Football News: Premier League Games Preview for 20 January 2019

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Huddersfield Town v Manchester City

Huddersfield couldn't really ask for a tougher first Premier League match without David Wagner at the helm. With the former USA international leaving the club by mutual consent, he departs the Premier League with the poorest goals per game ratio of any manager to take charge of at least 25 games in the competition's history, a measly 0.68.

It also has to be remembered that Wagner is the manager responsible for Huddersfield's promotion - the only example in English Football League history of a side being promoted with a negative goal difference. He then followed this up by achieving Premier League survival in their debut campaign in the competition despite them scoring just 28 goals in 38 matches - since a second tier was introduced into the English Football League, no side has ever survived having netted fewer than that in a single top-flight season.

The fact is, he had Huddersfield punching above their weight and it caught up to him. Based on reports, he was seemingly struggling with the rigours of life as a Premier League manager, and perhaps that is why he has left. He leaves having lost nine and drawn one of his final 10 games in charge in all competitions, a run that any side would do well to avoid relegation after having.

Man City, meanwhile, have clearly gotten over their mini blip of defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester City by winning five in a row in all competitions, scoring 24 goals in the process.

To put that into some context, Huddersfield have only managed to score 22 goals in their last 37 games in all competitions - two fewer than what Guardiola's side have in their last five. It's a staggering contrast, and highlights the mountain of a task they face immediately after the departure of their manager.

Key players:

Jonas Lossl - He'll be busy and that's why I've picked him. His save numbers are nothing to write home about but he'll have to be on top form today to stop Manchester City from scoring their 100th goal of the season in all competitions, with the Citizens heading into today on 99.

Sergio Aguero - The forward has a huge six goals in his last three games against Huddersfield in all competitions, and he will be licking his lips at the thought of facing the Premier League's bottom side today.

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur

No Harry Kane. No Son Heung-Min. How will Spurs cope? That is the big question ahead of this encounter. Between them, that duo has scored 47% of Spurs' Premier League goals under Mauricio Pochettino, with Kane alone notching 36%. It's a huge void to fill.

It may actually be a blessing for Tottenham that their first game without Kane and Son is away from Wembley - stadium troubles aside, Spurs haven't enjoyed home games nearly as much as away outings in 2018-19, and have picked up a league-high 62% percent of their points in away matches this season.

Having said that, a league-high 86% of Fulham's Premier League points this season have been won at Craven Cottage, so that stat coincidentally works both ways here! It makes for an interesting affair.

Spurs' record against newly-promoted clubs is exceptional, losing just one of their last 41 league games against such opposition, although that was to Wolves in December.

But Fulham aren't in the best of form to be confident of making that two defeats in 42 - they have won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, and that was to the Premier League's bottom side Huddersfield in their final match of 2018. If they do win today, they will have won back-to-back home games in the Premier League for the first time since April 2013 when managed by Martin Jol.

But their record in Premier League London derbies is frankly dire - winless in 10, losing nine of those and conceding a massive 28 goals. Spurs, on the other hand, have won seven of their last eight all-London affairs in the league. The form books all point to a victory for Pochettino's side. The loss of Kane and Son though, could alter that.

Key players:

Aleksandar Mitrovic - He has scored in all three of his league appearances against Spurs to date, as well as assisting a goal in two of them, and if he doesn't find the net, it's hard to see who will be the man to step up for Claudio Ranieri's side in a massive match for them today.

Fernando Llorente - With Kane out, Llorente is looking like he will finally get a real go up front for Pochettino's side. He has only started one league match for Spurs since joining but in all competitions his numbers are so impressive, bagging seven goals in his last three starts for the club, including four in two this season. He has quality, and therefore the potential to significantly lessen the impact of Kane's injury.

Written by Reid the Red January 20 2019 10:49:35