Manchester City suffered a hammer blow this evening in the quest for Premier League glory, after drawing 2-2 with Sunderland at the Etihad. Manuel Pellegrini knew that they had to secure all three points to stay in the hunt for the title.
After their sensational Capital One Cup victory over tonight’s opponents they were being talked up for the quadruple. Now they are suffering the League Cup curse and they season seems to be withering away.
Manuel Pellegrini has achieved steady progress but knows that his players have failed to really deliver the goods in the Premier League and Champions League where it has truly mattered.
Tonight they could have easily finished the game off but their nagging complacency again took over and they failed to reach the level they are capable of. The title race is now two horses and a non-runner.
1. Manuel Pellegrini simply does not have a plan B. Mourinho and Rodgers appear to be tactically astute and capable of switching things around when their team aren’t performing. Pellegrini isn’t doing this at Man City.
Shock results, epic comebacks, and stupid red cards… we had it all in Day 7 of the 2014 World Cup.
Australia vs. Netherlands
In what was a very exciting matchup between the two sides, Australia gave the Netherlands faithful a few scares as they fought the Oranje for 90 minutes before eventually succumbing.
Arjen Robben capitalised on a defensive mishap on the halfway line before he was released clean through, making his trademark run and slotting the ball into the back of the net.
However, the Australians were not going to give up that easily and it wasn’t long before Ryan McGowen produced an inch perfect cross into the path of Tim Cahill, who scored one of the best goals in World Cup history, less than a minute after Robben’s first strike.
Nine minutes into the second half Daryl Janmaat handled the ball in the box to award a penalty to the Australians in which captain Mile Jedinak calmly converted to make it 2-1. Just as Cahill swiftly pegged back the Dutch, Robin van Persie stepped up to the plate to score the equaliser four minutes later before substitute Memphis Depay rescued the Oranje with a long shot that Mat Ryan couldn’t keep out.
Chile 2-0 Spain
After suffering the worst loss by a defending World Cup champion, many were expecting Spain to bounce back against a very competent Chile side. The earlier win for the Netherlands also meant that Spain could not lose, or else go home.
But the Spaniards weren’t able to lift themselves out of their misery, as Chile scored the first with a beautiful passage of counter-attacking play.
Arturo Vidal started the move before it was coolly finished by Eduardo Vargas, putting Chile on the front foot.
The second goal came in the 42nd minute, when a Sanchez free-kick was poorly punched out by Iker Casillas straight into the path of Aranguiz, who toe-poked the ball into the net.
Spain piled on the pressure in the second half but apart from their possession, really had nothing to show for their efforts.
Croatia 4-0 Cameroon
The last game of the round saw the two losers in Group A battle each other out in what many perceived would be a tight affair. It wasn’t.
Croatia went into an early 10th minute lead through Ivica Olic, which Croatia held until half time.
But it was an incident before the break that ended Cameroon’s hopes, as Alex Song – irritated by being blocked during a counter attack – swung his arm into the back of Mario Mandzukic and received a straight red card.
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From then on it was easy going, as Ivan Perisic scored in the 47th and Mandzukic added two more in the 61st and 72nd minutes.
Cameroon thus follow Spain and Australia out of the 2014 World Cup.
Manchester United spent an incredible £150million this summer, marking the most lucrative transfer window in the club’s long history.
Of course, those funds were seen as vital at Old Trafford, lifting the Carrington club back towards the Premier League title race and helping new manager Louis van Gaal implement his ideals on the first team.
But it appears the Dutchman doesn’t want to stop there – notable holes in the United squad still exist and rumours are already circulating of an equally prolific January window, potentially coming at the expense of Juan Mata.
So with that in mind, here’s the FIVE signings to complete LVG’s revolution at Old Trafford.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON THE UNITED BOSS TO REVEAL
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KEVIN STROOTMAN
It already appears that Manchester United’s first port of call in the January window will be to strike-up a deal for Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman:
The Netherlands international was firmly on Louis van Gaal’s radar this summer but an ACL injury, which also saw him miss the World Cup, prevented a move.
