EPL 2015/16 - Game Week 12

Liverpool finally won a match and avenged the team that caused them to lose the title. Chelsea continued with this year's surprising downward spiral. Arsenal dispelled some doubts. Leicester continued their fairy tale with bravery. Manchester United were once again dismal. Newcastle were unlucky. Manchester City were made to labour. Watford put on a gutsy shift to shock West Ham. Everton were stunning as they crushed Sunderland. Southampton were steady and assured. 

Bournemouth v Newcastle - Both sides have only met 6 times in all competition with 2 wins apiece and 2 draws. The visitors have no won 10 of their last 12 away games. While the Magpies are getting a little better, Bournemouth have gone South. If not for the heroics of Stoke goalie Jack Butland, Newcastle would have won with a handsome margin last week. Bournemouth toiled hard to no avail and offer no answer to the Saints in game week 11. They have a 1 point difference so whoever wins go higher up. Draw. 1-1.

West Ham v Everton - It has been confirmed the Hammers could only win away especially against the big teams. West Ham have never won back to back games since more than a year back. Everton gave  a remarkable and solid performance to thrash Sunderland 6-2 and somewhat strong having lost only 2 matches in 9 games. You can say that Everton is West Ham's bogey team as in their last 5 meetings, the Hammers drew twice and lost the rest. Much depends on which West Ham and Everton turn up. Draw it should be. Watch Lukaku and Dimitri Payet. 2-2.

Sunderland v Southampton - The Black Cats haven't won before and after Newcastle. That hopeful result for Sam Allardyce soon faded with the 2-6 thrashing at the hands of Everton. Last season's reversed fixture at the St. Mary's was a nightmare for Sunderland as the Saints crushed them 8-0! However, in more recent times, Southampton won only once in 12 away games but unbeaten in their last 5. In their last 5 head to head encounters, Sunderland surprisingly have the upper hand having won 3, drew 1 and lost 1 with all wins recorded at the Stadium of Light, the venue for this match. Southampton were quite impressive against Bournemouth last week but I thought they laboured n the second half. Fletcher and Defoe can score and Defoe scored an exquisite goal last week. Southampton could win but if Big Sam get his tactics right, they could nick a point. Draw. 2-2. 

Norwich v Swansea - The Canaries have no won for 6 matches and lost their last 5. This is relegation form. The Swans have been up and down with more downs than ups. The last 5 times they have met, Swansea won only once (at home), drew 2 times at Norwich and lost 2 at home. So Norwich is a bit of a bogey team for Swansea and with this tie at Carrow Road, it offers little comfort for the visitors. This tie seemed to be usually high scoring with 26 goals in the last 6 matches. I will go for a high scoring draw. 2-2.

Leicester v Watford - The Foxes are my favourite team this season. They have left many confounded. In their last 12 matches at home they have lost only twice and that were to Chelsea and Arsenal. Meantime, the Hornets lost just once in their last 6 away games but won only once on their visits to Leicester. Watford were very impressive on their last 2 matches, having won 2-0 away to Stoke and 2-0 again at home against West Ham. How many teams can do that? At the other end, Leicester are third on the table and by itself an incredible feat. It becomes even more intriguing when you watch them play. They are even Stevens comparing their last 5 matches as each won 2 and drew 1. Watford are good enough to win or nick a point here but Leicester are an enigma and have such strong belief and even as Odion Ighalo could score for the Hornets, Mahrez and the unstoppable Jamie Vardy would also score for the Foxes. High possibility for a draw but there would be goals. For the way they play, I'll be cheering for Leicester. 3-2.

Manchester United v WBA - Yawn. Paul Scholes, Kanchelski and me were right. When one spent so much money, the drive must be better, comfortable, exciting and even exhilarating! Wayne Rooney is playing soccer the way I am playing golf now! Zilch! Even as he scored the winner in Europe. He was such a force in his teens when he scored for England in Euro as I watched him tore defences apart at will and he was rightly much feared but he never truly realised his potential like Messi or Ronaldo. Before the CSK win, United did not managed a single goal in 3 matches as all ended 0-0. 

