EPL 2015/16 - Game Week 11

The End Is Near! When you watched those end of the world movies, you can see crowds of people holding placards and chanting. This could be the scene at Stamford Bridge. You are as good as your last deal. Hero or not, it is not eternal when it comes to human affection, especially when you are a soccer league manager. Tim Sherwood got the sack from Villa. Steve McClaren is living dangerously at Newcastle. Brendan Rodgers was no more with the Reds. Dick Advocaat has gone from Sunderland.  Who is next? Jose Mourinho's exit from Chelsea? No manager will quit. Better to get severance pay when sacked!

Chelsea v Liverpool - History strongly favours the Blues who are unbeaten in their last six meetings. Liverpool failed to score against Chelsea only once in ten clashes. Liverpool has remained unbeaten for some time but they just could not win. They are either feeling too much pressure or are lacking in confidence or both but if there is one team everybody wish to play now it has got to be Chelsea. Mourinho for all his ability sold Sturridge to Liverpool and he became top scorer. He also sold Kevin De Bruyne on the cheap to Wolfsburg whom Manchester City bought at a high price and looked what he is doing at City. Then he sold Petr Cech to Arsenal favouring Tibalt Courtois and look what Cech is doing at Arsenal now. All these players have the potential in playing a part in hurting Mourinho. 

There are problems at Stamford Bridge and it is getting deeper while the same is happening at Anfield but Klopp would get better. The occasion, the biggest of the weekend could be used as a critical turning point for both if they win as this could bring back the belief. It offers a glorious chance for Liverpool to avenge their defeat that saw them declined and surrendered the title two years back. Sturridge is needed but he seemed to be made from paper, playing two matches and then like forever injured. If he continues in this fashion, he could be eventually sold and a quality replacement brought in.  

History aside, Chelsea is an old engine cracking so Liverpool have a little more hunger. Chelsea crashed out of the League Cup on penalties after a 1-1 score at Stoke on Tuesday with Diego Costa injured. There are rumours of Carlo Ancelotti returning and Chelsea is now like Liverpool before Rodgers was given the boot. Meanwhile, Liverpool finally got a much needed 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the League Cup but now have a depleted strike force. Looks like a draw again but if they could muster a solid performance and Benteke plays, they could win. 1-2.

Swansea v Arsenal - The Swans have been a thorn in the Gunners as they remained unbeaten in their last three meetings but Arsenal have always scored at the Liberty Stadium including two victories and a loss on their last three visits. Swansea returned to winning ways after quite some time when they won at Villa Park (2-1) while you are thinking Arsenal could do no wrong now having beaten Man Utd 3-0, Watford (3-0 away), hack they even had Bayern Munich beaten (2-0) and continued with last week's 2-1 victory over a battling Everton. Then horrows, they were soundly trounced 3-0 by Sheffield Wednesday on a Tuesday in the League Cup and to make things worse has the in-form Theo Walcott and Oxlade Chamberlain out with hamstring injuries. 

In this sense, they are level when the first whistle blows. Despite Swansea's win last week, I did not detect enough evidence that they are going to give Gary Monk another win here, perhaps at best a draw but I feel the Gunners have enough to edge out another win to stay in contention. 1-2.

WBA v Leicester - After a losing streak, the Baggies are back with two wins in a row and the last nine times both sides have met, they have only lost this tie twice. Leicester were held 1-1 by Hull in the League Cup before being ousted on penalties. To make matters worse, the Foxes have a poor record against WBA having won once and lost four times in their last five head to head but you know by now how Leicester have come back umpteen times to draw or win matches and even winning away from home.

Riyadh Mahrez who scored against Hull could unlock any defence with his runs and in Jamie Vardy, they have the most prolific and in form striker in the league. Rumour is rife that Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City and everybody else maybe even Fandi Ahmed are keen to sign him. Vardy joined Thierry Henry and Alan Shearer to become an elite group who have scored in seven consecutive games. The others were Daniel Sturridge, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ian Wright and two others. If only you have seen last week's goal he had taken to win the match - lifting the ball over Palace goalie with a deft touch and smashing it into the net. Roy Hodgson should drop Rooney and play Vardy for England. In April, they won 3-2 at the Hawthorns. They can do it again. Vardy! Vardy! Vardy! 1-2.

