The Pep Guardiola experiment at Manchester City is going wrong and he is only 3/1 not be the manager of the club at the start of next season. It’s all right having a great array of midfield and attacking talent but if you concede four goals at Everton something is seriously wrong at the back. Its too early to talk about a must win fixture but if City drop points at home to Tottenham on Saturday they could be 12 points or more behind Chelsea in the Premier League.
Tottenham are currently the best side in the league and Harry Kane and Dele Alli are playing out of their skin. The England contingent look totally different players to the ones that couldn’t put two passes together during the debacle of England’s defeat to Iceland in the European Championships in the summer. The Tottenham defence is solid and they have conceded the fewest number of goals in the league.
After capitulating at Everton City will be under pressure to get their season back on track and anything less than a home win against Tottenham will put more pressure on Guardiola. However, the fixture brings together a stuttering defence and purring attack and Tottenham can avoid defeat in a scoring draw and Kane to score at any time must be backed. This match has goals written all over it and there could be more than four. Joe Hart will have mixed feelings if City let in four goals again.
Liverpool are the highest scoring team in the Premier League but they have also conceded more goals than the other teams in the top four. They are unbeaten at home in the league this season, scoring 26 goals and conceding seven in nine matches at Anfield. This week they had the inconvenience of an FA Cup replay at Plymouth but Jurgen Klopp will be playing two different elevens over the two fixtures.
Swansea are currently bottom of the Premier League but the new head coach Paul Clement has made three signings since being appointed two weeks ago. The most significant arrival is Tom Carroll from Tottenham who made 18 appearances for Swansea during a loan spell two seasons ago. Carroll is good enough to have played for the England Under-21 team and is a positive addition to a struggling squad.
However, this match looks like the home banker of the schedule and Liverpool can beat Swansea to nil and by more than one goal. Swansea are looking like relegation fodder and their points tally won’t improve after playing at Liverpool on Saturday.
It may be that selling all their best players is catching up with Southampton. Over the last few seasons they have punched above their weight but their current position of 13th in the table is more in keeping with their wealth and potential earnings from matches at their stadium and merchandising. Southampton have won just four of 10 league matches at home this season scoring 10 goals and conceding one more. However, they have enough to beat Leicester at home on Sunday.
There are three poorer teams in the league so Leicester will not create unwanted history by becoming the first team to be relegated in the season after winning the Premier League. Their home form should see them establish a safe position in the bottom half of the table but clear of the relegation places. Losing at Southampton won’t be terminal and Leicester’s home form can see them climb up the league but not as high as they finished last season as that will never happen again.
Arsenal have lost one of 10 matches played in the league this season and Burnley are not good enough to double that number. Alexis Sanchez is the most effective player in the league based on goals and assists. Arsene Wenger must keep him happy if Arsenal are going to challenge for the Premier League but they are eight points off the pace but three points from beating Burnley should see them stay in touch.
Burnley are the surprise package of the season and are becalmed in mid-table safety, unlikely to qualify for Europe and free of relegation worries. They have the third best home record in the league and only Tottenham and Chelsea have picked up more points at home. Conversely they have drawn one and lost eight of nine matches on the road and Arsenal can beat the visitors by two goals or more.
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