IT’S set to be a big weekend, especially at the top, where both Arsenal and Manchester City are trying to cut the gap on table-toppers Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s men, of course, have a Wembley date with Chelsea on Sunday as both sides look to add the League Cup to the trophy cabinet.
FocusM looks at the talking points of the weekend’s games.
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa (Sat, 11pm)
Two sides are on opposite ends of the table. The home side is being sucked into a relegation dogfight, while Villa are looking to tighten their grip on a Champions League spot. Ollie Watkins will be hoping to be back among the goals as he seeks to be part of England’s Euro 2024 squad, and the striker’s form will be key to Villa’s push for elite European football next season.
Unai Emery has got the visitors playing an exciting brand of attacking football but the high defensive line is prone to lightning counterattacks.
Brighton & Hove Albion v Everton (Sat, 11pm)
It has been over two months since Everton won the league and that is relegation form, regardless of any points deduction. Sean Dyche will be desperate to turn things around as the Toffees slip deeper into a relegation battle.
The visitors have been difficult to break down but seem bereft of ideas going forward, and a low block can only withstand that much pressure in any given game. The Seagulls have not won consecutive games since September of last year and will relish the opportunity to put that right.
Crystal Palace v Burnley (Sat, 11pm)
Roy Hodgson stepped down as Palace manager due to health issues last week, and the club acted swiftly in naming Oliver Glassner as his replacement. The former Eintracht Frankfurt coach is highly regarded after guiding the Bundesliga outfit to Europa League success in 2022.
The Austrian will be expected to win a home game against a lowly Burnley side that has been conceding goals for fun. Despite injuries to key personnel, the Eagles should still have too much for a Burnley side extremely low on confidence.
Manchester United v Fulham (Sat, 11pm)
Erik Ten Hag seems to be steading the ship as the Old Trafford side slowly but surely climbs the table. Currently sixth, Manchester United can’t afford too many slip ups if they want to secure Champions League football next season. The visit of a Fulham safely ensconced in mid-table represents an opportunity for the home side to apply pressure on the teams above them.
The injury to Danish hotshot Rasmus Hojlund is a blow, but the home side should still have enough firepower to blow away the Cottagers.
Bournemouth v Manchester City (Sun, 1.30am)
Manchester City huffed and puffed to a one-nil victory at home to Brentford in midweek to keep the pressure on league leaders Liverpool. Pep Guardiola’s side will be significantly boosted by the return of John Stones who is vital in allowing City’s forward line to overload the opposition.
Alongside Rodri, Stones hybrid defender-midfielder role is key to City being able to suffocate opponents with possession football. A comfortable away victory is expected.
Arsenal v Newcastle (Sun, 4am)
The Gunners have issued a clear statement of intent to their title rivals by plundering 11 goals in their last two games. The Emirates has become a much noisier place of late as supporters sense that their team has learned valuable lessons from last term’s failed title tilt and are keen to right the wrongs.
Captain Martin Odergaard is approaching the best form of his career, and with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also showing they are ready to step up a gear, Arsenal should have enough attacking nous to see off the Magpies.
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Sheffield United (Sun, 9.30pm)
The Wolves have climbed to midtable safety courtesy of fast counter-attacking football. Gary O’Neil has utilised the pace of Pedro Neto to unleash the twin threats of Hwang Hee-chan and Joao Gomes, but it will be intriguing to see if it will work against the Blades low-block.
Chris Wilder will probably adopt a defensive line-up with five at the back to nullify any Wolves attacks. A draw is a distinct possibility, though three points is what the visitors desperately need if they are to avoid the drop.
West Ham United v Brentford (Tues, 4am)
Both sides will be desperate for a result as their respective seasons flounder. The home side were recently hammered 6-0 at home against a rampant Arsenal team and will want to set the record straight with a convincing victory against the Bees. David Moyes remains under considerable pressure as supporters vent their frustration at what they perceive as outmoded tactics.
Thomas Frank, meanwhile, retains the complete trust of everyone at Brentford despite lying in 14th place on the table. His stock remains high enough for bookmakers to name him as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp at Anfield next season.
The League Cup Final
Liverpool v Chelsea (Sun, 11pm)
First versus tenth in the table means the odds are firmly stacked in favour of Liverpool. But as the recent draw against Manchester City demonstrates, Chelsea do possess the necessary quality to go toe-to-toe with the very best. Mauricio Pochettino is slowly moulding the disparate assembly of stars into a functioning football team, but for some poor finishing, Chelsea could very well have taken maximum points at the Etihad last weekend.
The League Cup represents a golden opportunity for Pochettino to win his first trophy in English football, while Liverpool are hoping it is the first of four in an emotional farewell season for Klopp. – Feb 24, 2024
All photos credited to The Guardian
