Football News: Premier League Match Previews

Saturday 12:30pm
Manchester United v Arsenal
Injuries:
Rooney (doubt)
Valencia (doubt)
Fellaini (doubt)
Bailly (out)
Smalling (out)
Wilson (out)

Bellerin (out)
Perez (out)
Akpom (out)
Mertesacker (out)
Welbeck (out)
Cazorla (doubt)

This is a huge test for Jose Mourinho, the first real test for his relationship with the United fans, which is mixed. The media love affair with Pep Guardiola meant the defeat to Citeh was almost expected, while the draw with Liverpool and hiding by Chelsea were both away games. This is at Old Trafford, with Mourinho still to fully endear himself to the faithful. He is still seen as having a Chelsea tinge to him. Added to that, his tactical approach, at times, is at odds with how Red Devils' fans want to see their team play. While Alex Ferguson could get away with the odd game with the bus being parked, Jose has yet to earn the fans' respect fully and certainly has not won their hearts the way Fergie did. A bad result in this game could seal his future in the minds of many. As such, especially as United lack their only top quality centre half, it is likely Jose will park the bus, even though it is at home.

Arsene Wenger also has his problems, as the Gunners are likely to be without the creative midfield influence of Santi Cazorla and the attacking threat of their other Spanish star, Hector Bellerin. Without Bellerin marauding down the right flank, the Gooners will lack threat from wide areas, as their left flank is much weaker. The real worry is that their driving force, Alexis Sanchez, could also miss out due to fitness. That would make it a very difficult match for Arsenal, with a choice between Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott to lead the line, neither being an ideal replacement.

Saturday 3pm
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Injuries:
Mandanda (out)
Sako (doubt)
J. Benteke (out)
Souare (out)
Remy (out)

Kompany (doubt)
Fernando (doubt)
Sagna (doubt)
Delph (out)

With Alan Pardew being unable to organise a team effectively, he will have to look to beat City on the counter, as his team are unlikely to get enough of the ball to attack the Citizens effectively. They will most likely look to run at Citeh's extremely shakey defence, and hope to pick up a few setpieces in dangerous areas for Jason Puncheon's left peg to deliver into the area. With his excellent delivery allied to City's very weak defence, there is every chance of the Eagles picking up a goal or two.

Pep Guardiola's main plan will, as always, revolve around getting and keeping possession of the football, preferably in the opposing third of the pitch. He will want to keep the ball away from his defence, as it is clear that John Stones is still struggling for form and confidence (and defensive ability) and Vincent Kompany, if fit, is a long way from being at his best. They will take chances and leave gaps at the back and hope that Palace are unable to get enough of the ball to exploit them.

Saturday 3pm
Everton v Swansea City
Injuries:
McCarthy (doubt)
Baines (doubt)
A Kone (out)
Besic (out)
Pennington (out)

Montero (doubt)
Dyer (doubt)

Ronald Koeman will expect his Everton team to bounce back from their hammering at the hands of Chelsea last time out, which was a sobering defeat for his Toffees' side. The Blues had been flying high, looking like a genuine threat for the top 4, a remarkable turnaround after the struggles under Roberto Martinez. The Chelsea games was a reminder that there is still a long way to go, but Swansea are far from being as good a side as Chelsea. Expect an Everton side to be sent out with a bee in their bonnet and look to get at the Swans from the kick off.

Swansea City, on the other hand, are still struggling under new manager Bob Bradley. So far he seems to have concentrated on turning the Swans into a team as turgid to watch as a Tony Pulis side, with long balls in evidence constantly. It is not what we have grown used to over the years from Swansea, and I am not sure they really have the team for that style of football, though they do have a couple of forwards capable of leading the line in a long ball team. It could be a long road for them, which will be all the more difficult due to the unpopularity of the new owners, as well as the dislike of the style of play.

