EPL 2020/21 - Game Week 17

Wishing all good health, a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Everton v Manchester City was postponed after a number of City players tested positive for Covid. Tottenham's clash with Fulham too. With this terrible Covid coming back with vengeance, will the Premier League be able to continue? Will the season be declared null and void sometime in the near future if the virus cannot been contained? There are 18 new cases in the EPL. 

Game Week 17 beings 2 January on Saturday. Champions and leaders Liverpool are slogging as if through thick snow. The slew of critical injuries to many key players especially at centre backs have been huge blows. Fabinho has adapted by switching to VVD's role so well and youngsters Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Philips has done well too but the cocky confidence seemed to be missing as they have to play somewhat differently. The front three so often the bane of opposing defence have been less clinical, quite often wasteful and even off colour at times. Everybody wins against Fulham, WBA and Newcastle, well almost except Liverpool. Its just a figure of speech with no disrespect to those three teams. 78-80% possession is pointless without the winning goals. In these 3 matches, the Reds have dropped six points. They have been awful especially on the road and after 16 matches, leads the table and ahead of 2nd placed United by 3 points. If United win their game in hand they are level with Liverpool juts leading on goal difference. They are possibly the most in-form team at the moment. There is enough motivation for both sides from now on.

Everton v West Ham - Everton's postponed hosting of the game with Man City actually afforded them a proper rest while others toiled. The Hammers continued to get good results as they held Southampton 0-0 away. Everton are now 4th and West Ham 10th. Both teams are better then they were last season and only 6 points separated them. ON the pitch they can be evenly matched but Everton have a sharper attack but with Rodriguez, Allan and Digne injured they may toil depending on the availibility aggressive Richarlison.. Domininc Calvert-Lewin who could not stop scoring has not done so in 4 matches but they are still winning. At this time of the year, players are tired, teams are less consistent so a draw is potentially possible. 1-1.

Manchester United v Aston Villa - United are in great form. A narrow 1-0 win over Wolves at Old Trafford meant that they do not win at home was just a myth. Again, their stand out players were Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes especially Fernandes. He has such great consistency of the highest level scoring, assisting and being MOTM in most matches. In fact, I think Fernandes is the best player in the Premier League up to this moment in the season. Now they can declare that they are challengers for the title. What a turn around for Solskjaer. Maybe even being out of the Champions League is a good thing now but they got lucky as a 0-0 draw was looming when Rashford' 90+3 minute extra-time goal gave them 3 big points. Their top of the table clash with Liverpool is just around the corner, talks of winning the title is building up for sure. They are surely encouraged by Liverpool's poor form after they had dismantled Palace 7-0. Man U die-hard fans will think they will Villa for dinner given their current form but Villa are in the best shape of their life and playing ever so well. Watch out for Ollie Watkins, El-Ghazi has scored 4 goals in his last 3 matches and of course there is the very special Jack Grealish. There will be goals. 2-2.

Spurs v Leeds - Spurs' standing has somewhat fallen. Kane has not scored since Palace and Son too since Liverpool and they have not won in four matches and suddenly they are now in 7th and hosting Leeds in a mean mood. Liverpool applied such great pressure but was not rewarded and yet Leeds hit WBA on away soil and came back with their second clean sheet and a 5-0 win. The problem is that Leeds could also concede quite a few, it is just the way they play but they have now kept 2 clean sheets and won both their last 2 matches. Mourinho will set up the same defensive way to soak and strike. Much will depends on how well they defend and how sharp Kane and Son will be. Spurs have more experience and probably Spurs can win it but this is pandemic season and playing just after Christmas and the New Year so it could be a draw but Spurs have very good rest after the Fulham game was postponed but too much rest can affect your rhythm. No? 3-3.

Crystal Palace v Sheffield United - Palace suddenly scored again through who else but Wilfried Zaha. What a player he is for Palace but still they did not win as Leicester scored late with a wonderful goal from Harvey Barnes. Surely they could smell blood now that the winless Blades are visiting. Sheffield United's unwanted record of 16 matches without a win is taking longer than expected to be halted and we have been tired trying to predict when their first win will come. Crystal Palace will play like Crystal Palace and Sheffield United will play like Sheffield United. A tight game I supposed. 1-1.

