THE English Premier League returns after a midweek of European action. All three title contenders were involved with Manchester City involved in an epic battle against Spanish giants Real Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium, drawing 3-3.
Table toppers Arsenal may rue letting Bayern Munich back into a game they should have won and now will face a testing return leg at the Allianze Arena in Germany.
Liverpool had a chastening night as they were trounced 3-0 at home by a highly impressive Atalanta side, signalling what was probably Jurgen Klopp’s final European tie at Anfield.
Will there be a hangover for teams involved in continental competition? FocusM takes a look at the talking points from the weekend’s fixtures.
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspurs (Sat, 7.30pm)
Spurs are in the driving seat in the hunt for fourth spot after Aston Villa’s recent dip in form. The Magpies remain in contention for the Europa League but must win these vital home fixtures.
Against a motivated Spurs team, Eddie Howe will need to keep things tight at the back and may want to tweak his high defensive line from being exploited by the pace of Son Heung-min. It would be a massive blow to either team to not collect maximum points as the battle for European places heats up.
Manchester City v Luton Town (Sat, 10pm)
Luton players have heart. That much is clear. Their many battling displays, especially at home, have shown that the collective spirit is strong. Whether that alone is enough to retain their Premiership status for next season remains to be seen.
After the epic 3-3 draw against Real Madrid in midweek, City players looked absolutely drained. Will it affect their standards against a relegation-threatened team? Unlikely is the genuine answer as City tend to hit their stride round about this stage of the season.
Brentford v Sheffield United (Sat, 10pm)
Brentford have not been at their best this season and this is reflected in them hovering uncomfortably close to the drop zone. This is in large part due to key striker Ivan Toney being banned for eight months for gambling offences. He is now back and regaining his scoring touch.
The Bees will also be buoyed by the availability of Bryan Mbeuno who in tandem with Toney should give Sheffield United’s backline a torrid time. Thomas Frank will want to maximise this opportunity of a home game against the bottom side to ease any relegation concerns.
Burnley v Brighton & Hove Albion (Sat, 10pm)
The Seagulls have found juggling European commitments with domestic action to be tough. There has been a very pronounced drop-off in standards from Roberto De Zerbi’s team as they negotiated a debut season in the Europa League.
Just three wins in their last 12 games tell its own story. Having been dumped out by Roma in the last round, Brighton have the luxury of a full week to rest and prepare for a game against a Burnley side looking already doomed. A comfortable away win is on the cards.
Bournemouth v Manchester United (Sun, 12.30am)
Bournemouth chalked up a famous 3-0 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season, justifying the board’s appointment of Adoni Iraola as head coach. The Spaniard’s high tempo, counter attacking football left the Red Devils in tatters that day and it remains to be seen if Erik Ten Hag’s men have learnt lessons from their abject display.
Their yo-yo form suggests that the team is reliant on sudden bursts of individual brilliance to see them over the line rather than any coherent team strategy.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (Sun, 9pm)
Anfield was devoid of atmosphere in midweek as supporters protested against rising ticket prices by withholding the traditional flags and banners that adorn its famous European nights. That may have contributed to a flat atmosphere and even flatter performance from Jurgen Klopp’s men who were out-muscled and outplayed by a hungry and determined Atalanta side.
Is this the moment Liverpool bow out from the title race as many of the players look jaded and fatigued? A home win is a must if they are to remain in contention for the title; otherwise, a season that promised so much is in danger of fizzling out in the most anti-climactic of fashions.
West Ham United v Fulham (Sun, 9pm)
An intriguing London derby with David Moyes having to rally his troops after a deflating defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in midweek. The German team utter dominance in that match signalled an alarming slide in performance levels from the Hammers who must make the most of remaining home games to qualify for Europe again next term.
They face a Fulham side which are leaking goals for fun – seven in their last three – but capable of beating any side on their day. Problem facing Marco Silva is that some players seem to already be in holiday mode.
Arsenal v Aston Villa (Sun, 11.30pm)
Both teams had challenging European assignments in midweek with Arsenal sharing the spoils against Bayern Munich. The visitors fared better in the Conference League with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Lille and will need to summon every ounce of energy to keep up the chase for fourth.
How much those exertions affect each team remains to be seen as neither have been deep into continental competition for many a year. Will Unai Emery favour silverware over the chase for fourth spot? Can Mikael Arteta maintain Arsenal’s recent consistency given the hectic fixture schedule?
Key will be the form of Ollie Watkins and Kai Havertz who have been their respective teams’ match winners of late; perhaps a moment of magic from one of them will settle this game.
Chelsea v Everton (Tues, 3am)
Everton were handed another points penalty for financial wrongdoings which drags them towards the relegation trap door. They are only two points off the bottom three and cannot let more points slip on-field.
A Chelsea side struggling for form and consistency may be the ideal opponents as Everton seeks to vent some of their frustration over perceived off-field injustices. Mauricio Pochettino will want his players to show some steel in front of the home support in what promises to be a robust game. – April 13, 2024
Main image credit: The Guardian
