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Football News: Premier League Games Previews 11 November 2018

Premier League Games Previews 11 November 2018
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Liverpool v Fulham


After a poor midweek display against Red Star Belgrade, Liverpool will be desperate to bounce back here today against the Premier League's bottom-placed side going into MD11.


The Reds will be aiming to remain unbeaten after 12 Premier League games for just the third time since the competition began, and with their current home league unbeaten run standing at 26 matches, they will not want to let that slip going into the international break.


Indeed, against newly promoted teams, Liverpool are unbeaten in 23 at Anfield since Ian Holloway's Blackpool side upset them in October 2010 when Roy Hodgson was in charge.


Meanwhile, Fulham's issue so far this campaign is clear - they just cannot keep a clean sheet. They have conceded a joint-record 29 goals after 11 Premier League games, and last kept a clean sheet at this level in April 2014 against Norwich at Craven Cottage. They have lost five league games in a row, the poorest ongoing run in the Premier League.


Anfield is not a happy hunting ground for them either. They have visited Liverpool there 33 times in all competitions and won just once - 1-0 in May 2012 under Martin Jol thanks to a Martin Skrtel own goal.


However, whilst Liverpool's record is favourable against newly promoted teams, their record against teams starting the day in the relegation zone is not so good. Under Jurgen Klopp, they have only won one more league match against such opposition (7) than they have lost (6) in 20 such games, winning just four of the last 13. It is an Achilles heel for them and will give Fulham some belief that they can come to Anfield and cause Liverpool problems, just as Red Star caused them problems in Serbia in midweek.


Key players:


Mohamed Salah - Fulham simply cannot afford Salah the space that they have been giving opposition forwards this season. Salah has four goals and five assists against newly promoted sides in the Premier League for Liverpool, and will be keen to get on the scoresheet again at Anfield today.


Tom Cairney - His return to the starting XI could be just the boost Fulham need as they look to climb out of the relegation zone. He has completed more passes per 90 minutes of play than any of his teammates this season, and will have to look to exact some control and quality on the ball for the visitors at Anfield today.





Chelsea v Everton


It's been an excellent start to the season for Chelsea. Unbeaten in 11 so far, they have gone on to win the Premier League on both previous occasions they have avoided defeat at this stage of a campaign. Could they make that a hat-trick this season? They certainly have a chance, especially given the way they are playing.


They face an Everton side who fear the very sight of Stamford Bridge. They are winless in their last 23 league games there, losing six of the last seven.


But Everton come into this match on a fine run of form - four wins from their last five league games, although that is helped by a good record on home soil - away from home, it's just one win in six for the Toffees.


But Everton are all that is standing in Maurizio Sarri's way of a new outright Premier League record - anything other than a defeat for Chelsea will make him the first manager in Premier League history to lose none of his first 12 games in the competition.


Based on Everton's dire record away at Chelsea, coupled with the fact that their manager Marco Silva has lost both of his league meetings with the Blues, it would be a surprise if Everton did stop Sarri's run in its tracks today, even if they are high on form and belief going into the game.


Everton don't like playing on a Sunday either - they have gone 13 away games without a win on this day since beating QPR at Loftus Road in March 2015, a desperately poor record that they will do well to amend against a Chelsea side purring under their new manager.


Key players:


Cesc Fabregas - He hasn't started for Chelsea in the league this season, but his return from injury is potentially bad news for Everton. He's had a hand in 10 goals in his last 10 league appearances against the Toffees. His five goals against them is his joint-highest against any side in the Premier League, and he will no doubt be looking to build on that should he feature here.


Theo Walcott - The forward has two goals in his last four league visits to Stamford Bridge, and whilst he hasn't netted since August for Everton, they could do with him ending his little scoring drought today if they are to have a chance at a result.





Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers


There's a real buzz about Arsenal right now - perhaps more so than any other Premier League side bar Man City. Even though they have drawn their last two league games, they came away from their draw with Liverpool pleased with a positive display in which they came from behind again to stretch their unbeaten league run to nine games.


In fact, Arsenal have gained a league-high eight points from losing positions in this season's top tier - they do not know when they are beaten under Unai Emery.


Wolves, meanwhile, have lost three consecutive league games - they had only lost one of their first eight this season before this, and will be keen to get out of this small rut they are in before the international break.


But that will be far from easy. Arsenal have won 19 of their last 21 home league games against newly promoted sides, and have won seven of eight meetings with Wolves in the division. That is the most Wolves have faced a particular opponent in the Premier League without winning a match.


In fact, Wolves are winless in 19 games against Arsenal in all competitions since they last beat them 3-2 in September 1979. That is a miserable run that they will do well to stop here based on the contrasting form of the two sides.


Key players:


Alexandre Lacazette - Fresh from his equaliser against Liverpool last week, Lacazette has scored 12 and assisted four goals in his 18 league starts at the Emirates, and if Wolves stop him from receiving the ball to feet then they will go some way towards stopping Arsenal in an attacking sense today.


Ruben Neves - He scored his first goal from inside the penalty area since arriving in England via his penalty against Spurs last week, but Neves will be crucial outside the box for Wolves here today. Their main man, he will have to show his quality in possession and ability to read the game if Wolves are to have a chance of a result here.





Manchester City v Manchester United


The Manchester Derby never needs much introduction, and it will be as hotly anticipated as ever today as Man City look to exact revenge on their city rivals after the side in red came from 2-0 down to beat the blue half 3-2 in this exact fixture last season - in a game in which the Citizens were hoping to confirm their league title, no less.


Manchester City come into this game fresh off the back of putting six past both Southampton last weekend and Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek - the first time they have scored 6+ in back-to-back matches since 1987 (10-1 v Huddersfield Town, 6-2 v Plymouth Argyle).


But if they are to even win this match, they will have to improve their recent home record against Manchester United - they are winless in three home league games against them since a 1-0 win in November 2014.


And they will have to beat a Man Utd side that have renewed confidence after a remarkable comeback 2-1 win away at Juventus in midweek. The Red Devils have now won three straight games in all competitions, last winning four in a row back in January.


But Manchester United haven't won back-to-back league meetings with Man City since April 2010, when they won four in a row, three against Mark Hughes' Man City side, one against Roberto Mancini's.


Of course, this game sees old rivals Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho square up again. The Spaniard is winless in four at home to Mourinho, last beating him on home soil in August 2011 in the Spanish Supercopa as Barcelona boss, against Mourinho's Real Madrid side of course.


Mourinho himself has only won one of his last seven league meetings with Man City across Chelsea and Man Utd, but of course that was that 3-2 win in April at the Etihad.


This will be another fascinating clash between the two heavyweight managers, and as Man Utd showed in the last meeting and in midweek against Juventus, they are a dangerous side to write off.


Key players:


Sergio Aguero - I'm not sure I can pick anybody else for Man City when you consider that he has scored 17 goals in his last 13 home league games. He also has form against the Red Devils - seven league goals against them in fact, albeit none since April 2015. If he is at his clinical best, Man Utd will struggle to stop this Man City side.


Anthony Martial - With five goals in his last four games for Man Utd, Martial is the main man for Jose Mourinho's side right now. He has never scored against Man City in the Premier League but now would be as good a time as ever to put that right from a Man Utd perspective, and he's in the perfect run of form to do just that.

Written by Reid the Red November 11 2018 09:36:55

 

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