The 24 year-old has emerged as one of Serie A’s most dominant forces since joining Giallorossi from PSV last summer, claiming five goals and six assists in 25 league outings. This wonder-strike in the Coppa Italia also stood out:
But the Oranje international’s utility to the Red Devils in a box-to-box capacity is better represented by the below statistics:
Often dubbed ‘The Dutch Roy Keane’ for his tough-tackling style, Strootman has often been linked with an Old Trafford switch, and a firm favourite of LVG through the Oranje set-up, joining the Red Devils seems the next logical step in his career.
The midfielder is allegedly keen on a winter move:
But reported interest from PSG could become an issue:
ARTURO VIDAL
According to the British press, Manchester United are also planning to rekindle their interest in Arturo Vidal, following a rather arduous and futile transfer saga throughout the summer window:
The Chile international has emerged as arguably the world’s most compete midfielder since moving to Juventus in 2011 through his ability to contribute in both attack and defence. Here’s a look at his stats from last season:
That regular supply of goals from the middle of the park will be vital for United – Tom Cleverley, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher netted just twice collectively last season but no midfielder has bettered Vidal’s 28 goals in Serie A over the last three years. Here’s a look at the 26 year-old in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/r8iKLIacxxw?rel=0
Perhaps most importantly, Vidal’s renowned reputation has come from performances at the heart of Juve’s 3-5-2 formation, a system he also played in for Chile at the World Cup and similar to Louis van Gaal’s 3-4-1-2.
United allegedly lost out on the midfielder because they didn’t leave the Serie A champions enough time to find a replacement, with their final bid coming on the Friday evening before deadline day. That could well be the determining factor in January too, suggesting the Red Devils may have to wait until next summer.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Could it conceivably happen in January, or are we all living in cuckoo land?
World-class forward and United icon Cristiano Ronaldo revealed in an interview earlier this week that he plans to return to Old Trafford before the end of his career.
Unsurprisingly, this has lead to a plethora of speculation, with rumours that super-agent Jorge Mendez is already working on a deal:
It goes without saying that the Real Madrid star, who has claimed 255 goals in 250 appearances for the Spanish side since leaving the Red Devils in 2009, would be a sensational addition to the United squad.
Louis van Gaal could certainly do with another winger, and at this point, it’s undisputed that the 2013 Ballon d’Or winner is one of the two leading entities in world football.
Just in case you needed further evidence, here’s Ronaldo’s twenty best ever goals:
//www.youtube.com/embed/–GlFGOT9Cc?rel=0
But the Independent claim Real Madrid are about to publicly issue a hands-off warning, whilst Chelsea have also emerged as potential suitors:
MARCO REUS
Another top class winger-forward that finds himself in Manchester United’s January transfer plans is Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus:
The Germany international unfortunately missed the World Cup through injury, but he was in absolutely lethal form last season, as detailed below, earning him the Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award:
The 25 year-old can adopt the roles of scorer or creator, capable of playing anywhere across the front or as a No.10. But his immense technical qualities are underpinned by his road-runner pace, which would most likely be utilised out wide at United – here’s a look at Reus in action:
//www.youtube.com/embed/rlYrndbblKk?rel=0
Furthermore, Dortmund will find themselves in a rather troubling situation this January. It was revealed last month that Reus has a £20million release clause and although it’s not set to come into effect until the summer, unless the Black-Yellows can get their star attacker to agree new terms, it will be impossible to turn down sizeable offers come the winter window.
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But he’s also on the radars of Arsenal and Manchester City:
Whilst Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo claims Reus already turned down a move to Manchester United in the summer window.
NEVEN SUBOTIC
Another Borussia Dortmund star United should be strongly considering as a January target is defender Neven Subotic.
The Red Devils appear to have failed in their pursuit of World Cup winner Mats Hummels, but they may have better luck with his Serbian centre-back partner.
A dependable, more passive centre-back than Hummels, the 25 year-old often doesn’t get the credit he deserves. No doubt however, Subotic is one of Europe’s top defenders – just take a look at him in action last term:
//www.youtube.com/embed/YV1uB16MEgQ?rel=0
Subotic’s pace, tackling ability and composure in possession particularly stands out. And despite injuries last season, the 6 foot 4 defender still produced consistent form, as detailed below:
Those characteristics would put him in good stead as part of Manchester United’s three-man defence, which has lacked leadership, organisation and direction throughout the start of the season.
And that sideline spell could give the Red Devils a way in. Greek international Sokratis excelled in Subotic’s absence last season and Jurgen Klopp now has three top quality centre-backs on the books.
