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Football News: Premier League Match Preview Saturday 17th March 2018

Premier League Match Preview Saturday 17th March 2018
Image from: goldmyne.tv

Saturday 17th March 2018

 


Bournemouth v West Bromwich Albion 3pm kick off

 

Pugh (calf strain) doubt
Mings (back injury) out

Just as the Cherries were set to reach safety, their recovery has hit the buffers with four games in a row without a win, two losses by 4 goals to 1. It has been a real struggle for Eddie Howe's side to keep a clean sheet and that has been a major problem for the South Coast side. Facing a West Brom side in such incredibly poor form is the perfect opportunity to get back on track and towards the points total required to survive for another season in the Premier League.
Most important player: Callum Wilson. You have to fear for that sluggish WBA backline facing his pace and power.

 

Evans (illness) doubt
Barry (knee injury) doubt
Sturridge (hamstring injury expected return 31st March) out
Chadli (thigh strain expected return 31st March) out
Morrison (Achilles injury expected return 15th April) out

Six defeats in a row, marooned at the bottom of the table and 8 points off 17th placed Southampton. It looks bleak for the Baggies. Bleaker when you realise they are still managed by Alan Pardew. Why? Just why? If you could pick anyone less likely to rescue the disastrous situation than Pardew you are doing better than I am! Tactical ineptitude allied with an inability to organise a defence are the attributes Pardew brings to the table. The only use he could have had was as a cheerleader to lift players' spirits and get them believing in themselves. Even that has proven to be beyond the 'talents' of Mr Pardew.
Most important player: Jose Salomon Rondon. They are not going to rescue the situation by grinding out nil-nil draws, so they need goals as wins are the only thing that will save them.

 

Defining Battle: Bournemouth have plenty of pace in the top half of the pitch, West Brom have almost none in their defensive areas. If Bournemouth really want to exploit it, they just have to run at them constantly. The Baggies are unable to cope with that and they will give up chances and are very likely to pick up a number of bookings and maybe even lose a player to a second yellow/red. If Bournemouth do that, and are unrelenting, they could really put West Brom to the sword as the players are clearly not on the same team as the manager there.

 

Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 1-1
Ed003 - 1-1
Ed004 - 2-1
Ed007 - 2-0
Ed018 - 1-1
Ed025 - 2-0
Ed033 - 1-0

 


Huddersfield Town v Crystal Palace 3pm kick off

 

Williams (broken ankle) out
Kongolo (hip injury expected return 31st March) out
Hefele (knee injury expected return 21st April) out
Scannell (shoulder injury expected return 31st March) out
Kachunga (MCL injury expected return 31st March) out
Stankovic (ACL injury expected return 31st March) out

The Terriers had been dragging themselves clear of the drop zone with a couple of wins in a row but the 0-0 draw against ten man Swansea could have sapped confidence as they missed so many chances. Against Palace, while it is important not to lose, very important in fact, a draw is not really much use to them either. That would leave them still in serious danger of relegation, even though they have built a four point lead over 18th. Points on the board now are vital if they are to avoid pressure building going into the final few games of the season.
Most important player: Alex Pritchard. He has that little something that sets the better players apart, as well as being a hard worker.

 

Wickham (fitness) doubt
Cabaye (adductor strain) slight doubt
Ward (muscle injury expected return 31st March) out
Speroni (knee injury expected return 7th April) out
Sako (broken ankle expected return 18th August) out
Dann (ACL injury) out
Puncheon (PCL tear) out
Loftus-Cheek (ankle injury) slight doubt

Roy Hodgson's Palace revolution has fallen flat, in large part due to losing Wilfried Zaha to injury again. Seven games without a win, five of them defeats, with little movement or threat from the lamppost up front, Christian Benteke. Now Zaha is back, will that be enough to revive their flagging hopes of survival?
Most important player: Wilfried Zaha. He makes a huge difference to the Eagles. They have almost no attacking quality without him.

 

Defining Battle: Huddersfield's defence have to find a way to cope with Zaha. What he does is simple, he gets the ball and runs at players in the hope of making something happen. The problem is that his pace, trickery and willingness to throw himself to ground makes it difficult to stop him without giving away free kicks or penalties. The key is to stop him getting going in the first place. Keep tight to him so he is unable to get a head of steam up.