At the Theatre of (few) Dreams and their captain finding the net again, they have some hope because Rooney likes to score against the Baggies - 7 goals and 4 assists against WBA. However, WBA need not fear the host as they have excellent results against them in their last 5 outings (MU first) - 5-5 (Hawthorns),  1-2 (Old Trafford), 3-0 (Hawthorns), 2-2 (Hawthorns), 0-1 (Old Trafford). You see they have won twice at Old Trafford. When Manchester United's best player all season is Chris Smalling, you must have hope for an upset. It is better for United not to have too good results that flatter and lull them into a false sense of hope. This United is ordinary. Draw. 1-1. 

Stoke v Chelsea - It is not often that Stoke City sits above Chelsea in the table. Chelsea is returning to the Britannia where they faltered in the League Cup penalty shoot-out after ending 1-1. To make things worse Mourinho have to sit out a ban after being red-carded previously. But Chelsea bounced back with a crucial win over Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday. Stoke is having a yo-yo season - up and down with their away form better than home where previously the Britannia is like a fortress. Consolation for Chelsea is that they are facing Mark Hughes' team that won only once at home in 5 outings. In the past 17 meetings, Chelsea have won 14 and lost just once but in recent times, they have won just 2 of their 10 away matches. Chelsea can win this one but I feel that they in their precarious situation just may not be able to do so. 1-1.

Aston Villa v Manchester City - It looks bleak. The Villans have only scored twice against the Citizens in 7 meetings. Where City are winning everywhere, Villa's LLLLL sequence is basically red ink on the report card where even your mother would scold you. City went to Sevilla and won 3-1 but they have also hosted Norwich before that and won only 2-1. Even a poor Chelsea could beat Villa and now they are managerless. I can't see anything than a comfortable City win. 0-2.  

Liverpool v Crystal Palace - The endless draws have become wins. So Klopp and Liverpool are doing something right. He is still using the same resources. Palace have scored 3 goals in their last 3 premier league meetings with Liverpool. They are a solid team under Alan Pardew but recent results suggested their form has tapered down and now in 10th position. Meanwhile, Liverpool's fortune has been reversed. Liverpool under Rodgers were not comfortable playing Palace in the past. Besides Chelsea, Palace robbed them of points during that season when they could have wrapped up the title. So this is an opportunity for the Reds to have a chance to conquer the past, bring on a new belief and add on fearlessness. If Arsenal is an orchestra then Juergen Klopp's Liverpool is looking like heavy metal. Palace lost 1-3 to West Ham at home, then lost 0-1 to Leicester away, got thrashed 1-5 by City but managed to hold United 0-0 but United were no longer that pressing and attacking team any more. Reds win. 3-1.

Arsenal v Tottenham - The Gunners record at the Emirates are 13 wins and only 2 losses out of 18 matches. Spurs won just one out of 22 visits to North London. Although Arsenal seem quite unstoppable at times , their recent results showed a slumber. After being humiliated 0-3 by Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup with a makeshift team, they bounced back to trounce Swansea 3-0 away but all evaporated when they got a hiding at Bayern Munich (1-5). Meanwhile, Tottenham are in winning form. After thrashing Bournemouth 5-1 away they had Villa beaten 3-1 and went on to win over Anderlecht (2-1). Harry Kane is back in form and scoring. Can Spurs not just maintain but raise their game? 

Will the Gunner bounce back once more? I like Spurs but somehow Spurs do not seem to get better results against Arsenal and at the Emirates. Arsenal's defence seemed to have improved but went AWOL at Munich. A repeat could see Spurs destroy them unless they work on their weaknesses. Arsenal will need to raise their game and be at their best here. There is a silver lining if they got kicked out of Europe as they would be able to focus all their energy in the league but it would be the first time they missed qualification for the longest time. 2-1.