He’s unwilling to part with his captain in Hummels but could be more reasonable when it comes to the 36-cap Serbian international. A fee around the £20million mark would be a realistic estimate.
Manchester City have now won five out of the last six Manchester derbies against United after a 1-0 victory at the Etihad on Sunday, but unlike the previous games the Red Devils – even with one man down – were giving the Premier League champions a run for their money.
Yes, there were some bad refereeing decisions which could have made it a more comfortable victory for the Citizens, but United were playing like the United of old… with pace and accuracy.
So after the fixture, who were the winners and losers from the Manchester derby?
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON THE CITIZENS TO SEE THE FULL LIST!
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Loser: The referees
We don’t know if Michael Oliver was trying to be righteous, or if he honestly doesn’t know what a penalty is.
Manchester United went down to ten men after Chris Smalling was correctly sent-off for his tackle on James Milner, earning him a second yellow card. But after that it looked like Oliver was extremely reluctant to give City a penalty, despite having a clear view and the incident being fairly clear cut.
Firstly, Aguero was clearly tripped by Marouane Fellaini in the box, but that – and the alleged spit by Fellaini – was ignored and play resumed.
However, when Marcos Rojo clearly went in from behind Yaya Toure right before half-time, it was almost certain the referee would blow for a penalty – and possibly a red card – he didn’t.
There was another incident involving Aguero and Michael Carrick but the trend continued, so the Premier League top scorer took matters into his own hands and grabbed the winner, but it should have been a much more comfortable victory.
Winner: Marouane Fellaini
Dare we say it? Only a few months ago Marouane Fellaini was labelled as one of the biggest transfer flops of last season, but now the big Belgian is playing some of the best football of his career.
The former Everton star held the ball up well and was precise in his passing, not to mention Fellaini displayed some deft touches that showed he is not all about strength and aerial ability.
But that is what Fellaini gives, when Man United’s short passing game hits a roadblock, a long ball can be hurled upfield and the afro-haired midfielder will more likely than not outmuscle his marker and bring the ball down Ibrahimovic-style. Now if you can do something like Zlatan there’s not much more of a compliment.
Expect to see Fellaini starting more often than previously expected, but even when not used there is not many who are better at being a game-changing substitute.
Loser: Chris Smalling
Chris Smalling is almost definitely the reason Manchester United lost out to their ‘noisy neighbours’ on Sunday after being sent off for two ‘stupid’ yellow card offences right before the stroke of half-time.
The loss itself is already a blow, but in the bigger picture the Red Devils have a major shortage of defenders and the suspension of Smalling, even for the visit of Crystal Palace, is a major issue.
This means that Michael Carrick is set to play out of position at centre-back, with his partner being one of either Tyler Blackett or Paddy McNair, who are both no older than 20.
Smalling will hope that he gets another chance after his suspension, as several of the other first choice defenders are recovering from their respective injuries.
Winner: Sergio Aguero
After not being able to replicate his amazing four-goal haul against Tottenham when City played West Ham United last week, Sergio Aguero showed again why he is the most feared striker in the Premier League by grabbing the winner that looked easier than it actually was.
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The Argentine also had several penalty shouts dismissed by the referee, which on another day would have been given and earned his side two more goals (if Yaya Toure was to score it).
However, the biggest victory for Aguero is his battle to keep fit, as his niggling hamstring problems look to be behind him after starting in eight consecutive Premier League games.
Loser: Manuel Pellegrini
The Manchester City boss has been under some pressure after some disappointing performances lately, and despite the win the Chilean boss didn’t cover himself in glory after not being able to convincingly finish off Man United who had a man down.
The Red Devils were close to getting an equaliser and Pellegrini seemed unable to react to United’s late push, even taking off Aguero and replacing him with defensive midfielder Fernandinho which put City’s back line under even more pressure.
Pellegrini now has a much easier set of league fixtures coming up but if his side don’t perform well in these games – as well as the Champions League group stage clashes – then the former Malaga boss could be under-fire before Christmas.
Tonight against Scotland, Wayne Rooney will pick up his 101st cap for England, having reached his centenary milestone last weekend in a Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia. Yet, despite that historic achievement, whether the 29 year-old constitutes anything more than an above-average Three Lions player remains surprisingly open to interpretation. So, does Rooney count as an England great? Or is he simply just the best of the rest?