 

Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 0-2
Ed003 - 0-0
Ed004 - 1-1
Ed007 - 2-1
Ed018 - 2-2
Ed025 - 1-2
Ed033 - 2-1

 


Stoke City v Everton 3pm kick off

 

Diouf (dislocated shoulder) late fitness test
Grant (wrist injury) out
Ireland (calf strain) out
Wimmer (fitness) slight doubt

The Potters have not seen the lift that they were hoping for with the managerial change as Paul Lambert has struggled badly to get a win out of the team he inherited. Just one win in 2018 has left Stoke sat in the bottom three and looking almost certain to go down. Their only real hope is the possibility of there being three worse teams than them in the Prem. It does look a very slim possibility right now.
Most important player: Geoff Cameron. The USA international is meant to be protecting the defence but he seems to be AWOL as their goals against record is abysmal.

 

Walcott (cramp) slight doubt
Sigurdsson (knee injury expected return 5th May) out
Gueye (illness) slight doubt
Schneiderlin (illness) slight doubt
Mangala (knee injury) out
McCarthy (broken leg) out
Stekelenburg (groin injury expected return 31st March) out
Williams (suspended) out

Normally this would be seen as a chance to close up on the teams above them, but the Toffees have been abysmal away from home, scoring just 10 goals all season, while shipping 31 into their own net. In fifteen games they have won just once and managed to lose nine, that is relegation form. However there are rays of sunshine peeking through the dark clouds. Well, more correctly, there is one ray of sunshine - Ashley Williams is banned. Williams has been a real negative for them and his loss should see the defence tighten up markedly. With Stoke's struggles, this is a big chance for Everton, who are already pretty much certainly safe already, to go out and take the game to an opponent away from home.
Most important player: Phil Jagielka. The veteran has been a stalwart of the team since he settled into a centre back role. His return to fitness is a big boost and should see them looking up the table for the end of the season.

 

Defining Battle: two managers who are more concerned with not losing than winning in a match that both teams should be looking at as a winnable one. Stoke are desperate for wins and they are facing a team that struggles on the road, so that should give them confidence. Everton only have to look at Stoke's abysmal form to feel confident of a result. It is almost simple to deal with Stoke, keep Shaqiri quiet and they have almost nothing else. The game is set up almost perfectly for a Big Sam set up.

 

Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 0-2
Ed003 - 2-1
Ed004 - 1-2
Ed007 - 0-2
Ed018 - 1-1
Ed025 - 1-1
Ed033 - 1-2

 


Liverpool v Watford 5:30pm kick off

 

Clyne (fitness) out

The defeat last time out to Man Utd has made a real difference to Liverpool's season as they have gone from chasing them down for second, sitting 2 points behind them in third, to being five points back in 4th with Spurs ahead of them and Chelsea now close enough to put pressure on. How the players respond to that defeat will set the tone for the rest of the season, though the distraction of the Champions League is still there for them to face, while those around them have no European distractions left.
Most important player: Andrew Robertson. His energy can be a key weapon for the Reds.

 

Deulofeu (fractured foot) out
Sinclair (muscle injury) out
Kabasele (hamstring injury) doubt
Cleverley (hamstring injury) out
Wague (hamstring injury) out
Kaboul (fractured metatarsal) out
Chalobah (knee injury) out
Cathcart (knee injury expected return 31st March) out
Hoban (ACL injury) out

The Hornet's big problem is inconsistency. Despite that they look to have reached safety with eight games left to play. Now they have no pressure, it is just about finishing as high up the table as possible. Just as much, there are a lot of players playing for a summer move, to put themselves in the shop window and get a big move to a club where they can challenge for trophies. A team with no pressure but has a prize to chase can achieve great things sometimes. Especially when they have a poor defeat behind them to drive them on, like Watford do after getting completely outplayed by Arsenal.
Most important player: Roberto Pereyra. While Abdoulaye Doucoure is the best player, Pereyra is the one who makes the attack work to its fullest capacity when on form.

 

Defining Battle: Watford have a manager who is very keen on defensive solidity, but has a team that is pretty shambolic defensively. Javi Gracia is trying to get them more organised and they will face a big test against the Liverpool front three. Will Gracia look to the model Man Utd used last weekend? Sit deep and hit it long to the big target man, with an almost ideal man to play the target role in Troy Deeney?

 

Editors' Predictions:
Ed002 - 4-2
Ed003 - 5-0
Ed004 - 3-0
Ed007 - 3-1
Ed018 - 3-1
Ed025 - 2-0
Ed033 - 2-0

 


Editor's Predictions Table
1. Ed002 - 193 points
2. Ed025 - 190 points
3. Ed007 - 188 points
4. Ed033 - 187 points
5. Ed018 - 181 points
6. Ed004 - 177 points
7. Ed003 - 176 points

 

*1 point is awarded for the correct result, 3 points for the correct score.
**updated 16th March 2018 (not including results for that day)

Written by Tris Burke March 17 2018 05:47:39