Sam Allardyce and Claude Puel sharpen knives for grudge matches as Jose Mourinho thinks up another excuse for tonight’s Premier League drama
Fixtures for Wednesday include Newcastle vs Everton, Southampton vs Leicester, Manchester United vs Bournemouth and West Ham vs Arsenal
WHO needs the Champions League when we’ve more midweek Premier League matches to chomp on?
Yes, there are another seven games to occupy your evening tonight with some of the division’s biggest teams, and Newcastle, all involved.
Are we going to see anyone eat into Manchester City’s commanding lead at the top of the table?
And what will Jose Mourinho blame things on this time around?
I’m going for the weather.
Newcastle v Everton
It’s a return to St. James’ Park for Sam Allardyce and a grudge game he’ll fancy his chances in, not least because these two teams are going in very different directions.
The Magpies have lost six of their last seven league matches against Everton, including the last three, and they’re on a rotten run of form that’s seen them pick up just one point from the last 21 available.
Everton, meanwhile, have emerged from a dreadful start to put together a four-match unbeaten run in all competitions (W3, D1) and in Wayne Rooney have a player who’s been involved in 22 goals in 22 league appearances against the hosts (14 goals, 8 assists) – that’s more than he’s managed against any other opponent in the Premier League.
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Morale may be low at the Magpies but they have a chance, primarily because their manager Rafa Benitez has never lost a league home game against the Toffees, winning five and drawing two.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
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Southampton v Leicester
Like Everton, Leicester are another side that have clawed their way out of trouble and, under new manager Claude Puel, are starting to show glimpses of the form that carried them to the Premier League title in 2015/16.
The fact that Puel is now getting a tune out of Riyad Mahrez again speaks volumes too. The Algerian has already been involved in eight league goals this season (four goals, four assists) and that’s only one fewer than he managed in the whole of the last league campaign.
But Southampton also have a couple of players that are hitting their straps at the moment. Charlie Austin, for example, has been very patient waiting for his chance but he’s taken it with both hands this time and has now plundered eight goals in his last 11 league games.
His Serbian teammate Dusan Tadic is also looking back to something approaching his best too and his assist for Austin’s goal against Arsenal on Sunday was his 26th for Saints.
The bookies will make Southampton favourites – they’ve only lost one of their last 11 home league games against Leicester (W5, D5) – but this is too close to call.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Swansea v Manchester City
So is this the game where Manchester City secure their 15th top-flight win a row and set a new record, finally eclipsing Arsenal’s 14-match record run in 2002?
Quite probably.
They may be away but City have got Swansea’s measure. They’ve won nine of the 12 Premier League matches they’ve payed against the Swans and that’s their best win rate against any opponent that they’ve played more than five times.
Swansea bagged an invaluable three points on Saturday against West Brom thanks to former City striker Wilfried Bony. He’s now scored in his last two Premier League matches and is looking to score three on the spin for the first time since 2014.
Can they get anything out of this game?
Unlikely.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Liverpool v West Brom
It must be incredibly frustrating to be a Liverpool fan at the moment. On one hand your team are playing some of the most breathlessly brilliant attacking football on one hand but on the other they’re still 16 points adrift of leaders Manchester City as another season seems to set to pass without another title.
Best content yourself then with just walloping teams like West Brom while you can.
The Reds’ record at Anfield is hugely impressive and they’re now unbeaten in 14 matches in all competitions (W8, D6, L0). They’re also unbeaten against the Baggies in their last eight league meetings too (W4, D4).
Expect Jurgen Klopp not to make the same mistake he did with his team selection against Everton and restore Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino to the starting XI.
And expect goals.
Lots of goals.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Manchester United v Bournemouth
Having being outclassed by neighbours City at the weekend, United have the ideal opportunity to get back on track with a game they should really be winning at a canter.
But while flat-track bully Romelu Lukaku can boast a tally of five goals in four league appearances against Bournemouth, the Cherries actually have a pretty decent record against United, scoring at least once in each of their four league games against them, making them the side the Red Devils have faced the most without keeping a clean sheet.
They’re also unbeaten in their last four away games too and that’s just one short of their longest run away from home in the Premier League (five matches between January and March 2016).
Hats off to Eddie Howe then.
Another interesting stat to mull over is that Jose Mourinho is now only three days away from breaking the record for most consecutive days without smiling, currently held by Stoke City boss Mark Hughes.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Spurs v Brighton
It’s all going a bit Gaeten Bong for Brighton at the moment.
The goals have dried up – just one in their last four league games – and so have the points, taking just two points from the last 15 available. They’ve also attempted the lowest number of shots of any side in the division (135).
The last thing they need then is a trip to a Spurs team that are back in the groove. As we enter the weekend, Harry Kane’s goal tally for 2017 stands at 33 in 32 league appearance for Spurs. He’s just three away from equalling Alan Shearer’s record of 36 set in 1995. Every chance he could get them too given the way Brighton have defended of late.
This could get ugly.
Very ugly.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
West Ham v Arsenal
After that shock win over Chelsea last weekend, there’s every chance that David Moyes will be carried through the streets of Bow and proclaimed as a local hero up there with the Krays if he were to pull off another win over Arsenal.
But – and it’s a massive Kardashianesque but – there’s no team in the history of the Premier League that has won more league games away at West Ham than the Gunners (12).
Keep an eye out (or two, it’s up to you) for Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman needs just one more goals a substitute to break the all-time Premier League record for one team currently held by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with 17. Doubt that the original baby-faced assassin will lose much sleep if he does lose his record though.
This match will also mark West Ham’s 100th home Premier League London derby (W6, D22, L41) so there’ll be doubtless be pie and mash and jellied eels all round and a good old Cockney knees-up to boot.
Followed by sporadic outbreaks of violence.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