The fact Rooney’s legacy is even being debated tells its own story of how diverse opinions are on the Manchester United star, considering he’s just one of nine players to ever reach 100 caps for England and has captained the side since September.
The epicentre of the argument largely surrounds Rooney’s international goals. On the surface, 44 in 100 is a fantastic return at world football level; it’s only four shy of Gary Lineker’s and five of England’s all-time top scorer Bobby Charlton – two undisputed Three Lions legends.
When broken down however, it’s easy to see where criticism of the 29 year-old’s tally seeps in. Rooney’s goals-per-game ratio is at 0.44, only a slight improvement on David Platt’s, whilst Michael Owen, Bobby Charlton, Alan Shearer, Geoff Hurst, Jimmy Greaves, Gary Lineker and even Peter Crouch are some way ahead of him. The Match of the Day host for example, netted 0.6 times per England cap.
Perhaps most tellingly, only five of Rooney’s 44 goals have been clear-cut winners and only four have secured draws. He’s seen as many red cards at World Cups as he has goals, one apiece, and just six strikes have come at major tournaments, four of which were at Euro 2004 – the only tournament in which Rooney has truly performed to expectations. Lineker, on the other hand, won the 1986 World Cup’s golden boot.
Of course, Rooney’s never been the most conventional of forwards; lacking the composure and clinical streak of an out-and-out poacher or the consistency on the ball to be considered a classic No.10. He’s somewhere in between and Sir Alex Ferguson even thought the United captain’s ultimate position could be in central midfield.
Resultantly, it’s often Rooney’s other traits that draw the plaudits; commitment, enthusiasm and passion – commendable enough in a period where England haven’t produced much to be wholehearted about. The problem, however, is that you could say the same about James Milner, Joleon Lescott or even David Nugent. England players, by design, tend to share these characteristics.
It creates another dilemma too – if one were to assemble England’s all-time greatest eleven, where would Rooney fit? Up front, ahead of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer or Michael Owen? Just behind the striker, over Paul Gascoigne or Bobby Charlton? One can only speculate what public opinion would be, but there’s certainly no unanimous verdict and not in a ‘what a wonderful problem to have’ kind of way.
Perhaps the question should be what does it actually take to become an international great? A centenary of caps alone is not enough; Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker have breached that milestone and then some for Germany, but neither will be remembered in the same manner as Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer or Miroslav Klose. One could point to silverware too, but holding England’s inability to win a major tournament for over half a century against Rooney seems cruel and equally inaccurate.
Could it be records? Barring horrendous, unforeseen, disastrous injury, the United forward will become England’s top scorer and all-time appearance maker before his international career comes to a close. He’ll likely break some Premier League records too. Even then however, scrutiny of his quality – whether he’s ever been amongst the world’s greatest, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Frank Ribery – and servitude for the Three Lions, when compared to the clan of 1966, will continue to persist.
Maybe it’s moments that affirm greatness, well commonly consented greatness – split seconds can define international careers and create a bond with the fan base forever. Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore had theirs when they lifted the 1966 World Cup; Lineker had his when he won the golden boot; Paul Gasgoigne had his when he cried at Italia 1990 after a yellow card affirmed his suspension for the final; David Beckham had his when a last minute free kick against Greece secured England’s place at the 2002 World Cup. Rooney however, at 29 and after 100 appearances for England, is still waiting.
That being said, Rooney’s been a part of a Three Lions era that, in terms of results and success, is about as dark and disappointing as it gets. His performances have often blurred the line between defying and defining it, but it remains undisputed that over the last eleven years, England would’ve been a lot worse off without him. Despite this, Rooney’s often formed the poster-boy of the supporters’ generation-spanning frustrations.
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So is Wayne Rooney an England great? Perhaps not in the present day – at least, not to everybody. But certain to smash all England records and captain the side for at least one major tournament, something tells me the forgiving, retrospective eye of history, away from the partisan opinions of today, will look upon his international career far more fondly.
