EPL 2020/21 - Game Week 28
How did it come to this? Liverpool may even slide to mid-table and it isn't over. Apalling. While just recently they were unbeaten at Anfield over a couple of seasons they have now lost six in a row and in this joyless season they hit a new low. The decline has been astonishing to be mild. "Astonishing, unthinkable and unreal" the commentators echoed after one another. Forget the Champions League, they may not even make it to the Europa. With 43 points, they may probably be safe from relegation with improvement. Just a season ago today, they were leading by 25 points. Even with a 2-0 away lead over RB Leipzig, only the bravest would back them to progress. Klopp made 7 changes to his squad, continued to play a high line which almost got caught a few times but this time it was not a defender's error that led to the goal conceded. It was Mo Salah trying to protect his defense but failed to clear his line as he got robbed by Lemina who promptly scored. The defence should not be blamed. The great red scoring machine has failed miserably to score and that is the reason.
Meanwhile, Manchester United played like men possessed and champions with a sterling display (not Raheem Sterling). They did not put a foot wrong, attack from the start and left City unsettled and rattled throughout and were always first to the ball. The Red Devils gave City no space to operate in and secured an impressive and deserving win. That was how Liverpool used to play. This win was an important platform to build their confidence and belief. I thought they made City look ordinary. This has certainly hurt City who are still likely to be champions in the end but how will they respond? If Solskjaer can maintain this momentum going forward, good things can come their way.
Newcastle v Aston Villa - Its the same old thing for the Magpies struggling at the wrong end but they got 2 draws in their last 2 games and still in danger of relegation. Villa were so good and promising at the earlier stage but have since dropped down to 9th but still with 2 games in hand to climb back up the table. Since that 1-0 win over Arsenal in early February they have won only once and drew twice. Their star player and captain Jack Grealish's prolong absence have affected them as they have only won one game and scored two goals during his absence. The fact the Magpies are without Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Almiron means where will the goals come from? So we know how Newcastle will be set up to play. 0-1.
Leeds v Chelsea - Bielsa and Leeds will always play the same way regardless. You will notice that Leeds hardly do draws. They only had 2 draws all season so they will either win or lose. They have since won once and lost 4 in their last 5 and now hosting a confident Chelsea side that have not lost in 12 games in all competitions with 9 wins. Tuchel has turned Chelsea around and remains unbeaten. Impressive! But Leeds will run around like a crazy horse and Bielsa must somehow bring Chelsea to his dentist chair or do a rope-a-dope with them. Playing too open against this Chelsea side can be suicide but Bielsa is Bielsa. 1-2.
Crystal Palace v WBA - The Eagles' improvement with 3 games unbeaten came to a grounding halt to Spurs last week but they have their last 3 games v WBA. Meanwhile, the Baggies have been fighting tooth and nail such that in their last 5 games they have lost only once, won one and drew 3 but fired blanks in their last 2. With 10 games to go, the bottom end is getting more interesting for survival and Newcastle's and Brighton's poor results could see WBA and Fulham climbing up. Palace are safe from relegation so it is WBA that needs the points more and also Zaha is back. That is a warning sigh to WBA. 1-1.
Everton v Burnley - Though Everton are having a good season relative to their past few seasons, they were at the receiving end at Chelsea. I thought that they could at least gotten a point. Burnley are doing quite well as in their last 6 games, they have won one but lost only once and drew 4. The Toffees can match the Clarets physically but Everton have more quality in their side. Then again Burnley can always surprise. Time for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to score. 1-1.
Fulham v Manchester City - Fulham have been really good and do not deserved to be third from last and they should avoid relegation if they continue playing like this. Great credit to Scott Parker. But Fulham have not scored against City since 2013! However, Parker have surely seen how United made City looked ordinary. All said, it is hard to stop City especially Riyadh Mahrez who was a complete magician against Southampton. Oh, how he twisted and turned and left defenders in knots. He made everything and his goals looked so simple and effortless. What a player! Their 5-2 win over a good Southampton side can give you strong clues what is to come. In their last 6 meetings, the score reads City 18 Fulham 0. Fulham really deserve to stay up but City is too good. 0-2.
Southampton v Brighton - The Saints finally won a game last week after 10 attempts with a draw being their best having lost all 8 other matches which saw them slide down to 14th after achieving so much in the early part of the season. EVen when playing very well, they lost 2-5 to City. The Seagulls have now won in their last 5 matches achieving only 2 draws in this time. Southampton have a superior historical record to Brighton and for 20 minutes against City, you thought they were City. Fabulous. If only they could sustain that. All season Brighton's performances have been better than their results suggested. 1-1.
