Football News: Premier League Previews 10 November 2018

Cardiff City v Brighton and Hove Albion

This game is a massively important one for Cardiff City, having lost eight of their last nine games in all competitions, with their only win coming against the Premier League's bottom club Fulham so far this season.

It's a run they need to shake off, and this could be a great opportunity for them to do just that. They face notoriously poor travellers Brighton, who can only boast about one win in their last 19 away league games. Cardiff can't ask for opposition with as poor a pedigree on the road as that to visit the Cardiff City Stadium.

But what doesn't bode particularly well for the Bluebirds is the fact that their manager Neil Warnock has met Brighton boss Chris Hughton on five previous occasions in the dugout and he has lost four and drawn one of them - not one win to his name against the former Irish international.

Having said that, Hughton himself is without a win in his last five league visits to Cardiff as a manager, including a 2-1 loss as Norwich boss in the 2013-14 Premier League season - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was Cardiff boss that day.

Brighton have already amassed a nine-point gap between themselves and Cardiff in the Premier League this season. The pressure is entirely on Cardiff to get the three points here - if Cardiff can't pick up wins in their home games, then they are already doomed to relegation from the Premier League.

But to win this one, they'll have to battle a side they have struggled against in recent league encounters - just one win for Cardiff in their last 11 league games against Brighton, with that coming in February 2016 in the Championship.

Last week's defeat at Leicester was a unique match given the circumstances the Foxes came into that game into but today will be a more realistic test of Cardiff's resolve and spirit as they look to give themselves a chance of climbing out of the relegation zone.

Key players:

Junior Hoilett - Yet to score or assist a Premier League goal this season, Hoilett was on the bench for Cardiff's last league match against Leicester. He was top for goal involvements in their Championship winning campaign, and if he doesn't start to produce this season, Cardiff will struggle to find the quality in the final third to pick up the points needed to survive this campaign.

Dale Stephens - With three goals and an assist in his four league starts against Cardiff, Stephens hasn't scored more against any other opponent in English league football. Despite missing two of Brighton's 11 league games so far this season, he has made more successful passes than any of his teammates in 2018-19, and he will need to help his side exert some control on this game to stop Cardiff building up a head of steam at their home ground.

Huddersfield Town v West Ham United

Finally, a win and a goal for Huddersfield Town! Their 1-0 win at Fulham, by virtue of an own goal, was their first goal and three points at the John Smith's Stadium since April, and they now have a chance to score in back-to-back home league games for the first time since last December and win in back-to-back home league games for the first time since last November.

They face a West Ham outfit who, after losing each of their first four league games of the season under new manager Manuel Pellegrini, have only lost two of their last seven, and after beating Burnley 4-2 last time out, will be aiming to earn consecutive league wins for the first time since January 2017.

The Terriers may feel they can continue their scoring run here today, if you can call it that. West Ham have only kept one clean sheet in their last 14 away league games, conceding 31 goals in the process.

But Huddersfield were the only side against which West Ham achieved a league double last season, with the Hammers winning 2-0 in London and 4-1 at the John Smith's Stadium. Those are the only two meetings between these two sides in the 21st century, and West Ham will be looking to make it three for three today.

Frankly, it isn't just West Ham who Huddersfield haven't enjoyed facing - since beating Crystal Palace 3-0 in their first ever Premier League match, the Terriers have lost 11 of their 12 league games against London clubs, drawing the other 1-1 with Chelsea in May. By contrast, West Ham have only lost two of their last 19 league games against opponents from Yorkshire - it's London advantage over the north in this match up.

Key players:

Christopher Schindler - Whilst Huddersfield's goal against Fulham last week was an own goal, it was Schindler who forced Timothy Fosu-Mensah into directing the ball into his own net last week. Schindler has proved to be a consistent defender under David Wagner, and his leadership will be crucial today.

Marko Arnautovic - He has only ever faced Huddersfield once before in the Premier League but boy did he make it count. He scored once and assisted two further goals as West Ham ran out 4-1 winners at the John Smith's Stadium last season, and if he repeats that goal involvement again here, then the three points will surely be coming back to London.

Leicester City v Burnley

If Leicester's win over Cardiff last weekend was emotional, this will be perhaps even more so.

This is their first home game since the tragic loss of their owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and the club will be wearing shirts with his name embroidered in to honour the occasion.

It is clear how much the horrendous helicopter crash has affected the Leicester squad and staff members, and this will be another emotional occasion for all involved.

Beating Cardiff last week meant so much to the Foxes, but a win at the King Power would trump even that as they play for their former owner at their home ground.

The visitors are Burnley, who are without a win in their last seven league visits to Leicester, and they will find this game, and of course the atmosphere and feeling in the stadium, difficult to prepare for, as anyone would under the circumstances.

Leicester are the only side to have scored in all 11 of their Premier League games this season and they will be determined to continue that for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Burnley have lost their last three league games, conceding 13 goals in the process - that, along with their recent record at Leicester as well as the determination the Leicester players will have for this match, will make this a tough afternoon for the Clarets.

Key players:

Jamie Vardy - Although he is without a goal in his last four league games, as I said last week, Vardy will be as determined as anyone to win this game for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. He has three league goals to his name against Burnley, including one in their last clash in April, and he would love to score again here today.

Matej Vydra - Burnley need goals, and Vydra scored two of them the last time he played against Leicester in a league match, doing so in May 2013 for Watford. He only has one league goal for his new club, but he certainly has the ability to add to that and then some going forward - he did hit 21 Championship goals for Derby last season, after all.