Manchester City (4-4-1-1): Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala, Demichelis, Clichy, Navas, Fernando, Toure, Jovetic, Nasri, Aguero
Manuel Pellegrini still has a number of injuries to consider, with Aleksandar Kolorov, Edin Dzeko, David Silva, Matija Nastasic, and Vincent Kompany all unavailable for this fixture. Eliaquim Mangala returns from his suspension, meaning Dedryck Boyata, who played in the 4-1 win over Sunderland is likely to be benched to make room for French defender. With Dzeko still out injured, Manchester City may once again opt to play Stevan Jovetic on the left flank with Samir Nasri being deployed just behind in-form striker Sergio Aguero.
Roberto Martinez will likely keep his formation despite picking up a loss against Tottenham Hotspur followed by a draw with Hull City recently. He is still hit with three major injury concerns as John Stones, Antolin Alcaraz, and Darron Gibson all not going to take part in his match. James McCarthy is currently a doubt for this fixture, but Martinez could wait until the last moment before deciding whether he should include him into his upcoming plans. Samuel Eto’o could either start behind Romelu Lukaku or be brought into proceedings a little later into the match with his manager deciding to rest him during the increased game week. Steven Naismith is also a doubt for the match and based on his condition, it is believed that he won’t be able to return to full fitness in time.
What the fans are saying…
Remember this?
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//www.youtube.com/embed/P3pXDQ4hC2s
Everton were so close to causing a huge upset towards Manchester City’s title bids at the end of last season, but a very vital 3-2 victory for City ensured that they were well on their way to being crown champions of England once again.
Despite overseeing what has so far been an impressive league campaign for the Hammers in 2014/15, last weekend’s disappointing FA Cup exit at the hands of West Brom has seen many of Big Sam’s detractors come out in full force once again at Upton Park. Successes on the road, as well as two very promising home victories against Manchester City and Liverpool respectively this season, have so far masked the angst between Sam Allardyce and the Boleyn Ground faithful – but now it seems tensions are finally starting to boil over.
Whilst the West Ham chairman certainly doesn’t deserve such abuse, several Hammers fans confronted David Sullivan after the loss to the Baggies last Saturday, asking why Sam Allardyce was still in place at Upton Park. It seems that, despite a somewhat successful campaign in the Championship and three steady seasons in the top-flight of English football, the marriage between Sam Allardyce and the West Ham fans has simply been a largely unhappy one.
With Big Sam’s contract due to expire at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, and the Hammers expected to arrive at their new home of the Olympic Stadium in the not too distant future, does the former Bolton and Newcastle boss deserve a new contract with the East Enders, or has his time at Upton Park finally come to a natural end?
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Whether it be through his failure to accept the proposed ‘West Ham way’, the over-dependence on certain favourites within the Hammers squad, or his apparent rejection of exciting players who could have made a difference at Upton Park, the number one issue surrounding Sam Allardyce has been his playing style. The big man has had to deal with such talk throughout most of his career and is probably sick of hearing about it now. After all, West Ham have definitely played some great stuff under the their current manager, and as some performances this season have clearly outlined, Big Sam certainly has it in him to mix it up when he has to.
However, having said all of that, there is an undoubted belief among many of the Upton Park faithful that Sam Allardyce still hasn’t clocked on to how the fans want their team to be playing. With many left somewhat aggrieved as a result, this notion is most commonly symbolised by Big Sam’s over reliance on Kevin Nolan.
For as good a captain the former Newcastle skipper has been for the Hammers during his time at the club, his days as a first team Premier League footballer sadly seem to be over. The 32-year-old no longer contributes enough to warrant his almost guaranteed place within Big Sam’s starting XI, which to the widespread frustration of most West Ham fans, has seen the likes of Morgan Amalfitano and Mauro Zarate somewhat left out of Allardyce’s plans this season. For the South American striker in particular, a move away from Upton Park has forcibly become a necessity that many fans didn’t want to see.
But to be fair to Big Sam, West Ham have displayed a more positive approach to their Premier League matches this campaign, largely going out for the win and not simply respecting the point as they have done with ill-fated results in the past. With the likes of Diafra Sakho, Alex Song, and a rejuvenated Stewart Downing playing in a more centralised role on board, West Ham have been a great deal easier on the eye this season, and have often succeed in the league as a result. However, much of this change has been brought about by fan pressure rather than on the back of Sam Allardyce’s decisions – and it is this that is seemingly holding back a new contract former the former Bolton man.
