Football News: Premier League Game Preview 23 February 2019

Saturday February 23rd

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur

This has the makings on an intriguing game. Burnley are in resurgent form having gone seven unbeaten in the Premier League, with only Man Utd's current nine-game streak without defeat topping that in the competition right now. In fact, the Clarets last went longer without a defeat in top-flight league matches way back in September 1966.

But today they face a Spurs side who have won four consecutive games in all competitions, including a mightily impressive 3-0 mauling for Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last time out. In the league, Tottenham have won 10 of their last 12 games - losing the other two because they can't draw football matches, of course - and have coped superbly well in the absence for their talisman Harry Kane.

Spurs are also unbeaten in their last nine matches against Burnley in all competitions, and won the reverse meeting between these two sides at Wembley earlier this season thanks to one of their trademark 90th minute winners. You simply can't switch off against this Spurs side, and Burnley know that all too well.

While Burnley start today outside of the relegation zone, Spurs still hold title ambitions this season, trailing Manchester City and Liverpool by just five points at the start of the play. They can reduce that deficit to a slender two points with a win here, with Man City playing the Carabao Cup final and Liverpool facing a tough visit to Old Trafford tomorrow. Mauricio Pochettino's side have kept themselves as strong contenders through their grit and determination right until the final whistle of games this season, and this weekend is a great opportunity for them.

Key players:

Tom Heaton - I can't look past the England goalkeeper. Burnley haven't lost a league game with him in the side this season, and his 80% save percentage is the best ratio of GKs to have played 3+ times in the Premier League in 2018-19. Spurs will look to keep him busy today but he will be more than able to handle that.

Son Heung-Min - Again, I cannot pick anyone else. Son has scored in four straight games for Spurs since his Asian Cup return, and has had a hand in 16 goals in his last 12 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 and assisting five. He is in imperious form, and Spurs would be a lot worse off right now without him. They might have actually drawn a match this season!

Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Bournemouth's home and away form is like chalk and cheese. They've only lost four of their last 18 matches at the Vitality in all competitions, winning three of their last four there in the league, whereas away from home they've lost nine in succession. Thankfully for them, they're at home today.

Today they face Wolves, six points above Bournemouth in the table and unbeaten in seven in all competitions, winning five of those. They have really hit their stride, and have a points tally (39) that no newly promoted side has bettered after 26 games in the Premier League since Reading had 40 in 2006-07. That's a very impressive statistic from their point of view. It's incredible to think that the majority of these players were plying their trade in the second-tier last season.

Wolves may have won the reverse meeting with Bournemouth in December 2018 but that represents half of their total league wins over the Cherries in their history, having lost four, drawn one and lost two of seven previous such clashes. Indeed, Wolves have lost two and drawn one of their three previous away league games against Bournemouth, and have only won their once in all competitions - that came all the way back in January 1948 in an FA Cup tie.

And Bournemouth have an impeccable home record against newly promoted sides, having never lost to such opposition at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League, winning seven of their nine previous such matches. That is a record Eddie Howe will hope serves his side well again today as they aim to push for the top half of the Premier League table.

Key players:

Josh King - With three goals in his last two home league games, King is looking to become only the second Bournemouth player to score in three consecutive home Premier League matches, after Junior Stanislas in October 2018.

Ivan Cavaleiro - He has two goals in his last three appearances in all competitions, and scored from the bench against Bournemouth the last time these sides met, so whether he starts or is used as a substitute, the forward could be a real danger for the Cherries.

Newcastle United v Huddersfield Town

This is a huge relegation clash for both sides. It is highly unlikely that Huddersfield will survive in the Premier League now, but a win over one of the sides they need to overtake if they are to avoid the drop could just spur a late charge - you never quite know with football.

Newcastle themselves are just a point above the relegation zone at the start of play, so they need a win themselves - and Huddersfield are a side Rafael Benitez will expect his side to beat if they are to stay clear of the bottom three.

A win for the Magpies would see them do a league double over the Terriers for the first time since 1964-65, and they have only lost one of their last 13 home matches against them in all competitions, a 1-2 defeat in August 2016 when both clubs were in the Championship.

Indeed, Newcastle have won back-to-back home matches in the Premier League - that's as many as their previous 11 games combined on home soil beforehand, and they haven't won three in succession since April 2018.

For Huddersfield, well there's simply nothing good to say about their recent form. Winless in 14 in all competitions, losing 13 of those, with Jan Siewert one defeat away from becoming the ninth manager to lose each of his opening four Premier League games and the first since Frank de Boer at Crystal Palace. He will hope his fate is not the same as the Dutchman's.

Away from home, Huddersfield have managed to win just once in their last 19 outings in all competitions - at Wolves in November - and it is hard to see them improving upon that even against a side fighting to avoid relegation as they are.

It's must win for Newcastle for their survival hopes, and must win for Huddersfield for theirs, even if those odds are as slim as they could possibly be.

Key players:

Salomon Rondon - He's had a hand in 41% of Newcastle's Premier League goals this season (9/22) - only Hazard, Jimenez and Mitrovic have been directly involved in more, and he scored Newcastle's winner against Huddersfield in December, so he is the clear threat today.

Aaron Mooy - For me, he is by far Huddersfield's strongest player, and with two goals in his last three league games against Newcastle, he had history against the Magpies which could prove crucial for today.

Leicester City v Crystal Palace

On paper, this looks like it could be a very evenly matched contest. The two sides are separated by just five points in the Premier League this season, while both sides have conceded exactly 34 goals each, although the Foxes have scored four more.

Leicester are really struggling to pick up wins recently. They have none in six in all competitions since beating Everton 1-0 on New Year's Day, losing five of those, and they've lost three in a row at the King Power since beating Man City 2-1 in December. They last lost four straight home Premier League games all the way back in January 2000.

Crystal Palace may be below them in the table, but they have had no such problems recently. They are unbeaten in five in all competitions, winning three of those and they have even won three of their last five away from home. They'd only won three of 11 before this.

Indeed, the Eagles have won each of their last three league meetings with Leicester without even conceding a goal. They are looking to win back-to-back top-flight visits to Leicester for the first time in their history.

It gets even better for Palace when you look at their manager Roy Hodgson's record against Leicester - he has won each of his last six managerial games against them in all competitions, including five in a row in the Premier League. Only against Aston Villa (7) and Bolton (6) has he won more matches as a manager in the competition - and he's faced those two sides five times more than he has the Foxes.

Speaking of the former England manager, he will set a new Premier League record today by becoming the oldest manager to take charge of a match in the competition's history. He is aged 71 years and 198 days on the date of this match - overtaking Sir Bobby Robson's previous record of 71 years and 192 days when he took charge of Newcastle against Aston Villa in 2004. I take my hat off to him for that!

Key players:

Jamie Vardy - Surprisingly, he has just two league goals at the King Power Stadium this season, and hasn't scored in four league games there. That could explain Leicester's poor run of form, as if he doesn't get the goals, Leicester struggle to either.

Christian Benteke - He's back in the side and I'll continue to pick him, because if he finds the form that made him feared in his Aston Villa days, he can be a difference maker for this Crystal Palace side. He's scored in each of his last three league appearances against Leicester, and a goal today will see him score in four in a row against a single opponent for the first time in his Premier League career.

Written by Reid the Red February 23 2019 08:24:26