Leicester v Sheffield United - The Foxes' 3 match slump without a win ended when they beat Brighton thus remaining 3rd. They could secure or even improve their position if they win this match which they are expected to. The Blades lost 5 only won only once and still remain last and will battle all the way to try to stay up. Leicester won six in a row in this tie. Sheffield United are just a little short. ON the odd occasion they win it would b 1-0 and often they lose 0-1/0-2 or 1-2. Leicester are affected by the loss of James Maddison and Harvey Barnes both of them have been awesome. Because Leicester almost always score and Sheffield United could not, its a home win. 2-1.
Arsenal v Spurs - Harry Kane and Son Heung Min are the greatest partnership in Premier League history beating the previous greatest pairing of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton at Blackburn Rovers in 94/95 campaign having assisted one another on 14 occasions which is a premier league record in one season. Bale is now showing how highly rated he was and can still be such that social media has a combined face of him and Harry Kane and called that "Hareth Kale". If you have seen the 4 goals they put past Palace you too will be full of admiration for the individual performances and combination of Harry Kane, Son and Gareth Bale. Arsenal's problems are hard to explain. A moment quite brilliant and then they stumble and fall - like how Xhaka hit the ball for Chris Woods to score Burnley's equalizer last week. This season all Arsenal and Liverpool supporters should just hug each other and cry. Both sides did well in the Europa where Arsenal won 3-1 away to Olympiacos while Spurs beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 with a Harry Kane brace. Spurs are in proper form while the Gunners produced some very good performances we just do not know what to expect from week to week. Arsenal have not been doing too badly of late but Spurs are on a great run and it may be hard to stop Kane, Son, Bale and Moura. 2-3.
Manchester United v West Ham - Luke Shaw, once discarded by Jose Mourinho was to me the Man of the Match at City. City struggled to cope with him and his fine runs to attack and he did it several times and we easily forget that after years of injuries he is still only 25. United's defending against City was excellent. Even Dean Henderson was wonderful in goal and looks like he will keep his place over David De Gea. I thought Fred and McTominay were magnificent in the middle too. West Ham have become a very good side consistently. Credit to David Moyes who has adapted the team playing to its strength and that is exactly what Klopp should have done. The Red Devils were held 1-1 by Milan in the Europa. West Ham are no wimps and have been very good and they will bring a different kind of problem to ask of United. Both side do not lack confidence and it could be an interesting game. United are on a 12 match uneaten run, very hard to beat so the Hammers will find it tough but should also give their host a tough game. 1-1.
Wolves v Liverpool - What would you do if you were Klopp? Liverpool must first of all stop shipping in easy goals through mistakes and always going behind and left to chase a game and Klopp must organised them in this way. Have the proper midfielders to defend the backline as the first line of defence and forget the high defensive line where they are currently ill equipped to do so. Do not let your opponents get behind you so regularly and too easily. This is the first step - to stop leaking goals and defend well so as not to lose then you can go try and play to find a win. Its common sense. You have to go to the Champions League for the pot of gold and attract players you want but now it seems too late. Simply because this is not only pandemic season but with the crippling injuries they have all over.
Klopp should now imagine as if he has just arrived at Anfield (like Tuchel at Chelsea) with Liverpool in this current state and look at things with fresh eyes and mind and see how he could turn it around. In fact, just like how he did it when he actually came. Right now, I had wanted to pen a Wolves' win here but after Liverpool saw off last season's UCL semi-finalist and the Bundesliga' second best who are just 2 points behind Bayern Munich - RB Leipzig, winning both ties by 2-0 for an overall 4-0 aggregate victory, the Reds are still mighty good here simply because RB Leipzig are a very solid team. So it was a good win over a good opponent. It would be hard to argue it was an outstanding victory. All the energy and pressing are back and could it be that Fabinho is back to midfield since last October or merely a coincidence? Even Nat Philips and Ozan Kabak were superb. After this match, we go into the International break and there will be no matches for Liverpool until 3 April. That is more than a good 2 weeks break.
The last time Liverpool lost to Wolves at the Molineux was 30 years ago when Mark Lawrenson made his debut but do note that stranger things have happened. Wolves will probably sit back to make things difficult and wait for their chance. Maybe Liverpool should make the Puskas Arena in Budapest their ground where all matches will be played. Lol. Repeat that performance and its a win/ Simple. 0-2.
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