For that reason, it seems unlikely that the West Ham fans will ever fully take to Sam Allardyce. Someone with a strong link to the club, such as current Besiktas boss Salven Bilic, would likely appease the lack of connection between the manager and fans at Upton Park at the moment, even if it means Big Sam’s tailor made squad will have to get used to a slightly different managerial direction.
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Although Allardyce backers could state that West Ham are exactly where most would have expected them to be, a mid-table team free of relegation fears but with nothing much left to fight for in 2014/15, the club’s upcoming relocation to the Olympic Stadium has simply required everyone to step up their game up a notch. In light of such news, maybe a more ambitious manager will therefore be required if the move away from Upton Park is ever going to be considered a worthwhile success for the club and it’s future endeavours.
Sunderland versus Newcastle is one of the most renowned derbies in English football.
The rivalry between the two sets of fans is crazy, extreme and, let’s face it, a little bit mental (mostly in a good way!). The derby which will take place on Bank Holiday Sunday is causing great concern as the kick off time is 4pm and despite the police’s best efforts, the Premier League are refusing to move the time.
So, why is a 4pm kick off such a bad idea? The simple answer is alcohol.
Many fans love to have a drink before they go to matches and a late kick-off means more drinking time – especially on a bank holiday when they have got the Monday off, too. One of the other concerns is that after the problems and aggravated crowds at last weekend’s game at the Stadium of Light, things may kick off again.
Sunderland fans are less than happy about their current position in the league as they sit just one point above the relegation zone. The crowd disturbances and the fans trying to storm the dugout during their 4-0 home loss to Aston Villa were blamed on drunken supporters, so if things haven’t gotten any better since then, it could get even worse.
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Northumbria Police raised objections to a later kick off time earlier in the year, hoping for a lunch time fixture, as they generally do not cause as much issues amongst fans because the pubs haven’t been opened as long. These opinions were ignored by the Premier League and Sky Sports.
But previous fixtures have also shown that earlier kick offs do not always make things any better. In April 2013, violence erupted on the streets of Newcastle after a midday game between the two rivals.
All-in-all, I am not sure the kick off time is a good idea. I agree that whilst the police will always do their best job at the match and around the ground it is usually in the city centre where the trouble happens. When fans start to drink excessively before or after the games that’s when the anger and disruption usually occurs.
It is bound to happen, especially with the trouble Sunderland are in – their fans are bound to be more angry and have more pent up energy. No matter what time the kick off is in the Tyne Wear derby, it will always be one for the passionate fans.
All fans of any team want to win a derby and while the fans in the North East come out as more passionate, that is the be all and end all. The just want to win.
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There will always be a bit of trouble no matter what time the match starts, the most important thing is that the officials have enough time to plan to stop as much trouble as possible.
As thousands of fans descend Wembley Way for this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals, Football Fancast try to pick out the best value bets from the two showpiece games.
Reading v Arsenal
Despite the Royals run to the last four of the FA Cup, this season has been one of immense disappointment for Steve Clarke’s men. One of the early season favourites for promotion, they sit only eight points off the relegation zone. If it wasn’t for the respite of the domestic cup competition there would have been little to shout about at the Madejski this term.
In their last 10 league outings they have managed only a solitary victory, conceding at least one in nine of those fixtures.
Compare that to the form of their illustrious opponents and it really does highlight the task that the Championship side face. Arsenal have won all but one of their last 10 fixtures and have managed to bring themselves to the edge of the title race. They are in undoubtedly their best run of form of the season and as winning the Premier League seems a bridge too far, retaining this trophy will be their number one objective from now till the end of the season.
Reading manager Steve Clarke has suggested his team need to be perfect to have any success at all come Saturday evening. However, even a perfect display for Reading would still leave them well short of their opponents, currently one of the form sides in European football. Unfortunately for Reading, their Wembley day out could have a sour ending.
Back Arsenal to win -2 @ 7/4
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Sunday’s semi-final is definitely a more difficult one to call as Tim Sherwood seems to really be getting the best out of his struggling Villa side. Their away win over Tottenham last weekend all but quashed their fears of relegation and will leave them full of confidence for their date with Liverpool in the capital.
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Although results are still not perfect at Villa Park, they seem to have finally realised that football is about scoring goals and have managed 12 in their last eight league outings, matching their total from the previous 25.
