TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR VS LIVERPOOL
LAST MEETING
February 10, 2015 (Anfield): Liverpool 3-2 Tottenham
KEY STATS
- Spurs are the only Premier League team not to have lost since the opening weekend (W3 D4)
- Liverpool have won five successive league games against Spurs for the first time since 1976; this is the 145th league clash between the sides but neither has ever won six in a row
- Tottenham’s last five PL home defeats have all been by a one goal margin; the last team to win by more at White Hart Lane were Liverpool (3-0 in August 2014)
- Gerard Houllier is the only Liverpool manager to win his first PL game in charge of the club (2-1 vs Southampton in 1998, he was joint-manager with Roy Evans at the time)
- Since his PL debut in Sept 2013, Christian Eriksen has scored more direct free kicks than any other player (6)
TEAM NEWS
Alex Pritchard and Heung-Min-Son are nursing injuries for the home side while the Reds will travell without Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, Jon Flanagan, Dejan Lovren and Danny Ings, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
SPURS XI: Lloris; Alderweireld, Walker, Davies, Vertonghen; Chadli, Lamela; Eriksen, Dier, Alli; Kane
LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet; Sakho, Can, Skrtel; Moreno, Leiva, Milner, Clyne; Coutinho; Sturridge, Origi
PREDICTION: Tottenham WIN
CHELSEA VS ASTON VILLA
LAST MEETING
February 7, 2015 (Villa Park): Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea
KEY STATS
- Jose Mourinho has never lost successive home league games as a manager
- Aston Villa have lost four PL games in a row by a one-goal margin; no side has ever done this in five consecutive matches
- 12 of the 23 teams to be 16th after eight PL games (as Chelsea are now) have been relegated, while no side has ever finished higher than fifth (Everton 2008/09)
- Villa have not kept a PL clean sheet at Stamford Bridge since March 1998; conceding 30 in their last eight at the West London venue
- Chelsea have conceded at least two goals in seven of their eight PL games this season (the other game was a 2-0 win against Arsenal)
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea number 1 goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Branislav Ivanovic are the only absentees in Jose Mourinho’s squad while the Villains will miss the services of Gary Gardner and Jores Okore.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
CHELSEA XI: Begovic; Terry, Cahill, Rahman, Azpilicueta; Fàbregas, Hazard; Willian, Ramires, Oscar; Falcao
ASTON VILLA XI: Guzan; Lescott, Richards, Crespo; Gueye, Veretout, Amavi, Hutton, Westwood; Sinclair, Gestede
PREDICTION: Chelsea WIN
MANCHESTER CITY VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH
LAST MEETING
KEY STATS
- Sergio Aguero has 16 goals in 13 PL appearances in the month of October
- Eddie Howe played in the last meeting between these sides; a 0-0 draw on the south coast in February 1999
- The Citizens have won four and drawn two of their previous six meetings with Bournemouth
- The Cherries have now covered 944 km this season; 18km more than any other side
- De Bruyne has never scored in four consecutive appearances in either the Bundesliga or Premier League
TEAM NEWS
Sergio Aguero and David Silva are out of contention after picking up injuries during the international break. Fabian Delph and Gael Clichy will also sit this on out. The Cherries will have to be content without Callum Wilson, Harry Arter, Tyrone Mings, Tommy Elphick and Max Gradel who are all out with long term injuries
PREDICTED LINEUPS
MANCHESTER CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolarov, Mangala, Otamendi; Toure, Fernandinho; Fernando, De Bruyne, Sterling; Bony
BOURNEMOUTH XI: Boruc; Distin, Cook, Daniels, Francis; Pugh, Ritchie, Surman, Gosling; King, Murray
PREDICTION: Manchester City WIN
SOUTHAMPTON VS LEICESTER CITY
LAST MEETING
May 9, 2015 (King Power Stadium): Leicester 2-0 Southampton
KEY STATS
- Both meetings between these sides last season ended 2-0 to the home team with a player scoring a brace (Long, Mahrez)
