea 3 Arsenal 2
