EPL - 2018/19 - Game Week 6

After Game Week 5, we are going into mid-week European competition at the group stage.This is where every sinew would be stretched and it may affect each team when Premier League action returns over the weekend. Those not engaged in European action have an advantage of having more rest. In times like this, favourites may drop points as a result. While there are no big matches this week, all ties remain important for each team for different reasons. 

Fulham v Watford - Fulham welcome the Hornets to Craven Cottage after getting a real taste of the Premier League when they went down 0-3 to City last week. Watford shall come with some belief that they could recover from their home loss (1-2) to United in a game they could have won but no shame for the way they played and still standing in 4th. Fulham are not yet ready to rub shoulders with the big boys but should hold their own against the rest. Watford will find their feet again but it is a draw for me here. 2-2.

Burnley v Bournemouth - Burnley are bottom without a win and they were so good they were 7th last season that Sean Dyche was a hero at Turf Moor. They had a terrific defence but are now leaky with goal difference at minus 7! Meanwhile the Cherries are so good they are in 5th and threatening to get better after a rousing 4-2 home win over Leicester and scoring freely. We should be concerned if Burnley could even get a point here at home. However, Burnley has proven themselves in past seasons they will bounce back and they just need to find that break and they are still looking for their first win. May be it is still too early against an on form Bournemouth. Draw. 1-1.

Cardiff v Manchester City - Welsh side Cardiff fought gallantly and even took the lead at Stamford Bridge without avail. What a league life they have as to face Arsenal, Chelsea and now City? Can Cardiff's battling qualities be sufficient to cause an upset at home against the Champions? You saw how City especially Raheem Sterling tore Fulham apart. However, City are now reeling from a shock defeat away to Olympique Lyonnaise in their Champions League opener. Sometimes, in this situation you may suffer a backlash from City or you could take advantage of it and further question their belief. Something like that could happen but not now. City shall be too good for Cardiff. 0-2.

Crystal Palace v Newcastle - Palace bounced back with an important away win at Huddersfield (1-0) and host a below par Newcastle with just one point for the season. This is the kind of match that Palace could win especially with Zaha scoring again. However, Palace crashed at home to Southampton two weeks ago. The Magpies were handed similar misery like Cardiff having lost 1-2 to Chelsea, City and Arsenal. How cruel is the fixture list? What I have seen of Newcastle was that they could play quite well but just could not get a result. Palace at home are too strong but Rafa Benitez always has a plan and every point is important so an away draw is like a home win. 1-1.

Leicester v Huddersfield - The Foxes are hosting the struggling Terriers having themselves lost twice in their last two matches. The Foxes need to find their feet again and Jamie Vardy is back from suspension they should be good at home. Huddersfield is one of four teams who has not won yet. Though they did hold Everton away two weeks ago, can they repeat that trick? I see a home win here. Leicester often scores and will do so here but not their visitors. 2-0.

Liverpool v Southampton - The Reds have evolved and are playing a different game. Very controlled throughout. When they had Tottenham beaten in London, they have actually out thought and out fought them. They were not brilliant but very professional. Liverpool returned to Champions League action and had PSG one of the top sides in the world beaten 3-2 at Anfield. PSG has three of the worlds' top strikers - Neymar, Mbappe and Cavani up front. They have Rabiot, Angel Di Maria and Marquinhos in the middle with Thiago Silva in defence but the Reds were leading 2-0 by 36th minute. Then Meunier and Mbappe got goals to equalise but Liverpool sent in Roberto Firmino late on when he received a harmless ball from van Dijk on the right, shifted to his left foot and turned the ball back to his right and hit a low shot across with the outside of his foot to score just inside the far post. What a goal! If that goal was great then the celebration was even more remarkable. He covered his left eye and ran. A clear reference to his eye injury when Jan Vertonghen poked him there last weekend. James Milner was a nobody but now the driving force at Liverpool as he won himself another Man-Of-The Match! At Tottenham and at 32, he ran 12.9km - more than anyone else that day. At Anfield he was like a Blood Hound hunting his preys. His crunching tackles took care of Neymar. PSG was built at very high cost for Champions League football and at 566 million pounds, cost more than twice the Liverpool team. The win for the Reds was emblematic in a match of two teams with supreme attacking abilities. Daniel Sturridge playing his first match in Europe in six years headed home a solid header from an excellent Andrew Robertson cross. Robertson has been so good and so consistent in every match and he is looking at getting even better. They are no longer just dependent on Salah, Mane and Firmino. They have the van Dijk masterclass and young Joe Gomez looking solid with Wijnaldum stepping up they put in a very solid and controlled performance epitomized by James Milner. What a match! The scoreline  actually flattered PSG. 