- Jamie Vardy has scored eight goals in his last nine PL appearances, including in each of his last five matches in the competition
- Saints have only lost one of their last 18 top-flight games against Leicester (W10 D7)
- Leicester have won more points from losing positions than any other top-flight side this season (6)
- Maarten Stekelenburg has made only 10 saves in eight games this term, that’s four fewer than David de Gea has made in half as many matches (14 in four)
TEAM NEWS
Fraser Forster, Shane Long, Florin Gardos and Jordy Clasie will be absent from the match day squad for the Saints while the Foxes only injury concern is Matthew James’ ACL tear.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
SAINTS XI: Stekelenburg; Soares, Dijk, Fonte, Bertrand; Wanyama, Tadic; Romeu, Mané, Davis; Pellè
LEICESTER XI: Schmeichel; Fuchs, Huth, Morgan, Simpson; Drinkwater, Kanté, Schlupp, Albrighton; Vardy, Okazaki
PREDICTION: Leicester City WIN
EVERTON VS MANCHESTER UNITED
LAST MEETING
April 26, 2015 (Goodison Park): Everton 3-0 Manchester United
KEY STATS
- Romelu Lukaku is one of only four players to score a PL hat-trick against Manchester United (Bentley, Kuyt, Eto’o)
- Anthony Martial has touched the ball in the opposition box more often than any other PL player this season (every 9.2 minutes, minimum of 90 minutes played)
- Everton are the only Premier League side yet to score from a set piece this term
- Wayne Rooney has not scored an away goal since last November (17 games without one) and has not scored at Goodison Park since April 2007 (six games)
- Roberto Martinez’s side have only won one of their lat six at Goodison Park (D2 L3)
TEAM NEWS
Tony Hibbert, Leighton Baines, Tom Cleverley, Steven Pienaar and Muhamed Besic are all sidelined for the home side while the Red Devils travel without Luke Shaw and Paddy McNair.
PREDICTED LINUEPS
EVERTON XI: Howard; Galloway, Funes Mori, Browning, Jagielka; Naismith, McCarthy; Barkley, Deulofeu, Barry; Lukaku
MANCHESTER UNITED XI: De Gea; Darmian, Smalling, Blind, Valencia; Carrick, Schneiderlin; Mata, Rooney, Memphis; Martial
PREDICTION: Manchester United WIN
WEST BROMWICH ALBION VS SUNDERLAND
LAST MEETING
February 21, 2015 (Stadium of Light): Sunderland 0-0 West Brom
KEY STATS
- The Baggies have won five and lost none of their last six home league meetings with Sunderland
- The Black Cats have failed to score in four of their last six trips to the Hawthorns
- In their last 15 home league games, West Brom have kept eight clean sheets but have conceded three or more goals in the other seven
- Sunderland have had fewer shots on target than any other PL side this term (23)
- Tony Pulis has not gone five PL home games without a win since a run of five draws at Stoke between April and September 2012. He has never gone five without one within the same top-flight campaign
TEAM NEWS
Ben Foster is the only confirmed absentee for the home side. Jonny Evans, James Morrison and Jonas Osslon are all doubts for Saturday’s encounter. The Black Cats make the trip without Adam Matthews and Ola Toivonen. Younes Kaboul and Yann M’Vila are likely to be fit to make the squad.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
WEST BROM XI: Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Chester, Brunt; Yacob, Morrison, Fletcher, McLean; Rondon, Berahino
SUNDERLAND XI: Pantilimon, Jones, Yedlin, O’Shea, Kaboul, Cattermole, M’Vila, Gomez, Larsson, Borini, Fletcher
PREDICTION: DRAW
CRYSTAL PALACE VS WEST HAM UNITED
LAST MEETING
February 28, 2015 (Boleyn Ground): West Ham 1-3 Crystal Palace
KEY STATS
- The last time that Crystal Palace had more points after eight games in a top-flight season (15 this season) was in 1990-91 (16 points)- they finished third that season
- Dimitri Payet has had a hand in 14 goals (five goals, nine assists) in his last 16 league appearances (PL and Ligue 1 combined)
- Both meetings between these sides last term ended in 3-1 away wins
- West Ham, unbeaten in four on the road, have not gone five PL away games without defeat since January 2009