Brighton v Wolves - Brighton was equal to Arsenal in possession, had more shots and created as much chances and yet lost 0-1. That has been their story all season. Wolves have been just like Brighton, doing the same but lost yet again 0-1 to United. Both should be higher up the table this season especially Brighton. 1-1.

WBA v Arsenal - WBA's result at Anfield was awesome but short-lived as they stumbled 0-5 to Leeds at the Hawthorns. It was chastening for big Sam Allardyce. How were they able to fend off Liverpool under such pressure and yet crashed so embarrassingly to Leeds? Meanwhile, the Gunners seemed to have reversed their fortunes as Arteta named more of his young guns that played key roles in their last two matches - a 3-1 win over Chelsea followed by a 1-0 away win over Brighton, not in time to celebrate Christmas but certainly the New Year. Bukayo Saka has been MOTM and showing such great potential. The end result of this match depends on how WBA respond. Play like they did Liverpool or Leeds. I think they will play in their own half like they did Liverpool. 1-1.

Burnley v Fulham - Burnley continued their recovery with a slim 1-0 win over Sheffield United. We do not know how badly Fulham were affected by the damned virus, how may were infected, if they have recovered or they could still from a team. I am sure some of the crazy results this season has been the lack of time and preparation to work on tactics, etc. In this situation, there is some advantage to Burnley who are at home. 1-0.

Newcastle v  Leicester - Golden Boy Harvey Barnes has done it again! He confirmed he is no fluke as he repeated an identical goal to the on he scored against Man Utd when he received the ball surrounded by 3 opponents and and still found an angle to drill in a low shot! He is going to be a player to watch. Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow has been fantastic since last season and he made four big saves to keep Liverpool at bay and this is no mean feat but history favours the Foxes who won at St. James Park 4 out of 5 times. Can they deny Leicester like they did Liverpool. Maybe but usually such things do not happen twice in a row but we saw how well the Magpies played against Liverpool so Leicester beware. It really relies on the mood of Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes. 1-2.

Chelsea v Manchester City - Chelsea dropped home points against Aston Villa. City's visit to Everton was postponed. Will City be able to field their strongest lineup? Both have huge resources and are attacking units so this could be the match of the week. Chelsea have won only one of their last 5 matches and have dropped down the pecking order. City won 5 and drew 3 times in their last 8 so Chelsea need to be at their best if they hope to get a result. There must be goals in it. 2-2.

Southampton v Liverpool - The Saints are no longer whipping boys. They could match most teams these days and give a tough game. Liverpool have been wasteful. It is a given that teams will packed their defence and defend deep and go on the counter or score from set pieces. The Reds managed to overcome all these last season but not this. They have to find a new way around to score and to win not just with a system or style but perhaps with different types of players. Fulham 1 Liverpool 1, Liverpool 1 WBA 1 and Newcastle 0 Liverpool 0 were all games they should have won. Southampton will present an even greater challenge for sure especially when their visitors have been sloppy and slack in their last two games. Poor finishing and fantastic goalkeeping by Newcastle's Karl Darlow saw a goalless draw at St. James Park. Had Allison Becker not made some saves they might have lost. The only encouraging factor was the return of Thiago Alcantara whose touches and range of passing and control was full of class, incision and delightful to watch. The visit to St. Mary's is an important one and that follows the F. A. Cup date with Aston Villa and then Manchester United visiting Anfield. This is a wake up call as they cannot afford another below par performance and result. The only players that has been consistently good have been Andy Robertson and Fabinho but Liverpool are unbeaten in 8 matches but have drawn too many games. Southampton can surprised with a win or get a point here, something Liverpool cannot afford and they do have some key players returning such as Thiago or Alex Chamberlain. They have to play on the front foot to win. In other words, they must be at their best to ace this one. 1-2.