Liverpool are still red hot in form playing host to an inconsistent Saints team. Expect Liverpool to play like they have recently - in a controlled manner but always high energy and high tempo. The schedule ahead for them is hectic - Chelsea in the Cup then Chelsea again in the league, away to Napoli in Champions League and City in the premier league. If all the results are good after this, they deserve to win something this season. They need to maintain the winning run and not drop points. The good thing about Southampton is that this season they are scoring in every game so could Liverpool keep another clean sheet? With two highly impressive wins over Tottenham (away) and PSG (home) Liverpool have made a major statement. Mohamed Salah has not shone yet. Perhaps he has been trying too hard. All he need to do is to relax and play his usual game and surely the goals will come. He need not equal his own record of last season. Time for him to score. 3-0.

Manchester United v Wolves - The Red Devils won their last two matches and are now looking a lot better. The win at Watford was important because Watford was good and could have won. There are still question marks that remain. Championship winner Wolves have been playing like they have been in Premier League all the time and have won their last two matches too. They have held City to a draw previously. Both sides are led by Portuguese managers. Wolves also play with a lot of heart. It should not be an easy game for United. I believe after watching all their games, they could hold their won against the big six. Of course United should win here but Wolves may surprise. 1-1.

Brighton v Tottenham - The Seagulls are not having the time of their lives but with two draws home and away they have been showing the work ethics that Chris Hughton has imparted. By current form, Tottenham are in a worse situation for they have lost all their last three matches by the same scoreline - 1-2 to Watford (away), Liverpool (home) and then Inter (away). This is wretched form for a team with so much promise. Pochettino needs better luck, some right tweaks and Harry Kane to start scoring. This match may not be easy especially when you lack confidence. Spurs cannot afford to lose nor is a draw good enough. An emphatic win here is the tonic. Beating United 3-0 away has become a curse. Kane has broken his August non-scoring curse but has been labouring and plodding away without much success. Time for Kane, Eriksen to hit it off. 1-2.

West Ham v Chelsea - The Hammers finally stopped their downward spiral when they convincingly won at Everton (3-1). This should inspire them to greater heights but Chelsea are unbeaten in all competition and just won 1-0 at PAOK. With such good form and Eden Hazard at his best, Chelsea will take some stopping. However, this is a London Derby and West Ham have quite a decent record against Chelsea plus Hazard usually shines mostly at home, the Hammers must fancy their chances with another solid display. With Morata out of sorts coupled with mid-week exertions, could Chelsea be found wanting? Manuel Pelligrini may fashion a surprise here. Or is Sarri all the rage here, repeating the story of the previous Italian Conte? Chelsea looks good to get a close win here but I shal pick a draw. 1-1.

Arsenal v Everton - Has Unai Enery's Gunners turned the corner? It appeared so as they have now won four on the trot. The 4-2 win over Vorskla may be just Europa than Champions League but the Gunners are purring a bit and they are scoring 3, 3, 2 and 4 in their last 4 matches. Arsenal should absolutely field Torreira, a terrier of a midfielder that Arsene Wenger badly needed but never signed. The Toffees started off well but seemed like dropping off a level as far as results are concerned. This game could be real close. 3-2.