- 15 of the 18 goals in games featuring Crystal Palace this season have come after half-time this season (both scored and conceded)
TEAM NEWS
Marouane Chamakh, Kwesi Appiah, Connor Wickham and Joel Ward will be sidelined for this clash while West Ham are still without Enner Valencia, Joey O’Brien, Alex Song, Aaron Cresswell and Winston Reid.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Hennessey; Kelly, Hangeland, Dann, Souare;Cabaye, McArthur, Puncheon, Bolasie; Zaha, Gayle
WEST HAM XI: Adrian; Jenkinson, Tomkins, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble, Moses; Zarate, Payet; Sakho
PREDICTION: West Ham WIN
WATFORD VS ARSENAL
LAST MEETING
December 26, 2006 (Vicarage Road): Watford 1-2 Arsenal
KEY STATS
- Odion Ighalo has scored Watford’s last five Premier League goals
- Petr Cech has the best save percentage in the PL this season (82%, minimum 5 saves)
- Watford have the lowest shot conversion rate (8.6%) and shooting accuracy (34.3%) figures in the PL this season
- Alexis Sanchez has scored five times in his last two league appearances
- The top two players for most sprints in the PL this term are Aaron Ramsey (560) and Ikechi Anya (533)
TEAM NEWS
Juardo Marin, Joel Ekstrand, Ikechi Anya and Romeo Nyom are all doubts for this fixture for the home side while the Gunners will miss Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere. Laurent Koscielny may make a come back to the starting eleven.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
WATFORD XI: Gomes; Prödl, Nyom, Cathcart, Aké; Abdi, Anya, Capoue, Watson; Ighalo, Deeney
ARSENAL XI: Cech; Monreal, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Paulista; Sánchez, Özil; Ramsey, Coquelin, Cazorla; Walcott
PREDICTION: Arsenal WIN
NEWCASTLE UNITED VS NORWICH CITY
LAST MEETING
January 28, 2015 (Carrow Road): Norwich 0-0 Newcastle
KEY STATS
- The Magpies are unbeaten in five PL meetings with Norwich (w3 D2), keeping four clean sheets in the process
- Norwich have never won at St James Park in the PL (D1 L5); only at Old Trafford have they played more often without winning (D1 L6)
- Newcastle have not scored or conceded a goal to an English player in the league this term
- David Silva (6) is the only player with more PL assists this season than Wes Hoolahan (5)
- Newcastle have failed to win any of their first eight league games for only the second time in their history (10 in 1898/99)
TEAM NEWS
Things are looking quite grim for the Magpies, with Tim Krul,Steven Taylor, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, Emmanuel Riviere, Rolando Aarons and Karl Darlow all out with injuries. Norwich will travel without Youssouf Mulumbu. Gary Hooper and Lewis Grabban may make the bench.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
NEWCASTLE XI: Elliot; Mbabu, Coloccini, Mbemba, Janmaat; Wijnaldum, Anita, Colback, Sissoko; Perez, Mitrovic
NORWICH XI: Ruddy; Brady, Bassong, Martin, Whittaker; Jarvis, Dorrans, Tettey, Howson; Hoolahan; Mbokani
PREDICTION: Norwich City WIN
SWANSEA CITY VS STOKE CITY
LAST MEETING
May 2, 2015 (Liberty Stadium): Swansea 2-0 Stoke
KEY STATS
- Only 14 players have starred for Swansea in the league this season; the fewest of all PL sides
- Stoke have only won one of their last 18 league visits to Swansea (D5 L12), keeping only two clean sheets in that run
- Bafetimbi Gomis has been caught offside 19 times this term; 11 more than any other PL player
- Stoke have not won consecutive PL away wins since December 2011
- Gary Monk’s men have only won two of their last 10 league fixture (D4 L4)
TEAM NEWS
Swansea enjoy a clean bill of health coming into this fixture while Stoke will still be without the services of Shay Given, Ryan Shawcross and Mame Biram Diouf, who was granted compassionate leave following the death of his mother.
PREDICTED LINEUPS
SWANSEA XI: Fabianski; Taylor, Williams, Fernandez, Naughton; Ki, Shelvey; Ayew, Sigurdsson, Montero; Gomis
STOKE XI: Butland; Pieters, Wollscheid, Cameron, Johnson; Adam, Whelan; Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic; Walters
ChezaFutaa! 