Newcastle United v Bournemouth

Newcastle clawed their way out of the relegation zone with their first win of the campaign against Watford last week, and even if they were fortunate enough to see their visitors miss a host of chances in that match, Newcastle will be relieved and rejuvenated to have put their first three points on the board in 2018-19, and will want to win back-to-back league games for the first time since April.

As for Bournemouth, they saw their six-game unbeaten run come to an end at home to Manchester United last week, and will be aiming to avoid losing consecutive league games for the first time since April.

This is an opportunity for the Cherries to win three away top-flight games in a row for the first time ever having beaten Watford 4-0 and Fulham 3-0 in their last two away league games - an impressive run of heavy wins on their travels.

And Bournemouth have won both of their previous Premier League trips to St. James' Park, 3-1 in March 2016 and 1-0 in November 2017, last losing away at Newcastle in February 1990. The only side to have won each of their first three away league games against Newcastle were their bitter rivals Sunderland, who won their first four between 1899 and 1901.

In all four top-flight games between these two sides, the away side has never lost. Perhaps that is a strong omen for Bournemouth that they can do what Sunderland did over a century ago. If they do win this game, Bournemouth will have won as many league games away from home this season as they did in the entirety of last season (four). A remarkable upturn from the south coast side.

Key players:

Salomon Rondon - He returned to the Newcastle starting line-up against Watford last week, and Rondon will hope to build on that win today. A league-high 57% of Newcastle's goals have been headed this season, and since Rondon joined the Premier League in 2015, 42% of his goals in the competition have been headed. It could be a perfect recipe.

Callum Wilson - With four goals in his last four league games, including three in his last two, only Harry Kane has scored more away Premier League goals than the Bournemouth forward this season so far. He has already has as productive a season in terms of total combined goals and assists this season (10) than he had in the whole of 2017-18, so he his red hot form could be a major factor for Eddie Howe's side here today.

Southampton v Watford

Southampton could really do with a win. They are without one in seven league games, and haven't won in the league at St. Mary's since April against Bournemouth, scoring just three goals in six games at home since then. If they don't win here, it will be the first time ever that they haven't won any of their first six home league games to a season in the professional English leagues.

Watford have been a tough side to draw conclusions on this season. This has been their best ever start to a top-flight campaign, but they followed up back-to-back wins over Wolves and Huddersfield with a defeat at winless Newcastle last week. Indeed, before those back-to-back wins they lost 4-0 at home to Bournemouth, so their form has been incredibly hit and miss of late, and they missed a host of chances against Newcastle as they lost 1-0.

But as it is, away from home their form simply isn't good - they have won just two of their last 17 away league games, albeit both have come this season. They have failed to find the net at all in 12 of those 17 matches, and with their opponents Southampton having kept two clean sheets in their last three league games, it might prove difficult for Watford in front of goal today.

Having said that, the Saints' goal struggles are more worrying - just one goal in their last six league games, a consolation penalty at Man City last week, and they haven't netted from open play since September.

But Southampton have a good league record against Watford - they have lost only one of their last seven Premier League games against them, although that did come in this exact meeting at St. Mary's in September last season. In fact, their manager Mark Hughes has himself won each of his last four against Watford in the top-flight, a sound record which will give the Saints' big hopes of a victory today.

Key players:

Nathan Redmond - Redmond has had a hand in five goals in his last four league games against Watford, including four goals - that's at least twice as many goals as he has against any other club in the Premier League. They're clearly his favourite opposition, and he will be aiming to get on the scoresheet for the first time this season today.

Abdoulaye Doucoure - Doucoure has scored in all three of his Premier League games against the Saints, a very impressive 100% record. Like Redmond, he is yet to find the net this season but with he will be aiming to stop that run as soon as possible, and he will no doubt be crucial for Watford's hopes in the midfield battle today.

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur

It's not been a good start to the season at Selhurst Park for Crystal Palace. They are winless in their opening five league games of the season there for the first time since 1997-98, and that has combined with a poor recent run to mean that they have won only one of their last 10 league games, and none of the last six.

This will not be an easy game for them to put an end to that run - Tottenham have won four consecutive away league games, and could win five in a row in the same Premier League season for only the second time, having last done so in January 2014.

Spurs will also be buoyed by the fact that they picked up their first Champions League win of the season in midweek, and that will give them real confidence going into this match.

Not only that, but Spurs have enjoyed London derbies of late, winning each of their last five in a row in the league, their best run in the top-flight since the early 1950s.

The form books get worse for Crystal Palace when you look at the head-to-heads - they've lost their last six league games in a row against Spurs, who could be the first side ever to beat Crystal Palace in seven consecutive league meetings. Roy Hodgson himself has only won one of his 13 Premier League games against Tottenham, and that was with Fulham in November 2008 - it doesn't look good for Palace whichever way you look at it.

One final note on this one - don't expect this game to burst into life from the get-go - of the last 26 league goals in clashes between these two teams, 25 have come in the second half! That's just one first half goal in the last 14 such meetings. This isn't a game to be leaving early.

Key players:

Andros Townsend - After bagging his first goal of the season against Chelsea last week, Townsend will be looking to haunt his former club here today. He has never scored in the league against Spurs, and Palace could really do with him changing that and scoring in back-to-back league appearances for the first time since April 2016.

Harry Kane - Like Spurs, Kane loves a London derby - only Thierry Henry has a better goals-per-game ratio in them than the Spurs front man, who has 24 goals in these matches for the club. Palace may be struggling at Selhurst Park, but you still have to be clinical when chances come your way there, and Kane is certainly capable of that.

Written by Reid the Red November 10 2018 10:33:13