Crystal Palace v Manchester United - Palace are having a great season thus far but luck has forsaken them having suddenly lost their last two matches. If they win here, they will make a new record as after 12 meetings, they drew twice and lost the rest to Man Utd. The Red Devils have always scored a Selhurst Park. Before their defeat in the last two, Palace was to me the better team than United. In fact, United drew City 0-0 last week in what was possibly the most boring and drab derby game I have seen. Probably the worst match I have seen all season. Why is Rooney even in the first XI? They could not even score against Middlesborough in the Cup (and got ousted on penalties) and have now not scored for two matches. Palace themselves were soundly thrashed 5-1 by City in the Cup. A repeat performance and result would show how quickly they have fallen.

United somehow have been very lucky to win but they are crap considering the recent talks by Thierry Henry suggesting Paul Scholes was the best player in the Premier League ever. Not surpirsing as Zinedine Zidane at his peak named Scholes as his most difficult opponent. Look at the Red Devils today and after spending so much money, they are so ordinary. In today's world, many things are just so overrated. Draw. 1-1.

Manchester City v Norwich - City are table toppers while Norwich have now lost three in a row including a 6-2 hiding from fellow strugglers Newcastle two weeks ago. Strangely this tie often invoke high scores since 2012 - 6-1, 4-3, 2-3, 7-0, 0-0 (City first). It is not a good time for the Canaries to visit the Etihad especially when City have just strolled past Palace in the Cup while Norwich would be tired out by the penalty kicks loss to Everton in the Cup. 1-3.

Newcastle v Stoke - The Magpies were flying after that emphatic 6-2 first win of their season over Norwich only to be hard done by the sending off of their captain Coloccini as before the incident, Newcastle were the better team. Stoke themselves saw a four match unbeaten run ended with a home defeat to Watford but rebounded with a solid display by their goalie Jack Butland and kicked Chelsea out of the League Cup after penalty kicks. The return of captain Ryan Shawcross after a 5-month injury could have inspired them. Watch out for Newcastle's Georgino Wijnaldum and they should be boosted by Coloccini's red card being overturned.

The home side have not beaten Stoke on three previous attempts. In 5 previous meeting, the Potters have never scored more than a goal against Newcastle. In three visits to St. James Park, Stoke drew once and lost twice. A draw looks likely but I stick my head out to say a Newcastle win. 2-1.

Watford v West Ham - The Hammers have not tasted defeat on their travels this season and that says a lot about the works that Slaven Bilic's has done. West Ham are riding high on third on the table but they now face a Watford side brimming with confidence after an impressive 2-0 win at Stoke. Quique Sanchez Flores is Watford's Spanish manager responsible for it. History suggests a tall order for the home side who only managed one win in 22 attempts over the Hammers in the league though the Hornets have beaten their rivals in Cups. Watford would not be easily beaten even though West Ham have no reason not to be able to win this one but Watford would likely disrupt their transition from defence to attack. Draw. 1-1.

Everton v Sunderland - The Black Cats took 4 points off the Toffees last season including a 2-0 win at Goodison Park. They are returning to competition after a massive 3-0 win over Newcastle last week but that was after Coloccini was sent off. Everton captain Phil Jagielkas in out injured and Sunderland is not their favourite opponent having won just once in five outings. Everton could not even beat Norwich in the League Cup in regulation time (1-1) and won only after penalties but Ross Barkley is having his finest season and together with Romelu Lukaku can do some damage here. Home win. 2-1.

Southampton v Bournemouth - Saints versus Cherries is a local derby and as in all derbies, things are a little different. A key note here is that Southampton are unbeaten against Bournemouth in 5 head to head clashes. Bournemouth failed to score in 5 of their 8 visits here but they have scored in 8 of their league matches so far. Southampton have been conceding goals in most matches not as what they were last season but still they are good enough to win it and just last week Bournemouth crumbled at home 1-5 to Tottenham. 2-1.

Tottenham v Aston Villa - Hurrican Harry Kane is back! The 5-1 thrashing of Bournemouth will inspire them with Kane who contributed a hattrick. Besides, Spurs are Villa's nemesis and conquerors for the last three years - 100% losses home and away. Villa have suffered straight losses for too many games but they have lost by just one or two goals. I can't see their revival soon and they have to wait further. 2-0.