EPL 2018/19 Game Week 36

What a season with only three games left! What are we gonna do from May to August? Last week both City and Liverpool did not blink. City were not at their best at the Etihad but they were still very good. You cannot say Tottenham were bad. They played three times against each other in a couple of weeks and at the same venue twice in that week. Liverpool kept the faith to stay in contention. Everton shocked the Red Devils with an awesome display with perhaps their biggest win over them 4-0. If you saw the roti prata man wearing a Man Utd Jersey and ordered four kosong, a fight would have happened. That result was shambolic. I read that their fans are now asking for Mourinho to return. United were supposed to pose City their toughest remaining game but even with more desire their quality was lacking and promptly lost 0-2. Now if I go to the prata man and ordered two kosong, a fight might break out. Forget about United and think Burnley.

Liverpool fans could only hope week to week and this weekend for Burnley to do the job. Unlikely as it seems, Burnley have in the past four seasons taken points off and also beaten the reigning champions at their home ground at Turf Moor : (1) In 2014, they held Manchester United (champions in 2013) 0-0. (2) In 2015, they defeated champions Manchester City 1-0. (3) In 2016, they held Chelsea 1-1. (4) In 2017, they had beaten Leicester 1-0. Sean Dyche and his Burnley team  some how and for some reasons specialized in killing the champions in the following season and remained undefeated. In the last four seasons, everyone thought it was impossible and Burnley have just held Chelsea 2-2 at Stamford Bridge last week.

 It is not just just the two-horse race for the title that has been intriguing but also which are the two teams that will eventually qualify for the Champions League that has become a twisted plot. Tottenham are now  third with 70 points, Chelsea fourth with 67, Arsenal are fifth with 66 and United sixth with 64 points. It has been a great season!
Liverpool v Huddersfield - Despite a stellar season, the Reds could still end up with nothing to show. Life can be cruel but life is a journey not a destination and what a journey it has been for Klopp and his team. They have to go and try to win all their remaining games and the rest will be out of their control. The good things is Liverpool have made great progress with the way they play, the results achieved, the team work ethics, the team they have with contracts intact there will be stability, now added experience, maybe some strategic additions here and there and they are in a good place for some years to come. This season, despite an incredible run, Liverpool have drawn too many matches (7) even if they have lost only  just once while City have drawn only 2 matches despite having lost four. If only they have converted one draw into a win. In other words, despite their mostly excellent season with strong performances, they will have top be more "ruthless".

 If life is cruel, try telling that to Huddersfield. In 35 matches, they have won 3, drew 5 and lost 27 having scored 20 goals and conceded 69 and knowing their fate so early on that they will drop back to the championship a level down. 

Liverpool took 57 minutes to break Cardiff in their last match so while Liverpool has learned how to be patient and have confidence, it is going to make things harder when you give the other team some hope like at Cardiff when it should not have been. The constant rotation for them this season has been in midfield. So last week, it was like "Gini in a bottle" when Georginio Wijnaldum scored a brilliant unstoppable goal from a corner. Liverpool can only try to win all their matches and hope. 3-0.

Tottenham v West Ham - Tottenham took 88 minutes to put one past Brighton and remained third after 35 matches. Spurs host West Ham in a London derby next before taking on Ajax in the Champions League at home, visits Bournemouth, travels to meet Ajax again and host Everton in their last league game. Spurs are just three points ahead of Chelsea with Arsenal and United chasing. They need to win this home tie and they should given West Ham's dismal recent results. 2-1.

Crystal Palace v Everton - This should be a fine match. Crystal Palace shocked Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates while Everton stunned the Red Devils 4-0 at Goodison Park. Not many teams can go to Arsenal and win and how many could destroy United the way the Toffees did? So, this will be an entertaining match to watch. 2-2.

Fulham v Cardiff - Fulham's relegation was already done but they have sprung back in their last two matches with back to back wins defeating Everton 2-0 at Craven Cottage and winning away 1-0 to Bournemouth. Cardiff are three points behind Brighton and with three matches left they must fight till their death and see if they could overtake Brighton. Fulham are good for the moment and at home but Cardiff need every point. It is likely to be a draw. 1-1.

Southampton v Bournemouth - The Saints probably just need one more win to stay safe. They will be even better next season as Ralph Hassenhuttl has improved them tremendously. Bournemouth's form has been wretched despite their 5-0 away whipping of Brighton, they slumped to Fulham 0-1 at home. Southammpton should take full points from the Cherries. 2-1.
Watford v Wolves - A repeat of their F.A. Cup semi-final. The Hornets have been on of the most improved teams from last season. Wolves have been the best of the rest and are resting just one point ahead in 7th place. Their 3-1 win over Arsenal was an impressive result but Watford are physical and powerful. Gerard Delofeu has been in amazing form and with home advantage so I fathom a home win. 2-1.
Brighton v Newcastle - The Seagulls are in wretched form while the Magpies are on the up bu they did go to the Molineux and held Wolves. Brighton can't risk not winning especially at home as they are three points ahead of Cardiff who could overtake them and they will be in trouble. Problem is Brighton have not scored in their last five games and in soccer when you do not score you cannot win. 0-1.
Leicester v Arsenal - After their visit to play Wolves at the Molineux, Arsenal travel to Leicester, host Valencia in the Europa League, play Brighton at home, travel to Valencia and visit Burnley in their last league match. The Foxes made a solid comeback after going down twice at West Ham. The Gunners seemed to be doing quite well when they defeated Watford away and Napoli in both legs without conceding a goal and then they went to promptly to crash at home to Crystal Palace and away to Wolves. They are in a precarious situation as far as top four is concerned. Leicester won't be easy meat. Draw. 2-2.

Burnley v Manchester City  - After Burnley at Turf Moor, City play host to Leicester, travel to Brighton for their last league game. I told you earlier about giant slayer Burnley at Turf Moor and if it happens you cannot thank me enough. Yes, Burnley are not too good this season but they just came back from Stamford Bridge with a 2-2 draw with Chelsea. In the last four years, they have not lost to each defending champions at Turf Moor and they included Manchester United (0-0), Manchester City (1-0), Chelsea 1-1 and Leicester City (1-0). These can't be fluke!? If Burnley's set pieces are on song, they can be rather good. So previous 4 years for Burnley were - Draw/Win/Draw/Win. So this will be a draw? If that happens, you have heard from me first. 1-1.
Manchester United v Chelsea - After hosting their derby against City, United shall host Chelsea, visit Huddersfield and welcome Cardiff. Meanwhile, Chelsea play United at Old Trafford, travel to Eintracht Frankfurt for the Europa tie, host Watford, welcome Eintracht Frankfurt and visit Leicester. The Red Devils have lost 7 out of their last 9 games. When Solskjaer was temp manager they did rather well and once he was confirmed everything went downhill. Player complacency? They were really bad against Everton. Now they have another shot on home soil but Chelsea won't roll over. Unless a super performance is on the cards, it is hard to see them winning here. Chelsea do have their own problems but they are still better than the Red Face Devils. 1-1.

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