EPL GameWeek 9 Preview: Super Sunday
Its Super Sunday in the EPL as there are two big matches out of the four to be played today. The matches include the Merseyside Derby – Everton host Liverpool while Newcastle face West Brom, Tottenham travel to Southampton and we also have the biggest game of the season so far between top two teams with Chelsea welcoming Man United. So its going to be great fun and excitement for the football fans around the world.
(1) Everton v Liverpool at Goodison Park – 13:30 BST/ 19:00 IST
The first big game of the Super Sunday is the Merseyside Derby where Everton host fierce rivals Liverpool at Goodison Park. The derby will be the 219th meeting between the two sides, making it the most played fixture in English Football. Everton are in good form in the Premier League and they will be enjoying unusual experience of going into the game as favourites. Liverpool are inconsistent at the moment in EPL as they are not able to put a winning team which can run through oppositions.
In their last outing, Everton were held to a 1-1 draw at QPR, while Liverpool won 1-0 to Reading at home. David Moyes will be hoping to improve a woeful Merseyside Derby record as in the last 23 fixtures, Everton have won only 4 matches. So Moyes’ side will look to take home advantage and build on the good start to the season. Brendan Rogers will look to win this derby and get 3 points as they possess a good record against their fierce rivals. Liverpool are still finding their feet under a new boss but have picked up some form of late.
However, things do not come tougher than a trip to Toffees as they have had a blistering start to the EPL. It is a Derby game, so form does not count as bragging rights are on stake, more than 3 points valued so it can be anyone’s to win or draw but I am predicting a home win for Everton as they are in=form team.
Players to watchout for Everton – Jelavic, Fellani, Baines and Jagielka
Players to watchout for Liverpool – Suarez, Gerrard, Agger and Reina
Prediction – Everton 2-1 Liverpool
(2) Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion at St James Park – 15:00 BST/ 20:30 IST
Newcastle welcome impressive West Brom at St James Park. Newcastle are not in good form as they have won one match from the last seven played, where as Baggies are flying high with great start to the season seating 6th in the table.In last outing, Newcastle drew 1-1 at Sunderland, while West Brom lost 2-1 against Man City at home in the dying moments of the match, even though City were with 10 men. Alan Pardew will want to kick-start their campaign with a win over Baggies having home advantage.
But Toons have a poor record at home against West Brom, so they will hope to improve. Steve Clarke’s men will look for their first away win of the season as they are a confident team, playing well and grinding out results but it will be difficult task. Its a tricky contest as both teams are difficult to separate but a home win or draw looks the possible outcome. I will go for a Newcastle home win as they need 3 points badly to stay in top half of the table.
Players to watchout for Newcastle – Demba Ba, Ben Arfa and Santon
Players to watchout for West Brom – Long, Lukaku and Foster
Prediction – Newcastle United 2-0 West Bromwich Albion
(3) Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur at St. Mary’s Stadium – 15:00 BST/ 20:30 IST
Southampton host an in-form Tottenham side at St Mary’s. It has been an uncomfortable return to the top flight for the Saints so far, with one win in eight games. Scoring goals has not been a problem for Nigel Adkin’s side, but keeping them out at the other end has been an issue. Saints will try to take home advantage and win this fixture to get out of the relegation zone. In the previous game, Southampton lost 4-1 at West Ham United, while Tottenham suffered a derby defeat in the hands of Chelsea by 4-2 at home.
Spurs, on the other hand, have been in decent form of late except the last game, bringing to an end a run of four straight victories. Andres Villas Boas’ side will try to forget that result and hope to get a win at Southampton which can bring them in top four. Southampton at home are a potent attack and Spurs are also rich in the attacking third. I expect a high-scoring game with an away team Tottenham taking all the points.
Players to watchout for Southampton – Lambert, Lallana and Fonte
Players to watchout for Tottenham – Defoe, Bale and Vertonghen
Prediction – Southampton 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur
(4) Chelsea v Manchester United at Stamford Bridge – 16:00 BST/ 21:30 IST
The second big game of the Super Sunday and arguably the biggest game of the season so far, where Chelsea host Manchester United at
Stamford Bridge. Both teams will renew a long-standing Premier League rivalry at the Bridge and the result can have an effect on the title race.
Last time out in EPL, Chelsea won derby 4-2 at Tottenham, while Man United also won 4-2 against Stoke at home. In Champions League
midweek, Chelsea suffered defeat 2-1 at Shakhtar, while Man United won 3-2 against Braga at home.
Roberto Di Matteo’s side will be keen to bounce back from midweek disappointment with a win and continue there unbeaten run in Premier League as they are yet to lose a match. Blues has good record at home against Red Devils where they have not lost in last 10 Premier League matches. Sir Alex Ferguson will hope to get a positive result at the Bridge as the record is poor having not won there in the last 10 PL meetings. SAF will make some tactical change and try to get a win and cut the gap of four points to one from the leaders Chelsea.
This game has goals written all over it, as both teams has great attacking talent. Its going to be difficult one to predict as both teams can win it while they are difficult to separate. Thus I am predicting an entertaining high scoring draw which can go either way in the end.
Players to watchout for Chelsea – Hazard, Mata, Cole and Cech
Players to watchout for Man United – Van Persie, Rooney, Carrick and De Gea
Prediction – Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United