Saturday 3pm
Southampton v Liverpool
Injuries:
Tadic (doubt)
Bertrand (doubt)
Hojbjerg (doubt)
Forster (doubt)
McCarthy (doubt)
Soares (doubt)
Long (out)
Targett (out)
Pied (out)

Lallana (doubt)
Coutinho (doubt)
Ings (out)
Ojo (out)

Saints expect to be boosted by the fitness of Forster and Tadic, who now look likely to be fit to face Liverpool. Claude Puel tends to play a very similar formation to Jurgen Klopp, so this could be a very interesting clash of styles. Though it often happens that teams like this cancel each other out and the game can peter out into a dull affair! Southampton have a decent record at home to Liverpool, so they will hope to carry that on, with the players having the hope of playing well and impressing a side that tends to shop there each summer.

Liverpool went into the international break on fire and top of the league, so Klopp will not have welcomed the distraction, especially as it led to a couple of injury doubts. Adam Lallana has grown into an essential cog in the machine that has steamrollered so many, while Philippe Coutinho has been its inspiration this season. Even without those two, the Reds are a potent force with a number of ex-Saints to trouble Soton. Saints will be especially wary of the pace, skill and movement of former winger Sadio Mane, who has added a new dimension to Liverpool's attack this season.

Saturday 3pm
Stoke City v Bournemouth
Injuries:
Whelan (doubt)
Shaqiri (doubt)
Johnson (doubt)
Bony (doubt)
Cameron (out)
Butland (out)
Ireland (out)
Afellay (out)

Wilson (doubt)
Surman (doubt)
Smith (out)
Cook (out)

Stoke are a long way from the side that kicked off the season looking like 11 individuals who had just met. Now they are beginning to look like a team again and it is showing in their improved results. They have the quality to hurt any opponent, though lacking in the absolute top class needed to get consistent wins. They certainly have players who can trouble Bournemouth, though they will miss Bony. Mark Hughes will be looking to Marko Arnautovic to provide the cutting edge against a side that often struggles defensively.

The Cherries have abundant pace, high workrate and a desire to get the ball down and play in all areas of the pitch. Eddie Howe emphasises a passing game, which can catch them out at times, but, on form, they are a match for most of the Premier League. They will need to get more from Jordon Ibe, who has so far struggled to live up to his price tag since joining for a big fee from Liverpool.

Saturday 3pm
Sunderland v Hull City
Injuries:
Anichebe (possible)
McNair (possible)
Rodwell (possible)
Kirchhoff (possible)
Cattermole (possible)
Borini (out)

Hernandez (out)
Keane (out)
Odubajo (out)
Robertson (out)
Luer (out)
Bruce (out)

The Mackems really did not want the international break, as they finally got a win in the league and would have liked to build on that immediately. As it is, David Moyes has had a bit of time to work with the team and look to tighten up the leaky defence. Up until now, there has been a significant lack of passion from the players on the pitch, something that is the total antithesis of Moyes' Everton side. Unless Moyes can engender some passion in the team soon, he will be out of a job and Sunderland will be dropping out of the Prem basement trap door.

Hull are in complete disarray, off the pitch the club's fans are at war with the owners, on the pitch the squad lacks much needed investment and is missing some of its best players through injury. Players it can ill afford to lose, due to the small size of the squad. There is little Mike Phelan can do but make the most of things and look to rebuild the togetherness that saw the team through the first couple of matches. This is both teams' best chance of picking up a good result, as they are without doubt the two weakest teams in the league.

Saturday 3pm
Watford v Leicester City
Injuries:
Gomes (doubt)
Prodl (doubt)
Okaka (doubt)
Kabasele (out)
Success (out)
Kenedy (out)
Cathcart (out)
Dja Djedje (out)

Gray (doubt)
Drinkwater (doubt)
Schmeichel (out)
Mendy (out)

The Hornets will be looking to make amends after their mauling at the hands of Liverpool prior to the international break. What better way to lift spirits than a win over last season's champions? Against Liverpool, Watford were put on the back foot from the start and allowed the Reds to dominate the ball and the pitch from the kick off. I doubt Walter Mazzarri will make the same mistake against Leicester, who are quite happy to give up possession of the ball anyway. This could be an interesting match up of two counter attacking sides.