Their opponents Liverpool are still on the coat tails of the top four and need to keep winning in order to keep their Champions League dream alive. Their form has been impressive, their only defeats coming to those above them in the league so they will rightly feel confident going into this clash with lowly Villa.
In terms of the league fixtures between the two, both sides have managed one victory each. Villa secured all three points during their superb start to the season, whereas Rodgers men dispatched easily of their opponents in the most recent clash.
With Villa finally being able to hit the back of the net, matched with both team’s suspect defences, expect this one to have goals. However, the forward prowess of Liverpool, particularly the superb Coutinho and the always dangerous Sterling, will prove too much for the team from Birmingham.
Back Liverpool to win and over 2.5 goals @ 11/8
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Newcastle vs Tottenham has always been one of the Premier League’s least predictable fixtures. The last six encounters between the two sides are split equally with three wins each – albeit, with the Lilywhites boasting an aggregate score of 12-6.
And today’s installment didn’t disappoint, producing four goals in a feisty clash as the momentum swung from side to side.
Tottenham opened the scoring through Nacer Chadli after half an hour, his swerving shot outfoxing Tim Krul, only for Jack Colback to cancel out the Belgium international’s effort just moments into the second half.
A Christian Eriksen inswinging free-kick, evading the pack to bounce in the box and sneak past Krul at the far post, reinstated the visitors’ lead, which was capped off in the 91st minute by who else but Harry Kane.
In case you missed the clash, however, we at Football Fancast have listed its three biggest talking points:
HURRIKANE RISES TO SERGIO AGUERO’S CHALLENGE
With Chelsea’s Diego Costa stuck in the physio room for the next few weeks, the Premier League’s Golden Boot award will almost certainly go to either Sergio Aguero or Harry Kane this season. The Manchester City star threw down the gauntlet earlier today, netting the second in a 2-0 win over West Ham to bring his tally for the campaign to 20.
It was a tough afternoon for Kane at St. James’ Park – and for a while he looked set to record his third consecutive Premier League appearance without finding the net, having not scored for Spurs since returning from international duty with England last month.
Although he popped up in pockets of space in habitual fashion, his first three attempts at goal went straight at Newcastle No.1 Tim Krul – a lot of huffing and puffing, but not much to show for it.
That was until stoppage time, of course, when the 21 year-old finally ended his dry spell by finishing off a Spurs counter-attack.
Desperate to claim a point, the Magpies had everybody in Tottenham’s box for the final moments, but a breakaway left Kane with almost an entire half of the pitch to run into, honing in on Krul’s goal. As the Dutchman attempted to close the space, the Spurs forward calmly passed the ball into the corner of the net.
If Kane does finish up as the Premier League’s top scorer this year, he’ll be the first Englishman to claim the Golden Boot since Kevin Phillips – all the way back in 2000.
NEWCASTLE WEREN’T ACTUALLY THAT BAD
If you didn’t see the game today, you’d be forgiven for assuming Newcastle were a complete shambles.
This was their sixth consecutive defeat in the Premier League, a dire situation further amplified by the huge pre-match protests against Mike Ashley and Sunderland fans flying this plane above St. James’ Park, reminding the Toon of their terrible record in the Tyne-Wear derby:
Banterous stuff. But actually, Newcastle weren’t that bad this afternoon when compared to their apathetic performances of recent weeks. Take a look at the stats, with Newcastle in orange and Spurs in blue:
They suggest the visitors had the upper-hand, and they were certainly the more assured sides for large periods. But 45 tackles shows Newcastle were at least applying themselves, whilst they had more than enough opportunities at goal to have got something out of today’s game.
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Amid a stronger run of form and with a bit more luck, things could have been very different.
NEWCASTLE ARE NOW IN A RELEGATION FIGHT
That being said, it’s becoming harder and harder to see where the next positive Newcastle result will come from. Looking at the league table, they probably only need one more win to avoid the possibility of relegation to the Championship:
But every defeat is making that needed victory seem all the more unlikely. The Magpies are in complete free fall and John Carver is quickly running out of ideas. Here’s a look at their final run-in:
Away defeats to QPR and Leicester City, by no means unimaginable considering their current form, could put the Tynesiders right into the mix for relegation with just a few games remaining – and when the pressure’s on in the Premier League, anything can happen.