The Foxes have been nothing like the team that shocked the world last season, as they swept almost all aside on their way to the title. This season Leicester have reserved their best performances for the Champions League, a Champions League they never expected to take part in. They have often struggled to focus on the Premier League in the run up to a Champions League match in midweek, which could be the issue again this week. Claudio Ranieri will be doing his level best to ensure that his charges finally put aside thoughts of Europe until the weekend is over.

Saturday 5:30pm
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
Injuries:
Rose (doubt)
Eriksen (doubt)
Janssen (doubt)
Dembele (doubt)
Alli (doubt)
Davies (out)
Lamela (out)
Alderweireld (out)

Collins (doubt)
Reid (doubt)
Sakho (doubt)
Oxford (out)
Tore (out)
Byram (out)
Masuaku (out)
Carroll (out)

Spurs fans will be delighted with the return of Harry Kane, though his period out through injury has highlighted just how badly they rely on him to score goals. They are not the most prolific of teams under Mauricio Pochettino anyway, but without the England forward they look completely toothless and it showed again the folly of not buying a top class striker to partner/cover for him. If he hits a bad patch, it could well see the end of their title challenge for another season. How long can they rely on a solid defence, when their best defender, Toby Alderweireld is out injured?

Luckily for Spurs, this season's West Ham side look a pale imitation of last term's team. They are struggling at the foot of the table and show no signs of returning to the form of last year. The likes of Dmitri Payet look overweight and out of sorts, the defence looks weak and Slaven Bilic has shown no sign of having any kind of answer to the problems. In fact, his bizarre team choices, such as playing Michail Antonio at right back, have made the problems worse most of the time. The even more odd transfer decisions made in the summer have left the club in the depths of a crisis that is going to take a lot of sorting out. This season will be a real test of Bilic and truly tell us how good a manager he actually is.

Sunday 4pm
Middlesbrough v Chelsea
Injuries:
Friend (doubt)
Ayala (doubt)

Hazard (doubt)
Zouma (doubt)
Fabregas (doubt)
Loftus-Cheek (doubt)
Costa (doubt)

Boro have picked up a fair few shock results this season, but they are still in a precarious situation, which they need to remedy as soon as possible. Aitor Karanka has them playing some good passing football, at times, but a lot of the time they play a style very similar to his mentor's Jose Mourinho's style of defensive, boring football. Chelsea fans will be well used to that, and know better than most how that is only bearable when your team is winning matches. Though, this season at least, I have no doubts Boro fans will be just happy to avoid relegation, in the long run Karanka will have to do more than just stay up. Especially if a recurrence of his fallout with the players should happen again.

Chelsea are flying since Antonio Conte switched to his favoured back three system, that he spent the summer buying players to fit into and then started the season playing a back four. The last few weeks have seen them get better and better, culminating in their demolition of a lacklustre Everton side just before the international break. Conte will be just looking for more of the same from his charges against newly-promoted Boro.

Monday 8pm
West Bromwich Albion v Burnley
Injuries:
Rondon (doubt)
Chadli (doubt)
Olsson (doubt)

Ward (doubt)

The Baggies are dour, dire even, under Tony Pulis, so it was a surprise that such faith was shown in him that the club gave him a new contract recently. They look like a side that will struggle against relegation each season, playing the same toxic, nasty, negative, brutal football that Pulis has made his name with. Already the fans are unhappy, they need to pick up some wins quickly before those unhappy fans turn on the club and others follow them. With the complete lack of entertainment on offer, there is little to pacify the fans except good results, which so far have been few and far between.

Burnley are having to manage on a fraction of the resources of the Baggies, but manager Sean Dyche is able to get a team that, mostly, stifles the opposition in a similar, though less toxic, nasty, negative and brutal, way to the Baggies. It is going forward that the Clarets are different, they are direct too, but produce better football. The difference is that Dyche does want to play more football, he just lacks the resources to take on Prem teams that way, so he adjusts his style to suit. Will it be enough to save them from relegation this time around though?

Written by Tris Burke November 19 2016 07:53:42